Let’s get 2 things out in the open right now:

  1. I need chocolate.
  2. I want to have my cake and eat it too.

It is possible to deliciously “healthify” most sweet treats.  In this recipe I turned a batch of white flour/high sugar/high fat chocolate cupcakes into a tasty *gluten-free (GF) chocolate muffin containing less sweetener and refined oil.

There’s also a “secret” healthy ingredient:  the pulp from juicing beets.  When I juice fresh fruits and vegetables, I occasionally reserve a bit of the pulp from apples, carrots, and beets.  I freeze the pulp for later use.  Chocolate and beet go well together.  I bet you don’t taste the beet!

Dry Ingredients:

1/3 C EACH:  quinoa, millet, and brown rice flours
1/2 C oat flour* (for 100% GF, use GF oats)
3 T ground flax
2/3 C cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

“Wet” Ingredients:

1 C non-dairy milk
1 T white vinegar
1/3 C evaporated cane juice (vegan sugar)
1/3 C vegan brown sugar
1/4 C organic canola oil
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 C pulp from juicing beets

1/3 C vegan chocolate chips (optional)

Combine the dry and wet ingredients separately, then mix together and add the chocolate chips.  Bake in muffin liners at 350 degrees for 22 minutes.  Makes 11.