Healthy Double Chocolate Secret Muffins

Everybody and their cousin has tried the old “Healthy” zucchini muffins. You know, the ones that are the exact same as a typical muffin except they threw in half a cup of grated zucchini and has now depicted them to be healthy… If that is the kind of recipe you are looking for, this is the wrong place.

All jokes aside, I am not here to diss regular muffins, “healthy” muffins, zucchini muffins, or any muffin for that matter. What I am here to do, is give you a delicious double chocolate muffin recipe with a hidden ingredient your taste testers would never see coming.

These muffins are gluten free, dairy free, and a full of a whole lot of deliciousness. Enjoy these warmed up with some fresh berries, and a little vanilla yogurt, or a glass of milk of choice… You really can’t go wrong.

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Vegetables in muffins?

Adding zucchini into baked goods actually does more than throw off those vegetable haters who would refuse to eat such a thing. They provide a consistency similar to applesauce or bananas by giving a (trigger warning) moist texture to the baked good, as well as giving it a boost of some micronutrients.

Now, introducing the secret ingredient… Eggplant. Hear me out… Whether you love or hate this veggie, or you have just never tried it, I can assure you, you will have NO idea that it exists in these muffins.

AKA all veggie lovers will love these muffins, and so will the haters. If you think they would not appreciate the idea of eggplant in their muffin, simply don’t tell them… Crazy right?

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My Faves

If you are like me and love baking anything chocolate flavoured with chocolate chips, you are in for a treat with this one.

My favourite type of chocolate to bake with is semi-sweet. And my FAVOURITE are these chocolate chunks from Enjoy Life Foods. They are the most satisfying size and extremely delicious. They are a perfect semi-sweet flavour, are dairy free, and they only have three ingredients. I would highly recommend trying them out.

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Double Chocolate Secret Muffin Recipe

Yield: 12 muffins Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 16 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Cup cubed eggplant
• 1 Cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)
• 1/4 Cup maple syrup
• 1/4 Cup almond butter*
• 1 flax egg**
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Cups oatflour***
• 1/2 Cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3-1/2 Cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips

*Almond butter can be swapped out for any other neutral tasting nut butter of choice.

**Make flax egg by mixing 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 2 tbsp of water. Regular egg could also be used.

***Oatflour can be made by blending equal amounts of old fashion rolled oats.

If you do not have any eggplant and you are in dire need to make these muffins (It’s okay, I don’t blame you), you can substitute the eggplant for 1/2 cup of added mashed banana.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350℉
2. Prepare your eggplant by taking skin off and cutting it into small cubes. Place in a bowl and microwave for 4 minutes.
3. Mash your ripe banana.
4. Add warm eggplant, banana, maple syrup, almond butter, flax egg, and vanilla extract to a blender or food processor. Blend until a thick liquid is reached. There should be no chunks of anything.
5. Add liquids to a large bowl, then add oatflour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine dry and wet ingredients all together. Your batter should be a thick consistency.
6. Add in your chocolate chips to the batter as well.
7. Add batter to lined muffin tin. Spread amongst 12 muffins.
8. Place in preheated oven and bake for 15-16 minutes.
9. Take out of oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Per one muffin

Calories: 156 Total Fat: 7g Sodium: 108mg Carbohydrates: 23g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 9g Protein: 4g