Chocolate Chip Muffins with Shredded Zucchini & Apple

Chocolate Chip Muffins with Shredded Zucchini and Apple
Adapted from www.allrecipes.com

Makes 24 mini-muffins along with 3 larger muffins, or 12-14 large muffins

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground flaxseed meal (optional)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. vegetable oil (I use Smart Balance)
1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice (1/2 a fresh lemon, juiced)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 medium zucchini, shredded
1 medium apple, shredded
1/2 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and flaxseed.

2. Combine the eggs, oil, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in zucchini, apple, and chocolate chips.

3. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

I refrigerate these, although they would freeze well too.

Bananalicious Bread

I've been seriously craving banana bread ever since we returned from Jamaica a couple of weeks ago - the resort had the BEST banana bread, and the best mangos, so every morning I'd have banana bread and mangos for breakfast. Perfection.

I found this recipe - titled Banana Banana Bread - on Allrecipes, then found a Pinterest link to the blog For the Love Of Cooking, which had an adaptation of it, adding vanilla and cinnamon - winner!!

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened

3/4 c brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/3 c mashed overripe bananas (I used 5 small bananas)

1 tsp vanilla

2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and coat a 9x5 loaf pan with oil. I whipped out my new cast iron bread pan, which is fantastic! 

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla, then beat until well mixed. 

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, and mix well (by hand). Add flour mixture into banana mixture and stir just until moistened - do not over mix, or the cake will become very dense. Pour batter into the loaf pan, and bake for 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.