Baked goods are a part of our heritage, and the warmth and crunchiness brings a smile to almost everyone’s face.  Unfortunately baked goods usually rely on grains, specifically wheat, to give this taste and texture.  For many people gluten, wheat, and even grains in general pose serious health risks.  For others, consuming baked goods with regularity will lead to health problems down the line.Avoiding the muffin at the coffee shop and grabbing for one of these instead is made a lot less time-consuming when you prepare the batter using a Vitamix or Blendtec blender.  These muffins rely on blanched almonds for their “flour”.  By using nuts instead of grains the nutritional profile of baked goods is radically changed.  Nuts are high in fat and protein, whereas grains are high in carbohydrates.  For people following diets where they are trying to limit carbohydrate intake, these muffins can be a wonderful, healthy treat.

Eggs are laid by female animals of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have been eaten by humans for thousands of years.  Primarily we eat chicken eggs in the United States.  Eggs are very high in easily absorbed protein.  Eggs are an important source of Vitamin B12 and are also rich in the complete Vitamin A complex, Folate, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B2, Phosphorus, and Selenium.  Eggs also contain choline, which is very lacking in American diets – as well as high levels of antioxidants.

Coconut oil is an oil made of coconuts.  The coconut tree is a member of the family Arecaceae. It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos.  Coconuts are the definition of “good fat”, with a super high fat content including lauric acid.

A pumpkin is a cultivar of the squash plant, most commonly of Cucurbita pepo.  Pumpkins are rich in the vision-supporting carotenoids and Vitamin A, which gives them their lovely orange color and makes them protective against cancer.  They are fiber rich and sweet in taste, making them an excellent food for weight loss and management.  Pumpkins contain ample amounts of potassium, pantothenic acid, magnesium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.

Common salt is a mineral substance composed primarily of sodium chloride.  Salt provides sodium, which is absolutely essential for cell function and human life itself.  The average American diet contains far too much salt, making this ingredient a good one to avoid if you are uncertain how much you are getting in your food.  Over-intake of sodium is a cause of many health problems, including cardiovascular disease.

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a chemically alkaline substance used as a leavening agent in baked goods.  Baking soda adds a negligible amount of sodium to baked goods – but when used on its own in larger amounts it adds a substantial amount of sodium and is not recommended for people on low sodium diets.  Baking soda has been used medicinally by people with kidney disease, certain types of cancer, for heartburn and indigestion, as a natural deodorant and toothpaste – and to help soothe sore muscles after a workout.  Most of these benefits come from its alkaline pH.

Allspice is the dried unripe fruit of Pimenta dioica.  Allspice is a powerful superfoods containing volatile oils shown to stimulate digestion.  It is rich in the volatile oil eugenol, which has local anesthetic and antiseptic properties and has been used in teeth and gum procedures.  Allspice also contains ample amounts of  Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, and Vitamin C as well as the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese.

Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus Cinnamomum.  Cinnamon contains a range of volatile oils that help with blood sugar control, so is a great food to use in weight management. Cinnamon has strong anti-clotting and anti-microbial activity, and is very high in manganese.

Almond flour is a flour made from blanched, ground almonds.  The almond is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia, mostly we are familiar with almonds as the edible seeds of this tree. Almonds are powerhouses of nutrition, containing monounsaturated fats that lower LDL cholesterol and are protective against cardiovascular disease.  Almonds are rich in biotin, and contain large amounts of Vitamin E, Manganese, Copper, Vitamin B2, phosphorus, magnesium, and molybdenum.

Dark Chocolate is a food preparation of Theobroma cacao seeds, roasted and ground, often flavored.  The “dark” in dark chocolate refers to the high Cacao content.  Cacao is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao.  Cacao is a powerful superfood that has centuries of recorded traditional and medicinal use.  It is high in antioxidants, iron and fiber, and contains the unique nutrition theobromine, a mild stimulant that some believe can treat depression. It may cause the brain to produce more of a neurotransmitter called anandamide which some people say is why chocoholism exists.