Zucchini Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, shredded
• 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 1/2 cup wheat germ, toasted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup neutral vegetable oil, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Brush a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with oil and line with parchment paper.
2. If pumpkin seeds and wheat germ need toasting, spread seeds in a thin layer on one half of rimmed baking sheet. Spread wheat germ in a thin layer on the other side of pan. Bake in preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
3. Place shredded zucchini in the center of a clean dish towel. Wrap up the corners of the towel and twist to squeeze out as much juice as possible. You should end up with about a pound of grated, pressed zucchini. Discard juice.
4. In a large bowl, crack eggs and stir to break yolks. Add drained zucchini, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir until well-combined.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
6. Fold in pumpkin seeds and wheat germ. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle top with turbinado sugar.
7. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through. Bread is done when a toothpick entered into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached (200°F on a probe thermometer).
8. Cook's Tip:
9. It’s important to extract as much moisture out of the zucchini as possible. Additional liquid will make the bread dense and gummy.