Snow Day Bonus Recipe!

They ended up calling off school at around 9:15 last night. I was already in bed getting my beauty rest in case we had to dig our way to work. I forgot to turn off my alarm, woke up, and peeked out the window. Nothing. Notta. Very under-whelming. So, I cozied myself back up in bed. Then, woke up 2 hours later to thunder and lightening and literally almost 6 inches of snow! Justin still had to go in and made it to work before it started snowing. I am really hoping he makes it home okay or stays put. Compared to all of the storms I encountered while growing up in Iowa, this snowstorm is truly epic. I'm not sure how Kansas City will plow its way out.

Until we plow our way out, I am cooking up quite a delicious storm in my kitchen. I was really craving something chocolaty, but didn't want a sugar buzz this early in the morning. Not to mention that I am also chipping away at my attempts to lose the 10 pounds the doc is encouraging me to lose. So far, I've lost two. Not too shabby! That was my goal for the week. But with the weekend quickly approaching, it is likely those pesky two pounds could creep back up on me. Instead of depriving myself, I chose to create a very healthy Chocolate Zucchini Bite.

These little guys are full of chocolaty goodness. You would never know they are actually good for you. According to My Fitness Pal, each bite clocked in at around 40 calories, 1 gram of fiber, and under 1 gram of fat per serving. The secret? Zucchini, dates, and maple syrup substitute for butter and sugar. In place of an egg, I used ground flax seed to bind it all together. These Chocolate Zucchini Bites are the perfect healthy treat no matter what the weather brings.

Chocolate Zucchini Bites

1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water
1 small zucchini, roughly chopped
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix the flax seed and water together to make your flax egg. Set aside. Place the zucchini, dates, and maple syrup in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the flax egg, cocoa powder, corn starch, and baking powder. Process until combine, scraping the edge down if needed. Place 1 tablespoon of the chocolate zucchini mixture into each muffin slot. Top with 3-4 chocolate chips. Place the tin in the oven and bake the bites for 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.