Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

 

You know when someone offers you a zucchini from their garden and you get this?

And then, the bounty just keeps coming?  This isn't even the biggest of them, just the one I chose to shred up. (The apple is just there for scale purposes.) I have my usual go to Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe, but I like to switch things up.  I'm crazy like that.  I think this sucker offered me close to 8 cups of shreds, and that's with peeling it and not using the seedy, soggy center. 

So, the second thing I made, after two enormous chocolate cakes was chocolate chip muffins.  Now, please don't hate me, but I strayed off the original recipe.  I like to "healthify" things if I can.  Not too drastically, it's not like I used ground flax seeds instead of flour or anything (but, I did THINK about adding a spoonful in there!).  Plus, I find if there is chocolate chips in anything, my boys really just devour it.  So, instead of using vegetable oil, I use melted coconut oil.  Big deal.  No one can tell, and it's healthier.  I also use coconut sugar in anything I bake for my family. 

Here is my amended recipe:

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Original recipe is from AllRecipes.com

This is a pretty standard recipe.  Next time I will use less cinnamon, probably more like 3/4 of a teaspoon.  Also, the picture of these showed these beautiful, big puffy muffins.  This was my version.

Now that I see this, my OCD is kicking in.  Muffin out of alignment.  Anway, these aren't as gigantic as I had hoped.  I also used regular chocolate chips and probably closer to 3/4 of a cup.  I don't like to be stingy on the chocolate chips. 
 
What to search for on Pinterest: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
Pros: no wacky ingredients, easy to make healthier, chocolate chips is always a "pro"
Con: only used 1 cup of my bounty of zucchini, on the small side
Would I make these again: Yes