Chocolate Strawberry Muffins

When it's springtime I can't get enough strawberries. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the fruit year round (it is my favorite), but spring just screams strawberries! (How'd you like that alliteration?) And you really can't go wrong with anything that has strawberries in it. I don't do a lot of baking in warmer weather because it makes my apartment hell hot and me a cranky sweaty evil person, but I had a craving for muffins. Chocolate Strawberry Muffins to be exact. 

So first thing in the morning, while it was still pretending it was going to be a cool and comfortable day, I preheated my behemoth of a hot beast oven and got to work on cranking out some delicious muffins. I hoped I'd get them done and the heat blasting, house heating, make you feel like you were in the seventh level of hell (which is awesome in the winter) oven turned off and the apartment cooled back down before it got unpleasant outside and even a little less so inside. 

Yeah, that didn't work.

And while it feels like summer in my apartment instead of spring, the muffins are more than worth it. They got picky family seals of approval and 4ft wanted to take not only one for snack at school but one for his lunch too. He pretty much told me he wants to eat them for every meal. If that doesn't mean good eating, I don't know what does!



Chocolate Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 5.3oz container of Greek yogurt (I used strawberry)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS vanilla
1/4 cup clover honey
2 TBS sugar-free vanilla syrup
1 1/2 cup oats (not instant)
2 scoops unflavored protein powder
2 TBS almond flour
1 TBS baking soda
1 TBS baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened chocolate powder
1 cup diced strawberries
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2.) In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg, yogurt, applesauce, lemon juice, vanilla, honey, and vanilla syrup. Mix well 
3.) In a food processor or blender, combine oats, protein powder, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chocolate powder. Process on high until oats are completely broken down and it reaches flour consistency.
4.) Gently fold the flour into the wet mixture. Stir until just combined.
5.) Add strawberries and chocolate chips. Fold gently.
6.) In a prepared muffin pan (with liners or sprayed with nonstick spray), fill cups 2/3 full.
7.) Bake for 15-20 minutes (or until fragrant and toothpick comes out clean) at 350 degrees.
8.) Cool on cooling racks. Serve. (makes approximately 17 muffins)