Your Zucchini is in my Chocolate! NO! Your Chocolate is in my Zucchini!

So, I got a good one for ya: I was baking zucchini bread the other day...and BOY, ARE MY ARMS TIRED! Hahaha...I know.  I think I'm missing a part of the set up somewhere.  But I was told by a very smart little boy that if you exclaim the word "JOKES!" while displaying jazz hands after anything you say, it's funny.  So.  I was baking zucchini bread the other day...and BOY, ARE MY ARMS TIRED! JOKES! ...No, it doesn't work, still. I even did the jazz hands.  Nevermind.

Recipe # 16: Chocolate Zucchini Loaf and Muffins

Choice of libation: Just tea.  With rum in it.

Choice of music: That's a Plenty by The Pointer Sisters. It was an album they released in the mid 70's that had a lot of blues and jazz covers. I don't care if I'm the only one in the world who likes the 8:30 minute song, "Love In Them There Hills." It is groove-tastic.

This is to prove to you that these muffins/loaves are indeed very healthy.  Look at the ingredients I start with!

I even ended up with 2 and a half cups of shredded zucchini instead of just 2!

IT IS BASICALLY A SALAD!

I mean, don't you put a cup and a half of sugar and chocolate into your salad?

...and rum, when you can't find vanilla extract?

(let's face it - I will never buy vanilla extract)

Oh yeah, so this is why my arms are tired -- you're supposed to use a mixer but we don't have one, so I had to hand mix everything.  AND BOY ARE MY ARMS SORE! JOKES!

Chocolate has antioxidants.  What?

Funny story -- I don't have a full sized loaf pan, I have one muffin tin and a teensy loaf pan.

Look at how teensy the loaf pan is in comparison to the rum? Oh, crap. I'm almost out of rum.

It looks like real baked items! Hooray! And I only burned one part of my hand when putting them in the oven! 

I wanted to make it look like I was feeding you, but now that I look at this picture it just kind of looks like I have a weird hand cramp and it's about to fall out of my hand.  And the "feeding you" idea is probably a little creepy.  

But I will say, this turned out pretty well. I brought it to rehearsal to share with my cast members. I pointed out that the muffins not only had whole wheat flour, but 2 and a half cups of zucchini and really healthy antioxidantsy chocolate. 

So.  I pretty much saved everyone's life. 

Stolen from Alida's Kitchen

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups shredded zucchini, squeezed dry

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

instructions

Preheat oven to 350* F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, on medium speed, beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until combined.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, until blended. Stir zucchini and chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.