Chocolate Zucchini Muffins - It's mid-August and time to pull out the zucchini recipes



LCBO magazine photo and the real deal.

Ah yes, zucchini. We've been trying to transform its taste and texture with chocolate for years. This recipe from the LCBO Food and Drink magazine does a fair job of it. They suggest baking the muffins with a thin slice of zucchini on top, but I think that makes things a tad too obvious. It's like rubbing salt into a wound by essentially saying, "I know you think you're eating something really yummy but there is, in fact, a vegetable in that muffin and it's mostly tasteless, green and watery."

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder (optional)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup packed shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. then line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners (or grease well).

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and chipotle powder (if using) in a large bowl.

In another bowl whisk together the cocoa and sugar, then gradually add the milk until blended. Next, whisk in the egg and yogurt, vanilla and oil. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips, the pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just blended.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for about 22 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.