Brunch Part 1: Whole Wheat Honey Zucchini Mini Muffins

Starting tomorrow, my family will be hosting a monthly brunch. I have some fantasies about what it will look and feel like, but tomorrow will probably shape the possibilities better than my imaginings are able to. The goal is simply to enjoy good, local food with good, local community. We expect about twenty people, and we are asking for a $5 contribution to the meal for each adult (nothing for kids, who are welcome), so that we can do this every month, committing to our food ideals (local and/or seasonal + organic can sometimes = expensive) without worrying about the dent in our budget. Other than the five bucks, everyone is asked to bring just him or herself, and I'm responsible for the food, beverages, and entertainment (although I might have to ask a trusted former bartender friend to help me make bloody marys...). There will be muffins, quick breads, savory egg dishes, fresh fruit, mimosas, coffee, (possibly) bloody marys, and crossword puzzles. I'm so looking forward to it, and I wish all of you reading this could be there! I'll let you know how it goes.

Today I'm posting the simplest of the brunch recipes that will be featured tomorrow: Whole Wheat Honey Zucchini Mini-Muffins. (That's a mouthful. But a tasty mouthful, at least.)

I hope you like them as much as my baby liked them.

I think when I serve them tomorrow I might drizzle them with a lemony-powdered sugar glaze.

Whole Wheat Honey Zucchini Mini-Muffins

Adapted from here

Yield: 48 mini muffins

3 cups whole wheat flour (all-purpose flour would likely work fine, might rise a bit more though if you don't know how to adjust the leavening agents properly (which I don't) but there's nothing wrong with a puffy muffin, is there?)

2-3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup honey

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

2 eggs, whisked a bit

2 cups shredded zucchini*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Liberally grease your muffin pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, spices, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. In a measuring cup, mix the honey, oil, and eggs. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just incorporated. Gently stir in zucchini. (Maybe gently stir in some chocolate chips too, if you are so inclined.) Put about two tablespoons of batter into each mini muffin cup and bake for 12-15 minutes. If you make regular-sized muffins, use 1/4-1/3 cup batter and bake for 20-25 minutes. (To make a loaf, bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.) Cool and enjoy.

*I used zucchini that I had shredded last summer and put in freezer. It worked fine. I let it thaw in the sink for a couple of hours and then dumped it into a strainer to get rid of excess liquid. I have frozen bags of fruits and vegetables that I use throughout the winter and spring in baking and soups and stews. If you get too many zucchinis from your garden or, say, your CSA, it's the best solution I've come up with so far, other than pawning veggies off on friends.