Low Sugar Peach Crisp......heavenly!!

Have you noticed how sweet and juicy the peaches are this summer?  I mean they are usually delicious, but they are even sweeter this year - or at least they seem like they are!!

I love to make apple crisp in the fall, but often forget that other fruits taste delicious baked with that slightly chewy wonderfully buttery oat topping.  That is my favorite part of the crisp!

I decided that I wanted to try to reduce the sugar in this and I am so glad I did because it tastes just as good as the full sugar recipe but it's healthier (as long as you don't focus on all of the butter that goes into the topping.  Can't win em all!!

I took my inspiration from a recipe on Cooking Classy, substituted the sugar with Truvia Baking Blend and Splenda brown sugar blend, and added a few more spice flavors.  For the final touch, I sprinkled some almond macaroon granola over the top to add a little extra crunch to the topping. I am so glad I did that!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I intend to!! (and as far as I am concerned, peach crisp is not only a dessert, but works well for breakfast with a spoonful of vanilla yogurt on top.  Anytime you want to entice your taste buds with peachy cinnamon goodness is the right time for this!

LOW SUGAR PEACH CRISP

adapted from Cooking Classy

Filling
3 lbs peaches (about 7 medium ), peeled, cored and sliced into thick wedges (about 3/4")
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/8 cup Truvia Baking Blend
1/2 tsp. LorAnn Cinnamon Baking Emulsion (optional)
2 Tbsp. flour

Topping:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup regular oats
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. apple pie spice (optional)
3/8 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cubed in 1/2" pieces
1/3 cup granola (optional - for added "crunch")

Preheat the oven to 350.  Toss the peaches with lemon juice in a large bowl.  Sprinkle the Truvia Baking Blend and flour over the peaches and lightly mix to coat evenly.  Butter a 11x7 or 13x9 inch pan and pour the peach mixture into the pan.

Sugared peaches....

Ready to bake oat topping...

In a food processor (you can do this step by hand, but it's easier this way!), mix the flour, oats, salt, and spices.  Add the Splenda Brown Sugar Blend and the chilled cut up butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.  Pour over the top of the crisp and sprinkle with additional granola (if the taste and crunch is desired).  Bake for about 35-30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and you can see the fruit bubbling.  Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, Cool Whip, or vanilla ice cream.

Fresh out of the oven...

Oh yummmmm....

And a dollop of whipped cream makes it even better...

And don't forget a dusting of cinnamon sugar on top.  You really need to make this now and enjoy every single bite.....  This is now the ONLY way I want to eat peaches!...

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Low Sugar "Healthy" Zucchini Carrot Cake

Still working on the overflow of zucchini here, with two more giant zucchinis in the fridge!!  Going to have to get really creative soon.

In an effort to make my way through the zucchini I have actually made this recipe twice. Yes it is THAT good.  It is moist, healthy (in my mind!), has just a touch of sweetness in the frosting that but not so much that it will stop you from eating it for breakfast.  This is truly a cake that can be eaten any time of the day or night!

Zucchini Carrot Cake

adapted from Eat What You Love Everyday by Marlene Koch

2 cups flour
2  1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. Penzeys baking spice
1/4 c. applesauce, natural (no sugar)
1/4 c. oil
2 large eggs  
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I use KAF vanilla bean crush )                                                                    
5/8 c. Truvia Baking Blend
3/4 c. buttermilk, reduced or low fat
1 1/2 cup grated carrots
1 1/2- 2  cups grated zucchini, blotted dry with paper towels
1/2 - 3/4  c. raisins (based on your preference and optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 inch pan with non stick coating spray..

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and ginger in a small bowl and whisk well.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla and whisk well.  When mixed, whisk in the Truvia baking blend and buttermilk. Then fold in the grated zucchini and carrots and raisins and mix gently until the ingredients are well distributed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes clean. Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.  When completely cool, frost with the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting (below) and store in the refrigerator.

This cake is moist and delicious!

Cream Cheese Whipped Frosting

1/3 cup reduced fat whipped cream cheese
2 oz. reduced fat  block cream cheese
6 packets (1/4 cup) Monk Fruit sweetener (Truvia or Stevia work as well)
1 1/2 cups light Cool Whip
1/2 tsp. cream cheese emulsion (optional but adds to the wonderful flavor)

Beat the two varieties of cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add the monk fruit sweetener or Truvia and continue beating until well combined, about a minute.

On slow speed, beat in about half of the Cool Whip until fluffy and combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in the rest of the Cool Whip.  Will easily frost a 13x9" pan - and it's so good I would definitely use it for other cakes!

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Low Sugar Raspberry Swirl Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

There was a great sale on blueberries, raspberries and blackberries this week at the local health food store and I stocked up.  I knew I wanted to make blueberry jam and raspberry jam, and finished those this morning. I love being able to make my own jam with the Ball Electric Jam Maker (see earlier post).

Once they cooled and were refrigerated, I decided to put some of the excess raspberry jam to good use.  I would not have thought to layer the jam in the middle of the quick bread without the ingenuity of other food bloggers. This recipe is delicious and the original recipe is linked below.

I love trying new things, changing ingredients just a little, and still have it turn out delicious.  And I really didn't think I loved poppy seeds that much, but in this bread, they melt in your mouth and add great flavor!

This tastes as good as it looks - maybe even better :)

Low Sugar Raspberry Swirl Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

adapted from Eat Cake for Dinner

1/4 c. butter, softened

3/8 c. Truvia Baking Blend
1 egg
1 egg white

2 tsp. vanilla extract (or 1 tsp. double vanilla extract)

3/4 c. non-fat vanilla bean Greek yogurt (I used Fage FroYo vanilla)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda (if using regular sugar, decrease the baking soda to 1/4 tsp.)
1/8 tsp. salt (otherwise known as a dash!)
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/3 c. raspberry jam (I used my low sugar homemade raspberry jam)

Lemon Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbl. lemon juice

1 tsp. meringue powder (optional) to help harden the icing.  A great tip from Jen!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and Truvia Baking Blend.  Add the egg, egg white, vanilla extract, lemon zest and mix until well blended.   In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds and whisk together  Add dry ingredients and Greek yogurt alternately to the batter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do NOT overmix.

Spread half of the batter into a 9x5-inch lightly greased loaf pan.  Top with raspberry jam, and spread over the batter leaving about 1/2" border of batter.  Do not swirl the jam.  Top with the remaining batter and carefully spread out evenly to the edges, being sure to cover all of the jamBake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert to a wire rack and cool completely. Meanwhile, make the glaze.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread (see photos) or cover the whole loaf with the glaze, your preference.

The jam is my  homemade low sugar raspberry jam. YUM!

This will definitely be making a return appearance often at the breakfast table.  

It is the perfect complement to a cup of coffee - and makes a great mid afternoon snack too!

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Low Sugar Blueberry Muffin Coffee Cake

This post was supposed to go up early last week, but I got distracted with cards!  So the timeline is a little off, but the end result still works!
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I was going to bake all week, but my air conditioning died and I didn't want to add any additional heat to the house.  It started malfunctioning a week ago, Memorial Day of course, with water all over the garage floor. My first thought was the water heater, but I had just replaced it less than a year ago.  So it must be a broken pipe somewhere, right?  So the next morning a plumber was here after at least four phone calls to make it happen, only to find out that there was no broken pipe, and I was $90 poorer!!  It was the furnace! Never would I have thought that the furnace would leak water, but it was from the condensation that builds up from the air conditioner . (I know - TMI!) The pan had mysteriously broken and so was not catching the water, hence the mess on the floor!  Ugh.  So it took a couple of days to see if it was still under warranty,find the part, order it , etc etc. The part is supposed to arrive tomorrow and then they will get the air back up and running again, just in time for the weather to cool off for a few days.Just my luck!

So......I decided that I was going to bake anyway, but start really early in the morning.  I had three baskets of blueberries waiting for me, so that narrowed down my options.  I had just run across this recipe a few days ago, so the decision was easy!

It IS as good as it looks!

Low Sugar Blueberry Muffin Coffee Cake
adapted from The Baker Chick


Cake Ingredients:
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda*
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend (if using regular sugar,increase to 1 cup)
2 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla Bean Crush (King Arthur Flour)
1/2 c. lemon Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla is also fine)
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
*Omit the baking soda if using regular sugar.The soda helps increase the volume if using the Truvia Baking Blend.

Topping Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. muscovado (molasses) sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. flour
4 Tbsp. rolled oats
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Mix the topping ingredients together until crumbly and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease or spray an 8x8 square pan.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Whisk lightly.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and Truvia Baking Blend until light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then add the vanilla extract and yogurt and mix until smooth. Add the flour and stir by hand, just until combined. Fold in the blueberries gently.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan - it will be thick.

This is ready to go in the oven with the topping scattered over.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the topping.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean.

This really is a muffin in a pan - 

the taste is wonderful with all of those plump blueberries!

Cool and enjoy!

UPDATE ON THE A/C:  The part DID arrive and it was up and running last Monday...... but now, six days later and there is water all over the garage floor again this afternoon, and a new leak up above.  I am feeling pretty jinxed right now.  Luckily the company is so wonderful that the guy who helped me is leaving a job TWO HOURS AWAY and driving back tonight to help me.  Talk about restoring my faith in humanity and the kindness of others.  So am hopeful it won't be another week of problems, but they just have to figure out why this keeps happening!

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Low Sugar Mixed Berry Swirled Lemon Bread

I am still working on cards, but I have one more amazingly delicious bread recipe to post first.  This was so easy and so delicious that I will definitely make it again (and soon!).  I think it would be wonderful with an apricot jam filling instead of the mixed berry too.

Low Sugar Mixed Berry Swirled Lemon Bread

(adapted from Eat Cake for Dinner)

1/4 cup oil
3/8 cup Truvia Baking Blend
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. Fiori di Sicilia (King Arthur blend of citrus and vanilla - optional)
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 c. flour
1  tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup mixed berry jam (used my homemade jam from an earlier post!)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream the oil and Truvia Baking Blend together.  Mix in the egg, egg white, extracts and lemon peel until well blended.  In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients and Greek yogurt alternately to the oil mixture, ending with the dry ingredients.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan.  Top with the mixed berry jam (or jam of your choice), leaving a small border around the edges.  Do not swirl the jam - it will do so naturally!  Top with the remaining batter and gently spread over the jam, covering the mixture evenly.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.

You can dust with powdered sugar or cover in a glaze, but I left it plain for this version!

You can see how beautifully that bit of jam swirls through the bread

and adds an extra layer of wonderful flavor....

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Low Sugar Banana Zucchini Decadent Bread!

So when  I decided to bake last night, I was going to make some variation of banana bread and then zucchini bread as both of those main ingredients were in the refrigerator literally SCREAMING to be used.  In a few more days they would have been permanent residents in the trash can!!!

I know - you read the title and thought - how can low sugar and decadent be on the same line.  Have I lost it?  Well that is a different blog post!  LOL   But seriously - it makes perfect sense to me because the decadent and unexpected ingredient is dark chocolate.  If you have been reading my blog recipes, you know I am in love with the King Arthur burgundy chunk chocolate pieces. They are sooooo good - the flavor is the best; they melt better than any chocolate chip or chunk I have ever used, and they add just enough richness without overwhelming the recipe.

I would never have thought to combine bananas and zucchini, but I will definitely be using this combination in other creations. The inspiration was not mine.  I found the basic recipe at Brown Eyed Baker. And the dark chocolate chunks just put it over the top.  I have made chocolate zucchini cake and banana muffins with chocolate chips - so it was natural to add in the chocolate.  It's always better with chocolate, right?  Well in this case, it definitely is!

LOW SUGAR BANANA-ZUCCHINI SURPRISE BREAD!!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Penzey's baking spice (mixture of bread friendly spices)
1 tsp. King Arthur vanilla bean crush
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup Truvia Baking Blend
1 cup vegetable oil
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
2 cups shredded zucchini (used the large grate)
1 cup chopped dark chocolate (I used King Arthur Burgundy Chunks......SO GOOD!!)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans and set aside.

In a medium bowl, measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and whisk together and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the Truvia Baking Blend and oil and whisk until smooth and combined. Add the bananas and whisk until well blended.  Add the flour mixture and stir gently with a rubber spatula until blended. Gently fold in the zucchini and dark chocolate pieces.

Just had to capture the marriage of the zucchini and the chopped dark chocolate.

The flavors blended perfectly and fragrance was intoxicating!!

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. (mine were done in 40-45 minutes, but there is less volume with the Truvia Baking Blend).  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the bread from the pans and place on wire rack to cool completely before serving. Wrap in plastic wrap and enjoy every savory morsel.
Will keep about 5 days during cool weather.  Refrigerate if necessary.

This is truly as good as it looks!!  Another MUST TRY!!

Hope to be sharing some cards soon - working on a few in my head!!  Trying to get those creative juices flowing....... again!

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Banana Chocolate CHUNK Muffins! - low sugar

Again, I had a surplus of over-ripe bananas.  I often peel them and put them in the freezer to use in smoothies, but wanted to another fun muffin recipe. And I think I found my new favorite!  The batter itself is low sugar, so the chocolate chunks can be omitted to keep them lower in sugar and calories......but....if you can add the chunks, the intensity of the flavor is memorable... and addicting!

And I wanted to try a muffin recipe using self rising flour and I was amazed at how beautifully they rose.  It was easy to convert - you just  take out any salt and baking powder and as long as your self rising flour is fresh, they will rise perfectly.   It was fun to experiment and learn something new, even at my age!! :)

Dark chocolate makes everything healthy, right?

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHUNK MUFFINS - low sugar

adapted from King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion cookbook

1 stick butter (1/2 cup_

1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. nutmeg  (I used fresh ground)

1/2 tsp. allspice

2-3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 cup vanilla coconut milk (regular milk is fine)

2 cups self rising flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. chocolate chunks (I used the Burgundy chunks from KAF)

Preheat oven to 350.  

In a mixer bow, cream the butter and Truvia baking blend until they are well-blended and smooth.  Scrape the bowl down, and add the egg, banana and milk.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, spices and baking soda. Add the chocolate chunks and gently fold into the butter mixture. 

Spoon the batter into 12 greased muffin tins.   Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Oven ready...

Oh the aroma!....

Patiently waiting for them to cool...

Look at that melty chocolate....... can you say breakfast decadence??

They warm up beautifully too and taste as fresh as the day they were made.

Try to find the time to put your ripe bananas to good use baking these muffins.  

I promise you will not regret it!

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Spiced Pumpkin Muffins - sugar free and healthy

It's Fall..... and Fall screams pumpkin.  I am not a huge fan of pumpkin pie (I know - that is almost sacrilegious!)but I do love everything else pumpkin - muffins, bread, cheesecake, pancakes, waffles - well you get the picture.  I am a fan!  Even my dogs love pumpkin. They each get a tablespoon of it every night because it is really good for them!
So it should be good for us too  -right?  And this recipe is truly a "good for you" recipe.  it is low in sugar, low in fat (really NO fat) and totally healthy.  And yes, they are good too - I mean really good.  They are not like a regular muffin, but that doesn't make them any less desirable.

SPICED PUMPKIN MUFFINS

adapted from Foods for the Soul

1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp. flour

1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

4 1/2 tsp. applesauce

1 1/2 cups pumpkin

1 1/4 cups non or low fat milk (I used vanilla coconut milk - Silk brand)

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. vanilla (not a typo - it adds a TON of flavor)

1/4 c. Truvia Baking Blend

2 tsp. Truvia

1/2-1 cup raisins, soaked in apple cider then drained  (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 and spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray (I love EverBake from King Arthur Flour - so worth the extra money to me).

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.. Whisk together and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce, pumpkin, milk, lemon juice and vanilla.  Stir in the two different Truvia products. Add in the flour mixture and stir, just until the flour is incorporated. Gently fold in the drained raisins, if desired.

Ready for the oven with a dusting of maple sugar.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each to the top.  Bake at 325 for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.   Serves 12.

The aroma is intoxicating as these cool.

These muffins are different than the "regular" muffin. They are very dense, not cake like, because of the ingredients.  But when you take that first bite, you instantly know you are eating something fabulous and the healthy part is just an added bonus!!   Healthy is transformed into something wonderful!!
 Because they are dense, they are incredibly moist and are delicious the next day , warmed in the microwave.

 You definitely cannot eat just ONE bite!

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Banana Muffins with Dark Chocolate - low sugar and Truvia Baking Tips!

Bananas and Chocolate - what a great excuse to incorporate dark chocolate into the breakfast menu, right? Well,  these are going to be a staple. They are not overly sweet, but have just enough chocolate to make them feel decadent, without leaving overwhelming guilt in their wake!

I took this recipe and reduced the sugar with Truvia Baking Blend as I have been doing with most of the recipes of late.  I have been wondering if it made a difference in the finished product since I was reducing a quantity of an ingredient in half - so did that give me less batter in reality?  I wondered, but that was as far as I got until my friend, Nance asked a question about substituting regular Truvia for the Baking Blend.
Thank goodness Truvia has a conversion chart or you would need to have a math degree to figure it out!! But in finding that for her, I discovered some great tips for getting the best product possible when using the Baking Blend.

I will assume that you all know when you use the Blend that you reduce the sugar stated in half. So if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you substitute 1/2 cup  Truvia Baking Blend.  But here are the tips.  Add 1/4-1/2 tsp. of baking soda to help increase the volume.  And..... substitute at least 1/2 of the butter or shortening with oil.  I used both tips in this recipe and my muffins rose more and seemed a bit lighter.  I love learning the little tricks that make things look as good as they taste!!

So here is my latest muffin treat that is lower in sugar and tastes OH SO GOOD!!

Low Sugar Banana Muffins with Dark Chocolate

adapted from Buns in My Oven

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup Truva Baking Blend
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 bar (3.5 oz) 80% dark cocoa/dark chocolate, chopped (I used the bar from Trader Joe's)

Spray a muffin tin with non stick spray and set aside.

In a mixer, blend butter, oil and Baking Blend until creamy.  Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until they are well mixed.  Continue beating and add the vanilla.  Then add the bananas (premashed or whole if they are really ripe), and blend them in well.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Gently mix into the batter and finally fold in the chopped chocolate.

Fill the muffin tin 1/2-3/4 full and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Check to be sure they are done by inserting a toothpick in the center.  Remove and let sit for 10 minutes, and then remove from the muffin pan and let cool on a wire rack.  YUMMMMM!!!

Makes 12 large muffins.

Banana batter with chopped dark chocolate - flavor sensation!

Ready for the oven with a surprise of vanilla sugar on top!

Fresh from the oven...

Yes the first bite is THAT good!

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Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins - Low Sugar

Healthy can truly be delicious!  Oh.....my......gosh.......these are yummy. I think I could even get my granddaughters to eat these (and they would not touch zucchini with a ten foot pole!)  Of course if I made these for them I would grate the zucchini finer so it would be WELL hidden!!

Another thing  I did was change the chocolate chips to Ghirardelli premium baking chips that are 60% cacao. They have a higher concentration of cocoa butter so they melt really well and even after the muffins have cooled, the chocolate still has a wonderful gooey texture.  YUM!

I hope you love these too!!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup Ghirardelli premium baking chips (60% cacao/bittersweet chocolate)

Preheat oven to 325.  Spray the muffin tin with a non stick spray or use muffin liners. Set aside.

Beat butter, unsweetened applesauce, and Truvia baking blend in a large mixing bowl.  The mixture will be lumpy - almost curdled in appearance.  Add the eggs.  Mix to combine.  Add the vanilla and buttermilk and mix again.

In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients  slowly - adding 1/3 of the dry each time and blending in between. Do not overmix.  Add the zucchini and chocolate and stir just until combined.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack for 3-5 minutes and then remove to the wire rack to cool completely.

The texture of these muffins is almost brownie like, especially when you get a bite of that melty gooey chocolate! I hope you enjoy these!!

I think I need to make another batch.  YES.... they are THAT good!

Who says chocolate isn't a breakfast food?  Zucchini makes everything healthy!

You can see how these are brimming with zucchini.  

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"Healthy" Blueberry Coffeecake! - Low Sugar

I have so enjoyed experimenting this summer with fruits of the season and blueberries have been at the top of my list.  I needed a break from the muffin madness that has taken over my kitchen so decided to give this already healthy coffee cake recipe a try.  I substituted greek yogurt for sour cream and used sugar baking blends to make it even lower in sugar. I am really pleased with how it came out.  It is flavorful, soft, very moist and just plain delicious.... and it made my kitchen smell wonderful.

Now the one thing in question is why would I want to bake when the humidity is up and it's supposed to be 90 degrees today??  Well the answer is simple - why not?? I started relatively early so the heat inside would dissipate before the heat outside took over!  It's crazy but I don't claim to always make sense!  I have learned that during the summer I need to keep my baking to early in the day or late in the evening - anything else truly IS crazy!!

I hope you will try this and be as delighted with the results as I was.  I love the creations of Marlene Koch and have never had one of her recipes fail, even when I shift the ingredients a bit!

Can you see the size of those blueberries??  They were super-sized!!

BLUE RIBBON YOGURT COFFEE CAKE

adapted from "Eat What You Love" by Marlene Koch

Ingredients for the Cake:

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 c. applesauce

2 Tbsp. sugar

1  egg

1 egg white

1/4 c. Truvia baking blend

1 1/2 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3 Tbsp. butter

1 cup fresh blueberries

Gently mixed batter...

Ingredients for Crumb Topping:

1/2 c. flour

1 Tbsp. Splenda brown sugar blend

1 Tbsp.  Truvia baking blend

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly spray or grease an 8 inch square pan and set aside. (I use EverBake spray from King Arthur Flour - I love it!)

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, applesauce, egg, egg white, sugar and Truvia baking blend.  Whisk together.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder.  Add the 3 Tbsp. butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until well combined and crumbly.  At this point I like to toss in the blueberries so they will get a light coating of flour and not sink to the bottom when baking.  Then make a well in the center of the bowl and add the yogurt mixture.  Gently mix with a spatula or wooden spoon just until the ingredients are combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Mix the dry topping ingredients together and then add the melted butter and mix with a fork until everything is crumbly.  Sprinkle over the top of the batter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack and wait 10 minutes before cutting (if you can - the temptation is overwhelming!!)

I have been making a LOT of blueberry recipes this summer, and there are undoubtedly more to come, but so far this is my absolute favorite one!

This is one of those times I wish I could share the out of the oven smell.......Mmmmmmm!!

It's as good as it looks!!

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Peach Melba Cobbler

I don't know about where you are living, but, but the peaches that have been available here this year have been incredible.  I am not always a huge peach fan, I think because I have had my share of mushy flavorless peach mpostors. You know the kind? They look so good on the outside,but you cut into them and you just know that first bite will not be memorable, at least not in a good way.

But this summer has been an entirely different experience.  Ohhhhhhhhh goodness....... they have been juicy and sweet and just plain delicious, bite after bite........pound after pound!  So I have been eating them for snacks and cooking with them.  And when I saw this recipe on Iowa Girl Eats (love her!), I knew I had to make it with a twist. She used peaches and blueberries, but I reverted to my Peach Melba obsession and used raspberries.  AND...... I made it low sugar.   It was so delicious. The only thing I would change is to put it in a smaller, deeper dish so the fruit layer has more depth and then the cobbler would cover it completely - or at least almost!

It is delicious plain, with whipped cream or Cool Whip, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Healthy Choice vanilla bean yogurt (see pictured below) and works either hot or cold.  You just cannot go wrong!!

And in my world,  when it is mainly fruit, it works for breakfast too! :)

Low Sugar Peach Melba Cobbler

adapted from Iowa Girl Eats Peach A Berry Cobbler

1 c. flour
1/4 c. Truvia Baking Blend (or 1/2 c. sugar)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/8 c. Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (or 1/4 c. brown sugar)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. cold water
3 c. sliced fresh peaches, skin on (3 large peaches)
1 c. fresh raspberries
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Truvia Baking Blend (or 2 Tbsp. sugar)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350.

Topping Mixture:

Combine the flour, 1/4 cup Truvia baking blend, and baking powder in a large bowl and stir to combine.  Add milk and butter and stir until relatively smooth and set aside.

Fruit Mixture:

In a large saucepan, whisk together the Splenda brown sugar blend, cornstarch, and water until smooth.
With heat on medium, add the peaches and raspberries,  and cook until mixture is thick and bubbly, mixing with a wooden spoon.  Add the remaining butter (1 Tbsp) and lemon  juice and stir until the butter is melted.

Pour mixture into an ungreased 1 1/2 quart baking dish (I used a 10"x10" glass dish. Next time I would use a smaller, deeper dish for more fruit concentration and a better coverage of cobbler batter.)  Spoon topping mixture over the top of the fruit.  It does not have to be even or cover completely.  Blend the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the top.

Place baking dish on a cookie sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the dough comes out clean.

Are these not the most beautiful peaches???

Peaches and raspberries simmering goodness...

All cooked and waiting  for the cobbler dough!

Ready for the oven with a sprinkle of  cinnamon  sugar.

All cooked and ready for a taste test!!

This is delicious on its own, with vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream, or whipped cream or topping.

I love the individual serving cups of frozen yogurt from Healthy Choice!

Who wants the first bite???

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