Autumn has arrived. I was away on travel for just over a week, and when I returned the season had changed. Days and nights cool, crispness floating in the air. Every here and there, a cluster of leaves bright yellow amidst the otherwise deep green foliage. The light slants to golden, illuminating everything it brushes from within; the wind tinged with a cool northerly edge.
The garden is at–perhaps just beyond–its peak. The snap peas continue to yield, but their leaves are turning brown and brittle. The zucchini and cucumber are winding down. The very last few raspberries ripen on the vine. But now is prime time for tomato and pepper harvest. And what a crop of Montana peppers this year gifted! Jalapenos like I’ve never been able to grow here before, and cayennes–and one lone Anaheim. The tomatoes, too, gave aplenty. Cherokee purple, my favorite, and dozens of sweet little cherry tomatoes in shades of red and orange. The carrots and beets will get even sweeter once we get a frost.
Harvest.
And what better to make with the last of the zucchinis than a delicious quick bread, delicious on its own or schmeared with mascarpone and fresh jam or chutney (this morning I made a gingered pluot chutney inspired by My New Roots, and it is a perfect compliment to this bread). It freezes well–one way to save the season of bounty for the months of lean. Enjoy!
Gluten-Free Zucchini Spice Bread
Ingredients: 1 C cassava flour 1 C gluten-free oat flour 2 1/2 t baking powder 1 t xanthan gum 3/4 t salt 1 t cinnamon 1/2 t ground ginger 1/4 t nutmeg pinch ground cloves 2 C packed, grated zucchini (patted dry) 1/4 C + 2 T melted coconut oil (plus more to grease the bread pan) 1/3 C coconut sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 t vanilla extract 1 C chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Grease a medium-sized loaf pan with coconut oil.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and spices.
In a large bowl, whisk or beat together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
Slowly add a bit of the dry mixture to the wet, then a bit of the zucchini, alternating until incorporated.
Add the walnuts.
Spread batter into loaf pan.
Bake for about an hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, invert, and finish cooling on a rack. Wait at least 10 minutes before slicing for best results.
Once sliced, this loaf freezes well, and does a quick thaw in the microwave.
Enjoy!
