Are you already battling holiday dessert binging? Those five-ten pounds around the waist from December indulgences are just sprinkles on the cake of sugar-laden devils disguised as fall treats, Halloween treats, and Thanksgiving must-haves already expanding our middles.

Just like clockwork, recipes are starting to populate my Facebook feed. It starts with cheers for all things pumpkin, and rapidly morphs into a parade of dazzling desserts – each one more tempting than the last. The thicker the cream cheese frosting drizzled with caramel, the better.

One specific recipe a friend shared on her Facebook feed, came from a site with the word “healthy” in it. Get this. The recipe sported 2 cups of sugar.

Not healthy, dear friends. Not healthy.

Better habits start with an environment that supports those habits.

There’s no effort to walking more if you are at the beach, when the sand beckons walkers of every ability, with an endless expanse of wave-lapped wonder.

There’s no effort to refrain from drinking sugary sodas if there are none to be found in your kitchen. Make your biggest decision reflect what flavor of bubbly water you want to drink.

Are there to be no muffins, cakes, puddings, or desserts ever again?

Certainly not!

My goals with treats – treats are not daily happenings – is to make sure they have as many healthy ingredients as possible in them; make portions naturally smaller, and to share most of the treat with others so I will not be tempted to “treat” myself every day – because I deserve it, right?

There is also a carb lure come cooler temperatures – even before Facebook – somehow those summer salads give way to baked squash, potatoes, hot soups, and all those baked confections featured on the covers of magazines such as Sunset and Southern Living.

Case in point.

I do love a good blueberry muffin, but even using my favorite gluten-free Krusteaz box mix still seems more indulgent than necessary. Gluten-free does not equal guiltlessly-good-for-you.

Enter my ramped-up, mini-muffins born of a gluten-free box mix. These babies have the bonus of:

1) Collagen powder full of every amino acid – thus making a high-protein addition. Learn more about collagen HERE

2) Unsweetened-but-naturally-sweet shredded coconut is:

• High in fiber to keep you feeling full longer and for easy digestion (see my article on fiber HERE)
• A good source of minerals
• High in fat BUT it’s from lauric acid, which is associated with good cholesterol

Learn more about coconut HERE and HERE:

3) Walnuts – which are an amazing source of Omega 3 fatty acids and fiber. Learn more about walnuts HERE:

So, let’s get cooking by starting with a mix – making it better, and controlling portion size.

Almost Homemade Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin Mix

Preheat oven to 400 degrees or 375 degrees Convection

Grease 24 count mini-muffin pan

1 box Krusteaz Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Mix

Blend in:

1 large handful of unsweetened shredded coconut – approximately ½ cup

1 large handful of pan-toasted walnuts (about five minutes in sauté pan, stirred frequently to avoid burning) broken up into small pieces- approximately ½ cup

Zest of 1 medium lemon

2-3 Tablespoons of Hydrolysate Collagen Powder

Follow package directions, adding:

¼ cup water

1/3 cup melted butter

3 eggs

I also add the juice of ½ of the lemon

Stir enough to incorporate all ingredients.

Fold in the rinsed blueberries provided in the mix

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake 11-13 minutes for mini-muffins. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.

Let muffins cool in the pan for two minutes, then loosen each from its spot and tilt in place to finish cooling. Gluten-free baked goods can get “steamed up” if left in place without air to circulate around them during cooling.

Freeze a dozen. Give six to your neighbor. Eat six over a few days.

Enjoy your treats!

In health-

Deidre

Also check out: deidreedwards.com