Advertisement
  • Newsletters
  • Subscribe
Recipe Collections

10 recipes with a surprising secret ingredient

Surprise! These recipes sneak in everything from beans to zucchini, tofu and beets (and no one will be able to tell).
10 recipes with a surprising secret ingredient

Photo, Sian Richards.

Recipes with a secret ingredient

Chocolate muffins

Surprise ingredient: Zucchini.


These zucchini-laced chocolate muffins are so delicious, no one will catch on that there's vegetables in there . . . unless you tell them. Get the recipe.

Muffin recipes: Chocolate and zucchini muffinsPhoto, Erik Putz.

Chai latte

Surprise ingredient: Butter.


Don’t be put off by the butter; It’s the secret ingredient that makes this drink unforgettable. Get the recipe.

First day of fall latte: Hot buttered chai lattePhoto, Sian Richards.

Fresh Sicilian pasta

Surprise ingredient: Raisins.


Inspired by traditional Sicilian fare, this 20-minute tomatoey pasta is a treat to twirl your fork through. Get the recipe.

Weeknight dinner plan: Fresh Sicilian pasta recipePhoto, Sian Richards.

Raspberry-glazed pound cake

Surprise ingredient: Avocado.


Get the health benefits of avocado and raspberries in a very pretty dessert. Get the recipe.

Advertisement
10 recipes with a surprising secret ingredientPhoto, Roberto Caruso.

Homemade yogurt

Surprise ingredients: Sweet potato, parsnip and avocado.


The latest in a bounty of ever-expanding yogurt options is veggies. The key is amplifying the vegetable’s natural sweetness before adding it to a plain yogurt. Get the recipes.

Savoury yogurt, left to right: sweet potato, parsnip and avocado.Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Chocolate cake

Surprise ingredient: Black beans.


Yes we did. A WHOLE can of beans goes into this chocolate cake, making it healthier, as well as rich and fudgy. Get the recipe.

10 recipes with a surprising secret ingredientPhoto, Roberto Caruso.

Chocolate brownies

Surprise ingredient: Beets.


Yes, there's 2 cups of grated beets in these brownies, and they're delicious. Get the recipe.

four chocolate-beet brownies stacked on parchment paper

Homemade ice cream

Surprise ingredient: Brown bread.


This ice cream recipe turns leftover brown bread into a sweet and surprising after-dinner treat. Get the recipe.

Advertisement
Brown bread ice cream recipePhoto, Sian Richards.

Chocolate mousse

Surprise ingredient: Tofu.


A whole package of soft tofu gives this chcolate mousse a beautifully silky-smooth consistency. Get the recipe.

Tofu chocolate moussePhoto, Sian Richards.

Sweet pumpkin bread

Surprise ingredient: Beer.


This moist, rich sweet bread comes together in just 10 minutes. Drizzled with pumpkin-ale glaze and crunchy pepitas, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious. And we mentioned there's pumpkin ale in it, right? Get the recipe.

Pumpkin sweet loafPhoto, Erik Putz.

Related:
15 inventive ways to use a can of beans
10 things you can do with canned chickpeas
20 decadent and delicious chocolate recipes

The very best of Chatelaine straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Chatelaine celebrates, inspires, informs and empowers. We know that Canadian women contain multitudes, and we cover all of the issues—big and small—that matter to them, from climate change to caregiving, Canadian fashion and what to cook now.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Copy link
The cover of Chatelaine magazine's spring 2025 issue, reading "weekend prep made easy"; "five delicious weeknight meals", "plus, why you'll never regret buying an air fryer"; "save money, stay stylish how to build a capsule wardrobe" and "home organization special" along with photos of burritos, chicken and rice and white bean soup, quick paella in a dutch oven, almost-instant Thai chicken curry and chicken broccoli casserole in an enamelled cast-iron skillet

Subscribe to Chatelaine!

Want to streamline your life? In our Spring 2025 issue, we’ll show you how—whether it’s paring down your wardrobe, decluttering your messiest spaces or spending way less time cooking thanks to an easy, mostly make-ahead meal plan for busy weeknights. Plus, our first annual Pantry Awards.