Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Last night was a night I tried to use up a BIG zucchini I had making a savory treat and then something sweet.  First up was tasty little zucchini tots.  Next for something sweet, chocolate chip zucchini bread.  And as my husband told later that evening when he finally tried a piece. "It's awesome".

Recipe:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups of sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line loaf pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.  In a large bowl sift together all the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl mix together, egg, sugar, oil and vanilla until combine.  Mix in the dry ingredients.  Then fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips.  Divide batter into two loaf pans.  Bake in center oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool for about 15 minutes in pans then transfer to cooling rack. Slice and enjoy!

*Batter can easily be halved to make just one loaf. Or batter can be used in a muffin pan, cooking time will be slightly shortly in the muffin pan so keep an eye on them.

Zucchini Tots

Just another way to use all the wonderful zucchini from the season.  With just a few simple ingredients this is a delicious way to use up zucchini.  Both my husband and my toddler gobbled them up!

Recipe:

1 cup grated zucchini
1 egg
1/4 onion diced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (or a little extra!)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Squeeze all liquid out of zucchini in a clean towel. (*a step I forgot they just came out a little soft)  Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Spray a mini muffin pan and place mixture into pan.  Bake 15-18 minutes will start to get golden on top.  Use a butter knife to loosen the tots and remove. Serve warm!

Toddler Bites

So now that my son is eating real food, and I post on facebook often about what he is eating friends and coworkers keep asking me to share recipes and what I am feeding him. One even pushing for me to add it to the blog. I admit my blog has fallen by the wayside as I adjusted to motherhood. It most certainly has been a year of change. My little peanut is fast aproaching the year mark, and within that time we have bought a house, moved in, my husband began a new career, and I returned to work! Phew I'm exhausted just thinking about it all! And now myhusband is working an evening shift as a nurse and not home most nights for dinner I am home alone to take care of our little one after a full day of teaching for me. So needless to say you can bet there have been night's Leo has eaten a better dinner then I have. I do will my best effort to start posting some meal ideas and things I have come to fee our little guy. But for now I will give a general outline of what his day looks likes.

5:30-6:30am- Wakes, dresses little play time
Bottle (formula) about 6oz

6:45am- We are out the door to the sitter

7:15- Drop at Sitter- Weekends home playing with Mommy

8:30-9:00- Breakfast and 6 oz bottle- breakfast might be: oatmeal, whole wheat pancake with fruit, whole wheat waffle, scrambled egg, Veggielite Carrot muffin

Nap- usually about an hour to an hour and half

12:00- 1:00 Lunch and 6 oz bottle- usually leftovers from night before. I try to include protein, fruit/vegetable, and starch when possible. Today he had a bit of meatloaf, chunks of cooked sweet potato, and a mix of cooked carrots & zuchini. I also sent a sugar free applesauce which he ate part of with breakfast and part with lunch or as a snack.

Later in afternoon about 20-30 minute nap- or naps in car ride home from sitter

3:00- 6oz bottle

3:30- Pick up from sitter

4:30-5:30- playtime with Mommy!

5:45-6:30- Dinner- today was about 4-5 spinach and cheese tortellini with tomato sauce, steamed squash and some blueberries.

6:30-7:30 Bedtime - Bottle 6oz- bath (usually every other night) read books

8:00pm- most nights he is asleep by this time and Mommy collapses....

** this is a general schedule we are not hard pressed to the times some days it can vary by a half hour the times of feedings but usually fairly close to this. Again with the bottles he drinks on average 6 oz each time 5 times a day, but sometimes that first bottle he does not want and sometimes the evening bottle he wasnts more. We have reached a point that if you are eating something and he sees you, then you better have something for him too! Could be just a couple of cheerios.