Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

I love food that is easy to grab on my way out the door. I do a lot more baking on the weekends than any other day. Simply because it saves time during the week when I need to put a quick breakfast or lunch together.

Zucchini Muffins are a healthy alternative for muffins or scones you buy from ANY bakery or fast food chain. For example: McDonald's blueberry muffins, weigh in at 121 grams and pack a whopping 410 calories and 15g of fat. Compare that to the Chocolate Zucchini Muffins in this post at 213.7 calories and 11g of fat per muffin. Sounds like a good trade to me, especially when I'm craving a good muffin in the morning!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, grated (leave peel and seeds intact)

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour (or use your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend)
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs
1/2 C vegetable or olive oil
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt

*Optional*
1/4 C dried cranberries
1/4 C chopped walnuts
1/4 C dried currants

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and grate zucchini.

Brush muffin tin (or 9x5 loaf pan) with oil.

In large mixing bowl; add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk to blend well.

In separate bowl, add eggs and beat until frothy. Add sugar, oil, vanilla and salt to eggs. Mix well.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix well.

Fold in grated zucchini. Zucchini will shed a lot of water, do NOT discard, add to the batter, then fold in cranberries, walnuts and currants.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake on center rack of your oven for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool on wire rack for 5-10 minutes.

*Bake time will require adjustment according to size/shape of your pan

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!