Naturally Sweet #2

Naturally sweet #2

I feel so forgetful, I made a whole blog post on how to sweeten things naturally and I forgot some of the major players in fruits and veggies. I mentioned dried fruit and bananas and date paste but you’ll be super surprised that the following fruits and vegetables can be helpful in baking also.

https://momsorganicbohofoodfun.wordpress.com/2015/04/07/naturally-sweet/

I just love hiding things like beans, veggies and even special flavors into my cooking. Even if not all of these things may be sweet, they are nutritious and good to eat, so why not add them to your dessert.

• Beet– how can I forget beet! I made the most amazing red velvet cake batter and used beet to color it. recipe I used for it below:
• http://www.littlehouseliving.com/recipe-for-red–velvet-cake.html
• http://www.lovefoodeat.com/beet-date-and-fig-cake-bars-vegan-refined-sugar-free/

• 

  red velvet beet cupcakes

  

  grated carrot and lemon on beet cake

It tastes incredible steamed with carrots and mashed into baking as you would applesauce.

http://www.vegancookingwithlove.com/2013/03/vegan-applesauce-cake/

red and yellow beets

steamed carrots and beets

• Berries fruit and or natural flavors: blackberries and rosehips shown below both provide a naturally sweet taste to baking, and are great to find locally if you have some. Bake berries into baked goods folding in after mixing your dry and wet together. For rosehips dry powder use in the dry mix, for natural flavors such as lemon or vanilla use in the wet mix.

blackberries and fresh rose hips

dried prunes raisins and oranges are all naturally sweet

Chocolate prune cake recipes:

http://godfoodlifesplat.blogspot.com/2011/05/chocolate-prune-cake–cake-balls_20.html?m=1

http://theyogivegetarian.blogspot.com/2012/02/sticky-prune-cake–vegan-no-added-sugar.html?m=1

http://www.food.com/recipe/raw-vegan-german-chocolate-cake-418169

http://forkbelly.com/vegan–chocolate-cake/

camu camu flavored gelatin candys

banana blueberry bread

applesauce chia blueberry pie

• I recently made a rosehip and hibiscus flavored lemon meringue pie and it was really different and tasted extra fruity from the extra flavor, and even added some color. For berries and natural flavors do note that the color and taste of your baked goods will significantly change, the more you add.

rosehip and hibiscus lemon meringue pie

apple pie and ice cream (great with cinnamon)

here are some tips and recipes on rosehips if your interested.

http://gardening.about.com/od/rose1/f/RoseHips.htm

http://www.natureskills.com/wild-foods/rose–hip-honey/

http://thevanillabeanblog.com/2013/05/meringues-with-rhubarb-curd-and-rosehip.html

http://www.essentialcuisine.com/recipes/elderflower-mousse-with-wareings-rose–hip-meringue-violet-syrup-thyme-gel-little-town-dairy-yoghurt-sorbet-fresh-seasonal-lancashire-flowers/

Rhubarb and cranberries-

Rhubarb and cranberries are both naturally very sour, so you will have to cook them. cranberries are excellent in baking, but do remember to sweeten them up. Rhubarb is excellent to bake with check out my favorite step by step recipe for rhubarb cobbler here.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/06/rhubarb-cobbler/

close up Rhubarb

lots of chopped Rhubarb

cranberries and rhubarb

• Carrots– we all know about carrot cake of course. But what could be better than a carrot pancake and carrot muffin. Carrot juice is amazingly sweet, try juicing your carrots and adding the pulp to your baking. Enjoy the sweetest of carrots steamed then mashed into baked goods like beets and squash.
• http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2012/07/oil-free-carrot–cake-protein-bars/
• http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2012/03/frosted-carrot-quinoa-bars.html?m=1

carrot cake with cauliflower frosting

• Squash/butternut and zucchini steamed/roasted squash is great baked into muffins and bread.

deseeding butternut

butternut squash

• I have made yellow squash muffins and even zucchini bread that is great to eat. here are a few ideas for you.
• http://www.thekitchn.com/the-sweet-side-of-squash-10-de-157533
• http://www.brit.co/butternut-squash-desserts/

yellow squash muffins, can also make with beet mash

pumpkin pie

squash blueberry muffin

butternut squash salted biscuits

• Sweet potato and or plantain. I have found some very interesting recipes for desserts with them. Check them out. I have not baked with either but I plan to one day. here are a few lists that are great to check out for sweet potato and plantain recipes.
• http://draxe.com/sweet-potato-recipes/
• http://purelytwins.com/2012/09/13/using-sweet-potato-flour-in-gluten-grain-free-baking/
• http://greatist.com/health/45-delicious-and-healthy-sweet-potato-recipes
• http://empoweredsustenance.com/plantain-recipes/

• Cauliflower you would be amazingly surprised that cauliflower can be baked into desserts and used as frosting and even made into alfredo.. who knew?

  

  cauliflower raisin coffee bread

  Here are my favorite recipes for cauliflower:

• http://84thand3rd.com/2012/11/19/cinnamon-cauliflower-coffee-cake-caramel-sauce/
• http://detoxinista.com/2013/05/creamy-cauliflower-alfredo-dairy-free-nut-free/
• http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/06/18/cauliflower-chocolate-cake/
• http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegan-thumbprint-cookies/
• http://www.eatabeet.com/2009/05/foodie-fights-cauliflower-and-raspberry/
• http://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/cauliflower-not-carbs
• http://www.feastie.com/recipes-course/dessert/ingredients/cauliflower-7827
• http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?catId=2&pageId=5642

• Avocado– I recently made the most fudgy amazing vegan chocolate brownies with avocado and date sugar.. recipe below.

avocado brownie

• http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2014/10/14/avocado-chocolate-cake/
• http://sweetlifebake.com/2010/02/27/chocolate-avocado-cupcakes-with-cauliflower-frosting/#axzz3Ntt8IsVX
• http://www.californiaavocado.com/blog/paleo-avocado-chocolate-cake-recipe/
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/avocado-buttercream-frosting-recipe.html
• http://www.eatgood4life.com/gluten-free-chocolate-avocado-cake/

And while you are there you better check out @chocolate covered katie cause she is Queen of blending veggies into desserts and my new baking idol.  http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/