Fruit custard and other low sugar treats

[underage_elf]

I've been battling a sugar addiction and trying (with varying levels of success) to stay away from the refined stuff. This is my new favorite recipe for when I need something chocolate:

Runner's World Long Run Cake

1 cup organic apple-sauce
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained
1 ½ cups oat flour
1 cup cocoa powder (I use unsweetened)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup agave syrup
2 eggs
¼ cup coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor (*I use a regular blender), blend the applesauce and beans. In a bowl, whisk the oat flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the agave syrup and eggs until light and foamy. Reduce mixer speed to medium slow and pour in coffee; mix until combined. Add bean-and-applesauce mixture and vanilla to the egg mixture. Beat until combined. Add oat-cocoa mixture all at once. Beat on low until just moist, then increase speed and beat until smooth, 30 seconds. Divide batter among 12 greased mini-loaves (the batter should reach ¾ of the way up the loaf pan). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake springs back when poked. Makes 12 loaves (*I don't have mini loaf pans, so I make them in muffin tins).

So it sounds kind of gross, with the beans and applesauce? But they're AMAZING. Last time I threw in a handful of grain-sweetened chocolate chips and loved the added texture. The batter doesn't taste so good before baking, which is all the better to keep me from eating it by the spoonful.

They also have a recipe for an optional frosting, made by blending:
2 8-ounce packages organic cream cheese
¼ cup agave syrup
¼ cup organic, natural-style, creamy peanut butter
Pinch of salt

I'm sure that would be great on top, but personally the muffins (cupcakes?) themselves are enough for me. YUM!
_________________
Say YES!! to awesome.

[Barbeegrrll]

anniebeegoode-The chocolate macaroons are the same as the recipe I posted, I just added 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixture before I cooked it.

[anniebeegoode]

[PurpleDoor]

In my recent quest for some healthy care package foods, I came across this website: www.health-bent.com. It's a "paleo" site so a lot of the meat related stuff was kind of whatever in my (vegetarian) book, but they do have some great super low-sugar dessert/treat recipes (some of the veggie dishes look really good too).

So far I've tried:

Cocoa Roast Almonds (using about 2 tbsp of pwodered sugar instead of the suggested 1/2 c.)
Rosemary Cashews (using about 1/d the honey suggested)
Paleo Fudgy Brownies (the recipe has an "optional" 1/4 c. of sugar, I left it out the first time and that was a fail, 2nd time I just used 2 tbsp and it was perfect).

[meexie]

[PurpleDoor]