Mysty PfefferGluten free zucchini pumpkin seed bread is a simple, low sugar, summer bread you can enjoy without guilt. The ingredients work great for breakfast muffins, or as a loaf to slice and cover with your favorite nut butter each morning.
Now, you need to know I am not a super-savvy baker. However, I am a baker who is thinking about maximum nutritional value for my gluten free friends! Therefore, I come up with blends of flour and nuts that reflect that passion for the fuel our bodies need.
Let’s face it, the gluten-free and refined flour options available are NOT very healthy.
We need new options! Options that build cells with zinc, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Maybe we’ll even enjoy a little protein settled into that breakfast bite as well. It will help us stay full longer, while the nutty pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and walnuts do their own work for satiety and cell building.
I am also a fan of soaking and sprouting the seeds like sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin. . .sometimes. . . to remove any phytic acid that may cause stiffness in the joints for some people. Ideally, an adequate amount of gastric acid would be present to sufficiently dephosphorylate the outer phytic acid shell protecting the germ of the seeds we eat. (1)
Um, just like our Creator designed us to do.
However, we cannot always count on that being the case in our modern world. Especially for those poor souls stuck with taking proton pump inhibitors. Soaking will remove the outer shell and help release minerals, so we can absorb them better.
Benefits of Sunflower Seeds
Sprouting sunflower seeds releases high concentrations of vitamins A, B, & C, plus niacin. We especially want to absorb their vital mineral content of magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, and zinc. (2) They also have 37.8mg/100grams of vitamin E. Compare that to linseed, sesame, and soy, which only have 3mg/100grams! (2)
Don’t be put off by the fat content in this bread, either. The fats are polyunsaturated, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that are beneficial omega-6 fats we need to help our hearts. Always keep in mind, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats should be no more than a 2:1 ratio.
CLA is important for normalizing glucose in the blood and has anticancer, anti-obesity effects. (2)
Gluten Free Zucchini Pumpkin Seed Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Almond Flour
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
- 1/2 Cup Arrowroot Flour
- 1 Tsp Xanthan Gum
- 1/2 Cup Honey
- 4 Eggs
- 2 Tsp. Cinnamon
- 2 Cups Zucchini Shredded
- 2 Tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 Tsp. Salt
- 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Walnuts Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Salt the zucchini in another bowl with 1/2 tsp of salt and set aside. Do not drain the water that separates from the pulp.
- Combine all the flours, xanthan gum, cinnamon, and baking powder in a bowl and whisk well.
- Add the zucchini, eggs, and honey and stir well.
- Add the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and walnuts and stir the batter until everything is incorporated.
- Bake at in a well-greased loaf pan at 350 for an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean! You can bake them in muffin pans and adjust the time to 20-30 minutes depending on your oven, but also check with the toothpick. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy this gluten free zucchini pumpkin seed bread with your family as much as I did!
After all, what God puts in the garden is so good!
If you need help with lifestyle changes and reducing chronic disease risks, I am available to help you! Contact me for a free consultation.
Have a blessed day!
Mysty
My flesh and my heart may fail,
Psalm 73:25-27 ESV – Whom have I in heaven but you? And – Bible Gateway
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
References:
Nielsen AV, Meyer AS. Phytase-mediated mineral solubilization from cereals under in vitro gastric conditions. J Sci Food Agric. 2016 Aug;96(11):3755-61. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.7564. Epub 2016 Jan 12. PMID: 26678688
2. Guo S, Ge Y, Na Jom K. A review of phytochemistry, metabolite changes, and medicinal uses of the common sunflower seed and sprouts (Helianthus annuus L.). Chem Cent J. 2017 Sep 29;11(1):95. doi: 10.1186/s13065-017-0328-7. PMID: 29086881; PMCID: PMC5622016.
