Chocolate Whole Grain Applesauce Muffins

For those of you who know me, you know that I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with eating a brownie or a cookie or a piece of cake for breakfast if I happen to have one of those available to me in the morning. However, sometimes that leaves me not feeling the greatest physically. Not because cookies and brownies with a glass of milk are bad, but because I tend to be a victim of convenience, a lover of baked goods and sugar, and well...lazy. So if I made brownies for dessert last night, there's a good chance that's what I'm having for breakfast too. Because it's there. And when I'm hungry, one brownie with milk doesn't satisfy, so I usually have a couple...and then sugar coma.


Well, what if you want some chocolate, but some added nutrition too? Well, this recipe actually came to fruition because the Bean requested cupcakes for breakfast. And well, I might be able to rationalize that, but this mommy wasn't gonna make cupcakes for breakfast for her 2-year old. So I adapted the pumpkin oatmeal recipe from this past post here.

Whole wheat flour?
Check.

Whole rolled oats?
Check.

Protein from the milk, eggs, and whole grains?
Check!

Fiber?
Check!

Applesauce for vitamin C?
Check!

Still relatively low in fat?
Check!!

Chocolate for breakfast?
Double check!

So if you're like me, and you want to feel better about eating your desser...er whole grain breakfast, well....you're welcome ;)

Yes, I put chocolate on a new quilt top! Eek

Whole-Grain Chocolate Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

yields 24 muffins

2 cups whole oats

1 cup milk or buttermilk

1 cup applesauce (I use no sugar added)

2 eggs

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips to taste (or 1 cup)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners or parchment liners. Meanwhile, thoroughly mix oats, milk or buttermilk, and applesauce together in large bowl. Allow the oats to sit for 15 minutes to absorb some of the liquid.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla and vegetable oil until well mixed, about 1 minute.

3. In a third bowl, sift together the white whole wheat flour, cocoa powder baking soda, and salt.

4. After the oats have soaked in the applesauce/milk mixture, add the egg/sugar/oil mixture and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture to the rest and stir together until the ingredients are incorporated. Mix in some mini (or regular) chocolate chips

5. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full. Place in oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for five minutes before removing the muffins to a wire rack. Enjoy!

Do yourself a favor, and keep an eye on any small children while they consume these.....

And what did the 2-year old think? Well...after gobbling a couple of them up, she said, "Mommy, let's go to Disneyland now." Oh, the possibilities are endless when you're 2 and your mom makes you "cupcakes" for breakfast! Ha ha ha.