Klean Zucchini Bread or Muffins

Recipe by Karlyn Grimes, MS RD LDN CSSD
Retained Medical Advisor* (biography click here)

Not sure where to start with these bad boys!! The terms that come to mind are moist, flavorful and downright delightful, not to mention their awesome nutritional profile. Natural sweeteners such as agave syrup, applesauce and molasses join white whole wheat flour, Klean whey protein isolate and pumpkin pie spices to surround the fresh zucchini with love. This bread, or muffins if you prefer, is high in complete protein and healthy carbs, and low in fat. Not bad for a fruit bread or muffin!! You can also personalize your loaf with walnuts, chocolate chips or any other mix-ins that make you happy. It makes a wonderful snack, or can be consumed one to two hours before or within 30 minutes to two hours after your workout. To maximize its staying power, and to support muscle gains and recovery, pair a slice with a glass of low-fat milk or a yogurt.^‡ Yum!! Enjoy and let us know what you think.

YIELD: ONE 9” x 5” LOAF OR 10-12 MUFFINS

WET INGREDIENTS (#1)

• ½ cup agave syrup
• ½ cup applesauce
• 2 tbsp molasses
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs

DRY INGREDIENTS (#2)

• 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (~3 scoops) KLEAN ISOLATE whey protein powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

FINAL FOLD-IN INGREDIENTS (#3)

• 1 ½ cups zucchini, shredded and lightly blotted with a paper towel

OPTIONAL: ¾ cup chopped walnuts, raisins or chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Spray one 9” x 5” loaf pan or non-stick muffin tin with cooking spray. You can also line the baking cups with muffin liners to minimize the mess.
3. Blend all the wet ingredients (#1) together.
4. In a separate bowl, blend all the dry ingredients (#2) together.
5. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until mixed, but be sure not to overmix.
6. Finally, with a wooden spoon, fold in the shredded zucchini and optional mix-ins into the batter.
7. Place the entire batter in one 9” x 5” pan (1.5 quarts) or spoon the batter into greased muffin cups until they are ¾ full.
8. Bake for 45-50 minutes if you choose to make loaves and ~15 minutes for the muffins. The bread or muffins are done when the top is firm to the touch and/or a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Storage Instructions: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months.

Nutrient Content Per Slice of Bread or Muffin: Calories: 220; Carbs: 40 grams; Fiber: 4 grams; Protein: 12 grams; Fats: < 2 grams; Calcium: 5% Daily Value (DV); Potassium: 6% DV; Iron: 6% DV; Folate: 6% DV; Vitamin B₆: 5% DV.

Bio
Karlyn Grimes, MS RD LDN CSSD, is the founder of Simply Simple Health (SSH) and author of The Everything Anti-Inflammation Diet Book. SSH creates and administers nutrition, fitness and health education programs for athletes, educators, coaches and sports teams at schools and colleges throughout the Boston area. Its programming includes individual and group sports nutrition counseling, as well as sport-specific personal training. SSH also contributes to numerous academic textbooks and magazines.

Karlyn has a dual Master’s degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Colgate University, with a minor in economics. She is a registered dietitian (RD) with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a certified specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) and a licensed dietitian nutritionist (LDN) in the state of Massachusetts. She is currently a faculty member in the Nutrition and Biology Departments at Simmons College in Boston, where she teaches sports nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, exercise physiology, anatomy and physiology, general biology, and numerous other courses.

*Our medical experts have been retained as consultants in advising Klean Athlete. They are compensated for this service.