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Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins

written by Parita 10 Comments

I have a secret.

Ok, here goes.  I’m not the biggest fan of pumpkin based baked goods.  Unless there’s more chocolate than pumpkin involved, I don’t even think twice about it.  Phewwwww. Feels good to put that out there!

So while the whole world is like pumpkin this and pumpkin that, I’m over here thinking about what else I can do with the bag of chocolate chips sitting in my fridge that doesn’t involve that bland squash!  Sorry, it had to be said.

All the great combos have been done, including one of my favorites – chocolate and peanut butter.  That got me thinking about what else I could incorporate my chocolate chips with to create a healthy, hearty snack for us.

I kid you not, I came across a recipe booklet my mom photocopied for me YEARS ago that same day.  And towards the end of the booklet was a recipe for Cappuccino Muffins.  Coffee in muffins?  Sure why not.  It had to be better than pumpkin, right?

Coffee muffins 2

Well, it was!  Even with my healthier tweaks, these Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins turned out great.

But don’t expect crumbly, buttery, overly sweet muffins.  These bad boys are dense, a little chewy, and super hearty!  There’s a subtle coffee flavor laced throughout, and when you take a bite full of chocolate chips, well, that’s just mocha heaven.

Best of all, these muffins are husband approved!  I’ve noticed a trend this week – he comes home from work, eats dinner, and then asks if I have any more of “those coffee muffin things” left.  Success!

Vishnu prefers the muffins warmed up for 20 seconds in the microwave.  Me?  I eat them cold (I store my muffins in the refrigerator).  They’re delicious either way so take your pick!

Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins 6

Chocolate Chip Coffee Muffins
Yields 12 large muffins

2 cups whole wheat white flour
1/2 cup raw sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup original unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I personally love Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and the coffee until the coffee granules dissolve completely.  Then add the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined (batter will be thick).
5. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray.  Fill each tin 3/4 of the way to the top.  Bake for 17-19 minutes or until a fork/toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
7. ENJOY!

Recipe notes:
– If you’re not into the whole wheat thing, use all purpose flour.
– Feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand, although I would stay away from skim or 1%.

Pumpkin lovers, don’t hate me.  But if you find yourself left with unpleasant feelings after reading the beginning of my post, just make these muffins and we’ll be fine!

Are you a pumpkin lover?  What’s your favorite muffin flavor?

Written on November 11, 2015 Related:Food, Recipe

Healthy Snacking

written by Parita 5 Comments

Guess who is sick.  Yep…me.  It’s not an all consuming sickness though.  Just the usual cold symptoms – stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing, etc.  The good news is that I’m on the mend and already feeling better than I was earlier this week.

Anyways, I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas had a fabulous time with family and friends.  And for those of you who don’t celebrate, I hope you enjoyed a day or two off from work.  I’ll share more about our holiday staycation soon!

So the other day I was talking to a friend about healthy eating stuff, more specifically healthy snacking.  She feels that she her biggest obstacle is all the food consumption that takes place in between her three major meals.  I told her she’s not alone.  My personal snacking roadblock occurs when I get home from work.  It’s been 4-5 hours since lunch, and dinner is still an hour or two away.  If I don’t have healthy options ready to eat, I make the worst choices possible.

After talking to my friend, I made a list of my favorite healthy snacks to share with her.  I thought I would share with all of you too, since I know many people are now thinking about “getting back on track” after the holiday season.

1.  A small handful of almonds (or nut of choice)
2.  Greek yogurt + a small spoon of nut butter + a sprinkle of granola
3.  A piece of fruit (an apple + a small spoon of peanut butter is my favorite)
4.  Carrots and/or celery + a large spoonful of hummus
5.  2% cottage cheese + a few pieces of pineapple
6.  Piece of whole grain/wheat toast with peanut butter
7.  Boiled egg (one of Vishnu’s favorite snacks)
8.  String cheese + a piece of fruit OR a small handful of nuts
9.  Turkey and avocado rollups (again, one of Vishnu’s favorites)
10.  A somewhat new favorite of mine – KIND bars

My recent go to snack is definitely #10.  Not only are the bars tasty and an easy grab and go option, but they keep me full for hours at a time.  Case in point – our boat tour this past weekend was at 4:30 pm.  We ate lunch at 12:30, so I wasn’t super hungry but could feel a small hunger pang coming on.  I grabbed a bar on our way out and ate it around 4:00.  And I truly wasn’t hungry again until 7:30.

The thing I love most about these particular bars is that you can spot most of the ingredients without even taking a bite.  They are just that simple and wholesome.

Lucky me (and Vishnu) received a few bars recently to try out.  I didn’t think it was possible for me to find a new favorite after the Dark Chocolate Nuts and Sea Salt.  However, the Dark Chocolate Chili Almond and the Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan may just be my new go to flavors.  The sweet, spicy, salty combo makes my taste buds sing!

photo (3)
A couple of things I like to consider when snacking…

– Portion control.  If I don’t measure out my snacks, I’ll eat way more than I ever intended.  I guess that’s another reason why I enjoy KIND bars – they come pre-portioned.
– Water is key.  As soon as I get home from work, I drink a glass of water.  This reduces my hunger to a point where I can make a reasonable choice and eat a reasonable amount of food.

What are some of your healthy go to snacks?  Snacking strategies?

I was not financially compensated for this post.  I received a sample for review purposes.  The opinions are completely based on my own experience.

Written on December 26, 2013 Related:Food, Health, Nutrition

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