The Sure Cure

Fall is my favorite season. But then, all too quickly, my least favorite time of year hits as quickly and as forcefully as the gust of wind which knocks the last of the orange and red leaves off of our trees. I hate the transition between fall and winter. I call it "winterumn." It's like autumn and winter swirl together in a gust of frigid air and leaf dust and make my life miserable. It's an interim. It's blustery. It's dark. It's often wet. And it's just dreary in every way. All the color seems to be sucked out of the landscape. Just so, the life seems to be sucked out of me when I can't feel revived by nature. For me, the sure cure for the winterumn blues is to turn my attention to the flavors and smells I can create to lift my spirits. So, I cook. I bake. I by the spiciest smelling candles I can find. And I hunker down and consider the extra effort (and extra pounds) all for the sake of hibernation.

If you find yourself hibernating with me, you NEED to make these bluster-proof muffins as the ultimate tummy-comfort. They smell terrific baking. They are the moistest, most decadent muffins I've ever made. Even with the addition of some whole wheat flour, you can't even tell they're semi-healthy. I promise! They're perfect straight-up, with no need for butter or topping of any sort. Happy change of seasons, once again.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins:

ngredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat flour) 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup shredded zucchini (I used 2c 'cause that's what I had on hand! Turned out REALLLLY moist....almost gooey, which we LOVED.) 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or more...hehe) 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Mine took a little longer, actually. Also makes GREAT mini-muffins.

Voila! Instant pick-me-up. The best anti-depressant I've found for winterumn! What helps you beat the winter blues?