In this blog I wanted to share a recipe for some Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins I recently made. My zucchini plant has been flourishing this summer, so I figured I needed to do a little baking to enjoy some of it’s goodness. Zucchini’s not only are tasty this time of year for cooking and baking, but they are also rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and calcium. They also contain quite a bit of fiber, which is good for gut health. I always look forward to the summer seasonal vegetables and zucchini is one of my favorites. Although I don’t bake as much as I used to, I do enjoy it and indulge from time to time. If you eat healthy most of the time, you can feel comfortable having a treat or something else you enjoy. I’s called the 80/20 rule for dieting. Anyway—Give this recipe a try if you like zucchini and chocolate.

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 cups flour (You can also use rice flour if you want it gluten free)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts (You can also use pecans, almonds or hazel nuts)
3 eggs
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
2 medium size zucchini, shredded (about 2 cups lightly packed)
12 oz. bag good quality chocolate chips (I used one with one with a high cacao content for its good fat content)

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Coat muffin tins with olive oil, or line with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Mix in the nuts. Set aside.

In a mixer, mix the eggs, sugar, olive oil, vanilla and lemon rind. Mix in the shredded zucchini. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add the chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture in prepared muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Serve warm, or cold.

Enjoy!

Barb

P.S. You can find other healthy recipes in my new book, Wholey Cow A Simple Guide To Eating And Living, available on Amazon.