Antioxidant Muffins (Chocolate, Orange, and Kale!)
Author: Kelly Hutchinson
Ingredients
~2 c kale, very finely chopped (can subsitute spinach or shredded zucchini, skipping step 2 for zucchini)
1 large orange
¼ c unsweetened applesauce
¼ c sugar (see notes for naturally sweet substitutes)
¼ c brown sugar (coconut sugar is a great substitute)
1 ½ tbsp flax meal
⅔ c unsweetened almond milk (or milk choice)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
¼ c cocoa powder
1 ¼ c whole wheat pastry flour
¼ - ⅓ mini dark chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare a cupcake tin with liners and spritz with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
Put the kale in a bowl with ~ 1 c water, cover, and microwave for 1 ½ minute (or boil/steam for a few minutes) to soften. Let cool and drain completely.
Finely zest the entire orange into a large bowl. Cut the orange into segments and squeeze out as much juice as you can (approximately ¼ c, add a little water if your orange wasn't very juicy).
Add applesauce through flax to the orange and mix completely. Add the milk, vanilla, and kale and stir until well combined.
Add the baking soda, cocoa powder, and flour. Stir until just almost combined. Add the chocolate chips, if using, and stir until just combined. If desired, reserve some chips and sprinkle on top.
Divide the batter between 12 cupcake liners. Bake for 15 – 17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
Be sure to spritz your liners with nonstick spray! Low fat recipes tend to stick more. Nutritional value includes optional chocolate chips and unsweetened almond milk. Coconut sugar makes a great naturally sweet swap for brown sugar. For the white sugar, any sugar swap that melts will work great -- you can even use 3 tbsp of agave nectar instead, just decrease the almond milk to ½ c + an extra splash).