Healthy Zucchini Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups grated zucchini (squeezed dry (about 2 large, weighed after squeezing))
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup date paste
• 1/2 cup mashed avocado ((about 1 large))
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup unpasteurized honey
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (storebought or homemade)
• 3 large eggs (beaten)
• 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt (I use Himalayan salt)
• 1 cup chopped 70% cocoa dark chocolate
• 3/4 cup chopped raw pecans

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 450°F; line a 12 hole muffin pan with parchment paper cups

2. 2

   Grate the zucchini and then squeeze it as dry as you possibly can, and I do mean AS DRY AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. You want to be certain that your zucchini is absolutely, positively dry. Don’t stop squeezing until there isn’t a single drop of liquid coming out of it; Measure or weigh the required amount and set it aside.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the unsweetened applesauce, date paste, mashed avocado, buttermilk, Greek yogurt, honey and vanilla extract. Mix well with a whisk until well combined, then add the eggs and resume whisking until they are completely incorporated.

4. 4

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well with a flat whisk until evenly combined.

5. 5

   Add dry ingredients to wet and stir delicately with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined, no more.

6. 6

   Throw in the grated zucchini, chopped chocolate and pecans (don't forget to save a handful of chocolate chunks and chopped pecans to garnish your muffins later) and stir gently with the spatula or wooden spoon until well combined.

7. 7

   Divide the batter equally between the 12 muffin cups. The batter WILL mound slightly higher than the paper cups, that’s perfectly normal — just try and shape the tops into nice rounded domes. Use a large spring-loaded cookie scoop if you have one: it'll make your job much easier! Also, you could divide the batter into 18 to 24 smaller muffins instead, if you preferred smaller muffins. Of course, you'd need to adjust cooking time accordingly.

8. 8

   Place the pan in the 450°F oven for 5 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for another 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops appear set and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out almost clean.

9. 9

   Let the muffins cool for a minute or two in the pan and then press pieces of chocolate and pecans in the tops, if desired, then delicately remove the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.

10. 10

    Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.