Post-run muffins to tide you over until dinner

Lunch already happened but it’s too soon for dinner. Since runners burn a lot of fuel, they need lots of snacks to keep them going. 

When I decide to cook something new, other people usually influence my decision. It may be a dish they’ve made that I want to try to recreate, or I’m catering to a dietary need, or a friend has straight up requested something.

That’s what happened this week. After making a couple new recipes, I sought out the advice of my best friend and asked her what she thought I should make next. Her first response: zucchini muffins.

I was expecting her to suggest some fancy entrée or a rich dessert, but all she wanted was a simple little muffin. As she’s the one who I force to sample everything I make, I obliged. Plus, zucchini muffins are fantastic. When grated, the vegetable releases a lot of moisture which is why is works nicely as a main ingredient in muffins.

Add a touch of sweetener, a couple spices, and this little veggie packed pick is a perfect snack between meals. They are delicious right out of the oven, especially if you spread a little bit of butter and a slice of cheese on top. That melty goodness is hard to beat.

Simple Zucchini Oat Muffins

Yields – 12 larger muffins

Ingredients:

– 1 ⅔ cups spelt flour

– 1 tsp baking powder

– 1 tsp baking soda

– 1 tsp ground cinnamon

– ½ tsp salt

– 1 egg

– ¼ cup maple syrup

– ¼ cup honey

– ½ cup milk

– ¼ cup melted butter (coconut oil works too)

– 1 tsp vanilla extract

– 1 ½ cups grated fresh zucchini

– ⅓ cups old-fashioned oats (uncooked), plus extra for sprinkling

– 1/3 cups chopped pecans, plus more for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by either greasing it with cooking spray or lining the cups with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and pecans pieces. Set aside.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together egg, maple syrup, honey, milk, butter and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

4. Stir in the zucchini and oats until just combined.

5. Portion the batter evenly between 12 baking cups. Then sprinkle extra oats and pecans on top of each, if desired.

6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Transfer pan to a cooling rack.

7. Serve the muffins warm, or let cool to room temperature, then store in a sealed container for up to 2 days. These freeze well too.