Healthy Baking Recipes + Grain-Free Salted Dark Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins
Healthy Recipes
We all have our go-to’s for coping with stress.
For me, it’s getting in the kitchen and creating something, and right now I’m especially gravitating towards baking. There’s something so soothing about using your hands, following clear instructions, filling your home with delicious smells and then getting to enjoy a treat at the end of it all.
And if you know me, then you know my treats MUST meet specific standards, aka they have to taste good AND make you feel good too.
This is why I don’t use inflammatory ingredients like hydrogenated oils, refined sugars, gluten or dairy in my baking, and instead replace them with more health + hormone-supporting options like fiber-rich flours and natural sweeteners, even sneaking in vegetables and superfoods where I can.
And so, I’m sharing with you a recipe roundup of my favorite healthy baked goods + treats you can make at home right now, using mostly pantry staples, including my newest favorite — Grain-Free Salted Dark Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins (aka the most delicious way to get in a serving of vegetables).
I hope this is a resource you can turn to, to provide you a little bit of calm amidst the chaos, just as it has for me. Sending you lots of love.
xx //
Lauren
HEALTHY BAKING RECIPES
+ Gut-Friendly Cinnamon Roll Oat Bake (gluten + dairy-free, vegan)
+ Flourless Fudgy Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chunk Brownies (paleo, gluten + dairy-free)
+ Life-Changing Dark Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread (paleo, gluten + dairy-free)
+ Gut-Friendly Paleo Pumpkin Muffins (paleo, gluten + dairy-free)
+ PMS – Reducing Maple Banana Walnut Baked Oatmeal (gluten + dairy-free, vegan)
+ CBD Double Chocolate Fudge Cookies (paleo, gluten + dairy-free)
+ Spiced Apple Pie Oat Bake + Maple Nut Cream (gluten + dairy-free, vegan)
+ Paleo Pumpkin Granola Clusters (grain, gluten + dairy-free)
+ CBD Salted Caramel Blondies (paleo, gluten + dairy-free)
+ Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Oat Bake (gluten + dairy-free, vegan)
+ Feel-Good Fudgy Cashew Butter Brownies (paleo, gluten + dairy-free)
+ Paleo Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies (grain, gluten + dairy-free)
+ Paleo Pecan Pie Gooey Bars (grain, gluten + dairy-free)
+ Vegan Pumpkin Bread + Dark Chocolate Chips (grain, gluten + dairy-free, paleo)
+ Seed-Cycling Paleo Maple Banana Walnut Granola Clusters (available in Hormone Balance Reset Plan)
- 2 large, pasture-raised eggs **leave room temp if possible
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup creamy nut butter **I prefer cashew or peanut butter
- ¼ cup organic unrefined coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups super fine or blanched almond flour
- ⅓ cup arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 cups shredded + drained zucchini **see notes on how to remove excess moisture
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks + ¼ cup reserved for topping
- Optional flaky sea salt for topping
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with parchment cups
- Shred zucchini (about four) using a grater and wrap in paper towel. Squeeze in paper towl, draining any excess moisture (there will be quite a bit). You want two cups shredded zucchini after draining, set aside once finished.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut sugar, creamy nut butter, melted coconut oil and vanilla.
- Combine the almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
- Stir the dry ingredients in with the wet, using a large spoon or spatula (do not use beaters). Mix until well combined, the batter should be VERY thick.
- Fold in shredded and drained zucchini until mixed, then stir in the cup of dark chocolate chunks.
- Use a spoon or spatula to fill batter into muffin cups until full. It should make 12 very large muffins, or you can fill ¾ of the way and reserve the batter to make more smaller muffins.
- Once muffin cups are filled, top with more dark chocolate chunks and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Bake in oven at 350 for 22-25 minutes. Muffins should be moist but set in the center and slightly browned on top.
- Remove and let cool for 10 minutes for stirring. Will last in the fridge for a week and freezer for 2 months.
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