Lemon Raspberry Zucchini Bread and Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Sometimes, I just need bread. Now, I don't normally feel this way. I usually stick to meat, veggies, fruit, and nuts/seeds. I'm one of those more-than-half italian girls who has never liked pasta, doesn't care for bread, and is quite lactose intolerant - so any kind of cheese or cream sauce is out of the question. Most of my ancestors would probably not be proud of this. But every now and then I get these cravings that tell me to eat a carb-filled loaf of something.

Rather than resisting my cravings, I like to break out my kitchen appliances and have a day of baking. Days of baking are the best kind of days, you never need to make a meal because you taste test the entire time! Plus the entire house smells amazing. Unless you burn something. Then it's not so good.

Today I happened to have about 10 zucchini and squash from my garden on hand, so it was easy to decide what kind of bread I was going to be making...zucchini bread! I wanted something fresh and light, but also something decadent...why choose when I can just make both? So that is what I did!

P.S. - Look who I found when I was out rummaging in my garden! Looks like it was a day to feast for all creatures :)

I like to peruse a bunch of different recipes online and from my cookbooks and develop my own recipes. From there I add, subtract, and replace ingredients in my constant quest to make things healthy, which is why there normally isn't a ton of sugar in my recipes. Plus I like to be able to eat the entire loaf if I'm feeling like it, and my tweaks keep me feeling guilt free :).

Two of my favorite blogs that have great ideas for healthier baking and cooking are: The Detoxinista and Desserts with Benefits. And of course, I can't help but visit foodgawker for a quick visual indulgence.

After what seemed like forever, I finally decided on 2 breads to try. Poor Mike had to experience the process of recipe hunting with me. It went something like this:

 "What about peanut butter flavored?"

 "Yum, that sounds great!" 

..."Oooh, how about cinnamon raisin?"

"That sounds good too!"

... "wait but I think I want something lemon...let's do lemon."

"Yes."

15 minutes later, I'm still yelling out random flavors.

..."Chocolate...dark chocolate. You'd eat that right?"

"Yes. Wait, I don't really love dar...you're not asking my opinion anymore, are you?" 

"What? Yes I am! But I already figured out what I'm doing...you like everything anyways, I'm sure you'll love it!"

...typical.

Anyways, this was the first time making either of these, so there are things I didn't try, but probably would have done...I'm going to include them as suggestions, but I can't promise how the bread will turn out :).

If you make both breads as written, both of these breads are gluten free, paleo, sugar free (if you don't add the sugar like me), and dairy free.

First, my light and refreshing bread!

Lemon Raspberry Zucchini Bread

Gather these things: 
     Wet
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 1/3 cup - 1/2 cup almond milk (or add until you have a thick batter...mine was dry and probably took 1/3 cup of almond milk and 1/4 cup of lemon juice, because I wanted it super lemony)
- 1-2 lemons worth of lemon zest

- 1t vanilla extract

- 1t lemon extract
- *optional: 1/3 cup - 1/2 cup liquid sweetener; honey, agave nectar, maple syrup would all work (I didn't add this, but my boyfriend wished I had because he likes things sweet...if you do add this you will probably need less almond milk, aim for a thick batter)

     Dry
- 3/4 cup coconut flour (spoon coconut flour into measuring up, then level with knife)
- 1t baking soda
- 1t salt
- 2t stevia powder
- 1/2-3/4 cups of frozen raspberries, crushed (I measured out  frozen raspberries into a bowl and then lightly crushed them with a ice cream scooper until the little beads were all separated from the berry)

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Shred your zucchini in a food processor (the fast way) or grate it like cheese (the slow way). Then try and make it as dry as you can by squeezing/straining/draining the water from it. I simply squeezed the zucchini in handfuls over the sink and then added to my measuring cup until I had 2 cups worth.
-Mix all wet ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
- Mix all dry ingredients except the raspberries
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until you have a thick batter, adding almond milk/lemon juice if needed.
- Fold in raspberries.
- Spray/coat baking dish with oil of your choice to avoid stick-age (I like to match my coating with what I use in the recipe...this time their was no oil, so I used my Spectrum coconut oil spray)
- Bake for 40 - 45 min, or until knife comes out clean. Let cool for 10-ish minutes.
- Eat!!

Wet ingredients together...

 And then mix them up...

Mix your dry ingredients together...I like Coconut Secret's raw coconut flour which I found at my local Whole Foods. Amazon is quickly becoming my favorite place to shop for Coconut Secret products though, so many options right at my fingertips! Just make sure you know what the prices are at your stores, some of the products are way more expensive online.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients, and then fold in the raspberry beads.

I sprayed both of my pans with coconut oil spray. It doesn't add a huge amount of coconut flavor when baking, but I do notice a hint of coconut when I use it to sauté things or make omelets. So if you don't love the flavor of coconut, stick to using it for your baking/coating needs.

What a beaut! Deliciously refreshing, light and fluffy, and hints of raspberry beneath the lemon flavor. Next time I would add more raspberries I think.

Now for the chocolate! I always want chocolate. Kind of embarrassed that I didn't start with this one.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Gather these things:

     Wet

- 4 eggs

- 2T coconut oil

- 1t vanilla extract

- 2 cups shredded zucchini

- a little almond milk, until batter is thick consistency

- *optional: 1/3 cup liquid sweetener; again, honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup would all do just fine. I didn't add this because I enjoy eating baking chocolate...weird, I know. I like the chocolate/bitter chocolate taste, but if you don't, add some sweetness :). 

    Dry

- 1/3 cup coconut flour

- 2t stevia powder

- 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, heaping!

- 1t baking soda

- 1t salt

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Shred your zucchini in a food processor (the fast way) or grate it like cheese (the slow way). Then try and make it as dry as you can by squeezing/straining/draining the water from it. I simply squeezed the zucchini in handfuls over the sink and then added to my measuring cup until I had 2 cups worth.

-Mix all wet ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

- Mix all dry ingredients.

- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until you have a thick batter, adding almond milk if needed.

- Spray/coat baking dish with oil of your choice to avoid stick-age (I like to match my coating with what I use in the recipe, so I used my coconut oil spray)

- Bake for 40 - 45 min, or until knife comes out clean. Let cool for 10-ish minutes.

- Eat!!

 The wet ingredients are behind, the dry in front...look at all that cocoa powder!

 Then add them together...

 Mix!

 Put into your baking dish and then let the oven do the rest.

 Mmmmm...of course I had to taste test this one too!

I stuck both breads in at the same time and crossed my fingers for deliciousness. While waiting, I decided to use my time wisely and whip up some almond butter. Because, well, what goes better with zucchini bread than almond butter? Nothing, you're right.

All you need is a bag of almonds and a food processor or Vitamix. I'm lucky enough to have a kitchenaid food processor that Mike's mom didn't want. 

 I like Trader Joe's 50% less salt dry roasted almonds. I get most of my nuts/seeds/dried fruit from TJ's because they have some of the best prices. Whole Foods is wonderful for the less common ingredients, but as far as daily items, it's a bit too expensive for me.

 Put in food processor...

Blend...

And then eat! With a spoon, right from your food processor. I think it tastes best that way :).

Of course I had to make sure each bread tasted good with the almond butter on it...mmm. It did!

believe in CLE

Something beautiful happened in Cleveland, Ohio on August 30th in 2013. The people of Cleveland came together as one and celebrated yoga at the one and only, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. People of all shapes and sizes, from the east side and the west side (amazing right?!), all decided to spend their Friday night breathing as one.

I am lucky enough to have an awesome job - I work for lululemon athletica. A fabulous company with a mission that is close to my heart. I couldn't imagine working for another company simply because of it's focus on the care of people - both in and out of the company. Plus I'm surrounded by inspiring people who I get to call my friends! #lucky. Some people rate their days on a scale from 1 to 5, I like to rate my days on a scale from made-their-day to changed-their-life.

On this particular Friday night, I'd like to think it was a changed-their-life kind of night. Inner Bliss Yoga Studios and lululemon athletica Eton-Chagrin came together to host a killer event at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame called believe in CLE. About 1,400 yogis practiced together...sweating, holding hands, laughing, and dancing their way through a 90 minute class. I feel so lucky to have gotten to see it from ideation to completion, and have never loved my city (and my company) more!

Over 1,400 people showed up to participate in a 90 minute class led by Tammy Lyons from Inner Bliss Yoga Studios. They have a beautiful studio in Rocky River, Ohio and a wonderful team of teachers. And on their website, some of them are called bliss makers...I want to work there just for that title. Talk about resume material.

And, Chill Pop Shop showed up to cool off our guests while they waited for the practice to begin. They make the most delicious handmade popsicles. Blueberry basil was my favorite. Refreshing with just the right amount of sweet and tart. Then again, if you know me, anything with basil usually wins :). 

 Look at all of the other delicious flavors! I would have taken a picture of mine but I was so busy eating it that I forgot to snap a pic...whoops. They are a must if you are ever sweating your way through Cleveland.

 That's just one side of the lot...so many Clevelanders!

A team of assisters walked around during the practice, all from studios local to Cleveland. It's amazing when businesses can drop the competition aspect for a moment and come together as one for a higher purpose. Such a powerful message! It was a magical night, clearly I'm not over it yet.

We held hands...

 And we danced...

And we savasana-ed.

Never before have I had a job that enabled me to learn, thrive, develop, and connect with people more than this job. Every day I work at acting as the owner of a business, all while having the opportunity to hold great conversations that could maybe change their life - or at least make their day. That is my purpose in life, I am thriving every day... nothing feels better than that!

Oh,and in case you were still unsure, Cleveland is awesome :).

Cold brewed coffee attempt 1!

There is nothing better to cool you down in the summer than iced coffee. I mean, there are other ways, but none that give back as much as iced coffee does. You simply take a sip, and you are whisked away on a chilly trip to flavor town. See? Iced coffee wins. Summer may be coming to an end here in Cleveland - although I did hear that it is supposed to be in the 90's tomorrow, which excites me... but that doesn't mean the iced coffee has to end.

A little preview of what is to come! Iced coffee in mason jars, nothing can beat it. But first a quick story.

My love for iced coffee began in the hot summer months in Athens, Georgia. I was a freshman in college and I had just completed my first day of rush. If anyone has ever rushed at a southern school, you'll understand. If you haven't, let me paint you a quick picture.

All the girls in the dorm try to get up earlier than they think anyone else will (wer're talking 5am and earlier), so they can shower, plug in their hair straighteners/curling irons, and get some mirror space. Then it's time to pick the perfect dress and do your make up - the holy grail is looking like you're not wearing any make up while still covering all imperfections. And then everyone is off! Strutting their stuff down sorority row, visiting the different houses and hoping that they will say or do something that impresses the girls and gets them called back for round 2. Not exactly my cup of tea...or coffee, to stick with our theme here.

After 2 days of this, I couldn't figure out why I was spending so much time on things I hated doing (showering, putting on make up, and dressing up for girls are all things I try to avoid), all just to pay lots of money for girl friends I didn't necessarily want - yet would have to call them a "sister" for the rest of my life. And that was the end of rush for me! I had a friend that felt similarly, so we took off our heels, shook out our hair, and walked barefoot into town in search of some relief from the scorching summer sun.

And there it was, Jittery Joe's Coffee.

Funky music, people who looked like they might need a shower, and the delicious smell of coffee beckoning me inside. My adoration of coffee hadn't begun yet, so I was ignorant to all of their offerings. I picked an iced coffee from Ethiopia simply because I couldn't possibly drink hot coffee at the moment - and I love the word Ethiopia. It reminds me of the word Utopia, and the thought of a place filled with all of my favorite things excites me. And yes, there would be mermaids.

Anyways, I took my first sip from the straw and was blown away. I asked the barista if the beans were flavored or if she had added anything to it. She laughed (ok, scoffed) and walked away saying "welcome to real coffee".

And that was that. My coffee world was changed. I savored every sip and tried to make that iced coffee last as long as possible. The flavors that were coming through amazed me, hints of blueberry and apricots, nothing like the hints of burning I was used to.

So now, many years of coffee drinking later, I have finally decided to master iced coffee. I learned long ago that if you want hot coffee, brew it hot. If you want cold coffee, brew it cold. If you don't stick to this, the flavor will change with every temperature change you inflict on the beans. I never listened until now. For iced coffee in the past, I always just brewed coffee hot and extra strong, and then stuck a bunch of ice in it. Fail. If you do this, please stop, it physically pains me.

Gather these items:
- a glass (or plastic) jug that can carry about 15 cups of water (3-4 Liters)
- 1 pound of coffee beans, freshly ground (any roast you like, I prefer light roasts at the moment)
- 10 cups of filtered cold water (room temperature will work as well, just not warm or hot)
- a piece of cheesecloth big enough to fit the pound of ground coffee beans in it
- 24 hours of patience (most important item for sure!)

There's my $7 glass jar from Marc's. And my $18 pound of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from Rising Star Coffee Roasters. 

Then you grind the beans - I need to graduate to a burr grinder, I'm still using a spice grinder and the whole shake-and-grind-for-3-seconds-then-pause-for-3-seconds-so-the-beans-don't-get-hot method. This method won't give an even grind, but it gets the job done.

There they are! Now it's time for the grounds to hang out in the cheesecloth for a few hours...I tell myself "a few" so I don't have to think about waiting 24 whole hours, I'm not nearly that patient.

This is how I set mine up. A large square piece of cheesecloth put into my glass jug, with a hair tie holding it on the edges for easy removal. So MacGyver of me, I know.

I hope so bad someone invents smell-o-vision soon. A deep breath in while my face was hovering above the jar was like some kind of iced coffee foreplay. Yum.

Then the 10 cups of filtered water get added in, right on top of the grounds. Give them a quick stir to make sure they are all saturated, and leave them to their soaking. Then, I suggest putting them out of sight. You know how the saying goes - out of sight, out of mind. 24 hours will come sooner than you think!

And then, just when you think you couldn't wait any longer, it's time! Yesss, finally! 

Fill up a cup (I prefer a mason jar) to the top with ice, and halfway up with your iced coffee concentrate. The other half can be milk, soy milk, almond milk...maybe a little chocolate sauce?! Whatever you feel will make your iced coffee best. Most people prefer a full cup of ice, and then a ratio of 1 part coffee concentrate with 2-3 parts of water/milk/almond milk. These days I'm sticking to 2 parts coffee, 1 part water...I like my caffeine buzz to be nice and strong :).

If I do choose milk, I like the unsweetened vanilla almond milk by Blue Diamond. One day I'll try my luck at making my own, just not today. 

**I didn't do this the first time, but I suggest pouring your coffee concentrate through a pour over with a coffee filter in it and your jug that you will keep in the fridge until your concentrate is gone. With mine, I had a little sediment at the bottom that snuck through the cheesecloth. I don't mind a dirty cup of coffee, but some people do.