Cardamom Pistachio Zucchini Loaf

Dry:

2 cups flour, I used a whole wheat blend

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Wet:

2 cups shredded zucchini, about 1 medium zucchini

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted & cooled

1/2 cup coconut sugar, or your prefered sweetener

2 eggs

1/4 cup plain yogurt, buttermilk, or your prefered milk

1 tsp vanilla

Pistachio Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup pistachios, chopped

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup coconut oil, softened

Preheat your oven to 350 and line a 9×13 loaf pan with parchment paper. I like to ensure there is a bit of a overhang on the sides so you can easily lift the loaf out of the pan.

Make the crumb topping by combining all the ingredients until crumbly and even. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients together until well combined. Set aside.

Using a thin cloth or cheesecloth, squeeze out the excess liquid from the zucchini, it doesn’t have to be perfectly drained but squeeze out as much as you can to avoid the loaf getting too dense.

Add squeezed zucchini to a large bowl along with the coconut oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and yogurt. Whisk well to combine.

Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Try not to over mix. The batter will thicken as you incorporate but that is okay.

Evenly pour the mix into the prepared loaf pan. Gently press the pistachio mixture onto the top of the loaf then bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the inside is baked through. You can check with a toothpick that is it no longer sticky.

Allow bread to cool for a few minuets then remove from the pan, using the parchment paper as handles, and cool for an additional 20 minutes before slicing into the loaf if you can wait that long! It tastes amazing warm but is even better when added to a skillet to toast with butter. Yummy!