Zucchini is apparently abundant in Cairo.  They are one of those things you can pretty much always count on being available at the store… like flatbread or Chipsy, or eggs stacked up on the floor.  Zucchini’s always there, en masse, taking up quite a lot of real estate in the produce section, and reminding me I should try to work with what’s there and not keep wishing for a Whole Foods with blueberries and blackberries and lettuce that won’t stress me out.  Anyhow, the zucchini are there, pale green, and abundant.

And since when life gives you lemons you’re supposed to make lemonade, I realized that when Cairo gives you zucchini, you’ve got to do something good with it.

And I’d say, mission accomplished.

I used a recipe for zucchini bread that I found on smittenkitchen.com (one of my favorite websites for recipes!).  And since I had an extra apple lying around, I decided I had better put it to good use too.  And that’s how these Apple Zucchini Muffins were born…

Apple Zucchini Muffins

Adapted from smitten kitchen: zucchini bread

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup olive or vegetable oil (I used a blend of olive oil and sunflower oil)
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup zucchini, peeled and grated
• 1 green apple, peeled and grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I reduced the salt from 1 teaspoon)

Preheat oven to 350°F or 177°C.  Line a muffin pan with paper liners.  (I used silicone baking cups for the first time and they worked great!)

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs.  Add oil and sugar and mix to combine.  Stir in the apple, zucchini, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients, then add them to the egg mixture, stirring until combined.  Be careful not to stir too much.

Fill baking cups 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until they start to brown on top.

The recipe makes about 2 dozen muffins, which is perfect because I already ate way too many of them and there is still a lot left over to take to school for lunch this week.  And the lesson learned… zucchini can be delicious!