Summer squash does quite well in these parts. It grows in droves, the farmers start selling some as big as your arm. In that family of veggies, we find classics like zucchini, summer and pattypan squashes. Always full of water and great with flavor.
The problem with the squashes is that they do SO well. I grow some in my garden, farmers start discounting them. I got 4 huge ones last week for a $1. I am not such a fan of frozen squash. So I must come up with ways to eat the squash or at least prepare the squash in a way that survives freezing while we are in a land of plenty. Come winter, I’ll be missing those long fresh veggies like crazy.
So I decided to make zucchini bread. Well, zucchini muffins because they will store well as single servings in the freezer.
As kid, the only fruit or veggie bread I was familiar with was the sweet banana bread. As an adult I’ve encountered a few too many veggie breads that could almost count as veggie cakes.
This bread (which I made as muffins) is a dense, slightly sweet treat. I didn’t want it to be too sweet, I’m trying to cut down my sweet tooth. I did endulge my sweet tooth by topping the muffins with dark chocolate chips.
Recipe: Zucchini Muffins
Summary: Adapted from: No Meat Athlete’s Vegan Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups spelt flour
- 4 tbs flax seed meal
- 1 tbs baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups shredded zucchini
- 1 cup apple sauce
- 1/2 cup dried pineapple (chopped) (optional)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup sucrarat
- 1 lemons, zest and juice
- Dark chocolate chips to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Mix dry ingredients (flour, flax, baking soda & powder, salt) together, set aside.
- Mix wet and sweet ingredients together (zucchini, apple sauce, pineapple, maple syrup, sucrarat and lemond zest and juice).
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mix well.
- Prepare cupcake tins with non-stick baking spray.
- Scoop mixture into tins (Mixture will not rise much so fill them up).
- Decorate with chocolate chips
- Bake for 40-50 minutes
Quick notes
Lemon zest = grated lemon rind
Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 45 minute(s)
Diet type: Vegan
Number of servings (yield): 12
In case you were wondering, this batch did not make it to my freezer or to my neighbor’s house (her kids probably wouldn’t like it on account that it wasn’t sweet enough). This batch will end up in our bellies.
What’s your favorite summer squash recipe?
I'm an engineer, an animal lover, a runner and an ex-rower. I like medical devices, big ships and mountains. This is my journey teaching myself to make healthy foods and explore the world of vegan and vegetarian cuisine.
I thought it would be savory muffin when i read the title! but these are sweet muffins with chocolate chips! Looks great
Savory muffins would actually be a great idea (you have no idea how much summer squash I have in my fridge right now). I’ll have to take a look into that. Thanks.
Have just found your blog and LOVE IT!
I have always found it amazing how zucchini works with chocolate. Looking forward to trying out your recipe.
I sometimes do a shaved chocolate in the zucchini bread thing. BTW, I had to rescue your comment from the spam folder. I’m not sure why.
Zucchini bread is up there as a personal summer-squash-fave. Great idea to do muffins (I already make banana bread as muffins most of the time, never have with z. bread), and I love the inclusion of pineapple, I feel like those flavors would combine really well!
I love zucchini in baking, such a great way to use up excess! How crazy do they grow, right?!
We always plant way too much of it. Makes me wish I had a bigger freezer.
Oh, this is great! I love not-too-sweet and healthy sweets! The pictures are very attractive too – I like the polka dot effect:)