• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 3 tsp. vanilla

• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch of salt

• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325F.

Combine the first 5 ingredients (wet) in a mixing bowl.  Sift together the next 5 (dry) into another bowl, and combine being sure to mix well.

If you are adding nuts, fold them in at this time.

Pour the batter into three greased loaf pans and bake for 1 hour.

**Substitutions**
I don’t use vegetable oil for anything.  I substituted applesauce for the oil and they taste great.

I also used a bit of sucanat in place of some of the sugar – it gives it a richer, more molasses-y taste.  It’s like brown sugar, but a little stronger.  It’s made in a different way.

One other thing – I don’t recommend using paper cups if you choose to make muffins.  These are pretty sticky and it’s hard to peel the paper off.  I did this time since I knew I had more than one batch of muffins to make and needed the pan again soon.

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I’m not sure where we got this recipe, but it’s been travelling around with us for a few years and the whole family loves it!  Fortunately it makes more than one loaf, since the first loaf is usuallt gone within the first 2 hours or so of being baked.  It also makes great muffins to toss into a lunch box.

These are the ultimate energy breakfast – and good for you too…
This is my mom’s recipe. She makes these at least once a month (it makes a pretty large batch) and they eat them for breakfast daily.

1 1/2 C Gluten/wheat free flour (or rice flour)
1/2 C Flax Seed Meal (you can incease the flax seed as needed, but, don’t over do it)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
(Sift well and set aside)

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup Molasses
1/2 cup sugar free preserves
1/2 cup egg beaters or egg
(WHIP UNTIL FLUFFY, about 4 minutes)

Cream butter and honey, and add preserves, molasses and egg. Add dry ingredients, and mix until just moist.

Add 1 Cup of each – enough to fill your mixing bowl 3/4 of the way:
Dried Cherries, Craisens, golden raisins, sunflour seeds, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pinion nuts, sunflower seeds, shredded carrots, shreadded apples, bananas, berries, etc.,dried fruit-bananas, raisins, mango, mixed berries, tropical fruits, etc trail mix, white/dark chocolate chip swirls, carmel/chocolate, milk/white etc. I use what ever I have on hand and will fit in the bowl. Each batch is an original.

The dough should still be gooey.

Add 2-6 Cups of Rolled oats. I try to put 6 cups in it makes them healthier and they go a lot farther. The dough at this point is getting real stiff, try not to overmix. Use a bread hook if you need to. Don’t use whip or whisk it will break them. The dough should be near the consistency of bread dough.

Put dough into an airtight container and chill over night. Allowing the dough to rest will make a more tender cake.

Measure out 1/4 C scoops and form into patties about 1/2 inch thich or put in muffin cups. Bake for 10-12 minutes @ 350 degrees. I bake mine, in muffin cups, for about 20 min at our altitude or until starting to brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack or store in tupperware storage.

These cookies or muffins (depending on how you made them) can be frozen for up to 6 months.