Here are two completely sweetener free recipes that are very popular at my book signings:
Banana-Oatmeal Cookies
These moist cookies contain no sweeteners, butter, eggs, or wheat.
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil baking sheet. Grind oats and almonds to a coarse powder in food processor or blender. Pour them into a large mixing bowl. Stir in baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In separate bowl or in food processor, beat together bananas, oil, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add banana mixture and raisins to oat mixture. Mix well.
Drop cookie dough by tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown.
Yield: 3 dozen
Variation: For older children, replace the raisins with carob or chocolate chips if desired.
Raisin Bars
These delicious bars contain no eggs or sweeteners.
1 cup whole wheat, brown rice, or barley flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup oil
1 cup walnuts, minced
1 cup raisins, minced
1 cup pitted prunes, minced
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon peel (optional)
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 325º. Oil 8-inch square baking pan. Blend flour, oats, salt, and oil with fingers until evenly mixed.
Mince the nuts in food processor and add to oat mixture. Mince raisins and prunes in food processor. Add them to batter along with the orange or lemon peel and 1/3 cup water. Mix the batter with your hands or in food processor. Add remaining water as necessary to make batter hold together.
Press into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool, and cut into 16 squares.
Yield: 16 bars
And a few more of my most popular baked recipes:
Banana-Molasses Muffins
Yogurt, molasses, and almonds add vitamins and minerals to these moist, flavorful muffins. They're really good spread with Yogurt Cheese (page xxx).
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup almonds
1 cup whole wheat, spelt, or barley flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 bananas)
1 egg
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup plain yogurt (dairy or nondairy)
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly oil muffin tins. In food processor or blender, grind oats and nuts to a coarse meal. Transfer to mixing bowl and whisk in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir in raisins. Beat remaining ingredients together until smooth. Add to oat mixture and stir just until mixed. Pour batter into prepared tins. Bake 20 minutes, or until tops are firm to the touch.
Makes 1 dozen
Note: For quick preparation, puree liquid ingredients in food processor or blender after removing oat/nut mixture.
Apple-Bran Muffins
These moist, fruity muffins can be made without wheat.
3 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
3 tablespoons molasses
1 egg
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup apple juice
1 cup whole wheat, brown rice, or barley flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups wheat or oat bran
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 apple, grated
Preheat oven to 375º. Oil muffin tins. Beat together oil, molasses, egg, yogurt, and juice until smooth. In separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and cinnamon together. Stir in salt and bran. Mix yogurt mixture into flour mixture. Stir in apples and minced seeds or nuts. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Muffins keep well in refrigerator or freezer.
Yield: 1 dozen
Cinnamon Graham Crackers
1/4 cup softened unsalted butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, or honey
1 egg or egg replacer
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet. Beat butter or oil and sweetener together until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until smooth. In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt together. Use low speed on mixer to beat flour mixture into liquid mixture. The dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pressed in your hand. If it's too dry, add a little water.
Press dough into prepared baking sheet. Score into squares a little over 2 inches. Prick each square several times with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are golden. Cool and break into squares.
Makes 2 dozen
Sunflower-Sesame Molasses Cookies
These are cookies you can feel good about. This makes a big batch so store some in the freezer for later.
1 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, or honey
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
1 egg or egg replacer
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk or yogurt (dairy or nondairy)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil cookie sheet(s). Coarsely chop sunflower and sesame seeds in food processor, blender, or by hand. Place in large mixing bowl with flour, spice, salt, and baking soda and whisk together. In separate bowl, beat together oil, sweetener, molasses, egg, vanilla, and milk or yogurt. Add liquid ingredients to flour mixture. Stir until combined. Scoop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes, or until bottoms are golden. Cool on wire rack.
Makes 4 1/2 dozen
Note: If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
