Savory Zucchini & Olive Bread

This easy quick-bread is a perfect use for the zucchini guts left over from kolokithia yemista, with chopped black olives standing in for the raisins or other fruit you might find in a sweet version. This bread is good served warm, at room temperature, or toasted (a toaster oven is best, since it's a bit fragile), and makes a nice accompaniment to soup, salad, or a more elaborate meal. (NB you can make this recipe as muffins, too; just reduce the cooking time to about 25 minutes.)

Savory Zucchini & Olive Bread
Ingredients
~ ¼ cup olive oil
~ 1 cup minced shallots
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk
~ 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
~ 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed
~ 2 cups mashed or grated raw zucchini
~ 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
~ 1 tbsp. baking powder
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, oregano, dill, za'ataar
~ ½ tsp. each: baking soda, thyme, white pepper
~ ¾ cup chopped Kalamata olives

Directions
~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and coat a loaf pan generously with cooking spray.
~ In a skillet, cook the shallots and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until soft.
~ Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
~ In a bowl or beaker, whisk together the soy milk, vinegar, and flaxseed for about a minute, until the mixture becomes thick and a bit foamy. Stir in the zucchini and the cooked shallots and garlic - making sure to include the olive oil from the skillet - and mix well.
~ In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and dry seasonings. Add the chopped olives and stir to coat.
~ Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, gently fold in the wet ingredients, and combine thoroughly.
~ Transfer the batter to then greased loaf pan and bake in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. (Ovens vary wildly and you know yours best; just keep an eye on it.)
~ Allow the bread to rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before turning out. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.