Weight Watchers Zucchini Lemon Loaf or Muffins

These Zucchini Lemon Loaf or Muffins are the perfect recipe to use for your garden zucchini. They are light, lemony, and refreshing-perfect for breakfast, brunch or even a snack!

PREP TIME10 minutes

COOK TIME16 minutes

ADDITIONAL TIME40 minutes

TOTAL TIME1 hour 6 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup self rising flour ( I use Gold Medal flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar substitute ( I use Lakanto Classic Monkfruit Sweetener which is 1:1 ratio to real sugar and is 0 points) 
• 1 cup shredded zucchini, unpeeled (1 medium zucchini) 
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or 2 Tbsp Land o’ Lakes light butter made with canola oil 
• 1/4 cup water 
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp lemon zest ( zest from large lemon)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin or 8×4 inch bread pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
3. In a medium mixing bowl combine, self rising flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until well incorporated. Set aside.
4. In a separate mixing bowl combine, unsweetened applesauce sauce or light butter, sugar substitute, water, zucchini, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
5. Slowly add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients; stir just until combined. Do NOT over mix. The texture of these muffins or loaf will be completely off if the batter is over mixed.
6. Using a measuring cup, scoop batter into prepared muffin pan or bread pan. 
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or 40-45 minutes if making a loaf, or until an inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven. Let them cool for 5 minutes before removing them from pan.
9. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for 5-7 days or freeze for up to a month.

Notes

1. For this recipe- you can use wheat, gluten free flour, almound flour, all-purpose flour, or self-rising flour (which does contains some baking powder or bicarbonate of soda that helps make the loaf or muffins rise)
2. After testing and making my base bread recipes a zillion times, I’ve been able to master the texture and taste.  I like to use self rising flour along with 1 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda. The added baking powder and soda makes this loaf or muffins rise better and makes them nice and fluffy.  Now, there’s a fine line here-because too much baking powder or soda can cause the loaf or muffins to collapse and sink when removed from the oven. So, if that may happen-simply reduce or omit the 1 tsp baking powder and soda.
3. It is VERY important to not over mix the batter-otherwise the texture will be off. Just mix until the wet ingredients have been incorporated with the dry ingredients. Then pour batter into prepared pan.
4. The Lakanto Monkfruit Golden Sweetener (sugar substitute) that is used in this recipe is zero points. Please keep in mind-the point value can vary depending on the brand of sugar substitute you choose to use. 
5. The Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener has a 1:1 ratio to real sugar. If you use a different sugar substitute you will want to use the equivalent to real sugar that is recommended on back of the sugar substitute package.
6. Store in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days, in the fridge for 5-7 days, or the freezer for up to a month.

SERVINGS: 12 SLICES OR 12 MUFFINS

GREEN: 2 Smartpoints per serving if made with light butter or unsweetened applesauce 

BLUE: 2 Smartpoints per serving if made with light butter or 1 SmartPoints if using unsweetened applesauce

PURPLE: 2 Smartpoints per serving if made with light butter or 1 SmartPoints if using unsweetened applesauce