Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This paleo chocolate zucchini bread is actually flourless which makes it super moist. It’s healthy yet decadent way to enjoy the end of summer zucchini surplus and a great back to school snack.

I was perusing (read: procrastinating on) Facebook last week when I stumbled upon the proud parent “first day of school” kid picture in my feed. In my head I was like “woah, hold the heck up, <enter record rewind music> it’s the first week in August!”

Having grown up in the Northeast, August will never be a school month in my mind. School has not (and never should) start before Labor Day if I were making the rules but apparently that’s how you southerners roll down there.

So, the ladies and I are back with another healthy round up for you and this month it’s all about healthy back to school meal ideas.

Spoiler alert: mine’s this delicious looking paleo chocolate zucchini bread!

I was in charge of snacks. Let’s be honest, snacks are one of the best parts of being a kid! I mean, in elementary school, there’s a built in time of the day for this momentous event. Why doesn’t that carry through to adulthood?

It totally should.

I can still remember snack time back then. The time I ate the red wax on the outside of a babybel cheese round in Kindergarten without realizing it wasn’t part of the cheese (thanks for that heads up, mom) happens to be one of the more distinctive memories, but there were plenty of others too.

Unfortunately back then, they usually centered around some piece of fruit, vegetable or homemade something or another because my mom was that mom.

While I appreciate it now, at the time, it totally sucked being the kid without the fun packaged sugar rush or the cheese snack things with that scary yellow dip stuff and crackers.

Fast forward almost 30 years and I’m pretty sure that if my mom were sending me to elementary school today, this paleo chocolate zucchini bread would have somehow made it’s way into my lunchbox.

She was the homemade, sometimes gluten free and even paleo mom without knowing it before any of them were even “a thing”.

With so many food sensitives, allergies and restrictions on what kids can and can’t bring to school these days, this healthy back to school meal round up is completely gluten free and some are even paleo.

We’ve got ideas for every meal of the day including snacks so let’s get to them all!

Lexi’s Grab-and-Go French Toast Cups

The perfect breakfast on-the-go. Easy to make french toast cups that are gluten, grain, and dairy-free! Make ahead at the beginning of the week and have a delicious breakfast all week long. All you need is a pour of syrup and you are out the door! 

Taylor’s Mexican Avocado Spread Sandwiches with Sprouts

These gluten free sandwiches are layered with a creamy Mexican avocado spread, spicy sprouts, fresh tomatoes and crunchy cucumber slices. They’re an easy, healthy meatless lunch option for work or school lunch boxes!

Davida’s Buffalo Chicken Salad

A simple, easy and healthy lunch recipe made with organic shredded chicken, celery and a zesty paleo buffalo sauce. Perfect in a sandwich or on a celery log, this salad is loved by kids and adults alike!

Brittany’s Homemade Sunbutter Backpack Kisses

Send your loved ones to school or work with a healthy treat that’s sure to make them smile. Made with homemade sunbutter, flaxseed, hemp seeds, raisins, chocolate chips and a splash of maple syrup these bites are packed with flavor and kid-approved.

Lee’s Easy Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza

Got 20 minutes? Make this delicious and flavorful gluten free margherita pizza with just a few ingredients for a yummy weeknight dinner!

And of course my chocolate zucchini bread.

If a slice of this made it’s way into my lunchbox, I would’ve been a happy kid. I wouldn’t have minded one or two of these banana zucchini muffins either.

This bread is actually completely flourless (which still blows my mind how something without any sort of flour can bake into something bread-like at all).

It’s super moist, chocolaty and decadent (like this double chocolate banana bread recipe) yet hiding an entire zucchini inside it!

Wrap up a slice for school or have it ready for them when they get off the bus. Either way, I’m guessing this won’t be a snack they complain about.

Want a savory twist to zucchini bread? Try this zucchini cheese bread recipe! Prefer a straight up dessert? This chocolate zucchini cake looks delicious too.

Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Author: Gina Matsoukas

This paleo chocolate zucchini bread is actually flourless which makes it super moist. It’s healthy yet decadent way to enjoy the end of summer zucchini surplus and a great back to school snack.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup creamy cashew butter other nut butters will work too
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1.5 ounces melted dark chocolate 72% or higher, I used 85%
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch kosher salt
• 1 cup packed shredded drained zucchini *see note
• dark chocolate chips for topping *optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a 8×4 loaf pan (this is a slightly smaller size than a traditional bread pan. I use this one.) with parchment paper.
• Combine the cashew butter, cocoa powder, eggs, vanilla bean paste, maple syrup and melted chocolate in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
• Add the apple cider vinegar, baking soda and salt and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
• Fold the zucchini into the batter then transfer to the lined loaf pan.
• Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top if using and place in the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes.
• Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean the bread is done. If not, continue baking in 5 minute increments.
• Remove bread from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing using the sides of the parchment paper to lift the bread out of the pan and onto a cooling rack.
• Let cool completely before slicing.

Video

Notes

*It’s very important to squeeze the excess water from the shredded zucchini. To do so just place zucchini in a towel or paper towels and squeeze until as much excess liquid comes out as possible.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1SERVING | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 169mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Cuisine American

Course Baked Goods

Keyword chocolate zucchini bread, gluten-free chocolate zucchini bread, paleo chocolate zucchini bread, vegetarian chocolate zucchini bread

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Gina Matsoukas

About

Gina Matsoukas is the writer, founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients as much as possible. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.