i'd take zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, or muffins over cookies, cake, or brownies any day. muffins and quick breads are a healthier alternative when you just feel like an emotionally satisfying snack after work/class. whereas conventional cookies (especially the boxed kind) are entirely devoid of any nutritional content-- they almost have to be in order to achieve the right consistency-- quick breads have room for more experimentation with different kinds of fruit, nuts, squash, etc., and aren't half oil/butter and sugar.
baking is hard (i think). so when you're first getting the hang of it, follow recipes closely until you have a good understanding of the chemistry of it, then you can substitute ingredients for more unusual ones.
let's start with zucchini bread, because the summer veggie can easily be replaced with any other squash, most of which are currently in season. the easiest recipe i've found is from how it all vegan, my go-to cookbook for anything/everything i don't know how to make.
1. in a large bowl, sift
1 1/2 c. flour - stick to all-purpose white, as pastry flour is too fine and whole wheat has too much protein, meaning it will make your bread heavy and crumbly.
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, even a pinch of cayenne-- whatever you think would taste good with your other ingredients.
*note: it's important to sift or mix the dry ingredients really well when baking something that has to rise because when you add the wet ingredients you won't be able to stir out the lumps, as this sort of thing has to be mixed as minimally as possible when the wet is added, otherwise the product will be flat and hard, not fluffy.
2. to make egg substitute: in a tiny bowl, combine
1 T. ground flax seeds
3 T. water
stir it up a bit and wait at least 2 minutes before adding it to the wet mix. (this is the cheapest egg alternative for baking. the ratio is 3-1 water to flax. this amount equals one egg, in case you want to use something else, like 1/2 banana or 1/4 c. mashed tofu.)
3. in a medium bowl, combine
egg substitute
1/2 c. any sweetener - try using half honey, or, another flavorful and cheap alternative is sorghum, it tastes like a less intense and bitter molasses and is an alternative crop! (replenishes soil nutrients that common crops deplete)
1/3 c. oil
1 t. vinegar - not balsamic
1 t. vanilla - not absolutely necessary, i usually skip it.
4. mix and add
1 1/2 c. grated squash - peel! if using a winter squash but not if zucchini or the like
1 c. any combination of dried fruit and nuts - depends on the kind of squash and sweetener you're using. my favorites are cherries, blueberries, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and pistachios. stick to one of each.
5. with a rubber scraper spatula, add wet mix to dry mix and gently stir until JUST MIXED. use large strokes and scrape bottom to minimize mixing. if you over-mix the batter will lose air and come out hard and flat.
6. scrape into a greased loaf pan or muffin tins. even out the top(s).
7. bake on 350 for 45-50 minutes, 30 for muffins, in the middle of the oven.
to test if the loaf is done, take it out of the oven and close the door, first of all. don't let your heat escape! then, poke a fork or sharp knife into the very middle and carefully pull it out. if there is any wet batter left on it, put it back in for another 10 minutes and repeat. i've found that the "golden brown" rule doesn't always apply for quick breads, especially when using alternative ingredients.
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