So here I sit, with a baby wrapped onto my chest. This is how I spend mornings now: holding, soothing, nurturing, and attempting to feed both of us. The demands of a newborn have made my life feel both miraculous and simple. I am more grateful for this gift each day.
Lucy is three weeks old. Last night, while I nursed, I watched our birth video and remembered, yet again, the moments that brought her into this world. She’s a good baby. She cries when she’s hungry and only occasionally fusses when we put her down in her bassinet. She’s almost ten pounds, and her doctor says she’s growing well. We spend our days singing to her, telling her stories, walking with her, and bringing her to the people we call family and friends.
Yesterday afternoon, after a day of drenching rain, I made a batch of lemon zucchini bread. Lucy watched me as I moved throughout the kitchen, her bright eyes drawn to the sunlight finally peaking out from behind the clouds. She drifted off to sleep and began crying only five minutes after I had put the loaves into the oven. Her timing is quite often perfect.
And so I nursed her as I waited for the loaves to finish. The sweet smell of rising bread filled my house as I held my daughter (unbelievable still!) to my chest.
These lemon zucchini loaves are moist and flavorful. Packed with zucchini, they are summer at its best.
Lemon Zucchini Bread
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
2 small zucchini, shredded
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater and drain by squeezing the zucchini between several layers of paper towels.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside.
Whisk together the sugar, yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, and melted butter in a 2-cup glass measure until combined. Set aside.
Stir the zucchini and the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture until just moistened. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.
Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least one hour before serving. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
What an incredible loaf of zucchini bread and a lovely little girl Lucy is turning into. Thank you for sharing, Monet! This bread looks so delicious and summery. Perfect for sharing with friends and family!
Congratulations!! Welcome, Lucy!!! I will be using your zucchini bread this weekend. My family loves zucchini bread and are anxiously awaiting it!!
Looks delicious. Congratulations & Welcome Lucy! I am so jealous of all the hair! She has more than my little red head does six months along! Have fun!
Monet,
Such a gorgeous loaf of Zucchini bread, and I like the addition of the lemon. I have frozen Zucchini from last summer, begging to be used. Lucy is already getting comfortable in the kitchen, how sweet.
Hi Monet,
Lucy is such a cute little baby!
And your lemon zucchini bread looks so good! A lovely golden colour!
Hope you have a wonderful summer!
Your daughter is a cutie, Monet! And can I say that I am really amazed that you can still cook/bake and produce these posts with a newborn. I remember being a complete zombie when my son was born. I could not fathom being so functional and was not for at least 6 months. I’m so glad you are taking on motherhood so naturally. Good for you. And this lemon zucchini bread sounds and looks wonderful, too.
Oh Monet! Congratulations!!!! Lucy is such a beauty…what a beautiful post…I could feel the love and joy pouring from your words.
The zucchini loaves look splendid.
Hugs to you both,
Tammy<3
She’s gorgeous!
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Enjoy those cuddles as long as you can! I spent an extra couple minutes with my little guy on my chest tonight after he fell asleep. Those are my favorite moments of the day.
Monet, what an absolute cutie pie dear Lucy is – I adore the pictures of her and your Lemon Zucchini Bread looks like it is a perfect summertime baking recipe! So very delicious!
Glad that you and Lucy are feeling so happy and content!
Hugs from afar for the both of you!
Unspeakably lovely, Monet. All of it. Hugs to you and Lucy … I can smell the bread from here. Lemon, of course! Brilliant.
I’ll bet Lucy is going to be a master baker someday! That last picture of her is absolutely darling. I’m so glad to hear your last three weeks have been lovely 🙂
And this lemon zucchini bread is such a celebration of summer! Looking forward to more updates!
I love zuccchini bread but have never made it myself – yours looks so perfect! I can’t believe you’re already finding time and energy to bake but sounds like Lucy is making it easy for you – what a good (and beautiful) baby!
That bread looks perfect, but Lucy looks even MORE perfect. 🙂 This whole thing is just lovely and I’m so happy for you.
Wonderful post!
Following your adventures as a new Mom, I send you and Lucy a warm hug…
How did you know I was looking for a different kind of zucchini bread? Although I thought I was careful to get zucchini from the garden while they were still little, A huge baseball bat was cleverly hidden. So I need to use it!
Baby Lucy is adorable!
What a sweetie you have there. 🙂 The bread is lovely too, and a perfect way to use up those extra zucchinis.
such a precious miracle!
Lucy is so delightfully cute! You’re so lucky (as is Lucy). And we’re lucky that you decided to share this recipe with us! Lovely looking bread. Thanks so much.
what a good baby!! and what a yummy loaf of bread!
Gorgeous at three weeks!
Beautiful baby. And beautiful bread, too! Apparently Lucy was born to be a cook because she knows not to cry till the bread is in the oven! 🙂 So happy you’re happy…
Lucy is just beautiful! The zucchini bread is too.
Lucy is so precious! Enjoy this time with her : ) And this bread sounds fantastic!
Awwww…congratulations Monet! Your daughter is beautiful! Your description of nursing her as your kitchen filled with aromas of lemons and bread….that must have been such bliss for you! Enjoy every moment. Oh…and in gushing over the pictures of your beautiful daughter…I forgot to comment on your beautiful bread! You know I love your baking…but if you are going to include her pictures in your post…she’s going to upstage your goodies every time! Can’t wait till you can post pics of her helping you bake! : )
i’m so impressed with you, you’re already in the kitchen. having a baby doesn’t stop your life. so great. congratulations Monet, such a cute baby.. love the bluish gray eyes.
Congratulations! Lucy is adorable and I know she is welcomed with love. Your zucchini bread looks terrific but doesn’t stand a chance of the attention you little one is getting. 🙂
She is absolutely gorgeous! and the way you write about her is beautiful! these loaves look amazing!
Whoa – it’s been only three weeks but look how much Lucy has grown, changed and developed! She’s absolutely beautiful, Monet. Look at all that dark hair and those gorgeous eyes! This loaf is incredible too – you’re spot on when you say “they are summer at its best”. I want to make this asap.
Oh, Monet!! I’m so happy for you. You are truly embarking on a journey that will indeed continue to change your life. Once you think you have it figured out, it somehow evolves into something entirely new, and wonderful. I think I truly became who I am when I became a mother… the most incredible experience of a lifetime, and thankfully it never ends.
Little Lucy is just beautiful, and I’m amazed at how much hair she has!!! My Liv didn’t have hair until she was 3!!
And the loaf?? Yes, positively irresistible, but not as irresistible as Little Lucy!!
XOXO
I’ve been following along on facebook, and have finally read your posts. Our congratulations to you and your family!
Enjoy every moment, they disappear all too quickly.