Tag Archives: Chocolate chip

June 2, 2014

Muffin Monday: Blueberry, Almond, Choc. Chip (Vegan)

Blueberry, Almond, Choc. Chip muffins fresh from the oven.

You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging, just because we’ve started the Summer Writing Challenge did you? We writers need our muffins too, am I right?

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup fresh Blueberries
1 Banana
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cup Sugar (Vegan Sugar if you’ve got it)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup Almond Slivers
1/c cup Dark Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and prep 12 muffin cups by spraying with baking spray.

2. In a BLENDER process the Blueberries and Banana into a slurry. Add the Apple Cider Vinegar, Maple Syrup, Vanilla Extract and Vegetable Oil.

3. In a large bowl mix together the Whole Wheat Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Sea Salt and Baking Soda.

4. Combing the wet with the dry and mix well.

5. Fold in the Almond Slivers and Dark Chocolate Chips.

6. Divide evenly into the muffin cups and bake for 25-30 minutes. Muffins are done when they pass the toothpick test.

7. Remove muffins from oven and cool 10 minutes. Enjoy.

This recipe made 12 pretty good-sized muffins. I think a nice twist on this recipe would be to switch WHITE choc. chips for the dark choc.

My taster Maggie thought these were “Delicious” just as there were. She liked the chocolate the best.

We both thought the banana overwhelmed the blueberry, which was a smidgen disappointing given the fact that “banana” didn’t even make it into my title! Next time I make this recipe I think I’ll pump up the blueberries (to one cup.)

Happy baking. Cheers,

Rita

Leave a comment | tags: Almond, Banana, Blueberry, Chocolate chip | posted in Muffin Monday, Muffins, Thought of the Day

February 25, 2014

Muffin Monday: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip

By ritalovestowrite

just baked

Two of my favorite flavor profiles combine in these muffins.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup Almond Meal/ Flour
2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 teaspoon of All Spice
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup White Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 (15 ounce) can Pumpkin Puree
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup of Maple Syrup
1/2 cup water
3 Eggs
1 cup Chocolate Chips (plus extra to top)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep 18 muffin cups by spraying with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients.

Pumpkin chocolate chip batter

3. Divide evenly into the muffin cups and top with a few extra chocolate chips.

4. Bake for 25 – 35 minutes until tops are golden brown and muffins pass the toothpick test.

5. Let cool a few minutes before enjoying.

beauty one

My special guest tasters Margie and John like the texture and taste. But their purest pumpkin loving relatives strongly voiced a “no additives” opinion . (NOT EVEN CHOCOLATE! –what was I thinking?) My regular taster Bill, however, liked the combination of Chocolate and Pumpkin. He liked the crunchy top and moist middle, and happily ate a second. Both Margie and Bill commented that they didn’t miss the dairy.

Beauty 2

5 Comments | tags: Chocolate chip | posted in Muffin Monday, Muffins, Thought of the Day

October 22, 2013

Muffin Monday: Hearty Harvest Muffins

By ritalovestowrite

Squeezing Muffin Monday in under the wire again this week. Darn that LIFE. Doesn’t it know I’ve got blogging to do?

Enjoy the muffins…

Fresh from the oven

Hearty Harvest Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

2 tsp softened Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup Milk
1/3 cup Apple Cider
2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
4 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 cup grated Zucchini
1 Cup grated Apple
1 cup grated Carrots
1 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup roughly chopped Pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare muffin cups. This recipe makes 18 large muffins.

2. In a large bowl mix the Butter and Brown Sugar.

3. In a liquid measuring cup beat the eggs. Then add them to the Butter and Sugar.

4. Add the Milk , Apple Cider and Vanilla to the wet ingredients.

5. In a smaller bowl combine the Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, Ginger and Nutmeg.

6. Mix the dry ingredients in with the wet to form the base batter.

This batter can be used as the base for any number of muffins. The nutmeg and ginger give it a Fall feel.

7. Add the Zucchini, Apple, Carrot, Chocolate Chips and Pecans and stir gently until incorporated.

8. Divide evenly into 18 muffin cups.

Ready for the oven.

9. Bake in hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown at the top. Muffins should pass the toothpick test.

10. Let cool a few minutes before enjoying.

The apples and apple cider in this recipe are from Manor Produce in Monkton, Maryland. But instead of picking them up at the Farmer’s Market I got these at the Hereford Fall Festival. You can find out more about them at http://www.manorproduce.com

I think I’m going to brave a pumpkin from Manor Produce next week. I’ve a hankering for some pumpkin muffins. Hmmm I’ll have to see how the spirit moves me.

As for today’s muffins… Well, what do you think?

The final product

Muffin Monday: Apple Zucchini Muffins (ritalovestowrite.com)
Healthy Pumpkin Carrot Apple Muffins (celebratingsweets.wordpress.com)
Butternut Squash Muffins (bakingfanatic.wordpress.com)
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe (kraftrecipes.com)
Cappuccino-chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix Recipe (kraftrecipes.com)

2 Comments | tags: Apple, Chocolate chip, Muffin | posted in Apple, Muffin Monday, Muffins, Thought of the Day

August 20, 2013

Muffin Monday: Apple Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

By ritalovestowrite

Apple Butter Chocolate Chip Muffin

INGREDIENTS:

1-3/4 cups Flour
1/3 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon Ginger
2 teaspoons Just Whites Egg Substitute
3/4 cup Skim Milk
1/4 cup vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons of Water
1/2 cup Apple Butter
1/2 cup grated Beets or Zucchini
1/2 cup Mini Chocolate chips (plus additional Chocolate Chips for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare muffin cups by spraying with baking spray.

2. In a large bowl combine Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Salt, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Just Whites.

3. In a measuring cup combine the Milk, Oil and water. Stir into dry ingredients.

4. Add Apple Butter to batter. Mix well.

5. Add grated Beets or Zucchini and Mini Chocolate Chips. Fold in until incorperated.

6. Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle a half dozen or so additional mini chocolate chips on top.

7. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the tops of the muffin are slightly brown and they pass the tooth pick test.

8. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before enjoying.

I brought a couple of these to my knit group and had those ladies act as tasters. Virginia K. liked the chocolate chips, but thought they were too salty. Sheila S. liked the texture and the moisture level. She also liked they way the chocolate chips and beets were evenly distributed through out the muffin. But she found that the flavors were a bit too distinct and didn’t blend well. Maggie S. thought these were too moist. They were not her favorite muffins.

Personally I liked the stronger flavors of the ginger, cinimmon and nutmeg. I also liked the way the chocolate and spices worked with each other.

Let me know what you think!

Muffin Monday: Blueberry, Lemon, Zucchini (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday: Carrot Zucchini (plus a bonus muffin recipe) (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday: Beet & Fennel Muffins (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday: Bonus Blog – Maggie L’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes (ritalovestowrite.com)
Muffin Monday: Peaches, Strawberry and Cream (ritalovestowrite.com)

Leave a comment | tags: Apple Butter, Chocolate chip, Muffin, Muffin Monday | posted in chocolate, Muffin Monday, Muffins, postaday, Thought of the Day

August 6, 2013

Muffin Monday: Blackberry Beet Choc. Chip

By ritalovestowrite

[Props go to Megan at HuggingTrees&ShellingPeas who got me started on this particular flavor odyssey with her own Chocolate Beet Muffin recipe. I made some changes here for my twist on her recipe, but you should check out Megan’s original recipe (available at the link above) and make a batch of both muffins for a Chocolate Beet Muffin show down.]

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Blackberries
1/2 Cup Beets, grated
1 Cup Zucchini, grated
2 Cups Flour
1/2 cup ground Almonds
4.5 tsp Baking Soda
.25 tsp Cinnamon
.25 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Salt
1.5 C Brown Sugar
4 TBLS Cocoa Powder
1 Cup Almond Milk
1 Cup Apple Sauce
1 Cup Crisco, softened
3/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips (Plus additional Mini Chocolate Chips for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prep Muffin tin or Muffin Cups with spray.

2. Grate the Beets. Grate the Zucchini. Hand mash the Blackberries and remove the tough core.

Grated Beets and Zucchini and finger mashed/pitted Blackberries.

3. Grind the Almonds in a nut mill, food processor or blender.

4. In a large bowl combine the Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon, Garam Masala, Brown Sugar and Cocoa Powder

5. In a smaller bowl combine the Almond Milk, Apple Sauce, and creamed Crisco.

6. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

7. Gently stir in the Beets, Zucchini, Blackberries and Chocolate Chips.

8. Divide evenly into 21-24 muffin cups. Top with a half-dozen extra mini Chocolate chips on each muffin.

Ready to go into the oven

9. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the muffins pass the toothpick test. Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin tin/cups for 15 minutes.

Given that there is 1.5 cups of brown sugar and quite a bit of chocolate in this recipe, I was surprised that these muffins weren’t sweeter. They aren’t. That’s not to say that they aren’t good. Just not on the sweet side.
I had my test muffin plain. One of my testers opted to try his with a bit of ice cream. That serving suggestion seemed to go over well, so if you are looking for a dessert muffin… add a bit of ice cream. However… I really tried to stay away from the diary on this one (Almond milk instead of cow’s milk; Crisco instead of butter; no eggs) adding ice cream kind of makes that a moot point.

These muffins are light and moist. While the Zucchini and Beets disappear once baked the Blackberry texture remains.

4 Comments | tags: Beet, Blackberry, Chocolate chip, Muffin, Zucchini | posted in Muffin Monday, Muffins, postaday, Thought of the Day

July 15, 2013

Muffin Monday Cranb Peach Choc

By ritalovestowrite

I was debating what kind of muffins to make today. I had peaches from the market, and I wanted to see how they’d pair with cranberries … and then I thought… why not lets add some dark chocolate chips.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 cup hot Water
1 cup diced fresh Peaches
1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup softened Butter
3/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Skim Milk
2 1/2 cup Flour
1/2 tea Salt
3/4 Tea Baking Soda

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin cups.

2. Put the Dried Cranberries into the water and let soak for 5 minutes.

Drain the cranberries and set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine the softened Butter and Sugar, then add the Egg. Work until the batter is smooth.

4. In a large measuring cup combine the Sour Cream and Skim Milk.Add it to the Batter.

5. In a smaller bowl measure out the flour, Salt and Baking Soda. Stir to combine, then add it to the batter.

6. Gently stir the Cranberry and Peach into the batter.

Cranberries, bottom of picture, and Peaches, top of picture just before they are gently stirred into the batter.

7. Fold in 3/4 cup of Chocolate Chips. (Reserve the rest of the chips for the next step.) (OK you can eat one chip, but don’t tell anybody.)

8. Divide evenly into muffin cups (my batter actually made 13 muffins.) Divide the remaining Chocolate chips and place on top of the muffins.

9. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until tops are golden brown and the toothpick test confirms that they are done.

10. Take out of the oven and let rest 5 minutes before removing from muffin cups. Since these have Chocolate Chips on the top let them cool another 5 minutes before eating.