Experimental Healthier Zucchini Bread ~ Garden

 Along with an experimental baking, this is my experimental post to see how things go too.  Thank you for all of your advice on the blog issues.  

Our zucchini plants look terrible.  The weather is already doing some changes, and evenings cooler.  Today it will be humid and with scattered showers, so they may be getting a slight reviving (along with the rest of the garden).

It's mind-boggling this garden year.  I checked on the tomato plants, and we do not have enough ripe ones to can a thing just yet.  I am a wee bit concerned the nights will turn cooler before the harvest is even complete. 

I think we have decided that the bread baked with maple syrup was the winner, but we have one more version to try.  I have no idea where I got the recipe from, but will look and see if I can locate it.  The bread is made with home canned, unsweetened applesauce.  It does contain flour, but I have yet to try any with Einkorn flour.  I tossed in a small-ish bit of dark non-gmo mini chocolate bits too.  The one with honey was good, but the one with maple syrup was better in taste.

Most posts include all the garden goodness, but here is a few photos of what gardeners really deal with . . .

Watering issue I believe, along with severe heat in between.

Also, a result of the heat waves, no rain, and us attempting to water.  Black rot on many of the tomatoes.  Some with it on the very ends as well.

Rust and bugs.  We are about done with the green and wax bean harvest.  We'll see after this weeks rain.

I have attached a new spike-like baffle to one of the apple trees.  The branches start out much lower, so our 5 gallon bucket baffle did not work on that tree.  So far, it's working, but I may need to add another one just a bit higher.  The apples are not ready just yet.

Meanwhile, I have a new canning item in the works.  Hopefully, I will remember to take photos.  

Somehow I have added 3 more books to my bookshelf.  Gulp.  One of them is a non-fiction.  One was free from a free little library.  I have a stack of finished books to take to share with little libraries as well as bookmarks.

As for self care, I feel the new optometrist is much more thorough, but is asking me to come back more often for appointments than I would prefer (last place just let me go in anytime to pick up glasses, no appt. necessary).  I do believe we'll be looking into the vision center at Costco next.  We have heard good reports, the cost is much less, and less visits required.  We do not have vision insurance.

By the way, has anyone else noticed their dentist and their optometrist taking your blood pressure?  My new optometrist even asked for my weight and height.  Why are these doctors acting like a family physician?  Well I asked.  Apparently, they are looking for other health issues (more money for them?).  Isn't that the job for your primary physician?

Anyway . . . .

I'm hoping to find a few ripe regular tomatoes this week, so we can enjoy them in our meals.  

Experimental Healthier Zucchini Bread ~ Garden ©  August 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart