5 unexpected ways to make your baked goods healthier

There’s nothing better than a home-baked goodie… except for a healthie home-baked goodie! Pull out your cookie sheets and grab those cake pans. Here are our top tips to make treats that are better for you – and truly special for Mother’s Day.

1. Add avocado. Instead of butter, add this fruit filled with healthy fat to everything from brownies to frosting. Use fully ripened avocados for a smooth texture!
2. Swap in cacao for chocolate. When a recipe calls for chocolate chips, cut that amount in half and add cacao nibs instead. It’s an easy way to keep that great chocolate flavor with a raw, healthy add-in.
3. Try aquafaba. Open a can of chickpeas, drain the beans, and reserve the liquid. Transfer just the liquid  yo a stand mixer and whip until fluffy and foamy. This mixture is called “aquafaba” and can be used as an allergy-friendly replacement for effs in many recipes. Add 3 Tbsp for every egg, mix, and bake.
4. Substitute beans for flour. Puree chickpeas for blondies or black beans for brownies and replace the flour in these treats with this mild-flavored, high-fiber swap. Bonus points if you cook beans from scratch rather than using canned. Home-cooked beans pack more protein and far less sodium.
5. Go bananas. Want sweetness without a ton of added sugar? Use dark brown, super ripe bananas in muffins and quick breads, and you can cut way back o the sugar. Just be sure to cut back a little on the liquids in the recipe too!