Zucchini Banana Bread

This is an adapted version using whole grains and natural sugars, but it still retains plenty of flavor and moisture. Feel free to omit the brown sugar and increase the maple syrup to 3/4 cup. The bread is best warm with butter.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 32
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3  eggs
• 2  cups  grated zucchini
• 1  cup  mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
• 2⁄3 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup real maple syrup
• 3⁄4 cup  oil
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 3 1⁄2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1  tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped walnuts (preferably toasted)
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped dates (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch bread loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light yellow and frothy. Add oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, grated zucchini, bananas, and vanilla; blend together until well combined. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the nuts and dates, if using. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool in the loaf pans on a wire rack before removing and serving.