Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins–Vegan and Gluten Free!

These zucchini muffins are a lovely dark chocolate treat without refined grains or refined sugar, but WITH green vegetables! Try them at snack-time or dessert, or as part of a quick breakfast!

My recipe (below) is adapted from the Oil-Free Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Muffins by Angela Liddon, author of the Oh She Glows cookbook and website. Find her recipe for the whole-wheat version here! This version is gluten free and a bit lower in added sugars. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Makes one dozen muffins.

• Olive oil or 12 cupcake liners
• 1 Tablespoon ground chia seeds
• 3 Tablespoons + up to 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/4 cup organic unsweetened almond or soymilk
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups gluten free sprouted ancient grain flour mix (alternatively, use a mix of at least 3 gluten free flours; I suggest millet, oat, and buckwheat for this recipe!)
• 1/2 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum
• 1/3 cup and 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup and 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups zucchini
• Optional: 2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Grease muffin tins lightly with olive oil  (or use cupcake liners!).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Combine ground chia seeds and 3 Tbsp water in a small bowl and let rest to thicken. (This is a vegan egg replacement option that adds some healthy fat, antioxidants, iron, calcium, and fiber!)
4. In another small bowl mix the soy milk with the apple cider vinegar and allow it to begin to curdle.
5. In a mixing bowl, mix together the gluten free flour mix, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add the maple syrup, chia seed “egg replacer”, and vanilla extract to the soy milk mixture. Stir together wet ingredients and then add to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Muffin batter should be a thicker “drop-batter” consistency. If batter is too thick, add up to 1/4 cup of water.
7. Grate and fold in the zucchini.
8. Fill muffin tins up to 3/4 full with batter.
9. Bake 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched. Cool for 5 minutes in tins and then remove from tins and cool on rack. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information for 1 muffin:
124 Calories, 4 gm protein, 23 gm carbohydrate, 3 gm dietary fiber, 8 gm added sugar, 1 gm saturated fat, 1 gm monounsaturated fat, 1 gm polyunsaturated fat, 122 mg calcium, 238 mg potassium, 237 mg sodium, 2 mg iron, 56 mg magnesium, 141 mg phosphorus, 1 mg zinc

Do you have a muffin recipe that you want made-over to be gluten free, vegan, or just healthier? Comment with it below and I can suggest substitutions…I may even make a post with your made-over recipe 🙂