Grain-free blueberry cupcakes, ACD-Phase 1

Where's Bailey? Find the cat, obscured by the big dog, in this picture.

In my recent round of candida, I realized I was relying on stevia way too much. It had become my addiction in place of sugar. I was putting it in everything, including my water. I even read that it can impede weight loss.

I decided to try eliminating it for a day, which has grown into three weeks now. Everything tasted rather blah at first. Then, it dawned on me that I hadn't really been tasting my food but rather the stevia. After a few days, I began to appreciate the taste of all my food, including my tea, without stevia.

But I still wanted to enjoy sweet-tasting things. What was there for someone who can't eat but one serving of fruit a day? I felt so sorry for myself until I rediscovered coconut butter. It's so delicious, just the way it is! Mother Nature created this perfect food.

Baked cinnamon-tossed acorn squash, drizzled with coconut butter

I've been using it in many different ways. One of the simplest is drizzling it on baked squash pieces, tossed in cinnamon, shown above. It makes a delicious and wholesome dessert. Note: it's recommended that individuals with candida consume no more than two servings of squash per week.

Grain-free blueberry cupcakes with coconut butter frosting

Now, for the piece de resistance: grain-free blueberry cupcakes, topped with blueberry coconut butter frosting. Note: these would be great for St. Patrick's Day as the coconut flour in them turns greenish when baked.

Grain-free blueberry cupcakes with blueberry coconut butter frosting (sweetener-free)
Makes 6-8
Here's what you need for the sweetener-free cupcakes:

1 T. apple cider vinegar mixed with 2/3 cup dairy-free beverage, such as coconut milk
1/2 cup baked spaghetti squash puree
juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 cup freeze-dried blueberries
2 T. ground flax seeds
2 T. ground chia seeds
3 T. unsweetened sunbutter
2 T. melted coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 T. baking soda
dash of sea salt

Here's what you need for the frosting:

1/2 cup blueberries (I used defrosted frozen ones)
1/4 cup unsweetened sunbutter
1 T. melted coconut butter
3 T. softened coconut butter

Sweetener-free cupcakes

 

Here's what you do for the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin cups with pan spray. Add all ingredients for the cupcakes, except freeze-dried blueberries, to a food processor and blend. Remove the dough to a bowl and stir in the blueberries. Spoon the dough into muffin pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes until they are well browned. Remove and allow to cool.

Here's what you do for the frosting:

Add all frosting ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cupcakes. Transfer to the fridge to chill and firm up the frosting.

Blueberry balls with coconut butter

Here's another use for the delicious frosting. Make blueberry balls, drizzed with coconut butter. Yummy! I don't even miss stevia (okay, maybe just a little).

"I get the first blueberry cupcake, Bailey."

Recipes contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/03/07/wellness-weekend-march-7-11-2013/