Chocolate Zucchini Bread

The kids are back in school and our summer is winding down.  The air is turning colder, and the days are getting shorter and fall is well on it's way.  But, the zucchini...it is still going strong around here. 

We decided to try something a little different this time with our zucchini.  I still wanted my kids to eat it, because it's a fantastic vegetable.  But I wanted something fun  and sweet for a treat instead of our standard zucchini bread.

I searched through some of my cookbooks and found a recipe for zucchini bread and thought it would be amazing if it was chocolate.  So I left out 1/2 c of flour and replaced it with cocoa powder and added chocolate chips.

The end result is amazing.  The whole family loves it, which is always my goal when trying a new recipe.  This one is definitely a keeper.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 c oil
1 TBSP vanilla
1 c granulated sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 c cocoa powder
2 1/2 c flour
2 c grated zucchini (not peeled, unless its a bigger zucchini, you might want to remove the seeds)
1 bag milk chocolate chips (about 2 cups)

In a bowl, beat together eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugars.  Add salt, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and cocoa.  Mix till well blended.  Then add zucchini and flour, mixing until all combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour into two loaf pans, greased.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

*As a side note, zucchini freezes really well.  I usually just cut mine open, remove the seeds, then grate it.  I store it in freezer, zip lock bags in 2 cup measurements.  That way you can have zucchini ready all winter long when you feel like making a treat.