Zucchini, Zucchini, and September Surprise Muffins!

Well, I'm at it again.

Can't seem to take a break from these fabulous summer squashies. People keep giving them to me (NOT complaining!) and I keep eyeing gorgeous locally grown ones at the health food store. So, what's in store for these divine veggies this week?

Here's the plan:

1. Keep on making the old zucchini staples: Zucchini hash browns, recipes from my book (mainly Anna's Zucchini, Zucchini Chips to Dry For, and Anna's Zucchini Wraps), and stir-fried zucchini.

2. Experiment with some croquettes. I plan to mix up some finely shredded zucchini, rice, miso, pureed spinach, carrots, and whatever else sings to me. Then, form into balls and bake or pan-fry. Serve with nothing but a smile.

3. Make my daughter's favorite muffins. I call them September Surprise Muffins because you'd never guess (or at least all the kids I know haven't a clue) that they're chock-flim-flammin'-full of zucchini.

So, here's the recipe if you'd care to try these moist, healthy, delish muffins! Enjoy.

September Surprise Muffins!

FLEGG:
4 tablespoons flax meal 6 tablespoons boiling water
DRYNESS:
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon each: carob powder and cocoa powder (or just 2 tablespoons of one or the other)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon each: ground nutmeg, sea salt, and baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup organic sugar
WETNESS:
¼ cup each: mashed banana, nondairy milk, and oil (sunflower, safflower, or non-virgin olive)
1 cup finely grated zucchini (skins on)
1 teaspoon vanilla
ZIPPY (Optional, please see note at bottom*):
½ cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon margarine

1-Combine the flegg items in a medium-large bowl and stir. Set aside.
2- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3-Combine the dry ingredients well in a small-medium bowl.
4-Add the banana to the flegg and stir well. Add the remaining wet ingredients to the flegg bowl and stir well to combine.
5-Add the dry ingredients to the wet bowl and stir well. Place in a dozen muffin cups and bake for 40-ish minutes…make sure they’re done before you remove them! They are very moist, so if they are underdone they will be way gooey.
6-Remove and cool slightly.
7-This next part is basically optional: Melt chocolate on the lowest heat possible. Really use the lowest heat known to human-kind (or a double boiler or microwave if you're gonna be that way). Stir in the margarine and mix well. Drizzle or use a pastry tool to top the muffins with chocolate. Allow the chocolate topping to harden before serving. Or not.

*Instead of making the chocolate tips into a topping, you can instead just throw them into the batter. To do this, simply add them to the mixture after you've combined the wet and dry mixes together, being careful not to over-mix. I said mix like four times.

Makes 12 muffins