Lemon Drop Cookies

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Who doesn't love a bright, fresh, lemony cookie? For these, the tart lemon zest marries with the coconut butter and sweet maple syrup, making for the softest, chewiest, perfectly biscuity cookies that melt in your mouth.

This recipe yields 10 servings

Ingredients 

1/3 cup melted but cooled coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 lemons, zested
3 tbsp coconut butter 
1 tsp maple syrup 
1 tsp lemon zest 
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut oil, maple syrup, egg and lemon juice. In a separate bowl, combine  the almond flour, coconut sugar, salt, baking powder and lemon zest.  Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet using a whisk. Mix until  into a soft, dough-like texture. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or freeze  for 15 minutes to let it stiffen. 

  3. Drop the dough onto a baking sheet forming 12 balls. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just lightly golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. 

  4. While cookies are baking, add the glaze ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together.  

  5. Once the cookies have completely cooled, top with glaze.

Tips

**For an extra lemon kick, add more zest over the glazed cookies with a thin sliced lemon garnish. These cookies are delicious when served chilled. 

 

Roasted Rhubarb with Cinnamon and Dates

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Dates yield an incredible layered sweetness to any dish. Here they complement the tartness of the fresh rhubarb and the nuttiness of the cinnamon, resulting in a sticky, sweet dish that is perfect to enjoy for breakfast or as an after dinner treat.

This recipe yields 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup (5-6) Medjool dates, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 medium rhubarb stalks, chopped into cubes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup water
  • 136 grams (5-6) Medjool dates, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 medium rhubarb stalks, chopped into cubes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 236 ml water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add dates, vanilla, honey, and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Immediately turn down to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce and thicken into a chunky paste.

3. Place rhubarb in a bowl and toss with date paste and cinnamon. 

4. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes.

Tips

** Serve on top of coconut yogurt.

 

Coconut Ginger Turmeric Popsicles

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We like to think of these as evolved creamsicles. The rich coconut milk lends a satisfying creaminess that blends so nicely with the pepper, warm vanilla, and cinnamon. And the gorgeous bright color? That’s the anti-inflammatory turmeric. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 4 tablespoons of honey
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 4 tablespoons of honey
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS

  1. Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth.

  2. Pour the mixture into a popsicle mold and let them sit in the freezer for 1 hour.

  3. After 1 hour has passed, insert the popsicle sticks and let them freeze for another 4 hours or until completely frozen. 

Blackberry Bliss Popsicles

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Everything you need after a long day in the summer sun: The natural sugars from the antioxidant-rich blackberries blend with the tartness of the lemon juice and the floral notes of the rosewater to give your system a fancy, quenching treat. The bit of sea salt will help to replenish lost electrolytes. 

This recipe yields 6 popsicles

INGREDIENTS

  • 10 oz frozen blackberries
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 heaping tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon rosewater
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 285 g frozen blackberries
  • 120 ml water
  • 2 heaping tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon rosewater
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ lemon, juiced

DIRECTIONS

  1. Add all ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth.

  2. Pour the mixture into a popsicle mold and let them sit in the freezer for 1 hour.

  3. After 1 hour has passed, insert the popsicle sticks and let them freeze for another 4 hours or until completely frozen.

 

Pumpkin Muffins

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It’s autumn, which means pumpkin-flavored everything. But instead of reaching for the artificial flavoring, opt for using the real thing. The plump orange winter squash is low in calories but nutrient dense, offering a healthy dose of beta carotene, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Plus, it’s delicious baked in these muffins, which boast plenty of warming spices to satisfy your every fall-induced flavor desire.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • 2-¼ cups almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 64 g coconut sugar
  • 290 g almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 120 ml maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. 

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla.

  3. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk together until all the ingredients are well incorporated. 

  4. Scoop evenly into a non-stick muffin pan. 

  5. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit / 190 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.

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Peach Melba

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Elegance comes to mind when I make this famous French dessert, originally created by Auguste Escoffier for the grand opening of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in London. These rich, sweet and juicy peaches are topped with a bright raspberry sauce that really makes them pop.

This recipe yields 4 servings

INGREDIENTS


  • For Peaches
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 peaches

  • For Raspberry Sauce
  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

  • For Peaches
  • 120 ml water
  • 120 ml honey
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 peaches

  • For Raspberry Sauce
  • 128 g raspberries
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

For Peaches

  1. Heat water, honey, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. 

  2. Once the honey fully dissolves and the liquid mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat and allow the liquid to thicken into a syrup. 

  3. Cut peaches in half leaving the pit on one side. Place the peaches face down in the saucepan of simmering syrup. Allow peaches to poach for about 2 minutes on each side. 

For Raspberry Sauce

  1. Place raspberries, honey, and lemon juice in a food processor, using the small bowl if it has one, with a chopping blade. 

  2. Pulse until mixture has a runny consistency.

  3. Sieve the raspberry seeds by pouring the mixture through a strainer using the back of a spoon to push the liquid through. 

  4. Drizzle on top of poached peaches.

  5. This dish can be served simply as is or layered over vanilla bean ice cream.

Tips

**Straining the raspberry sauce is optional. The seeds will create a more tart and textured sauce. Sieving makes a smooth and more elegant presentation.

 

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

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A healthier take on the classic Reese’s candy, these are gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. I use my favorite baking chocolate from Sweet Laurel, which is made with just two ingredients: cacao and maple sugar. Almond butter offers more healthy fats, fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamin E than traditional peanut butter, which we rarely buy anymore for a number of reasons. (Here’s some helpful insight, which can help you make an informed decision about peanut butter.) Overall, I think these treats are decidedly more delicious than the classic version.

This recipe yields 12

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon quinoa flour
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons maple flakes
  • 128 g coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon quinoa flour
  • 64 g almond butter
  • 260 g chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons maple flakes

Directions

  1. First, make your powdered sugar substitute by mixing the coconut sugar with the quinoa flour in a blender. 

  2. Combine the almond butter with the powdered sugar substitute.

  3. Melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan or a double broiler.

  4. Pour melted chocolate into thick layers in cupcake papers and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until hardened. 

  5. Add almond butter mix on top of the first layer, then top with a second layer of chocolate.

  6. Top with maple flakes and place back in the refrigerator until the cups harden. 

Recipe Tips

*Make sure the foundation of chocolate is thick so that there is a good base to hold the almond butter and top layers to create the cups.

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Chia Pudding

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Chia pudding has a silky, satisfying texture and is, of course, packed with antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids from the chia seeds. It's delicious with any nut milk you choose - brazil nut, hazelnut, cashew - or whole raw milk if you tolerate dairy. It’s a great place to sneak in adaptogenics, such as astragalus, as well. We enjoy this as a slightly sweet treat for breakfast or in the afternoon as a satiating snack.

This recipe yields 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • ¼ cup chia seeds
  • 1 cup Brazil nut milk
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 32 g chia seeds
  • 240 ml Brazil nut milk
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

  1. Combine the chia seeds, Brazil nut milk and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl.

  2. Stir well and place in the refrigerator. 

  3. After 30 minutes stir with a knife to make sure the chia seeds don’t clump at the bottom.

  4. Leave in the refrigerator overnight. Serve chilled, with fresh berries on top, in the morning.

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