chocolate muffins

with school starting up again, i'm trying to get back into the swing of things, menu and meal preparedness wise... today i tried out two new muffin recipes. i always try to make them healthy but there's a fine line that i have to balance on because let's face it, the kids still have to want to eat them.

the poppy seed muffin recipe was a bust. even i didn't like it.

the chocolate muffin recipe was great. maybe more great because of the poppy seed muffin failure. we'll see how great it really is the second time i make them. i'm still kind of border line with the chocolate muffins because it is after all, chocolate for breakfast. but they are made with all whole wheat flour and they're lowfat because i used applesauce instead of oil. i'm putting down the recipe the way i made it - with all the substitutions.

chocolate muffins

2 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 C. white sugar (could possibly reduce even more to only 1 C)
1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 1/4 C. skim milk
1 egg
2 T. applesauce (could also use pumpkin puree)
1 t. vanilla extract
1 C. semisweet mini chocolate chips

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

2. in medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt. in mixing bowl, combine milk, egg, oil and vanilla. (i got sidetracked and let the kitchen aid go for a while and the egg got a little foamy - not sure if that helped lighten the muffin but they turned out good). mix dry ingredients into wet. beat well. add chocolate chips. stir well.

3. fill muffin cups. (original recipe also calls for nuts - 3/4 c. chopped walnuts added with the chocolate chips and 1/3 c. whole almonds on top of unbaked muffins. the girls don't do nuts well so i left them out.)

4. bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tester inserted into middle comes out clean.

Chicken Zucchini Chili

2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (16 oz) jar salsa
1 cup frozen or canned corn
1 medium zucchini sliced in 1/4's
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin

Combine all ingredients in a pot and simmer until zucchini is soft (about 20-30 minutes). Garnish with cheese, avocado, and LIME tortilla chips.