Chocolate.  Are there many things in life that are more delightful than chocolate?  Puppies, babies, the perfect sunset/sunrise, wine/charcuterie, a great work out, new shoes, and CHOCOLATE.  Those are a few of my favorite things…in no apparent order.

Now when I enjoy chocolate, I do not want to feel the slightest bit of guilt with each bite.  After all dark chocolate has many health benefits.  Don’t take my word for it… you can read about a few of them here: http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/6-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate.html#b

So how does one make dark chocolate even healthier???  By adding veggies to it.  Seriously, think about how spectacular carrot cake is AND it is loaded full of carrots and nuts.  These double dark chocolate zucchini muffins are carrot cake’s second cousin…dessert packed with veggies :)

Don’t be a skeptic.  You literally cannot taste the zucchini.  And you can’t even see the zucchini so it’s a great way to sneak in veggies into your kid’s or sig other’s diet.  Sneaky, sneaky.  Chocolate – 1, Ives – 0 (more like Chocolate – 3, Ives – 0 since I ate 3 of these decadent guys in less than 24 hours).   Added bonus: they are dairy-free and refined-sugar free.

Double-bonus: they are ready in < 30 minutes and tasting amazing warm out of the oven or re-heated in the microwave.  Yeah, you know you will be tempted to whip up a batch this weekend.  I am already planning on making a second round ;)

As always,

Bon Appeteek

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 15-20 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins

The Players: 

1 large zucchini, peeled and grated (~1 1/2 to 2 C grated)
2 egg whites + 1 egg
1/2 C unsweetened apple sauce (alternatively sub vanilla or honey greek yogurt)
1/4 C agave syrup
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C dark cocoa powder
1 T ground cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
4 oz baking chocolate (I used dark cocoa), roughly chopped

The Rulers:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Combine dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon in a small bowl.
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine zucchini, eggs, apple sauce, agave,  and vanilla extract.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, do not over-mix.
5. Fill muffin tins 3/4 of the way full with batter and top with remaining chocolate chunks.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Allow to cool.