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 love zuchini bread, although I’m really intrigued by the cheesecake with zuchini in it.
Zucchini bread all the way! My grandma also always makes FRIED zucchini medallions, which are not as healthy, but just as delicious!
I love zucchini during the summer, when it’s on the grill! 🙂 But in stir fry, it’s pretty good too!
I make the Happy Herbivore chocolate zucchini muffins weekly! I love them. I mix up some peanut flour, stevia and salt with water and use it as frosting. Delicious!!
I had no idea how much can be done with ZZZZZZ……I have so much from my garden and never now what to do except grill ir shredd it for hashbrowns….also..the ever favorite chocolate zucchini bread!~
I love The Happy Herbivore! Those muffins looks so good! My favorite way to use zucchini remains good ole’ zucchini bread. With chocolate chips of course! 🙂
Zucchini- in ratatouille, grilled in a sandwich with a balsamic + vegenaise spread, raw as noodles!
Muffin flavor – oy vey, remember those MASSIVE double chocolate chip muffins at costco? WANT.
I love zucchini muffins!!! I can’t wait to try this recipe out! Zucchini pasta is also delicious, but for me, the desserts always come first! 🙂
There is a naturally vegan muffin that my mom makes without knowing it’s vegan. It has dates, walnuts, cardamum. It is so flavourful and middle eastern tasting and it’s chewy and moist. Im drooling just thinking about it. But chocolate zucchini muffins sound pretty darn good too.
My abosolute favorite muffin flavor is pumpkin chocolate chip <3 <3 I can't get enough of these! Everytime I stop by my local bakery/cafe I have to get a dozen or so to eat for the week (or day . . .) So wonderful 🙂