First Friday, Art and Chocolate! (mini chocolate chip avocado muffins)

By copycakecook

Self portrait 25X35 cm watercolors on paper

Our Main Course:

This man is one of my favorite artists. He’s a teacher, and painter living in Israel. Since it’s First Friday, the first Friday in January, the new year, I chose to feature Eli Alexander Shvadron. I’m actually lucky enough to own several of his prints! If you’re ever in Jerusalem, look him up…he’s quite inspiring!

And, to go along with our ‘Art and Chocolate’ theme, I’ve included a delicious Avocado Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe below!

He was kind enough to send me a little blurb about himself and his amazing work:

“I am an artist and an art teacher, living in Jerusalem, Israel. I was born in Israel in 1950 and been painting from a very young age. After studying in The Bezalel Arts and Design Academy in the mid 70′ I started teaching, printing (etchings) and at the same time developing my own personal artwork. My main tools are pencil and pen, oil paints, acrylic and watercolors. 
Through the years I found interest in old photos, animals, seascapes, urban and scenery landscapes. My main subject in the past several years is the “East-West Tension” in Iconic images like camels and aeroplanes- “the ship of the desert and the ship of the sky”.  Recently I started Concentrating on a search of new personal meanings to black and white family images taken from old photos.”
Some more of his incredible art:
EAST-WEST 25X30 cm pen & tempra on black paperNYU on Brodway 75X95 cm oil and mixed media on paperFor some reason his cityscapes are always my favorites!
Rosa Elkin, my mother 30X40 cm guash on black paperseascape (mid 80') 200X250 cm oil paint on paperA self-portrait of our featured artist (in earlier days)
St. Petersburg 15X20 cm watercolors on paperOkay, now for our dessert….
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Mini Chocolate Avocado Muffins

1 large, ripe avocado- mashed
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cups applesauce, unsweetened
3/4 cup skim milk
2 2/3 cup whole wheat or white flour (or a mix, one cup of each)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 Tb baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line mini muffin tin tray with paper liners.
Beat eggs, applesauce and milk in a large bowl. Sift in the sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt and flour. Stir well.  In a separate bowl, crush the peeled avocado until it is a creamy texture. Mix into remainder of ingredients until just combined. Mix in the mini chocolate chips.
Spoon into muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes.

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Check out last month’s Art and Chocolate artist First Friday, Art and Chocolate (December)
If you are, or know an artist to be featured in my First Friday Art and Chocolate Publications, please comment below! Or message me on my facebook page.

2 thoughts on “First Friday, Art and Chocolate! (mini chocolate chip avocado muffins)”

  2. I’m making these right now! Can’t wait to taste them. Our applesauce had a thick layer of mold that has inspired E to conduct a sick science experiment. Fortunately I had bought some “emergency” applesauce that was in the garage!