1/4cuphoney or maple syrup(Or substitute other liquid sweetener)
2/3cup olive oil
2eggs(or 6 tablespoons aquafaba - see recipe notes)
1/2cupplant or animal milk
2cupswhole wheat flour
1/2cuphemp seeds
1/2cup walnuts
1/2cupcoconut sugar
1teaspoonbaking powder
1/4teaspoonsalt
1cup dark chocolate bar, in chunks(or substitute chocolate chips)
Optionally for Topping
2/3cupwalnuts
2teaspoonsturbinado sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Lightly oil the muffin tins.
Place the walnuts in a layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 6-8 minutes until lightly toasted.
Grate the zucchini.
In a large bowl, add the zucchini, liquid sweetener (honey or maple syrup), olive oil, eggs or aquafaba, and milk, stirring well after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, hemp seeds, walnuts, baking powder, and salt, stirring well after each addition and ending with the chocolate chips/chunks.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Optionally, sprinkle about a tablespoon of walnuts on top of each muffin, along with little turbinado sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a fork comes out clean.
Notes
About Aquafaba
Aquafaba is the liquid from canned or cooked chickpeas or other beans. It has properties similar to an egg white and is used as an egg replacer to make the vegan (plant-based) version of this recipe. See our detailed post, Aquafaba: An Easy Vegan Egg Replacer.
Choosing Milk
We tested this recipe with both cow's milk and unsweetened cashew milk. Other types of plant-based milk substitute should work as well, but have not been tested. Use an unsweetened kind.
Storage and Freezing
Store muffins in a tightly sealed container and eat within 2-3 days. We have not yet tested freezing the muffins, but they should freeze well if tightly wrapped and placed in an airtight container.
Nutritional Information
Nutritional information is an estimate only and does not include optional walnut and sugar topping.