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Harvest Zucchini Banana Bread

Prep Time:

20

Cook Time:

35-45 minutes

Serves:

12-15

Level:

Beginner

About the Recipe

If autumn isn’t the season to harness your inner ‘Nanna’ that makes a few loaves of zucchini banana bread on a chilly, rainy fall day, while warming up the house with the oven and the aroma of love and cinnamon…then I don’t know what I’m doing here in this dimension.

This banana bread has been my go to. For a baking recipe, it is fairly forgiving and easy. Feel free to add more spice to this loaf (clove, nutmeg, pumpkin spice blends) would go great. This recipe is full of phyto-powerhouses, fiber, and did I mention the moisture of this bread is absolutely perfect? Yes- perfect. Nothing is worse than a dry banana bread. (I’ll fight you on this!) lol JK... You do you. ;-)

This bread is also a great way to use an abundance of garden zucchini or to use up those browning bananas sitting on your counter or fruit basket. (I’m mostly calling myself out).

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Love,

Your Sassy Autumn Nanna

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cup of Flour (all-purpose white/wheat/GF Flour)

  • ½ cup of sugar

  • 1 tbsp of cinnamon

  • ¼ cup hemp seeds (optional)

  • 3-4 tbsp ground flax seed (optional)

  • 3 tbsp chia seeds (optional)

  • ½ tsp of baking powder

  • ½ tsp of baking soda

  • ½ tsp of salt


Wet Ingredients:

  • 3 mashed, overripe bananas

  • 1 cup of shredded zucchini

  • ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 egg

  • 1 tsp of vanilla extract


Toppings (optional): 

  • 1-2 tbsp of hemp seeds

  • 1-2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds

  • 1/3 cup of crushed pecans 

  • 1/3 cup of semi-sweet/dark chocolate chips 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 ℉. Grease or line with parchment paper 2 small/medium loaf pans, or one large loaf pan, or prepare for muffins. 

  2. In one larger bowl prepare the wet ingredients: mashed bananas, zucchini, egg, extra virgin olive oil, and vanilla. (Tip: I like to put all the ingredients together and mash quickly with a potato masher). 

  3. In another bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground flax, hemp and chia seeds. Combine ingredients well. 

  4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir gently to combine. 

  5. Divine mixture evenly into loaf pans, muffin tins, or other preferred baking dish. Top with desired nuts, chocolate chips, or banana slices. 

  6. Bake for approximately 35-45 mins or until a toothpick or fork inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Cooking times will depend on the shape of your dish. 

  7. Allow to cool for a few minutes then transfer from dish to countertop or cooling rack. Stores up to 3 days in a sealed dish at room temperature or 5-7 days in the refrigerator.


Notes: 

  • Flour: I have used this recipe with a few different flours: white, whole wheat, and two different types of gluten free blends. All have turned out great. I would say this is a pretty forgiving baking recipe and can be tailored to your needs easily. 


  • If adding more flax or hemp, I would reduce the flour content just slightly by ¼ cup or so, and vice versa. Or feel free to add some more zucchini for moisture if adding more flax or flour. 

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