Recipe: Amarula Muffins (High Protein, Low Sugar, Gluten-free)

Look, I found yet another way to make moccachocarula muffins! Maybe most people wouldn’t care, but I do. And if you’re into stuff with lots of protein, no gluten and no added sugar (except what’s in the Amarula and chocolate, if you add chocolate), then it might be up your alley, too. If not, fear not. I’ll run out of … 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: Sunny Citrus Muffins with Lemon Icing (sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free)

I was feeling fancy this week, so decided to make iced muffins. I usually skip icing and frosting because they tend to be loaded with sugar. Plus, I’m a bit lazy! But I’ve been wondering lately if sugar substitutes could create the satisfying, crunchy-but-melty texture of a good icing. My curiosity finally won out over my laziness, and I started experimenting. … 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: Cranberry-buckwheat muffins (low sugar, low fat, vegan option)

I was in the mood for something made with buckwheat, and while racking my brain for flavors that would go well with it, I hit upon cranberries. I almost always have a bag or two of whole, unsweetened cranberries in my freezer – I tend to buy several pounds in autumn when they are cheap and toss them in the freezer. … Read more

Kitchen tips: Reducing sugar when baking

I am taking the online course Introduction to Nutrition – Food for Health from Wageningen University and lately we’ve been talking about the role of carbohydrates in health and ways to reduce sugar consumption. I shared some of my own sugar-reduction habits on the discussion boards there and decided to also share them here for readers who want to bake with less … Read more