Zucchini Date Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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Zucchini Date Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

It’s no secret that I love fueling for long runs with large, chewy medjool dates. They provide excellent fruit sugars that help keep me running for miles without filling my body with artificial sweeteners, HFCS, chemicals, or other junk.

But sometimes I want a little more from my dates.

I’m not talking about romantic dates!

I wanted something I could snack on before a run that would fill me up while providing my body with essential energy to keep me going.

Zucchini Date Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

This bread turned out to be an easy way to use up extra zucchini. It would be good with shredded carrots, too!

I decided to use the garbanzo and brown rice flours to keep it gluten-free, as a way to reduce the risk of inflammation during and after my run and therefore help speed recovery afterward.

Zucchini Date Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

The dates and stevia made the bread sweet and moist (ew, I know, I hate that word, too. But it’s applicable here!)

It was excellent toasted and didn’t require any toppings or nut butters. Just perfect and simple the way it is.

I made it vegan with Ener-G Egg Replacer, but you could always use eggs or egg whites if you wanted!

Zucchini Date Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Zucchini Date Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 3-egg equivalent Ener-G Egg Replacer (or use 3 eggs or 3/4 cup egg whites)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup garbanzo flour
• 2/3 cup brown rice flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup stevia
• 4 large medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Mix together the zucchini, applesauce, egg replacer, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, stevia, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet one, stirring until well incorporated.
5. Stir in the dates.
6. Pour the batter into a gently oiled and floured 9×5 inch loaf pan.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Do you eat before your workouts, or plan specifically for fueling, recovery, etc.?

What’s your favorite snack during a long workout?

Carrot Breakfast Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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Carrot Breakfast Cookies

I’d been reading some articles about coconut sugar ~ also known as palm sugar ~ and got curious! From what I’ve read, coconut sugar:

• Is a low-glycemic food (35), which provides sweetness without the crash and burn of refined white or brown sugar.
• Carmelizes when baking, unlike stevia or agave, making it an excellent replacement for refined sugar in baked goods.
• Is often (or usually) sustainably harvested, making it an eco-friendly choice.
• Is high in amino acids, minerals, and B vitamins!

Check out the Wikipedia entry here

So, when my local organic market had coconut sugar on sale, I couldn’t resist and picked up a bag.

I was also eager to get rid of some extra carrots, so decided on one of my favorite old recipes: Carrot Breakfast Cookies!

Carrot Breakfast Cookies

There is nothing inherently “breakfast” about them, except that:

• They taste delicious in the morning!
• They’re filling ~ two or three with some almond butter is plenty for a small breakfast (for me).
• They’re very low in fat and cholesterol-free!
• They provide fiber and protein to keep you fueled-up for several hours.
• They’re extra-yummy when topped with raw almond butter.
• The coconut/palm sugar worked as I’d hoped and was a delicious replacement for refined sugar!

Carrot Breakfast Cookies

I made these with garbanzo (chickpea) flour, but you could try whole-wheat flour or any gluten-free flour. You can also make these with eggs instead of egg replacer, but I like the extra healthy boost from chia.

Chia Egg Replacer:

• For one egg equivalent, add 1 Tbsp. chia seeds to 3 Tbsp. water.
• Let sit for 15 minutes. Stir, then use as you would eggs in baking.
  

  Carrot Breakfast Cookies

Carrot Breakfast Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup coconut/palm sugar
• 2 servings of chia egg replacer (see above)
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup garbanzo flour
• 1 1/2 cup steel cut oats (try Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Steel Cut Oats)
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Make your chia egg replacer and let sit while you prepare the rest.
3. Sift together all the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the applesauce and palm sugar.
5. Add the chia egg replacer.
6. Beat well for one minute.
7. With a wooden spoon, mix in the carrots.
8. Fold in the dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
9. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
10. Spoon out in 1″ balls and flatten slightly or leave puffy (like I did) for more muffin-y cookies.
11. Bake at 375F for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Have you ever cooked with coconut/palm sugar?

Do you have a favorite replacement for refined sugar?