Earth Day Chocolate Muffins

This is a special Earth day for me, since I get to marry my best friend! Growing up as a farmer's daughter, we were always told we can not get married between May and end of October because it is our busy season. I love spring and always wanted a spring outside wedding, so I picked April 22 to get married on my family's farm. I did not even realize it was earth day until a few weeks after we confirmed the date. Being a farmer's daughter and almost a dietitian (hopefully done by November) an Earth day wedding on the family farm is so perfect! 

I have done many DIY projects to reduce waste for example: taking old bottles or vases and spray painting them for my centerpieces. To incorporate the earth day theme, my tables are named after an herb or a flower that will be on the table. I have half the tables with herbs in painted terra cotta pots and half the tables with the flowers in copper-spray painted vases. 

  

I will post more pictures after the wedding! 

The Recipe ReDux's April theme is in honor of Earth day and minimizing food waste. I hate to see food being wasted because it was forgotten in a drawer or not enough time to cook it. Fruits and vegetables are the first to be thrown away, which makes me so sad. Their shelf life is shorter than most other foods because they do not have additives and have a greater amount of moisture. 

Ways to reduce food waste:

Make a homemade vegetable stock

Blanch and freeze vegetables

Add into another dish

Only buy what you will use (make a shopping list)

Find a new recipe

Donate

Composting

Store food correctly

 

In my kitchen, I have avocados and squash that are almost bad. Instead of making guacamole with the avocados, why not make something for dessert? This recipe is baked in terra cotta pots, for a cute earth day treat! They can also be baked in a muffin tin.

Chocolate Chip Avocado Zucchini Muffin

Makes: 5- 3in terra cotta pot muffins (about 10 muffins)

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, shredded
• 2 eggs
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips 

 Directions:

1. Clean the pots well and dry. Using coconut oil, grease the inside of the terra cotta pots well. Cut small circle pieces of wax paper for the bottom of the pot, if your pots have holes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. With a cheese grater, shred the zucchini. Squeeze excess water out of shredded zucchini.
4. Wet bowl: mix the mashed avocado, zucchini, egg, honey, and vanilla.
5. Dry bowl: mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Combine wet mix into dry mix and mix until smooth.
7. Fold in chocolate chips.
8. Fill pots evenly, above 3/4 of the way.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
10. For earth day treat: stick a spring of mint and a garden stick for a fun dessert!
11. Enjoy!

 Be nice to the Earth!!