Category Archives: Breakfast

Chocolate zucchini muffins

Be careful what you wish for…since I haven’t been getting zucchini in my CSA, my friend donated a zucchini from her garden to my mission (to make these chocolate zucchini muffins). However comma, this was no ordinary zucchini…she super-sized it, and I still have half of it left!

Foot-long zucchini

I’ve had this recipe for a few years, and it has become my secret weapon against zucchini. I’m a big fan of the spiciness from the nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. I have made a few changes: decreased the sugar, substituted applesauce for half of the oil, and added chocolate chips. I also usually do a mix of white and whole-wheat flour. I ran out of paper liners making this batch and the muffins that did not have liners burned a bit, unfortunately.

A six-pack of muffins for my coworkers

Chocolate zucchini muffins
Source: allrecipes.com
Makes: 24 muffins

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 12 cup muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl beat the eggs. Beat in the sugar, applesauce, and oil. Add the cocoa, vanilla, zucchini, and stir well.
3. Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmet, cloves, and cardamom. Mix until just moist (yup I don’t even like typing that word), then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins filling 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-17 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack. Store loosely covered.
5. Enjoy!

Chard and Ricotta Pie

Actually, I made this last week, but still wanted to share it. I like to make this recipe using a muffin tin instead of a pie plate to make individual servings that become a quick and easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I’ve also substituted other vegetables, like spinach or broccoli. I forgot to pick up green onions so I left them out this time.

Chard and Ricotta Pie
Source: Good Housekeeping
Serves: 6 main-dish servings (or about 18 individual “pies”)

Ingredients
1 large head Swiss chard
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch green onions, sliced thinly
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes
4 large eggs
1 container (15 ounces) part skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp cornstarch

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie plate (or muffin tins).

2. Cut off and discard bottom 2 inches of Swiss chard stems. Separate stems from leaves; thinly slice stems and coarsely chop leaves.

3. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium-high until hot. Add sliced stems and cook 4 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add green onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes (to your taste), and cook 1 minute. Gradually add chopped leaves, and cook, stirring, until wilted and water evaporates, about 5 minutes.

4. In large bowl, with wire whisk or fork, mix eggs, ricotta, milk, Parmesan, and cornstarch until blended. Stir in Swiss chard mixture.

5. Transfer mixture to pie plate (or muffin tins). Bake pie 40 minutes or until knife inserted 2 inches from center comes out clean. Bake about 13 minutes if using muffin tins.

6. Enjoy!