Saturday, May 2, 2009

Wheat Germ Zucchini Bread

Many of my fellow bloggers are posting about healthy food choices and healthier cooking. I won't say I've succumbed to peer pressure, but let's say this is a nod to a healthier quick bread recipe.

My grandmother was really big on healthy cooking. She used to subscribe to magazines about organic gardening and bought any number of cookbooks for heart healthy recipes, saving your eyesight, healthy brain, and just about every other organ, I think.

One of the things I remember about her is that she always had wheat germ in her refrigerator. What I don't remember is how she used it. I bought it, then discovered I didn't know what to do with it except sprinkle it on yogurt (and I'm almost positive my grandmother never ate yogurt in her entire life; it would've been considered "foreigner" food and that would have been the end of that).

Anyway, so I've had this jar of wheat germ in my fridge for longer than I want to admit. I was reading my Best Recipes from the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars cookbook when this recipe leaped out at me. Ah ha!

This bread is interesting. Nice mild flavor (unlike my other zucchini bread recipe which has an assertive cinnamon flavor). This bread also has texture, kind of crumbly, but not so much that you can't spread softened butter on it. I like it. I feel righteous. I like that, too! I'm pretty sure that I can now run faster and jump higher than I could before. I'm not sure why I want to do that.

Wheat Germ Zucchini Bread

Preheat oven to 350F for metal baking pans; 325F for glass pans.
Grease and flour two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" loaf pans.

1 1/4 cups wheat germ, regular (I presume they mean not the honey flavored)
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup cooking oil
3 cups (about 3 medium-sized) zucchini, grated

In a medium bowl, combine the wheat germ, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nuts.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light colored and fluffy. Add the sugar, vanilla and oil; beat well.

Stir in the zucchini.

Gradually stir in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, until just combined. Divide the batter between the two pans. Place in preheated oven.

Bake for about 1 hour or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to finish cooling.

12 comments:

  1. Katy, Yummy! I am going to give this a try! I loved your post today!!

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  2. you Jump girl! This sounds very healthy and wheat germ never hurt any of us. I need to pay more attention to my health. Will try this. Thanks for always being there.

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  3. Thanks Katy, I'm always looking for one more way to sneak veggies into my 2 year old who believes that bread and yogurt are all there is to life - this looks like a wonderful way to fool him :o)

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  4. A little wheat germ never hurt anyone! This is a very nice bread.

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  5. I like that you don't give in to peer pressure ;) And this sounds delicious...I actually like wheat germ (inherited that from my mama) :)

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  6. Oh you crack me up! .....

    I love wheat germ and put a tbsp in here and there...and everywhere. Grin. Love it....and will try it! Nice pic by the way girl! Love the hearts on the tea towel. Good composition. Yikes....it just thundered out and the lights flickered. Hmmm....wonder if you will even get this. Oh well. Take care my friend. Yep...I too cook healthy...from time to time. Actually...the boys demand it....and after a sample of the 'not as good for you things'...I take it in to work to dispose of it...if you catch my drift. Ahhh....those days are long behind me where the calories didn't stack up...just from looking at a yummy 'dish'. I think it is all about portion though...yep...portion!

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  7. This bread looks fantastic. I would love a piece with my coffee right now. Great combination.

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  8. What a nice, hearty looking bread. Of course, I love those hearts! I used to have that cookbook. I think I've donated it or passed it along. I love your stories that go along with your recipes.

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  9. zucchini in bread is always a hit... :) This bread is a must try...

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  10. I LOVE zucchini bread, and this looks like a really cool ary to make it, I can't wait to try it!

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  11. Katy this sounds yummy. I cant wait to try with the wheat germ.

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  12. Thank you all for coming by and leaving such nice comments. You make my day with the smiles you leave me.

    Anj, I have two copies of this book. My older copy, which I still use, was falling apart from cracking the binding as I tried to weigh it down to keep it open while I was cooking. My Ole Sweetie-Pi purchased the same book, brand new, on Ebay for me and fixed my old one in the meantime. There are a number of versions out; I think mine may be one of the older ones, and the one I most prefer.

    Kristen, my mother used to try and sneak foods into other foods too. I still remember her trying to convince me and my two younger brothers that the ground up liver was meatballs. Yeah, right, Mom. We fell for that one. Not. LOL

    Trisha, you make ME laugh!

    Penny, you have a beautiful blog and I so enjoy visiting with you there; and also delighted to see you here!

    Linda, I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Some days it's easier to write from the heart than others, depending on what it is and what memory it may trigger. I had fun writing it and sharing it.

    Donna, coffee pot is on!

    Hendria, Nett, if you try this I hope you enjoy it, too. It's pretty good. I hope you tell me if you like it.

    Girlchef, Mary, I saw another wheat germ recipe I'm PROBABLY going to attempt. LOL We'll see. I don't want to go too crazy LOL

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