Got any zucchini left in the garden or the vegetable crisper? Have you vowed to have eaten your last mound of steamed zucchini coins for the season? How about grating the last of the zucchini and making a batch of zucchini nut muffins hot from the oven?

A reader sent me a recipe for sweet zucchini cupcakes (from MarthaStewart.com) and asked me to lighten it for fat and sugar. When you do that to a cupcake that contains a vegetable and some nuts, as this one does, and you strip away it's frosting, it basically becomes a muffin. So I'm renaming this recipe zucchini nut muffins.

Half of the flour is now whole-wheat flour, and the brown sugar has been cut by one-third. I used 3 tablespoons of canola oil instead of 1/3 cup and added in some fat-free half and half to make up the difference in moisture. I replaced one of the eggs with egg substitute and doubled the amount of vanilla extract. Instead of a cream-cheese frosting made from butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar, I opted for a dusting of powdered sugar.

Not including the frosting on the original zucchini cupcakes, these muffins contain 20 percent fewer calories, one-third less fat and saturated fat, 50 percent less cholesterol and double the fiber.

Original recipe contains (without frosting) 230 calories, 11 grams fat, 1.4 grams saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, and only 1 gram of fiber per muffin.

ZUCCHINI NUT MUFFINS

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

• 3/4 cup unbleached white flour

• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (about 1 zucchini)

• 3 tablespoons canola oil

• 6 tablespoons fat-free half and half (lowfat or skim milk can be substituted)

• 1 large egg, high omega-3 if available

• 1/4 cup egg substitute

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Powdered sugar (for dusting on top) — optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Set aside.

In medium bowl, combine flours, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt with whisk. Stir in nuts and set aside.

In mixing bowl, combine zucchini, oil, fat-free half and half, egg, egg substitute, and vanilla, by beating on medium speed until blended. Add the flour mixture all at once and beat on low speed just until combined (do not over mix).

Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups and bake until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean (40 minutes). When muffins have cooled slightly, add a dusting of powdered sugar on top if desired.

Makes 12 muffins.

• Per muffin: 183 calories, 4 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 7.5 g fat, .8 g saturated fat, 4.3 g monounsaturated fat, 2.2 g polyunsaturated fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 220 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 36 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids = .4 gram, Omega-6 fatty acids = 1.8 grams. Weight Watchers points = 4

Elaine Magee is a register-ed dietitian. Learn more at www.recipedoctor.com.