Zucchini is the perfect way to sneak nutrients into a recipe for muffins, bread, cupcakes or pancakes, that may otherwise be lacking essential vitamins and minerals. Zucchini’s high water content keeps these muffins moist yet crunchy. Don’t shy away from adding this veggie to your sweet muffins because of a fear of flavor change, the orange flavor and warm spices keep the taste of zucchini completely under the radar. These muffins are just the thing for breakfast or as a midday snack to help keep you satisfied and energized.
By: Solana Nolfo, HCTP Class of October 2014
I love this muffin recipe because it uses the whole orange — peel and all! — which adds so much flavor in addition to fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C and more.
Ingredients (organic when possible!):
1 large orange
2 medium zucchinis (you want 1 ½ cups shredded/grated zucchini)
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, liquid state
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ cups almond flour
¾ cups cassava flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 375° and prep muffin pan with liners or a swipe of coconut oil.
- Grate the zucchini and set aside to drain (can place in a mesh colander or wrap in a tea towel and squeeze out the liquid).
- Prep the dry ingredients and stir together in a large bowl (the flours, coconut sugar, salt, spices, baking soda, raisins and walnut pieces.)
- Using a high-speed blender or food processor, purée the whole orange—skin on! It’s helpful to cut into quarters or more beforehand.
- Add the coconut oil, the vanilla extract and the eggs to the orange purée and pulse a few more times until well incorporated.
- Pour the wet batter into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix together.
- Stir in the 1 ½ cups of shredded zucchini (use leftover zucchini shreds for a frittata or any dish that you can toss it into!)
- Scoop the muffin batter evenly into the muffin pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy!
Solana Nolfo is a culinary health coach, wellness expert and nutritious baker. She loves helping her clients develop healthier kitchen and lifestyle strategies and creates recipes for empowered baked goods that feature nutrient-rich, real food ingredients (with no refined sugars, gluten or grains!) For more, check out her website SolanaStarNYC and Instagram @SolanaStar.
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