Guests at trendy spas and tony restaurants guzzle this simple-yet-sophisticated calorie-free alternative to water.

Per serving: Calories 192, Protein 5g, Fat 7g

So delicious. Best ever. So tender and dense, just a little sweet, with delicate cornmeal flavor. Great on its own but performs perfectly as a side, was nice dipping in the glaze of the Honey-Pineapple Yams. Nice in the morning too with a spot of honey. I must experiment with adding different stuff to the batter. And it was super easy too.

“Take this basic recipe even farther by stirring in other ingredients, such as sliced scallions, fresh herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, or even by using blue cornmeal. To make muffins, simply spoon the batter into sprayed muffin cups, then bake about 15 minutes. The mini-sized muffins are especially nice for a brunch, and children love them.”

per serving: Calories 271, Protein 3g, Fat 0g

I used cardamon-seed insides instead of ground cardamon, and more than recommended, and I think it overwhelmed the pineapple-flavor, but parents disagreed. Cardamon is very interesting and fragrant and delicious. I also added some pineapple chunks from the can the juice came out of, and I think that was a welcome addition. Anyway, good good and not difficult at all. Made it again at Mom’s request, Dad liked it quite a bit.

“Kissed by honey, blessed with flavor, and loaded with antioxidants- beta carotene and vitamin C- this dish fosters good health and good eating.”

Moist, black, and tender. I made this for Father’s Day and it was an impressive success. I got a little bit carried away with the frosting and piped edges and curly letters and big hearts and then dotted it all over with whole rasberries and individual seeds. A little tacky a lot beyootiful. I used extra dark cocoa, but the rasberries made a world of difference in keeping it flavorful vs. dull. Oh, and I loved the frosting.

Rich, flavorful hot soup. I used crunchy peanut butter and liked it good. Sweet potatoes or yams are a great addition. Yields: 6 servings, 321 cal each.

When these come out right, they are airy, tender, and wholesome. When they come out wrong (rising is a tricky business), they are still very enjoyable, especially with preserves. The dough is very sticky and hard to handle, so it requires a stint in the fridge. Makes 12 biscuits, 128 cal each

Surprisingly good pumpkin flavor. Sarita liked them too.Yield: 2 dozen cookies, approx. 90 cal each.

Chewy and nourishing. Yum. Approx. 168 cal. each.

These bars made a nice snack for the trip down to L.A.. The recipe came without directions on the oven temperature setting, so I estimated 375F. The bars were moist, sweet, chewy and enjoyed by all, but I would go with a shallower pan next time- 9 by 13 inches as directed rather than my 8×11, or up the temperature by 25F, or lengthen the baking time 5-10 minutes, etc., etc..

Very moist, buttery, walnut crunch, and subtle maple flavor. A little too subtle? I’d up it a bit, maybe with maple extract. Mama liked them, and they are a nice treat to have with morning tea.