Support local and create Zucchini and Carrot Walnut Bread!

Whoever invented the idea of the farmer's market or people's market is an absolute genius!  People love to share their product with others, and there's nothing more rewarding than supporting your local businesses.  I love walking through farmer's markets and experiencing the atmosphere that the vendors and community create.  It's always buzzing with local folk looking to help each other out.  When I visit my local farmer's market I'm not only looking for a better deal on produce, I also enjoy discovering new products and listening to people's conversations of what they use each ingredient for.  If you've never been to one, go!  You'll be surprised with some of the conversations you'll engage in, whether it be about food, life or the weather.  And if you take your time to consider each fruit and vegetable, you'll realize that the possibilities are endless!
This time I had no particular item or recipe in mind.  I actually just went to be inspired by the vendors.  Sometimes you just need to let something jump out at you.  I was surprised when I ended up going home with a solitary bag of beautiful zucchini.  I intended to just roast them with garlic as a delicious side dish to an Italian dinner, but I had about 4 - 5 decent sized zucchini, and I wanted to do something different.  So, after contemplating and taking my sweet tooth palate into consideration as well as my adoration for bread, I decided to try my hand at Zucchini and Carrot Walnut Bread.  Jamba Juice has this stocked in their bread case, and I always buy one to indulge in my craving.  But, like I said in my previous entry about Starbucks' Lemon Loaf, it would be better on my wallet (and waistline) to make my own.

I had tons of fun grating the zucchini!  I didn't realize how much water it actually contained.  It quickly made the 3/4 cups I needed, so I had enough leftover to make another batch, ^^.  I don't have a picture of the grated carrots, but the process is the same.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/5 Cups  All-purpose Flour (or Whole Wheat Flour)
1 tsp  Baking Powder
1/4  Baking Soda
1/4  Salt
1 tsp  Cinnamon
2  Egg Whites
1 Cup  Light Brown Sugar (this can easily be cut down to no less than 1/2 Cup)
1/4 Cup  Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 Tablespoons  Plain Greek Yogurt
1 tsp  Vanilla Extract (optional)
3/4 Cup  Grated Zucchini
3/4 Cup  Grated Carrots
1/4 Cup  Chopped Walnuts

DIRECTIONS
1. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, salt and cinnamon.

2. In a large mixing bowl, blend sugar, egg whites, apple sauce, yogurt and vanilla.

3. Stir in zucchini and carrots.

4. Gently mix in dry ingredients till incorporated.  Fold in walnuts.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 2 loaf pans or mini loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Drop batter evenly into pans and bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and loaf is dry on top.

6. Cool in pans for several minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

These loaves are so delicious that you'll forget you're eating your veggies!  The walnuts really bring great texture to each bite, and if you want that additional crunch, feel free to sprinkle some walnuts on top of your loaves before baking.  Sooooo yummy!

Who needs lemonade when you can make lemon pound cake!

I've been trying to catch up with my blogging lately.  It's super hard when you have all these pictures to filter through, and some I haven't touched in so long I forgot where I put the recipe and what I changed in them =(.  If you ever plan on blogging - about anything - I would definitely suggest to have a designated place for your recipes and pictures...bookmarks, print outs, voice recordings.  Anything that will help you out if you have a busy and dynamic schedule.  Cause sometimes you just need to bake/cook and relax immediately after (with a glass of wine of course ;P)  Take it from someone who knows...I have tons of recipes (pictures actually) from last year that i just can't remember the ingredients for.  OK, I'm done venting!  Back to business..

If you're anything like me, you'll understand when I say that some days I love to get out of the house and relax somewhere else with a cup of tea or coffee and a great book.  At times like these, I often find myself at the local coffee shop sipping on my latte and munching on a pastry.  One time in particular, I remember eating an iced lemon pound cake and thought, "dang...if this becomes a habit, I'll be in debt before I know it."  Then, it hit me...why don't I just make my own!  Duh, right...seems to be a no-brainer.  So I scoured the internet looking at other blogger's renditions of their coffee shop favorites.  It's pretty ridiculous how easy these items we pay $3+ for are to make yourself.  Since my addiction at the time was Starbucks' Lemon Loaf, I found a great recipe online, and added a few modifications.

INGREDIENTS

POUND CAKE

1/2 Cup  Unsalted Butter, softened

1 Cup  Sugar

2  Eggs

1 tsp  Grated Lemon Peel

1 Tablespoon  Fresh Lemon Juice

1 1/2 Cups  All-purpose Flour

1 tsp  Baking Powder

1/2 Cup  Non-fat Milk (you may use any type of milk)

ICING

1/4 Cup  Lemon Curd

1/4 Cup  Powdered Sugar

1-2 Tablespoons  Lemon Juice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt and lemon peel).  In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar till smooth.

2. Add eggs and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice and mix till incorporated.

3. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately (starting and ending with dry ingredients) till incorporated.

4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray your loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour batter in.

5. Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes then cool completely on a rack.

6. Once cooled, spread lemon curd over the top of the loaf.  Mix powdered sugar and remaining lemon juice and ice away =).

Now slice and be happy eating this knowing that you're saving tons of money =).