Sneaky Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

This is my new love – a healthy muffin that tastes like a peanut butter cup! Using butternut squash is the sneaky part. Years ago when we were beginning our journey to better health I found this recipe on Pecan Bread.  It was fast and full of protein so it made me happy – it tasted like a regular banana muffin to my family so they were happy.  It was an easy recipe to adapt depending on what type of nut butter I had on hand and what type of fruit or veggie was handy.  Carrot pulp straight from the juicer was actually a favorite – they were just like little carrot cakes.  I made dozens of them in all shapes and sizes and flavors and eventually just stopped making them and forgot about them.

Today I checked out the Pecan Bread site for a friend and saw my old favorite.  I realized it was the perfect base recipe for an idea I had been playing with.  I wanted to sneak butternut squash and all the vitamins and minerals it contains into a muffin.  I also wanted a peanut butter cup flavor but not an overly sweet muffin.  These came out exactly as I’d hoped.

They call for baking soda and apple cider vinegar which may sound funny.  The chemical reaction between them give the muffins those wonderful tiny bubbles and soft texture of regular flour baking.  If you’re Feingold Stage 1 you can substitute any approved vinegar.

Sneaky Chocolate Peanut Butter  Muffins

Preheat oven to 375 – prepare muffin tins

Mix together with stand mixer or food processor until creamy:

1 16 ounce jar all natural peanut butter

1 can 15 ounce butternut squash puree (or two cups home cooked and pureed)

½ cup cocoa

1/3 cup organic sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Stir in:

1 cup miniature chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life)

Spoon into 18 muffin tins and bake for approximately 15 minutes.  They will feel soft and won’t get a browned crust.  Test with a toothpick to be sure.

Enjoy!