(This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, Hippie Mama will make a small profit from your purchase. Thank you for keeping this Mama’s coffee mug full!)
Summer is here! We are into our second official week of summer and that means the zucchini are producing. With the weather we’ve had in our neck of that woods, that means my 6 meager zucchini plants are providing me with around a dozen or more a week. Now that’s a lot of squash for a family of three to handle.
After I’ve grilled it, sliced and frozen it, given it away….there’s only one more thing to do with the extras…make muffins of course!
This is a healthy twist on the classic zucchini bread made into convenient, hand held muffins for an easy on the go breakfast or snack. By switching a few traditional higher fat ingredients for more healthy options, you won’t feel an ounce of guilt feeding these to your family.
So to get started you will want to choose one or to medium sized zucchini squash. If the skin is tender enough to press your fingernail through it, don’t worry about peeling it. If the skin is tougher, peeling the squash is a good idea to avoid an unappealing texture to your muffins.
Begin by finely shredding the zucchini until you have two cups. This can easily be done in a food processor with the shredder attachment. This is my absolute favorite kitchen gadget at the moment. You can also grate them by hand which makes for a good arm work out : )
Next, whisk three whole eggs, 1 cup of applesauce (or melted coconut oil), 1 cup of sugar, and 3 teaspoons of good vanilla extract (this kind is my favorite!). Now it’s time to mix the grated zucchini into the wet ingredients. Stir gently to combine.
I add the dry ingredients, starting with 3 cups of whole wheat flour, one at a time gently combining after each. (Side note: Buying certain products in bulk that I know I will need on hand all the time helps me keep in budget on my grocery spending. Checkout The bulk cinnamon and old fashioned oatmeal for a deal!) Remember to reserve an extra 1/4 cup of the old fashioned oats to sprinkle on top of the muffins before baking.
This recipe will make either two loaves of bread or about 20 muffins. See the full recipe below. I hope you and your family enjoy these as much as we do!
Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup melted coconut oil or applesauce
2 cups granulated sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini squash
3/4 cup old fashioned oats (reserve 1/4 cup for sprinkling on top)
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
Finely grate zucchini squash. Blend eggs, oil/applesauce, sugar, vanilla and grated zucchini together. Add dry ingredients one at a time until well mixed. Line a muffin tin with paper wrappers (or grease with butter and flour) and scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each. (This recipe also makes two loaves of bread in traditional bread pans.) Sprinkle a small amount of oats on top of each muffin or loaf before baking at 325F degrees for about 25 minutes (30-35 minutes for a loaf). Insert a knife into the center of muffin or loaf to ensure doneness. Knife should come out clean. Enjoy with homemade butter or apple butter!
