Avocado Zucchini Chocolate Muffins
These Avocado Zucchini Chocolate Muffins are the perfect breakfast for busy mornings. They're also filled with healthy fats like olive oil and avocado, and are protein-rich to keep you satisfied all morning!
Chocolate – who doesn't love chocolate?! Did you know it can be healthy for you too?
What better way to try it than in these Avocado Zucchini Chocolate Muffins! Dark chocolate has always been touted as having multiple health benefits and safely enjoyed in moderation, and I'm proud to say I've included half a dark chocolate bar in this muffin batter!
Baking has always been a tricky task for me.
I don't really cook with specific measurements, and I hate the fact that almost everything bakeable has sugar and butter.
I recently discovered that avocado is a surprisingly great substitute for butter though.
The substitution of avocado in baked goods helps increase the nutritional value by a lot, and also helps to cut the fat by 40% while giving you a chewier, softer muffin. Avocados add a very subtle flavour and creamy texture, so give it a try!
Here are some fun facts about avocado and chocolate:
- Chocolate and avocado are both full of antioxidants: avocados contain the most antioxidants, and healthy fats that are good for you and help to lower cholesterol
- Avocados are an excellent source of fiber and folic acid
- Chocolate lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow
You need to buy high quality, organic dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content for these muffins. They will give a rich yet bittersweet flavour that doesn't overpower or make this breakfast indulgence too rich.
I also recommend substituting at least half of the white flour amount of any baked good with a spelt or whole wheat flour.
Spelt flour is a whole grain, non-wheat flour that has an earthy and nutty, yet very subtle flavour. I found a spelt flour at the grocery store for the same price as white flour, and it just adds to the nutritional quality of these muffins.
As you get more and more used to using whole grain flours in your recipes, you can work to eliminate the use of white flour altogether to create healthier recipes.
Oh, and I forgot to tell you – these Avocado Zucchini Chocolate Muffins also have ZUCCHINI in them! Well duhhhhhh. It's a great vegetable with a flavour and texture so subtle, you won't even notice that the tasty chocolate muffin you're having is a great source of vegetables!
Pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts are superfoods that are really great for you nutritionally, add to the healthy fat content of these muffins and most importantly, they contain a ton of protein!
You can always substitute either of these nuts with walnuts, almonds, pecans or a nut of your choice, but we would highly recommend the hemp hearts because of the fact that they blend in better and are another unnoticed source of nutrients.
So what are you waiting for? These muffins take about 30-40 minutes to make, and you'll be enjoying a quick and easy on the go breakfast for the entire week (and weekend)!
Avocado Zucchini Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or honey
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate bar approx 1/8melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup almond milk or Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup white flour
- 3/4 cup spelt flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 zucchini grated
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup hemp hearts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Mix together flours, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder and set aside.
- Mix all wet ingredients together, except for zucchini and seeds.
- Melt chocolate bar in microwave for 10-15 seconds, then pour into muffin batter. Add in flour bit by bit, folding into the batter. Finally, grate zucchini right into muffin batter.
- Cook muffins for 22-25 minutes in the oven, until tops are cracked and batter barely sticks to a toothpick (there will be a tiny amount of residue but not much).
- IMPORTANT: Store muffins in a sealed container in the fridge after they have been left to cool for at least an hour. Muffins will last longer this way.
I made this into a loaf and baked it for another 15-20 minutes and it is delicious. Really not too sweet and perfect for breakfast with a handful of strawberries. And if you want it for dessert, it’s delicious with a swipe of maple butter!