Mini Marathon Muffins

Five years ago, I'm pretty sure that if I had tried to run a mile, I would have dropped dead before I finished. I'm fairly certain that the likelihood of getting the five-years-ago version of me in running shorts and tennis shoes, bouncing down the beach boardwalk before noon, was virtually nil. Even the thought of running, for any other purpose that to save my own skin, would have made me cringe. "Running" and "fun" were definitely not on the same page in my book.

But now, years down the road and about a hundred pounds lighter, I've got an addiction. I may still groan about an upcoming run, but I also crave them. I like the feeling of pushing my body. I like being out of breath. I like struggling to make it up a hill, beat my last mile time, push myself just a little bit further, sweat just a little bit more.

In May, I ran my first half marathon. My running buddy and I prepped for our race in a number of ways. We did lots of distance runs... with celebratory high-fives every time we demolished an old time or distance... We ate a lot--did you know that running 10 miles a day will make you REALLY FREAKING HUNGRY? The night before, we relaxed, watched crappy TV, ate carbs with reckless abandon and baked.

What could be better for a half (or mini) marathon, than protein-powered, chocolate-chipped, bite-sized, mouthfuls of delicious? With protein powder in the batter, these little guys were exactly what we needed the morning of the race... and pretty much any other time we felt like eating them.

Mini Marathon Muffins

Adorable and delicious. What more could you ask for?

* 3 large, ripe bananas
* 4 egg whites
* 2 tbsp vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup nonfat milk (or almond milk)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
* 1 cup oats (processed to fine crumbs in blender)
* 1 cup all purpose flour

* 1 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mash bananas with fork.
3. Add to the bananas…eggs, oil, milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.
4. Whisk together the protein powder, flour and oats.
5. Gently blend the protein, flour and oats into the banana mixture and stir for 20 seconds or until moistened.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour batter into lined mini muffin pan, filling the cups about 2/3 full. 
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle of the center muffin comes out clean.
9. Devour. Have energy. Gain all the muscles!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Have you missed me?

I wish I had some sort of really good excuse that would explain away my absence, but I really don't. Life has been happening. School was wrapping up, I was shutting down my classroom, packing for two separate trips to Texas, and now I'm enjoying a sweet six days home before I'm off again.

It is safe to say that my posting is at an all time low, and as much as I'd like to promise to be better, I can't. My summer is a cycle of home for a cluster of days, gone for several more, home again, gone again. And while I am away, my fingers itch for my mixer. My brain is filled with recipe ideas. I'm dying to spend a morning, barefoot in my kitchen, watching my neighborhood come to life.

But, when I get home... It doesn't always come to fruition. After being gone for so many days, there is so much to do. So much that doesn't get done when I'm not here. I seriously think the cat needs to start chipping in with the housekeeping, or paying rent. Either that or she needs to get a job.

One thing that does, to some extent, manage to take care of itself while I am gone is my garden. Back in April, I planted a little patch of my backyard with zucchini, bell peppers, summer squash, tomatoes and an artichoke. Now, the summer squash died. The artichoke isn't anything to brag about. The tomato desperately wants to be transplanted to a new location that is less crowded. The bell peppers are overshadowed by the gargantuan zucchini plans. And the zucchini... well, they're taking off. I kind of think they are the bullies of the garden, stealing everyone else's water and nutrients and getting HUGE when I am not looking!

I picked several small (about 6 inches long) zucchini before I left for Houston on Wednesday. I came home Sunday night to find these monsters! I've never fancied myself to be much of a green thumb--most of my gardening success can be attributed to my friend Kerri, who seems to be a wealth of knowledge on just about every topic.

The picture doesn't do them justice. The largest was at least 12 inches long, and about three inches across!

Not wanting my bountiful produce to go to waste, I've scoured the internet looking for recipes. I've thumbed through cookbooks and magazines. I've tried -a lot- of things. You would think that zucchini would be a pretty easy thing to work with. Not the case! I've had more flops in my past attempts than successes! And by flop, I don't mean inedible. Or even bad. Just not worthy of sharing with the world, or adapting and making my own.

That is, of course, until this morning. My whole kitchen still smells faintly of baking cinnamon, cardamom and chocolate. It is a divine smell. It kind of makes me want to eat everything in sight. Which is why I need to get going on this run I got myself psyched up for.... 45 minutes ago...

Zucchini and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Adapted from a whole bunch of recipes from all over the place

Delicious, adorable and vegan. Just like my friend Kerri! (ok, I'm not sure if she is actually delicious... We don't have THAT kind of relationship)

Because I love my friend Kerri so much, I made this recipe vegan... But you could easily change it by using real eggs and butter in place of the apple sauce and oil. But the vegan version is just as delicious! (If you don't have egg replacer on hand (you can get it at Sprouts!), bananas work!)

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
•  1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon all spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Equivalent of 1 egg, using Ener-G egg replacer, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• splash of olive oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 apple, peeled and shredded
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine all the wet ingredients.
2. In another bowl, sift together the flour, soda, salt and spices. Stir in the sugars.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
4. Fold in the zucchini, apple and chocolate chips.
5. Spoon into muffin cups, filling 2/3s full.
6. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes.
7. Enjoy!