Craving something sweet for Valentine’s Day but don’t want to over indulge? Theresa Desai, RD, DCE, Diabetes Educator and Registered Dietitian at NorthShore, shares a recipe that will satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling guilty. These muffins can be made into mini muffins, a perfect size for kids! They also can be frozen for preservation or a post-dinner decadent treat.

Chocolate Chip Muffins (Makes 12 Servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup egg whites
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400⁰ F.
2.  Line a muffin pan with foil baking cups or spray with nonstick spray.
3. Put the chocolate chunks in a separate bowl.
4. Put the oats in a blender and pulse until they are a consistency of coarse flour.
5. Add in the remaining ingredients – except for the chocolate chips – and blend until you get a smooth consistency.
6. Fold in half of the chocolate.
7. Add batter to muffin pan, smoothing out the tops.
8. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate on the tops, pressing them in to the batter lightly to adhere.
9. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition Information (per serving):
Calories: 119
Fat: 3g
Carbohydrate: 20g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 7g

Recipe adapted from Hungry Girl.