Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins with Zesty Lemon Glaze

The most frequent thing I hear when serving these muffins is: "How can you possibly expect me to eat just one of these?" Luckily, these are much healthier than typical lemon poppy seed muffins due to the use of whole grains, flax, and animal-free ingredients.

This recipe is from my book, Radiant Health, Inner Wealth. (photo by Olga Vasiljeva)

Flegg (flax egg replacer)
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (flax meal)
3 tablespoons boiling water

Dry Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup organic sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon each: baking powder and baking soda
3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Wet Ingredients
¾ cup nondairy milk
¼ cup each: fresh lemon juice, melted coconut oil, and pure maple syrup
1 heaping tablespoon minced or grated organic lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zesty Lemon Glaze
¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons organic powdered sugar
½ teaspoon minced or chopped organic lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Whisk the flaxseed and boiling water together in a large bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until gooey. Real gooey.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, using a whisk (or sifter) until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

3. When the flegg has become sufficiently gooey, add all of the wet ingredients to the flegg bowl. Stir the wet ingredients into the flegg mixture until well combined.

4. Next, add the dry mixture to the large bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir them together until well combined, but do not over-mix.

5. Spray a dozen muffin cups lightly with oil (or place paper liners in each cup). Pour the batter evenly into each muffin cup or liner.

6. Bake the muffins for 20-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. After a few minutes, take a knife and go around the edges of each muffin to loosen them. Gently remove them from the muffin tin and place them on a cooling rack or plate.

8. To make the Zesty Lemon Glaze: Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl and sift or whisk it (if necessary) to remove any lumps. Add the zest, juice, and vanilla to the bowl and stir well to combine.

9. Once the muffins have cooled a bit, drizzle the glaze over them. Now, see if you can eat just one!

Makes 12 muffins; GF (with substitution)/SF/Blue (according to the health guidelines in my books)

Raw Cinnamon Rolls

These are one of my favorite recipes from my third book, Radiance 4 Life. They've been such a lifesaver on my travels! I love how they're so sweet and satisfying, yet devoid of any sweeteners (other than whole dried fruit). Enjoy!

Photo by Olga Eglite

Raw Cinnamon Rolls

Think of these as a quick, delicious, healthy alternative to packaged energy bars. Since they’re so nutrient-dense, just one little roll can be surprisingly satisfying!

▪ 1 cup raw walnuts

▪ ½ cup raisins

▪ ½ cup (packed) pitted dates (about 12 dates)

▪ 2 teaspoons cinnamon

▪ ¼ teaspoon each: sea salt and ground nutmeg

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor. Blend until well combined and very crumbly, but don’t over-blend—you want to retain some texture.

2. Pull out small pieces of the mixture and roll into 1-inch balls with your hands. These will store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for several weeks or more.

Makes 18 rolls (9 servings)/GF/SF/Green/R/F/30 Minutes or Under

♥ Superstars: walnuts, dates

Fresh and Fast Thai Tofu Bowl

Here's a recipe from my third cookbook, Radiance 4 Life. All of the recipes in the book are chock-full of superfoods and, as always, vegan. This recipe is one of my favorites, as it's so satisfying and light, but so delish! Hope you enjoy.

(Photo by Olga Eglite)

Fresh and Fast Thai Tofu Bowl

This colorful dish combines cooked and raw items for a fresh, fast, delicious entrée. It may look like a lot of ingredients, but this really does come together very easily, and the entire dish can be prepared while the rice is cooking.

Rice:

▪ 2 cups water

▪ 1 cup forbidden rice (or long grain brown rice)

▪ 2 teaspoons tamari

Simple Sesame Tofu:

▪ 16 oz. tofu, firm or extra firm (use sprouted tofu if possible)

▪ ¼ cup tamari

▪ 2 teaspoons garlic granules

▪ 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

▪ 2 teaspoons coconut oil

Fresh Veggies:

▪ 2 medium carrots, grated (1 cup grated carrots)

▪ 1 cup finely chopped or shredded cabbage, green or purple

▪ 4 scallions, trimmed and chopped

Final Flavors:

▪ ½ cup Thai sweet red chili sauce

▪ ¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts

▪ ¼ cup (packed) fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons

1. Place the water, rice, and the 2 teaspoons tamari in a pressure cooker, rice cooker, or pot with a tight fitting lid. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender (about 20 minutes in a pressure cooker or 45 minutes otherwise).

2. While the rice is cooking, get the tofu ready for action. Slice into 8 slabs and place on paper towels in a single layer. Cover with more paper towels and place a cutting board or cookie sheet over the top. Weight it down with something heavy such as a gallon of water or a case of strawberry kombucha.

3. While the tofu is pressing, prepare the rest of your ingredients and set them aside. To crush the peanuts (and trust me, you want them crushed), place them in a sealed plastic bag. Roll over the bag with a rolling pin or smash the bag with another heavy object. My daughter finds a large spoon quite fun and effective for this task. Set aside.

4. To finish the tofu: Remove the tofu from the pressing situation it’s in and cut into ½-inch cubes or little triangles—and yes, technically speaking, triangles are cuter. Next, place in a single layer on a plate and sprinkle with the ¼ cup tamari. Turn the pieces so that they’re evenly coated with the tamari. Sprinkle evenly with the garlic granules and sesame seeds. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add the coconut oil. When melted, add the tofu and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until the tofu is golden-browned on all sides.

5. To bowl up your entrée: Place some rice in each bowl and top with carrots, cabbage, and scallions. Place some tofu on top of that and drizzle with some Sweet Red Chili Sauce. Sprinkle with peanuts and basil and serve immediately.

Serves 4/GF/Green (according to the health guidelines in my books)