Blog

These are the absolute best zucchini muffins I have ever made because they don’t taste anything like zucchini muffins. They are  gluten free, low carb, nut-free (coconut flour)

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 3/4 cup coconut flour (I get mine from Bulk Barn)
• 1/2 cup Monk Fruit/Erythritol  blend (Bulk Barn)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, not hot chocolate mix)
• 1 Tbsp  baking powder
• 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
• 1/4 tsp cornstarch

Melt Together Ingredients (melt in microwave or stove)

• 1/2 cup butter (one stick)  (or coconut oil or olive oil)
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened baking chocolate or dark chocolate chips (30g)

Zucchini/Berry Processing Ingredients

• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup zucchini (142 g, loosely packed).  Can also use 142 g any smashed fruit – strawberries, blueberries, etc.  Don’t use salt with the fruit.

Wet Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin cups with parchment liners.
• Grate zucchini. To dewater zucchini, place into a colander, and sprinkle with the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix thoroughly and let sit (the salt draws the water out of the zucchini). 
• Measure the dry ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk together, breaking up any lumps.
• Melt the butter and unsweetened baking chocolate in a microwave safe bowl at 30 second intervals.  Mix well.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in the bowl starting with the eggs. Add the eggs and mix until incorporated. Add the chocolate and butter and mix until incorporated. With clean hands, squeeze the water out of the zucchini and add it to the bowl (no need to squeeze any other fruit). Mix thoroughly with a hand mixer scraping down the bowl once.
• Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups, mounding slightly in the middle. The batter will be thick.
• Bake for 21-25 minutes depending on your oven. Don’t over bake. Let cool in the pan 3 minutes before removing

I recently got a surprise when a returning guest said that she loved the tomato jam that I served (a dollop on a piece of cheese). She really appreciated that my recipes were on my website and she makes it weekly now and has told all of her friends about it. I recently changed my website template and lost all of the recipes, so here it is again. Glad you like it Jennifer!

My original source for this was a blog called simplygluten-free.com but a quick google search show that the same recipe shows up on various sites. It lists Carol Kicinski as the creator of the recipe. It’s simple but yummy!

Ingredients

2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
1⁄2 cup coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, mined
1⁄2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper (I use double that, I like black pepper)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large skillet and cook over medium­-high heat. As the tomatoes start to soften, about 2 minutes, mash them with a potato masher. Continue to boil the mixture until it is thick and the liquid has been reduced (when you drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan, it should leave a path), about 10 minutes. Let jam cool then store in a clean jar, covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

We had an abundant crop of jalapeno peppers in the garden, and some nectarines that needed to be used, and I had friends coming over for lunch. I popped up the Jamie Oliver website and searched for “easy lunch” (or something like that), and found something that looked yummy. It involved making a number of dishes, one of which was a traditional fresh salsa. A little creative thinking and this has become a summer favourite. I actually don’t eat it with chips like you would a traditional salsa (although you can), more as a refreshing summer salad with a bit of a twang:

Amazing Fruit Salsa (Mango or Nectarine

TOTAL TIME: however long it takes you to cut stuff up!

Ingredients

• 1/2 bunch  spring onions
• 1/2 -1 jalapeno pepper 
• 4 cm piece fresh ginger
• 2 nectarines or 1 mango, or one of each
• 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp coconut flakes
• bunch cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Trim and finely slice the green onions and put in a bowl.
2. Cut open the jalapeno pepper, remove the seeds and chop quite small, add to the bowl
3. Cut the fruit into quite small pieces, about the size of the tip of your finger, add to the bowl
4. Zest and then juice the lemon, and both the zest and juice to the bowl
5. Add the coconut flakes
6. Mix it all together, top with chopped cilantro, and serve. I usually put the cilantro on the side as not everyone likes it. I find this keeps in the refrigerator for a few days, no problem

Here is a link to the original recipe that inspired the above: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pancake-recipes/crispy-rice-pancakes/