Look Beyond

Look Beyond

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Huge tomatoes

Do you ever find yourself rushing through life trying to live it to the fullest while finding a way to be present in the moment? Unfortunately, so many of us are guilty of that. Thank goodness our kids have a way of reminding us to slow down and take a look around us.

Last night as we harvested tomatoes, we were working quickly to complete this project before sunset. Sam was taking his time and having fun along the way finding unique and interesting tomato shapes. He would insist that we stop what we were doing and really look and see the interesting tomato that he had found.

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Double delicious tomatoes

Some of the tomatoes that he found were obviously unique while others did cause you to pause and to genuinely see it through his eyes. It is times like this when I am so extremely grateful for many things, but I am most thankful that God sent us sons to have us stop, pause and genuinely slow down to take a look at the unique surprises that God has in store for us.

As you rush into your week, don’t forget to pause and genuinely look beyond what you see and look for the unique finds that are right in front of you.

Garden Science

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Sam opened up a tomato and saw that it was starting to turn color on the inside first before turning red on the outside.

Boxes of Produce

This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list. Remember food safety in your kitchen when preparing, always wash your hands before working with your produce and always wash your produce before eating.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – Some of the crops are ran under cold well water to take the field heat off of them so they last longer in your refrigerators. They are not washed – just cooled. So remember to wash your vegetables before eating. A new crop should be in next week.

Red Salad Bowl Lettuce – Beautiful color.

Spinach and Beet Greens – Mix together with the above lettuces for a beautiful colored salad.

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Purple beans are in your box this week. They grow from these pretty purple flowers.

Green and Purple Beans – Check out this recipe, and how green beans are raised in other areas of the U.S.on America’s Heartland. A few of you have some purple beans mixed in with the green beans.

Purple Vienna Kohlrabi – Peel it like an apple and eat it and enjoy dipping it into peanut butter.

Detroit Dark Red Beets -Some of our shareholders enjoy eating them raw in their salads.

Green Bell Peppers Here is a general background article about peppers. The most common colors of bell peppers are green, yellow, orange and red. More rarely, brown, white, lavender, and dark purple peppers can be seen, depending on the variety. Red bell peppers are simply ripened green peppers. The taste of ripe peppers can also vary with growing conditions and post-harvest storage treatment; the sweetest fruits are allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while fruit harvested green and after-ripened in storage is less sweet.

Banana Pepper – I have been cutting up and freezing the peppers with the intent to use them for recipes throughout the season.

peppers

Peppers

Cherry Stuffer Hybrid sweet peppers – These are the small, round red peppers.

Onion – Wondering what to do with all of your onions? I cut mine up using my Pampered Chef chopper, place in Ziploc bags and place in the freezer. That way, my onions are always handy for recipes throughout the year.

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Just a few tomatoes this week. Canning quantities are available. We picked 209 pounds of tomatoes plus the cherry tomatoes that were not included in the final tally. Math at work…approximately how much did each box of tomatoes weight?

Tomatoes – Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, Brandywine, Romas, Big Boys and Fourth of July (medium-sized) tomatoes. Enjoy the flavor. If you are considering canning quantities or wanting to freeze some for this winter, let us know.

Cucumbers – Did you know? Cucumbers are one of the earliest domesticated vegetables. It was adopted around 4 thousand years ago and was used not only for eating but also in medicine. Cucumbers are the 4th most cultivated vegetable in the world.

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Carrots

Carrots – Did you know…The carrot is usually orange in color although purple, red, white, and yellow varieties also exist. The domesticated carrot that we know today originated from the wild carrot called Daucus carota which was native to Europe and south western Asia.

Peter Pan, Scallop Squash – This squash is a circular scalloped summer squash. Distinctive, delicious, and sweet flavor.  It is not necessary to peel this squash before eating it. Cut it up like you would zucchini to grill it.

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Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash growing on the plant.

Summer Squash, Golden Egg Hybrid – Are you wondering how to use this summer squash – see how to cut it up here. Golden Egg’s a picture-perfect gourmet sensation-with succulent flavor and texture.

Zucchini – Try this zucchini boat recipe from Taste of Home or these recipes from Martha Stewart. 

Sweet Corn – Thank you to our neighbors, the Peterson family, for contributing the sweet corn in this week’s box. Did you know that Minnesota ranks number one in the production of sweet corn for processing. Sweet corn is different from field corn.

Viking RedThe Viking are the red skinned potatoes and work well as boiled or mashed potatoes.

20170816_170258_1502927389639 (2)Flowers – Hydrangeas, Rudbeckia, Sunflowers, Zinnias and Coreopsis

 

Recipe of the Week

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Basil Butter sample was part of your share this week. If you did not get yours, please let us know. You can pick it up next week.

Basil Butter

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a small bowl, combine butter and fresh basil; season generously with coarse salt and ground pepper. Stir until combined.

Transfer to an 11-by-10-inch piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll into a cylinder, about 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter; twist ends to seal. Refrigerate until very firm, about 2 hours. To serve, unwrap and slice crosswise.

Try this sweet-and-peppery butter on broiled or grilled white fish, on grilled steak or chicken, on corn on the cob or boiled potatoes, or with boiled green beans or peas.

Source: Martha Stewart

Attitude Determines Outcomes

Attitude Determines Outcomes

20170730_130824 (2)Our attitude often determines are outcomes. Do you ever wish you were doing a different job or task than what you have been asked to do? I think this happens to all of us.

Last night this happened when Steve and Sam both wished they were playing baseball instead of harvesting. But what happened was a pleasant surprise for all of us.

During our evening meal, we started a tradition we learned from a friend. We usually ask each other three questions: 1) What was your best part of your day? 2) Your worst part of the day? and 3) What can you improve on?

Often times, we find out more about each other during those discussions then some other conversations that we have. So, when these questions came up both Sam and Steve answered that their favorite part of the day was harvesting together that evening. They also said that it was the part that they really didn’t want to do.

They both decided to make the most of it and went to work to accomplish the task. They really enjoyed each other’s company, and the evening that was around them.

So, let your days not be crowded with cloudiness, but rather look for the opportunity and the sunshine that surrounds it.

Garden Science

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Did you know that of the 1,400 crops grown 80% depend upon pollinators? Source: USDA

Boxes of Produce

This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list. Remember food safety in your kitchen when preparing, always wash your hands before working with your produce and always wash your produce before eating.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – Some of the crops are ran under cold well water to take the field heat off of them so they last longer in your refrigerators. They are not washed – just cooled. So remember to wash your vegetables before eating. A new crop should be in next week.

Red Salad Bowl Lettuce – Beautiful color.

Spinach and Kale – Mix together with the above lettuces for a beautiful colored salad.

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Purple green beans will soon be starting to grow from these pretty purple flowers.

Green BeansCheck out this recipe, and how green beans are raised in other areas of the U.S.on America’s Heartland. A few of you have some purple beans mixed in with the green beans.

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Purple Vienna Kohlrabi ready for harvest

Purple Vienna Kohlrabi – Peel it like an apple and eat it and enjoy dipping it into peanut butter.

Detroit Dark Red Beets -Some of our shareholders enjoy eating them raw in their salads.

Green Bell Peppers Here is a general background article about peppers. The most common colors of bell peppers are green, yellow, orange and red. More rarely, brown, white, lavender, and dark purple peppers can be seen, depending on the variety. Red bell peppers are simply ripened green peppers. The taste of ripe peppers can also vary with growing conditions and post-harvest storage treatment; the sweetest fruits are allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while fruit harvested green and after-ripened in storage is less sweet.

Banana Pepper – I have been cutting up and freezing the peppers with the intent to use them for recipes throughout the season.

Cherry Stuffer Hybrid sweet peppers – These are the small, round red peppers.

Onion – Wondering what to do with all of your onions? I cut mine up using my Pampered Chef chopper, place in Ziploc bags and place in the freezer. That way, my onions are always handy for recipes throughout the year.

Tomatoes – Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, Brandywine, Romas, Big Boys and Fourth of July (medium-sized) tomatoes. Enjoy the flavor. If you are considering canning quantities or wanting to freeze some for this winter, let us know.

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A new cucumber forming between the stem and the flower.

Cucumbers – Did you know? Cucumbers are one of the earliest domesticated vegetables. It was adopted around 4 thousand years ago and was used not only for eating but also in medicine. Cucumbers are the 4th most cultivated vegetable in the world.

 

Carrots – Did you know…The carrot is usually orange in color although purple, red, white, and yellow varieties also exist. The domesticated carrot that we know today originated from the wild carrot called Daucus carota which was native to Europe and south western Asia.

 

Broccoli – It appears some of these had a bit to much sun. Simply run the knife gently across the top, and you should be good to go. Did you know? Broccoli is an edible green plant in the cabbage family whose large flowering head is eaten as a vegetable.

Peter Pan, Scallop Squash – This squash is a circular scalloped summer squash with light green 1-3″ fruits that’s meatier than most patty pans. Distinctive, delicious, and sweet flavor.  It is not necessary to peel this squash before eating it. Cut it up like you would zucchini to grill it.

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Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash growing on the plant.

Summer Squash, Golden Egg Hybrid Are you wondering how to use this summer squash – see how to cut it up here. Golden Egg’s a picture-perfect gourmet sensation-with succulent flavor and texture. As exquisite as a Faberge egg but so much tastier. Spherical, golden-yellow egg-shaped zucchini measures up to 5″ across, boasting delicious creamy flesh with hints of chartreuse. Try this variety in the soup recipe below.

Summer Squash Pic-n-Pic hybrid – Not in your box this week. But I was remiss in thanking the Pagel family for sharing this with us. Get to know the Pagels.

Zucchini – Try this zucchini boat recipe from Taste of Home or these recipes from Martha Stewart. 

Viking Red and/or Yukon Potatoes – The Viking are the red skinned potatoes and work well as boiled or mashed potatoes. Yukon (brown-skinned) are known for their versatility. I prefer them as baked potatoes or French fries.

Cilantro – Freeze and use in your salsa recipes later this year.

cropped-20170816_170258_1502927389639-2.jpgFresh cut arrangement – Hydrangeas, Rudbeckia, Sunflowers, Zinnias and Coreopsis

 

Recipe of the Week

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Summer Squash Soup – a delicious option for this vegetable. I also will place extra in muffin tins and freeze. Once frozen, I will remove from the tin and place in a labeled container to use for a quick meal.

Summer Squash Soup

5 small yellow summer squash, seeded and cubed

2 green onions, cut into 3-inch pieces

2 tablespoons butter

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1. In a large saucepan, saute squash and onions in butter until tender. Stir in the broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2. Cool slightly. Process in batches in a blender; return all to the pan. Stir in cream and heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

Source: Taste of Home

 

Treasures Within

Treasures Within

At this week’s pick up one of the shareholders exclaimed, “I love this garden. It grows brownies.”

This week, each member received a sample of the recipe of the week, Zucchini Brownies. This statement had me chuckling and reflecting that while I often talk about the treasures in the field. There are also treasures in the produce boxes.

So yes, this garden is producing the zucchini as a necessary ingredient for the brownies. But it also produces a wide variety of treasures shared within your boxes that provide options for creativity in your kitchen.

Envisioning delicious outcomes while providing a variety of intentional options for our palettes to grow will provide for those hidden unknowns. So whether or not you try the recipe below. Our wish is that you to will discover that your box is filled with hidden treasures like the brownies, as well as, other delicious options for you and your family.

Note: A special thanks to Sam for his contributing photography this week.

Garden Science

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Did you know … we grow 4 o’clocks to help bring in beneficial insects to eat bad insects that eat our crops.

Boxes of Produce

This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list. Remember food safety in your kitchen when preparing, always wash your hands before working with your produce and always wash your produce before eating.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – Some of the crops are ran under cold well water to take the field heat off of them so they last longer in your refrigerators. They are not washed – just cooled. So remember to wash your vegetables before eating.

Red Salad Bowl Lettuce – Beautiful color.

Spinach – Mix together with the above lettuces for a beautiful colored salad.

Green Beans –  Check out this recipe, and how green beans are raised in other areas of the U.S. on America’s Heartland.

Purple Vienna Kohlrabi – This plant thrives in the northern regions of Europe and North America. Kohlrabi is native to Europe and is believed to be the only common vegetable native to that area. I peel it like an apple and eat it.

Detroit Dark Red Beets – A new crop in your box this week. I love to boil my beets in hot water; then wipe off the skin using a paper towel.

Green Bell Peppers Here is a general background article about peppers. The most common colors of bell peppers are green, yellow, orange and red. More rarely, brown, white, lavender, and dark purple peppers can be seen, depending on the variety. Red bell peppers are simply ripened green peppers. The taste of ripe peppers can also vary with growing conditions and post-harvest storage treatment; the sweetest fruits are allowed to ripen fully on the plant in full sunshine, while fruit harvested green and after-ripened in storage is less sweet.

Banana Pepper –  I have been cutting up and freezing the peppers. I hope to use them for recipes throughout the season.

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Have you ever noticed the braided stem of the onion. Pretty amazing how mother nature does that.

Onion – Have you ever noticed the neck of the onion? Notice how it looks like it is naturally braided.

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Fourth of July tomatoes – perfect fit for you to eat for lunch or on a BLT.

Tomatoes – Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, Brandywine, Romas and Fourth of July (medium-sized) tomatoes. Enjoy the flavor. If you are considering canning quantities or wanting to freeze some for this winter, let us know.

Cucumbers – Did you know? In 2012, top cucumber producing states, as reported by the United States Department of Agriculture, were Georgia and Florida with 283.5 and 280.8 million pounds, respectively

Carrots – Did you know…Carrots are primarily consumed fresh and are the 6th most consumed fresh vegetable in the U.S. Consumption of fresh carrots peaked in 1997 at 14.1 pounds per person and since then has dropped off and settled into a stable amount of approximately 8.3 pounds per person in 2015 (Vegetable and Melon Outlook, 2016). In contrast, consumption of frozen carrots averaged 1.4 pounds per person.

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Peter Pan, scalloped summer squash is delicious baked, fried, sautéed or grilled.

Peter Pan, Scallop Squash – This All-America Selections winner is a miniature patty pan squash with light green 1-3″ fruits that’s meatier than most patty pans. Distinctive, delicious, and sweet flavor. Pick over a long period. Summer squash and zucchini ripen early and are highly productive.

Summer Squash, Golden Egg Hybrid Are you wondering how to use this summer squash – see how to cut it up here. Golden Egg’s a picture-perfect gourmet sensation-with succulent flavor and texture. As exquisite as a Faberge egg but so much tastier. Spherical, golden-yellow egg-shaped zucchini measures up to 5″ across, boasting delicious creamy flesh with hints of chartreuse

Summer Squash Pic-n-Pic hybrid – This Burpee-bred squash has golden yellow fruits with smooth, tender skin. It’s extremely productive and best picked when 4-6″ long. Proven tops for performance, flavor and wide adaptability

Zucchini – Try these recipes from Martha Stewart.

Viking Red and/or Yukon Potatoes – The Viking are the red skinned potatoes and work well as boiled or mashed potatoes. Yukon (brown-skinned) are known for their versatility. I prefer them as baked potatoes or French fries.

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Through the eyes of an 8-year-old, you can see the beauty of God shining through.

Fresh cut arrangement – Hydrangeas, Rudbeckia, Sunflowers, Zinnias and Coreopsis

 

Recipe of the Week

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Chocolate Zucchini Brownies – A family favorite.

Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil (I will substitute with applesauce.)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

  • 1/4 cup butter, cubed
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine the zucchini, sugar and oil; stir into dry ingredients until blended. Stir in walnuts and vanilla.
  • Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° F. for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
  • In a large saucepan, melt butter; stir in sugar and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook and stir 1 minute or until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in chips and marshmallows until melted and smooth; add vanilla. Spread over brownies. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired. Yield: 2 dozen.
  • Source: Taste of Home
Welcome to the Jungle

Welcome to the Jungle

Seeing your vision through what appears to be a messy jungle can be overwhelming at times, but focusing on end outcomes, and what lies within can be very rewarding.

As we headed out to tend to the garden this past weekend, I know the list of “needs” was overwhelming to the boys.

tomatoes

Welcome to the jungle. This appeared to be one of the more overwhelming jobs. The tomatoes needed to be tied up off of the ground, and the cucumbers (to the right) needed some guidance to grow up the fence. This will help plant health, and the vegetables will be cleaner because they are not lying on the ground. Once this was completed the boys had a clearer vision of the positive results. Sam said that harvesting cucumbers and tomatoes felt almost like a jungle or forest experience.

 

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After many busy weeks of baseball, we were able to spend some time weeding and cleaning up crops that were done with their growing season. We fed this to the chickens which was a good feed source for them.

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We trimmed back the kale and thinned out the rows. The insects have found the kale to be tasty. So we are hopeful that the new regrowth that will occur will be a good crop for harvesting next week.

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Planting the last crop of sugar snap peas and installing the fence for the peas to climb on was completed.

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The tomatoes needed some additional water. So the drip line irrigation was hooked up, and the rainwater that we had collected in our water tank was used to water the tomatoes.

 

Boxes of Produce

This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list. Remember food safety in your kitchen when preparing, always wash your hands before working with your produce and always wash your produce before eating.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce – Some of the crops are ran under cold well water to take the field heat off of them so they last longer in your refrigerators. They are not washed – just cooled. So remember to wash your vegetables before eating.

Red Salad Bowl Lettuce – Beautiful color.

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Giant Duke Kohlrabi

Grand Duke Kohlrabi – This is the last of this crop for the season.

Purple Vienna Kohlrabi – This plant thrives in the northern regions of Europe and North America. Kohlrabi is native to Europe and is believed to be the only common vegetable native to that area.

Detroit Dark Red Beets – This is the end of this crop. A new crop should be ready next week or the following.

Green Bell Peppers Here is a general background article about peppers.

Banana Pepper –  I have been cutting up and freezing the peppers I haven’t had time to use so that I can use for recipes throughout the season.

Onion – Are you tired of tearing up when you cut onions. According to the National Onion Association to reduce tearing when cutting onions, first chill the onions for 30 minutes. Then, cut off the top and peel the outer layers leaving the root end intact. (The root end has the highest concentration of sulphuric compounds that make your eyes tear.)

Tomatoes – Sun Gold cherry tomatoes and Fourth of July tomatoes. Enjoy the flavor. Look for more to come.

Cucumbers – Are you thinking about cucumbers…We also have dill. If you are interested in canning your own pickles let us know.

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Carrots

Carrots – Did you know…Carrots contain a pigment called carotene that converts to vitamin A when you digest it. This vitamin helps us to see in reduced light and at night. Check out this segment on America’s Heartland for more information on this vegetable.

Summer Squash, Burpee Golden – Are you wondering how to use this summer squash – see how to cut it up here.

Zucchini – Try these recipes from Martha Stewart.

Swiss Chard – If you are like me, you are still trying to figure out how to use this. Check this site out.

Viking Red Potatoes – Red potatoes are great for mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes. Check out this post on how to cut potatoes.

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Cilantro

Cilantro – Fresh cilantro has such a wonderful aroma. I have been freezing mine to use in canned salsa and soups later this year. The tomatoes are forthcoming if you are holding out for fresh salsa.

9-24-14 eggs

We have a variety of different colored egg shells because we have different breads of chickens. The brown shelled eggs are from Red Stars, green shells from Araucana and white shelled eggs from Lakenvelders.

Eggs – We thought you would enjoy some farm fresh eggs. You can cook and use them just like the ones you buy at the store.

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Zinnia

Fresh cut arrangement – Hydrangeas, Rudbeckia, Zinnias and Coreopsis

 

Recipe of the Week

Cinnamon Zucchini Bread
Cinnamon Zucchini Bread

Cinnamon Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

3 Eggs, beaten

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup applesauce

3 cups Flour (opt: substitute 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour)

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

2 cups Zucchini, shredded

Shredding zucchini is super easy and fun with this salad shooter.

Shredding zucchini is super easy and fun with this salad shooter.

Instructions

Beat together the eggs, sugars and applesauce.

Stir together all the dry ingredients and add to the egg-sugar mixture. Stir in the shredded zucchini.

Coat four mini loaf pans with cooking spray. Sprinkle sugar on the bottom. Pour batter evenly in all four pans. Sprinkle tops with sugar.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.