Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Since zucchini is in season, I thought I would work on a recipe for zucchini muffins. And what goes better with zucchini than chocolate? This is my new favorite chocolate muffin recipe. The zucchini helps the muffins not to crumble and to stay moist, even the day after they are made. And if you'd like to be a little more decadent, you can turn the muffins into cupcakes by spreading some frosting on top.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
makes 6 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour
• 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder. I use Ghirardelli brand because I like the flavor.
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. Starbuck's decaffeinated Via instant coffee. (This is optional. I like using it because it enhances the chocolate flavor.)
• 1/2 cup vanilla-flavored rice milk
• 1 and 1/2 Tbsp. flax seed meal
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Use Trader Joe's alcohol-free vanilla extract or another vanilla extract that does not have corn syrup and is preferably alcohol-free, since the alcohol could be derived from corn. Recently I have been using Rodelle Vanilla Flavor alcohol free all natural extract, which I found at Stop and Shop.
• 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 cup shredded zucchini, packed
• 1/4 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips. The two kinds I use that do not contain milk fat are Trader Joe's semi-sweet chocolate chips and Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 6 cups of a muffin tin with canola oil. Heat the rice milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir in the flax seed meal and set aside.

In a medium bowl sift the flour and cocoa powder using a sieve or whisk. Add the baking soda, sea salt, and instant coffee, and stir to combine. In a small bowl mix the sugar, rice milk and flax mixture, canola oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Peel the zucchini and grate onto a plate using the larger holes on a grater. Measure the grated zucchini by packing it firmly into a 1/2 cup measuring cup. Add the grated zucchini to the small bowl with the liquid ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the zucchini and liquid mixture into the medium bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir just until you don't see anymore dry flour. Then fold the chocolate chips into the batter.

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop a level 1/3 cup (not heaping) of the batter into each of the 6 cups of the muffin tin. Bake for about 17 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Use a narrow spatula to loosen the muffins from the tin. Then remove the muffins to let them cool on a wire rack.