Vegan Double Dark Chocolate Muffins + Weekly Menu

I learned two things while making these muffins.

First, it’s really hard to make chocolate baked goods because my Lily can’t lick the bowl and turning her down is tough to do! She cries. Literally. Batter-covered bowls are meant to go through a pre-cycle with her. 😉

Second, real dark chocolate is vegan! As a milk-chocolate-lover-turned-dark-chocolate-lover, I am slowly learning more about the quality and ingredients in various chocolates with their percentage of cacoa.

But, dark chocolate is vegan. Learn something new every day!

I haven’t made vegan muffins in quite some time, but they’re definitely a favorite. Replacing eggs and milk with vegan wet ingredients such as canola oil and applesauce make for crumbly, tender, moist muffins that are a bit lower in carbohydrate and higher in fat — healthy fat. Plus, dark chocolate is quickly gaining popularity and respect for its antioxidant and and heart-healthy benefits.

I’m so glad my dad asked to see my photos of these muffins…because I hadn’t taken any! Oops! Generally, I photograph my meals right as we’re sitting down to eat, or right after they’ve been made. Not ideal, but with a busy work-life-blog balance, it’s what works best for me. And by this point, Mr. Prevention knows that dinner time routine — photos first. 😉

I digress. My dad asked to see these photos because he said my muffins weren’t “great-looking” (!). Which, I agree. I’m just glad there were 4 left before I would’ve had to make another batch just to blog about!

Having guests and taking photos for the blog is quite the spectacle. I’ve made several new recipes for my parents’ visit this weekend and each time I shuffle everything from the kitchen to my “studio” (AKA “the corner”) in the dining room, my mom comes hustling after me with a cute grin on her face to observe. And then comes Lily, and eventually…I’m nudging everyone out of my way to get a decent shot.

I’m glad food stays still and can easily be “styled” for that “perfect” shot. In the case of these muffins…well, there’s just not much appetizing in regards to looks. But who doesn’t love muffins…much less chocolate muffins for breakfast? I, for one, am all over that!

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Vegan Double Dark Chocolate Muffins slightly adapted from Weekly Bite

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 oz dark (72% cocao) chocolate, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until all ingredients are blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together applesauce, canola oil, and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in chopped chocolate.

Fill each muffin tin nearly full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Yield: 14 muffins.

Nutrition Information (per muffin): 185 calories; 10.6 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 219 mg. sodium; 22.4 g. carbohydrate; 3.1 g. fiber; 0.8 g. protein

Result: Good enough for dessert, but sinless enough for a snack or breakfast item. These are simple to make and I love that they are moderate in carbohydrate while still offering up a generous 3+ grams of fiber per muffin. Dark chocolate lovers, these are for you!

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Weekly Menu: April 1st-5th

• Sunday: Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Gorgonzola, and Pecans
• Monday: Bacon, Eggs and Asparagus Salad
• Tuesday: Pea and Pesto Risotto
• Wednesday: Greek Pita Pizzas
• Thursday: leftovers

 My weekend flew by to quickly and the parental unit is heading out in just a few to head back to Chicago 🙁

P.S. For anyone on the fence about seeing The Hunger Games — see it! So good!

Have a great week!

Be well,