When there’s an abundance of vegetables from the garden and I have little time to really use them, I freeze lots or bake when I can and freeze the extras. I like to measure out cups of shredded zucchini and freeze in ziplock bags, writing the amount of zucchini I used, such as 2 cups etc. You can do the same with carrots as well.
I then decided to make a batch of muffins and to freeze any extras, because when I bake I make a lot so I don’t have to do it so often. I am learning that when kids are in the toddler stage and you have an infant, there’s not much time for really anything.
I love chocolate and I love trying knew recipes. I have a zucchini muffin recipe already on my blog, but I hadn’t made chocolate zucchini muffins and I like to experiment sometimes with others recipes. My mother had made a great chocolate zucchini cake with orange zest. It was so moist and tasted amazing, I wanted to use her recipe, but without the orange zest and a few different ingredients.
These are sugar free too, which I love. I also added some protein powder so I could eat them after working out, and since they were sweetened with honey, I didn’t have to worry about a sugar rush. You can also use maple syrup as well. And with the banana and applesauce you don’t need much for other sweeteners. The applesauce was used in place of oil and ground flaxseed with water was used in place of eggs.
I am into baking with applesauce and bananas a lot more, instead of using lots of sugar and eggs or oil. I think it helps make the recipes more moist and fluffy and naturally sweet. You are able to sub in a gluten free flour mix for the whole wheat all purpose flour.
I added chocolate chips to half the batch and used EnjoyLife mini chocolate chips. They are my favorite chocolate chips, because they are gluten free, dairy, soy and nut free. Chia seeds were thrown in the mix as well, just for some extra essential fatty acids and some fiber. You don’t need to add the protein powder, it won’t affect the mixture or texture. I just used some because I needed the extra protein.
- 1 c applesauce
- 4 ripe bananas
- ¾ c honey
- 3 Tbs ground flaxseed + 9 Tbs water
- 3 c whole wheat flour, all purpose
- 2 scoops chocolate protein (optional)
- 3 Tbs chia seeds
- ¾ c cocoa powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 c zucchini, shredded
- ¾ c chocolate chips (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin sheet with muffin tins or grease.
- In a large mixing bowl, add applesauce, bananas, honey, ground flaxseed and water and mix well
- Add in honey and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Finally add all the dry ingredients to the same mixing bowl (just need one bowl) and mix until flour is well mixed in
- Stir in shredded zucchini and chocolate chips (optional).
- Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, filling cups about ⅔'s full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Cool and Enjoy.
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, vegan & sugar free Share on X
We are finally home from a fun weekend in Montana. It was great to see family and meet the newest addition to our family as well as introduce little LJ to some of my siblings, great grandparents and aunts and uncles. He also had his baby dedication. R got to celebrate her birthday a few days early with this side of the family and friends, and also got to ride horses and watch a cattle drive.
We are blessed with having the opportunity to visit the ranch and take part in country life. I valued my upbringing and being out in the open. Sometimes I do miss it. It was a blessing to me and now I see how blessed I was to be raised on a ranch….just a little sappiness to end the weekend. 😉
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit