Healthy Chocolate Avocado Muffins
If I were stuck on a deserted island and was able to take one food item with me, I would take avocados.
I bet you thought I was going to say chocolate right? Well, that would be my second choice, especially if I lucked out and the island was already populated with avocados (one can dream).
My love for avocados began a few years ago when we moved to Toronto and I was playing around with the idea of adopting vegan-based diet. I was already cutting out most meats out of my diet, with the exception of the occasional chicken or salmon meal, and we already rarely had milk or cheese in our kitchen due to Trevor’s lactose intolerance. I was starting to read up on some meal ideas on my favourite vegan lifestyle websites when I noticed avocados were popping up in a lot of the recipes. Up until then, I had only eaten avocados in california rolls and a whole new world was starting to open up for me.
Before I knew it, I was buying a bag of avocado once a week and leaving them on the counter to ripen before slathering them on toast with bits of hard boiled eggs and fresh tomato slices. Instead of using condiments on my sandwiches, I would use avocado. I even began joking with Trevor that instead of an apple, I would gladly bite into an avocado for a snack.
My idea of a vegan lifestyle was short-lived (still can’t give up eggs), but my love of avocados still lives on. Luckily unlike most foods that I love, avocados are healthy and chock-full of vitamins and healthy fats. They can also make a great substitute for the unhealthy fats that are normally used in baking.
The first time I tried to bake with avocados was last year with disastrous results. One secret I later learned is to let your baked goods cool completely and you won’t taste any of the avocado. This can be hard sometimes if you like your baked goods warm out of the oven, but I promise that with this muffin recipe, it is worth the wait. The result is a soft, buttery and chocolatey-rich, but not too dense muffin that is very similar to that of a chocolate cupcake. Try convincing your friends that these contain absolutely no butter or margarine. I bet after one bite they won’t believe you.
The recipe I used is adapted from Eat Me, Delicious which I love because it also uses coconut oil and maple syrup in place of the usual vegetable oil and brown sugar found in most muffin recipes. Win one for the wedding dress! (Less than 80 days now!)
Healthy Whole Wheat Chocolate Avocado Muffins
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted & peeled
- 2/3 cup maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350*F. Prepare your muffin tin by greasing with non-stick cooking spray or baking liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt. Set aside.
- Measure the coconut oil and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds. In a food processor, puree the avocado, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, almond milk and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Make a well in the dry mixture and add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Stir together with a wooden smooth until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are slightly cracked. Remove from the oven and do not remove from the muffin tins for an additional 15 minutes to let them cool.
- Keep stored in an air-tight container. You can also keep them stored in the fridge, like we had to do once our place became too humid. They taste fantastic cold!
Recipe adapted from Eat Me, Delicious