The Best Chocolate Zucchini Muffins Ever!

Whenever I have multiple ZUCCHINIS in the fridge I ALWAYS say that I'll make chocolate zucchini MUFFINS...
But I NEVER do.

I either SPIRALIZE or GRATE or GRILL...
(Which are all FANTASTIC things to do with ZUCCHINI by the way....)
But then SOMETIMES....
They end up ROTTEN and FORGOTTEN...

But THIS time I finally DID IT!!!!

I did my RESEARCH.
I wasn't going to just make ANY old thing that comes up on a google search...
I wanted something HEALTHISH and DELISH. 
AND...
I wanted to CREATE my OWN recipe.
I was feeling MOTIVATED!

Keeping this post a QUICKIE as I need to prepare for THANKSGIVING DINNER and perhaps experiment with a new version of my PUMPKIN MUFFINS.

I LOVE SQUASH!
I LOVE FALL!
NOW'S THE TIME
TO EAT THEM ALL!!!

(Yes, you were suppose to SHOUT that out. It`s one of my fall food cheers!)

I LOVE eating food when it is in season.
I also love APPLES and APPLE PICKING!
But that will be another post....

SO...
I looked in my PANTRY (which is really a PAX unit from IKEA....) 
I decided I wanted to throw in a BUNCH of GOOD stuff into my BATTER.

(OK...Say BUNCH of BATTER 5 times really FAST)

I think there is a HUGE misconception that HEALTHY sometimes means
not much FLAVOR or DRABNESS (food can be drab, right?)
But this is completely UNTRUE.

And here is my CONTRIBUTION to PROVE this is not the case!

These muffins are super YUM on their own BUT I also JAZZED one up as a LOVELY COMPANION to my coffee yesterday....

Topped it off with some ALMOND BUTTER, FRESH STRAWBERRIES, COCONUT SMILES and more CHOCOLATE of course....

And LOOK! 
Do you see the OWL FACE?
(totally unplanned)

The Best Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

(makes 12)

1 1/4 cup spelt flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder OR melted choc chips

1 tsp baking soda

dash of salt

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 flax eggs (1Tbsp flaxmeal mixed with 3 Tbsp water for each egg)

1 cup shredded zucchini (pat it dry with paper towel)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (1 of those little pots)

1/2 cup almond milk (or whatever kind you like)

1/2 cup chocolate chips 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. Combine spelt flour, cocoa powder if using, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3. With electric mixer blend coconut oil, sugar, vanilla, flax eggs until smooth.

4. Blend in applesauce, zucchini, almond milk and melted chocolate if you are using. Otherwise the cocoa will be added with the dry ingredients.

5. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Bake 20 - 23 min or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in middle of muffin.

ENJOY! 

I sure DID!

The Toast Post

As you can see from the TITLE...
This is NOT a SMOOTHIE post.
Not to WORRY...
The BROWN factor is taken care of with all the ALMOND BUTTER I use on my TOAST!

TOAST can be a very CREATIVE process ya know....
You just have to LET LOOSE...
Try something NEW...
EXPERIMENT!

SO...
Here are a couple of TOASTs I've come up with...

As I've mentioned BEFORE....
I LOVE coconut butter!
My toast of CHOICE is pretty much always Little Stream Bakery's SPELT RICE Bread...

This first one is topped with CHOCOLATE ALMOND SPREAD, then a layer of ALMOND BUTTER, BANANAS, GOJI BERRIES, and a nice big HEAP of COCONUT BUTTER.

ABSOLUTELY SATISFYING!!!!

Then...

I tried something REALLY DIFFERENT.

There is NO chocolate on this piece of toast...

I REPEAT... NO CHOCOLATE...

Which is kind of STRANGE for me because I LOVE chocolate in the mornings...

Well... I was in the BULK food store....

Browsing...

Sometimes I like a little CRUNCH for a snack...

So...I bought some of these ROASTED PEAS...

I don`t think I`ve EVER bought them before...so I thought...why not...

Anyway... the next day had a VISION! 

A VISION of THESE PEAS sitting ATOP a piece of TOAST!

Part of me thought: THIS could be kinda INTERESTING...
Another part of me thought: YUCK...

I took the OPTIMISTIC approach because I always like to look on the BRIGHT SIDE of things!
So I added some other BRIGHT COLORED toppings!

It looks SO GOOD, doesn't?
It's a NICE way to start the day...
To eat something so PRETTY...
And it doesn't take any longer than SLAPPING some peanut butter and butter on a piece of bread...

TOTALLY DELISH & DIFFERENT!!!!

(next time I think I might add some chocolate.....)

 HAPPY TOASTING!!!!

Decadently Good Buckwheat Pancakes

Decadently Good Buckwheat Pancakes

(makes 6 medium size pancakes)

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat Pancake & Waffle Mix

3/4 cup Almond Milk (or milk of choice)
1 Tbsp sunflower oil (or coconut oil melted)

** 2 "Flax Eggs" (or 2 eggs if you'd rather)**

Almond Butter

Coconut Butter

Frozen Strawberries

chocolate shavings
coconut oil for frying

Take my WORD for it....these BUCKWHEAT pancakes ARE as GOOD as they LOOK!

If you've never tried BUCKWHEAT before - GO FOR IT!

You WON'T be disappointed.

HEARTY & HEALTHY...

FILLING & FLAVORFUL...

TOP them with WHATEVER you feel like.

SWEET or SAVORY...

I felt like a SWEET breakfast.

I USUALLY do.

CHOCOLATE is one of my FAVE FOOD GROUPS to incorporate into my morning meal...

Even if it's just a TOUCH of it.

I LOVE it.

Such a good COMPANION to COFFEE as well, don't you think?

These pancakes are full of PROTEIN, IRON & FIBRE.

I think BREAKFAST is the most IMPORTANT MEAL of the day.

So why not make it a GOODY.

And.... These pancakes FREEZE really well too.

So... while this might look like some EXTRAVAGANTLY ASSEMBLED breakfast....

It really ISN'T.

SHOVE a couple frozen pancakes in the TOASTER OVEN...

SLAP on some ALMOND BUTTER & whatever else YUMMY you might have kicking around in your kitchen...

And there ya GO!

If you are ON THE GO...

Take TWO pancakes and make a SANDWICH out them with your NUTBUTTER inside... 

This isn't so much a RECIPE.... but more of an IDEA of what to EXPERIMENT with in the kitchen...

ENJOY!!!

** As I am not a FAN of EGGS.... (long story)

I usually substitute with a "FLAX EGG" in my cooking.

Mix 1 TBSP FLAXMEAL with 3 TBSP WATER...

Let it sit for a couple of minutes so it THICKENS..

This way it becomes a BINDING agent like an egg...

(sometimes when I'm in a rush I don't even let it sit... and things still turn out well...but for optimal results...let it SIT)**

Springy Green Soup

SPRING is in the AIR!
The sun is SHINING...
The rain is RAINING...
The crocuses are BURSTING through earth...
And...
I am making GREEN SOUP!

I was sauteing some baby KALE for my kids' dinner... 
(YES...my kids LOVE kale...)
(They also love CHOCOLATE....so no need to worry...)
(They are NOT a fan of my pureed soups however...)
(Not YET anyway...)

So... HALF of the kale for the KIDS and the other HALF into the VITAMIX...

I love making these soups because they are SOOOO fast and they are the MOST delicious things...
This soup was was a mix of FRESHLY PURCHASED PRODUCE and some 
"LOOK AT ME I'VE BEEN LYING AROUND IN THE FRIDGE TOO LONG PRODUCE"...

Sooo...here's the KALE before it wilts...

In the Pan:

Next Step...

Throw everything else in the BLENDER....

SPINACH, PEAS, SOGGYISH ZUCCHINI, 2 DAY OLD STEAMED ASPARAGUS...

In the Blender:

Add some BROTH...
This will depend on how THICK or THIN you Like your soups....

I always start with about 2 cups and then just add to get the consistency I LIKE...

Add some SALT & PEPPER and garnish with CHEDDAR if you so wish...

In the Mug:

Springy Green Soup

(makes 2 large servings or 4 smaller ones)

4 cups of Spinach 

1 Zucchini chopped coarsely

Baby kale sauteed for a few minutes (as much as you want)

 Asparagus steamed

1/3 cup fresh peas 

2 - 4 cups broth

salt

pepper

cheddar

Afternoon Delight Granola Ball Truffles

My GOSH.....
It has been a LONG time.....
Life has been BUSY....
Full of EXCITING ventures..
CRAFTING...
SINGING...
PERFORMING...
TRAVELLING...
You NAME it!

I've also joined INSTAGRAM....
ME on Instagram
(So IMPRESSED by all the Foodie posts out there)

I've still been EXPERIMENTING and DOCUMENTING.
But... now it's time to PUBLISH IT ALL!!!

So HERE WE GO.....
The FIRST of MANY posts coming your way in 2016.

(Just a SIDEBAR here for a moment.....
You know how people love to eat peanut butter out of the JAR?
That USED to be me....
And there's NOTHING quite like it...
Or so I THOUGHT...
Until....
COCONUT BUTTER came into my life....
BRING IT ON!!
WOW is that stuff INCREDIBLE!!!
I'll be featuring it in some FUTURE posts...)

Ok...SO...
These little DELIGHTS we inspired by one of my favorite recipes of ALL TIME....

Lianne at SPROUTRIGHT  has created the BEST granola bars EVER!!!
I have been making them for YEARS and now then then I change things up a bit but THIS TIME I went a little farther and turned them into something a little bit FANCY lookin'...
The end result is ALWAYS the SAME. 
I CAN'T STOP EATING THEM!!!
They are truly FABULOUS!
AND.... they are LOADED with stuff that's actually GOOD for you....
AND.... my kids LOVE them!
Lianne..... you are a GENIOUS! 

So here's all ya gotta DO...

Melt the COCONUT OIL, ALMOND BUTTER, BROWN RICE SYRUP & DATES in a little saucepan. 

Med/Low is good...

In the pan:

As I'm stirring... I MASH the dates with a FORK so they blend into the mix.

Take your FLAKES and crunch them into small pieces in a mixing bowl with you HANDS or a FORK.

OR...if you have a VITAMIX (or other blender) you can CRUNCH them in THERE!

(I use my Vitamix DRY container on the LOW setting #1 for 20 seconds)


In the Blender:

Pour the DELICIOUSLY SWEET AND HEALTHY GOOP over the flakes and STIR it up.

I usually get my HANDS in there... 

In the Bowl:

(This is how my flakes look after I've crunched them)
(Too much glare in the pic...I know...But It`s all I have right now and I want to get the recipe out there)

Then ROLL them into little BALLS.

This is kinda MESSY...

But... WHATEVER...

I'm a FAN of MESSY anyway...

Then DIP them into the TOPPINGS!

They are SCRUMPTIOUS on their OWN...
But TOPPINGS are FUN & FANCY!
And I was in a FANCY MOOD...

I chose COCONUT FLAKES, GROUND CHOCOLATE CHIPS (used my Vitamix dry container for this) and POMEGRANATE POWDER.

The CHOCOLATE was the BIG HIT with the KIDDIES... 
COCONUT is always FANTASTIC!
A MELANGE of coconut and chocolate is also quite EXQUISITE...

The POMEGRANATE was a really PLEASANT SURPRISE because of its TANGY-NESS 
(I don't even think that's a word..... but you get me, right?) I think the "POM BALL" is my FAVE... (That's not really a word either... but ya know what I mean...)

On the Plate:

Granola Ball Truffles

(makes about 22)

1/3 cup coconut oil (I use Maison Orphee)

1/3 cup almond Butter (Nuts to You is my fave

1/4 cup brown rice syrup (I like Lundberg)

6 medjool dates

 3 cups Nature's Path Organic Millet Rice Flakes

ground chocolate

coconut flakes

pomegranate powder (NAVITAS Naturals is really yummy)


ENJOY! ENJOY! ENJOY!

Peach Blueberry Cobbler

OK...
First things FIRST.
I'm going to be TOTALLY honest with you...because that's the kind of gal I AM.
I started writing this post LAST year....
It`s TRUE...
I never FINISHED it...

And....
Having made it again the other day...
I thought...
OOPS!
Better get this one DONE!
So... Here goes...

I love the SMELL of this one...
CINNAMON and PEACHES...so reminiscent of eating COBBLER...
Although I don`t think we EVER called it cobbler when I was growing up....
More like...``DEEP DISH CRISPY PEACH SURPRISE``...

So...
CLOSE your eyes...

Imagine you are sitting on VERANDA somewhere...
The wind is blowing  GENTLY across your shoulder....
It TICKLES slightly...
JUST slightly....
One of those tickles that only last a SECOND....
Your not even sure if it WAS a tickle...
But it WAS...

FALL is coming...
or AUTUMN for those of you who call it Autumn...
(I was never a FAN of those "MN" ending words... 
... or what's with COMB? 
"MB"????
English is such a BIZARRE language...)

You are feeling COZY and CALM... (UGH!!!  ``LM```!!! Another one!)

Looking forward to ALL things ``FALL-ISH`` :
Corn, pumpkim pie, wearing funky BOOTS.... (mine are RED and I love them!!!)

So....Here`s the recipe...

Peach Blueberry Cobbler

(1 small serving)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1 fresh peach

1 date

sprinkle of cinnamon

handful of ice

Shake & Wake

WOW! 
This one is SOOO good.
It might be my FAVORITE....
Anyway..it's absolutely PERFECT in the HERE and NOW
and...
THAT'S what counts.

EXCEPT... 
I used my favorite beer glass so I'd better wash it immediately or I'll  be picking off the DREGS of kale and date for years to come....

Start by adding a HEFTY serving of Vitamin C into your blender...

Then GRAB some Kale: Benefits of Eating Kale

PEEKABOO

(I just LOVE taking pictures of all the different stages of what goes into the smoothie)

Add some yummy Strawberries that are high in VITAMIN C & MANGANESE

Hemp Seed is a great source of PROTEIN & OMEGAS: Benefits of Eating Hemp Seeds

Cacao Nibs for IRON & COPPER: Benefits of Eating Cacao nibs

Some Organic Medjool Dates to add a little more natural SWEETNESS: 
Benefits of Eating Dates

Ohhhh....SOOOOOO.... Good.......

Shake & Wake

(1 large serving)

1 cup pineapple juice

handful green grapes

1 orange

2 raw kale leaves

handful frozen strawberries

1 Tbsp cacao nibs

1 Tbsp hemp seed

1 date

1/3 cup water

I also like to add a sprinkle of cacao nibs into the shake after it's in the glass. 

It adds a nice crunch!