So it is Labor Day Weekend which inevitably means summer is over. In fact, this weekend it was in the 40’s in Northern Minnesota. Grrrrr…..What happened to FALL!
But here we are saying hello to back-to-school, shorter days, and all things pumpkin spice…which isn’t a bad thing if your kiddos are bored and/or you love all things about fall.
Don’t get me wrong, I love fall too but I am just not ready! But I have to know, now that the days are cooler, are you ready to turn your oven back on? We’ve definitely been Instant Potting (is that a word?) and grilling more but yesterday after recovering from my long run, I spent some time in my kitchen.
OMG….what a delicious way to say good bye to summer and put my zucchini to good use! These muffins hit the spot after a HARD long run. The last half of my run was super hard. REALLY HARD. I purposely have been adding more hills in and those last couple climbs were torture?.
As disappointed as I was, I will definitley not let this run take away from my confidence & the rest of my training. I will bounce back. I will rest, and I will be recovered for next week.
If you’re a runner, you can probably relate? I shook it off and after my strength (which is extra hard after running for 3 plus hours) I made myself foam roll and then sat down to a delicious recovery meal.
Next I took a nap! However, not just anywhere. My dear friend turned me on to a Infrared Sauna about a year ago and although it was a big investment…SO WORTH IT! Next I jumped into an ice bath.
So after a few hours of rest and recovery, I did some work on my Mac curled up in my my big white chair in office. And then I got busy in my other happy place, my kitchen. I whipped up a delicious Tuna Salad (above) for dinner. I was still hungry so I decided to BLEND UP some muffins.
Yes I did say blend…..these Healthy Zucchini & Carrot Muffins are silly easy to make in your blender and beyond delicious. They are loaded with veggies and studded with chocolate. So, basically they are pretty much the best thing ever! Oh! And they are naturally gluten free, dairy-free and can be easily made nut-free.
Remember if you are not a chocolate fan, try raisins. I have made a variation of these where I added in some crispy nuts too. You can’t go wrong I promise.
So to summarize, if you’re a runner and interested in a few recovery tips here are a my top picks……
- Stretch and Foam Roll
- Have my favorite Protein Smoothie OR Bowl
- Sourdough toast smeared with Avocado or Nut Butter
- Don’t forget to top off your smoothie or bowl off with a little Granola
- Infrared Sauna ~ They are on Sale for Labor Day!
- Ice Bath OUCH….my least fave I have to admit
- Hot Shower
- Make these muffins & Eat again?
Are you ready to say good bye to summer by blending up some zucchini, carrots, oats, dates, and more, pouring it into a muffin pan, and baking up the most perfect end-of-summer treat?
I AM SURE GOING TO MISS SUMMER☀️
END OF SUMMER HEALTHY ZUCCHINI & CARROT MUFFINS WITH CHOCOLATE
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
- 2 cups rolled oats if gluten free is important, make sure the oats are certified gluten free
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup dates (about 8)
- 1/4 almond milk
- 1/3 cup raw honey or maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut ghee melted
- 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate shavings or chips or raisins or nuts
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners.
- Take the grated zucchini and place it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large paper towel. Wrap the zucchini in the towel and squeeze out as much of the moisture as you can. Set aside.
- Pour oats into your blender. Pulse until very finely ground and the oats resemble flour.
- Add remaining ingredients except 1/2 zucchini, carrots and chocolate to the blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides and continuing to blend as needed.
- Add remaining zucchini, carrots, and chocolate chips to the batter. Fold them in.
- Portion the batter out between the 12 lined muffin tin holes. Sprinkle extra chocolate on top of the muffins if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cool for 15-20 minutes before enjoying. Allow the muffins to cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container. Store in fridge for 4-5 days or in freezer for up to a month.
What are your favorite recovery tools?
Do you have a favorite healthy muffin recipe?
When is your next race? Where?
Ice Baths…..Yes or No?
Leave a Reply