coconut oil | Ingredients | Zest For Cooking

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn

April 20, 2023 by pamflo

Looking for a quick and easy snack that’s both salty and sweet? This recipe for dark chocolate covered sea salt popcorn with slivered almonds is sure to satisfy your cravings! Perfect for movie nights, game days or any time you need a little pick-me-up, this indulgent treat is a cinch to make, and impossible to resist. Simply pop some popcorn, melt some dark chocolate and toss it all together with crunchy slivered almonds, for a snack that’s both satisfying and […]

Categories: Chocolate, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Game Day, Gifts, Gluten Free, Healthish, Low Sugar, Snack • Tags: Pop

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Coconut Quinoa Granola

March 23, 2023 by pamflo

At the recommendation of a foodie friend, I recently had an outstanding breakfast cereal bowl at a hip LA restaurant called Urth Caffé. Even the name is fun. I’m not sure that I could recreate that scrumptious cereal bowl, but here is a solid recipe for some delicious granola. We enjoyed that breakfast so much that we went early again the next morning before flying home. Serve this crunchy granola over yogurt with a smattering of fresh berries, over ricotta cheese […]

Categories: Breakfast Ideas, Dairy Free, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthish, Nuts/Seeds, Snack • Tags: Bake

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Homemade Peppermint Patties

February 2, 2023 by pamflo

Any interest in making your Valentine a healthy treat? Me too, that’s why I love this recipe and it involves no cooking! Food that doesn’t involve cooking relies on really fresh, high quality ingredients. These divine patties are super minty and pack an intense coconut punch. Instead of corn syrup or white sugar, I use pure maple syrup. You’ll make the coconut filling, shape the filling into patties and give them a quick trip to the freezer. Once chilled, you […]

Categories: Candy, Chocolate, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gifts, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas, Paleo • Tags: No Cooking

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Chunky Apple Walnut Muffins

September 22, 2022 by pamflo

Apple season is in full swing! These incredibly moist, chunky muffins are a perfect way to bake with the amazing variety of apples that are available. My favorite baking apples are Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Granny Smith and Cortland. My muffins are dairy and gluten free, as I substituted gluten-free flour for regular all-purpose flour. With a combination of applesauce and coconut oil, I could cut back on the amount of granulated sugar used. Although adding chopped walnuts are optional, they add a […]

Categories: Breakfast Ideas, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Fruit, Gluten Free, Healthish, Low Sugar, Snack • Tags: Bake

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Nutty Oat Bars

June 9, 2022 by pamflo

Crunchy on the outside but soft in the middle, sweet and nutty, and honestly a terrific and satisfying snack or breakfast! Many bars are either too sweet or not sweet enough, crumble when cut or too mushy. Nutritious and flavorful, this is the perfect bar. High in protein and calcium, amaranth is a gluten-free grain and an important food source in South America and Mexico. If amaranth is hard to find, sesame seeds or quinoa are a good substitute. Don’t […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easy Recipes, Gluten Free, Healthish, Nuts/Seeds, Snack • Tags: Bake

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Double Chocolate Baked Donuts

December 10, 2020 by pamflo

Decadent and easy, you will never know these divine double chocolate donuts are grain free. All you’ll need is a standard donut pan to make this fun and easy dessert (or breakfast treat)! Coconut flour is a very good alternative flour in gluten-free baking. It has the ability to absorb liquid and provides a perfect substitute for all-purpose flour in many gluten-free baked goods. Often the challenge in gluten-free baking is finding the correct proportion and balance of ingredients to […]

Categories: Chocolate, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Desserts, Donuts, Gifts, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas • Tags: Bake

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Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

October 15, 2020 by pamflo

The Paleo diet is one of the most searched diets on the internet and is about eliminating gluten, dairy, grains and refined sugar. It can be considered a restrictive way to eat but for people battling celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, autoimmune issues or just prefer a low inflammatory diet, it’s a great option. These delicious muffins take advantage of a variety of fall spices, and use almond and coconut flour in place of white flour. Pumpkin puree is high in […]

Categories: Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Healthish, Muffins, Paleo, Snack • Tags: Bake

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Spicy Glazed Cashew Nuts

November 26, 2019 by pamflo

If this isn’t your year to host the holidays and are lucky enough to be a guest, maybe you’re in need of a hostess/host gift idea. This is an easy and healthier version of glazed nuts, using maple syrup or honey as a substitute for granulated sugar. Turmeric, a plant that’s part of the ginger family, has curcumin as the main active ingredient. Turmeric has significant health benefits ranging from anti-inflammatory properties to providing antioxidants. Research shows that the curcumin […]

Categories: Appetizer, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas, Low Sugar, Nuts, Snack • Tags: Roast

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Double Chocolate Veggie Muffins

October 31, 2019 by pamflo

These are delicious muffins and you’d hardly know they contain vegetables, and in a small consumer taste test nobody knew! I really like the combination of shredded zucchini and mashed avocado as the base for the batter. I also like that it’s a low sugar treat and a solid breakfast idea. My muffins are dairy and free of gluten, as I substituted gluten-free flour for regular all-purpose. You don’t actually taste the zucchini in baked goods, but it provides moisture, […]

Categories: Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas, Low Sugar, Vegetables • Tags: Bake

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Baked Stuffed Apples with Coconut

October 10, 2019 by pamflo

Apple season is here in full force and there is no shortage of apple varieties. The best baking apples balance both tartness and sweetness, and hold their shape during cooking. Granny Smith apples are a favorite among bakers, but Honeycrisp, Pink Lady and Cortland apples are great choices too. There are many ingredients you can use to stuff your baked apples. I decided to forgo the sugar, butter and oats, and use chopped nuts, dried fruit, shredded coconut, maple syrup, fresh […]

Categories: Breakfast Ideas, Crowd Pleaser, Dairy Free, Dessert, Fruit, Gluten Free, Healthish, Holiday Ideas, Low Sugar, Nuts, Snack • Tags: Bake

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Chocolate Dipped Flourless Oatmeal Cookies

October 18, 2018 by pamflo

It’s a chilly 46 degrees right now as I write this post. Perfect weather for baking 🙂 These oatmeal cookies have almond flour as a substitute for white flour and are sweetened with coconut palm sugar. Coconut palm sugar (not to be confused with palm sugar) is made from the sap of the coconut palm tree. This is a solid alternative sweetener for refined sugars and is most similar to brown sugar. Although this type of sugar provides the same […]

Categories: Chocolate, Cookies, Cooking Tips, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Healthish, Low Sugar • Tags: Bake

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Zest For Cooking

I love to cook and share my love of food!

Archives

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Popcorn

Coconut Quinoa Granola

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Chunky Apple Walnut Muffins

Nutty Oat Bars

Double Chocolate Baked Donuts

Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Spicy Glazed Cashew Nuts

Double Chocolate Veggie Muffins

Baked Stuffed Apples with Coconut

Chocolate Dipped Flourless Oatmeal Cookies