What is a cookbook without desserts? The best way to stick to any kind of diet—even ones not meant for weight loss—is to have realistic options for indulging your sweet tooth once in a while. Although these recipes sound indulgent, they are written to be as healthful as possible while still feeling like a satisfying dessert. Whenever possible, use agave or molasses as sweeteners, include allowable grains, limit fats, and feel free to use chocolate.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8″ × 8″ baking dish and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, sea salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, applesauce, ghee, and agave. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
4. If you do not have a double boiler, set a glass bowl on top of a small saucepan filled one-third of the way with water (water should not be touching the bowl). Bring the water to a boil and add shaved chocolate. Let melt and remove from heat. Add chocolate and warm water to batter, stirring to combine.
5. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted into brownies comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and turn off the heat. Pour chocolate chips over the top of the brownies and place back into the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Use an offset spatula to spread melted chips evenly across the top of the brownies. Let cool for 10 minutes, slice, and serve warm.
7. Brownies will stay in a cool, dry place up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
SERVES 8
featured ingredient
agave nectar
Agave is a natural sweetener derived from the agave plant, commonly found in the southwestern areas of America and in Mexico. Agave is most commonly known for its role as the base ingredient of tequila. It can be used in baking and cooking in place of sugar, however, the agave-to-sugar ratio is not 1:1 because it is a liquid. Agave has a mild taste akin to that of honey, but its flavor is much less noticeable.
1. Place chocolate into a mixing bowl, and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, bring agave, juice, jam, and ghee to a simmer and remove from heat. Pour mixture over chocolate and stir to combine.
3. Serve with fruit for dipping.
SERVES 6
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts in a medium bowl, and toss to combine.
3. In a small saucepan, heat molasses and agave over low heat for 30 seconds, just until melted. Drizzle over nuts and toss. Very gently, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the nut clusters onto a wire cooling rack (if you do not have one, you can spoon the same amount into mini cupcake pans coated with nonstick spray). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Remove and let cool. Once cool, place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
5. Melt chocolate over a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, place about 3 inches of water in the bottom of a small saucepan and place a glass bowl on top of the pan. Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water; this will prevent burning. Place the chocolate in the bowl and bring the water up to a boil. Stir until smooth and melted.
6. Remove nut clusters from the freezer and spoon melted chocolate over the top, sprinkle evenly with sea salt, and freeze for an additional 10 minutes.
7. Serve cold or room temperature. Keep in an airtight glass container for up to 1 week or freeze for 1 month.
SERVES 6
1. Shave chocolate and place in a medium bowl. Heat agave nectar, milk, and salt in a saucepan over low heat, just until warm. Pour milk mixture over chocolate, whisking continuously until mixture becomes smooth.
2. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then cover tightly and refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 2 to 3 hours.
3. Using a tablespoon or melon baller, scoop out truffles, roll into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball, and gently roll in cocoa powder. Refrigerate until serving.
4. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
SERVES 6
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″ × 11″ baking dish with ghee, and set aside.
2. Combine flours with baking powder and sea salt in a large bowl. Mix just until combined, and set aside.
3. Whisk whole eggs with cooled ghee and add to flour mixture, mixing until smooth and free of lumps.
4. In a clean, dry glass bowl, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into batter, one-third at a time.
5. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake for about 15 minutes, until crust begins to firm.
6. While crust cooks, combine all topping ingredients in a large bowl, mixing until well combined.
7. Remove bars from oven, and spoon topping mixture evenly over par-cooked bars. Return to the oven and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Serve warm or room temperature.
9. Bars will stay in a cool dry place for 1 to 2 days, or in freezer for up to 1 month.
SERVES 12
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 11″ × 17″ baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place cranberries in a small bowl and cover with hot water to rehydrate; let steep for 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, salt, and almonds.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, lemon zest, agave, and apricot jam. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Drain cranberries, pat dry, and add to dough.
5. Gather dough into a ball and place on floured work surface. Gently roll dough with hands into a long, flat log the length of your baking sheet. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. At this point, the cookie will have the texture of soft bread. Cut biscotti on the bias into 3⁄4-inch slices, using a serrated knife. Place each slice flat on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through baking to ensure cookies are dry and crunchy all the way through.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on a drying rack. If using chocolate, heat morsels over a double boiler until melted and silky. Spoon chocolate over half of each cooled biscotti and let cool. Serve at room temperature. Store in a cool, dry place overnight or in freezer for up to 1 month.
SERVES 12
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15″ × 10″ baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix flours with salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, beat ghee with agave, molasses, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
4. Add ghee mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined and free of lumps. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by tablespoon 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake 12 minutes in the center rack of the oven until cookies have golden edges. Let cool on a wire rack or eat warm.
6. Cookies stay in a cool, dry place for 1 to 2 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
SERVES 12
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine spelt flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut cold ghee into small pieces and add to flour mixture. Using a crossing motion with two butter knives or a pastry cutter, incorporate butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together but is not sticky. Gather dough in your hands and knead until it becomes smooth and pliable but small pieces of ghee should still be visible. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Roll dough out on a floured surface until 12 inches in diameter and approximately 1⁄8-inch thick. Place dough into a 9-inch pie plate, gently press into the pan, and pinch edges between two fingers to create crimped edges.
4. In a large bowl, stir together all filling ingredients just until combined, and spoon into pie crust. Set aside.
5. Combine walnuts and spelt flour in a large bowl. Use your fingers to incorporate ghee into the dough. Stir in agave and sprinkle on top of blueberry filling.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
SERVES 4
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat ghee and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add peaches, acai berries, and walnuts, and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Whisk eggs, milk, and cinnamon in a large, flat-bottomed bowl, and set aside.
4. Trim slices of bread to fit the bottom and sides of 2 (12-oz.) ramekins. Dunk bread slices in the egg wash as if making French toast. Line the bottom and edges of ramekins with the egg-soaked bread. Leave two slices of bread for the top.
5. Spoon peach mixture into the ramekins and top each with a final piece of bread.
6. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
SERVES 2
featured ingredient
acai
Acai, a tiny berry that is deep purple in color and only about an inch long, is cultivated from an acai palm tree in Central and South America. Like other berries, acai is rich in antioxidants and flavor.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch-round cake pan with ghee, and set aside.
2. Place shredded carrot and diced pineapple on a paper towel to absorb excess liquid.
3. In a large bowl, combine flours, arrowroot starch, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, pineapple, carrots, walnuts, ghee, and agave. Add to dry ingredients, stirring to combine.
5. In a dry, glass bowl, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into batter one-third at a time. Pour into prepared cake pan.
6. Bake 35 to 40 minutes.
7. In the meantime, heat milk and agave in a small saucepan over low heat with cinnamon and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes. Place grated chocolate in a bowl with ghee. Pour milk mixture over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let cool completely. Add cocoa powder and stir until mixture thickens.
8. Frost cake, and sprinkle with walnuts for garnish. Serve same day for best results, or store in a cool, dry place overnight or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
SERVES 8
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch-round cake pan, line with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, almond meal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a dry, glass bowl, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks, and set aside.
4. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl and add to dry mixture. Stir just until combined. Fold egg whites into batter, one-third at a time.
5. Scatter almonds evenly on the bottom of the cake pan. In a small saucepan, warm honey and apricot jam for 30 seconds, creating a glaze. Slowly pour evenly over almonds in the bottom of the cake pan. Pour batter over almonds and glaze and bake for 40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
SERVES 8
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch-round cake pans with 1 tablespoon ghee, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon zest, agave, ghee, eggs, egg yolk, and milk. Set aside.
4. Place egg whites in a dry glass, copper, or metal bowl and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
5. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, and stir until well combined and lump-free. Add egg whites, one-third at a time, folding gently into batter after each addition.
6. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Bake on middle oven rack for 25 minutes, until cake is firm and cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in cake pans for 10 minutes, and remove to cool fully on wire cooling racks.
7. Heat milk and agave in a small saucepan over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Place grated chocolate in a bowl with ghee. Pour hot milk over chocolate and stir until smooth. Let cool completely. Add cocoa powder, and stir until mixture thickens.
8. Spread slightly less than half the frosting on the first layer of cake, top with the second layer, and use an offset spatula to spread remaining frosting over the top of the second tier of cake. Sprinkle with toasted macadamia nuts and chocolate morsels.
SERVES 8
1. In a medium-size bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, cinnamon, lemon zest, agave, and sea salt.
2. Use figs, blueberries, and strawberries to dip or stir into ricotta mixture.
SERVES 4
1. In a medium saucepan, bring rice, sea salt, and 2 cups milk to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 to 50 minutes, until rice will has absorbed all the liquid in the pan.
2. In a small saucepan, heat remaining 11⁄2 cups milk with ginger, cardamom, if using, and cinnamon over medium heat until warm, about 4 to 6 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, flour, molasses, and maple syrup. Temper the egg mixture by adding a ladle of the warm milk to the eggs very slowly and whisking continuously. Once the eggs have been warmed, add the mixture into the warmed milk and whisk over medium heat until the mixture is thick, 5-6 minutes, until consistency resembles yogurt. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. When rice is cooked, add pineapple and milk mixture. Let cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes over low heat, stirring continuously.
5. Rice pudding will be thick and creamy. Serve warm.
SERVES 4
1. Combine flours, salt, cinnamon, milk, egg, and 1 tablespoon ghee in a blender and pulse until smooth and combined. Batter will be very thin. Let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. While batter rests, heat ghee in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté pear for 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly browned and tender. Add lemon zest, ginger, and apricot jam, and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat and toss with fresh raspberries.
3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, melt 1 teaspoon of ghee and brush evenly across the bottom of the pan. Using a 1⁄4-cup measure, scoop batter into pan and quickly turn in circular motions to spread the batter into a very thin layer. Let cook 1 minute or until the batter firms and edges lift slightly off the pan. Use an offset spatula to flip and cook 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter. Stack finished crêpes in a slightly moist kitchen towel and keep in the oven until ready to serve.
5. To serve, place a spoonful of chutney down the center of a crêpe, and roll up like a soft taco. Drizzle with Chocolate Syrup and serve warm.
SERVES 4
tip: Cranberries can be substituted for raspberries. Just cook with 1 tablespoon agave.
Cherry-Chocolate Fondue NS 
