zucchini bread and cedrón (lemon verbena)

    

     Look at all those home-grown veggies!! Some are from our garden and some were given to us by friends!  On a side note....does anyone see an ear somewhere in the picture above??  I do!!...Look closely...hehehe...I'm studing to be an Audiologist...so I guess that's why I see it? lol!!  Anways....Last year, I tried zucchini bread for the first time and I absolutely loved it!  The recipe my mom used called for some eggs, but I played with the recipe a bit and made it vegan :)  We don't like to use a lot of sugar, so I omitted it and used agave nectar and fresh pineapple instead.  

     Zucchini is a delicious summer squash that is a good source of fiber and it has the following vitamins and minerals:  vitamin A, C, & K,  manganese, potassium, magnesium, and folate.  Basically, zucchini is great for your health because it is beneficial to your heart and other parts of your body.  Magnesium in squash has been shown to reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke and it also reduces high blood pressure.  There are also many more good things about this very low-calorie veggie!  but let's get back to business.... I will be sharing with you my zucchini bread recipe. 

     In addition, I will also share with you my most favorite herbal tea: cedron.  In English it translates to lemon verbena.  It has the most pleasant smell and is exquisitely tasty!!!!  This herbal mate is very popular in Bolivia.  I am so very thankful that both my grandmas send us dried cedron from Bolivia!!  Although, it is native to some countries in South America, I have seen it here in the states in nursery gardens.  There are awesome benefits of this incredible-tasting tea and I drink it alllll the time :)  It is good for digestion and it also relieves nausea and cramps (for my ladies ;).  The aroma it contains is so calming, it always puts a smile on my face!!!

Now lets get to the recipe!

zucchini bread:   

ingredients:

- 2 cups grated zucchini

- 1 cup fresh pineapple crushed

- 1 cup chopped walnuts

- 1 cup craisins

- 4 tsps and 1/2 of egg replacer (I use Ener G) with 6 tsps of water

- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

- 1/3 cup agave nectar

- 2 tsp vanilla

- 2 cups whole wheat flour

- 1 cup all purpose flour

- 2 tsp baking soda

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp baking powder

 - 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 3/4 tsp nutmeg

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  With a hand mixer, combine the egg replacer and water.  Make sure to combine it well.  Add the oil, agave nectar and vanilla and mix it well.  Using a spoon, stir in the zucchini and pineapple (including the juice of the pineapple). 

     Combine all dry ingredients and in 4 parts, add them to the wet ingredients.  Add the walnuts and craisins....mix in well.  Oil your baking pan and pour the batter.  Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick in the center comes out clean.  After cooking it for a couple of minutes, turn it onto a plate.

Note:  If you like sweet bread add double of the agave nectar.   

cedron (lemon verbena):

All you need is a small handful of dried cedron leaves.

and steep it in hot water for about 5 minutes or so....

Take out the leaves and enjoy with a piece of zuchinni bread or by itself :)  The flavor of the cedron truly comes out with a sweetner...so add a bit of it to really taste the goodness!

I really do hope you try this tea some day!

♥ faby