Four- Bite Zucchini Brownies

I was on the search for a healthy, delicious muffin recipe made with zucchini.  I found one at the Happy Herbivore that included chocolate and no fat.  I made a few variations, such as cutting down the sugar content and adding chocolate chips.  I was pleasantly surprised by the results. 

They went in the oven as chocolate zucchini muffins and came out like individual zucchini brownies -- wonderfully moist, flat with a rich deep chocolate flavour.  It tasted like a Two-bite brownie!!  They are a cross between fudgy and cakey. 

The best part is it sneaks in a vegetable that no one will even notice it's their in taste, however visually they may see the occasional green bits of zucchini sticking out. 

  Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup spelt flour
¼ cup cocoa
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp unrefined sea salt
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/3 cup cane sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
½ cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1 cup zucchini, grated
¼ cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
½ callebaut semi-sweet chocolate chips (or vegan chocolate chips)

1.  Combine the spelt flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a bowl and mix well.
2.   Combine the banana, cane sugar, maple syrup, applesauce, zucchini, almond milk and vanilla and mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips.
3.   Combine the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix only until just combined (mixture will look thick and brownie like).
4.     Place in greased muffin tins or liners.  Bake 22-28 minutes at 350 F (if bake too long the moist brownie will dry out).  Makes 12 brownies.

Note:  You can also bake in square pan to get more of the brownie look or make in mini muffin tins to be even more like two-bite brownies.  You can also substitute the chocolate chips for nuts or seeds for a less chocolatey version.

Whole Food Sneak Peak: 

Click on these links and scroll to the bottom to learn about the nutritional benefits of Zucchini, apples and bananas.

Food For Thought:

"There is within each of us a potential for goodness beyond our imagining

for giving which seeks no reward
  
   for listening without judgment
  
      for loving unconditionally"

elisabeth kubler-ross