Fudgy Muffins For Breakfast!

While it's been somewhat disappointing that our growing season is much slower than the anomaly of last year's, it's still exciting when the produce finally starts growing and ripening. We have yet to harvest any large tomatoes, but the basil, broccoli, green and yellow beans, green onions, and herbs have been prolific thus far. Soon our yellow onions will be ready, and we've had a few ripe Sun Gold cherry tomatoes and a few peppers as well. The zucchini are also doing well. Many people get a bit overwhelmed with the notorious squash as the summer rolls on, but we try to find as many ways to enjoy it as possible, and managed to keep up with it last year pretty well. Some ideas for preparation include the following....

~Thinly sliced lengthwise into ribbons, sauteed in a little olive oil and garlic, and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
~Cut into rounds and placed in a foil packet with or without seasonings and a dab of butter, sealed, and grilled until tender.
~Cut into quarters, brushed with olive oil and either lemon pepper or Italian seasoning and grilled.
~Battered and deep fried, or battered and "fried" as EatingWell does it a little healthier here.
~Baked into a classic zucchini bread and spread with cream cheese.

One of my children's absolute favorite muffins recipes includes zucchini. I use a reduced amount of turbinado sugar (like Sugar In The Raw) and applesauce to lower the fat content while combining with the cocoa powder to make them fudgy and delicious. By incorporating Chocolate Zucchini Muffins into your repertoire, you're also bringing a vegetable to the breakfast table!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I like Dutch-process from Penzey's)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 tsp espresso powder, optional
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 medium zucchini

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line a muffin tin with papers.

Grate the zucchini. Squeeze as much moisture from it as possible, either using your hands (over the sink) or by placing it in a strainer and pressing out the water. You should have about 1 cup zucchini after it's been squeezed.

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and espresso powder.

In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the applesauce, buttermilk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Pour all at once into the dry ingredients and stir to incorporate. When a few wisps of flour remain, fold in the zucchini. Divide between the 12 muffin cups. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.