My first job as a teenager was baking unhealthy but oh-so-yummy muffins early in the morning at an L.A. shop. Decades later, I am still a fan of baking and sweets. Nowadays I experiment with healthier alternative sugars like coconut nectar syrup and coconut sugar, and gluten-free flours from buckwheat to chickpea to brown rice flour. These products feel better going down and the alternative sweeteners do not cause sugar crashes.
With the holidays here, pumpkins are all the rage and make a flavorful addition to baking. One non-bake holiday recipe I enjoyed was this gluten-free pumpkin “fudge” by the rather creative Ricki Heller. It is not fudge in the chocolate sense, but is tasty and fitting for people who love coconuts–it’s composed of coconut butter, coconut oil, and coconut sugar, among other high-quality ingredients!
Try these delicious pumpkin muffins that are not gluten-free but could be adapted. The internet is exploding with recipes for all diets and preferences.