Monster Muffins

​How do you get toddlers to eat green muffins? Call them Monster Muffins, of course. It also helps to make monster faces, growl like Frankenstein, and serve them on a Halloween plate.
With Tatum’s food allergies, I was always looking for ways to hide vegetables in everything I made for her. Monster Muffins is simply an adapted version of Better Homes and Gardens Zucchini Bread. It has spinach, zucchini, AdvoCare Muscle Gain, and reduced sugar. As teenagers, our kids still love them. I make a double batch and freeze them, (if they last that long). It’s a great grab & go snack after school or after practice. Add your favorite nut or sunbutter and you have a high calorie, delicious snack for hungry swimmers or teenagers.
 
Recipe for a double batch
2 ½ cups flour
3 scoops vanilla AdvoCare Muscle Gain
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp nutmeg
4 beaten eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup cooking oil
6 oz. bag of pureed spinach
 
1 ½ cups finely shredded unpeeled zucchini OR 2 cups finely shredded apples

Use mini loaf, cupcake, or mini cupcake pans. This recipe does not work well in large loaf pans due to the added water in the spinach. Spray mini loaf pans with PAM. Use cupcake liners for the muffins.
 
Combine dry ingredients (except for the sugar). Make a well in the center  and set aside.
 
In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and sugar. Add this to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened, (batter may be lumpy).
 
Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. This is important or condensation will build up. Yuck! Store in refrigerator.

Approximate cook times:
(I’m more of an “insert toothpick in the center” kinda girl. I took a guess at the times.)
Mini loaves: 25-30 minutes
Muffin pan: 18-22 minutes
Mini muffins: 10-13 minutes
 
Hints and tips when cooking w/ Muscle Gain: Things brown faster because of the added protein. About halfway through the cook time, I cover the muffins loosely with tin foil so the top doesn’t overbrown. 

To order Muscle Gain go to Advocare.com/10076259 and go to Shop.