Chocolate Muffins that won't make you run 10 miles

I love chocolate.  That fact should be known about me.  So... chocolate muffins... OH MY YUMMY FOOD!  One of the only things better than chocolate itself is chocolate muffins!  I always see these at the store and want to buy them, but then I see the nutrition facts.  Let's just say you would need to run roughly 10-15 miles to burn one muffin's worth of calories.  Nope, sorry, not today.  If there's one thing I don't have time for, it's a four hour run.

Even though I love to exercise and am on a cross country team, I can't spend that much time exercising for the sake of one muffin.  Luckily, I have a solution!

These delish muffins taste just as good as the real thing, and have only about 100 calories per muffin.  Now that's something I can deal with.  There are a lot of healthy substitutions in this recipe, so there is also less fat per serving.  I will definitely be making these again soon!


Chocolate Muffins:

Yields: roughly 24 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup oats
• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup applesauce (or 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1/4 cup sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract*
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt*
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 - 1 cup hot water (start by adding 3/4 cup, then more if needed)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder (optional, Aria brand suggested)

• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

* - Yogurt can be vanilla, if needed.  If so, only use 3/4 tsp vanilla extract.

Directions:

• Line two cupcake pans with 24 baking cups and heat oven to 350 degrees

• In a blender or food processor, grind the oats to make oat flour.  Add the other dry ingredients

oat flour

dry ingrediens mixed together

• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix

• Stir in 1/2 off the chocolate chips, but do not turn the blender/food processor on.  You don't want chocolate pieces!

• Scoop the batter into the baking cups and bake for 10 minutes.

• Take the muffins out of the oven and add the remaining chocolate chips to the tops of them.  Bake for another 7 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

• Keep the muffins in the pan for about two minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool.  And, voila!  You now have made chocolate muffins that won't make you run 10 miles.