Healthier Baking This Fall

 

As the weather cools, my need to get in the kitchen and bake comes alive! There is nothing I love more than a hot cup of tea with a fresh baked good when the chill of fall sets in. I learned a long time ago that if I was going to enjoy this indulgence I needed to create some better baked goods! Adding nuts and seeds, eliminating gluten, and cutting out refined sugar are three ways to make your muffins, breads, and cookies part of a healthy balanced diet! And voila, baked goods go from indulgence to high fiber, antioxidant packed fare!

 

 

Nuts provide a nutrient rich addition that brings not only texture and a depth of flavor to any baked goods, but also deliver on fiber, fat, protein, and polyphenols. They have been shown to:

 

• Lower risk for type 2 diabetes
• Assist in chronic disease prevention
• Reduce inflammation
• Increase satiety
• Avoid weight gain over time

Research studies also show that adding nuts to your diet can help decrease risk for coronary artery disease, hypertension, cancer, and metabolic syndrome.

 

Seeds are rich in fat, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals and offer a delicious crunch to baked goods. They have been shown to:

 

• Reduce blood pressure
• Improve cholesterol
• Reduce hunger
• Reduce blood sugar when consumed with meals

 

Oats are a good soluble fiber source and contain more protein than many other cereal grains. They have been shown to:

 

• Reduce blood pressure
• Reduce inflammation
• Provide important nutrients to the gut for a healthy microbiota
• Reduce cholesterol

Try roasting nuts, seeds, and oats before adding to any of these recipes to bring out a deeper flavor!

 

Avoid blood sugar spikes, feel full longer, and curb cravings by packing in fiber through the addition of nuts, seeds, and oats together in your baking recipes!

 

Try these Fall flavored goodies!

 

 

Autumn Cranberry Orange Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup oats
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 whole orange with zest
½ cup water
½ cup pecans
¼ cup ground flax seed
⅓ cup coconut oil
2 T maple syrup
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries, thawed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place oats, cooked quinoa, and water in high powered blender and mix for 10-15 seconds. Zest the orange over blender. Peel the remaining peel off the orange and add whole orange segments to blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until combined. Do not overmix.  Stir in cranberries by hand. Spoon mixture into lined muffin tin. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely in muffin pan. Makes 12 muffins.

 

Tip:  Whole Foods carries frozen cranberries year-round!

 

 

Nutty Nut Butter Cookies

This is my absolute FAVORITE cookie recipe! My family has been long time fans of the Kentucky Derby. I grew up watching my parents and grandparents attend the Derby in Louisville, Kentucky every year. This left me celebrating at home, which meant a derby party with delicious party food! This is my take on pecan and chocolate Derby Pie. I hope you enjoy them as much as my party guests and I do!

Ingredients:
1 cup smooth cashew butter
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tsp baking powder
1 T ground flax seed
2 T water
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup pecans
½ cup pure cacao chips, such as Pascha organic 100% cacao unsweetened dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven 325. Mix cashew butter and maple syrup together in medium sized bowl. Add in the remaining ingredients one at a time, stirring after each addition. Scoop dough into one-inch balls. A cookie scoop works great with this batter. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow cookies to cool completely on pan.

 

 

Pear, Nut, and Seed Quick Loaf

Ingredients:
2 cups oats
½ cup walnuts
½ cup pumpkin seeds
2 T whole flax seed
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 T maple syrup
¾  cup water
2 pears, cored and finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two mini loaf pans. Place oats in blender and pulse a few times until flour consistency. Add walnuts, pumpkin seeds, whole flax seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and pulse a few times until fine meal texture. Pour maple syrup and water and blend until incorporated. Do not over mix. Remove blender from base and stir in pears by hand. Divide batter evenly between two mini loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes.