RAW CARROT CAKE WITH CASHEW VANILLA FROSTING

This is such a neat recipe, and it's perfect for fall!

• 3 cups shredded carrots (about 1 lb.)
• 8 oz. (about 1 cup) pitted dates (you could also use raisins for a less expensive option- there's a recipe here for using raisins instead of dates)
• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• (optional) 1/2 cup raisins

RAW CASHEW VANILLA FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight
• 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/3 cup water (use more or less to achieve desired consistency)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• pinch of salt

See the entire recipe and directions at Gimmie Some Oven.

Easy Peanut Butter Banana Blender Muffins

These are fantastic!  They have such a light, fluffy texture- my daughter absolutely loves them! If you don't have a great blender, these may work better in a food processor (though I was able to make them in my cheap blender, I just needed to stop the blender and stir the ingredients several times).

1 cup natural peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 medium sized very ripe bananas
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons honey (optional, but I added it!) 
Optional toppings of choice: dark chocolate chips, coconut, raisins, craisins

Read the entire recipe and directions at Miss Recipe!

Apple Muffin in a Mug

I love mug cooking- it's an awesome way to make a quick single serving snack, without heating up the house since they're cooked in the microwave.  I'm not going to say this is gourmet cooking, but being able to whip up a fresh apple muffin in two minutes sounds pretty great!

Ingredients: 

Muffin:
1 tablespoon grass fed butter (or coconut oil)
2 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce 
1 egg  
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon maple syrup 
3 tablespoons almond flour or 2 tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon baking powder  
Pinch of salt

Streusel Topping:
1 tablespoon apple, finely chopped
pinch of crumbled walnuts
pinch of cold butter

See the entire recipe and directions at Civilized Caveman Cooking.

Flourless Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

This is a unique, flourless muffin recipe that is suitable for low sugar and low carb diets.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup natural peanut, almond or sunflower seed butter
2 large eggs
1 small banana, mashed or 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 small zucchini, shredded (approximately 2/3 cup)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vinegar
1/8th tsp plus 3 servings of Organic Kal Pure Stevia or sweetener of choice, to taste
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or sunflower seeds  
1 oz. extra dark chocolate chips  (optional)

For the complete recipe and directions go to Satisfying Eats.

Pumpkin Banana Breakfast Cookies (or Muffins)

My daughter loves these, and seems to think they're a treat for breakfast, when in fact they're reasonably healthy. This same recipe can be used for muffins or a loaf.

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup oil (coconut oil tastes particularly delicious, but any will do)
3/4 cup brown sugar (this amount can be reduced significantly if desired)
2 eggs, beaten
1 can pumpkin
2 bananas, mashed
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional: chocolate chips

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
2.   In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar until well blended. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Drop by scoops onto a cookie sheet.
3.   Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned.

Grain Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This is an amazing recipe for late summer,, to use up all the zucchini left in the garden.  It's also gluten free, and grain free, and dairy free.  If you've never baked with almond flour, you're in for a treat- it's wonderful!

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups blanched almond flour
¼ cup cacao powder
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons coconut oil
¼ cup honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla stevia
¾ cup zucchini, grated

Read the entire recipe and directions at Elena's Pantry.

Chai Spice Almond Flour Banana Bread (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo)

This might be the best gluten free and grain free bread you ever taste.  Almond flour is absolutely delicious, and this smells and tastes like fall.  

3 cups blanched almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large ripe bananas
3 large eggs
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup melted butter (or coconut oil for Paleo)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Read the full recipe and directions at Delicious as it Looks.

Carrot, Walnut, Cranberry Bread with Almond Flour

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup almond flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons coconut oil
4 bananas, mashed (1 cup)
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
4 medium carrots, shredded
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Read the complete recipe and directions at bigeatstinykitchen.com

The “Life Changing Loaf of Bread”

This bread is literally health on a plate.  It’s more dense than most breads, but it’s wonderfully filling and makes a fantastic breakfast or snack.

•    1 cup sunflower seed kernels (not in the shell)
•    ½ cup flax seeds
•    ½ cup hazelnuts or almonds
•    1 ½ cup rolled oats (if making gluten-free, make sure to get certified gluten-free oats)
•    2 tablespoons chia seeds
•    4 tablespoons psyllium seed husks (3 tablespoons if using psyllium husk powder)
•    1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt (add 1/2 teaspoon if using coarse salt)
•    1 tablespoon maple syrup (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
•    3 tablespoons melted coconut oil or ghee
•    1 ½ cup water

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Read the complete recipe and directions at food52.com