Chocolate Chip Muffins (low fat. gluten free. sort of healthy.)

Thanks, Pinterest, for these muffins.  Apparently they're some knock-off of a Whole Foods muffin that cost an arm and a leg.  I wouldn't know.  I try not to leave my house unless I absolutely have to.  So a trip to Whole Foods is definitely not on my to-do list.

They're actually a pretty good way to satisfy my sweet tooth.

I was intrigued by the recipe and the pictures of the finished product.  So I decided to give these muffins a whirl.

I chopped the recipe in half and made a couple of easy changes.  I had to cut down on the cocoa powder (the amount called for was too bitter for me.  I'm a milk chocolate girl.).  I also used one whole egg instead of 3 egg whites (what the heck would I do with three leftover yolks?).

Yes, these muffins really are good.  No, they do not taste like cupcakes.

But!  I expected them to taste like cardboard (I'm just being honest.  There's no butter.  Who bakes without butter?).  Alas, they do not taste like cardboard!  I was genuinely surprised at how good they were.

I liked them best warm.  But they were also good cold.  And they were good at room temp.  I'm not too picky about these.

Lastly, they were super easy to make.  Make the whole batter in your food processor.  Piece of cake.

I mean...piece of low-fat, gluten-free, semi-healthy...muffin.

Chocolate Chip Muffins
Adapted from Jo & Sue, who adapted it from Dashing Dish

3/4 cup plus 2 T old-fashioned oats
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 whole egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp vanilla
Milk chocolate chips

Process oats in food processor until completely ground.  Add the cream of tartar, soda, powder and salt and pulse until combined.  Add the remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and process until blended.

Scoop batter into muffin tins.  This makes 12 muffins (about 2 1/2 T of batter per muffin).  I used paper liners and sprayed them with nonstick cooking spray to make for easy removal.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 7 minutes.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly on top and return to the oven for two more minutes, until cooked through.