YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Oatmeal-Peanut Butter-Chocolate Treats

For almost a decade, I worked side by side with a wonderful doctor, made even better by the fact that his wife, from time to time, would send in a plateful of these seriously yummy oatmeal-peanut butter-chocolate treats. I don’t remember where I put her recipe, but if this isn’t it, well, then it’s close enough. These are sweetly satisfying when you want a treat, and nourishing enough to take the edge off when it’s 2 o’clock and you haven’t had lunch yet. A couple of these with a glass of milk (for snack) or cup of tea or coffee (for breakfast) would also be perfect. And of course they’re not just for grownups. Continue reading


YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Chocolate Avocado Pudding

This is a great recipe for when you buy a whole bunch of avocados and they all ripen at the exact same time. Not only is it truly delicious, but there is an excellent chance that no one will realize that what you’ve made for them is any different than any other chocolate pudding they’ve ever eaten. Voila! Continue reading


YOUR HEALTHY PANDEMIC: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Brownies

You may have noticed that I posted another brownie recipe a couple of months ago. The truth is that these brownie recipes keep calling me, and I’m listening. So, yes, I’m on a bit of a brownie kick, at least as long as we continue trying our best to make our way through a pandemic with our sanity intact. I mean, if all that stands between you and regular personal hygiene is a brownie for breakfast, it seems like a no-brainer to me. Anyway, this brownie recipe in particular is so packed with nourishing ingredients that it’s really not necessary to think about it for very long; just go bake some brownies. Continue reading


YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Hazelnut Spread (Not-tella)

A group of us went out for breakfast this past Sunday morning at one of my favorite spots, a great local place called Cafe Avalaun, and a plate of their heavenly pancakes with “not-tella” arrived at our table in short order. Not nutella, whose first ingredient is sugar and second ingredient is modified palm oil, but not-tella, which the folks at Cafe Avalaun make with real food ingredients, all of which you can find at the grocery store.  Continue reading



YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Black Bean Brownies

Definitely on a roll here with desserts (especially brownies)! It happens.

I am a huge fan of black-bean brownies. I owe this to two facts: First, I am a big fan of beans. And secondly, I love brownies. So there you have it. In case you are wondering, the beans in this recipe cannot be tasted at all, so feel free to make this for children and skeptics. They will NEVER know, unless you tell. Continue reading


YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Ginger Snaps & Macaroons

Ever since I got those nut milk bags and started making my own coconut milk a few months ago, there has been a never ending supply of coconut flour, which we’ve been using to make cookies, apple crisp, pudding, and, now, macaroons. If you don’t happen to have a high-speed blender, nut milk bag, and dehydrator, then no worries. Just go to town and buy some coconut flour (or vice versa)! Continue reading


YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Banana-Almond Butter Muffins

Today I am going to make these muffins especially for my two elder children and their close friends. The house is going to smell amaaaaaaaazing. I’m going to do my very best to use ingredients that come from bulk containers and which have not been stored in plastic. If you’re wondering why, check out this article about phthalates, which raise our bodies’ oxidative stress levels. What does that mean? Basically, it’s like rust, except that instead of being on your bike handles, it’s accumulating on your insides. Call me a radical if you’d like, but the proof is in the pudding, or the muffins, depending.

1 cup roasted almond butter

4 large organic eggs

2 medium ripe bananas

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla

6 tablespoons coconut flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

 

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade and process until smooth. Scoop batter into muffin cups and bake 25-30 min. Cool on wire rack prior to eating.

 

This recipe is a gift from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen at http://www.nourishingmeals.com.