Zucchini Loaf

Summertime means zucchinis!

I believe that I have posted at least one recipe from Laurel's Kitchen before. I was introduced to the concept of vegetarian cooking when I lived in a co-op as an undergraduate, and I decided right away that I needed to learn more. I purchased a paperback copy of this cookbook in the early 1980's. That same paperback is now held together by rubber bands and is worn and stained from long, repeated use. 

The authors do a very good job of considering nutritional balance and content. One of the recipes I return to often is for Zucchini Oat Flake Loaf. It has a "comfort food" texture and mild flavor. There is just enough fat for a good mouth feel but not so much that you feel guilty, and lots of good fiber for your lower gut microbes to chew on.

Plus, this recipe is a good way to use up some of those extra zucchinis that you home gardeners will soon be buried beneath! The zucchini loaf freezes well. It might be a bit hearty for summertime fare but you can make a lot of it in the next couple of months and enjoy it this winter! Here is my slightly modified version of the recipe.

Prep time: about 30 minutes

3 cups grated zucchini (3 medium sized ones usually does the trick)
2 cups uncooked rolled oats
1/2 chopped onion, sauteed (dicing the onion results in better distribution)
1/2 cup grated white cheese (I like Parmesan but Swiss will work too; can reduce to 1/3 cup without loss of flavor or texture)
1/2 cup wheat germ (I've substituted bread crumbs with no loss in flavor or quality; however, I would not use wheat flour here because it will make the loaf gummy--trust me on this)
2 eggs, beaten
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375F. Sauté the onion in a bit of oil until soft. Allow it to cool. Grate the zucchini into a large bowl. Add all of the ingredients and mix well. Gently press into well greased loaf pan. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp nutmeg. I made it that way once and found the taste combination to be unpleasant. But go for it if you like nutmeg.

I rarely make more than one loaf pan at a time but this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to fill a large casserole. If you choose to go for volume, you may need to reduce the cooking time because the depth in the casserole will be less than in the loaf pan.

Enjoy!