zucchini pistachio loaf

Nourish
zucchini pistachio loaf

Serves 12

This breakfast loaf ticks a lot of boxes – it’s nutrient dense, packed with protein, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free and can be made by hand or in a Thermomix (which will mill the nuts and grate the zucchini and parmesan for you). But for me, the most important box is that it’s just totally yum.

I actually prefer the flavour with spelt flour, but if you need it to be gluten-free, be sure to use the sweet potato flour.

Gluten-free, Vegetarian

INGREDIENTS

  • 360g (approx. 2) zucchini, ends trimmed, grated (Thermomix version: roughly chop instead)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk (or almond or soy milk if preferred)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbs chia seeds
  • 2 tbs chopped pistachios, plus 2 tbs extra to sprinkle
  • 1/3 cup (30g) grated parmesan (Thermomix version: roughly chop instead)
  • 220g (2 cups) almond meal or hazelnut meal (Thermomix version: whole nuts instead)
  • 120 g sweet potato flour (or 1 cup (150g) wholemeal spelt flour – not gluten free)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp sea salt

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 170C (150C fan). Grease and line a 21x11cm loaf tin with baking paper.
  2. Place the grated zucchini, eggs, milk, olive oil, chia seeds, pistachios and parmesan into a large bowl and stir until well combined.
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the extra pistachios for sprinkling) and fold through until well combined.
  4. Transfer to prepared loaf tin and top with remaining pistachios. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until cooked through. Leave in tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool. Slice and serve.

THERMOMIX VERSION

  1. Preheat oven to 170C (150C fan). Grease and line a 21x11cm loaf tin with baking paper.
  2. Place 30g parmesan and 220g almonds (or hazelnuts) into mixing bowl. Blend 10 sec/speed 7 until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  3. Place zucchini into mixing bowl and grate 3 sec/speed 5. Add eggs and stir 3 sec/Reverse/speed 3.
  4. Add the reserved nut mixture and all remaining ingredients (except the extra pistachios for sprinkling) and stir 15 sec/Reverse/speed 4 or until just combined. Fold through any uncombined mixture with spatula.
  5. Transfer to prepared loaf tin and top with remaining pistachios for sprinkling. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until cooked through.