Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Zucchini and Chocolate? I admit I love chocolate chip carrot bread, so why not add chocolate to zucchini bread? I received a recipe from one of our farm members who receives our vegetables each week and she sent me this recipe.

I had a pile of slightly beat up Cousa summer squash. "Zucchini" is a dark green summer squash, in my kitchen all summer squash are interchangeable for recipes that call for zucchini.

I wanted to make something with this pile of squash that I had a prayer that my kids would eat: so instead of a garlic summer squash saute or a light soup made with grated squash, sherry, chicken broth and a pinch of nutmeg, I opted for the add flour, sugar, butter and chocolate ploy: so far it's worked great.

my recipe filled with add-some-nutrition-tricks:

Julia's Summer Squash Bread
makes 2 loaves

1 1/3 cups sugar plus 2 Tablespoons
6 Tablespoons butter
4 large eggs
2 cups applesauce
2 cups whole wheat flour (I use 'white' whole wheat or ww pastry flour)
1 1/2 cups white unbleached flour
1/2 cup soy flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated zucchini or other summer squash
2 cups chocolate chipes (1 cup would be ok, I wanted to use the whole package so I tried the 2 cups, it was fine.)

Put grated summer squash in a colander over a large bowl and sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over all and lightly mix. Leave over colander for about 30 minutes, or until you're done with the rest of the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a standing mixer blend butter and sugar for a couple of minutes. Add applesauce and mix.

Combine dry ingredients, then add to the sugar/butter mixture and beat until just moist. Stir in drained zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour batter into 2 9x5 inch loaf pans that have been coated with baking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until wooden toothpick comes out clean.