Although classified as a non-wheat flour, spelt is in the wheat family – and like whole wheat flour it does contain gluten. As spelt flour has slightly weaker and more fragile gluten than whole wheat flour, care must be taken not to over mix the batter in this recipe (this may result in an undesirable crumbly texture). Also, because of the fragile gluten in spelt flour, the product naturally will not rise as much as if pure whole wheat flour is used (and two chemical leavening agents have been used in this recipe for this reason). Spelt flour adds to the flavour (spelt has a mild nutty flavor) and nutritional profile (contributing fibre, iron and magnesium) of this recipe. My inspiration for creating this recipe was sparked from my curiosity to find out how a quick bread containing nutrient dense ingredients and very little fat and sugar would look and taste.
Highlights of making this recipe include:
- This quick bread contains nutrient dense ingredients (fruit, vegetables, low fat dairy products and whole grains) which are easy to locate and store once purchased.
- This recipe contains many ingredients you may already have in your kitchen and the extra ingredients that you may need to purchase are typically inexpensive.
- Preparing this recipe takes under 20 minutes of prep time in the kitchen and the product is ready to eat in under one hour.
- A pleasant sweet-cinnamon aroma will fill your home as this sweet bread is baking (hello cozy fall weather!).
This quick bread is moist, tender and has a slightly creamy consistency (from the zucchini, apples, and yogurt used in this recipe). To make this recipe suitable for a vegan diet, I would suggest replacing the egg with unsweetened applesauce, the Greek yogurt with dessert tofu and the honey with maple syrup. These recipe alterations will introduce more liquid so the amount of liquid would need to be reduced slightly (2-3 tbsp of maple syrup could be used in place of ¼ cup of honey to account for these alterations). With minimal cost and prep time required, this quick bread is an inexpensive and easy addition to a nutritious breakfast. I would also recommend this bread be served with a smear of nut butter or Greek yogurt for a substantial snack to be enjoyed any time of the day.
Macros per 1/10 Loaf Serving
Calories: 119
Protein: 3.5 g
Fat: 1.5 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Sugar: 9 g
Fibre: 1 g
Whole-Grain Apple Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup spelt flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup grated apple
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 egg large
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt plain, nonfat
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.
- Coat a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together apple, zucchini, egg, yogurt, vanilla and honey.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and fold until just combined.
- Spread batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown, 40-45 minutes.
- Cut loaf into 10 equal sized pieces.
