Sure it’s a cliche, but with the commencement of the new year (and the end of the indulgent holiday season), I felt the need to overhaul my diet by renouncing sugar for a while; and not just the white stuff, which I generally don’t eat anyway. I’m avoiding maple syrup, honey, evaporated cane juice, coconut sugar, coconut nectar, molasses, agave, etc.
You get the picture.
What I AM eating and baking with – in moderation – are Medjool dates and high fructose fruit such as bananas.
In case any of you are also interested in omitting sugar from your diet, I’ve rounded up a bunch of no-sugar-added desserts, sweet snacks, and breakfasts; some are from Healthy Food For Living and some are from other blogs.
Surprisingly, I’ve been faring pretty well without sugar. My daily green smoothie and the occasional almond butter-stuffed date are keeping my sweet cravings at bay, and more often than not I don’t find myself wanting something sweet after dinner.
That being said, I’m still hungry between meals… and it’s actually been fun to think of new non-sugary snacks.
I’ve recently discovered the deliciousness of stovetop popcorn, and Bree’s recipe has become my go-to technique.
I cut down on the amount of coconut oil used to pop the popcorn, and changed up the topping ingredients to include cinnamon, toasted coconut, and almond slices.
Crunchy from the almonds, salty, slightly sweet from the cinnamon and coconut, this popcorn not only tastes fantastic but is also the perfect trifecta of carb/protein/fat to satiate your hunger. The low-calorie popcorn makes it a voluminous snack, and the coconut and almonds make it a hunger-busting one.
Isn’t that everything a snack should be?!
Cinnamon & Toasted Coconut Stovetop Popcorn
by Lauren Zembron
Name: Cinnamon & Toasted Coconut Stovetop Popcorn
Cuisine: Fusion
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Yield: Approximately 4 cups of popcorn
Ingredients
8 cups freshly popped organic non-GMO popcorn (I recommend this recipe; follow instructions through popping the corn and omit the butter, honey and salt; I also use closer to 2 Tbsp coconut oil for popping rather than 1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp melted unsalted butter, preferably organic
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup toasted almond slices (stir in a dry skillet set over medium-high heat until lightly golden brown)
1 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes (stir in a dry skillet set over medium-high heat until lightly golden brown)
Instructions
our the melted butter over the freshly popped popcorn; stir to evenly coat. Sprinkle on the salt and cinnamon; stir to evenly coat.
Stir in the toasted almond slices and coconut flakes. Eat immediately.
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving (1/4 of the recipe)
Calories: 175 kcal
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 50mg
Total Carbohydrates: 19g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 2g
Please note that these nutritional values are estimates and can vary based on factors like the specific brands of ingredients used and portion sizes.
If you live in New England, you don’t want to hear about it because you’re living amidst this never-ending Snowmageddon; and if you live elsewhere, you don’t want to hear about it because you’ve been inundated with plaintive updates on social media for the past month.
So, let’s talk about these cookie bars instead, yes?!
Chewy in the center, crispy around the edges, these coconutty cookie bars dotted with dark chocolate chips are healthy and delicious. They have only a handful of ingredients and are a cinch to whip up.
I like them soft at room temperature, but John prefers them straight from the fridge; the coconut butter firms up and the bars take on a consistency that tiptoes the line between cookie and fudge.
If you’re a sucker for fresh-from-the-oven cookies, toss a bar (or two) into the toaster oven or microwave until the chocolate starts to melt.
Or, you could go the completely opposite way and not bake the dough at all; there are no eggs in the recipe, so you could roll the dough into balls and refrigerate them until the coconut butter sets up for a no-bake treat.
However you decide to eat them, you are going to love these cookie bars…
… and they might even make you forget that we still have another month plus of winter.
Chocolate Chip Macaroon Oatmeal Cookie Bars
by Lauren Zembron
Name
Chocolate Chip Macaroon Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Cuisine
Baking
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cooking Time
25 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
Servings
24 bars
Yield
1 9×13-inch pan
Ingredients (16 bars)
2 2/3 cup full fat finely shredded unsweetened coconut (one 8 oz package) OR 1 cup of coconut butter
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper going both ways, leaving a bit overhanging the sides of the pan.
In a food processor, process 2 2/3 cups (8 oz) shredded coconut for about 5-8 minutes, until a thick, smooth coconut butter forms, scraping down the sides as needed (this will yield 1 cup of coconut butter).
Spread the dough in an even layer into the prepared baking pan. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and slightly puffed. The center will still be very soft.
Allow to sit at room temperature in the baking pan for about 30 minutes, then remove by picking up the overhanging pieces of parchment paper. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: Approximately 260 calories
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 40mg
Sodium: 130mg
Carbohydrates: 31g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 19g
Protein: 3g
Enjoy these delicious Chocolate Chip Macaroon Oatmeal Cookie Bars while being mindful of the serving sizes and nutritional information!
I am excited to let you all know about the release of the Cabot Creamery Cookbook! As a member of the Cabot Cheese Board, I was fortunate enough to get a preview copy of the cookbook; and let me tell you, there are a LOT of fantastic recipes packed into this cookbook! I’ve earmarked more than half of the book, and have already made a handful of the recipes; all of which have been amazing. All of the recipes are from the farm families who own Cabot and this is the company’s first-ever printed cookbook.
Cabot is hosting a giveaway; 10 winners will be randomly selected to win a copy of the Cabot Creamery Cookbook along with a $25 Gift Box of Cabot Cheese. One grand-prize winner will receive a copy of the Cabot Creamery Cookbook plus a One-Year Supply of Cabot Cheese!
The sweepstakes will run from February 15 – April 15.
To enter, click on this link, find the green “enter now” button on the right hand side of the page, and fill out the sweepstakes form on Cabot’s Facebook page.
In the meantime, check out some of these mouthwatering photos of recipes included in the cookbook:
{Au Gratin Potatoes with Cheddar-Stour Sauce courtesy of Beth & Courtney Hodge}
{Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecake Squares courtesy of Billie Jo Krebs & Carolee Hand}
{Garganelli Mac and Cheese with Roasted Jalapeños and Bacon, courtesy of Joshua Rollins}
{Lemon-Yogurt Pound Cake courtesy of Amy Richardson}
{Vegetable and Cheddar Strata courtesy of the Wheeler family}
I typically associate pesto with warm weather given the fact that the main ingredient in the traditional version – basil – is in season during the summer, but a simple swap with broccoli turns the classic pasta accompaniment into a winter-friendly recipe.
I also swapped the traditional pine nuts for walnuts because a) they’re healthier and b) they’re less expensive; but the rest of the usual ingredients can be found in this pesto.
If you have broccoli-haters in your house, fear not; the final product does not taste much like broccoli at all, but it is a great way to sneak some of the cruciferous green veggie into a pick eater’s pasta dinner.
I prefer pesto on the thicker side so it’s not overly oily, but you can certainly add more olive oil to the recipe if you like a thinner consistency. Thicker pesto is also better for dipping crudite into or spreading onto bread for sandwiches, which I highly recommend!
Of course, the most popular way to eat pesto is to stir it into pasta, which is how we enjoyed it.
Green in winter!
Broccoli-Walnut Pesto
by Lauren Zembron
Name
Broccoli-Walnut Pesto
Cuisine
Italian
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cooking Time
3 minutes (blanching)
Total Time
13 minutes
Servings
About 8 servings
Yield
Approximately 1.5 cups
Ingredients
1 head broccoli, preferably organic, crowns chopped into 1-inch florets (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 garlic clove, peeled & chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or more depending on desired consistency
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a simmer. Carefully add the broccoli florets and cook until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes.
Drain cooked broccoli and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels; place in the bowl of a food process along with the toasted walnuts, garlic, and parmesan. Process until finely chopped.
With the motor running, stream in the olive oil and lemon juice through the feed tube; process until fully combined. If you prefer a thinner, more runny consistency, stream in additional olive oil (one tablespoon at a time), until desired consistency is reached.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Best if eaten immediately.
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 125 calories
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 4mg
Sodium: 114mg
Total Carbohydrates: 3g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 0.5g
Protein: 4g
Vitamin D: 0%
Calcium: 60mg
Iron: 1mg
Potassium: 130mg
Please note that these nutritional values are approximate and can vary based on the specific brands of ingredients used and the serving size.
It should come as no surprise to you when I say that I love almonds. The little nutritional powerhouses are one of my go-to snacks, and I love to incorporate almonds in all of their forms (almond flour, almond butter, almond extract, etc.) to recipes. Case in point. So I – of course – jumped at the chance to join healthyfoodforliving.com in their effort to spread the word about the health benefits of almonds.
Before we get to the recipe, (which, believe me, you want to stick around for), let’s chat for a bit about what makes almonds so fantastic. First of all, they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Including almonds in your diet can help to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cancer & heart disease. Second of all, they are delicious and can be enjoyed in a vast variety of ways.
For this recipe, I combined almonds, unsweetened coconut flakes, and dark chocolate to create little two-bite treats that taste like the popular candy bar in fudge form.
The bites require no cooking, and can be whipped up in mere minutes. Straight out of the food processor, the mixture is the consistency of nut butter, but it sets up into a dense fudge-like texture when chilled in the refrigerator.
It is nearly impossible to eat just one of these; you have been warned!
If you have yet to include almonds into your diet, hopefully this recipe will entice you to start; and be sure to check out Nuts.com for their wide (and tempting!) variety of almond offerings by clicking here.
Almond Joy Fudge Bites
by Lauren Zembron
Name:
Almond Joy Fudge Bites
Cuisine:
Fusion
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cooking Time:
0
Total Time:
45 minutes (including chilling time)
Servings:
24 bites
Yield:
Varies depending on bite size
Ingredients (12 bites)
1 1/2 cups dry roasted unsalted almonds
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1/8 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
Line a 12 cup mini muffin tin with mini muffin liners.
Combine almonds and coconut flakes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the almonds and coconut break down into a smooth butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 5-10 minutes.
Add in the coconut oil, salt, and chocolate chips; process until the coconut oil & chocolate have melted and are fully combined (the heat from the food processor will melt the chocolate).
Evenly divide the mixture amongst the lined muffin cups. Chill in the refrigerator until set, at least 2 hours.
Peel off the muffin liners. Store in refrigerator.
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: ~120 calories
Total Fat: ~9g
Saturated Fat: ~4g
Cholesterol: ~0mg
Sodium: ~30mg
Total Carbohydrates: ~10g
Dietary Fiber: ~2g
Sugars: ~6g
Protein: ~3g
Please note that these nutrition estimates are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes. It’s always a good practice to calculate nutrition based on the exact ingredients and quantities used.
I am beyond excited to share a new (to me) discovery with you: Not Your Sugar Mamas, a Martha’s Vineyard-based store that sells handmade chocolates and other goodies without any refined sugars. The high-quality chocolate bars are:
made with 75% cacao
non GMO
gluten- and dairy-free
made with all-natural ingredients
refined sugar free
handmade
certified organic
comprised of both direct and fair trade ingredients, as well as locally sourced ingredients
The first two ingredients listed on the label of every chocolate bar are organic raw cacao & organic raw cacao butter. There are no emulsifiers, and you can tell not only from the ingredient list but also from the way the silky chocolate melts in your mouth.
The chocolate bars come in a variety of uniquely delicious flavors:
Lavender Sea Salt
Coconut Crunch
Salted Caramel
Rose Maca
Ginger Pomegranate
Pure & Simple
These are not your average chocolate bars; not by a long shot. They are less sweet, but much more flavorful than anything you can find in the checkout line at the grocery store. They are packed with superfood ingredients, and are healthy enough to eat for breakfast (one serving of any of the chocolate bars has less than 6 grams of sugar or less).
A bonus: Lily loved the flavors she tried, and I didn’t think twice about giving her a few bites of chocolate mid-afternoon given how healthy they are.
Each of the bars boasts one of these little stickers, reminding you that they are handmade with love…
… and are packaged in 100% recycled paper with inspirational quotes (such as the one photographed below) printed on the inside of the wrapper:
Not Your Sugar Mamas
So, that’s the chocolate.
Then there’s the cookies:
Oh, these cookies. I am officially obsessed! Made with nutrient-dense ingredients, these chocolate chip cookies are fan-freakin’-tastic. There’s only one left in the package, and it’s going to be a sad day after that one goes down the hatch (which will probably be tomorrow).
If you’re lucky enough to frequent the Vineyard, be sure you check out one of Not Your Sugar Mamas two Chocolate Cafes (Vineyard Haven & Edgartown) for even more goodies, including fresh smoothies, baked goods, raw treats, cupcakes, truffles, scones, muffins, and coffee. I will be on the Vineyard late this summer, and you can bet I’m going to stop in to at least one of the locations!
If you’re nowhere near Martha’s Vineyard and have no plans to visit, check out their online store here.
I’m thrilled to be a participant in the blog tour for the gorgeous cookbook Love Fed: Purely Decadent, Simply Raw, Plant-Based Desserts by Christina Ross, which is chock full of gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free vegan treats.
Christina’s recipes are enticing in name alone, (Triple-Layer German Chocolate Cake, Raspberry and Coconut Glazed Doughnuts, and Maple Banana Tiramisu Trifle to name a few), but add her gorgeous photographs, and I guarantee you’ll be running to the kitchen to make one of her beautiful desserts.
I chose to make her Maple Banana Tiramisu Trifle, and am happy to be able to share the recipe with you!
Maple Banana Tiramisu Trifle
Name:
Love-Infused Quinoa Bowl
Cuisine:
Fusion
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cooking Time:
25 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Servings:
4 servings
Yield:
4 quinoa bowls
This is my raw-vegan mash-up of two favorite European desserts: English trifle and Italian tiramisu. The result is a sophisticated dessert worthy of any fancy tabletop.
CREAM
1 c. cashews, soaked and drained
1⁄8 tsp. sea salt
1⁄4 c. almond milk
1⁄4 c. cold-brewed coffee or 1 tsp. coffee extract
1⁄4 c. maple syrup
1 tbsp. melted coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon juice
CHOCOLATE SAUCE DRIZZLE
1 tbsp. cacao powder
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1⁄4 tsp. vanilla extract
3 bananas
11/2 tsp. cacao powder, for garnish
Instruction
To make the cream: Place the cashews, sea salt, almond milk, cold-brewed coffee, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and lemon juice in a blender and blend until very creamy.
Whisk the cacao powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer to a squirt bottle, if you have one, or leave in the bowl until ready to use.
Cut each of the bananas into 3 even sections. Slice each section in half lengthwise (you will have 18 total pieces of banana). Place 2 of the banana sections in the bottom of a 33⁄4×41⁄4″ trifle glass or ramekin. Repeat in a second glass or ramekin. Squirt chocolate sauce (or drizzle with a spoon) along the rims of the glasses all the way around, reserving some for garnish. Next, add enough cream to cover the bananas. Layer another 2 bananas sections on top, then the cream.
Stand up the remaining 10 banana sections vertically around the sides of each glass (5 per glass), then pour in the cream to the top. Gently sift cacao powder on top and garnish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Serve immediately or let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The individual components of this trifle are fantastic all on their own, but when you combine them together, the result is pure bliss. I’m a sucker for coffee & chocolate together, so the coffee “cream” and chocolate sauce are – in my opinion – a match made in heaven.
Using bananas in place of the traditional ladyfingers in this raw version of tiramisu is brilliant. You can’t clearly see them in these photos because I drowned them in coffee cream and chocolate sauce, but there are bananas in there, I promise!
Here’s the image from the cookbook:
Hungry yet? Be sure to follow along with the tour for more of Christina’s scrumptious recipes!
Estimated nutrition per serving
Calories: Approximately 450 kcal
Protein: Approximately 15g
Carbohydrates: Approximately 55g
Dietary Fiber: Approximately 12g
Fat: Approximately 20g
Saturated Fat: Approximately 2.5g
Sodium: Approximately 450mg
Sugar: Approximately 6g
Please note that nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes used.
Exciting news, my friends: my second e-cookbook is in the works and I can’t wait to share the recipes with you! This one is all about toddler- and kid- approved food. There are recipes for breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, and dessert; enough to last a full week.
Of course, all of the recipes will be healthy to appease the parents but delicious to satisfy the kiddos.
Here’s a sneak peak at some of the recipes that will be included in the ebook:
Here’s a sneak peak at some of the recipes that will be included in the ebook:
Be sure to check in with my Facebook page from time to time, as that is where I post the majority of my e-cookbook updates.
Whatever you call it, it is deeeeeelicious; every bit as scrumptious as that Deep-Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie for One that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind over the past couple of weeks.
This version uses oil instead of butter, white chocolate chips instead of grain-sweetened, and gets the added tastiness of cocoa powder for a brownie-like result.
The inside is soft, moist, and studded with melty white chocolate chips; the top is slightly crackly and crisp. In other words: pure decadence in a single-serving cup!
Can this be considered an appropriate (but infrequent) mid-afternoon snack? Because it totally was for me. Or maybe that’s just the pregnancy hormones talking.
In all seriousness, this is clearly an indulgent dessert to be enjoyed every once-in-a-while. But when you do make one of these brownie cookies for one, you’ll be in utter bliss.
That being said, if you’re wondering if there’s a way to make it even more decadent, I’m here to assure you that there most certainly is:
Top your still-warm brownie cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt!
Any dessert a la mode is fantastic, and this is no exception.
Deep-Dish White Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookie for One
by Lauren Zembron
Name:
Deep-Dish White Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookie for One
Cuisine:
Fusion
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cooking Time:
20 minutes
Total Time:
30 minutes
Servings:
1
Yield:
1 deep-dish cookie
Keywords: bake dessert white chocolate chocolate brownies cookies
Ingredients (1 serving)
1 Tbsp neutral-flavored oil
1/2 Tbsp unrefined granulated sugar, such as evaporated cane juice
1/2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp beaten egg, preferably organic (cover & chill remaining beaten egg for tomorrow’s cookie cup… you will be making another one!)
tiny splash pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
tiny pinch salt
heaping 1 Tbsp all-natural white chocolate chips, such as Sunspire
Instructions
In a small ramekin or microwavable cup, combine oil and both sugars; stir well with a spoon. Stir in beaten egg and vanilla extract. Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Microwave on high for 35-40 seconds. Let cookie rest at room temperature for about 10 seconds before devouring.
Estimated Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: Approximately 450 kcal
Total Fat: 28 grams
Saturated Fat: 14-16 grams
Cholesterol: 115-130 mg
Sodium: 150-170 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 39-45 grams
Dietary Fiber: 1-2 grams
Sugars: 28-32 grams
Protein: 5-6 grams
Please note that these nutritional values are estimates and can vary based on the precise ingredients and quantities used. It’s always a good practice to calculate nutritional information based on the exact ingredients and serving sizes you use.
