BLOG | martinazand

Mar 16

The Anniversary Muffin: Chocolate Rose Raspberry Muffin

It's been a year since we locked ourselves into our homes and our lives dramatically changed. We've survived a year of trying to adjust our work life, our kids' school life, our social life, and our workouts. And because of that we are celebrating this weekend! Come and join the Live Community Class - Anniversary Edition this Saturday at 10AM PDT for free. Find all the details here. And if you feel like celebrating with a muffin after class, whip up some of these yummy chocol

Jan 28

Tahini Brownies For Your PMS

The luteal phase is the last phase of your cycle and the one where PMS hits you. It's the time you might be craving chocolate - check out this video to learn why that is. Every craving has a reason. I go super in-depth on this cravings topic in the 4 Week Health Kickstarter Online Program with an entire week dedicated to cravings. So we don't just deal with a craving by ignoring it but by understanding what it is our body actually needs. Chocolate cravings tell us two things:

Dec 11, 2020

Cranberry Orange Muffins

It's been a while since I posted a delicious muffin recipe so why not make a Christmas-inspired muffin with orange zest, cranberries, and cinnamon? It's super light, not too sweet, and a great breakfast or snack. You can use frozen cranberries but you might have to bake the muffins a couple more minutes. Just keep an eye on them in the oven! Also, if you want to be extra fancy, throw 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in there for some extra yum. Preparation time: 40 minutes Makes 12

Nov 18, 2020

Baby Zand's Birthday Salted Caramel Cupcakes

2020 has felt like a marathon and even if the actual year is coming to an end, the effects of it will linger for a long time for me. So much has shifted, so much has changed, and I have stretched myself to limits I never knew were possible. I wouldn't change any of it though! I have grown as a person and I definitely wouldn't want to go back to January for anything. Onwards we dance! Just before we went into lockdown I had set myself very strict social media rules. Get it all

Oct 2, 2020

Pumpkin banana bread with pecan crumble topping

This bread is everything I want from fall baking (minus melting in the house at 31°C/ 88°F with the current heat wave and terrible air): the cinnamon, the pumpkin, the pecan crumble on top! You must try the new pumpkin banana bread with pecan crumble. You will want it for breakfast, lunch, and your afternoon snack. It's super easy to throw together and it will last for up to 1 week in the fridge (well, I don't actually think it will make it that long but you can try...). It's

Sep 2, 2020

I have a hard time letting go...

I have a hard time letting go of things and I’m trying to be better at it. I am already a declutter queen at home, and now I need to let some obligations go at work, too. ⁣ ⁣ The Warming Breakfasts ebook has gone through 4 editions over the years and there are a total of 25 yummy recipes in it now to start your day with a happy belly, humming hormones, and lots of energy. ⁣ ⁣ I will not be updating it this fall. It is done. And I want to put my focus on the upcoming Family Me

Aug 8, 2020

Are you super sensitive to sound, light, and/or touch? It might be zinc....

Yesterday I shared zinc deficiency and a very distinct symptom of it in my Instagram stories and my DMs blew up over night. Apparently so many of us are suffering from sensitivities to sound, light, or touch. I talked about how I track my cycle and have realized that in the second half of it I tend to be super sensitive to these things. Ever since I started supplementing zinc in the second half of my cycle, this has become much better. ⁣ With my clients I always take the food

Jun 12, 2020

Oat crackers with rosemary and olives

It's been a while since I posted a recipe here on the blog. The new Family Meals ebook has been taking up all of my recipe creation time but it is in its final editing stages and will be out in the world soon. So I finally have a new recipe for you, and I have no words to describe how amazing it is!!!! Can I just tell you that I ate all the crackers in one sitting with a big slab of vegan cheese? That should be enough for you to want to make them. They are salty, crunchy, and

Nov 1, 2019

25 delicious recipes to get you out of bed in the morning - the free Warming Breakfasts ebook is her

It's back! The FREE Warming Breakfasts ebook is back for another winter season to warm you from the inside every single morning. There are endless recipes of oatmeal, variations with other whole grains (the buckwheat bowl with poached pears is killer!), there are overnight oats for a quick breakfast dashing out the door in the morning, there is a raw cashew buckwheat bowl that only takes a minute to whip up, and then there is the new Breakfast smoothie for those days you don'

Oct 23, 2019

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Halloween is just a week away, and my pumpkin recipes are going wild in the kitchen right now. We are eating some kind of pumpkin every single day: roasted with garlic, stirred into pumpkin spinach dahl, blended into a soup, spiralized into pumpkin noddles (Baby Zand's idea!), and made into my favorite pumpkin almond smoothie. I swear, we are soon turning into pumpkins. And for Arman that is literally true, since it was Baby Zand's wish for him and grandpa to be pumpkins for

Oct 18, 2019

Chili onion cornbread

Originally I wanted to call this corn bread cheese cornbread, but I know that is misleading. I never use real cheese in my recipes and I would be lying if it tastes exactly like the real thing. So over the years I have tried not to call recipes by their inspiration, and instead take them just for what they are: delicious foods that nourish my body from the inside out. For this recipe I do use a plant-based cheese. I have linked to my favorite kind below, but you can use any y

Sep 10, 2019

Zucchini cacao muffins

We have put so much love and care into our garden this summer, and it is rewarding us handsomely. We are flooded with apples, zucchini, celery, lettuce, and more, and I am loving it. It makes me be creative in the kitchen with the sudden influx of certain produce. We have made an endless amount of zucchini noodles, I have made huge batches of this summer squash lentil soup, and last night we had the zucchini spring salad. I often add zucchini to baked goods, but have realized

Sep 3, 2019

Strawberry white chocolate cookies

Today is the day - summer break is over and Baby Zand started school. She was so good. Walked in, said hello, and started playing. She gave me a quick kiss, and that was it. I am so glad she didn't cry, but I was bawling on the inside. After spending the last two months with her every single day, this was a huge adjustment. I've been feeling naked all day - somehow like a part of me is missing. But I also got to have some time to think, which was epic. My brain was suddenly f

Jul 2, 2019

Breakfast popsicle

The new free Summer Popsicles ebook is here! Have you checked it out yet? It is filled with over 35 delicious recipes that are all dairy free, gluten free, and refined sugar free. Most of them come together in just a few minutes, and they are rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Every single popsicles in this ebook will nourish your entire body from the inside out! This breakfast popsicles is one of my favorite for many reasons: When another heat wave strikes, we will

Jun 18, 2019

Cherry pistachio muffins with rosemary

Last weekend we went cherry picking for Father's Day. It was a huge success! Arman was happy, Baby Zand had a blast, and we ended up carting 10 lbs of fresh cherries home ... plus some apricots and peaches and nectarines. Our dining table is bending under all the weight of these glorious fruit, and I now have the task to quickly make something with these, so we don't end up wasting them. Making anything with cherries is a lot of work, because of the pit. Getting it out takes

May 22, 2019

Sticky date pudding

I am kicking off my birthday week with a delicious sticky date pudding. This recipe is so easy - inspired by the amazing Nigella Lawson. Pouring boiling water over a sticky dough? Only she can pull that off, and come out of it all with a sticky toffee sauce that is to die for. I have taken her original recipe that I found 15 years ago (in her cookbook Nigella Bites), and have made it into a plant based and gluten free version that will not disappoint! Come and join me for bir

Mar 25, 2019

Banana oatmeal muffins

We are currently in Singapore visiting my sister and Baby Zand's cousins. It's been a week of fun, sunshine, and swimming. Plus an entire new household of toys - needless to say Baby Zand has been in heaven. For me, I've been able to test out what it's like having 4 kids - it's a never in a million years for me! :-) Plus we've been enjoying some of my favorite dumplings, coconut buns, and lots of fresh tropical fruit. Last week I had a lovely friend from Shanghai come over, a

Feb 27, 2019

Kale bean chili with cornbread

Stews and soups are my go-to recipes right now. I make them in big batches, then eat them for days. Plus, there is no reason you can't reinvent them for new meals, so it doesn't get boring. For example, one day I serve this chili with the cornbread, then I mix it with quinoa the next day, and on the last day I top it with mango slaw. Delicious and easy! This recipe makes enough for 4 servings, but you can easily double the recipe for more leftovers :-) Preparation time: 1 hou

Feb 12, 2019

Gooey chocolate mug cake

Valentine's Day is getting closer, and today I've got the easiest recipe ever for you! You can literally stir everything inside the same mug that you also bake this gooey chocolate goodness in. It's super rich and satisfying in a perfect serving. Try this recipe right away, and serve it to all your loved ones for Valentine's Day. And you won't be sorry if you serve it with ice cream (this is my favorite non-dairy one) :-). Preparation time: 30 minutes Makes 1 serving: 1/2 cup

Feb 5, 2019

Pink Valentine's Day pancakes with strawberry rose chia jam

Valentine's Day is coming up, and I am all about creating an epic Valentine's Day breakfast. I have recently read the sequel of the Happiness Project, Happier at home. In this book, Gretchen Rubin decides to make holidays more special by making holiday themed breakfasts without a ton of effort. The $1 aisle at Target provides some decorations, and peanut butter colored red (Valentine's Day) or green (St. Patrick's day) does the trick for the kids. About a year ago I realized

Dec 4, 2018

Gift idea: homemade Christmas granola

The first of the homemade gift recipes is here, and it's so delicious: a Christmas granola that you can whip up quickly and in big batches. It is definitely a crowd pleaser with all the Christmas spices coupled with dried cranberries and maple. And even if you don't make it as a gift, it is fabulous to have at home for this season! Preparation time: 40 minutes Makes 4 cups (2-3 gift bags): 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup melted virgin coconut oil 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp vanil