Maple Roasted Chickpeas

The holiday is over, the food has been eaten, and I feel like I need to detox. Every year I vow never to eat as much as the year before and every year I fail to do so. After laying on the couch in a food-induced daze for much of yesterday, I'm ready to eat my greens. As much as I swear off food the day of a big meal, repeating I'm never going to eat again! in a woeful voice to anyone who will listen, the next evening I still find myself craving something sweet.

Perhaps this is the curse of having a sweet tooth.

I've only gone early morning Black Friday shopping once. Since I'm a solid believer in giving homemade gifts, any supplies I buy aren't typically listed as doorbusters. I much prefer the warmth of my bed and waking up with the sun, enjoying a small breakfast before I head out shopping. I'm constantly amazed at how few people are left in the stores by nine in the morning. I get sleep, avoid crowds, and still manage to pick up a few things for myself.

This is my version of Black Friday shopping.

To satisfy my sweet tooth after a big holiday, I like to make simple, healthy snacks that will not make me feel like I need to spend another hour at the gym. Ideally I would like to avoid all sweets, but it is just not in my nature. Turning healthy food that is typically served savory, like chickpeas, into a snack food makes me feel good about my sweet tooth. If I happen to eat the entire batch (as it has been known to happen), there is really no harm done. I already have a batch of these Maple Roasted Chickpeas stored away.

I hope you enjoy this detoxing snack as much as I do!

Maple Roasted Chickpeas are easy to make and easier to make disappear. Chickpeas are coated with a little oil, cinnamon, and brown sugar before roasting in the oven. Roasting transforms the chickpeas from soft beans into crunchy nuts. A little drizzle of maple syrup after baking adds sweetness and flavor (but not stickiness) to the final product. Roasted chickpeas make for a quick snack that is is healthy for you too!

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Maple Roasted Peaches with Coconut Whipped Cream

Fresh garden vegetables are one of the few reasons I look forward to the end of summer. Newly harvested vegetables are among my favorite summer pleasures, as I admire the bright colors and fresh scents of ripening plants. The sharp snap of a tomato being picked from the vine and the hard tug on the top of a buried onion remind me once again why food has become such a large part in my life. There's something unique about burying your hands in dirt to uncover the carrots hidden below—I'm always curious to see how large they have grown—or find the ripe cucumbers hidden among the plants' leaves.

Oh, don't get me started on the difference in taste...

This year I don't have a backyard garden to tend. Since moving away from home, I'm suddenly much farther from the garden in my parent's backyard than I might like. While I don't miss looking after the plants myself (I've never been much of a gardener), I do miss the rewards after a few months of hard work. I tried to start a small herb garden on my apartment balcony, but the plants died a miserable death relatively quickly, shriveling under the sunlight despite the careful watering.

The plants, now a shade of brown and death, still sit on the deck. I ignorantly hope they will come back alive overnight and surprise me by sprouting new leaves, but I have a feeling that little fantasy won't come true.

Fruit is one of my favorite parts of the summer harvest. My kitchen is often filled with several pounds of sweet berries, as they vie with the stone fruits for counter space. When I'm not certain if my stone fruits are ripe and ready to eat or still in transition, I like to roast them in the oven or cook them on the grill. Roasting fruits brings out a deep flavor and caramelizes the sugar in the fruit, creating a masterpiece out of the most unremarkable of fruits.

With a sprinkling of sugar and a dash of spice, roasted fruit can easily take center stage to a summer meal.

Maple Roasted Peaches are a sweet way to enjoy fresh summer fruit. I almost don't need to share a recipe for roasted peaches with you because they are so simple to make, but the combination of maple syrup, cardamom, and coconut whipped cream is honestly something special. The coconut whipped cream needs to be made the evening prior (or at least 8 hours before serving), so it does require a bit of thinking ahead, but you could certainly substitute the coconut whipped cream for traditional whipped cream, yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.

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Banana Nut Bread

Since I lack any and all self control around baked goods, I figure the least I can do for myself (and my waistline) is to bake healthier. Perhaps you have already noticed this in my recipes. I generally substitute applesauce and plain yogurt for butter and oil (in fact, I haven't used oil for months!). I use whole wheat flour in place of all purpose. And, I even cut down the amount of sugar in my recipes purely in the name of health! (Or, more honestly, because I don't like my foods too sweet).
Using whole wheat flour is definitely the most noticeable change. Whole wheat flour gives baked goods this fantastic texture and more diverse taste. My cakes and breads are also thicker and denser, meaning some of the "lightness" of the baked goods has been sacrificed. Though, I think this is made up in the good feelings I get knowing I'm eating some quality whole grains.
I can't even think of a negative effect by substituting applesauce and plain yogurt for butter and oil. There is not a noticeable loss in taste or texture, as far as I have been able to tell. Often I find my cakes and breads so moist I have to worry about them molding before they get completely devoured (I have shed tears over baked goods taken in their prime more than once). Isn't that the kind of "problem" a good baker should have? Unless I want something to be dark and decadent, making these simple substitutions is perfect for your everyday baking.
This banana nut bread is the healthiest loaf of banana bread ever conceived (or close to it). It is jam packed with bananas and almonds, lacks butter and oil, and uses maple syrup in place of sugar. It is tender and moist and absolutely everything you look for in a good banana bread. And it is good for you. I don't think anyone can argue with that.

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