Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

My news feed has been filled with things about “Self-Care” lately.  Now, admittedly I’m not the most open-minded person I know.  But, it just seemed so ridiculous for a new mom to concern herself with any sort of “Self-Care”.  “How selfish”, I thought.

We had a rough week last week with the baby being sick.  It’s totally thrown his whole sleeping schedule out of whack.  He wakes up very early, doesn’t like to nap, and gets bored easily.  I have been exhausted to a point that I’ve never felt before. My husband asked me last night if I wanted him to take the baby to daycare in the morning. I hesitated, and then said yes. I immediately felt guilty.  I had to work the closing shift today. I went in at 4 and didn’t get home until 2am. I knew I needed sleep but it didn’t matter.  Guilt of a parent is palpable at times.

As my husband pulled out of the driveway this morning, our son in the backseat, I almost ran after him.  I didn’t want the baby to go to daycare. I missed him the second they were out the door. But he needed to.  For all of us.

I had a list a mile long of things that needed to be done today.  Clothes put away, closets cleaned out, carpets washed. Yada, yada, yada. I didn’t get the carpets washed.  That’s on the docket for tomorrow.  Instead I did something I love.  Something I’ve been wanting to do but haven’t had the energy or time in several months.  I tried a new recipe and made something from scratch.

Hello Self-Care

It came out of the oven looking like absolute perfection.  And all was right in the world. It centered me, inspired me, excited me.  I guess this whole Self-Care stuff isn’t such bologna after all.

Tomorrow I’m going to buy a book. Maybe a new cookbook. Reading is another thing I love that I haven’t taken the time to do. And if that isn’t the epitome of optimism for a new mom, well then, I don’t know what is.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Canola oil
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
• 1 cup Shredded Zucchini
• 1 Egg

Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan and set aside.
• In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, both sugars, greek yogurt and vanilla extract until combined.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold gently. Do not over mix.
• Fold in the zucchini and chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
• Take the loaf out of the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

If any of you would like to share how you “Self-Care”, I’d love to read it.  Or if you have a good book to recommend, I’m all ears.  Well… Eyes.

Find the original recipe here!