Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

With a husband and three boys who love chocolate, it is a joy to bake these healthy, chocolate treats.  The fun thing about this recipe is that you can make just about any kind of muffin using the same basic ingredients (see ideas below the recipe).  The chocolate variation has become our family favorite.

Although you can use a basic soaking method for these muffins, I have found that it is much easier to use a sprouted grain flour mix, as it is difficult to mix using the soaking method.  I use a sprouting method posted under my pancake and waffle master mix recipe.  The flour used for these muffins is a mix of sprouted pastry wheat, rice, buckwheat, and millet all ground together, but you can use any flour you like.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the following:

– 1/4 cup coconut oil

– 1 beaten egg

– 1/4 cup raw honey (or sweetener of choice; we have tried to cut back on sugar so this may not be enough sweetness for some)

– 1/2 cup milk or rice dream

Gently blend in only until moistened:

– 1 3/4 cup fresh flour (I use sprouted pastry wheat with a little rice, millet, and buckwheat tossed in)

– 2 tsp. baking powder

– 1/2 tsp. salt

– 2 T. – 1/4 cup cocoa powder (depending on how chocolatey you want them)

– about 1/2 cup chocolate chips (again, depends on how chocolately you want them)

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-20 minutes depending on the size of your muffin tins.

VARIATIONS:

– Blueberry muffins – omit cocoa powder and chocolate chips and add blueberries.

– Chocolate Chip – omit cocoa powder.

– Pumpkin Chip – omit cocoa powder and add pumpkin puree (about 1/3 cup) and 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice.

– Buttermilk Spice – omit cocoa powder and chocolate chips and replace 1/4 cup of the milk with 1/4 cup of buttermilk, add 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, top with a strussel mix of butter, flour, and sucanat.

– Cranberry Pecan – omit cocoa powder and choclate chips and add dried cranberries and pecans.

There is almost no end to the variations for these muffins.  It is fun to think up new ways to make them and the boys are always excited to see what kind I make, though I think chocolate, chocolate chip will always be their favorite.  Have fun baking for the holidays!

 

Homemade Herbal Tea Mixes

Mama Tea

– 8 parts red raspberry leaves

– 3 parts alfalfa tops

– 3 parts peppermint leaves

– 2 parts nettle leaf

 

Immune Booster Tea

– 3 1/2 cups echinacea herb and/or root

– 1 cup rosehips

– 1 cup elderberries

– 1 cup fennel

Chamomile  Creamsicle Tea

– 1  1/2 cups chamomile

– 1 cup lemon grass

– 1/4 cup peppermint leaf

– 1/2 cup orange peel

– 1 cup rosehips

– ground vanilla bean to taste

 

Children’s Composition Tea

– 2 cups chamomile

– 1 cup yarrow flower

– 1/2 cup elder flowers

– 1/4 cup peppermint

 

Decongestant Tea

– 3 cups mullein leaf

– 1  1/2 cups lemon grass

– 1 cup chamomile

– 1 cup elderberries

– 1/2 cup orange peel

 

All Time Favorite Red Roobios Chai Latte Mix

– 2 cups red tea

– 5 T. cinnamon

– 5 T. whole cloves

– 3 T. cardamon

– 2 T. ginger root

– 1 T. ground vanilla bean

– after making tea, add raw milk and honey to taste

For all mixes, use about 1 tsp. of herbs per cup of hot water . . . and remember to re-use those herbs for the second cup, delicious!  Joyful sipping!