There’s a zucchini in my dessert!
I love zucchini: the taste, the color, even the name. (It’s fun to say, right?) Therefore, it is only natural that I’d enjoy zucchini paired with one of my other great loves: chocolate!
Such as in the above recipe: Chocolate Grasshopper Pie.
In general, zucchini lends moisture and softness to recipes without leaving an offending flavor. So, although it might sound strange, the squash makes a great addition to desserts.
I’m not the only one who likes zucchini in her desserts. My friend, Lindsay, does as well. And if Lindsay likes it, it must be good… because Lindsay is a best-selling cookbook author!
Lindsay and I first became friends through our blogs, and I’ve been so excited to watch my sweet friend flourish into a vegan-cookbook phenom. You might know her super-cute blog, The Happy Herbivore. Today, I am honored to have Lindsay as a guest on my blog, highlighting a recipe from her cookbook—Chocolate-Zucchini Muffins!
In Lindsay’s words: Moist and chocolatey, you won’t believe that these muffins are healthy, almost completely fat-free and have a veggie slipped in! This is also a great way to use up all that leftover summer harvest zucchini!
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Servings: 12
- 1¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 whole banana, mashed
- ½ cup raw sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- ½ cup raw sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease muffin pan and set aside. If using paper liners, lightly spray inside of liners with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. In another bowl, cream mashed banana with applesauce and sugar (use extra 1/2 cup for a very sweet, dessert-like muffin). Add in soymilk, vanilla, zucchini and any other optional add-ins you might like such as vegan chocolate chips or chopped raw walnuts. Stir until evenly combined. Add flour mix to wet mix in 3-4 batches and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan and bake 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Chef’s Note: These muffins store well both in the fridge and freezer & the raw sugar in this recipe may be reduced to 1/2 cup.
EDIT: The cookbook giveaway is now closed.
Congratulations to Jemma!
Please email me, at chocolatecoveredkatie@msn.com, with your mailing address, so I can get your cookbook to you! 🙂
I was JUST thinking of baking something with zucchini because I have a few that need eating so THANKYOU! I have never actually tried baking anything with it so it will be a first!
I love Happy Herbivore so much – I’ve done loads of the recipes from the blog but I don’t have the book so that would be nice 🙂 I especially love her pumpkin muffins!
How exciting! I can’t even imagine having my own cookbook!!
I love blueberry muffins!
I love zucchini plain oil grilled with some olive oil, salt, and pepper! yum! And my favorite muffin has to be a pumpkin-cream cheese muffin fo sho 😛
my favorite way to eat zucchini is straighttt uppp. but if it MUST be cooked, i like baking it in the oven until it’s slightly burnt 🙂
zucchini bread, hands down!! 🙂
Oh my gosh!!! This recipe was one of the first vegan baked goods I ever made (and they’re awesome, too!), off her website! Awesome!
Zucchini! How I adore zucchini…my mom made me the best zucchini bread, for sure, but zucchini really is just fantastic however. I have a constant vegetable craving and zucchini, lightly steamed or roasted can make me one happy bunny!
I have to say, my FAVE zucchini recipe is this http://www.veganbaking.net/vegan-recipes/breads-and-muffins/zucchini-carrot-muffins-with-cinnamon-crumble-top.html Carrot Zucchini muffins with cinnamon crumble top. They NEVER fail to impress those who eat them, and they are especially good made with the veggies from the garden…it makes it that much more special and delicious.
How I love zucchini, let me count the ways!!!! For dinner…I love zucchini as a pasta substitute (raw or lightly sauteed in earth balance) with raw pesto or marinara; for dessert, probably chocolate chip zucchini muffins. I can’t wait to give this recipe a whirl…maybe with a little stevia baking blend for the sugar…:)