Veggie-Loaded Chocolate Protein Muffins

• servings: 12 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 large eggs (can sub flax eggs)

⅓ cup maple syrup or honey

½ cup butternut squash puree

½ cup applesauce (or mashed banana)

1 cup cooked and cooled green lentils

¼ cup avocado oil (or another neutral tasting oil)

1 cup loosely packed spinach (or kale)

¼ cup milk of choice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour for a lighter muffin)

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

⅓ cup chocolate chips (or to taste.)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375℉ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners. Set aside.

In a blender, combine eggs, maple syrup/ honey, squash, applesauce/banana, lentils, oil, spinach, milk, and vanilla.

Blend until mixture is smooth and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa and cinnamon. Stir. Pour contents from blender into the bowl and mix until smooth and matter has an even consistency. Do not over mix, as this will lead to dense muffins.

Finally, fold in chocolate chips.

Portion batter into prepared muffin tin and top with extra chocolate chips if desired.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the muffins have an internal temperature of 200℉.

Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy and let cool completely before storing any leftovers in an air-tight container in fridge for about 4 days or freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 muffin
• Calories: 183 kcal
• Total Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
• Trans Fat: 0.01 g
• Cholesterol: 31 mg
• Sodium: 196 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 26 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 10 g
• Protein: 5.5 g