This is the second installment of a two part series on guilt-free sweet treats.  Enjoy Melissa’s recipes.

Homemade Zucchini Bread

This time of the year is the perfect time to make zucchini bread.  As part of my local, organic CSA we get a lot of zucchini (and they are HUGE!)  Instead of always grilling or sautéing them with dinner, I use some to make bread.

Ingredients:

3 cups spelt flour

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

1 cup olive oil

1 cup raw honey

3 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour two 8×4 pans.
3. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.
4. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla and honey together in a large bowl.  Add sifted ingredients and beat well.
5. Stir in zucchini and nuts.
6. Pour batter into pans.
7. Bake for 40-60 minutes or until inserted tester comes out clean.
8. Cool in pan for 20 minutes.
9. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Chocolate, Almond Smoothie 

This is my favorite sweet treat!  Growing up I always loved chocolate frappes, and this is the perfect substitute for me to get my “fix.”  It really is awesome!

Ingredients:

8-10oz raw, organic milk or almond milk

1 date rolled in coconut

1 tbsp raw, almond butter

t tbsp raw honey

1 fresh or frozen banana

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and blend until creamy.

Banana with Honey-Nut English Muffin 

I don’t actually eat a lot of bread, but on the rare occasion that I do, it’s usually a gluten-free English muffin.  And, I prefer to dress it up a bit with some healthy, sweet toppings.  This is a quick treat you can make ahead of time, and pack with your for lunch.

Ingredients:

1 Organic English muffin

1 tbsp raw almond or peanut butter

1 tsp raw honey

½ sliced banana

1 tsp cacao nibs (optional; not pictured)

Directions:

1. Toast English muffin to your liking.
2. Spread raw honey on each slice.
3. Spread almond butter on each slice.
4. Top with sliced bananas.
5. If desired, sprinkle with cacao nibs.

Apple with Cinnamon Yogurt 

Apples and cinnamon yogurt are a staple in my daily diet!  This recipe is what I usually have for a nighttime snack before bed.  I think you’ll find it to be a simple and savory snack.

Ingredients:

½ green apple, sliced

1 cup plain, organic yogurt

1 scoop of stevia NOW

dash of cinnamon to taste

1 tbsp crushed flax seeds

2 tbsp crushed nuts (almonds, pecans and walnuts)

Directions:

1. Combine all of the above ingredients except the apple slices.
2. Dip each apple slice in the yogurt before each bite.

Vanilla Smoothie

This is my boyfriend’s favorite sweet treat.  It’s a healthy substitute for a vanilla milk shake.  I usually make enough for 3-4 servings and store them in large glass containers, so he can grab one quickly on his way out the door to work in the morning.

Ingredients:

8-10oz raw, organic milk or almond milk

1 date rolled in coconut

t tbsp raw honey

1 fresh or frozen banana

1 tsp vanilla extract (or you can use fresh vanilla bean)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, and blend until creamy.

Chocolate Coconut Cookies 

I buy these at my local natural food store, but if you have a dehydrator, you can easily make them yourself; it’s probably a lot less costly if you make them yourself in bulk.  I usually dip each cookie in almond butter to get that that chocolately-nutty combo.  These are great to take on the road or pack for a picnic.

 Ingredients:

Organic coconut

Sprouted organic sesame seeds

Organic dates

Organic cacao

Leave me a comment on FriendYourBody.com if you enjoy one of these recipes!

To curbing your sweet tooth with a healthy fix,

Melissa Koerner