Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
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This healthy chocolate chip muffins recipe makes a delicious, whole grain treat after dinner or on the go!
There’s just something about healthy chocolate chip muffins. I bite into their soft, spongy little bodies, and I’m immediately whisked away to my fabulously warm and sweet-scented dream kitchen and that perfect, double oven I keep fantasizing about. My stress seems to melt away and the only thing occupying my mind is that deep, rich gooey chocolate that seems to massage my shoulders and rub my feet on the way down.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MUFFIN AND A CUPCAKE?
Typically, a muffin is heartier. It’s often made with whole grains and is also often filled with healthier fare such as dried fruits, nuts and seeds. Muffins can be sweet or savory. They can sometimes be very similar to cupcakes, however, but cupcakes are basically tiny cakes. So there is a difference.
ARE MUFFINS HEALTHIER THAN CUPCAKES?
That is the broadly held idea. However, it’s not always the case. A muffin can be made just as sugary and just as unhealthy as a cupcake. While a cupcake is definitely cake in a smaller form, a muffin can have just as much refined sugar, process grains and other additives that many cupcakes have. And on the other side of that, a cupcake can be made with whole grains and healthier ingredients. So it all really depends on what you put into your muffins and cupcakes.
All that being said, these muffins, despite containing honey and chocolate chips, are a pretty good way to go if you are craving something sweet. They are unprocessed, whole grain muffins that use healthier ingredients at every turn. You can’t go wrong!
BASE MUFFIN RECIPE:
If you are wanting a good base recipe to use for other muffins, this is a great one. Sub the chocolate chips with other things like berries, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, whatever you can think of that fits into your definition of health and clean!
MORE CLEAN EATING RECIPES:
HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS RECIPE
Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (affiliate link)
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup oil (anything light in flavor)
- 3/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 cup chocolate chips (either grain sweetened, low carb or dark chocolate are the cleanest choices)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line your muffin tin with cupcake papers.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, chocolate chips and baking soda.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend everything else with a whisk.
- Add the flour to the wet ingredients and whisk again.
- Pour into your muffin tin. Fill up the cups only half way.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
It does look healthy and delicious with whole wheat flour and soy milk!
My ultimate stress-relief food is dark french chocolate with nuts – hazelnuts or almonds. Somehow, if the nuts aren’t in there, it doesn’t work.
If that is not around, yoga, walking the dog, or writing will do the trick.
Happy New Year, Tiffany!
Love this! But for my stress relieving foods its either popcorn or milk chocolate carmel doves…or baking literally anything and eating its batter! Haha but instead of those things I exercise or go shopping:)
1. My stress relief food is a clean eating “mac n cheese”. It is made with cottage cheese, pumpkin, whole wheat pasta and reduced fat cheese. very yummy, very healthy.
2. I try not to turn to food any more. Since starting with my eating clean in November 2009 I am down a wonderful 80lbs. I have found that journaling and walking really help. I also turn to the pages of the most recent issue of Oxygen magazine and know that I don’t want to eat!!!
Happy New Year. A new scale would only help me stay on track. I have been doing it all with a cheapy scale that is not all that accurate. I love your site and your recipes!!! Keep up the great work.
I love chocolate as my stress relief food. I get a bar of 70% chocolate and put it in the freezer and break off a piece.
But, I have been working on no food stress relief by going for a walk, reading a book or listening to relaxing music. Enya works really well! Happy New Year! Those muffins look AMAZING!
My ultimate stress relief food is popcorn! I love it because it’s still healthy and yet you can eat a lot of it for not a ton of calories. Mix in nuts or chocolate chips and it’s even better!
If I don’t turn to food, I will go for a walk or bike ride in the park. We have a huge, amazing park here in Denver with a couple of lakes and the atmosphere, view, energy when you are there is amazing.
Those muffins are def going on my recipe to try list 2, thanks for all of the great recipes in 2010!
My ultimate stress-relief food is apple slices smeared with almond butter or Nutella. I try NOT to turn to food in times of stress, but it’s difficult. I try to make good, healthy, clean choices. If all else fails, I turn to reading for about 10 minutes to take my mind away from whatever’s stressing me out. Love your recipes, especially the chocolate pumpkin bread!
My ultimate stress relief food is anything crunchy. I used to be demolish a box of crackers or bag of chips during stressful times. Nowadays, stressful times call for a nice long run or a puppy petting session. Also, my hubby has picked up on the signs and will stop me from heading to the pantry as well.
Chocolate chocolate and chocolate! I know. Teeny piece is ok but most times I can’t stop!
This coming year I am going to work hard to use exercise to relieve stress!
These look so good but I don’t have nor have I seen a avocado oil 🙁
My stress relief food would definitely be chocolate as well!! and I mean ANYTHING with chocolate in it!! ive even pigged out on baking chocolate in times of trouble!! (now isnt that just down right pathetic!) But ive been sugar free for 6 weeks now and loving the way i feel!! now if chocolate doesnt quite do the trick then i get major stress relief from shopping!! But now that i think about it that probably causes me more stress in the end as nothing i try on fits how i’d like it too….sooooooooo whats a girl to do in that situation!!! LOSE WEIGHT would make sense right!!! so im on the right path and the New Year is gonna be my year!!!! (not to mention i will also be the big 4-0 in Nov….aaaagggghhhh) Have a great new years everyone!!!
I would say that my ultimate stress reliever food is light Pringles. Boo hoo, not a clean or healthy choice. Instead, I will try to make my own chips with potatoes or sweet potatoes, olive oil and sea salt……. Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes, Tiffany!
My ultimate stress relief food is sugar. It can be in the form of a cake or cookie or even by the spoonful. It sounds gross, I know, but it is true. I recently watched the movie, “The Women” with Meg Ryan and laughed when her character at a moment of high stress pulled out a stick of butter, powdered baking chocolate and a bowl of sugar and proceeded to dip and eat. Very gross, but reality for some of us especially me. The character had removed all the processed foods from her home that she resorted to whatever fat and sugar was available even if it was in a raw form. To avoid situations as described above, I try to not to keep items such as sticks of butter or sugar in the house. I follow numerous “clean eating” blogs, so that I can have a sweet treat without feeling guilty. In times of high stress instead of eating I exercise. I find that running really clears my mind and relieves the stress. I injured my knee running the weekend before Thanksgiving and after I recover from my surgery next week I’ll let you know if cycling gives me the same relief as running! 🙂
Becky Hunt
beckarina_hunt@hotmail.com
My favorite stress relief food has always been sweet, salty, chocolatey, savory, good tasting food…! 😎 Little by little I am changing that…!
I have been taking the time to talk with friends, go for a walk, “play” with my horses, cuddle my cats, draw, paint, and exercise and drink Shakeology…! 😎
I love the look of these muffins and can’t wait to make them. I have a pkg of dairy free chocolate chips just waiting to be used so I think this will go on the menu for this weekend.
My stress food tends to be creamy foods – mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, etc. I try not to turn to food but when I do, I try to make it a point to create a healthy version of the potential trigger food so that I’m satisfied and don’t binge.
Mac and cheese is my ultimate stress relief food. Something about the gooey cheese and warmth is so comforting. Not clean eating, but soul saving. Thanks for the great blog and awesome encouragement on facebook and twitter. 2011 will be my year to get healthy and I am greatful for the help! Happy New Year!
I wouldn’t say it relieves stress, but cheese is my comfort food–straight from the refrigerator, or melted into soup or as a quesadilla. Yes, high in fat, but with a good dose of protein.
To really relieve stress, I try quiet meditation, crafting, anything involving creating something, whether it’s a homemade card or a concoction from the kitchen. A scale would help me spruce up my baking skills. Happy New Year!
Hey Tiff, love the recipes!!!
Hope you and your fam have an OUTSTANDING New Year!!
T
T.man357@Yahoo.com
My “go to” stress relief food is always something cheesey. I LOVE cheese. However, now that I’ve been eating clean, I go to yogurt cheese and satisfy that need and still feel good about my choices.
Over the last 6 months I have been trying not to turn to food when I’m stressed, so I will get on the computer and check out Facebook or some of my other favorite websites to find inspiration or just time to calm down.
My stress-relief food is Little Debbie swiss cake rolls. Yes, I know they are processed disgusting-ness, and most of the time I wouldn’t want them. But when the anxiety hits-that’s what I’m craving!
I have been an emotional eater most of my life, which I’m currently trying to change… I’m trying to swear off the cake rolls!
I love the scale and would use it all the time….Happy New Year
My ultimate stress relief food is dark chocolate and a big mug of steaming hot tea with a moment of peace and quiet even if I have to lock myself in the bathroom and turn on the shower to drown out the noise of 2 kids and the husband!
my ultimate stress relief food is usually anything that has the sweet and salty combo… sadly, whatever is easiest and closest to me. But, Recently I’ve been trying when I get stressed and feeling like I’m going to eat I hope on the treadmill instead and try to get in another 20-30 min of walking. One of my new years goals is to stop stress eating and start being more active… easier said than done. I came to this decision within the last week due to a family member being admitted to the hospital and the emotional roller coaster that it caused on my family.
Chocolate of any kind.
I’m trying to learn better ways to deal with stress.
Thank you for this blog and encouraging me to learn more about Tosca! My resolution for 2011 is to Eat Clean and keep reading your blog to learn more Clean Recipes!
Blessings,
Gina
My food of choice in stressful times has to be brownies! Especially super fudgey ones 🙂 if they’re not in reach I go for a Jane Green novel. They funny, entertaining and heart warming!
What is your ultimate “stress relief” food?
Now (post-bariatric for two and a half years) I have this specific protein bar which totally calls my name on high stress days. When I can’t have that… see the next question!
If you don’t turn to food for stress relief, what else do you do to find that relief?
When I can’t find my protein bars… GYM HERE I COME! I find that dragging my sorry stressed out, exhausted tush to the gym and pushing through an hour and a half of weights and minor cardio usually does wonders for improving my outlook. YAY adrenaline!
My “food” stress relief is chocolate and my non food stress relief is taking a hot bath. The chocolate gets me in trouble. Even if it is something healthy, I eat WAY TOO much of it!
My ultimate stress relief food is something I keep on hand at the house(all 15lbs of it, gotta love bulk food stores!) is Rolled Oats. As strange as it may sound, it is my go to snack when I get stressed at work in the afternoon or in the evening if I need a healthy easy to prepare snack before bed. What I love most is the portability of this snack. For work- I pre-measure and take it to work in a baggie(1/2cup oats, 3 tsp all natural/stevia based protein powder and some walnuts). This can be eaten dry or with some water and heated in the microwave. In the evening, I would take that same 1/2 cup, add 2 cup of water,3 tsp casein whey protein powder(for good muscle recovery) and a tsp Stevia. Microwave for 3 mins and stir in 1 TBS all natural Peanut Butter. I sometimes add 1/4c of pumpkin for just a little more creaminess or sweetness. Not only does this calm my stress level but it also makes me feel good knowing I put something clean and healthy into my body.
What is your ultimate stress relief food?
**C H O C O L A T E ***
If you don’t turn to food for stress relief, what else do you do to find that relief?
a hot bubble bath… ahhh!
My ultimate stress-buster food is natural peanut butter on whole wheat bread. I either put sliced banana on it, or clean apple butter if I am craving something sweeter.
If I’m trying not to indulge with food, I take a hot bath with whatever new magazine has shown up in my mailbox.
My ultimate stress relief food is pizza. OMG I don’t know what it is, but after a couple of slices of pizza (any kind) I feel full and relaxed. It’s nuts I know lol
My stress relief food is a simple PB&J with a glass of milk. It’s one of those “take me back to my childhood” things when life was so much simpler. Like some have mentioned though, I’m trying to move away from food as a stress reliever. I’ve found that my daily workout does a good job of it as does some old time jazz.
I love to curl up with a book and read uninterrupted – However, it is stressful if I try and read when any of my family wants to talk to me (I actually think that my DH is sort of jealous of the book – LOL). I also love to go and watch a movie in a Theater all by myself – very good stress relievers for me (grin).
My stress relief “food” is a (single) piece of Dove Chocolate Promises. I used to eat the heck out of the milk chocolate but cut it out completely when I started eating clean (about a month ago). Now I allow myself one piece of the Dove Dark Chocolate Promise once in awhile. It is so much richer that I only need one piece and I can probably make a bag of the promises last the entire year. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
A steaming bowl of pasta with homemade marinara sauce. Yum!
My go to stress reliever is cadbury chocolate,just one square and a deeeeep breath. All is rite in the world
Awesome
i dont turn to food for stress release. i like going to the gym, chatting with friends, watching something funny…..how can anyone be stressed out when laughing? ;D
I can’t honestly say I’ve ever seen avacado oil; what is the difference in the recipe of using it vs. olive oil? I don’t have any avacado oil on hand but want to make these!
Paulissa – You can use olive oil too. Either will work.
Wow, those look great!
I’d have to go with a big cheeseburger on a fresh, slightly grilled whole wheat bun with provolone cheese. It really doesn’t get much better than that.
Dark Chocolate is my treat. I don’t usually eat for stress. I understand that Dark Chocolate can be somewhat better than the alternative but when I eat a lot of it I don’t think it is that good for me 🙂
Ultimate stress relief food is something my mom used to make called peanut butter fudge. You heat up peanut butter, brown sugar and milk on the stove and cook til hot and bubbly. I know…not clean, but, I haven’t had it in a few years! : )
Now to relieve stress, I will work out, take a bath, take a nap, read or clean!! Just depends on the mood I’m in.
My stress relief food is chocolate or anything crunchy, although my New Year’s resolution is to stop using food for stress relief.
My ultimate stress relief food would be enchiladas. EIther cheese or chicken and cheese. Something about the warm, gooey, spicy cheese makes everything all better. lol (Which is why I try not to stress eat every often, calories yikes!)
Instead of stress eating I crochet, or go for a walk or head to the gym, or sometimes have a hot cup of herbal tea while I sit quietly and relax. =)
Oatmeal cookies with nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, and cranberries are something I’d grab in a second if I kept them around. They are best when warm and remind me of my mom teaching me how to make them.
Stress relief for me comes in several forms: a hot shower, a massage, reading a good book, crocheting, and the best, looking at pictures of my grandsons!
stress eater!! oh yes, my favorite is chocolate covered pretzels that way I get both sweet and salty. but I am trying to break the hand to mouth stress habit and so I am turning more often to knitting to keep my hands busy – or if the temp is over 0 ( I live in Montana) I like to walk
This recipe looks great! Will have to try soon! My stress relieving food is anything chocolate and peanut butter. Healthy eating banana smoothy with chocolate protein powder and natural peanut butter does the trick now. Hard to believe it’s good for you! I also love to bake and cook. It’s very relaxing and stress busting for me.
oh my, my ultimate stress-relief food would have to be lasagna!! i love chocolate just as much as any person, but what really calms me down when life with 3 little boys has been just a little too crazy is a big ol’ plate of warm, cheesy, gooey, starchy, tomatoey goodness! and i especially love lasagna for breakfast! 😉
my non-food stress-relief is to get out in nature! i live in north idaho and love every single season we have up here!
For stress relief I pick up my mobile phone and call my Mom. She is my super accountability partner and my best friend. Chocolate is a close second 🙂
I hope I win the scale 🙂
My ultimate stress relief food is brownies. Of all the complicated desserts out there, I think a good solid brownie is about as good as it gets!
I don’t think I pay attention to what I specifically eat when I’m under stress. Its whatever I crave at that moment. As for stress relief other than food….a nice hot bubble bath after the kids are fast asleep. Calgon take me away…LOL
Thanks for the chance to win the scale! Love your blog!! 🙂
My ultimate stress relief food is 60% dark chocolate.
This recipe looks delish…I’m going to try it next week (while I’m on vacation…woohoo).
My stress relief food would be peanut butter on toast with a glass of cold milk…
Having said that, I have really made an effort, over the past couple of years, to not use food to relieve the stress in my life…I now find my number one reliever of stress to be…exercise…seriously…I’ve really grown to love exercise in many forms (dancing, running, biking, strength training)…and it really does work!!
My ultimate stress relief food is ice cream. If I don’t turn to food, then I watch TV or read a magazine 🙂
My ultimate stress relief food would have to be chocolate and peanut butter!
I find that walking and playing basketball is a great stress relief when I don’t turn to food!
I just discovered your blog recently and I’m really wanting to try to eat clean, so I’m reading up on it! I think it sounds great so I keep checking all the good-sounding recipes you have! Thanks for all your hard work doing this blog!
Well my comfort food used to be my Mama’s fried chicken…but she passed suddenly 2 yrs ago so I’ve had to come up with something new. I havent had a chance to create a new dish so to speak but can say that my “go-to-stress-reliever” is a nice hot bath or shower. The heat and penetration of the water is therapeutic in so many ways that I look forward to ‘getting clean’ as often as possible!
I am going to sit here all night checking out your recipes. Yum
My go to food for stress…humm…I don’t think I have one. I have a really bad habit and I know if I would just take iron everyday it would go away but I don’t. I eat ice, lots of ice all day long and if I am stressed I eat more. :o)
I don’t really have a stress release food.
My stress release is hard exercise. Love the way I feel after a good workout!
I started running to relieve stress. Better for you and free!
Ultimate stress relief food: Dark chocolate. Hands down! 🙂
Chocolate. Definitely chocolate. It soothes my soul.
Chocolate for sure is the food I turn to for stress relief. With that said, I have not found relief in it lately. So I am back to clean eating after not doing very well the last two months and have found myself with now 10 lbs to take off. Today was the first day 100% clean and planning a special treat with your Pear Orange Cinnamon Sparkler tonight for my New Year toast!
Happy New Year to you Tiffany!
Spinning is my absolute ultimate stress reliever. I cannot get enough of the energy in the room emitted by all the other riders as we simulate outdoor cycling. Clean eating provides the nutrition and fuels my body and spinning gives me the positive outlet I need to release the stress of everyday life. Its a winning combination! I guess that is why I became an instructor;)
Happy New Year Tiffany- thank you for your awesome site- I visit it daily—and I use your recipes all the time!
Kristen – Thanks! That spinning class sounds like fun! Happy New Year to you too!
This looks like a fun New Year’s brunch item (or everyday maybe). Thanks so much for your site- I have started using your recipes and feel like I have so much more energy and enjoy cooking these foods. I went to the grocery store and only bought produce and bulk grains- they thought I was crazy. But, it’s worth it- thank you!
Jane – That’s FABULOUS!!! As they say, “the proof is in the pudding”. Or in this case, the proof is in the whole grains! lol. Enjoy!
O.M.G. My mouth is watering. Literally. I must try these!! I stumbled upon your sight looking for clean eating ideas and my kids have ben asking if there are any good ‘sweet’ recipes to try. Thank you!!! What a WONDERFUL blog you have here!!
Byn – Thanks so much! I have plenty of “goodies” on this blog! (Maybe a few too many!) So your kids should be happy! Hope you enjoy them!
Made these today — they were very yummy, even though I had to use Whole Wheat Flour as opposed to the pastry flour. I’m freezing them for my kiddos to have a quick breakfast on school mornings.
Oh, I need to confess that I had to use semi-sweet choco chips b/c the grain sweetened ones are over $9/lb….maybe someday. Thanks for the recipe!
Tasha – Holy hairballs! I pay about $3 for a bag. Wow! Happy you enjoyed them though!
I just made these today on our snow day in the Northeast. They are delicious. I’m going to freeze them so I only eat one a day. My husband will love these and they are healthy! Thanks, Tiffany!
Kimberly – You’re welcome! Freezing them is a wonderful solution too. They are way too easy to eat!
What is the best way to make the double chocolate? Is there one?
Kayla – You could add about a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour.
Do we have to use pastry flour? I can’t find it anywhere
If you use regular whole wheat flour, you will simply end up with a denser, more coarse muffin. But it will still taste the same.
If you use regular whole wheat flour, you will simply end up with a denser, more coarse muffin. But it will still taste the same.
I have tried several of your muffin recipes in the last few weeks and this is my favorite yet! How about using white whole wheat flour instead of the pastry flour?
Missie – You can easily sub with white whole wheat pastry flour. No problem.
I’m new to this site and have a question – since these don’t have any protien in them, they wouldnt suffice as a meal by themselves. I assume you would have to have some kind of protien with it or maybe you could add protien powder to this recipe? I’m looking for a way I can grab these very quickly (I have about 5 min between waking up and leaving for the gym) and Id like to eat it on the way to the gym. That way, I can stay consistent with eating within an hour of waking up – otherwise I won’t be able to eat until 2 hours later when I finally get to work. So maybe two muffins (with protien powder added) would be a great start to my day?? Then a few hours later I could do oatmeal with a fruit mixed in…?
Jennifer – I would add a hard boiled egg with that. Or egg whites. It’s the best way to know you’re getting enough protein. While I do bake with protein powder, there’s some question as to how the protein in the powder holds up during baking. Better safe than sorry.
At the risk of sounding really picky, the smell of eggs makes me gag (sorry!). I’m willing to give in to eating all the vegetables all day long but I just can’t do it with the eggs. Are there any other solutions for a good breakfast protein? 🙂 Thanks so much for helping me!
Jennifer – You don’t have to have eggs for breakfast. Any meat will do! I have ground turkey patties for breakfast often!
Jennifer – I would add a hard boiled egg with that. Or egg whites. It’s the best way to know you’re getting enough protein. While I do bake with protein powder, there’s some question as to how the protein in the powder holds up during baking. Better safe than sorry.
I’m new to this site and have a question – since these don’t have any protien in them, they wouldnt suffice as a meal by themselves. I assume you would have to have some kind of protien with it or maybe you could add protien powder to this recipe? I’m looking for a way I can grab these very quickly (I have about 5 min between waking up and leaving for the gym) and Id like to eat it on the way to the gym. That way, I can stay consistent with eating within an hour of waking up – otherwise I won’t be able to eat until 2 hours later when I finally get to work. So maybe two muffins (with protien powder added) would be a great start to my day?? Then a few hours later I could do oatmeal with a fruit mixed in…?
The coconut oil and milk will be fine. Not sure about the wheat. You’d have to try it.
You can use pretty much any oil you like. Coconut oil would be fine.
just pulled these out of the oven a short while ago, and they are amazing!! swapped the apple & oil for fresh butter, but my little boy will wolf these down as a lunch box treat!! 😉
Awesome! Glad you’re enjoying them! 🙂
Do you think it will mess up the muffin if i use regular flour and semi sweet chocolate chips?
Lynn – In theory, it should be fine.
Can I substitute gluten free flour or coconut flour?
Thanks!
Allison – Technically, but you’ll probably need more of it to achieve the same consistency. Coconut flour is very “thirsty” stuff.
Ok, thanks for the response!!!