Recipe: Hazelnut-Cocoa Granola Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

I adapted this recipe from a more sugary one I found in Martha Stewart Living. Because these are low in sugar, they’re a bit more crumbly that the Martha Stewart version. (Sugar works as a glue.) But they’re still super tasty. If you’d like to up the cocoa/chocolate flavor, substitute chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips for some of the dried fruit. … Read more

Recipe: Carrot-spice muffins (vegan, gluten-free)

Supplies measuring cups and spoons 1 mixing bowl blender muffin tin with 12 2½-inch cups cooling rack Ingredients 1 tablespoon oil 2 tablespoons flax seed 1¼ cup unsweetened applesauce 2¼ cup grated carrots ¾ cups buckwheat flour ½ chickpea flour ½ rice flour 2 tablespoons xylitol or sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon allspice … Read more

Recipe: Chocolate-Almond Zucchini Muffins (vegan)

chocolate-almond zucchini muffin (vegan)

As long as zucchini keeps fruiting, I’ll keep making zucchini muffins. This week I decided to make a not-gluten-free version of chocolate zucchini muffins. It has whole wheat, plus a little almond flour for richness. Notes: If you love almonds, you can increase the almond flour to ½ cup if you like, in which case you should reduce the whole wheat flour or … Read more

Recipe: Chocolate-chip zucchini spice muffins (vegan)

It’s that time of year when summer squashes become almost perverse in the profligacy of their fruit production. Those who are usually glad to benefit from summer’s bounty mysteriously disappear when they see a gardening neighbor come down the walk with a box full of zucchini. Farmers can barely give the things away – really. Each week when we go to pick up … Read more

Recipe: Quick strawberry frozen yogurt in a blender

Strawberry frozen yogurt sprinkled with blueberries.

Frozen yogurt with no added sugar, lots of fruit, and a texture as rich and velvety as ice cream? It’s not an impossible dream. This recipe has only strawberries, pears, plain Greek yogurt, a dash of milk and Truvia. Last year I splurged on a Vitamix to simplify ice cream making and other tasks, and I’m glad I did – in … Read more

Recipe: Vegan chocolate-spice muffins … They’ll never guess the secret ingredient is beets!

I wasn’t sure what kind of muffins to make today, so I looked in my fridge for inspiration. The jar of sour beets caught my attention. I texted my sister and told her I was thinking about making beet muffins. She texted back, “That sounds kind of gross. But good luck anyway!” She’s right. It does sound kind of gross. But it’s … Read more

Recipe: Phyto-licious Chocolate Muffins (whole grain, vegan option, low fat)

I had a bunch of odds and ends in my fridge: an overripe avocado, half a banana, a spot of applesauce, some leftover millet and a bit of whey from making Greek yogurt. What could I make that used all of them? Muffins, of course! Avocados are a great source of beneficial fats, including anti-inflammatory phytosterols and oleic acid, similar to the … Read more

Recipe: Dreamy chocolate-orange muffins (grain-free, sugar-free, vegan)

I finally found a way to cook with coconut flour that doesn’t require using a million eggs! The trick is to use psyllium husks – yup, the stuff in Metamucil. When you combine psyllium with a little liquid and allow it to sit, you get a thick goop. Including it in grain-free baked goods adds excellent structure and holding power to the final product. If … Read more

Recipe: Sweet potato muffins (wheat-free, gluten-free, whole grain, sugar-free, dairy-free)

I’m still experimenting with coconut flour, but this week I wanted to try mixing it with another flour so I could use fewer wet ingredients and have a more traditional muffin texture. I loved how these turned out! Sweet potatoes and applesauce make them sweet with no added sugar. They’re moist and flavorful, and they keep well in the refrigerator if … Read more

Recipe: Chocolate coconut muffins (wheat-free, gluten-free, low sugar, low carb, paleo)

I’ve got nothing against wheat, but it’s fun to mix things up a little. I found some coconut flour at Trader Joe’s and have been playing around with different recipes that use it. Coconut flour can’t be substituted one-to-one for wheat flour; it expands a lot when mixed with liquid, so you generally need to use less coconut flour than you … Read more