Baking to Destress — Recipes Included

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If you look up the word “procrasti-baking,” you’d probably see a picture of me. That’s because when it comes to procrastinating, baking is my jam. Whether it’s the turning of the seasons, or a rainy day, baking has its benefits.

[Exploring Nutritious Whole Grains: Recipes for Your Grocery List]

Baking as Therapy

Baking for many of us is like therapy, providing a source of stress relief. Whisking, sifting, kneading, mixing, stirring, measuring and pouring all help provide an outlet using physical skills, while simultaneously resulting in actually producing something. Baked goods are also associated with comfort and warm, cozy feelings. Who doesn’t need a dose of those emotions these days?

While some may be concerned that baking to destress could result in weight gain, given that you’re making these baked goods at home you have full control over the ingredients. Consider making healthy ingredient swaps and adding spices like cinnamon for it’s anti-inflammatory and blood sugar benefits.

4 Healthy Baked Good Recipes

So if you’re ready to fire up your oven, here’s one of my family’s favorite recipes, along with three tempting treats from my registered dietitian colleagues to bring the welcoming aroma of baked goods to a kitchen near you. Three of these recipes don’t even require flour.

— Pumpkin Bread with Dark Chocolate Chips and Almonds

— Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

— Coconut Seed Clusters

— No-Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Bars

I’ve included a bonus list of ingredient swaps at the end, in case you’re out of, for example, eggs or butter or flour.

[See: 7 Healthy Smoothies: Recipes and Benefits]

Recipe: Pumpkin Bread With Dark Chocolate Chips and Almonds

Ingredients:

— 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

— 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

— 1 tablespoon baking powder

— 2 teaspoons baking soda

— 1 teaspoon salt

— 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

— 1 cup granulated sugar

— 4 egg whites or 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute

— 1/2 cup avocado oil or extra light olive oil

— 1/2 cup Greek yogurt — plain

— 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

— 2 large eggs

— 2/3 cup almond milk — unsweetened

— 15 ounce can pureed pumpkin — unsweetened

— 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

— 1/3 cup slivered almonds

— Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Spoon flours into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.

3. Whisk together with the next 4 ingredients (through cinnamon) in a large bowl.

4. Combine sugar, egg whites, oil, vanilla extract, yogurt and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer at a high speed until blended.

5. Add almond milk and canned pumpkin, beating at a low speed until blended together.

6. Add flour mixture to above mixture and beat at a low speed just until combined. Don’t overmix.

7. Coat two loaf pans (9 X 5 inch each) or muffin tins (24 muffins) with cooking spray.

8. Spoon batter into pans and fill half-way.

9. Sprinkle almonds evenly over batter.

10. Bake breads (in loaf pans) for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, or bake muffins (in muffin tins) for 30 minutes and check as above.

11. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

Yield is either two loaves or 24 muffins.

Ingredient highlights:

— Almonds. These nuts are packed with plant-based protein, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium and more.

— Cinnamon. In addition to its soothing aroma, cinnamon may help to prevent blood sugar spikes and assist with your body’s insulin response.

— Dark chocolate chips. Choosing dark chocolate chips with a higher level of cacao (look for 55% to 90%) provide flavanols, which are linked to improved blood flow.

— Pumpkin. The traditional fall flavor of pumpkin adds a boost of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and beta carotene.

From Bonnie Taub-Dix. You’ll find this and my other recipes on BetterThanDieting.com.

[READ: High Fiber Foods You Should Include in Your Diet]

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

Ingredients:

— 3 large, ripe bananas

— 2 1/2 cups rolled oats

— 1 cup peanut butter

— 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

— 2 teaspoons cinnamon

— Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Mash the bananas with a fork in a large bowl. Add the oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips, cinnamon and salt, and stir until just combined.

3. Scoop out the dough with a cookie scoop and form balls with your hands, pressing the dough together very tightly.

4. At this point, you could eat these like cookie dough balls, or you can bake in the oven.

5. To bake, place the balls on the prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake until the edges start to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Mashed bananas can work like glue with oats. Adding honey or chopped dates also helps with getting your non-baked or baked goods to stick together.

Ingredient highlights:

— Bananas. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, which may also help to lower blood pressure.

— Cinnamon. Cinnamon has been found to help reduce the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.

— Dark chocolate chips. Studies have shown a link between consuming dark chocolate and a reduced risk of heart disease.

— Peanut butter. Choosing a natural peanut butter that is minimally processed, adds protein, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants.

— Rolled oats. Oats provide a healthy dose of protein and fiber, which can help support healthy digestion.

From LA-based dietitian Carrie Gabriel, owner of Steps2Nutrition.com, creator of live and virtual cooking demos and lessons.

[SEE: The Best Mediterranean Diet Recipes]

Recipe: Coconut Seed Clusters

Ingredients:

— 2 tablespoons honey

— 1/4 teaspoon salt

— 1/4 teaspoon water

— 1 cup unsweetened coconut chips or coconut smiles

— 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

— 1/3 cups raw sunflower seeds

— 2 tablespoons chia seeds

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Stir all the ingredients together until well blended.

3. Spoon teaspoons of coconut mixture on to baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat.

4. Bake 13-20 minutes, until coconut is lightly browned.

5. Remove from oven and set pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing clusters. These harden as they cool, so if they cool completely, they may break when you remove them.

Ingredient highlights:

— Honey. In addition to offering a hint of floral flavor, honey does contain trace amounts of vitamin C and B vitamins.

— Chia seeds. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, chia seeds can help lower inflammation and blood pressure.

— Coconut chips or smiles. Coconut has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as a good dose of manganese.

— Pumpkin seeds. Offering a good source of plant protein, pumpkin seeds have high levels of magnesium and zinc.

— Sunflower seeds. Known to help thyroid health, sunflower seeds are filled with antioxidants including vitamin E, B vitamins and copper.

From registered dietitian nutritionist Judy Barbe, Wyoming-based author of “Your 6-Week Guide to LiveBest.”

[Read: How to Make Your Own Health Shots, Recipes]

Recipe: No-Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Bars

Ingredients:

— 1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter –use no added sugar peanut butter, if desired

— 1/2 cup raisins

— 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

— 2 cups quick oats, uncooked

— 2 cups plain toasted oat cereal

Directions:

— Coat a 8? x 8? baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper

— Combine all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl

— Press the bar mixture evenly into the pan. Refrigerate for at least one hour

— Cut into 12 squares. Keep refrigerated

Ingredient highlights:

— Maple syrup. A natural alternative to refined sugar, maple syrup contains vitamins and minerals, including manganese and riboflavin. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10469071/

— Oats. High in fiber, oats help to satiate and have a low glycemic index response, helping with blood sugar and weight control. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8625765/

— Raisins. In studies, raisins have abundant levels of flavonols and have been found to promote satiety, modulate sugar absorption and lower insulin responses.

From registered dietitian Elizabeth Ward, the Boston-based author of betteristhenewperfect.com.

Out of an Ingredient? Swap With…

Here are some ingredient swaps you can count on to get those baked goods going..

Ingredient swaps

1 whole egg (choose one of the following):

— 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

— 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

— 1/4 cup pureed fruit

— 1/4 cup mashed banana (or reconstituted dehydrated banana)

— 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of water

1 cup buttermilk (choose one of the following):

— 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (let stand for 5 minutes)