Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins
This week was a whirlwind of craziness and I loved every minute of it! I had photoshoots all week for my “other” job at EAT Magazine, here in Victoria BC. Check out my work, if you feel so inclined. My Dad turned an amazing 60 years old and being a child of the internet age, I plastered his Facebook News Feed in hilarious memes. It’s a great way to show you are thinking about someone who is far away, on a beach, with no postal address.
I also attended Canada’s version of the SuperBowl, the Grey Cup which was held in Vancouver and was also fantastic. One of the teams who was playing, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, just so happens to be the very same team my grandfather, Alex Passmore, played Offensive Tackle for way back in 1940, so it was very special for me to see them play, even if they did lose in the final seconds of the game.
In any case, it was a great week and now here we are in frigid December. Every house in my neighbourhood is well decked in holiday cheer already and we’re still digging out the decorations. I’m usually the first to have the carols going while I work and most definitely the first to have a tree and lights all set up. I feel so behind! Instead, I baked muffins, but not just any muffins. Muffins you can feel good about putting in your kids lunch box. These whole wheat chocolate chip muffins are whole wheat and low fat, but still moist and delicious. If you are looking for a lower sugar alternative, do not try to take out the sugar in this recipe, as it is what is making the muffins retain a moist crumb while also being low fat. Baking = Science! If you want to go for a more natural sugar content though, you could sub out the applesauce for mashed overripe bananas, and then you could safely take the sugar down to 1/2 a cup.
The best part about these muffins is the mix-ins are endless. I put dried wild blueberries in addition to the mini chocolate chips I had on hand. You could use any number of mix-ins in this recipe though, dried fruit (chopped, if needed), chocolate chunks or chips, nuts, seeds, etc. Happy baking!
One year ago: Blackberry Apple Pie
Two years ago: Paleo Chocolate Caramel Brownie Cups
Three years ago: Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Four years ago: Edamame Cilantro Dip
Five years ago: Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Tart
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup pastry flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp avocado oil (melted butter or coconut oil would also work great)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain kefir or buttermilk
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips or dried/frozen fruit like blueberries, or a mix of both
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar).
- In a smaller, separate bowl, beat together the remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips and/or fruit).
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until half mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips until just blended.
- Divide the batter equally between the cups until full to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Cool on wire rack in tin for 5-10 minutes, then remove from tin to finish cooling on wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.