Moist Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

This is an idea I have been playing with for a while.  I have tried a few recipes and none quite worked how I wanted (really chocolatey - but still moist).  Needless to say my family has eaten many a muffin while I perfected this recipe.

Zucchini's have been on sale here, they were under a dollar for a kilo (just over 2 pounds).  After trying various recipes, I decided to take what I liked from a few recipes and came up with this.  The Zucchini makes these muffins moist and not as heavy as a standard chocolate muffin and if you really want an extra incentive - it gives your family some (although minimal) veggies in their diet.

These muffins are super chocolatey, the addition of the yoghurt/sour cream and the zucchini makes these super moist.  Enjoy warm or room temp. Muffins are such a great treat: as an after school snack, perfect for lunch boxes or if you are in a bind, add a scoop and ice-cream (and heat your muffins a tad) and you have dessert.

This recipe makes quite a lot.  As I have 5 lunch boxes to bake for (the fifth being my husband's) I need recipes that make plenty.  These also freeze well.  These will only last about 3 days in my home (if I'm lucky)  I use regular sized muffins tins and cases (not the jumbo Texas sized ones).  You should get about 48 (4 dozen) muffins, this recipe can be halved if you don't need quite so many.  The recipe as written is perfect for parties and get togethers due to the amount - you get lots!  As an extra note -  I NEVER ice or frost a muffin.


 3 3/4 cups flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons  baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sour cream or plain yoghurt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk (I use from milk powder)
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used dark and white)
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (from one largish zucchini)

Pre-heat your oven to 190oC or 400oF and line 4 x 12 hole muffin trays with muffin cases.
In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients and use a whisk to mix well (this puts air into the mix)
In a separate bowl add your wet ingredients and use the same whisk to form a thick creamy mixture.
Pour the creamy mix into the dry mix and add the chocolate chips and the zucchini.
Use a spatula or a large wooden spoon to carefully mix all the bits together in the large bowl,  do so carefully and only mix until the wet and dry mixtures are incorporated.
Carefully spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin cases (only fill to half way)
Pop into the pre-heated oven and bake for 17-20 minutes or cooked.
Remove the trays from the oven and sit on a wire rack.  Let the muffins cool in the tin for a full 10 minutes before removing to cool individually on the wire rack.

Happy cooking!
Elizabeth x

Two Minute Stir Fry Sauce

I enjoy a good stir fry - particularly when they have noodles in them. I love noodles! Does this make me a big kid?  I know there are plenty of stir fry sauces available on the market, whether in jars or sachets, but they are $$ and usually full of sugar.  I looked at one brand last month,  it was over 39% sugar!  That's more than a slice of chocolate cake.

This recipe is my basic Stir Fry Sauce, it takes mere seconds to whizz up and I always have the ingredients handy.  There's no going to Asian or specialty stores as all the items listed are found in most grocery stores.  Stir fry sauce can be pre-made and popped into the fridge, just give it a good stir before you fry it (the corn flour and stock powder sink the the bottom).

Stir fry's can be on the table in less than 20 minutes.  That's great for nights when you're in a rush.  This quantity of sauce is perfect for 1/2 kilo of chicken, pork or beef stir fry pieces (I chop my own, it's cheaper) and 4 cups of your choice of vegetables (suggested veggies: cabbage, snow peas, carrots, celery, baby corn, onions, bean sprouts, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and assorted Asian greens).  This should feed about 5 adults.

To make dinner faster, pre chop the meat and the vegetables earlier in the day (I have been known to chop them the night before.  When you are in that "rush hour" of getting dinner on the table as fast as you can, it's faster.  Just make sure there is no water on your veggies.   After washing them, I like to chop them and wrap them in a clean tea towel and then in a large zip lock bag (still wrapped in the tea towel).

I should mention that I don't like my stir fry's with too much sauce on them.  If you do, please make
1 1/2  this recipe.  As most Asian sauces keep for a while, when buying these ingredients initially - you will be able to make this Stir fry many times over.

2 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce
2 Tablespoons Ketchup Manis
2 Tablespoons Sweet Chilli Sauce
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornflour (corn starch)
1/2 teaspoon chicken stock powder

In a smal bowl, mix the water, stock powder and corn flour (starch) together.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir through.

To use the sauce:
Heat a large pan with oil (I like peanut or sesame - but use what you have)
Fry your choice of meat with garlic and ginger (I like 2 teaspoons of each)
Cook the meat until cooked.
Remove the meat from the pan, add the veggies to the now empty pan and fry for 3-5 minutes.
Add the stir fry sauce and add the cooked meat and stir well to combine.  The sauce is ready when it becomes thick and bubbly.
Serve with rice &/or noodles for a complete meal.

Happy cooking!
Elizabeth x