Carrot Zucchini Oat Muffins

by Sally Rychlak

Sally Rychlak Carrot Zucchini Oat Muffins

Something about Fall has had me on a muffin bender lately. I have perfected the Pumpkin Spice Muffin to a dangerous degree and have gone through a shocking amount of pumpkin puree in the past few weeks.

Muffins, for me, are most often made from a place of boredom, but there is something so comforting about a home with a cake stand full of baked goods. When those baked goods are gluten free, refined sugar free, full of fiber, and healthy carbs, it feels perfectly acceptable to keep 'em coming.

I decided that rather than add something new to my pantry for the recipe, I would find something that I needed to get rid of. I turned my attention to the fruit and veggie fridge drawers. I saw my apples and thought twice about an Apple Cinnamon muffin (coming soon), but the carrots and zucchini looked sad and ready for a life reimagined.

It's important that we all get over the look of these muffins. They are healthy muffins made with carrots and zucchini. They are not beauty contestants. They are beautiful in their own way, and it's what's on the inside that counts.

carrot zucc muff

And what's on the inside is actually pretty good. Between the carrots, zucchini, oats, and almond flour, these muffins have a good amount of fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. The carrots add a little natural sweetness, the zucchini keeps everything moist, and the cinnamon gives them a subtle carrot cake flavor. A little maple syrup does the rest of the sweetening without making them overly sweet.

bowl is cute for aesthetic, bad for function

I also love that these don't require any complicated ingredients. Everything is mixed together in one bowl, and there's no need to pull out a blender or food processor. I used whole oats rather than oat flour because I like the texture they add. These are definitely more of a hearty breakfast muffin than a bakery-style cupcake disguised as breakfast.

They're great warmed up with a little butter or almond butter, and they keep well in the refrigerator for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack. I also like the idea of freezing a few for later, although judging by the rate I've been going through muffins lately, I'm not sure that's necessary.

Sally Rychlak Carrot Zucchini Oat Muffins

Healthy Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies

by Sally Rychlak

I could eat these every night

Whenever I have an extra sweet potato, or I am already baking sweet potatoes for dinner, I will make an extra one on purpose just to have an excuse to make these brownies. These brownies are packed with nutrition from sweet potato, almond butter, and almond flour, with about half the sugar and double the fiber of a traditional brownie. They’re a chocolatey treat that delivers a little more nutritional value in every bite.

Sweet potato is one of my favorite ingredients to sneak into baking because it adds natural sweetness and gives brownies the best soft, fudgy texture. Once you add cocoa powder, almond butter, maple syrup, and plenty of dark chocolate chips, you really are not thinking about the fact that there is a vegetable hiding in your dessert.

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  mashed sweet pot

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  all the goods

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  pre-bake

These are also incredibly easy to make. Everything gets mixed together in one bowl, spread into a baking dish, topped with a few extra chocolate chips if you want, and baked. No complicated steps and no mixer required.

vegan and clean dessert

I typically use almond flour to keep them gluten free, but this recipe is forgiving enough that you can use another flour you have on hand. If you are making them gluten free with an all purpose flour substitute, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 is my go to.

The hardest part is letting the brownies cool before cutting into them. Giving them some time to set makes the center even fudgier and gives you cleaner slices.

simplified recipe

Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls

by Sally Rychlak

I always seem to have leftover pumpkin purée in the fridge during the fall, and these Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls are such an easy way to use it.

pumpkin pie balls

I wanted these to actually taste like pumpkin rather than relying entirely on pumpkin spice for the flavor. Real pumpkin purée adds moisture and that classic pumpkin flavor, while almond butter helps everything hold together and makes the energy balls more satisfying.

Maple syrup adds just enough sweetness, and cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves give them that pumpkin pie flavor without needing a premade pumpkin spice blend. I also added vanilla protein powder and chia seeds for a little extra protein and staying power.

all the fall flavors

The biggest tip with this recipe is to start with ¼ cup pumpkin. Pumpkin adds quite a bit of moisture, and using too much can make no-bake energy balls difficult to roll. Once everything is mixed, you can always adjust the consistency with a few extra oats if needed.

into the freezer they go

I love keeping these in the refrigerator for an easy afternoon snack or something sweet after a meal. You can also add mini chocolate chips for a chocolate pumpkin version.

If you're looking for additional ways to use pumpkin, might I recommend: Pumpkin Spice Granola or Pumpkin Spice Muffins.

quick recipe