Fudgy vegan double chocolate beet muffins

My mom would pack my lunch every day for me before I went to school when I was in high school. I know I was spoiled. Even though I had a healthy, home-cooked meal for midday fuel, I still craved a little more. You know, a sweet treat. You know, something sweet. You could make a chocolate muffin, like the Otis Spunkmeyer Chocolate Chocolate Muffin.

Here’s the deal. I don’t even want to know what those things contained. Each one must have at least 400 calories, plus a lot of sugar and fat. Now that I know this, I try to avoid them. It doesn’t stop me from craving a moist chocolate chocolate chip muffin now and then.

This recipe begins with a healthy ingredient that is also vegan: Beet purée! One cup of beet purée — which is about two beets — makes up a dozen naturally sweetened, whole grain, vegan muffins. I never knew that such deliciousness could be achieved without butter, milk, or sugar.

These muffins, which look intense, are super easy to make once your beets have been pureed. They only require one bowl and take 30 minutes to prepare. The ingredients are also simple and healthy:

Flaxseedbeets

agave nectar

Brown sugar

salt & baking soda

Coconut oil

Almond milk

Cocoa powder

Whole-wheat Pastry Flour

Chocolate chips & dairy free

They turned out so well. They’re:

Moist

Fudgy

Super Chocolate

Filling

Overall satisfying

The muffins of my youth are no longer the same, but they still have the chocolaty, satisfying taste that I love.

What about another perk? Each muffin contains only 170 calories. I don’t count calories; I prefer intuitive eating. They are so nutrient-dense, yet they have a low caloric content! You can have at least two at a time, right? That’s exactly what I thought.

These muffins are great for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or as a late-night dessert. I chose to share my muffins with friends – a.k.a. In a safe place where I would not inhale the whole batch before realizing what had happened. You can bake them, give them away, or keep them all to yourself. Whatever you decide, make sure to create these cookies! These little guys will make you fall in love with veganism. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
• Use 5 tbsp of water to make a flax egg
• You can also use butternut squash or applesauce instead of the beets.
• If you are not vegan, substitute honey for 1/4 cup of maple syrup or agave.
• Brown sugar, 1/3 cup
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (or vegan butter, such as Earth Balance).
• 14 cups unsweetened Almond Milk
• Half a cup of unsweetened cocoa Powder
• 1/ 3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose unbleached)
• Add more chocolate chips for topping if you like.

Instructions

• For instructions on how to roast a beet, see the recipe. You can also use another fruit puree, such as applesauce or butternut squash.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line muffin tins with paper or grease lightly (as per original recipe // adjust the number of muffins when changing batch size).
• Mix flaxseed meal with water in a large bowl and allow to rest for five minutes.
• Add the beet purée, oil, maple or agave syrup, brown sugar, and baking soda. Whisk for 45 seconds.
• Add the almond milk and whisk again.
• Stir with a spatula or spoon until combined. Be careful not to overmix. Add a little more almond milk if the batter seems too thick. It should be dense but not pourable. Instead, it should be scoopable.
• Stir in the chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among muffin tins. (This should be enough to make 11-12 muffins as written in the original recipe.) Sprinkle with more chocolate chips if desired.
• Bake for 17-22 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Allow to cool in the pan for a couple of minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a cooling rack. Covered, they will keep for several days. Freezer for longer-term storage.