Zucchini Chocolate Muffins - Vegan, GF & Nut Free

I teamed up with Sunfood (I love all of their products) to come up with a Back-to-School recipe that kids will love, but also are parental approved. Finding ways to sneak in those veggies can be tricky. That is why I came up with these muffins, to trick the kids (and adults) into thinking they were eating a delicious chocolate muffin, which they are, but it also contains zucchini! They can be easily meal prepped and put into lunches as a special treat (along with their other BYBW approved food items). 

Cacao has many benefits, one of those is Selenium. There can be a lot of germs and other things going around, especially when school starts. Selenium helps support the immune system. It contains friendly gut bacteria, which helps your body defend viruses and unwanted bacteria that try to enter the body. It is one of my favorite immune boosting superfoods. One of the many reasons I added it to the muffins. It also contains Omega-3s (and healthy fats), that is essential for proper brain development and increase brain & cognitive functioning in children (and adults). 

Zucchini Chocolate Muffins 

Makes 12 Mini Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 Cups GF Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Dash of Cinnamon

1/2 Cup Coconut Sugar

1 tbsp. Sunfood Cacao Powder 

1 tsp. Sea Salt 

1/2 Cup Organic (No added Sugar) Apple Sauce

1/2 Cup Sunfood Coconut Oil, melted then cooled

1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Cup (or 1 small) Grated Zucchini 

1 Cup Chocolate Chips (I used Enjoy Life's Vegan Mini Chocolate Chips)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease a muffin pan.

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Slowly start mixing in the wet ingredients.

Start with the Apple Sauce.

Then add the coconut oil and add the remainder of the wet ingredients.

You will then want to add your grated zucchini. 

Once the zucchini has been mixed in, add your chocolate chips and slowly fold into the batter. 

Place batter in muffin pan and place in oven.

Bake for 20 minutes if you're using a mini muffin pan. If you're using a large pan, you will have to bake longer.