Gluten-Free Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Summer is coming to an end, and I've gone to my annual trip to the farmer's market for zucchini! I always get loads of zucchini, and it ends up being way too much. But, so far, I've been doing pretty well using it up in different recipes, this being one of them!

I've made several different zucchini breads, but this is the first one I've made that is gluten-free. Normally, it wouldn't affect me if muffins were gluten-free or not, but my brother is supposed to steer clear of gluten, so I wanted to use up some of his gluten-free flour for these. And, I am SO glad I did because I LOVED these! They are so filling and dense and flavorful.

These yummy muffins pleasantly surprised me. They are easy to make (besides taking the time to shred and squeeze the zucchini... That part can be time-consuming.) and fluff up like the beautiful cupcakes they are. You could omit the chocolate chips if you wanted, but really, who wants to do something crazy like that?

There is no butter, refined-sugar, gluten or dairy in these muffins, so they are extremely diet-friendly. They could also be made egg-free by using two flax eggs. They are 225-250 calorie muffins, so they are great for a quick breakfast or a convenient grab-and-go snack.

Continue Reading...

Black Bean Almond Butter Brownies

I ran out of sweets in the house earlier this week. Well, really, I ran out of healthy sweets (usually our house is equipped with store-bought unhealthy cookies, but, surprisingly, I'm not exactly into those.) Therefore, I had to try a new recipe! I wanted something chocolate-y, so I came across a recipe for Black Bean Brownies. 

I said in my last post that I love baking with almond butter, and this is still true. It's like magic in baking, I swear. But, the real magic that happens in this recipe is BLACK BEANS... What?! I know, I know, it really does sound gross, I'll agree with you. But the crazy thing is - it's not! I even licked the batter this was so good (actually a little surprised at that). And the brownies do NOT taste like black beans at all. I still can't get over it, honestly. But it's true. It just tastes like dense, chewy, chocolate fudge-iness. 

I know the "black bean" part of this brownie recipe might freak you out, but don't let it. It really does NOT taste like black beans AT ALL. One of the boys I babysit loved these, and he is pretty picky, so I believe that was a success. These brownies are fudge-y, dense, chocolate-y and smooth, and satisfy your sweet tooth without ruining your diet. They are full of fiber, with no refined sugars, flour, egg or dairy. Just one brownie has five grams of protein and four grams of fiber. Give them a shot - I can't wait to make my next batch!

Continue Reading...