Do you have some zucchini to use up? Try these allergy free chocolate zucchini muffins! Not only are they delicious but they are free of dairy, eggs, wheat/gluten, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.
🥒Growing zucchini
During the Spring and Summer months, I really love to garden. I am nowhere near an expert gardener but I love to experiment and get my hands dirty. It's so gratifying to put some seeds in the ground and a few weeks later have actual food to harvest.
The easiest plant to grow, in my opinion, is zucchini. Each year, I vow to only plant a few seeds but always end up with WAY too many zucchinis each summer.
One of my most common Pinterest searches during that time of the year is "how to use up zucchini". And usually, my kids help the cause by delivering zucchinis to neighbors who will take them.
So what is a girl to do with a bumper crop of zucchini?
Well, zucchini is delicious raw, grilled, and chopped up in salads, but these chocolate zucchini muffins might be my favorite way to use it up. Even though I'm a dietitian, I still love my chocolate! (Everything in moderation, you know!)
I have even added some chocolate frosting to them and served them as birthday cake.
🥣 Ingredients
With quick breads, there are always a few allergy friendly substitutes needed since they contain flour and eggs.
In addition to making these allergy friendly, I did try to keep the added sugar lower (though, these are a muffin and they are sweet so...you can only do so much!) I also use unsweetened applesauce in place of oil to reduce the fat content.
For the flour, I have often mixed my own but also enjoy the convenience of buying it ready-made. I like this gluten-free all-purpose flour by Bob's Red Mill because it works as a great 1:1 substitute in baking and it's fairly inexpensive.
To replace 2 eggs, I use 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons of warm water. This mixture thickens as it sits and works great as an egg replacer helping to add moisture, starch/fiber, and fat to the batter.
🥄 Serving suggestion
I have been known to treat these muffins as cupcakes and dress them up with a little frosting and sprinkles.
(I went a little light on the sprinkles, but you get the idea.)
While there are healthier ways to eat zucchini, these muffins are relatively healthy and they're dairy free, egg free, soy free, gluten/wheat free, peanut free, and tree nut free (not to mention delicious!)
Serve with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or safe milk. Yum!
📋 Recipe
Allergy Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 6 tablespoons warm water
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1-2/3 cups "safe" milk I use soy or rice milk
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups wheat free all purpose flour blend
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place muffin liners in cupcake tin or spray with "safe" cooking spray.
- Combine the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl; set aside for a few minutes until thickened. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, sugar, milk, applesauce, vanilla extract and flax/water mixture; mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients, scraping the sides of the bowl periodically, and mix well. Next, mix in the shredded zucchini.
- Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from muffin tin. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for 3 days. These also freeze well!
