Cinnamon Apple Muffins (GF, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free)

This recipe was inspired from a GF zucchini loaf found here. Given the amount of changes I was making and the lack of success I've had with these kinds of recipes in the past my expectations were low.

Then I was blown away!  My kids and I could not stop popping these delicious bites in our mouths!  Absolute winners!

Cinnamon Apple Muffins

• 6 egg whites
• 2 cups shredded apples (approximately 3 large-med apples)
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup organic coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup natural apple sauce (no sugar added)
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 ½ cups almond flour
• ½ cup coconut flour
• 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. fresh lemon zest
• Optional – Cinnamon Sugar garnish of 3 Tbs coconut sugar + 1.5 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl; beat egg whites until they are fluffy. Add apple, vanilla extract and coconut sugar and lemon zest; mix well. Slowly add coconut oil and continue to mix.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients; mix well to combine, then add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir well until wet and dry mixtures are combined and there are no lumps in the batter.  This will be like very wet cookie dough.
4. Prepare your mini muffin tin with oil, butter, or cooking spray, whatever you prefer. Drop batter into mini muffin tin cups using a rounded half tablespoon. Shape as desired, trying to keep the size even across all of the muffins. If using the optional sugar garnish, sprinkle that on top of the muffins at this point.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until they feel solid throughout when punctured.  Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.
   

Applesauce Granola

This granola was such a winner!  Whole grain, low fat, no refined sugars, and best of all, everyone in my family LOVED it!

Applesauce Granola (only slightly adapted from macaroniandcheesecake.com)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup dry sugar (I used coconut sugar, but brown would also be great here)
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or canola would be fine)
1/4 tsp. salt
4 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large microwavable bowl, add the applesauce, sugar, honey, oil, and salt.  Stir together and heat until the mixture is just warm to the touch (about 30 seconds at my house).

Add to the bowl the oats and cinnamon, and stir it around until the mixture is fully incorporated.

Spread oat mixture evenly onto a 9 x 13 baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

ADD INS!!! Once the granola is made and cooled, I added some no-sugar added raisins and dates and ate it with milk like cereal. Some chopped nuts would be great too, and don't forget the potential for super parfaits with yogurt and fruit mixed in.

Fluffy Pumpkin Biscuits (Vegan)

If you're nervous about vegan food than this is a great place to start, because you'd never know these are "healthy."  I expected them to be over-the-top sweet, but they aren't. They'd go wonderfully alongside a winter stew or slather them with honey for an after-dinner treat.

Fluffy Pumpkin Biscuits (Vegan) (slightly adapted from An Opera Singer in the Kitchen)

• 2 cups whole wheat white flour  
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoon real maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 Tablespoon Earth Balance margarine (vegan margarine, it's WONDERFUL, but use what you have/like)
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup plain soy milk or another non-dairy milk (original recipe calls for So Delicious coconut milk)
• 2 Tablespoon honey

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, no stick foil, or another non-stick surface.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Blend in the margarine using a pastry blender, wisk, or other splitting tool (I used an avocado masher, he he).

In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, coconut milk, maple syrup, and honey.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until the mixture holds together. Knead lightly on a floured surface and roll out to 1″ thickness. Using a 2″ biscuit cutter (or thin cup edge), cut the dough into circles.

Re-roll the scraps and cut out biscuits until you have used all of the dough. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Pie Granola

Wonderful granola & oil free. Tastes so good I'll eat it year round & not just in Fall.

Pumpkin Pie Granola  (adapted from twopeasintheirpod.com)

• 5 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup real maple syrup (this adds great flavor, but if you don't have it you can probably sub honey or agave with a little molasses)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   
• Additional add-ins if desired: 3/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. If the granola isn't quite crisp yet, stir & return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries and pepitas if using (I didn't). Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Goes AMAZING on yogurt, mixed into cereal, with milk/soy milk, ice cream, or to top baked apples!

Banana & Berry Bread (Vegan)

Don't let the vegan name throw you, this banana bread is awesome.  Hubby and I stood around devouring it while it was still hot all the while saying, "It doesn't taste like health food!"

Banana & Berry Bread (Vegan) - from Chocolate Covered Katie.com, slightly altered by me

• 2 c spelt flour (I did a mix of 1.5 c all purpose & .5 c whole wheat white, but I'm going to play with the ratio & types of flours in the future)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt 
• 1/3 c nondairy milk (I used plain soy milk) 
• 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 T more sweetener (could be agave, honey, syrup, or sugar)
• 1 and 2/3 c tightly-packed, mashed banana (measured after mashing)
• 1/3 cup berries of choice, or more banana (I used the triple berry mix from Costco & some dark cherries as well - I first defrosted them, then pureed them in my food processor)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine dry ingredients, and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix into dry. (Mix by hand, and don’t over mix.) Pour into a greased loaf pan and cook for around 40-45 minutes. Check, if the top is getting dark, but the inside still feels mushy with a toothpick test, cover the bread with foil & bake another 10 minutes & test again (this method worked perfectly for my bread).

When it's done, remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack for ten minutes before slicing. Goes great with natural peanut butter!

After the first day, this bread is best stored in the fridge. You can also cut into slices and freeze for later.

Oatmeal Spice Cookies

A new favorite healthy cookie - no butter, tons of flavor, and options for making them what your family wants. The original recipe came from Whole Grain Gourmet with raisins mixed in, but we aren't raisin people around here, so other options are to just leave them plain, stir in some walnuts, or chocolate chips.

Spiced Oatmeal Cookies from Whole Grain Gourmet

• 1 cup whole wheat white flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tb cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 Tb molasses
• 1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup mix in of your choice (optional - raisins, chocolate chips, walnuts, etc)

Preheat oven to 335 degrees (a better temp for honey). In a large bowl, add all wet ingredients, top with dry, then mix all the ingredients together.  Spray your cookie sheet with nonstick spray and drop by spoonfuls onto your baking sheet.

Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden on the bottom of the cookie.

Pumpkin (or other puree) Muffins

Here's a muffin to not feel guilty about. It's dense, moist, & super tasty. I found it as a pumpkin muffin originally, but it can be used as an outline for other fruit & veg purees as well. So far I've done pumpkin, zucchini, & banana/PB with great success, but I also hope to do carrot, corn, apple, & maybe some kind of berry.

Pumpkin (or other puree) Muffins (from Sparkrecipes on my phone)

1/2 c honey
1/4 c applesauce (natural, unsweetened)
2 eggs or 4 egg whites
1 1/2 c pumpkin puree (or other veg/fruit)
1/4 c skim milk or soy milk
1 c whole wheat white flour
1/2 c old fashioned oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix wet ingredients, then add all dry ingredients. Blend well. Spoon batter into sprayed muffin tins until mostly full (these muffins are dense & moist, won't rise a ton). Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

*Kim's notes - spices & add ins can be adjusted according to the fruit or veg you use. I've mixed in chocolate chips with pumpkin, banana with peanut butter in place of the applesauce, or you could do walnuts with carrot, or make savory corn muffins with salt & green onions.

Yogurt Muffins

These muffins are intended to be a healthier muffin.  If you’re looking for the super sweet, leaves-grease-on-your-fingers type muffins then you shouldn’t read on.  However if you want a muffin that’s warm, not too sweet, and not going to kill you on calories, then this is a great option.
I did want a little more sweet, so I tore mine open and drizzled honey on it.

Then I died because it was so good.

Try the honey, I’m telling ya.

Yogurt Muffins

• 2 c. flour
• 3 Tbs. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 6 oz light lemon yogurt*
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 Tbs canola oil
• 1 Tbs natural applesauce
• 1 cup frozen blueberries and dried cranberries (I used about 2/3 blueberries then topped off the measuring cup with cranberries)

Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.  Mix together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, making a well at the center.  In a smaller mixing bowl combine all wet ingredients (save berries for later) and mix until well blended.  Add wet ingredients to dry, mixing until everything is moistened – this batter is VERY thick; it’s okay if it’s a little lumpy.

Next fold in the berries, until just dispersed, don’t over mix.  Drop batter into the greased muffin tin dispersing the batter evenly between all 12 cups (each cup should be about 2/3 full).  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

*Kim’s note:  the lemon yogurt doesn’t add a strong lemon taste.  If you want even more lemon in your batter, add about a tsp. of fresh lemon zest.  Is amazing with honey!

Zucchini Bread Brownies

A college roommate and friend of mine is a baking genius. I’m lucky to have her.  I’m a baking bumbler.  I do it only for birthdays, when I want a treat, and when I feel at peace enough with myself to do it (since I generally end up laughing at my foolishness).

Her baking blog (Completely Delicious) is an inspiration and I’d highly recommend it for baking enthusiasts.  I saw her post about Chocolate Zucchini bread and knew I’d have to give it a try, but with a few switcheroos to make it a little more healthy/easy.

Zucchini Bread Brownies

• 1 1/2 cup (about 1/2 pound) fresh grated zucchini (cheese grater works, but the food processor is even better if you want the veggies to be hidden)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce minus 1 Tbs
• 1 Tbs canola oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 pan. In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice.

In another mixing bowl stir together the zucchini, apple sauce, oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla together until combined well. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing between each until the batter is just combined. Add the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan, but on a rack at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.

86 calories per serving when cutting pan into 5×5 squares.

Happy Cooking!

Benito Bean Dip (AKA No Avocado Guacamole)

Such a great dip for a snack with chips or veggies, or work it into a Mexican meal. I'd call this no-avocado guacamole since it's green and I really want my dad to try it. YUM!

Benito Bean Dip (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

• 1 1/2  cups  cooked edamame (these are soy beans, can be found in the frozen veggie section in most grocery stores)
• 1/3  cup  fresh salsa or pico de gallo
• 1    Tbs red or green onion
• 2  tablespoons  fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4  teaspoon  Zippy Zonya Mexi Mix 
• 1/4 tsp salt (optional)*

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

* I added salt since I was using an unprocessed frozen bean. If you use a canned bean (pintos can be subbed) or a very salt salsa, then this shouldn't be added.

Sweet Buttered Potato

This was so simple, I don't know why I never thought of it before! I had it for lunch, I'm still full, and already dreaming of eating it again tomorrow!

Sweet Buttered Potato

• 1 small-med sweet potato/yam
• 2 tsp natural almond butter

Cook the sweet potato in the microwave or oven until soft (time will depend on size/thickness).  Split cooked potato in half lengthwise. Smear 1 tsp of almond butter over each side of the potato and enjoy!

Cashew Mushroom Pate

I wasn't sure about this since I'm no mushroom lover, but I LOVE THIS PATE! It's earthy, it's healthy, it's hummus like, but SO MUCH BETTER!

Eat it with carrot sticks, celery sticks, warm naan, or baked chips.  YUM!

Cashew Mushroom Pate (adapted from Vegetarian Times)

• 1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews
• healthy oil, avocado or coconut
• 4 cups sliced mushrooms (I used one pre-sliced container from the store)
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. broth or water
• 2 tsp. natural peanut butter 

Warm healthy oil in a pan then add the cashews to toast until fragrant and lightly brown in places. Remove from heat and add to food processor.

Next add mushrooms, onion, garlic, curry powder, salt, cumin and water/broth to the pan (add a bit more oil if needed) and sauté 10 to 12 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned and most of liquid has evaporated. Transfer to food processor, and add peanut butter.

Purée mixture until smooth scraping sides as needed. Transfer to bowl, and chill 2 hours, or overnight. Before serving, taste and add salt to your preference.

Kim's note - I thought this was best on day 2 with carrot sticks.