Zucchini Quinoa Muffins
So I attempted to make zucchini oats this morning to bring on the go, and when I went to grab the oats I realized I had none. Since I had already mixed up all the ingredients I decided I should just make muffins instead! I really wanted something sweet combined with shredded zucchini -so voila!
Preheat oven to 375°
Recipe:
1 zucchini shredded
4 eggs
2 tbs vanilla
2 tbs melted butter
1 tbs chia
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 scoops unflavored protein powder (you can use whey or plant based doesn’t matter!)
2 tbs ground flax seed
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 salt
3 tbs maple syrup (or honey) which ever you prefer
1/2 cup rinsed uncooked quinoa
Line muffin tins with parchment paper, or grease well with coconut oil!!
Add quinoa to greased muffin tin, then add rest of mixture
I love putting oatmeal in my baked goods, it is one of my alternative tricks instead of refined flours, as it holds together baked goods. You can substitute oatmeal for any of my recipes, and replace with any whole flour such as buckwheat, almond, or coconut! When I was young I aways heard that you when baking must follow the exact instructions. This totally turned me away from baking because I’m really impulsive and I get excited in the kitchen and I love adding a bunch of different things! Baking is a lot of chemistry, as far as acidity goes and playing around with different combinations so the baked good can rise, be fluffy, or whatever the goal is. But ultimately if you stick to the correct proportions of baking soda/ powder and separate wet/dry ingredients until you are ready to combine, then you’re absolutely fine!
Alternative Baking Tips
Overly ripe bananas (so clutch): The more ripe, and more brown spots the banana has is a result of the starch carbohydrates converting into sugar.
Oatmeal: I love the taste of baked goods, bread and all things fluffy and amazing. By using whole oatmeal, or by lightly pulsing with the food processor oatmeal is an amazing alternative to flour for lasting energy. And also it just tastes amazing.
Any ripe fruit: Biologically this is because throughout the day as a fruit is absorbing photosynthetic light it is becoming more and more ripe. Try this: Next time you get some fresh berries from the store or go berry picking, let them sit in a strainer near the sunlight for a few hours before serving (be careful not to over do it-otherwise the berries may get soggy). Directly before serving rinse under cold water. I guarantee your berries will taste like you sprinkled sugar all over them! I discovered this after trial and error, and put it together after learning in one of my classes the biology behind the way fruit ripens.
