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Simple Summery Squash Muffins #MuffinMonday


Earlier in the year I saw a post from one of my favorite bloggers - Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm - and I realized that they've been having a muffin party for years without me. LOL. I emailed the host, Stacy of Food Lust People Love and got the scoop: "...last Monday of the month and no themes. We've been baking together since August 2015! Only one rule, you must use the muffin method (folding wet ingredients with dry - no creaming butter and sugar, etc.) to bake muffins."

I've been happily joining in for months now. This month, this is the muffin line-up...

Simple Summery Squash Muffins

I'll be honest: I almost skipped this month. Not because I didn't have a muffin to bake, but because my husband has been plant-based all month. That is a story for another day, but it has meant no eggs and no dairy since the beginning of the month. And I was a little sad and disheartened about baking in that state. I could have forged ahead and baked what I had planned, just telling him he couldn't have any; but that seemed mean. So I decided to adapt my zucchini bread to a plant-based recipe. It's not vegan because it includes honey. Thankfully, Jake hasn't given up eating honey or wearing wool and leather.


I was inspired by a zucchini that D brought to me. He's been my zucchini master for years. Bigger kid, smaller squash this year. But it was still delicious and perfect for this muffin creation. I love that this is also a one-bowl prep.

This recipe works just as well with summer squash of any shape. I made it again with yellow patty pan and eight ball squash. So, get creative!

Ingredients makes 12 muffins
  • 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar + 1 Tablespoon for sprinkling
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used a mild olive oil)
  • 1/4 cup honey (I used a local sage honey)
  • 2 Tablespoons applesauce 
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 heaping cups shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 cup dried dates, chopped
  • Also needed: muffin pan, paper liners (optional)

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin pan with paper liners, if using. If not using liners, grease your hollows.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients up to the zucchini. Once everything is moistened and well-combined, fold in shredded zucchini and date pieces.


Scoop 1/3 cup batter into each muffin liner. Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of sugar; I used one tablespoon total for all twelve of the muffins. Place in the oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes; a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin should come out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.


That's a wrap for the July #MuffinMonday event. Join us next month...last Monday of August. I'll hopefully have wrapped my head around baking without eggs and dairy more solidly by then. But this effort was certainly a success.

Comments

  1. Way to roll with it! Summer squash is just hitting the farms here, I've got to go stock up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Plant based baking can be tricky if you don't want to use egg replacements. But, thankfully, there are ways around that. Looks like you found a great one, with all that shredded zucchini, Camilla! Have you made these with gluten free flour mix?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thankfully, he hasn't gone gluten-free as well as plant-based. But he was gluten-free for several years. I found great success with the Cup4Cup GF blend. That worked just like all-purpose flour for me.

      Delete
  3. These sound amazing - full of such great stuff, restricted baking and all!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well, thank goodness you could include gluten! Great way to use zucchini!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Always looking for more squash recipes, the gardens are overflowing. Thanks Cam.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Zucchini muffins looks delicious and perfect treat I have few zucchini in my fridge I will try this.

    ReplyDelete

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