Make this super easy, high protein zucchini bread with chickpea flour
I have a bit of a flour collection that I’ve been trying to work through before they are old and out of date. Honestly the amount of different flours available these days is truly mind-boggling. I try to limit the amount of wheat I eat because it can aggravate my RA, so I’m always experimenting with different options, but that has caused me to end up with a lot of flours…
Some flours are tricky, like coconut flour. Others are pretty easy to work with. Chickpea flour is one of those that I’m finding simple to use. Not only is it low in carbs, but it’s packed with protein too. Cooking Light compared it to whole wheat flour:
Whole wheat: 408 calories, 3g fat, 86g carbohydrates, 16g protein
Chickpea: 356 calories, 6g fat, 53g carbohydrates, 21g protein
Cooking Light also gives some great chickpea flour insights:
“Chickpea flour is naturally dense, with a stickier texture than all-purpose flour when added to liquids. Because of these traits, it makes a fantastic binder for baking or for dishes that need a little extra stability like veggie burgers or fritters.
Ironically, despite its dense texture, chickpea flour makes for an incredibly light batter when frying. Simply mix it with spices and club soda before battering and frying your favorite foods to create an easy tempura-like texture. The flour can also be the base for savory waffles or act as a great thickener for sauces and soups.”
Can I make chickpea flour or should I just buy it?
You can make chickpea flour by simply grinding chickpeas (I’d recommend washing them and allowing to dry thoroughly before grinding) or you can pick it up at most natural food stores or simply order it from Thrive Market. We use Thrive a couple times a month for non-perishables and other items. You can get a pound of their brand for $4.99. If you’ve haven’t tried Thrive, I’d recommend you give it a shot. You can get an annual or single month membership and you get to choose a great free gift with your first oder. It definitely makes my life easier. And who doesn’t want that.
Anyway, I got a giant zucchini in our Misfits Market box a couple weeks ago (another service I’m loving). I used a bit of it for stir fry, and still had about 3/4 of it left so I decided to experiment with zucchini bread. I struggle with breakfast. I just don’t like the thought of food in the morning but because I generally run or go to the gym first thing, I need to get something in my system (Plus I take some supplements and meds that I handle much better if I eat a little bit). I was thinking about how I could amp up zucchini bread to increase the protein so a slice would give me some decent fuel.
Well, I had a jar full of chickpea flour that needed to get used, so it was time to experiment. I looked up some different recipes and found quite a few banana bread recipes with chickpea flour, but none for zucchini bread. It was helpful to see the amount of liquid used since I hadn’t worked with chickpea flour before. I was able to concoct a good recipe. The first loaf was good, but I made some adjustments and the second loaf (still same zucchini.) was spot on.
Most quick bread recipes will have you do blend the wet ingredients, combine the dry, and then mix together. Maybe this zucchini bread recipe would be better if you did that, but to be 100% honest, I just dumped it all in the bowl of my trusty kitchen aide mixer and let it go until everything was just combined. Maybe we call this zucchini dump bread??
The batter will seem a little bit thin. Don’t worry about it. The chickpea flour thickens up nicely as it’s baking. I used a sheet of parchment paper in my loaf pan so make it simple to remove the zucchini bread once it was done. (This parchment paper is another Thrive favorite. It’s unbleached and and compostable, which is a win in my book).
I baked my loaf for about 45 minutes, and it’s perfect. Not over done, but also not raw in the middle. I added about 3/4 of a cup of shredded coconut (another pantry item I needed to use up) but it would be good without the coconut or with other add-ins like nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, whatever you enjoy.
If you’re on a baking spree and want some other zucchini recipes, you’ll love these flourless zucchini brownies or check out this classic and delicious banana bread.
Chickpea Flour Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated zucchini not drained
- 1/2 cup sugar I used sucanat for its deep flavor and added nutrients but you can use whatever you have on hand
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup oil I used grapeseed but melted coconut oil, olive oil, whatever
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar adding acv helps to strengthen dough, makes it springy and helps it rise more easily.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups chickpea flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon I added a few drops cinnamon oil as well. Feel free to add other spices that you love. I was thinking that pumpkin pie spice would be yum)
- 1 cup shredded coconut unsweetened is preferred but again, use what you have) or other add ins such as chocolate chips, walnuts, raisins. Preheat ove to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat ove to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper
- Add all ingredients except coconut to mixer bowl and blend on low speed until everything is just combined. (Yes, you can do wet and dry separate and then combine if you really want to, but isn’t that just more dishes to do??)
- Add in coconut or any other add ins begin used, and stir until well combined.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until toothpick or little baking gadget thing comes out clean.
