Muffin or cupcake. Cupcake or muffin. There really isn’t much difference between the two these days in regards to calorie, fat, and sugar content. In order to appease the increasing needs of our modern age sweet tooth, more and more muffins get drizzled with sugary icings or sprinkled with rich, buttery streusels than ever before. To put it simply, most muffins are just cupcakes pretending to be good for you. They have become less like their healthier, quick bread ancestors and more like their calorie bomb, cupcake cousins. The muffins that I’m sharing with you today, however, are not those kind.
As a momma to two picky eaters, I often have to utilize human’s instinctive desire for sweets to my advantage. My kids hate anything veggie on their plates at dinner time, but throw it into a dessert, like these muffins, and they are none the wiser. Even my husband had no idea there were veggies hidden inside when I sent him off to work with one for a quick, on-the-go breakfast. Speaking of breakfast, these high fiber, low calorie, vegetarian-friendly muffins don’t just make for an easy afternoon snack or indulgent dessert, they’re also a nutritious breakfast treat when you’re short on time. Since practically everyone is short on time these days, whether you’re a parent, working professional, student, or all of the above, these muffins can easily be worked into a busy schedule. The recipe is quick to prepare and freezable, allowing you to prep them in advance at your convenience. If you want to add more veggies to you or your child’s diet while enjoying a “treat”, add these muffins into your next weekly meal rotation!
Orange Chocolate Veggie Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup White Whole-Wheat Flour
- ¾ cup Oat Flour
- 2 tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp. Instant Espresso Powder
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- ¾ tsp. Ground Nutmeg
- ½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp. Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp. Sea Salt
- 1 large Egg
- ¾ cup Whole Buttermilk
- 3 tbsp. Raw Honey
- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp. Pure Cane Sugar
- 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup shredded Zucchini
- ½ cup peeled & shredded Carrots
- 1 tbsp. Orange Zest
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine white whole-wheat flour, oat flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, ¾ tsp. nutmeg, ½ tsp. cinnamon, baking soda, & sea salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Stir in the buttermilk, honey, oil, cane sugar, & vanilla. Add the contents of the small bowl to the contents of the large bowl. Stir together until just combined. Fold in the zucchini, carrots, and orange zest.
- In prepared muffin tin, fill each cup ¾ full with batter. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place in a freezer bag and store in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month. Enjoy!
Honeybee's Patisserie 