I don’t know what got into me last week but I suddenly needed a break from the kitchen. That rarely happens, but between recipe testing for a mini project (soon to be announced!) and a couple of food photography gigs, I’d had enough of food and needed a breather.

Sometimes a little downtime is necessary. I’ve felt uneasy about things lately, specifically this little space of mine within the world wide web. I often wonder: Are people reading? Do they enjoy my recipes? Do they even care? We’re living in a world where online content is changing and updating at warp speed—every day there are depressing news headlines making the rounds, a shocking Twitter comment or YouTube video goes viral, “new” recipes posted on a gazillion blogs—and I feel like I’m being eaten alive by social media. I just can’t keep up.

But you know what? This isn’t about being the most popular blogger, making money, or having hundreds of recipes in my archives. This isn’t about being at the top of the search engine when someone types in “vegan” (I’m not mobile-friendly anyway; thanks Google!) or being the first to post about the latest food trend or vegan discovery. When I first started this blog, my mission was (and still is) to document my favourite recipes and to show the world that veganism isn’t about restriction or deprivation. This is about putting attention and care into the recipes I create and then sharing them with you.

I’ve gotten a whole lot more out of this blog than I had ever imagined. It has connected me to an entire community of caring, compassionate and very talented individuals; it has made me fall in love with photography all over again and landed me so many awesome side projects; it has deepened my friendship with Lisa, with whom I’ve partnered on a number of fun projects, including two ebooks and a cookbook (<– pinch me); and it has given me, this very shy girl, a voice.

All this is to say that although I don’t post nearly as much as I would like to, I truly appreciate you. It’s difficult working so hard to fill a space where I feel like no one is listening. But I know you are. And for that, I am grateful. The more people sharing and reading and trying healthy, plant-based recipes means change is happening. As the popular Michael Jackson song goes, together we are healing the world and making it a better place.

What this has got to do with carrot muffins, I have no idea. But here you go, a recipe I’ve been playing with for a few months now, tinkering here and there until I felt it was just right. I’m a big fan of carrots and chai tea, so I figured putting them together in muffin form would be pretty tasty. And, indeed, they are.

Grating carrots by hand is no fun, so if you have a food processor with a grating blade this is the time to use it. These lightly sweetened, chai spiced muffins make use of my favourite flour blend (oat, buckwheat and almond) and the applesauce and moist chunks of carrots make it so there is no need for oil. They make wonderful breakfasts and snacks on the go.

P.S. You have until Wednesday, April 29 to enter my giveaway for an awesome JK Gourmet product pack, including a box of my favourite almond flour!

Gluten-free, oil-free masala chai carrot muffins

Yield: 8 to 10 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 chai tea bag
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
• 1/2 cup light buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1½ cups grated carrots
• 1/3 cup pitted and chopped Medjool dates

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a muffin pan with 8 to 10 muffin liners.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the almond milk over medium heat until almost boiling. Add the tea bag, cover with a lid and remove from heat. Allow to seep for a 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove the tea bag and gently squeeze out any liquid. Discard tea bag. Whisk in the maple syrup, applesauce, and lemon juice.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, buckwheat flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped dates.
6. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle a little coconut sugar on top of each muffin. Bake at 400F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.

I’m pretty excited for today. It’s the first day of the annual Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival, and I’m just about to head down to Harbourfront to check out all the new products, eat delicious food and catch up with friends. Thankfully it’s a beautiful day in the city—the sun is shining and everyone is out and about for the weekend.

If you’re in town, be sure to stop by and check out the festivities. We’ve got some amazing speakers and demos lined up, including Roberto Martin, Allyson Kramer, Michael Greger and Heather Nicholds, just to name a few, as well as a Q&A with the director of The Ghosts In Our Machine (an incredible documentary, if you haven’t seen it yet).

This doesn’t have anything at all to do with this pear and banana loaf, but I have been up to my elbows in pears this week. You see, I came home with a huge bag of cute little Forelle pears from a colleague’s tree, and so far I’ve made a pear crousade, a fall-inspired crumble and this amazing loaf. Yep, I’ve been a busy girl.

As you’ll see from the ingredients list, this loaf is humble yet wholesome. It is bursting with fruit flavours and chunks of soft pears, and also makes use of one of my favourite gluten-free flour combinations: chickpea, oat and almond. Oh, and it’s oil-free, too.

I paired the loaf slices with some homemade blueberry jam, the recipe of which will appear in Dreena Burton’s next cookbook. I get the pleasure of working with Dreena once again and have been busy photographing all the recipes for this new book (and from what I’ve seen so far, I think it’s going to be another masterpiece!). To find out about her family-friendly recipes, check out my review of her latest ebook.

Enjoy!

Gluten-free pear & banana loaf

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup chickpea flour
• 3/4 cup oat flour (see note)
• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1.5 cups peeled and chopped ripe pears, divided (about 2 medium)
• 3/4 cup sliced ripe banana (about 1 medium)
• 6 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the sides of the pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a food processor, process 3/4 cup chopped pear with the banana, maple syrup, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in the remaining 3/4 cup chopped pear.
4. Use a spatula to pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.

Note: Be sure to purchase certified gluten-free oat flour if you are sensitive to oats.

The scent of freshly baked banana bread has been wafting through my house for the last week. A sudden craving hit me recently and the next thing I know, I’ve used up every single frozen banana in my freezer in a crazy attempt to perfect a gluten-free version of my favourite baked treat.

I’ve been a big, big fan of banana bread ever since my grandmother introduced me to it when I was a wee child. So, I didn’t take this personal challenge lightly. This gluten-free bread had to be good, with a texture that wasn’t gluey or doesn’t fall apart in your hands, and a light banana flavour that wasn’t too sweet. Oh, and with a beautiful chocolatey swirl throughout. Shouldn’t be too hard, right? I already had it planned out before I even started, but naturally, what seemed so easy on paper couldn’t quite be achieved in the kitchen. It took more than a few trials to get this just right.

This, my friends, was a lesson in texture. I already knew the combination of different flours affects the outcome immensely when it comes to gluten-free baking. My goal was to use a few simple flours and not starches or gums. In the end, it was a mix of three of my favourites that did the trick—oat, buckwheat and almond. Why I didn’t try this combo to begin with is beyond me.

But I digress.

If you’ve never tried making a loaf with a fun chocolate swirl, you’re missing out. Not only does this turn a plain banana loaf into an attractive party dessert, but it’s just so much fun to mix and swirl the batters together to create a totally unique loaf every time.  Thanks to Isa for the fun idea.

Enjoy!

Gluten-free marbled banana bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour (gluten-free certified, if necessary)
• 3/4 cup light buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp ground chia seeds + 1 tbsp water
• 4 overripe bananas, peeled
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder + 3 tbsp hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly oil a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, buckwheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the chia and water and set aside until a gel forms.
4. In another large bowl, mash the bananas until no large clumps remain. Add the coconut sugar, vanilla extract and chia gel. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine.
5. Transfer 1 + 1/4 cup of the batter to another clean bowl. Now, in a small cup whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until the cocoa is dissolved. Add this to the batter and mix until incorporated.
6. Now it's time to marble! Scoop out 1/3 cups of batter and drop them in the prepared loaf pan, side by side and on top of each other, alternating colours as best you can. Repeat until all the batter has been used. Insert a sharp knife or long skewer into the batter and make a swirl motion throughout. You want to try to swirl through each section to gently merge the batters, but take care not to overdo it.
7. Bake at 350F for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Update: Thanks to reader input, I've changed the buckwheat flour to read "light buckwheat" since the swirl doesn't show up well when the darker variety is used. You could also try grinding raw buckwheat groats (not kasha) into a flour.

We all have a weakness for junk food. The problem is it’s not very good for us. Aside from the overabundance of fat, sodium and sugar in most of today’s snack food products, there are also the unidentifiable chemicals and preservatives on the ingredients list to consider. When it comes down to it, those delicious Twinkies, Doritos, Cracker Jacks and Cheez-its are not real food.

Thanks to photographer and cookbook author Lara Ferroni, you can learn how to make your favourite snack foods from scratch. Her latest book, Real Snacks, features more than 70 recipes for sweet and salty classics like ice cream sandwiches, snack cakes, pretzels, crackers and potato chips. There’s something to please everyone, including those who prefer their treats gluten-free or vegan. That’s right—Lara’s recipes use wheat, dairy and eggs, but every single recipe also includes gluten-free and vegan alternatives. Pretty amazing, right?

So far, I’ve tried the Cinnamon Rolls, which use a quick bread instead of a yeast dough, so I was able to indulge in these tender, cinnamony sweets in less than an hour. I promise you won’t even miss the yeast—or the two hours of rising time that goes with it. Lucky for you, the publisher has agreed to share the recipe (see below!).

I also made the Figgy Cookies, a new version of the Fig Newton that was inspired by Kim Boyce, owner of Bakeshop in Portland, OR. These lovely, malty buckwheat cookies contain an incredible jammy filling made of dried figs, maple syrup and spices. The filling recipe calls for an optional 1/4 cup of port or red wine, which I didn’t include but it still turned out heavenly.

And finally, I chose to try the Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips, if only to fill the void of my “no chips in the house” rule for my husband, who is an unabashed Doritos lover. The cheese powder is omitted for the vegan version but the spice mix still made for a pretty delicious, salty snack. I made a few of my own changes, like using sprouted ezekiel tortillas instead of corn tortillas and baking them instead of frying. There’s no doubt I’ll be making these again, and again.

It seems Lara didn’t forget anything in this book because it also includes a useful appendix of pantry staple recipes like chocolate syrup, marshmallow creme and caramel sauce. Oh, and I can’t forget the handful of naturally vegan recipes like sugar wafers, caramel corn, salty water crackers, potato chips, bean dip and corn nuts.

So, next time you have a sudden craving for something sweet or salty, head to the bookstore instead of the grocery store. It’s time, as Lara says, to “Take back our snacks!”

Yeast-free cinnamon rolls from Real Snacks

Yield: 6 to 8 rolls

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup soft tofu
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp muscavado or brown sugar, divided
• 4 tbsp vegan margarine or coconut oil, softened, divided
• 1 scant tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/4 cup glaze (optional)

Glaze:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp non-dairy milk, divided
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch square cake pan with baking spray and set aside.
2. Sift the whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a small bowl and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the tofu, coconut milk, vanilla, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the margarine. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times to form a smooth dough. If the dough is sticky, knead in a bit more flour. Roll the dough out to a 6-by-8-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick and brush with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining margarine.
5. Mix the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon and pecans, if you are using them. Sprinkle evenly onto the dough, reserving about 1 tablespoon. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam to seal. Trim the ends and slice into 6 even pieces. Place them, cut side up, into the prepared cake pan with their sides just touching.
6. Brush the tops and sides of each roll with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon margarine. Sprinkle the tops with the reserved sugar mixture. Bake until the edges are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving, and drizzle with glaze if desired.

For the glaze:

1. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and add the non-dairy milk, one teaspoon at a time, mixing thoroughly with a spoon until a paste forms. Stir in the vanilla. The mixture should drip when you hold up the spoon. Add a bit more milk if needed. Use immediately.

This recipe includes all vegan substitutions. I found these best fit in a small round baking pan rather than a square one.

Recipe published with permission from the publisher, Sasquatch Books.

So it happened. I’ve fallen head over heels with an entirely new-to-me food. It’s called socca, and it’s brilliant.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I have absolutely no memory of ever eating socca before this year. How could this happen? Or rather, fail to happen? This naturally gluten-free and vegan flatbread deserves its own category under the list of vegan staples. Seriously, it’s that amazing.

Although I don’t know if I should be singing its praises as if it’s some kind of trend that will leave as quickly as it came. I picture you sitting there, reading this and rolling your eyes—I know, I’m a little late to the party. The people in France have been making it for decades.

But can we please talk about the ease and versatility of this fabulous food? I’m shocked that such simple ingredients can be baked into such a delightful and versatile base for whatever you’re in the mood for. Want pizza? Add tomato sauce, veggies and dairy-free cheese. Need to make a crowd-pleasing savoury tart? Make this or this. Socca is also flexible enough to be wrapped like a burrito or used to scoop up thick curries. I like to bake it and then quickly run it under the broiler at the end, but apparently you can also make it right on the stovetop using a cast iron pan.

However you make it, the recipe itself is nearly universal. It’s essentially equal parts chickpea flour and water, mixed with a tablespoon or so of oil and a pinch of salt. You can use more water to make a thinner crêpe-like socca or less water to make it thicker. You can also add minced herbs, olives or sun-dried tomatoes to the batter to jazz it up.

Oh, and what about that colourful kale pesto? It deserves its own honours. How can you go wrong with kale, roasted red peppers, garlic and walnuts? Fresh, crispy kale is best for this recipe to avoid tasting the bitterness of days-old greens. I roasted my own peppers, garlic and walnuts but feel free to use jarred roasted red peppers if you wish.

Socca with kale pesto

Yield: 2 soccas + 11/4 cups pesto

Ingredients:

Socca:

• 1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
• 1 3/4 cups warm water
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive or coconut oil
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Kale pesto:

• 4 cups chopped, lightly packed kale
• 1/2 cup walnuts halves, roasted
• 2 roasted red bell peppers, roughly chopped
• 4 to 6 roasted garlic cloves, or to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

For the socca:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Allow to sit undisturbed for 30 to 60 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 500F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper cut to fit. Divide the batter between the two pans.
3. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes until firm and the edges are set. Broil on high for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the tops start to lightly brown.
4. Remove pans for the oven and use a knife to help loosen the edges of the socca from the pan. Flip over onto a plate and discard the parchment paper. Top with kale pesto and serve.

For the kale pesto:

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth. With the motor running, pour the olive oil through the spout and process until combined. Adjust seasonings to taste.
2. Serve immediately or transfer to the fridge to allow the flavours to marinate.

Socca adapted from this recipe.

Let me explain.

A few days earlier, I was browsing through some of my favourite food blogs and came across an absolutely stunning post on Golubka. (If you haven’t visited that blog yet, you must go there. Now.) You see, I wasn’t necessarily looking for recipes to try out because, at that time, I felt like I really needed a break from the kitchen. I was essentially living vicariously through other people’s creations and bookmarking intriguing ideas to try after the holidays.

Have you ever come across a recipe that just screams “Make me!” That’s what this recipe did to me.

I started with the basic bread recipe and got to work soaking, sprouting and dehydrating. Rather than sticking to a basic savoury flavour, I decided to make a new version of my beloved banana bread by adding bananas, walnuts, cinnamon and a touch of agave nectar. And boy, was I happy with the outcome. It results in a crispy outer crust and a nice, moist banana bread-like centre. The sprinkle of seeds on top is also a must.

The best part about this bread recipe is that there’s no need for flour, yeast or sugar. I experimented with two versions, one baked and one dehydrated, and I must admit that I liked the texure and taste of the baked version much better. Dehydrating does work, but I could detect a subtle fishy flavour from the Irish moss, so you might want to add more spices or other flavours if you prefer to use that method. Or, make sure to thoroughly rinse your Irish moss several times before making it into a paste! Lesson learned.

Also, feel free to use whatever seeds you have on hand for this recipe. It seems quite versatile. I made two mini loafs, but you can easily make one large loaf or several small buns (or even bagels!) if you prefer. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust the baking time though. Enjoy!

Sprouted multiseed banana loaf

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixture of raw oat groats, buckwheat groats, amaranth and millet seeds, preferably sprouted (or just soaked overnight) and dehydrated
• 1/2 cup flax seeds
• 1 cup sunflower seeds, preferably sprouted and dehydrated
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup psyllium husks
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 very ripe bananas, peeled (mine were previously frozen)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup Irish moss paste (see instructions here)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp agave nectar
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Agave glaze:

• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• 1 tbsp water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Set aside.
2. Start by grinding the grains, flax seeds and sunflower seeds. I did it in batches using a spice grinder, but a high-speed blender will work, too.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground grains and seeds. Add the sesame seeds, psyllium husks, cinnamon and salt and whisk together.
4. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas using a fork. Add the water, Irish moss paste, agave nectar and coconut oil and whisk until well combined and fairly smooth. (You can also do this step using a blender, if desired.)
5. Pour the wet mixture in the dry mixture and mix to form a dough. You might want to use your hands at this point. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
6. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and shape into a loaf (I made two long, thin loafs).
7. Make the agave glaze by whisking together the agave and water. Brush the glaze over the top of the loaf and sprinkle with a mixture of seeds.
8. Bake the loaf at 350F for about one hour or until the loaf is golden and crispy to the touch. Allow to cool before slicing.

Basic bread recipe adapted from Golubka's recipe.

Not surprisingly, my taste test of these lovely little pillows of sweetness didn’t involve Rice Krispies squares, s’mores or hot chocolate, but incorporating them into a new muffin recipe.

I know, I probably bake too many muffins as it is, but when I came across these marshmallow muffins that Mihl created, I knew I had to come up with my own version. They were just too tempting to resist. I mean, isn’t a marshmallow muffin a genius idea? Besides, I had my trial package of Dandies to use up!

Packed with chunks of rich dark chocolate and gooey baked marshmallows, these muffins are probably one of the most decadent of my recipe collection, but they’re definitely worth trying if you’ve got some vegan marshmallows on hand, or if you’re craving something creative and sweet. I can imagine these would be a hit at a birthday party, too. Enjoy!

Chocolate marshmallow muffins

Yield: 10 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached AP flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup Sucanat
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 1/4 cup canola or sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate
• 12 vegan marshmallows, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with paper muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk, oil, maple syrup, vinegar and vanilla extract until well blended.
4. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in the chocolate and marshmallows.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

That is, until today.  Its new Urban Eatery offers a variety of menus, and although many SAD outlets are still included, the wholesome vegetarian and vegan options stand out. The most notable addition is vegan empire Urban Herbivore, a Kensington Market staple owned by chef Stephen Gardner, where organic salads, sandwiches with thick, homemade bread, curry bowls and hearty soups are offered to hungry shoppers looking to refuel with healthy fare.

Their salad bowl menu involves choosing your own greens, proteins and toppings from 30 vegan options that change daily. I wish I had this variety of choices available to me at home.

Did I forget to mention their legendary muffins? Dense and filling with a crunchy exterior, they’re unlike anything I’ve had before. I highly recommend the sweet potato date flavour. A quick Google search reveals that everyone and their sister are dreaming of replicating these delicious delights in their own kitchens.

Of course, after being tempted by those muffins on my recent visit to Urban Herbivore’s new location, I couldn’t help myself from dreaming up my own version. Although mine aren’t as ginormous in size, the flavour and texture had me reminiscing of early morning dates in Kensington with my new love. Enjoy!

Sweet potato date muffins

Yield: 8 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup cooked, peeled and diced sweet potato
• 1/3 cup chopped dates
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1/3 cup sunflower or canola oil
• 1/4 cup Sucanat
• 1/4 cup date paste (I made my own)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a muffin tray with paper muffin liners.
2. In a small bowl, soak the chopped dates in some warm water and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the spelt flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
4. Drain the dates from the soaking water and add them to the flour mixture along with the diced sweet potato. Gently mix to coat them with flour, separating the pieces that are sticking together. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, oil, Sucanat and date paste until well combined.
6. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and mix just to combine. Spoon evenly into the muffin cups and bake at 400F for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

And boy, was I pleased with the outcome: light, flavourful, herb-scented muffins that are coloured with flecks of red sundried tomatoes and bright green asparagus. And the best part (I know you’ll love this!) is that they’re completely free of all sugars and sugar subsitutes. Yep, no sugar. None. Nadda. Zero. Zilch.

I wouldn’t suggest trying to grate asparagus by hand, unless you want to grate off your finger in the process. It’s much easier to put the grating disc on your food processor and feed the stalks through the feed tube while the processor is running. I used about half a batch of asparagus to get one grated cup full. After they’ve baked and cooled, you can enjoy these colourful treats alongside a big bowl of soup or salad.

Asparagus herb muffins

Yield: one dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 3/4 cup unbleached flour (or more spelt)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup grated asparagus
• 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes, soaked until soft

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, unbleached flour, baking powder, baking soda, basil, oregano and salt. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk, vinegar and olive oil.
3. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir just to combine. Fold in the asparagus and sundried tomotoes.
4. Spoon the batter into an oiled muffin pan, filling each tin 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.

These muffins also happen to fit nicely into the guidelines for the first SOS Kitchen Challenge of 2011, which highlights coconut oil. I have to admit, I never used to be a fan of coconut, but ever since I started experimenting with raw desserts (in which coconut oil is a staple) the taste is really growing on me. The nutritional benefits are also a bonus! This particular recipe provides a triple bang—coconut oil, coconut nectar and coconut milk—and the addition of banana helps to mellow out the flavour and also provides moisture. Combine these tropical fruits with the subtle addition of Caribbean rum and one bite of these muffins will surely take you to a faraway paradise with clear blue water and endless sunshine. The rum is entirely optional, of course. If you prefer to go with a virgin muffin, just substitute an additional 2 tablespoons of coconut milk for the alcohol. Enjoy!

St. Lucia muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup coconut nectar or agave nectar
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 2 tbsp dark rum
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, combine the banana, coconut nectar, coconut oil, coconut milk and rum.
3. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir just to combine. Fold in the coconut flakes. Spoon the mixture into a muffin pan lined with muffin cups and garnish with more coconut, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Store muffins in an air-tight container at room temperature.