If you haven’t guessed by now… I like to bake with what is on hand. And right now… the gardens of Maryland are bursting with Zucchini. Although my particular Zuke plants have been stubbornly unyeilding, my nephew John gifted me a zucchini the size of a small child.  I scooped out the seeds, sliced it up and put it through the food processor.  I got enough grated Zucchini for this recipe, a bonus batch (Dark Chocolate Chip Z. Bread) and some rather yummy Zucchini and sausage soup. So don’t throw out those over sized Zukes.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups Sugar
4 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
4 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
3 Eggs
1 cup Oil
3 teaspoons Vanilla
1 teaspoon finely chopped lavender plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup very ripe peaches, chopped
3 cups Zucchini, grated

DIRECTIONS:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and prep 8 small loaf pans with baking spray.
2. In a large bowl combine the Sugar, Flour, Salt, Baking Soda, Baking Powder and Pumpkin Pie Spice.
3. In a smaller bowl beat the Eggs. Add the Oil and Vanilla.
4. Gently fold in the Lavender/Sugar  then add the Peaches.
5. Add the liquid to the dry and mix.
6. Add the Zucchini and mix.
7. Divide batter evenly into the loaf pans.
8. Bake for about an hour or until the loaves pass the toothpick test.
9. Let cool for 15 minutes and enjoy.

BONUS RECIPE: For the Dark Chocolate Chip Z. Bread… replace the peaches and Lavender with one bag of Dark Chocolate Chips. (Yes, I am that clever.)

Both Zucchini Bread variants were well received. I think the Lavender scared a few people off, and I got more requests for the Dark Choc. Chip. But really, both the peach and the lavender melted into the batter and were barely detectable after everything was baked. the same with the zucchini (It probably helped that I used the fine whole side of the grater blade.)  Both these recipes were delicious. The Chocolate had a bit more flavor, the Peach Rosemary was for more refined tastes. The house smelled AMAZING through out the entire process.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup pureed Peaches
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Ginger
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 cups  Zucchini, grated
• Almond Slivers

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prep 12 medium muffin cups.

2. Puree the Peaches in a food processor or blender.

3. In a large bowl mix the Eggs, Sugar, Peaches,  Vanilla, Salt Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger together.

4. Add the Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Whole Wheat Flour to the wet mixture.

5. Fold in the Zucchini.

6. Divide evenly into the muffin cups and top with Slivered Almonds.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are brown and muffins pass the toothpick test.

8. Coll for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to coll further.

These turned out really well. They taste delightful and the texture is spot on. Although I’m with out my trusty taster Maggie (she went back to school) I mailed  her a batch and I think these will hold up well in transit. I’m proactively giving them two thumbs up.

BONUS MUFFIN: Banana Zucchini with a kick of Peach

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tea Baking Soda
• 1 tea Salt
• 2 super RIPE Bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 soy Yogurt (OK I cheated and used Greek Yogurt that was in the fridge … but you could totally make it with Soy Yogurt)
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 cup pureed Peach (who had pureed Peach left over from the other recipe? This girl.)
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Zucchini
• Almond Slivers

DIRECTIONS:

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and prep 10 0r 11  muffin cups (this recipe did not make 12. It just barely made 11)

2. In a medium bowl whisk together the Whole Wheat Flour, Baking Soda and Salt.

3. In a large bowl mash the Bananas, add the Sugar, Yogurt, Vegetable Oil, Peach and Extract. Stir until combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet .

5. Fold in the Zucchini.

6. Divide evenly into the muffin cups and top with Almond Slivers.

7. Bake for 35 minute or until the muffins pass the toothpick test.

8. Cool on a wire rack.

These are yummy, but came out moist. They passed the toothpick test, but once they cooled the centers got a bit gooey.

Related articles

• Muffin Monday: Almond Currant (Vegan?)
• Muffin “Monday”: Strawberry Peach Almond minis
• Muffin Monday Banana Cherry Muffins DF

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Buckwheat Flour
• 1 cup regular Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2/3 cup Skim Milk
• 1 stick Butter
• 1 Egg
• 1 cup fresh Strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped Pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and Prep the 13 medium-sized muffin cups

2. In a large bowl combine the Flour, Baking Powder and Sugar.

3. In a microwaveable measuring cup melt the Butter.

4. Add the Milk to the Butter, then add the Egg.

5. Mix the wet into the dry and stir until combined.

6. Fold in the Strawberries and Pecans.

7. Divide evenly into the baking cups.

8. Bake for 20 minutes. Muffins are done when they pass the toothpick test.

9. Cool for 10 minutes before enjoying.

These muffins are moist and don’t keep long in a hot summer kitchen so eat them with in a few days of baking (or freeze). I would have liked a crunchier top to these muffins. Next time I make them I might pull back on the milk a bit.

They went over well with my family. The Buckwheat gives them a hardy, earthy flavor, and the Strawberries give them a kiss of sweetness and freshness.

These muffins are NOT Vegan.