Chocolate Pecan Zucchini Muffins

If you follow me on twitter or facebook then you know that I've been attempting to work my way through pounds and pounds of zucchini from my CSA for the last month or so. One night I set out to use all the zucchini in the house which led to a marathon of muffin, fritter, cake, pancake, and cookie making. One of the recipes from that night was Chocolate Pecan Zucchini Muffins. They are sweet, moist, and even though they taste more like a dessert i found myself eating them with tofu scramble in the morning for breakfast.

Chocolate Pecan Zucchini Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

¼ cup plain rice or almond milk

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup Earth Balance margarine, softened

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons agave nectar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup grated zucchini

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325^oF and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Cream rice or almond milk, applesauce, margarine, sugar, agave nectar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl or with a standing mixer. Beat in baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, allspice and vanilla until combined. Slowly beat in flour until combined, then grated zucchini until combined. Lastly fold in chocolate chips and pecans.

Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each cup with approximately ¼ cup of batter. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.