sugar free

Lemon Love

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A rainy Sunday lead me directly into the kitchen for a little baking and catching up on The Splendid Table.

Spring has come so early (wait, did we even have a winter?) to Central Virginia this year that I wanted to savor what may be my last opportunity to use the oven until pumpkin season.  Soon enough even the top burners will cause me to break a sweat and I will be relegated to salads and grilling.

But yesterday was dark and stormy and perfect for baking.

Yet Spring was still on my brain as cherry blossoms fluttered through the air, snowing down on the yard as the rain gently pulled them off the branches.

So I compromised and made a very Spring-inspired muffin while spending a winter-like morning in the kitchen.

I’m calling them muffins but they could easily be transformed into cupcakes with a little icing.

Coconut Lemon Muffins

Gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free

Makes 6

Prep time: Less than 15 minutes Bake time: 50-60 minutes

Preheat the oven to 350*

[These babies take a long time to bake so I highly recommend doubling up on your oven and throwing some potatoes/tofu/kale chips/lasagna/whathaveyou in there as well for more energy efficiency]

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • zest and juice from 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 Meyer lemon, thinly sliced (optional*)
  1. whisk first three ingredients (the dry) together.
  2. stir in the wet, except the eggs
  3. add eggs and Meyer lemon if using (pictured below)
  4. stir until batter is smooth and even
  5. butter or coconut oil six muffin cups
  6. divide batter evenly between cups and put on top rake in the oven
  7. start checking after about 45 minutes, muffins are done when edges are brown but not black
  8. let cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes before removing and finishing cooling on a rack

Without gluten to hold them together these muffins are a little more delicate than most but they are moist and very reminiscent to cheesecake, thanks to the combo of lemon and vanilla.

*The Meyer lemon adds an extra burst of citrus and a nice little texture to the muffins but it is bitter with the peel and all so if that doesn’t appeal to you leave it out.

If you want to run with the cheesecake theme I fully support whipping up a cream cheese frosting. 🙂

Time to go plan my dance class! #iwillmovetoday

Pretend

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If the weather is going to act like it’s Spring than damnit so am I!

And I’m going to pretend like it’s Sunday, even though I have to work all afternoon.   Spring cleaning, houseplant transplanting, and kitchen catch up were on the agenda this morning.  About once a week I love to spend an hour or two in the kitchen brewing, cooking, and culturing.  This mornings projects included making yogurt, kombucha, and cookies!

No bake cookies, because who wants to turn on the oven when the weather turns warm!?

 

 

It doesn’t get much easier than this, literally, it really doesn’t.

If I baby-sat I’d make these all the time with my charges, lots of stirring and no raw eggs so eating the ‘dough’ is recommended!

No Bake Cookies 

{simple name for a simple recipe!}

Makes about 20 small cookies

Unlike traditional no bake cookies these are free of refined sugar and are easily made gluten-free and/or vegan.

  • 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
  • 1-2 tablespoons nut butter (sugar free to keep the cookies sugar free!)
  • 1-2 tablespoons raw, local honey (brown rice syrup or maple syrup for vegan)
  • 1 cup oats (gf if you want)
  • pinch of salt

Optional add-ins: unsweetened shredded coconut, cinnamon, ground ginger, vanilla, chopped nuts, raisins

Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler.  Mix in nut butter and honey.

 

 

Add in oats, salt, and any optional ingredients you want and  stir until the melted chocolate mixture is evenly distributed.  Use your fingers or a spoon to form about 20 cookie balls.  You don’t want to squish it together, just enough to hold the shape.  Place cookies on a cookie sheet covered in parchment or a silpat and set in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before eating.

 

 

 

You can store in the fridge or cabinet but I prefer the texture from the fridge, the oats have a nice crunch!

 

 

Time to pretend like it’s Monday morning and get to work!