Is this a side dish? A cupcake? Or a muffin?? Well maybe it’s all 3?! You can buy cupcake boxes online 🙂 Looking for a way to get more vegetables in your child’s diet? Well, here is your solution! Moist chocolate muffins with a little secret we won’t dare mention to the kiddos! These muffins are easy to make and you don’t need any special flours!
Even call them cupcakes if you like. Ok, I really don’t advocate using these muffins to get your child to eat their veggies but these muffins (or cupcakes) are a nice treat that happen to have some of summer’s most delicious produce as an ingredient. These are a spin off of my Elvis Cupcakes. The addition of the zucchini actually makes these even more delicious because the added moisture helps keep these muffins moist but not soggy. In actuality, I am sure you could use grated cucumber, squash, carrot or really any shredded fruit or vegetable (well, almost any).
These muffins are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and can be nut-free by using sunflower seed butter. Really, these muffins are a win-win! I hope you enjoy the same way I enjoy this website everyday Orrington Farms .
Note: I used nut and seed butters that contain sea salt so if you are using an unsalted one, be sure add 1/8-1/4 tsp. salt or to taste! 
- 2/3 cup natural peanut, almond or sunflower seed butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 small banana, mashed (6 inches in length) or 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 small zucchini, shredded (approximately 2/3 cup)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. vinegar
- 1/8th tsp plus 3 servings of Organic Kal Pure Stevia OR 1/4 tsp. Organic Trader Joe's Stevia or sweetener of choice, to taste
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or sunflower seeds (for nut-free)
- 1 oz. extra dark chocolate chips (dairy & soy free)*
*Homemade Chocolate Chunks, 80% Chocolate Bar, 70% chocolate chips, "Milk" Chocolate Chunk Dreams, Enjoy Life Chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add all ingredients (EXCEPT nuts and chocolate chips) to a medium bowl and blend well with whisk. Taste for sweetness and adjust if needed. Using large scoop (1/4 cup), divide batter into 8 cupcake liners. Sprinkle batter with chocolate and nuts.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until center is set. DO NOT OVER BAKE! Carefully remove and cool on cooling rack.
- Nutrition per muffin using banana: 223 Calories, 16 grams Fat, 10 Total Carbs, 3 grams Fiber, 7 Net Carbs, 7.5 grams Protein
- Nutrition per muffin using applesauce: 216 Calories, 16 grams Fat, 8 Total Carbs, 3 grams Fiber, 5 Net Carbs, 7.5 grams Protein
- Nutrition information from this site: http://caloriecount.about.com
