Feeding the kids: Chocolate zucchini loaf

In my ongoing quest to find tasty, kid-friendly meals for you that are healthy and appropriate for the whole family, this week I chose a delicious chocolate zucchini loaf, perfect for an afternoon snack. You can also serve with a scoop of ice cream for a decadent dessert. I found the recipe in “The Naptime Chef,” by Kelsey Banfield (Running Press; $23), which feature timesaving recipes for foodie parents, based on Banfield's blog, TheNaptimeChef.com.

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf
(makes 1 loaf)

Ingredients
-Unsalted butter, as needed
-3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for the pan
-3 large eggs, at room temperature
-2 cups granulated sugar
-1 cup vegetable oil
-1/4 cup full-fat yogurt, stirred well
-3 teaspoons vanilla extract
-2 cups freshly grated zucchini (1 medium to-large zucchini)
-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
-1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon kosher salt
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, and vanilla until everything is incorporated. Mix in the grated zucchini and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and stir them together with a whisk.

4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix them well with a wooden spoon until the flour is no longer visible. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake it for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the top of the loaf is set and springs back lightly when touched. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before releasing it onto a wire rack. Then allow it to cool to room temperature before serving.

Recipe reprinted with permission from "The Naptime Chef" © 2012 by Kelsey Banfield, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.