Google+ Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery: Chocolate Muffins with Hidden Veggies

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Thursday, September 15, 2011

Chocolate Muffins with Hidden Veggies



As I've mentioned here before, I am the proud mom of a seven-year-old who views vegetables as his mortal enemies.  As a result, I have launched a new career as a master vegetable-hider.  Spinach in the brownies, sweet potatoes in the pancakes... I've done it all.  This week I needed a make-ahead snack for the boys to grab between school and sports, and (big surprise) I decided to sneak in a few veggies while I was at it.

I started with a zucchini muffin recipe, made it gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free, added some cocoa and chocolate chips to make it boy-friendly, and threw in some grated yellow beets that were languishing in the fridge looking lonely.  Much to my surprise, the end result was a huge hit with the boys!  Apparently, chocolate hides not only the veggie taste but the color as well.  No one even suspected there were vegetables in their muffins... no one even asked!  After the little one ate THREE muffins, I finally told him about the secret ingredients, and would you believe, he actually ate more?!  Either he's growing up, or I'm getting better at this new career :)

Chocolate Muffins with Hidden Veggies

2 small zucchini
3 small yellow beets
1 cup spelt flour (or your favorite heavy gluten-free flour)
1 cup rice flour (or your favorite light gluten-free flour)
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup arrowroot starch
1 cup turbinado sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli, which had some sugar in it)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup rice milk
4 egg replacers (12 Tbsp flax meal, 3/4 cup water)
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips

In a food processor, grate the zucchini and beets and set aside.  Mix the dry ingredients (flour through cocoa powder).  Make a well in the middle and add the wet ingredients (oil through vanilla).  Mix well, then add the pecans.

Dump in the shredded veggies and mix briefly.  Divide the mixture in half and process again in the food processor with a regular blade (not the shredder disk) until it becomes a liquid batter (takes only a few seconds).  Pour into oiled muffin tins, then top with chocolate chips (a few on each muffin).  Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes.  (Note: As "small" zucchini can mean different things to different people, the moisture content of your muffins may vary.  If yours don't appear baked through after 20 minutes, feel free to let them go 5 or even 10 minutes longer in the oven).

(This recipe is not marked gluten-free because of the spelt, but it can easily be made so).

Shared with Monday Mania at the Healthy Home Economist and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free and Crazy Sweet Tuesday at Crazy for Crust and Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training and Tasty Tuesday at Naptime Creations and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at At The Well and Totally Tasty Tuesday at Mandy's Recipe Box and Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Good Life Wednesday at A Beach Cottage and Share the Love Wednesday at Very Merry Vintage Style and Whisking Wednesday at A Pinch of This That and The Other and What I Made Wednesday at Sweet Peas and Bumblebees and Wow Me Wednesday at Polka Dots on Parade and Idea Sharing Wednesday at Women Who Do It All and Pennywise Platter Thursday at the Nourishing Gourmet and Simple Lives Thursday at Culinary Bliss and Thursday's Treasures at Recipes for my Boys and Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage and Show Off Your Stuff at Fireflies and Jellybeans and Wellness Weekend at Diet Dessert and Dogs and Fresh Bites Friday at Real Food Whole Health and Sweet Tooth Friday at Alli n Son and Allergy Friendly Friday at Cybele Pascal and Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home and the Living Well Blog Hop at Nourishing Treasures and Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home and Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home and Sweets This Week at Sugar Bananas and Creative Genius at The Creative Paige and Friday Flair at WhipperBerry and Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound and Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies and Once Upon a Weekend at Family Ever After and Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime and Sweet Indulgences Sunday at A Well Seasoned Life and the Homestead Barn Hop at The Prairie Homestead and This Week's Cravings at Mom's Crazy Cooking and the Monday Dessert Linky Party at Joy of Desserts and On the Menu Monday at The Stone Gable and Gluten Free Wednesday at the Gluten Free Homemaker and Make Bake Create.





17 comments:

  1. Great idea sneaking in all those veggies! thanks for linking up to share the love wednesday!
    Mary

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  2. Oh I will have to try this. Sounds so yummmy!
    Have a great day..

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  3. A girl after my own heart! Love it. I did a choc cupcake with hidden spinach a while back and it's still one of my favorites! Now I have to give this one a try, too. :D Thanks so much for submitting to WellnessWeekends this week!

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  4. This is such a good idea...my two year old has this thing about green things. We have to beg him to eat any. But he loves chocolate! I think your idea would be perfect for my brand new linky party!

    Creative Genius @ http://www.thecreativepaige.com!

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  5. What a great treat for those of us with gluten-free diets... I can't wait to try these!

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  6. Good idea, my granddaughter is not very big on veges, even though her mom tries to keep vegetarian. I'll try to make these soon.

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  7. Hidden veggies in muffin! Great idea and the muffins look yummy. Bet they taste great too. Thanks so much for sharing at BC Good Life Wednesdays.

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  8. I WILL try this. Thank you!!!!! I am visiting from Family Ever After and this is exactly the blog I needed to ind! Yippee! It's nice to "meet" you. I am Theophanie of Our Jubilant Nest. Our family has had food issues for the past few years. Eating around here is CRAZY right now. I can't wait to dig around your blog a bit more!

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  9. P.S. I stumbled you! :)

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  10. Great idea! Yes, you have to come up with creative ways to get veggies into kids. These look delicious! Thanks for sharing on Sweet Indulgences Sunday.

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  11. I just love hidden veggies in great tasting food. This is one of those recipes, it looks awesome! Hope you are having a great week end and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  12. Everything tastes better with chocolate, right? :-) That's a great way to get vegetables into some growing bodies. Thank you for participating at Joy of Desserts. Wishing you a great day. Looking forward to more of your recipes.

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  13. I'm new here, and love what I've seen so far! I don't have to deal with an allergies though I'm always on the lookout for new ways for old recipes.

    I've used pureed fruit to reduce the expensive fat content in some of my recipes, but never thought of adding in veggies, too.

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  14. I used to do this with my son too. He now has three different veggies that he will eat. At least it's progress.

    Thanks for stopping by Sweet Tooth Friday!

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  15. I Love this recipe and the whole idea of hiding veggies. We so need that here. The little ones have decided they don't like the veggies they ate just a year ago. I will certainly be sneaking this one by them. Thank you so much for sharing on Thursday's Treasures....Sorry, I'm a little late in responding. We would love for you to join us tomorrow. <3 and Hugs!

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  16. Good for you. I tried hiding Zuchinni in so many things that now my boys, all grown, will not eat it at all. Their wives hate me. I wish I had started when they were much younger. Older is hard.

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