Tag Archives: dessert

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Brownies (Gluten & Dairy Free)

25 Oct

For me, time in the kitchen is quite relaxing.  It’s almost like therapy really.  A time where I can zone out and forget about the worry’s of the day.  It’s also a chance to whip up some wholesome goodness for myself and the family, which they always seem to enjoy.

Over the years my culinary skills have developed quite a bit through experimentation and the guidance of my beautiful mother.  We all know that mom’s know best, and this is especially true when it comes to baking.  Some of my fondest childhood memories involve my mom, grandma and I in the kitchen making treats.  More specifically brownies.  It was love at first bite with all that ooey gooey chocolately goodness.

Nothing can put a smile on your face quite like milk and a brownie.

Except if you have food intolerances…

But I’m here to save the day!!!! These brownies are free from gluten, grains, dairy and soy.  There are no funky gums or a million different flours. Just simple ingredients that make for happy tummies and taste buds.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Brownies

(Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free, Soy Free, Low FODMAP)

Serves 12

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup blanched almond meal
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tbsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup cooked sweet potato*
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 6 egg whites
  • Olive oil cooking spray

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
  2. Prepare brownies: Combine almond meal, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a food processor, combine sweet potato, maple syrup, oil, vanilla and egg yolk. Purée until combined and smooth.
  3. Gradually mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, until just combined; do not over-mix.
  4. In a separate dry bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then, using a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into batter.
  5. Lightly spray sides of baking pan (9 x 9 x 2-inch) with cooking spray.  Pour batter into pan and place into oven. Bake for about 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove pan from oven and allow brownies to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
  6. Loosen brownie and turn slab out onto a cutting board or platter. Cut into 12 pieces and serve when cool.
  7. Leftovers may be kept refrigerated in a resealable container for up to 2 days.

*Note: I used a 275g raw sweet potato and cooked it in the microwave to get approximately one cup of cooked flesh.  A medium/largish sweet potato should be fine, just measure the cooked flesh to ensure you have enough.

Nutrition (1/12th recipe): Calories: 149, Total fat: 8g, Sat. fat: 1.1g, Total carb: 16.9g, fibre: 3g, sugars: 9.9g, Protein: 5.2g

Being gluten or dairy free doesn’t mean you should miss out! These brownies are dense, fudgey and totally delicious.  So make a batch, and indulge because…

Nothing can make you smile quite like a glass of almond milk and a gluten free brownie.

Do you enjoy ‘kitchen therapy?’  What’s your favourite thing to bake or cook?

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Everything Awesome Oatmeal Cookies

28 Mar

If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk…

except the mouse forgot to tell you that he’s vegan.  So he’ll ask for a glass of almond milk instead.

When you give him his glass of almond milk, he’ll probably ask ‘Are these cookies made with butter or eggs?’

To which you can happily reply: ‘No mouse. These cookies are kind to all creatures great and small.  Your cow friends will rejoice as they have no dairy, and your chicken friends will cluck with joy to know they have no eggs.  Even your bee buddies will buzz with bliss as they have no honey.’

The mighty mouse devours his cookie and smiles with glee, then asks ‘May I please have the recipe?’

Everything Awesome Oatmeal Cookies

Everything awesome includes: oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and dark chocolate

But nothing nasty like: refined white sugar or flour

They are also suitable for those with special dietary requirements!

These cookies are vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and Low FODMAP.

Prep Time: 30 minutes             Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • ¾ cup raw pecans
  • ¼ cup raw walnuts
  • ¾ cup natural almond meal
  • ¾ cup gluten free flour (such as brown rice, buckwheat, or gluten free oat flour)
  • 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut or almond milk
  • 1 tsp natural vanilla paste
  • 3.5 tbsp coconut oil
  • ¼ cup brown rice syrup
  • ¼ cup maple syrup

Add ins

  • 1.25 cups fruit free muesli with nuts & seeds (GF if necessary)
  • ½ cup dairy free chocolate chips
  • ½ cup dried fruit (such as raisins, or dried cranberries)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
  2. Place walnuts and pecans on baking sheet and toast in preheated oven for 8 – 10 minutes, mixing once halfway through.  Remove nuts and let cool.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together the almond meal, flour, coconut sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.
  4. When nuts have cooled, place them in a food processor with the gluten free rolled oats.  Process until finely ground, about 1 minute.
  5. Add nut/oat mixture to bowl with flour and mix thoroughly to combine.
  6. In another bowl or large measuring cup, mix together the wet ingredients.  If coconut oil is solid, place in microwave for 20 – 30 seconds to melt.
  7. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix to combine.  Once combined fold in gluten free muesli, chocolate chips, and dried fruit.
  8. Cover dough with cling wrap and place in the fridge for 10 – 15 minutes to chill.  While mixture is chilling, line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
  9. When dough feels cool to touch, remove it from the fridge.  With damp hands, roll about 1 tbsp of dough into a ball, and place on cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Using your fingers, or the back of a spoon, lightly flatten each ball on the cookie sheet.
  10. Bake for 10 minutes in oven at 350°F (175°C).  Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 – 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
  11. Cookies will keep in a sealed container in a cool dry place for one week, or frozen for up to 3 months.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

To download a printable version click here: Everything Awesome Oatmeal Cookies

The particular batch I made are wheat free but not 100% gluten free.  I used a bag of the muesli I won in a competition, and the combination of nuts and seeds was sensational!  I baked these cookies on saturday and by sunday evening they had all ‘magically disappeared’.

Coincidence?

I think not.

What’s your favourite kind of muesli or granola? Have you ever tried baking with it?
What awesome food have you eaten or made lately?

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Paleo Peanut Butter Banana Blondies

21 Mar

The other day while perusing the fruit bowl in the kitchen I noticed our bunch of bananas was getting particularly brown.  Not wanting them to go to waste I quickly thought up what I could make.  I was in the mood for something sweet, but didn’t want to labour away making anything too complicated.  I thought about making another batch of my fabulous Paleo Banana Bread, but when I looked in the cupboard I realized I didn’t have any almond meal.  So I put my thinking cap on and what I came up with was nothing short of sensational.  This recipe is paleo, gluten free, dairy free, and can be made sugar free too.  But best of all it takes about 5 minutes to put together; just blend and bake!

Paleo Peanut Butter Banana Blondies

Prep Time: 5 mins Cooking time: 20 – 25 minutes

Serves 12

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe medium bananas
  • ½ cup natural peanut butter or other nut butter of choice
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup or 2 tbsp raisins (for sugar free option)
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1 whole egg
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 325°F (165°C).  Grease and line an 8 x 8 inch brownie pan with baking paper.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until all ingredients are incorporated, about 1 minute.
  3. Pour batter into greased pan and bake in pre-heated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  4. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.  Will keep refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to 3 months.

To download a printable version click here: Paleo Peanut Butter Banana Blondies

Hope you guys enjoy!

What do you do with leftover ripe bananas?
What sugar free goodies have you been enjoying? Link up and share!

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Guilt-free eating & Carrot Pineapple Protein Muffins

2 Mar

‘Cheat’ meals.  I cringe at the words.  To me it just has a really negative vibe.  If you eat a ‘cheat’ meal, can you really enjoy the food?  Or do you just end up feeling guilty.

Guilt is another one of those useless emotions, especially when it comes to food.  Food is meant to be enjoyed!  My personal mantra is that there is no such thing as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ food.  Labeling food like this just creates an unhealthy mindset:

‘Good’ food thought: Broccoli is good for me! I shall relish the mighty green trees. and worship all their benefits!!! The diet gods will look down on me in praise’

‘Bad’ food thought: Potato chips are bad for me and should be shunned for all time!  I feel like such a glutton for eating this salty sin filled with fat.

I know what you are thinking…this girl is crazy right?!?!? The Healthy Diva advocates eating potato chips? Yep I sure do!  And all treats for that matter.  Sure we should eat some foods, like broccoli, more than others, but there is no need to deny yourself of the things you love! The key is moderation and portion control. Life is too short to restrict yourself.

But the trick is to actually learn to enjoy the things you love.  First of all I want you to ditch the ‘cheat’ mentality.  It’s negative and unnecessary.  Instead put a positive spin on it.  For example, ‘I’m going to enjoy this sweet treat.  It’s delicious, made with love, and I want it.’

The next step is savour the flavour!  Put your chosen food on a plate, and sit down at the table while you eat it.  Notice the texture, aroma, and taste of the food.  I find this really enhances the experience.

The final step is to lick your lips, and rub your belly.  You can even add an ‘mmmmm that was good!’ for extra effect.

These three steps will help you master the art of satisfaction.  And you know what they say, practice makes perfect!  So I thought I’d help you out by sharing a recipe for one of my food favs; Carrot Cake.  This is seriously sinless recipe, so feel free to ‘practice’ as often as you want. Let’s all stop ‘cheating’, start ‘treating’, and live a guilt-free life. Why? Because The Healthy Diva said so!

Carrot Pineapple Protein Muffins

These marvellous muffins are gluten free, dairy free, high in protein, and FODMAP friendly.  Enjoy them plain of with a smear of cream cheese icing for extra decadence. **UPDATED RECIPE: I’ve removed the sugar from this recipe as I found them to be slightly too sweet. Enjoy this new improved sugar free version!**

Prep Time: 20 mins    Cooking Time: 25 mins

Makes 15 muffins

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour (ground almonds)
  • ½ cup vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 eggs, separated
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 225g can pineapple pieces in juice, drained and juice reserved
  • 3 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
  • 2 cups grated carrot (about 3 medium carrots)
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 2 tbsp raisins (optional)
  • 15 walnut or pecan halves (garnish)

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F) and line muffin tin with baking wrappers.
  2. Sift the dry ingredients together two to three times through a fine mesh sieve.  This will ensure a light texture when baked.  Transfer ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Place 2 egg whites into a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile place egg yolks, vanilla, pineapple, pineapple juice and carrot into another bowl.  Mix to combine.
  5. Combine egg yolk mixture with dry ingredients and blend.
  6. Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter.  Once incorporated, transfer remaining egg whites, walnuts or pecans and raisins (if using) into batter and mix to combine.  Do not over mix as this will knock the air from the beaten egg whites.
  7. Drop heaped tablespoons of batter into lined muffin tin and garnish with walnut/pecan halves.  Bake in preheated oven for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Cool on a wire rack.  Once cool, store in a sealed container for up to 1 week in the fridge.  Muffins can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

To download a printable version of the recipe click here: Carrot Pineapple Protein Muffins

What goodies will you be treating yourself to this weekend?
Which of your favourite foods do you wish was calorie free?

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