For the love of Gingerbread

Years ago, when my children were very young, I made sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies.  We spent hours together in the kitchen baking and decorating the cookies.  I must have gone through three or four icing recipes until I was able to get it 'just right'.  As the kids grew older and we all got busier, the tradition died out and was replaced with simple, less time consuming recipes.  Then, I became allergic to dairy and my whole recipe world changed.  It's been years since I've made gingerbread men and, quite frankly, I thought I could never eat them again.  

Until, that is, I discovered Google search and alternatives for butter.

Today, I made my very first batch of vegan gingerbread cookies and they are as delicious as I remember them to be.  I haven't delved into the icing yet.  Leaving that for the kids (now grown up) to do on Christmas Eve.  This recipe takes some time.  Grab your kids, an apron, and have fun!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cup sugar in the raw (you can put it in the Ninja and grind it smaller if you'd like)
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk (not vanilla flavored)

4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2-1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a medium sized bowl, add the sugar, oil, molasses and milk.  Mix with a wire whisk.
In a mixing bowl sift together the flour and the rest of the dry ingredients.  Add the wet.  Mix until well incorporated.  Roll dough into a ball and slightly flatten.  Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

Roll half of the dough onto a silicone baking mat to approximately 1/8 inch.  Not greased.  May add a bit of flour.   Cut out your shapes. Remove the 'negative' dough leaving the shapes in place.  Bake for approximately 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness.  When the edges start to brown, they are done.

Allow to cool for a few minutes.  Less than five is plenty.  Use a metal spatula to transfer to a cooling rack or paper towels.  Repeat until dough is used.  Refrigerate cookies.  

To ice, mix 1/2 c powdered sugar with 1/2 TBS unsweetened almond milk or your favorite icing.

Gather your ingredients

Mix then place on plastic wrap

Wrap and chill

Take out of refrigerator and roll out to 1/8 inch

Cut out your shapes

Remove unwanted dough

Bake and enjoy!

Vegan, dairy-free gingerbread men

Pumpkin Pistachio Cookies and Pumpkin Graham Bread

My love for all things pumpkin continues.  I think I've turned into a bit of a food mad scientist.  I think of a few ingredients and ponder what I can create with them.  Then, I Google the ingredients.  When something catches my eye, I look at the recipe and immediately start altering it in my head.  Switch this flour for that flour, this sugar for that, this fat for theirs, etc.  Below are two that I've recently been playing with.  The Pumpkin Pistachio Cookies are a big hit.  They are moist and not as sweet as a typical chocolate cookie.  The Pumpkin Graham Bread has a nutty flavor, very different from traditional pumpkin breads.  Hope you enjoy and let me know how you've altered my recipe to fit your taste buds!

PUMPKIN PISTACHIO COOKIES:

1 c whole wheat flour
1 c rolled oats, ground fine or oat flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 TBS raw cacao powder
1/4 c chopped raw pistachio nuts
1/4 c finely ground raw pumpkin seeds
3/4 c sugar of choice. I use raw local honey.  Vegans may use Agave.
1/4 c warm (softened or melted) coconut oil
1/4 c natural applesauce, room temperature
4 TBS almond milk at room temperature or warmed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c pumpkin puree
*Optional, 1/4 c semisweet, diary-free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325.  Have a silicone baking pad ready.  Do not grease or spray with Pam. 
Liquid ingredients need to be warm to prevent the coconut oil from solidifying.

Mix dry then add wet ingredients.  The mixture will be very soft and wet.  Once well mixed, put the silicone pad into the oven.  Using a melon ball or cookie scoop, scoop the mix and put on the pad.  (I tried using a baking sheet and parchment paper but the cookies stuck. It was a big mess trying to place the dough onto the pad and then move it to the oven.)  Either leave the cookie as is or press down with two fingers.  Bake approximately 6 minutes then let cool for 2 or 3 minutes before removing from the silicone pad.  I use a metal spatula or let them cool a few more and just remove with my fingers. 

Pumpkin Pistachio cookies

PUMPKIN GRAHAM BREAD

I made some graham crackers last month and had graham flour left over. Had pumpkin left over from the pumpkin pistachio cookies.  Hmmm... put the two together??  

1/2 c oat flour, ground fine
1 c graham flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 c pumpkin puree
1/2 c coconut oil, melted
2 eggs (vegans sub with flax seed)
1/4 c + 1 TBS honey or agave (or maple syrup)
1/4 c almond milk, warmed
1/4 c ground/chopped pumpkin seeds for the topping

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray two 3 x 5 loaf pan with Pam.
Mix dry then wet.  Pour mixture into pan then press pumpkin seeds onto the top.  Bake approximately 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out dry.  Cool then wrap in plastic wrap.  

Pumpkin Graham Bread

Pumpkin Graham Bread, muffin

Graham cracker sandwich

Cookies for Christmas

1/4 c whole wheat flour
2-1/2 c graham flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS coconut oil
1/2 c almond milk, warm
1/4 c honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c brown sugar (raw or honey or agave)
1/4 c water, as needed

Combine wet, then dry in food processor.
Roll out on lightly floured surface about 1/8 inch.
Score for ease of cutting after baking.

Bake 350 6-8 minutes on silicone mat.

Graham crackers with strawberry chia jam

GoFundMe for NYC Marathon

The Road to New York City

It is that time of year where people start setting goals and plans for the upcoming New Year.  I do not believe in resolutions, have never made them.  Goals are different.  They are tangible things that you work toward with an end.  

For 2016 I have a lofty goal that I need your help with.  I plan on racing in the 2016 TCS NY Marathon!   I'm not sure if anyone from my town has done this.  I'll have to find out.  In any event, please consider helping in any way you can whether by donating money, spreading the word, or donating an item for raffle.   

Read all about my GoFundMe campaign here.    


Share my GoFundMe link:   https://www.gofundme.com/ColleenNYCMarathon

Learn about the TCS NYC Marathon:  http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org

Let's race New York.  

Gluten-free flatbread

When I was a little girl my mother made this salad called 3-bean salad.  I hated it.  She made it with garbanzo beans and two other beans, red beans and something else I cannot remember.  Ever since, the word garbanzo immediately elicited a YUK face.  Fast forward a whole lot of years and I've been experimenting with all kinds of foods and, surprise surprise, I started making hummus.  I like hummus and have developed several recipes.  A short time ago I came across a recipe for chickpea flatbread.  Hmmm, I thought, I wonder if I could do something with that?  Sure enough, I did something with that.  

It's pretty easy actually. Or it can be difficult.  All depends on how much time you want to put into it and the tools you have available.  

The basic recipe is  1:1 chickpea flour to water plus salt, garlic, and herbs of choice.  I've used parsley and a mix of oregano and basil.  

First, I ground the dried chickpeas.  Took forever in my little Ninja chopper, but worked well.  Recipe called for baking it on parchment paper.  Tried it.  The bread stuck.  Next, I tried it on a silicone mat, preheated with a non-stick spray.  Perfect.  Only problem was my oven wasn't level so I had to prop it up with pot holders.   The next batch, I took the chickpeas that hadn't been completely ground and soaked them in water approximately 1 cup to 1 cup ratio.  Let them soak for about an hour then added garlic, salt, oregano and basil.  This batch was a little thicker and easier to pour onto the silicone mat.  Yum.  

This is a great substitute for regular bread if you are glucose intolerant or allergic.  Haven't tried without the garlic but I'm sure I will be doing some more experimenting.

RECIPE:
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup water
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS parsley or oregano and basil
1/2 tsp salt

bake on Silicone mat 375 15 minutes or until edges turn brown.  (preheat the mat)

Chickpea flatbread

Closeup of chickpea flatbread

Bonus photo.  Runner medalian

Pumpkin Soup a recipe in pictures

I eat pumpkin all year round.  Love it in cookies and bread and energy bars.  When the bright orange gourds start showing up in the stores and farmer's markets it is time for soup! Pumpkin Soup!  Made with the real thing and not the canned puree.  Here is the recipe in photos.  

Wash your pumpkins and prepare a baking tray.

Slice the pumpkins in half.

Scoop out the seeds and save for later.  

Toasting instructions to follow.

Bake on 350F for one hour until meat is fork tender.  Scoop out the meat and put into a large bowl.  

 In a large pot put 2 TBS of red curry paste. Heat on medium until warm, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the pumpkin 2 cups water and 2 TBS of extra virgin olive oil.   Using an emersion blender, puree until smooth.  Add one can of coconut milk, 1/2 TBS chili powder, 1/4 TBS curry powder, and one clove of garlic. .  Salt to taste.  Simmer until you cannot stand the smell any longer and MUST ladle yourself a giant bowl full.  

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

Wash the scooped seeds and remove the orange fleshy bits.  

Sprinkle foil-lined pan with olive oil, spread out seeds.  Sprinkle on top of seeds salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Toast in oven at 200 to 250F until dry and toasted, about 30-45 minutes.  

Obstacles or Opportunities?

This morning I began my run about an hour and a half later than usual even though it was hot and humid outside because it is trash day.  No, I'm not averse to trash trucks or the people who work on them.  It's the bears.  You see, bears have been spotted in and around my neighborhood in the wee hours morning of trash day, the same time of day that I like to run.  Starting a run late is a big deal in Florida, in September, when the humidity is above 85%.  I chose to use the extra time to gett a little extra sleep and do my strength workout.    The bears presented an obstacle that I turned into an opportunity.  

What do you do when faced with an unplanned and immediate decision?  A roadblock or obstacle in your life?  I suppose it all depends on the circumstances.  Does it look like photo on the left or photo on the right?

Mt. Daedun - big obstacle

little pile of dirt - small obstacle

There are basically four things we can do when faced with obstacles, perceived or real.  We can stop and turn around, go around, go over it, or tear it down.

Stopping and turning around may look like giving up, however, it my be God's way of telling you that you are going the wrong way in the first place. Perhaps there is danger on the other side.  Perhaps you aren't supposed to go that way or do that thing now, or ever. 

If the obstacle is perceived as major, but easily dealt with, you might decide to simply go around.  It's not truly a roadblock, only a hindrance. 

I like to see things as opportunities.  In fact I had another opportunity on my run this morning.  While running around one of my favorite parks I came across this sign:

Instead of turning around, I went around the sign and ran up and over the 2.5-foot high pile of dirt and thought, "this looks like a fun training route".  In fact, I went back and forth several times during my sprint repeats.

If you are extremely adventurous and determined and certain of your path, you and I can turn the obstacle into an opportunity to tear down fears and boundaries.

I believe in shifting the paradigm!  Turn those obstacles into opportunities, each and every one of them.  I believe it so much I put it to use today.  On my way home while facing the two 'dreaded hills' that my brain usually whines, "I can't.  Must walk."  I was thinking about shifting the paradigms and saying to myself "obstacle or opportunity" over and over again I decided those dreaded hills were opportunities to change my thinking.  Those hills were opportunities to get stronger, mentally and physically  

Paul, in the book of Romans  (Romans 1:13) writes that he desired to go to Rome but he was prevented, by God.  God had other plans for Paul and he recognized it.  Read also the following verses about obstacles and think about all of the ones that Jesus faced, especially when he was tempted by Satan.  What an obstacle that was!  Would have been for me. 


Matthew 17:20 ...Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Isaiah 57:14 14 And it will be said:

“Build up, build up, prepare the road!
    Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”

Matthew 4

Philippians 4:6  4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Shift the paradigm!  Turn your obstacles into OPPORTUNITY!

Saturday's Tips and Treats

What do you do on Saturday?  I usually try to get all my 'chores' done during the week so Saturday can be Fun Day.  Today my husband and I worked in the yard, planted some new flowers in the front beds, then went to my favorite shops for nuts and honey.  Once that was done, I had nothing to do.  When I have nothing to do and I get bored (I get bored pretty easily) I do one of three things 1) walk on the treadmill while watching a movie or TV on my iPad 2) eat 3) get creative in the kitchen.  Truth be told, I usually end up doing all three.  Today, I made pineapple ice cream - (mostly)vegan and dairy-free style. Then I promptly dropped it and splattered it all over the floor!  : (  Before I give you the recipe and a pre-splatter photo I'm going to give a few tips.

Coconut milk:  A while back I was making something with coconut milk.  Only need about a quarter cup.  A week or so later, I needed another quarter cup.  The milk I had transferred to a container in the fridge was smelly and green.  Ugh!  Wasted coconut milk.  I came up with  (what I think) is a brilliant idea.  I have a silicone chocolate mold that I use for my #Runergy bars.  They hold just a touch over 1 tablespoon.  I filled the molds with coconut milk, froze, then stored the cubes in the freezer.  Now, I have pre-measured coconut milk whenever I need it!

Bananas: Do you get frustrated when you buy a bunch of bananas and a short time later before you've had time to mix them in your favorite smoothie or eaten them fresh with peanut butter they've gone too brown and you are so tired of banana bread.  I mean really, how much banana bread will fit in the freezer?  Solution?  Buy a dozen bananas.  Go ahead a whole dozen.  Not the green ones, the ripe ones that no one wants.  When you get home, peel, cut into thirds or fourths then wrap in plastic wrap (tightly).  Put the dozen wrapped bananas in a gallon sized freezer bag and store in the freezer.  Ready for a smoothie?  Pull out a frozen banana.  Making ice cream with avocados and bananas?  Open the freezer and there it is at perfect ripeness.  

Fresh fruit:  When fruit such as blueberries and strawberries, are in season, buy as many as you can haul home.  Get a clean cookie sheet or jelly roll sheet (the one with a short side so they don't fall off).  Put your berries on the sheet, no touching, then into the freezer.  Once completely frozen (for about 4-6 hours) put in a storage container and keep in the freezer.  

You've suffered through my tips so here's your reward:

Pineapple ice cream:
16 ounces of frozen pineapple (you can buy a whole fresh pineapple and pre-freeze like the tip above)
6 cubes of frozen coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c honey or agave 
shredded coconut to taste

Put all except the shreds in a food processor and puree on high until smooth.  No need to wait until the ice cream freezes, it already is!  Garnish with shredded coconut and, if daring, chocolate chips. 

Pineapple coconut ice-cream - dairyfree

Who's Hungry?

I woke up hungry this morning.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  I've been in the kitchen all day and for some odd reason, the theme is 'green'.  Below are the recipes for Spinach Crackers, Edamame Hummus, and Chocolate Zucchini bread with pumpkin seeds. I also made granny apple chips, but you don't need a recipe, only a dehydrator.  Do you know what tahini is?  

Spinach Crackers:
1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water, plus 1-2 tsp as needed
2 cups fresh spinach
1/4 c raw sunflower seeds

Step 1:  Puree the spinach and water until liquid. Add the sunflower seeds and pulse for a few seconds to grind. (alternatively, chop the seeds coarse separately).
Step 2:  Put the dry ingredients in a bowl then add the wet plus evoo.  Mix then knead the dough until well incorporated.  If the mix is dry, add water a drop at a time until you get a bread-dough consistency.
Step 3:  Roll the dough out on either parchment or a silicone mat. Make it thin as possible not more than 1/8th inch.  
Step 3:  Using a serrated plastic knife (don't cut your mat!) score the dough into squares.
Step 4:  Bake 20 minutes in a preheated 400F oven.  Keep watch and don't burn!  If the sides start to brown, they are done.  If the edges are done but not the center, break off the cooked crackers and bake the center a minute or two more.

Edamame hummus with Spinach crackers

Edamame Hummus

1 cup cooked edamame (I bought frozen then warmed)

1/4 cup tahini*

3 tsp +/- lemon juice (to taste)

1 garlic clove

1 tsp +/1 herb of choice (I used rosemary)

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

Put all ingredients in small food processor and blend until smooth. Chill and enjoy.  If it is too much of a paste, add a few drops of evoo.
* You can also add chopped sun dried tomatoes.  Yummy.  

*tahini - 

2 1/2 c raw, unsalted sesame seeds

3/4 c olive oil

puree until smooth.

THAI COCONUT CURRY HUMMUS:
One 16 ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
3 cloves of garlic
2 TBS tahini paste
3 TBS line juice
2 TBS red curry paste
1/4 cup plus 1 TBS coconut milk
1 TBS olive oil
salt to taste

Put all ingredients in food processor and blend until very smooth.  Chill.  

Ingredients for Thai Coconut Curry Hummus

Put ingredients into food processor

Enjoy on a Spinach cracker

Chocolate Zucchini bread with pumpkin seeds

This is a take on my other zucchini bread.  Same basic recipe. More chocolate.

3 eggs

1 cup natural applesauce

1 cup raw local honey

2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 large)

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats, coarse ground

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped pepitos (raw pumpkin seeds)

1 1/2 cups dark dairy-free chocolate chips

1 TBS espresso powder

Step 1:  put all the wet in a bowl, in order

Step 2:  put the zucchini in a food processor and coarse grind, add pumpkin seeds, pulse for a few more seconds until seeds are coarse ground, pour into dry

Step 3: Coarse grind oats then chocolate chips, add to dry. Add remainder of ingredients

Step 4:  Spray a large muffin tin or mini loaf tray (holds 12) with Pam or other nonstick spray.  Fill 3/4 full and bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 350F oven.  Remove from baking pan immediately and let cool.  If you want large loaf, increase baking time to 45 to 50 minutes.

Chocolate zucchini bread

Granny Smith apple chips

For the apple chips, slice with a mandolin slightly less than 1/8 inch.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and dehydrate for 8-10 hours at 135F.  

BONUS:  Cherry non-dairy ice cream

1 cup coconut milk

2 ripe bananas

2 cups frozen cherries

3 TBS cacao powder

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Pour into a dish and freeze.  It may be a bit 'icy'.  If you like it a bit premier, add half of an avocado.  Just add the avocado anyway, it's really good!  Top with a few dairy-free chocolate chips.  

Dairy-free cherry chocolate ice cream

Another excellent adventure - Japan

Have you ever been walking down the street, minding your own business, when all of a sudden it hits you, "Wow, I cannot believe I'm here!"  In the past 8 years or so I have had several of these "aha" moments.  Looking back on my 50 years on this planet I can see God's hand in every aspect of my life. The good, the bad, the mundane.  God was there orchestrating everything.  Sometimes I took a left turn or a U-turn, but He always got me back on His path.  

Someone once said, and I paraphrase quite a bit here, "You know, it's a good thing that I did what I did to you or you wouldn't be where you are today."  This statement to make the speaker feel good about their actions.  The response is priceless, "Yes, I suppose so.  I've never been happier in all my life than I am right now."  

It is true. Sometimes other people's actions are the catalyst though it is God's response, and how we respond with the love of God that leads us to the point of the "aha" moments.  

Take late August, for example.  I'm doing laundry or something and I receive a text from my husband:
   "Wanna go to Japan?"
   "Yes"
   "Looks like I have to go.  Would love for you to come with me."
   "Did you see any hesitation??? Of course I'll go!!!"

My poor husband has to go to Japan.  It's my wifely duty to accompany him, don't you think?

Fast forward to Thursday, September 3rd.  I am walking around Tokyo enjoying the sites, alone, and I stop and simply worship the Almighty.  I'm in Japan!!  How did this happen? Thank you Lord, for all your blessings! 

I agree with everyone who says divorce is bad. Very bad. Don't ever get a divorce.  Sometimes, however, sometimes God has a way of working this to his advantage.  I take that back.  God always has a plan.  He always is working his plan.  Was my divorce part of his plan?  Maybe the question should be - was my first marriage part of his plan? I don't have the answers and I'm not here to start a debate.  I'm simply stating the fact that had my life continued as it was going ten years ago my life and the life of my children would be so different - and not in a good way.  

I'm well aware of the fact that my husband, through God's mercy and grace, changed my life.  I thank him as often as I can.  I've been able to retire from my 'day job' to focus on my writing. I've been able to train and run six marathons in three states.  I've been able to help my children move from student to adult in ways I would not have been.  I've gone to South Korea twice.

Now, I've been to Japan.  

I'm just so eternally grateful that it brings me to tears thinking about all of the 'what ifs', if I had not gotten divorced and remarried such a remarkable man. Sure, sure I would have survived, maybe. Seriously - maybe.  I'm the first person who will tell you that the here and now, this life on earth, is fleeting and the most important thing is being obedient to God's will and knowing the promise of eternity in heaven.  I do not dwell on the chaos of this world, worry about this war or that war or the hurricanes or other disasters.  All I know, know for a fact, is that my life is so much better now than I could have ever imagined and I will shout it from the roof tops - THANK YOU JESUS!!    (Read my book "Lessons Learned from Summer Camp" and you'll understand a little better)  

This blog is about my trip to Japan, however, I had to preface it with my gratitude for being able to go and see God's people and his creation half way around the world.  Japan is a beautiful country with friendly people and good food (if you like seafood).  We only visited Tokyo and Mt. Fuji since our time was limited.  God willing, I'll go again.

Now - sit back, grab some popcorn and view my YouTube videos:  A tour of Tokyo and Hike up Mt. Fuji

Praising the sunrise on Mt. Fuji

Standing on the summit of Mt. Fuji

If you are thinking about taking this hike, I highly recommend Willer Tours.  The entire process from booking to the end of the hike was highly orchestrated and went off without any problems whatsoever.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Psalm 139

Goji Berry Muffin

Do you know what a Goji Berry is?  I had never heard of it until recently.  According to Wikipedia:  

Goji, goji berry or wolfberry is the fruit of Lycium barbarum (simplified Chinese: 宁夏枸杞; traditional Chinese: 寧夏枸杞; pinyin: Níngxiàgǒuqǐ) and Lycium chinense (pinyin: gǒuqǐ), two closely related species of boxthorn in the Nightshade family, Solanaceae. The family also includes the potato, tomato, eggplant, belladonna, chili pepper, and tobacco. The two species are native to Asia.^[1]

I've only eaten them dried. They have a mild flavor somewhere between a raisin and a dried cherry.  They are quite chewy all by themselves.  I've started incorporating the berry into my granola, #Runergy bars, pancakes, and muffins.  They are brightly colored, and mixed with pistachios or pumpkin seeds remind me of Christmas.  

Below is my Goji Berry muffin recipe.  Enjoy!!

1/2 c all-natural applesauce

1/2 c raw, local honey

1/2 c canned coconut milk

1 ripe banana

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c whole wheat flour

1-1/4 c rolled oats (I use Quaker old fashioned)

1/2 c raw cacao beans

1 c dried Goji berry

Put all of the wet ingredients in a large bowl.  Grind the oats and cacao beans.  Chop half of the Goji berries (optional).  Add all the dry to the wet.  Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray.  

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Enjoy!

Options:  Use chocolate chips instead of cacao beans.  Add 1 to 2 tsp Espresso powder.  Leave out the chocolate/cacao and add another fruit like blueberries or apples.  Go vegan by using Agave, add chopped raw nuts such as almonds, pistachios, or pumpkin seeds.  

Goji Berry Muffin

Goji Berry Muffin hot out of the oven.