Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bread | Vegan & Gluten-Free

This healthy chocolate chip zucchini bread is moist, oh-so chocolatey, and loaded with healthy wholesome ingredients - perfect as a sweet chocolate treat for anyone following a vegan lifestyle or those interested in nourishing their bodies while still being able to enjoy decadent baked treats like this oatmeal zucchini bread!

Enjoy a fresh slice warm from the oven as is or with a dollop of whipped coconut cream and chia jam. 

IS THIS HEALTHY VEGAN ZUCCHINI BREAD GLUTEN-FREE?

Rolled oats or other oats in their purest form are naturally gluten-free although often they are packaged and stored in facilities that house other products containing gluten which could give rise to possible cross contamination.

For this reason, always check the details of the packaging to see whether the oats were processed in a facility free of other gluten-containing products. This is particularly important if you have a severe sensitivity towards any amount of gluten.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Simple, wholesome ingredients are the star of this healthy chocolate loaf. Heres what you'll need to have on hand (exact meaurements in recipe card below)

• Gluten-free oats
• Baking powder
• Zucchini/Courgette
• Flax eggs (2 tbsp.ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoon of water, let sit for 5 minutes)
• Date nectar (or any other sweetener such as maple or rice syrup)
• Coconut oil
• Cocoa or cacao powder
• Salt
• Vegan dark chocolate chips (optional)

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

1. Preheat oven to 180C / 360F and line your loaf pan with baking paper
2. Prepare your flaxseed egg and set aside.
3. Pop the oats into a blender and whiz them up until you get a flour-like consistency
4. Next add in the baking powder and blend again.
5. Now add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until mixed together. But be careful not to overprocess, or the loaf may not rise.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips (if using).
7. Pour the mix into the lined loaf pan and even out the top.
8. Pop into the oven and bake for 50 minutes.
9. Let cool down completely before cutting into slices.

CAN I MAKE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI MUFFINS FROM THIS RECIPE?

That’s a great question, especially if you are considering ways to adapt this recipe other than making mini bread loaves.

While muffin batter is pretty much the same as a quick sweet bread batter, there are still some considerations to keep in mind if you wish to bake a batch of chocolate zucchini muffins from this bread batter recipe:

• You will need to increase the temperature of the oven by 20-50℉ (5-10C) when baking muffins from this bread batter. 
• Keep in mind that by virtue of the higher baking temperature as well as the smaller muffin size, the baking time will also reduce - usually to a total of 20-25 minutes. 
• A standard 9x5 inch loaf pan equates to about 12 muffins. Make sure that you only fill the muffin tin cups ¾ full to account for rising in the oven. 

HOW TO STORE HEALTHY GLUTEN-FREE ZUCCHINI BREAD

You can store this oat flour zucchini bread, wrapped in plastic wrap, in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. 

Gluten, dairy-free zucchini bread can also be frozen for up to 1 month when wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil before storing it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Thaw the bread at room temperature and enjoy either slightly chilled or heat it up in the microwave, oven, or toaster oven. 

TIPS FOR MAKING GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD

• When it comes to making any sweet bread, it’s important that you don’t overmix the batter otherwise the bread runs the risk of not rising as well and will become dense instead of light and fluffy. 
• The grated zucchini adds moisture to the bread batter. For this reason, it’s not necessary to (and in fact, you shouldn’t) pat the grated zucchini in an effort to reduce that natural liquid as you might in other recipes that use zucchini. 
• You can easily double the quantities of the ingredients if you have two loaf pans. Store the second loaf, once completely cooled, in the freezer for an easy treat to be enjoyed later on. 
• The chocolate chips are an optional extra although they are great for more of a decadent chocolate bread and can either be incorporated into the bread batter or sprinkled on the top of the batter in the pan just prior to baking.
• Consider adding other delicious ingredients into this chocolate zucchini bread batter such as chopped nuts or dried cranberries or cherries. 

Other healthy vegan loaf recipes to try:

• Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
• Healthy Banana Bread
• Clean Eating Banana Bread
• Banana Blueberry Bread
• Chocolate Banana Bread

As always please, if you make this recipe share it with me either on my Facebook,Twitter or Instagram. I would love to see it! Hashtag #HediHearts