If you've read about my pumpkin spice muffins, you'll know I'm all about gluten-free and healthy recipes that taste like their non-healthy versions. I won't skimp on flavor just to get in some health points; I want to enjoy what I'm eating. So, I decided to expand my healthy muffin recipes and create gluten-free zucchini bread, too---full of magical nutrition, of course. Bust mostly, I want flavor. I want YUM. This gluten-free zucchini bread (or muffins if you prefer) are no exception to my rule. They're nearly a perfect breakfast food for us and we love them.
Zucchini offers incredible health benefits such as vitamins B6, C, and K; folate, fiber, and lots of other vitamins and minerals. Still, I confess I never considered gluten-free zucchini muffins a viable breakfast option. I wrongly assumed I wouldn't want a vegetable all mixed up in my morning; I saved them for my dinner plate. (I love being wrong sometimes!)
I had to experiment a bit with gluten-free flours because I was tested as having "borderline" celiac disease, and I know I'm sensitive to gluten. I want to give my body every fighting chance it has to be as healthy as possible. As a result, I follow a gluten-free diet and take special care to find healthy recipes items that are specifically labeled gluten-free. People with celiac disease should absolutely and always use gluten-free flours, such as garbanzo/chickpea flour, almond flour, coconut flour, and many of the other alternatives out there (afflinks). And that said, presuming you don't have celiac disease, you could certainly use standard wheat flour in this recipe if that's your preference.
What This Recipe Doesn't Have
Prep time is about 10 minutes.
garbanzo flour I mentioned above would work well, as would a garbanzo/fava mixture.)
Optional: Substitute pumpkin spice for cinnamon and nutmeg. Just use the same quantity as the recipe calls for. if you don't want to add the nutmeg and cinnamon separately or want a slightly different flavor in your loaves, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice. Just use the same quantity as the recipe calls for, for the others.
Once they're cool, some people like to add a vegan or greek yogurt to the top for some extra health benefits for their gluten-free zucchini bread. My daughter calls it "frosting," so it's a win.
I haven't experimented with mini-muffins since I use a regular-sized muffin tin; the one I use bakes 12 muffins at a time. I needed two muffin tins since I had enough batter for about four extra gluten-free zucchini muffins beyond the 12 my first pan would allow.
It works as a bread or as muffins. A healthy recipe like this can come in all shapes and sizes---we've even baked loaves in a heart-shaped baking dish!
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Sarah R. Moore is an internationally published writer and the founder of Dandelion Seeds Positive Parenting. You can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. She’s currently worldschooling her family. Her glass is half full.