blueberry banana bread bars (vegan, no added sugar)
I love hard-working recipes – especially ones that can work as breakfast, dessert or a snack! And these blueberry banana bread bars are perfect for all three. I have a particular soft spot for these since it’s one of the first recipes I tried (thanks to the inspiration of Angela’s muffin tops recipe at Oh She Glows) that didn’t require any added sugar. And didn’t end up a yucky gummy mess which can happen when you remove the dairy and the added sugar. These blueberry banana bread bars are just one of the recipes featured in my 7-day plant-based refresh which you can sign up to receive for free…
festive vegan yogurt parfaits with no added sugar berry jam
Mmm, mmm, mmm. Aren’t these pretty? I love the colors in these vegan yogurt parfaits and the combination is so festive! While yogurt parfaits usually are associated with breakfast, I prefer them as a snack or dessert…I have a hard time parting with my go-to oatmeal bowl each morning. LOL Plus these are so pretty, I think they can hold their own on the dessert table and offer a refreshing alternative to heavier desserts. To make them, grab your favorite non-dairy, no added sugar yogurt (I used a cashew-based one here), whip up a batch of granola (I recommend this one to keep it free of added sugars) and…
carrot muffins (vegan, dairy free, no added sugar)
Since we’re in the season of getting together and gift-giving, I want to give you a better-for-you, better-for-them muffin recipe. A carrot muffin recipe and one that is free of any added sugar and full of vitamins and make-you-feel good ingredients. This time of year, it feels like we’re inundated with foods that are high in fats and sugars, doesn’t it? And even though muffins appear innocent, many muffin recipes have plenty of both. Especially if you add the pat of butter – vegan or no. Why am I so passionate about this? It’s because I’ve seen how much better I feel and how much better my…
easier-than-pie apple crisp (no added sugar, vegan, soy free, dairy free)
I never was much of a pie person. Unlike pizza where I could eat just the crust, pie crust left me cold. And making it? My results were rarely worth the effort. Which is why crisps are more my speed. Easier to pull together and capped with a sweet, flavorful topping…mmmm. Yes. Please. My favorite way to make this apple crisp also makes it virtually foolproof because you can control your chunky-to-sauce ratio and turn out the perfect-for-you apple crisp every time. Personally, I like things a little more on the saucy side. For the topping, I swapped out the traditional brown sugar and butter for dates (in the…
chocolate doughnuts with milk chocolate glaze (vegan, no added sugar)
Doughnut, you guys! No added sugar, baked-not-fried, packed-with-fruit and finished-with-fun chocolate doughnuts. With milk chocolate glaze. And pink sprinkles. Food dye free sprinkles. It’s a party on your plate and in your mouth. How is all this accomplished in one little recipe? Simple! I used my chocolate zucchini muffin recipe, sweetened it up a bit (more dates and stevia) and spooned it into a doughnut pan. Voila! Healthy chocolate doughnuts. But, wait, there’s more! To increase the fun factor, I added a milk chocolate glaze and pink sprinkles – all made without a lick of added sugar, dairy or food coloring. This recipe makes more batter…
apple pumpkin granola fall parfait (vegan, no added sugar, gluten free option)
Last week, I shared one apple-based recipe and one with pumpkin – both bonus recipes in my Perk Up Your Pantry – Fall edition recipe ebook. Today, I’m ending the debate and bringing both flavors together with one snack-tastic recipe…the apple pumpkin granola fall parfait. When I created Perk Up Your Pantry, my thought was to include recipes that could be enjoyed by themselves, but also easily combined in new ways so your meal plans feel fresh and fun. Which is exactly what I love about this pumpkin harvest granola! You could make this for breakfast or as a snack – even one on the go. To…
pumpkin harvest granola (no added sugar, gluten free option)
Pumpkin lovers, this one’s for you! If this big orange fall fruit-that-we-think-of-as-a-vegetable is your thang, than you’ll want to scoop up this recipe pronto. The pumpkin harvest granola is seasonal twist on my simply saturday version and ushers the spicy scent of fall right into your kitchen. Eat it at breakfast if you want to stick with tradition, but I’ve found a few ways to work it into my snack-happy habits and I’ll be sharing one of those with you next week. It’s recipes like these that are slowing winning me over to the ways of pumpkin…I don’t think it will ever edge out my love of apples, but it…
chocolate zucchini muffins (vegan, no added sugar, dairy free, soy free)
I know I’ve hit on a real winner of a recipe when my husband asks for me to make it again. He’s my gold standard. Not that my other recipes aren’t equally tasty, but rather, they might not be equally tasty to people who still love to eat meat, dairy and sugar. Like my husband. So I’m going to guess that these chocolate zucchini muffins will be safe to label as crowd-pleasers …for vegans and non-vegans, sugar addicts and sugar abstainers alike. I honestly wasn’t sure how these would turn out and it’s been awhile since I’ve attempted baked goods because most of my past efforts weren’t good enough…
simply saturday granola (vegan, no added sugar, gluten free option)
Ironically, this granola was much easier to test and make than trying to share it with you in this post. Because, technology. It’s a long story, which I’ll spare you, but I’m storing up these tidbits for blog-related tips to help you avoid the same pitfalls. For now, granola. When I changed my diet to one extremely low in added sugar, I thought granola was a thing of the past. Typically, granola has a high added sugar content; even vegan versions tend to use more than I’m comfortable with. Coming up with a raw granola recipe I was pleased with was simple. However, I wasn’t sure if a cooked version…
crockpot carrot cake oatmeal (vegan, sugar free)
This week I’m running a 6-day clean eating crockpot challenge through a private Facebook group. The recipes for apple cinnamon and banana bread oatmeal in the meal plan got me thinking about what other kinds of desserts could be transformed into a healthy breakfast. Carrot cake immediately came to mind. Naturally sweetened only with fruit and containing hints of cinnamon and ginger make this oatmeal a tasty way to start the morning. And because it’s made in a crockpot, it’s already warm when you wake up. If you are interested in learning about upcoming clean eating challenges, please leave a comment and I will contact you. Crockpot Carrot Cake Oatmeal…
