By Lydia Bolen
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is a time of heightened awareness of our friends or family members who are going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Doctors encourage their cancer patients to eat well and build up their immune systems.
I have had several friends who have had chemotherapy, as well as radiation. Their doctors gave them a plan for a good daily diet to enhance their systems before and during treatments.
Those who feel deprived of sugar-filled sweets during treatment may still get to enjoy some treats with sweetness, but from another food source. I searched for low-sugar recipes that incorporate sweeteners other than refined sugar.
The Basic Muffin Recipe has become one of my favorites. Chocolate Chip Cookie bars are just slightly sweet with only a half cup of chocolate chips. Coconut Lime Bites are a perfect natural pickup for a healthy treat.
Enjoy them all!
BASIC MUFFINS
4 eggs
4 very ripe bananas
1 /3 cup coconut oil, melted (Melts easily in about 20 seconds in microwave)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 /2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 /4 teaspoon sea salt
Add-ins: 1 /2 cup shredded coconut, nuts, dried fruit, or vegan chocolate chips.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tin with liners. (If using paper liners, spray with olive oil cooking spray.)
Put all ingredients in bowl and mix together well.
Stir in a few add-ins. (l like dried cranberries and coconut flakes)
Using a cookie scoop, fill muffin tin with batter. Bake 20-25 minutes. Muffins will be moist. Store in refrigerator. Can freeze.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
2 and 1 /2 cups almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 /2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon almond milk
1 /4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 /3 cup maple syrup
1 /2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix together with mixer the vanilla, eggs, almond milk, oil, and syrup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
Pour mixture into a greased 8 x 8 baking pan, smoothing out to even. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Let cool in pan before cutting into bars.
COCONUT LIME BITES
3 /4 cup almonds
1 /4 cup cashews
1 and 1 /2 cup pitted dates
Zest of 3 limes
Juice of 3 limes
Pinch of salt
1 /3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Place the almonds and cashews into a blender or food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the dates, salt, lime zest, and juice. Blend until the mixture starts to clump together.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and scrape down the sides with a spatula. Use your hands to form small round balls. Roll each ball in the coconut flakes to coat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to a week.
