Soft-roasted sweet potato cubes for energy and self-feeding practice.
Nibbles Weekly Recipe
Hey and welcome to this week's recipe! 😊 This one is such a good one. Soft, rich, genuinely chocolatey muffins with zucchini and carrot melting right into the batter. The banana keeps them naturally sweet and moist and a little maple syrup rounds out the cocoa without making them too sweet. What I love about these is that they feel like a real treat but they are actually packed with hidden veg, natural sweetness and no refined sugar. Great for getting fibre and extra veggies in too. Perfect for busy mornings, afternoon snacks or stocking the freezer for the weeks when life gets hectic.
8 months+
Hidden Veg Chocolate Muffins
Makes
12 muffins
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
20 to 24 minutes
Contains: Egg 🥚 · Gluten/wheat 🌾
Ingredients
• 240g very ripe banana (approx. 2 medium bananas, peeled)
• 2 large eggs (approx. 100g without shells)
• 60g extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)
• 40g pure maple syrup (2 tablespoons)
• 5g vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
• 150g zucchini (approx. 1 medium, weighed before squeezing)
• 80g carrot (approx. 1 medium carrot)
• 200g plain flour (approx. 1 and 1/3 cups)
• 30g unsweetened cocoa powder (approx. 1/3 cup)
• 8g baking powder (2 teaspoons)
• 1g ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C fan forced or 200°C conventional. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cases or grease each hole with a little olive oil.
2. Finely grate the zucchini and carrot. Place the zucchini in a clean tea towel and squeeze firmly until very little liquid comes out. You should have about 85 to 95g after squeezing. Do not squeeze the carrot.
3. Add the banana, eggs, olive oil, maple syrup and vanilla to a blender. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and cinnamon until no lumps remain.
5. Pour the blended banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the squeezed zucchini and grated carrot.
6. Fold gently with a spatula until the flour has just disappeared. Do not overmix or the muffins will turn heavy.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin holes, filling each about three quarters full. Tap the tray gently on the bench to settle the batter.
8. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes. They are ready when the tops spring back gently and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
9. Leave in the tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nibbles tip
Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. They give better sweetness and a stronger banana flavour that balances the cocoa and helps the vegetables disappear into the batter. And squeeze the zucchini really well. That is the step that keeps these beautifully moist without being wet in the middle.
Serving
Serve whole, halved or cut into smaller pieces to suit your child. They are delicious on their own or with full fat Greek yoghurt, smooth peanut butter or almond butter for extra protein and healthy fats. Make sure any nut butter has already been introduced safely and spread it thinly.
Storage
• Fridge: up to 3 days, airtight container • Freezer: up to 3 months • Baking paper between layers • Thaw overnight in the fridge
Reheating
• Microwave for 10 to 15 seconds • Check temperature before serving • Can also thaw at room temperature
Baby notes
Suitable from 8 months plus. Always serve your child seated upright and supervise closely while eating. If adding nut butter, make sure it has been introduced safely already and spread it thinly. ❤️
Btw!
If you'd like 20+ easy to follow recipes suitable from 6+ months, click the link below!
