Apple Muffins -- a good old breakfast bonanza

Gentle readers, there is really nothing better than apple cake. Unless of course it's apple cake for breakfast. These aren't cake, but apple muffins are a pretty nice alternative to cake. These are full of things that are great for you, and are sweetened with dates, which pack a lot of other things into them besides sweetness. There is an optional addition of 1/4 cup coconut sugar if you want the muffins a little bit sweeter. That works out to a difference of 1/2 tsp per muffin, which isn't a whole lot. Plus coconut sugar is a low glycemic sweetner that's generally well tolerated by even those who are sensitive to sweeteners. So if you prefer it a little bit more dulce, go for it.

ingredients:

1 cup dates

2 cups water

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut sugar (optional)

4 eggs

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp ground vanilla

1 tbsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup flax meal

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup hemp hearts (hemp seeds sans shell)

1 cup pecan meal

1 cup almond flour

1 cup chopped apple

directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345

2. combine the hot water and dates in a bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes

3. puree the date and water mixture with an immersion blender

4. add the coconut oil and coconut sugar

5. add the eggs

6. add the sea salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger

7. add the baking soda, shredded coconut, flax meal, pecan meal, and almond flour

8. add the chopped apple

9. scoop into prepared muffin cups

10. bake in the upper half of the oven for 30 minutes

New Year's Day Pancake Lunch -- gluten free, grain free, super yummy pancakes

Welcome 2012.
Let's eat pancakes. What's not to love?

This is how we spent the morning:

And then we came home and had spontaneous pancakes with Sandra and Dave:

ingredients:

1 cup +2 tbps water
2 eggs

1/2 cup flax meal
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground vanilla
1/2 tsp ceylon cinnamon


2 tbsp shredded coconut
1/2 cup pecan meal
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda


directions:

1. combine the ingredients
2. cook the pancakes for 1 or 2 minutes per side depending on size. You'll have to press 'em down when you flip 'em because all the seeds etc make 'em thick.
3. eat the pancakes with butter and syrup and fruit salad


These are seriously super delicious.

Almond Butter Cookies -- this time with coconut nectar and hemp seeds

These were quite the hit last time, so I decided to do another go around, this time with such things as coconut nectar, hemp seeds, and chia seeds. Almond butter cookies truly are a treat. Hmm. I have a couple jars of natural peanut butter in my cupboard, and I'm thinking of peanut butter cookies next time ...

These are not the same as the first ones. They are not like parallel universe cookies or anything, but they depart a little in substance and in result. Coconut nectar is fruity where coconut sugar is secretive and dark, and I thought that fruitines might be fun with the dominant smooth nuttiness of the almond butter this time. I think I was right! 

My son enjoyed these very much, and I gotta tell you they are quite rich and satisfying. A good little energy boost when an energy boost is needed ...

Packed full of amazing powerhouse nutrition, these are a snack you don't need to stress over.

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup flax meal

1/4 cup hemp seeds

1/2 cup coconut nectar

1/2 cup almond butter

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 eggs

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground vanilla bean

1 cup almond meal

2 cups pecan meal

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 cup thompson raisins

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the boiling water with the chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp seeds

2. stir in the almond butter, coconut oil, and coconut nectar

3. add the apple cider vinegar

4. add the eggs

5. add the cinnamon, sea salt, and vanilla

6. stir in the baking soda

7. add the almond meal and pecan meal

8. stir in the raisins

9. scoop spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets and flatten with a damp fork

10. bake at 345 for 20 minutes

makes 4 dozen cookies

store in an airtight container once fully cool

Almond Butter and Raisin Cookies -- a great gluten-free, high powered snack

I haven't been posting much lately. Not sure why. I feel more tired than usual, so I'll just blame that. It's the heat. It's making my blood pressure drop. It's too hot to cook.

Truth is, I may have been creating less, but still creating plenty nonetheless. I've been stockpiling posts like some kind of deranged chipmunk preparing for the winter of my discontent. Whatever. I have just been way too lethargic to actually publish them. Lots of good stuff, too. Things I'd be excited about if only it weren't so darn hot and I weren't so darn tired ...

Well, I whipped up these cookies before taking my son to 'camp' so that he'd have a healthy snack to enjoy and share with the other children.

They taste good. They are good for you. They are easy. Hope that helps.


ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 eggs

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon (I used saigon)
1 tsp ground vanilla

1/2 cup flax meal
2 cups pecan meal
1 cup almond flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup raisins


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the coconut oil, almond  butter, and hot water
2. add the coconut sugar and apple cider vinegar
3. mix in the flax meal, followed by the eggs
4. add hte sea salt, cinnamon, and ground vanilla
5. add the pecan meal and almond flour
6. add the baking soda
7.  add the raisins

(hmm ... if you are a chocolate lover, chocolate chips would go well with them as they are)

8. drop by the spoonful onto lined baking sheets
9. flatten with a wet fork
10. bake for 20 minutes at 345
11. store in an airtight container when fully cooled.

makes 3-4 dozen depending on size (will fill 2 baking trays)

Saturday Morning with Friends Apple Muffins -- Gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free

This hearty little muffin is neither graceful nor delicate. However, it is studded with apple and raisins, has lots of blood sugar stabilizing chia, and is a perfect rainy Saturday morning tea muffin. The cunning combination of flavours creates a satisfying and delicious treat.

A friend of mine yesterday was telling me about her daughter who has type 1 diabetes. I find it rather maddening that type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are both called diabetes, because they are not the same thing.

She was telling me that in type 1 diabetes, the body attacks and destroys its own islet (insulin producing) cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin, but they also need to eat in a way that keeps their blood sugar levels as stable as possible, to prevent damage to the body caused by too high or too low blood sugar levels.

I am not diabetic, I can't relate to the challenges that type 1 diabetes must pose. But, I am sensitive to the effects of sugar and carbs on my body. If I eat a piece of bread, even if it is whole grain, without protein of some kind, I can feel my heart racing, and I can get a headache, much the same way as I would if I eat sugar (for example in the form of chocolate) on an empty stomach. I like to try to combine any sweets with protein and fat, with seeds and nuts etc. This way, there are no blood sugar spikes, no racing heart, no nausea and headache.

These muffins are nicely sweet, with their scant coconut sugar, their raisins and apples, but the effects of these sweets are carefully mitigated by the pecan, almond, coconut, and flax, and wonderfully stabilized by the cinnamon and (especially) the chia. But it is still a yummy baked good. Because sometimes you need a yummy baked good with your tea.

ingredients:

3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1 1/2 cup water
6 tbsp coconut sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp ceylon cinnamon
black pepper

3 tbsp chia seeds
6 tbsp flax meal
1 1/2 cup pecan meal
3/4 cup almond meal

1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp coconut flour

2 cup diced apple
1/2 cup raisins

24 very very thin apple slices
coconut sugar


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the coconut oil and warm water to melt it
2. add in the coconut sugar and apple cider vinegar
3. beat in the eggs when the mixture is cool enough
4. add the spices
5. add the flax meal and chia seeds
6. add the pecan meal and almond meal
7. add the baking soda
8. add the coconut flour
9. stir in the diced apple
10. add the raisins
11. scoop the mixture into 24 prepared muffin cups
12. top each muffin cup with a very thin apple slice and a sprinkle of coconut sugar
13. bake at 345 for 35 minutes in the upper half of the oven

Make sure you make enough, because when you put these out, your friends will sneakily eat them all by distracting you. "Look over there! Really. There really is an elephant outside your window. No, seriously. I'm not just trying to distract you! Hurry!" When you look, they will invariably pop the last muffin in their mouth, and then you will glance back after not seeing an elephant, and realize, once again, you've been had for a sucker.

Kitchen Sink Muffins -- or should I say, everything but the? Gluten free!

These muffins were inspired by the idea of variety.  They have something of the breakfast muffin about them. They put me in mind of a bran muffin or a morning glory muffin. But unlike their donut store counter-parts, they will fuel you up and keep you in fighting form (or loving form, if you're a lover, not a fighter) for hours.


ingredients:

1 cup water, warmed
2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground vanilla
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/4 cup ground flax
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp raw cacao
1 tbsp carob powder

1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup pecan meal
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut flour

2 tbsp chopped goji berries (you don't have to chop 'em if you don't want to. I thought it would be more appealing to the littlies if the goji-bits were small)
2 tbsp diced dried apricots (use unsulphured)
2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp raisins

(and next time?
add 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
and 2 tbsp callebaut bittersweet morsels
for something ... even punchier)




directions:

1. preheat oven to 345
2. combine warm water and coconut oil to melt the oil
3. stir in the vinegar and coconut sugar
4. add the salt, vanilla, and cinnamon
5. beat in the eggs
6. add the flax and chia
7. add the cacao and carob
8. add the pecan meal and almond meal
9. add the baking soda
10. add the coconut flour
11. add the assorted additional ingredients ... you can pretty much go wild here, sticking with dried fruit, seeds, and nuts for the most part. If you add fresh or frozen fruit, the extra moisture will cause issues ...
12. scoop your batter into 12 prepared muffin cups, and bake at 345 for 30 minutes
13. cool in the cups and then remove to a cooling rack
14. store in an airtight container. They will remain moist and fresh tasting for days.

Baked Apple With Pecan 'Crumble' -- Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, cane sugar free

I'm an incurable, calculating, and at times slightly fanatical apple lover.  In short, there have been days when I've loved apples not wisely but too well. Fortunately, my days of indiscriminate apple loving are over, and now I just love 'em in a good old fashioned amiable apple way. I don't even eat an apple a day anymore. How times have changed.

One of the nice things about apples is how well they keep. It's pretty much possible to always have apples on hand as a staple without them easily going bad.

Plus, who doesn't love apple pie, apple crisp, or apple crumble? Or apple slices dipped in a mixture of almond butter and coconut oil? Or just fresh apple ... :)

For the purposes of our brunch, I wanted to make some baked apple. The recipe is slightly different than last baked apple recipe. Also, it includes the addition of an optional topping, made with pecan meal, coconut sugar, and cinnamon. The problem that I have with apple crisp is how uncrisp the topping is the next day if you have leftovers.  This way, the topping can be sprinkled on at any time, and enjoyed for breakfast or for dessert. There you have it. Please feel free to scoff at my gluttonly ways.

Toasted Ground Pecans with Cinnamon and Coconut sugar -- as good as it sounds.

toasted pecan topping recipe:

ingredients:

1/2 cup pecan meal

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp sea salt

 2 tbsp coconut sugar

directions:

1. toast the pecan meal with the sea salt and cinnamon over low heat in a dry skillet (I used a ceramic one)

2. once the pecan meal has been thoroughly toasted, add the coconut sugar, and toast a little longer

3. be careful not to let the mixture stick or burn once the coconut sugar has been added

4. serve with baked apple (recipe below)

baked apple recipe:

ingredients:

6 large apples, washed and cored, but not peeled (I used 4 royal galas, 1 piñata, and 1 pink lady)

1/2 cup organic thompson raisins

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 pinch sea salt

1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. choose a large casserole or dutch oven, put the coconut oil in, and put it in the oven for 5 minutes while you begin cutting the apples

2. toss the chopped apples in the casserole or dutch oven with the melted coconut oil and lemon juice

3. add the spices and pinch of salt, and toss well

4. cover and bake at 345 for 60 minutes in the upper half of the oven. If need be, remove the cover and bake for 20 or 30 minutes open. I found in my big cast iron Nemesis, the apples were not done enough, and there was too much liquid after 60 minutes covered, so 30 more minutes uncovered did the trick nicely.

5. serve the baked apple with a generous layer of the pecan topping on it, or by itself. It's delicious either way.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies -- dairy free, sugar free, high protein

Elaine was waxing poetic about her love for pecan meal, so I was reminded of the oatmeal cookies I used to make that involved dates and pecan meal. Pecan meal and dates together do lovely things that put me in mind of brown sugar. Yes, alchemy afoot. These cookies use good things like ground nuts and coconut flour, some spelt flakes, chewy raisins, sweet spicy cinnamons, and fragrant ground vanilla. There is no cane sugar, although there is a little coconut sugar, which won't elevate blood sugar levels, to sweeten along with the dates and raisins.

The flavour is complex and yet homey, with a lot of the traditional oatmeal cookie about it. However, the ingredients elevate it to a health food, and make it a reasonable, high energy snack.

My three year old is crazy about these, and I myself find them seriously yummy. I'm not sure my husband would sit in the dark with a glass of milk and eat them by the dozen, but he does like them, too.

They are not gluten free because of the spelt flakes, but they are an updated twist on an old favourite. If you prefer oat flakes to spelt flakes, you can certainly use those. Or, you can try any other type of flaked grain you please, if you have a preference. I like spelt because of the texture, but pretty much any flaked grain will work here. To be honest, I used spelt flakes because we'd run out of oat flakes  ... I guess that just proves that I am an opportunistic cook.

ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup warm water

1/4 cup pitted honey dates

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 egg

6 tbsp coconut sugar

1/2 tsp ground vanilla

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp flax meal

1/2 cup pecan meal

1/2 cup blanched almond meal

1 cup spelt flakes (or large oat flakes or whatever flakes you fancy)

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp coconut flour

1/2 cup thompson raisins 

directions:

preheat your oven to 345

1. soak the dates in the warm water for 10 minutes, and then puree (I use a stick blender, but you can also use a food processor)

2. melt the coconut oil in the warm date puree

3. mix in your coconut sugar, your vinegar, and your egg

4. sitr in your cinnamon, vanilla, and sea salt

5. add the flax, pecan, and almond meal

6. mix in your spelt flakes and your baking soda

7. mix in your coconut flour

8. add the raisins

9. place spoonfuls on a lined baking sheet, and flatten with a wet fork

10. bake at 345 for 20 minutes

makes about 2 dozen (fairly large) cookies

yum!

Shape Cookies -- Really Delicious Rolled Cookies -- gluten free! Vegan! Sugar Free!

This is not my first bake sale. That is to say, this is not my first rodeo. What I mean, is I've made shape cookies before. However, this is really delicious. There is a sweet crunchiness to them, a pleasing intensity, and an overall harmonic synthesis of flavours that elevates the taste beyond the sum of its parts. There is alchemy afoot here.


My son (three!) and I decided to make some shape cookies today, and these are what we came up with. Chock full of goodies such as chia, flax, almond, and pecan, these cookies offer a sweet treat that won't monkey with your blood sugar, and will fuel your body. The sweetener is coconut sugar, which you may recall is very low on the glycemic index. Unlike some sweeteners, it doesn't give me headaches or a racing heart, so I love it. Plus it has a rich dark taste that works beautifully with the carob powder in these cookies. I chose carob for a few reasons. I wasn't trying to get an imitation chocolate thang going on. I love using raw cacao when going for chocolate. However, carob is a nutritional wonder of protein, minerals, vitamins etc. Additionally, it is naturally sweet, unlike cacao which requires more sweeteners to balance its dark and dirty flavour (yum). Carob goes beautifully with the spices, pecan meal, and coconut sugar flavours in this recipe, and I would recommend against substituting cacao for carob without trying the carob first.


ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
2 tsp egg replacer + 1/2 cup water, combined

2 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ground vanilla bean
1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup ground chia seed
1/2 cup flax meal

1/2 cup carob powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup pecan meal
1/2 cup almond flour

3 tbsp coconut flour


directions:

1. lightly warm the coconut oil to melt, and mix in the coconut sugar and apple cider vinegar
2. make sure oil is not warm, and mix in the egg replacer and water
3. add the cinnamon, vanilla, and sea salt
4. mix in the chia and flax
5. add the carob
6. mix in the baking soda
7. mix in the pecan meal and almond meal
8. finally add the coconut flour, and mix well
9. preheat the oven to 345
10. roll out the dough in 2 or 3 pieces between two sheets of parchment
11. cut using your favourite cookie cutters
12. place on a lined baking sheet, and bake for 17 or 18 minutes at 345

makes about 1 1/2 or 2 trays of cookies, quantity depends on size of cookie cutters

variation: I wanted to have a bit more of a dark and dirty flavour this go around, so in addition to the 1/2 cup of carob powder, I added 2 tbsp of raw cacao. I also added one tsp of regular cinnamon to the 2 tsp of ceylon cinnamon. To make up for the difference of dry ingredients, I reduced the coconut flour from 3 tbsp to 2 tbsp. The verdict? The three year old says: MMMMMMMM!

Gluten Free Brownies Again -- Agave Free this time.

The recipe I posted last week for gluten free brownies, while delicious and gluten free, contains some agave. Now, it does only contain a couple of table spoons, but some people are very sensitive to many sweeteners, including agave. For this reason, I've come up with a gluten-free brownie recipe that uses a little coconut nectar, a little coconut sugar, and some dates for sweetness. The texture of these brownies is soft and fluffy and fudgey all at the same time, and they taste rich and chocolatey. For me personally, although I can't eat much agave before I feel it, the quantity in the baked goods I make doesn't usually have any ill-effects on me. However, if you are someone who tends to hypo or hyper glycemia, or if you are just quite sensitive to fructose, this second version might sit better with you.

I've changed the recipe in a few ways, because the flavour would necessarily be different with a different sweetener. I've increased the pecan meal, because pecans and dates do something magical when they are used together in a recipe that, while not quite alchemy, is more than the sum of its parts.

If agave is your sweetener of choice, then the first version is the one for you. But because different folks have different ingredients in their cupboards, and different likes, I'm leaving both recipes in. Enjoy!

ingredients:

14 pitted honey dates (1/2 cup packed)

6 pitted prunes (1/4 cup packed)

1 cup hot water

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

2 tbsp coconut nectar

2 tbsp coconut sugar

2 xl organic eggs

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp ground vanilla bean, or 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp finely ground chia seeds

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1/2 cup pecan meal

1/4 cup almond meal

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup coconut flour

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. pour the hot water over the prunes and dates in your mixing bowl and soak for 10 minutes

2. add the coconut oil, coconut nectar, and coconut sugar

3. puree with a stick blender until smooth

4. when cool enough, add the eggs and vinegar, and puree again

5. stir in the sea salt, cinnamon, and vanilla

6. add the chia seeds, and blend with the stick blender

7. mix in the raw cacao

8. mix in the pecan meal and almond meal

9. mix in the baking soda

10. mix in the coconut flour last

11. scoop the batter into 12 prepared muffin cups

12. sprinkle the tops with a little coconut sugar (optional)

13. bake at 345 for 30 minutes in the upper half of the oven

14. cool in the cups, and then remove to a cooling rack

15. store in an airtight container

Baby Cake Vegan Brownie -- Baby Cake #1

Vegan Brownie

When you read this recipe, as I mentioned, you will see similarities between this and my first posted recipe for Chocolate Muffins. However, I shall simply post the recipe in entirety with the changes, and you can do with it what you wish. I know you must be shaking your head in disbelieving awe. Could something so good for you actually taste this good? The answer is: damn, I hope so. 

My son had one after dinner last night. His opinion was: "This tastes real good." He repeated this sentence about 15 times whist gazing at his chocolate delight. I know, I know. You're casting my words back at me. You're thinking: "That's the kid who ate a cigarette butt. What does he know?" When I asked my husband what he thought of the brownie, he merely stuffed another one in his mouth and grunted. So, kindly and gentle reader, it comes down to you. Vegan Brownie -- yea or nay?

ingredients:

1 3/4 cup filtered water, warmed

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/4 cup clear agave

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

2 tsp egg replacer + 4 tbsp filtered water

1 tsp sea salt

1 or 2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup raw cacao (or cocoa powder)

1/2 cup pecan meal

1 cup almond meal (blanched)

1 cup kamut pastry flour (whole grain)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup Callebaut chocolate morsels

extra Callebaut morsels to decorate the top

directions:

preheat oven to 345

1. soak dates in water for 10 minutes, and then puree dates in the water. (It's a good idea to check each date to make sure the pit has indeed been removed. Just give it a squeeze)

2. add rest of 'wet' ingredients and puree again

3. stir in dry ingredients one by one. Add the chocolate morsels after everything else has been well combined. I often find it easier to add the baking soda before the kamut flour to ensure even distribution.

4. scoop batter into prepared muffin tins. I use silicone cups placed on a baking sheet. They need to be oiled the first couple of times you use them, but after that are amazingly non-stick, and wonderfully non-wasteful. Decorate the top of the brownies with a few chocolate morsels. This is optional. Not really. Just do it.

5. bake for 30 minutes in the center of the oven

6. remove from oven when the top feels slightly springy to your touch

7. remove brownies from muffin tins or silicone cups a few minutes after removing from oven.

8. Hide them quickly.

makes 24  brownies


(If you can correctly identify where the quote below comes from, you win a vegan brownie!)

yum

yum

extra yum

Chocolate Banana Cakes

One of these things is not like the other ... wait a minute. Scratch that. Neither of them are like the other. In one small way. Okay, I'll admit it. They are almost identical. :)

They are both delectable chocolate banana cakes made with a couple of over ripe bananas just begging for a chance at fate. They both have everyone's favourite superfood -- raw cacao. They both contain very little sweetner and a decent amount of protein. In fact, they are identical in every respect except for one naughty little detail. The bottom cake contains an addition of a few decadent morsels of Callebaut dark chocolate ...

Now, I have to confess I'm not much of a chocolate eater, and I tend to turn up my nose at banana. (Cooked is okay, but raw? Erk.) However, I live with a couple of true chocolate lovers and banana eaters. My little son's first experience with chocolate was raw cacao nibs, which taste to me exactly like dirt. However, to him they are wonderful. I guess I don't  need to bring up the cigarette butt eating incident again, but ...

These little cakes were very popular in our house. We did half the batch with Callebaut morsels, and half sans. The raw cacao make them taste gratifyingly chocolately even without the punch of the chocolate. However, my husband will attest that they certainly aren't harmed in any way by the addition. ;)

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup clear agave

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 over ripe bananas (about 1 cup)

1 cup pecan meal

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

dash of freshly ground black pepper (optional)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa if you must ;))

1 cup kamut flour (finely milled, pastry flour texture, whole grain, please)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 to 1/2 cup of high quality chocolate morsels

directions:

preheat oven to 345 and prepare 24 muffin cups (or use a rectangular pan if you prefer)

1. lightly warm the milk and oil together to melt the oil (coconut oil is a solid below 24 degrees)

2. add agave, and eggs, and stir briskly to combine

3. add vanilla

4. lightly mash the bananas (don't puree), and stir into the wet ingredients

5. stir in the pecan meal, sea salt, cinnamon, and black pepper

6. stir in the raw cacao and baking soda

7. add the kamut flour and mix thoroughly

8. if you are not adding chocolate morsels, spoon the batter into 24 muffin cups

9. if you are using chocolate morsels, add 1/2 cup chocolate morsels to the batter, and spoon the batter into 24 muffin cups

10. if you are adding chocolate to half the recipe as we did, spoon the batter into 12 muffin cups, then add 1/4 cup chocolate to the remaining batter, and spoon the remaining batter into 12 more muffin cups.

11. bake at 345 for 22-24 minutes in the upper half of the oven, or until the tops spring back when pressed lightly with a brave finger.

12. use them to bribe your husband to clean up his room.