Gluten-Free Zucchini Muffins

I've been trying to bake something each week for Mark and I to enjoy for breakfast. It has to be simple, quick, and travel easily to work because our normal routine is to stop at Starbucks for a drink and then eat something with our drinks when we get to the office. The cookbook I dove into recently had something that sounded perfect, "zucchini bread bites." Not too sweet, kind of healthy because of the zucchini, easy to transport to work, and gluten-free... I tried the recipe exactly as desribed, but I failed. The pretty picture in the book really did look like small bites of zucchini bread sprinkled with course sugar. My version just looked like mis-formed cookies. So I just changed the cooking method slightly and made zucchini muffins! Both the "cookies" and the muffins taste delicious so you really could use the recipe for either. Enjoy them for breakfast or a snack anytime.

Zucchini Muffins (or cookies)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup quinoa flakes
3/4 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw) plus more for sprinkling
3/4 cup finely grated zucchini
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

In a bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, olive oil and maple syrup. In a separate bowl, combine the quinoa flakes, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and sugar.

Place the grated zucchini in a large paper towel and squeeze the excess water from the zucchini. Add the zucchini to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet zucchini mixture. Stir in the pecans (or walnuts). The batter will be more like a muffin or cake batter than like a cookie dough. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

If you are making the cookie version, line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Drop tablespoons full of batter onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with extra turbinado sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

If you are making muffins, line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each cup about 3/4 full with batter. Sprinkle tops with extra turbinado sugar. Bake at 375 for 18 minutes. (The batter should yield about 12 muffins or 24 cookies.)

Enjoy!

recipe slightly adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook by Sara Forte