Sunday, March 4, 2012

Zucchini Brownies

Last week my dachshund Squirrelly was diagnosed with problems in his back and his neck and we've had to keep him in his kennel when we're not able to sit by him. He's not the type of dog to rest, but the medicine seems to be helping him sleep. I was going to make the family Zucchini brownies last week, but we were all taking turns sitting with him and I didn't have time. Today, during my husbands shift, I grated zucchini, mixed, baked and now the Squirrel is wrapped in a blanket and asleep on my foot, front paws crossed and snoring.
Recently I made a couple of produce bags out of an old green t-shirt while I watched the movie Illusion on Gaiam. The movie was kind of a funky blend of new age meets redemption. Kirk Douglas was very good. The bags have held up with apples, blood oranges and you guessed it, zucchini's! And they've survived the washing machine, I think I'm hooked. :)
The brownies turned out more like a cake/brownie. Chewy, but lighter than a brownie. Next time I'd use more walnuts. I think I'll serve it with some vanilla yogurt. (BTW Squirrely enjoyed the other half of the applesauce cup that I used in the brownies.)

Zucchini Brownies
2 C grated zucchini
1/4 C cinnamon applesauce
1/4 C (+ 2 T) plain Greek yogurt 
2 t vanilla
1 t salt
2 C all-purpose flour (unbleached)
1 1/2 C sugar
1/4 C cocoa
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/8 C walnuts chopped

Preheat oven and grease your baking pan. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and cocoa. In a separate bowl combine vanilla and kosher salt (I tried to get the salt to dissolve) then add the yogurt, applesauce and zucchini and mix. Grate the zucchini then add, along with the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and combine. Spray your brownie pan with cooking spray then add the batter and sprinkle the nuts on and press into the batter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Recipe Source: Food Finery: Zucchini Brownies, my edits are in orange.

Enjoy,

Suz

(WW PointsPlus: makes 16 brownies, 4 points each)

Note: I won't be making these again. They weren't anything like you'd expect from a zucchini baked good, so they're not going on the recipe index.