Today I found out the zucchinis are actually a type of squash... a summer squash! I also found out the zucchinis are AMAZING! This journey of enlightenment all started the other day when I went to read in a coffee shop; there was a particularily delicious looking cake made out of (you guessed it!) zucchini! I thought I would give it a try, and it was so tasty that I can't even remember the book I was reading because I only remember the cake!

Ever since that delicious cake, I have wanted to try my hand at my own lime, zucchini & pistachio cake with a twist—glazed muffins!! Muffins are by far my favourite dessert/breakfast to make, so I usually turn loafs into muffins by changing the baking time. The general rule of thumb for this is to half the baking time but keep the temperature of the oven the same. When I am trying a new recipe as muffins rather than a loaf I always make sure to check the muffins more frequently just in case it takes slightly less than half of the baking time.

When I bake I usually like to use a few ingredients consistently. So I found a recipe a liked from the blog Scrummy Lane and made some adjustments to suit my favourite ingredients. I have listed my go-to ingredients below and the reasons I love them so much!

Coconut Oil – I love coconut oil and I put it in everything. My main reasoning is that it promotes brain function. All fats are able to promote brain and immune system function, but coconut does a really good job of getting to the brain efficiently and fueling brain cells. I find that when I eat coconut oil everyday I feel less tired and aware.

Unrefined Sugar – I am not a stranger to sugar. If anything sugar is my twin sister, I love and depend on it that much! Once upon a time I thought in order to be healthy you couldn't have anything sugary or sweet, but I've since come to realize that I never want to be separated from sugar *giggles*! So now, rather than turn away from sugar I make sure to find sugar that leaves me feeling good and has at least some extra benefits. My top three favourite sweeteners are maple syrup (extra magnesium!), brown sugar (the molasses in brown sugar adds some pottasium!), and coconut sugar (yay iron, zinc, and calcium!). One strong note I do have on sugar is that although healthier options do exist, any type of sugar is not as healthy as nutrient packed foods like fruits and vegetables. Therefore, I always try to have sugar in moderation and pair it with healthy fats to fill myself up and satisfy my sugar cravings.

Greek Yoghurt – I am a vegetarian and sometimes I struggle to fill my body with enough protien! Greek yoghurt tastes just like normal yoghurt and comes with the added benefit of protien. I find that when I include it in baked or cooked foods I get extra protien without thinking about it. I have learned that protien helps to build your bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, hair, and blood... Wow that's a lot of stuff!! Protien is essential!

Spelt Flour – Spelt flour is very similar to plain flour except more nutrient dense. Spelt grain is also harder to turn into flour, which means it is processed more naturally. Ultimately, there are two main reasons that spelt flour is my go-to flour: it is high in fibre and it bonds more easily to water making it easier for our bodies to process... yay digestion!

I love finding sneaky ways to put vegetables into any type of food. Some vegetables are better for sneaking into food than others and I have discovered that squashes are all really great for sneaky treats! Here are a few reasons that zucchinis are great:

• Antioxidants – The skin of a zucchini is quite high in antioxidants, which help with eyesight, vitamin A production, and healthy growth.
• Vitamin C – It may seem that vitamin C can be found in everything so we really don't need to be concerned about getting enough, but I think it is so crucial! Vitamin C is responsible for maintaining healthy blood cells and assisting with immune-system-function. That is super duper important!
• Digestion – Zucchinis, like many other squash, are great for digestion. They have heaps of electrolytes which give the body energy to digest food and they have the added benefit of being full of water to help hydrate the body.

I have a small confession to make... The first time I made these muffins I taste-tested the first muffin while I was icing the batch I made. It was SOOO good that I proceeded to eat 6! muffins and even had a bit of the glaze straight from the bag... Now, I am in no way recommending this as I spent the next hour feeling incredibly sick in my tummy. Regardless, YUM!

References

Babcock, Jillian. “Zucchini Nutrition: Low in Calories & High in Anti-Inflammatory Properties.” Dr. Axe, Dr. Axe, 21 June 2017, draxe.com/zucchini-nutrition/.

Boldt, Ethan. “Coconut Oil Benefits How to Get the Benefits of Coconut Oil.” Dr. Axe, Dr. Axe, 23 Jan. 2018, draxe.com/coconut-oil-benefits/.

Coleman, Erin. “Myth or Fact: Brown Sugar Is Better Than White Sugar / Nutrition / Healthy Eating.” Fitday, Fitday, www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/myth-or-fact-brown-sugar-is-better-than-white-sugar.html.

Gunners, Kris. “Coconut Sugar - Healthy Sugar Alternative or a Big, Fat Lie?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 27 May 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/coconut-sugar.

Heitz, David. “8 Ways Greek Yogurt Benefits Your Health.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 17 Aug. 2016, www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/greek-yogurt-benefits.

“Why Spelt Flour Is Worth a Try.” Nuts.com, nuts.com/healthy-eating/why-spelt-flour.

Visit our Sneaky–Nutrient Recipes section to find the full recipe for Lime, Zucchini & Pistachio Muffins.