Wonderful Zucchini-Carrot Bread

I've been trying a lot of new recipes this year, but this is an old favorite I keep going back to. It started out as a Paula Deen recipe but I've added a couple of my own touches to it. Give it a try -- if you didn't put them in yourself, you would never know there were vegetables in this! Definitely not a diet recipe, but so good. I'd call it kid-friendly, except my own kids won't touch it...they heard me call it zucchini bread and that was the end of that. Maybe someday...

The original recipe makes two large loaves. I often just want to make one, so I've included the half-recipe amounts in parentheses for convenience. [The best thing to do, really, is make two loaves and give one away...the recipient will be delighted!]

If I have it, I'll substitute whole wheat pastry flour for half of the flour used. It's best with all the "optional" items but if you don't have them, or don't like them, it's fine to leave them out.

3 1/4 C all-purpose flour (1 5/8 C)
1 1/2 t salt (3/4 t)
1 t ground nutmeg (1/2 t)
2 t baking soda (1 t)
1 t ground cinnamon (1/2 t)
3 C granulated sugar (1 1/2 C)
1/2 C wheat germ (1/4 C) -- optional
1 C vegetable oil (1/2 C)
4 eggs, beaten (2)
1/3 C water (scant 1/4 C)
2 C grated zucchini (1 C)
1 1/2 C grated carrots (3/4 C) -- optional
1 t lemon juice (1/2 t)
1 C chopped walnuts or pecans (1/2 C) -- optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and wheat germ.

In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini, carrots and lemon juice.

Mix wet ingredients into dry--by hand is fine--then add nuts and stir in.

Bake in two (one for half recipe) standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray and the bottoms lined with parchment. Bake one hour or until a tester comes out clean. Can also be baked in 5 mini loaf pans for about 45 minutes.