SRC: Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is my first month participating with the Secret Recipe Club (SRC)!  I’ve been interested in the club for a long while, but there has been a waiting list for bloggers and I’m thrilled to get to participate now. 

Each month you are assigned another blogger and you choose one recipe to try from their blog.  Those of you who know me know this is perfect for me, since bloggers are my favorite cookbooks. 

This month, I was assigned to Lynsey Lou – an adorable mom to a precious wee one and a wife to a man who loves her cooking! 

In fact, she hooked her husband with food.  From the moment I visited her blog, I was overwhelmed at the similarities in our taste, and our approach to cooking.  Not to mention the fact that the kitchen is the center of her home & we have the same casserole dish! 

The first recipe I stumbled across was a chocolate zucchini muffin, and then the goodies kept coming: brownie pie, whole wheat pitas, blueberry grilled cheese, BLT pasta, and skillet broccoli mac & cheese!  And, she’s the only other blogger I know with a recipe for ham & asparagus lasagna.   

I’m convinced there was a reason for the timing for SRC… so I could “meet” Lynsey!!

Now, after spending time browsing, I ultimately ended up choosing the recipe that first caught my attention: Low-Fat Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.  And, they were a hit! The only big modification was the use all whole wheat flour – a combination of whole wheat & white whole wheat.  And, to a few, I added cinnamon.  That was delicious. 

Low-Fat Chocolate Zucchini Muffins – Adapted from Lynsey Lou

Ingredients

• 1 C whole wheat flour
• 1 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C brown sugar {not packed}
• 1 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 C dark chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 2 T butter, unsalted {melted}
• 1 C applesauce {unsweetened}
• 1 1/2 C shredded zucchini
• Cinnamon {optional}

Directions

Begin by preparing your muffin tins.  I got to use these cute papers from Downtown Dough – an amazing shop in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, where we vacationed recently.

Once the muffin tins are ready (either muffin papers, or sprayed with olive oil), prepare the dry ingredients. 

Mix together 1 C whole wheat flour with 1 C white whole wheat flour, 1/2 C brown sugar (not packed), 1 1/8 tsp. baking soda and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Stir.

Toss in the 1/4 C dark chocolate chips. 

In a second bowl, mix together 1 egg, 2 T melted butter, 1 C applesauce and 1 tsp. vanilla. 

Stir in the zucchini. 

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir until just moist. 

If desired – add in cinnamon, about 1 tsp. for the whole batch of batter.  Alternatively, scoop out some batter and add about 1/2 tsp. to half of the batter, just to see how you enjoy the cinnamon version. 

Scoop the muffin batter into your prepared muffin tins.  Fill each 2/3 of the way full.  I ended up with 16 muffins. 

Bake at 325 for 30 –35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack. 

Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature, or freeze for later consumption. 

Thanks, Lynsey!  These were great.