Zucchini Bread v.1

gluten-free // yields 1, 8x4 loaf

3/4 cup raw buckwheat flour [made from grinding raw groats in my blender]

3/4 cup gf oat flour [made from grinding gf steel cut oats or gf rolled oats into flour]

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

1 cup grated zucchini, drained

2 large eggs

4 tablespoon sunflower oil [melted coconut oil, or other]

2 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce

3 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk [or other]

1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons brown rice syrup [or maple syrup/honey]

3 tablespoons sucanat

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 350* and grease + flour or line a 8x4 loaf pan with parchment paper. To grease + flour, grease all sides of the pan and add 1-2 tablespoon of flour, knocking it around so all sides are covered. Turn the pan over your sink and tap all sides, so the excess falls out.

In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients, except for the walnuts, and mix well.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs together then add in oil, applesauce, milk, brown rice syrup, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

Mix in zucchini to the bowl of wet ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently, until just combined. Over-stirring will cause a gummy texture.

Gently fold in the walnuts and then pour into your pan and spread to even out.

Bake centered, on the middle rack for 40-48min. The top will be cracked and golden brown. Test with a toothpick for doneness.

Let sit in the pan to cool for 10min, before sliding a knife around the edge to release the loaf from the pan. If it seems to be sticking to the bottom, gently release it with the help of a flexible spatula.

Notes:

*high altitude ~5,000ft: oven: 375* milk: 4T baking powder: 1/2t + 1/8t

*Feel free to make this in a 9x5 loaf pan, 9x9, 8x8, in mini loaf pans, or even in muffin tins. Just remember all of those options will lower the cook time.

*The hardest part with loaves are being able to tell when they’re done. When you insert the toothpick, into the center of the loaf, you should be able to tell if the inside is still gooey. It may look clean when you pull it out, but also go on how it feels. Remember, it will cook slightly more when it’s out of the oven + cooling.

Are you ready to learn how to make your very own batch of Roasted Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter? Trust me when I say you're about to become a homemade nut butter convert.

Roasted Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter | Edible Perspective

I first created this recipe back in 2010 and since then, it has steadily been the most popular recipe on my blog!

You'll need the following ingredients and equipment to make this happen:

high-powered food processor - a blender or mini food processor just won't get the job done
baking sheet + parchment paper - parchment paper makes your life SO much easier in the kitchen
raw almonds
pure maple syrup
pure vanilla extract
fine grain sea salt
patience - this nut butter takes a little time, but I promise you will be rewarded in the end

I've been making this recipe since 2010, when this post was first published, and I've tried numerous methods for adding the maple syrup to achieve a super creamy end result.

The key is roasting the almonds WITH the maple syrup and processing everything while still warm, but not hot. If you process while the almonds are hot, you'll get too much moisture buildup and the mixture won't butterize properly. If you were to add in cold maple syrup to fresh almond butter in your food processor, it would cause the mixture to seize. Trust me, this is the most reliable way to get the job done!

I dare you to not eat any of the freshly roasted nuts. Impossible.

TIPS:

Start processing 15-20 minutes after the nuts come out of the oven.
The nut butter will turn to crumbs, then dense crumbs, then a thick paste will start to collect on the bottom with dense crumbs above, then it will turn more paste like, and finally you'll have the creamy goodness you see below.
Be prepared to scrape the processor bowl down a lot, especially in the beginning.
This will most likely take 10-20 minutes to fully process.
When it starts to look creamy and smooth, you'll want to scrape and process for another 1-2 minutes to achieve an even more luxurious texture.

Finger swipe to make sure it's juuust riiiight.

Print Recipe! *Updated – 3/14/18*

Roasted Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter

yields: about 1 1/3 cups nut butter

2 cups raw almonds
4-5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Preheat your oven to 300° F.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (to avoid a very sticky mess). Do not use foil or wax paper.

Place almonds on the pan in an even layer and toss with the maple syrup to coat.

Roast for about 15 - 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes until the skins are golden. They brown a bit after removing from the oven, so watch closely. Let cool for 15 minutes (no longer than 20). Place in your food processor (fitted with the "S" blade) with the cinnamon, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and turn on.

Process, scraping down very frequently, especially in the beginning. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl each time and also scrape the bits from the inside of the lid. Keep processing and scraping until the texture is creamy and smooth. Then scrape again and process another 1-2 minutes for an even smoother texture. (It won't be runny like some nut butters, but close.) This can take 10-20 minutes due to the maple syrup and depending on how sharp your processor blade is. Add more salt if desired.

The nut butter will turn to crumbs, then dense crumbs, then a thick paste will start to collect on the bottom with dense crumbs above, then it will turn more paste like, and finally you'll have super creamy almond butter.

Scrape into a jar and let cool to room temperature before sealing. Keep for about 1 month in a cool pantry or in the fridge for 2-3 months (thickens if refrigerated).

Notes:

The 2 cup amount of almonds works best in a heavy duty, 12-cup food processor. If you have a 7 or 9 cup, I would reduce the recipe in by a quarter or half.
If your nut butter turns to a thick paste but won't smooth out as much as you'd like, simply add 1/2 - 1 tablespoon oil of neutral oil to help get things moving (refined coconut oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, etc.)
You want to process your almonds when they're warm, not hot. If they're fully cooled it's much harder to turn into nut butter because of the maple syrup.
If your food processor blade is a few years old and well-used (check to see if some of the teeth are bent on the blade) you may want to replace your blade before trying this. I recently had to do this after using the same blade for 5 years.
Do not use a mini food processor.
Be prepared to scrape the processor bowl down a lot, especially in the beginning.
This will most likely take 10-20 minutes to fully process.
When it starts to look creamy and smooth, you'll want to scrape and process for another 1-2 minutes to achieve an even more luxurious texture.