spring

zucchini bread

• Makes one 9-inch loaf

If you’ve never tried barley flour mixed with brown rice flour, you are in for a treat. Brown rice flour gives a whole new texture to baked goods, crumbly and soft on the inside and a touch crispy on the outside. I love it!

Oil, for pan

1 cup barley flour

¹⁄₂ cup brown rice flour

¹⁄₂ tablespoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¹⁄₄ teaspoon sea salt

¹⁄₂ cup coconut palm sugar

2 tablespoons flax meal mixed with ¹⁄₃ cup applesauce

¹⁄₄ cup safflower oil

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1 medium zucchini, grated

¹⁄₂ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray loaf pan lightly with oil. In a medium bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients except nuts until well combined. In a small bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients until well combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until well combined and no lumps remain. Stir in nuts, if using. Pour batter into loaf pan and smooth over the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

springtime lemon bars

• Makes 9 to 12 pieces

Lemon bars are usually filled with refined sugar and other not-so-good-for-you stuff. My healthy version has a delicious raw crust made from dates and almonds. Agar-agar gives the topping a firm texture without eggs.

10 dates, soaked 1 hour, then pitted

2 cups raw sliced almonds, washed

¹⁄₂ cup raw shredded coconut (optional)

2 tablespoons agar-agar

1 cup apple juice

3 tablespoons arrowroot, dissolved in ¹⁄₃ cup date soaking water

1 cup rice milk

1 lemon, zested and juiced

¹⁄₄ cup coconut palm sugar

2 teaspoons lemon extract

2 tablespoons coconut flour or flakes (optional), for topping

Take dates out of water but save date soaking water to use later. Blend almonds and pitted dates along with coconut, if using, in food processor until well mixed, about four minutes. Be sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients. Press evenly into an 8x8 glass dish or into a casserole dish to make crust. Refrigerate while you make the topping.

For the topping, combine agar-agar and apple juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until all the agar-agar has dissolved and no clear bits remain. Stir occasionally. This could take 10 to 15 minutes. It’s very important that the agar-agar is dissolved completely. Meanwhile, mix your arrowroot and date soaking water together until well dissolved. Pour into saucepan with all the remaining ingredients except coconut flour and bring back to a boil. Simmer for five minutes, until sauce becomes thick and creamy. Pour evenly over crust and let cool to room temperature before storing in fridge for 30 minutes. Spread coconut flour or flakes evenly over the top. Cut into squares and serve.

lemon amasake custard

• Makes 2 to 3 servings

I love lemon so much I could eat this dessert every day. So healthy, yet so tasty, amasake makes the perfect base for pudding or custard. Great with granola.

1 carton (16 ounces) Amazake, plain flavor

¹⁄₂ cup brown rice or maple syrup

1 lemon, zested and juiced (save some zest for garnish)

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

3 tablespoons arrowroot, dissolved in ¹⁄₂ cup apple juice

Mint leaves, for garnish

Place all ingredients except diluted arrowroot in small saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer for two minutes to incorporate all the ingredients. Stir in diluted arrowroot and bring back to a boil. Simmer while stirring for a few minutes, until custard thickens. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature before putting in the fridge to cool completely. Serve chilled in bowls garnished with lemon zest and mint. You can serve with sliced strawberries or other fruit.
 

blissful definition

Amazake is a commonly found brand of amasake, which can be found at any natural food store in the refrigerated section.

lemon meringue cupcakes with lemon coconut frosting

lemon meringue cupcakes with lemon coconut frosting

• Makes 12 cupcakes

These are fantastic on their own, or you can throw in some fresh blueberries or cranberries. The frosting has no refined sugar, like most frostings made with powdered sugar, and is delicious!

2 tablespoons oil, plus more for pan

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup kamut flour (or other whole-grain flour like spelt)

1 cup coconut palm sugar

¹⁄₂ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

¹⁄₄ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons lemon zest (plus more for garnish)

¹⁄₄ cup lemon juice (about 2 small lemons)

1 cup unsweetened rice or almond milk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional), for more lemon flavor

lemon coconut frosting

makes about 2¹⁄₂ cups

1 package Mori Nu silken tofu

¹⁄₂ cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring

1 teaspoon lemon extract

2 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons arrowroot

¹⁄₃ cup coconut palm sugar

¹⁄₂ cup coconut oil, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray muffin tin with oil or line with cupcake liners. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Spoon into muffin tin until almost full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While cupcakes are baking make your frosting. Combine all ingredients except the coconut oil into a food processor. Blend until well combined. Be sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl a few times to incorporate all the ingredients. With the blade running, slowly drizzle in the coconut oil. Refrigerate frosting for 20 minutes before icing cupcakes. When cupcakes are cool, top with frosting then garnish with lemon zest.
 

blissful variation

This cupcake recipe can be used as a base to make any flavor cupcake you would like. For example, sub the lemon for orange (also in the frosting) and add fresh raspberries to the cupcake base. Or remove lemon and add 1 cup cocoa powder and ¹⁄₂ cup chocolate chips to cupcake base, and sub lemon for melted chocolate in the frosting. The possibilities are endless!