Healthier Zucchini Bread

The Recipe:

3 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 cups- approx., very approx- shredded zucchini
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Coat two loaf pans with spray oil.

Beat eggs until very light and lemon-colored; slowly add sugar and oil. Continue to beat until very light. Mix in zucchini & spices. In separate bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, soda and salt; slowly add to the egg mixture- you may want to do this by hand or get out the pouring shield, as flour will go all over the place. Stir in walnuts; spread batter evenly into loaf pans.

Bake 1 hour and test with toothpick for doneness; if still wet, bake additional 5 min. until done. Makes two big loaves.

The Story:

This isn't Grandma's light and sweet zucchini bread. It's a lot denser and has more squash in it, more fiber and less sugar. It's still absolutely great. The kids love it slathered with cream cheese for breakfast, but I prefer it plain.

I don't often measure the zucchini. I use up whatever I have- I even used a crookneck squash last time because I had it around. If it's a whole lot more than three cups, the bread is heavy and moist; if it's a lot less, it's a bit dry. This time of year, I always seem to have more than three cups...

Get fresh nutmegs. If you have a microplane grater (usually used for zest or Parmesan cheese), you can use it to grate nutmeg. There is no comparison between canned powder nutmeg and freshly grated- fresh is light years ahead. I get mine from Penzeys. It's worth it.