These muffins are wholesome, tasty, and filling–perfect for breakfast or an anytime snack. Plus, they are an insanely delicious way to get in a veggie serving without even trying. The zucchini, dates and oats give you something to feel good about; and the chocolate chips give you something to look forward to 😉 Keep in mind that they won’t rise a ton like regular flour muffins, but they are super tender on the inside. I filled my cups almost all the way to the top, which yielded 12 hearty and beautiful muffins. One note–baking times will vary depending on how much moisture was in your grated zucchini. Be patient and…
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Gazpacho
There is truly nothing like summer vegetables, especially tomatoes. That’s why I love gazpacho–it celebrates veggies in their raw form and tastes like summer in a bowl. This recipe is absolutely delicious and pretty simple. It utilizes a food processor, which makes it super easy too. Honestly, the toughest part is waiting for it to chill. It’s also highly customizable. You can truly throw in whatever you have on hand. Tomatoes are non-negotiable, but almost everything else is. If you don’t like onion, nix it. No peppers? NBD. You can swap lime for lemon, or parsley for basil. You do you. Gazpacho Ingredients: 1 1/2 – 2 lb tomatoes (I…
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Ratatouille
In the summertime I want to eat vegetables all the time. My 5-year old self would never understand. They are delicious and absolutely everywhere! I picked up eggplant, squash, zucchini and tomatoes at the farmers market and realized I had everything I needed for Ratatouille. After that thought, nothing else would do. It’s one of those recipes, that’s barely even a recipe. It’s so fool-proof, it’s nearly impossible to mess up. The most important thing is to get veggies that are all roughly the same size, but even that is optional. My eggplant was much larger than the rest and it still looks beautiful. The spicy basil oil as a…
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Chocolate-Cherry Cake with Raspberries & Ganache
I’m constantly creating recipes or tweaking existing recipes to highlight fruit as the primary sweetener. I don’t even own a bag of white or brown sugar. Dates are a consistent favorite of mine, but I’ve recently been reminded of just how amazing and versatile a bag of frozen cherries can be. I love concocting fun cakes and since we had a family birthday coming up, I decided on a fancy chocolate cake (at least fancier than my usual chocolate snacking cake). I found a great recipe online for a grain-free chocolate cake and decided to switch it up with some swaps. Instead of coconut sugar and maple syrup, I pureed…
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Tahini-Date Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’m not going to say too much here, because I know how it feels to scroll through the blah-blah-blah’s to get to the good part of a post—-the recipe! Plus, these cookies need no introduction. They are insanely delicious, have an addicting texture, and are sweetened only with dates and bittersweet chocolate. You have officially found your guilt-free indulgence, so stop looking and start baking. Tahini-Date Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients: 1 cup almond flour 1/3 cup date syrup (I used Date Lady Date Syrup) 1 cup tahini 1 tbsp espresso powder 1 egg 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2-3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli) Method: Mix together almond flour,…
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Strawbanana Muffs
I am a modern career woman who spends late nights at work and too much $$ on takeout and wine. I also bake like a 1950’s housewife and bring something homemade to most occasions I’m invited to. Confusing I know. These strawberry-banana muffs were a last minute contribution to a laid-back summer Sunday deck hangout. I had a bunch of brown bananas (duh) but knew chocolate would melt. The strawberries in my fridge were begging for their moment to shine. I gave them their moment. Tender and juicy from the fruit, with a crisp crust from the coconut oil. These were delicious and a big hit. Strawbanana Muffs Yield: 12 muffins…
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Strawberry-Basil Jam
Some people have Christmas, others favor Halloween, then there’s those that await First Contact Day … myself? I’m partial to the first day of strawberry season. And it’s here! Like tomatoes, there is nothing quite like a summer strawberry. Choosing local also makes a big difference. I picked up mine from Eckert’s Farm and was surprised by how different they are from regular grocery store strawberries. I found them to be smaller, juicier, and more flavorful. I would describe these particular strawberries as sweet, floral, and fragrant. Now, the responsible thing to do would be to can my jam and store for colder months, when hibernation and SAD kicks in and…
