Lemon and Coconut Gluten Free Healthy Cake Pops

Easter is a time to relax with your friends and family and typically eat a lot of chocolate. Usually you eat so much chocolate you can't contemplate eating any until the next Easter. To avoid this usual chocolate overload this time of year, I wanted to make a sweet treat that wasn't chocolate based but was still Easter themed. I chose to make lemon and coconut cake pops iced in a pastel blue with polka dots to decorate. You may have heard cake pops can be tricky to make, let alone attempting the challenge of making a healthy version of the sweet, but if you have the right tools and some patience you will handle this baking task with ease.

I would recommend buying a silicone cake pop tray, a cake pop drying set (or try some of these ideas to hold your cake pops) and the cake pop sticks. I found these all at a local kitchenwares store and all the equipment was on sale; I think the cake pop craze has died down and no one knows what to do with the stuff anymore! Hopefully you can pick some trays on sale too. If not, all the things you need will be online.

This recipe worked out so well I know I will be making cake pops again! If you don't want to make a lollipop out of the cake, you can always make cute cake balls as a sweet treat. Cake pops are perfect for parties and are a nice portioned treat.

Lemon and Coconut Healthy Cake Pops

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tbsp milk (I prefer soy milk)
• the zest of one lemon
• 1/3 cup of melted coconut oil

Icing:

• 1 packet of white candy melts or 1 packet of white chocolate melts
• blue food colouring
• coconut oil

Method:

1. In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients - coconut flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl and combine with the dry.
3. Lay your cake pop tray onto a baking tray and fill the side without the holes with the cake mixture. Overfill each hole slightly with the cake mix. Press the other side of the tray on top on the filled tray and press the sides to seal together.
4. Bake in a moderate oven for 25 minutes. 
5. Let the cakes cool in the pan for a couple of minutes before turning out and putting into a bowl. Cover and put in the freezer to cool down. Store in the fridge if you are not icing immediately.
6. Melt the candy melts or white chocolate on a low heat in the microwave. Put in for 30 seconds at a time to make sure you do not overcook the chocolate. When the mixture is melted, add 4 - 5 drops of blue food colouring or until you reach your desired colour.
7. To make the chocolate or candy melts thin enough to ice your cake pops, add some coconut oil. My candy melts were very thick and I added about 1/2 a cup of coconut oil to the mix. The white chocolate may not need as much oil added. Add a little at a time and stir thoroughly until you reach a nice even consistency.
8. When you are happy with your icing, take out your cakes. Set up your drying stand and put out your polka dot sprinkles. Carefully insert a cake pop stick half way into one side of the cake. Dunk the cake into the bowl of icing and let the excess run off. Decorate with sprinkles as desired.
9. Place carefully into the cake pop stand to let dry.
10. Once all the cake pops are completed, leave to dry for a few hours to set the icing. Store in a container until time to serve. Check out this link for serving ideas. 

Carrot Cake Cookies

Whether it is a happy or sad occasion, someone is visiting me or I am going to see them, or I just need some baking therapy, I will find myself wanting to get in the kitchen. When I made these cookies over the weekend, I made them for the combination of all the reasons above. Baking is so therapeutic for me, particularly when I can get creative with ingredients and make something delicious and nourishing. 

I was inspired by a recent cookbook purchase of the Lola Berry The Happy Life cookbook. Lola's book is a really sweet representation of how she keeps a positive mind and a healthy body. She touches on mindful versus emotional eating, how to keep your thoughts grounded, ways to connect to your soul, strengthening intimacy and even how to create your own cookbook. 

Amongst Lola's life advice, she has healthy recipes to browse. I found her carrot cake cookies and decided to try it for myself. What I like about these cookies is that they are so filling and nourishing, you can easily have them for breakfast and they make such a healthy snack. 

Ingredients:

1 cup of almond meal (I used hazelnut meal and flaxseed mix as I had that on hand)

1/4 cup of coconut flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of ginger

a pinch of nutmeg

1 cup of coconut sugar (I used date sugar as I also had that on hand) *coconut sugar can be expensive, if you rather just substitute for brown sugar but use 3/4 of a cup 

1/2 cup of almond butter

1/4 cup of coconut oil

2 eggs, heated

2 carrots (1 large or 2 small), grates

1/4 cup of sultanas 

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degresss and line a baking tray with greased-proof paper.

Place all dry ingredients into a bowl and combine.

Add all the wet ingredients and mix well to form a dough.

I then placed the mixture into the fridge for 30 minutes.

Using a tablespoon, form mixture into balls and flatter on the prepared tray. 

Bake for 10 minutes until cookies are golden and set.

Makes 12

Banana Bread - Skinny, Vegan and Gluten-free options

The perfect recipe to use those overripe bananas in. 

Ingredients:

- 4 very ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup of coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of stevia or white sugar
- 1/2 cup of milk of your choice
- 1/2 cup of macadamia oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 egg or egg replacer
- 1 1/2 cup of self-raising flour or gf alternative
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
- slivered raw almonds 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and prepare a loaf tin by coating in oil (or use a silicone non-stick pan).
2. Mash together the bananas and add in the sugars, milk, egg and oil, mix together well.
3. Sift in the flour, cinnamon and ginger. Combine with wet ingredients but take care to not over mix or beat to keep the cake light.
4. Pour mixture into a loaf or cake tin. Top with sprinkled coconut or brown sugar and the sliced almonds.
5. Bake for 1 hour until cooked through the middle.
* This recipe also makes delicious banana muffins. Put the mixture into muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes at the same temperature.

Paleo and Vegan Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Adding coconut yoghurt makes these muffins decadently moist and satisfying, pleasing all crowds. Packed with nourishing ingredients high in healthy fats and muscle-building protein, this is the type of cake you can justify eating at breakfast, lunch or dinner. For a dessert treat, serve with coconut ice cream or coconut yoghurt.

Paleo and Vegan Apple Crumble Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond meal
• 3 scoops of vegan vanilla protein powder
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal or LSA
• 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup of coconut yoghurt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup of almond milk
• 1/2 cup of stevia sweetener 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large apple, diced 
• shredded coconut for topping

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 165 degrees. Spray coconut oil in a silicone muffin tin or line with patty pans.
2. Mix all ingredients together gently, in a large bowl, until combined. 
3. Fill each muffin hole with mixture until divided amongst 12 cups. Sprinkle with coconut.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until cooked through.
5. Let cool in the pan until transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Gluten-free Low Sugar Peach, Cranberry and Coconut Cake

Spiced poached fruits, red jewelled cranberries and buttery fragrant coconut all represent the flavours of Christmas and the festive December month. My cake is made with these festive favourites combined with almonds, quinoa and eggs to make a decadent but healthy sweet treat. The eggs make this cake super moist and golden with a richness that works for the cake to be served alone or warmed with custard for an after-dinner pudding. Making the whole cake in a blender creates minimal mess and apart from the baking time of 45 minutes, it really takes little effort to make.

Gluten-free Low Sugar Peach, Cranberry and Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

• 200 grams of almond meal and quinoa mix 
• 5 organic eggs
• 450 grams of tinned peaches
• 1 cup of Natvia
• 1 teaspoon of gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 cup of cranberries
• 1/2 cup of shredded coconut

Method:

1. Use a blender to puree the eggs and sugar until creamy.
2. Add the peaches without liquid.
3. Mix in the almond meal and baking powder until combined but don't over mix.
4. Stir in the cranberries and coconut.
5. Pour into a lined baking tin or generously cover the tin with coconut oil.
6. Sprinkle over some shredded coconut.
7. Bake for 45 minutes on a moderate heat. Check the cake is set by inserting a skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean you will know it's baked through. 
8. Let cool in the pan.

Raw Chocolate Brownie

This recipe is taken from The Conscious Foodie, another blogger dedicated to providing yummy healthy treat recipes! What's great about this recipe is you don't have to do any baking, just prepare and leave to cool in the fridge for a fudgey and delicious end result.

Conscious Foodie's Raw Choc Brownies

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
• 10 fresh dates (seeds removed)
• ½ cup cacao powder

Icing Ingredients:

• ½ cup cashews
• ½ cup coconut cream
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Strawberries (or other berries) to serve

Method:

1. Process almonds, walnuts and cacao until the nuts turn into a fine meal and the cacao is well combined.
2. Add dates slowly until the mixture combines and starts to stick together.
3. Finally add coconut oil and process until well combined.
4. Press the combined brownie mixture into a small tray. Place in the fridge while you make the icing.
5. To make the icing, process all ingredients until smooth and then spread on top of the brownie.
6. Cool in the fridge for 3 hours, then cut into squares and serve with strawberries (or other berries). These brownies are best stored in the fridge. Enjoy!

Healthier Honey Jumbles

Don't expect these to last long! The bicarb of soda mixed with the honey creates a deletable honeycomb texture to these biscuits. I also love the crunchy shell and soft inside of the icing smeared on top, which makes the biscuits look all that bit cuter.

Healthier Honey Jumbles

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of plain flour
• 1/2 cup of Natvia
• 1 teaspoon of all spice
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 large tablespoon of raw honey (I used an amazing natural honey from Tasmania) 
• 1 tablespoon of whole milk
• 2 tablespoons of soft organic butter
• 2 tablespoons of soft coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of chia seeds soaked for 30 minutes in 50 mls of water

Icing:

• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of Natvia icing sugar mixture
• a few drops of red food colouring - could also use blue, yellow or leave white. 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees fan forced and line a large baking tin with greased-proof paper.
2. In an electric mixer, whisk together the butter, coconut oil and Natvia until pale and creamy.
3. In a small microwave safe dish, warm the honey and milk until the honey is dissolved. Add in the baking soda and stir until the mixture is frothy and bubbling.
4. Add the honey mixture into the first mixture and whisk to combine. Add in your chia mixture.
5. Sift over the bowl the plain flour and all spice. With a large spoon, stir until well combined.
6. Dust your hands with plain flour. Roll a tablespoon of each mixture into a ball and place onto tray. Repeat with remaining ingredients, leave a couple of centimetres of space around each biscuit. Flatten with a fork before baking.
7. Bake in the oven for 10 - 13 minutes, checking after 10 minutes as the biscuits can cook quickly.
8. Take out a let cool slightly on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
9. To make the icing, use an electric mixer and whisk the egg white, lemon juice and vanilla. Gradually add in the icing sugar while beating. Wait until the mixture becomes thick, pale and silky. Add a few drops of food colouring to get your desired colour.
10. Ice each of the biscuits and let dry, until the mixture becomes hard and shiny.

Natvia Sugar-free Give Away! + Lemon Delicious Pudding Recipe gluten/sugar-free

Exciting news! To help you with your sugar-free baking, I will be giving away a fabulous Natvia baking value pack!

Thanks to my baking sponsors Natvia, makers of all natural stevia sweeteners, I have a set of Natvia baking sugar and icing sugar to give away to my beautiful readers. I can't wait for you to have fun experimenting with these fabulous Natvia products, which are undoubtedly the world's best tasting sweetener brand. This exciting Skinny Sweets and Treats give away also includes some cute patty cake cases for your sugar-free goodies and a tin of Natvia sweeteners to pop in your tea or coffee when you're on-the-go!

To enter, simply comment on this blog post what recipe you are most excited to bake with your Natvia products and make sure to leave your email address. For a bonus entry, make sure you subscribe to my blog by entering your email address in the subscription bar on the right. Entries close and winner drawn on the 31st of August 2014.

Now onto the scrumptious recipe! This dessert is very simple (and not like Jamie's 15-minute-meals simple, like it's actually really quick and easy) and perfect to whip up for a hungry crowd.

Lemon delicious is an old-school citrusy dessert that my mum made for us when we were children. I have always adored the tangy lemon flavour and find these types of puddings so comforting, especially in the cooler months. This recipe is very versatile though so if it suits you more, bake the mixture in a mid-sized cake tin for a lemon cake that would be beautiful served at a morning or afternoon tea. You could even add in half a cup of poppy seeds to create the classic lemon and poppy seed pairing. As you can see from my picture below, the spongey cake cuts beautifully and is ridiculously moist. Totally yum.

Lemon Delicious Pudding

Ingredients:

• 40g organic butter, melted
• ¾ cup Natvia
• 1 tablespoon of finely grated lemon rind
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons plain (gluten-free) flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ⅓ cup (80ml) lemon juice
• 1 cup (250ml) almond milk
• pouring (single) cream or coconut cream, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160ºC (320ºF). 
2. Place the butter and Natvia in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8–10 minutes or until light and creamy. Add the lemon rind and egg yolks and beat until smooth. 
3. Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture and beat to combine. Add the lemon juice and milk and beat until smooth. 
4. Place the eggwhites in a bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Use a metal spoon to gently fold the eggwhites into the pudding mixture. This step is important in creating a light and fluffy sponge.
5. Pour into a lightly greased 1 litre-capacity ceramic ovenproof dish and bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden. 

Serve with cream. Serves 4.

Fudgey Chocolate Protein Brownies

These brownies are super low in calories but fabulously fudgey and rich. If you like moist and decadent brownies, this is the recipe for you. You can substitute the almond flour for oat flour if you like and throw in some dark chocolate chips to make the brownies a little more decadent. 

Chocolate Protein Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of almond flour
• 1/2 cup of chocolate or vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup of cacao powder or cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup of Natvia stevia sweetener
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 drops of butter vanilla essence* optional
• 2 tablespoons of coconut or macadamia oil
• 1 egg
• 1 large mashed banana
• 3/4 cup of almond milk (unsweetened or chocolate flavour)
• 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries or blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees and grease a small baking brownie tin, I use coconut oil spray.
2. Mix together the almond flour, protein powder, cacao or cocoa powder and baking powder.
3. Add in the remaining ingredients except for the berries and mix to combine.
4. Gently stir through the berries and pour mixture into the greased tin.
5. Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, until cooked through. Cooking times will vary on how moist the brownies will be. Leave in longer if you want them to be more set.
6. When you remove from the oven, let the brownie cool completely before slicing.
7. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. These brownies taste super fudgey when they are cold. Yum!

Wheat-free Low-Sugar Blueberry Crumble 'Crunchola' Muffins

When I was in high school, I found one the true loves in my life. That love was cereal. Not just any cereal, but a crunchy combination of oats and blueberries known as Crunchola. Opening the box was sheer delight every time as I shook the packet to find the best clusters of granola inside. This love wasn't conventional. This love extended past breakfast time to afternoon tea dates, after dinner treats and on-the-go nibbles. I was slightly addicted.

Cutting out gluten and refined sugar from my diet saw the end of my Crunchola love affair. While the cereal is made of oats, it's not THE healthiest option in the breakfast aisle but it is one of my food memories. Grocery shopping last week I saw my beloved old friend and wondered if there was a way we could once again be friends. Tentatively putting a box in my trolley full of almond butter, broccoli and tofu I wondered how I would introduce my old pal to my new foodie foray.

As a baker, I wanted to turn my old favourite into a sweet treat and the blueberry flavour seemed perfectly matched to making muffins. Coffee shop muffins are usually puffed up high with additives, full of preservatives and bursting with sugar. In my opinion, it is one of the worst foods you could pick, let alone for breakfast. The calorie content is often more than what's in a Big Mac. Looking at my box of blueberry Crunchola, I saw a way we could work together to fix this muffin madness.

Combining Crunchola (which I pulverised to make a Crunchola flour) with a few of my favourite ingredients, I made a delicious breakfast muffin that fused together my former flame and my passion for healthy food. Yummy Blueberry Crumble 'Crunchola' Muffins. Wrap up individual muffins in cling film to freeze or store in a cool place inside an airtight container for up to three days.

Blueberry Crumble 'Crunchola' Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Crunchola flour* make Crunchola flour by placing 3 cups of Crunchola cereal into a food processor or high speed blender. Process until fine crumbs are achieved. Use any left over flour for the topping.
• 1/4 cup of coconut flour 
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 3 tablespoons of Natvia* the cereal is already sweetened so only a little sugar is needed
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of almond milk
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil or macadamia nut oil
• 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
• Topping: 1/4 cup of Crunchola flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of coconut or macadamia oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Grease two 12-hole muffin tins or line with patty pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the Crunchola flour, coconut flour, baking powder and Natvia.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk and oil.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir together to combine but try not to overmix. 
5. Add the the blueberries and fold through.
6. Put a generous tablespoon of mixture into each muffin hole or until 3/4 way full.
7. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until slightly risen and golden on top.
8. Let cool slightly in the tray before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Skinny Cheesecake In A Tea Cup

Image taken from Not Quite Nigella

I love cheesecake. I really love cute tea cups. Cheesecake in a tea cup? I am obviously obsessed. Another fave of mine is quick desserts that you can whip up when you are in desperate need of a skinny sweet treat and the fridge seems sadly empty. This takes a few minutes to prepare and then the microwave does all the work (in two minutes flat) so this dessert is perfection. If you want to get fancy and impress your friends with Martha-Stewart-approved creativity, just double or triple the recipe to make a batch for a dinner party. You could even spike said cheesecakes with a little raspberry liqueur to make a delicious little night cap. A spoonful of sugar does make the medicine go down.

Instead of raspberries, you can use any berries in season (blueberries, chopped strawberries, blackberries) or some grated orange or lemon zest if you prefer a citrus flavour. (Citrus would go well with Cointreau in case you were thinking what I was thinking).

If you can't do dairy, sub the cream cheese for tofu cream cheese and the yoghurt for coconut cream or coconut yoghurt. Don't have any biscuits left? (and for that I wouldn't blame you) Try toasted flaked almonds or shredded coconut. Anything with a crunch will give you the texture to perfectly complement the velvety cheesecake.

When time is of the essence, you could serve these cheesecakes immediately while still warm but not completely set in the middle. If you can wait, they will firm up in the fridge. Either way, you will be in cheesecake heaven and that, my friend, is a good place to be.

Skinny Cheesecake In A Tea Cup

Ingredients:

• 1 egg white
• 6 tbsp low fat cream cheese
• 4 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 4 tbsp of Natvia
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp coconut flour
• 2 tbsp frozen raspberries
• 1 plain sweet biscuit - you can use whatever you have in the pantry or a skinny sweet recipe.

Method:

1. In a bowl, whisk the egg white with the yoghurt and cream cheese until fluffy. Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the cookie.
2. Mix well and pour into a generous tea cup or mug, or use two small tea cups.
3. Microwave for 2 mins.
4. Using a ziplock bag, place the cookie inside and seal. Cover with a tea towel and smack with a rolling pin to crush. Be careful not to bang too hard or you might rip open the plastic.
5. Sprinkle the crushed cookie on the top of the cheesecake.
6. Refrigerate to cool and set.

Skinny Bunny Raw Chocolates

Enjoy your Easter chocolates this April with no guilt! Make these delicious raw chocolates in mere minutes. My Easter bunnies are packed with protein, low in sugar, gluten free AND vegan. Of course you can use whatever protein powder you like; I used my Sunwarrior powders. Get creative in the kitchen by whipping up these raw goodies in a variety of shapes, just use a trusty silicone mould to make sure you get the perfect result. If you want to give these as a gift, remember they melt quickly at room temperature. 

Skinny Bunny Raw Chocolates

Ingredients:

Caramel layer

• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• 1 tablespoon of rice malt syrup
• 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons of almond meal
• 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 1 - 2 tablespoons of water (until mixture is liquid)

Chocolate layer

• 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons of cacao
• 3 tablespoons of Natvia

Method:

1. Use any silicone mould you like to create these raw chocolates. I found the bunny-shaped mould at David Jones.
2. Combine all the ingredients to make a caramel layer. You want the mixture to be runny enough to pour/drizzle into the moulds. Fill your moulds half way with the caramel mixture and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
3. Combine all the ingredients to make the chocolate layer. Drizzle over the caramel to top the rest of the chocolates to finish.
4. Put in the freezer for at least four hours or preferably over-night to completely set before turning out.
5. Store in an airtight container in the freezer. These will melt at room temperature and take them out shortly before serving.

Sugar-free Chewy Coconut Cookies

Natvia generously sent me another box of their amazing sugar-free sweeteners, which sent me straight into the kitchen to start baking. I love to have biscuits in the house to serve for friends or to accompany my chamomile tea at night while I am cuddled in bed reading a book. The aromatic smell of these spicy coconut cookies wafted through my apartment as they baked. Adding rice malt syrup (which is low in fructose) gives the cookies a chewy texture that's a little toffee-esque. 

Store-bought biscuits have so many nasty ingredients and preservatives it's super worthwhile to make your own, and this recipe is quick and easy to follow. As usual, this recipe is gluten-free and can easily be made vegan by omitting the egg and adding an extra tablespoon of chia seeds soaked in 2 tablespoons of water.

Last night was the first evening I felt a chill in the air and I could tell winter was slowly on its way. Baking skinny sweet treats definitely help to satisfy your comfort food cravings when the weather gets frostier. These biscuits are also delicious with my favourite winter warmer treat, a hot chocolate! Ditch the calorie-laden cafe beverages and make your own hot chocolate at home. 

Sugar-free Hot Chocolate

Heat one cup of low-sugar almond milk in a small saucepan on low heat. Once warmed, add in a tablespoon of Natvia's Vitarium chocolate drink mix and a pinch of cinnamon. For an extra special treat, pop in a sugar-free marshmallow (you can find these at Terry White chemists). This recipe is so healthy you can even enjoy this bevvy at breakfast time or lunch and dinner for that matter! But probably not all three... Hey, we need to exercise some restraint! 

Sugar-free Chewy Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of almond meal
• 3 tablespoons of coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
• 1/4 cup of Natvia
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons of rice malt syrup
• 2 teaspoons of apple cider or raspberry vinegar
• 1 organic egg

Method:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients. Add in the coconut oil (melted), rice malt syrup, vinegar and the egg. Mix all ingredients together until a dough form.
2. Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper. Take a golf-ball size of the mixture out at a time, and roll into a ball. Flatten onto the tray. Repeat until finished. If your hands keep getting too sticky, wash them with cold water and dry thoroughly before starting again. I had to do this a few times!
3. Bake in a moderately low oven (160 degrees) for 15 minutes, or until golden. Take care to not let your cookies burn as all ovens can vary. (I'd check them after 10 minutes.)
4. Take out and let set on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Healthy Banana Bread: low in gluten, fat and sugar!

I think the pictures speak for themselves when it comes to the deliciousness of this banana bread. The caramel topping of fig, banana and coconut sugar with crunchy walnuts makes this recipe one of the most amazing pieces of your skinny sweets repertoire. By now I think most of us know traditional banana breads are packed with sugar and wheat, providing little nutrition and skyrocketing your blood sugar. My healthy banana bread is made with spelt flour, which is lower in gluten than regular flours, and made with maple syrup for sweetness. This is comfort food at its best, making you feel instantly happy and nourished.

Healthy Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 large bananas, mashed + 1 banana sliced for topping
• 2 large eggs, whisked lightly
• 1/4 cup macadamia nut oil
• 1/4 of almond milk
• 1 teaspsoon of pure vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons of Natvia sweetener 
• 1 1/2 cup of spelt flour
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 teaspoons of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• For topping: 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon of almond meal, 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, 2 sliced dried figs and chopped banana

Directions:

1. Oil a brownie tin or loaf tin with coconut oil. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.
2. Mix together the mashed banana, oil, eggs, milk, vanilla, maple syrup, Natvia and ground spices until combined. Sift in the spelt flour and baking powder. Gently mix the the dry ingredients into the wet and add in the almond flour.
3. Pour the mixture into the tin. Combine the coconut sugar and almond meal in a small bowl. Top the bread with banana, figs, walnuts and sprinkle over coconut sugar and almond meal mix.
4. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until toasty and cooked through. 
5. Take out of the oven to cool, before slicing to serve.
6. Keep in an airtight container for a few days or individually wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months.

Raw Chocolate Banana Berry Tarts

At the markets last week, I was perusing one of my favorite aisles, the speciality baking items. An array of flours like tapioca, garbanzo and quinoa based are in company with cacao chunks, tahitian vanilla paste and pearlescent cake decorations. Always on the quest to find new and interesting flavors for my skinny sweets and treats, my eye caught on a collection of German flavourings. Presented in tiny tubes, I chose the butter-vanilla scent. My first thought was of popcorn when I considered the flavour concoction and I wasn't quite sure how to use the unique treasure.

Spending a leisurely afternoon experimenting with raw baking, I made raw chocolate tarts with a layer of banana and blueberries. Out of curiosity and adventurous baking, I decided to add a few drops on the butter-vanilla flavouring to the chocolate biscuit base of the tarts. The flavouring added a rich complex dimension to the biscuit that enriched the taste to feel more like a traditional sweet and just that bit more special. Of course this ingredient is not essential, you could use a teaspoon of vanilla extract as a replacement, but a few tiny drops make a big difference to the richness of the overall flavour combination.

Raw Chocolate Banana Berry Tarts

Ingredients:

Chocolate Biscuit Base

• 2 cups of almond meal flour
• 3 tablespoons of cacao powder
• 3 tablespoons of Natvia stevia sweetener
• 4 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
• a pinch of Himalayan pink salt, ground
• a few drops of vanilla and butter flavouring or vanilla extract

Fruit Layer

• 1 large banana, sliced
• 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
• 2 teaspoons of Natvia sweetener (if blueberries are quite tart)

Chocolate Topping

• 1/4 cup of coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons of Natvia sweetener
• 2 tablespoons of cacao powder
• 2 tablespoons of vanilla/chocolate protein powder or coconut flour
• tiny pinch of Himalayan pink salt, ground

Method:

1. Combine all the base ingredients in a bowl and press a tablespoon or so of the mixture in the base of a silicone muffin tray. Pop in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2. In a small dish, heat the blueberries in the microwave for 45 seconds with the stevia to extract the juices.
3. Take out the silicone tray and top the biscuit base with sliced banana. Press the banana slices down with a spoon to fix onto the base. Top with a spoonful of the blueberry mixture.
4. Combine the ingredients for the chocolate topping and whisk together. The stevia granules will slightly sink to the bottom so keep whisking before you put a spoonful on top of the banana and blueberry layer. 
5. I sprinkled a little desiccated coconut onto each before I put back in the freezer for one hour to set.
6. The coconut oil will melt at room temperature so keep in the freezer just before serving. A few minutes out of the freezer and they will be just perfect for eating.

Sugar-free Raspberry Chia Jam

Jam on toast just sounds like comfort to me. Problem is, most jams are made primarily of refined cane sugar and do not fit into my lifestyle. Considering fruit is so delicious and sweet on it's own, it makes perfect sense that you can create your own sugar-free jam. Keep in a jar for lazy Sunday mornings or bottle for friends and family to give a special and uber creative gift.

The secret ingredients to helping this jam set and upping the nutritional stakes in chia seeds! Chia seeds have a gelatinous quality to them when they are soaked in liquid, making them ideal for egg replacements or setting agents as they act as a binder. 

Sugar-free Raspberry Chia Jam

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 tbsp of Natvia stevia sweetener
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons white chia seeds

Method:

1. Combine frozen raspberries, juice of 1/2 lemon and stevia in a small sauce pan and heat over low. Mash berries with a fork and stir until broken down to a smooth consistency. If your berries aren't overly sweet, you may want to add more stevia so make sure you do a little taste test.
2. Add chia seeds and mix well.
3. Pour jam into sterilized jar (125 ml) and refrigerate for 1 hour to set.  

Enjoy!

Vegan Love Cookies (gluten free)

A few weeks back, it was Valentine's Day.

When I first met my love, I baked him chocolate chip cookies on our third date and after eating two in the car on our way to dinner, he was smitten. He took the leftovers to his parents' house. When I first met the family, I was recognized with, 'so you're the girl who made those amazing cookies!' Needless to say, baking can really be the way to someone's heart and in my experience, make a very lasting impression.

Naturally on Valentine's Day, I recreate my cookies to give as a sweet treat to my love, as a gift and a little reminder of one of the reasons he keeps me around...

Love Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of almond meal
• 1/4 cup of vanilla protein powder (I use a vegan rice blend)
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of Natvia stevia sweetener
• 1/4 cup of desiccated coconut 
• 2 tablespoon of peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil
• One (or two if you want that extra chocolate hit) small milk chocolate Lindt bars*not vegan OR vegan-friendly chocolate bar, I like Pana Chocolate
• Candy for decorations: I used pink love hearts and edible gold glitter

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees (moderately hot) fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
2. Combine the dry ingredients together (almond meal, protein powder, baking powder, coconut, stevia and cinnamon). Add in the peanut butter, coconut oil and vanilla essence and mix until just combined, and then add your chocolate. Carefully mix the chocolate in, taking care not to break up the chocolate too much. If the mixture isn't coming together, add a little water until the mix forms a dough. 
3. Once the dough is formed, take out a tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball. Flatten onto the cookie tray. Repeat until you have run out of mixture. Don't worry if the cookies are quite close together, they won't spread like regular cookies containing flour and butter.
4. Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the cookies are golden brown. Watch them after 10 minutes to make sure they don't burn as I find all ovens are so different, it can be quite hard to set an exact time and I don't want your cookies to be char-grilled!
5. When they come out of the oven, dust them with your decorations. I used edible glitter and love hearts that I found at the grocery store. Gently press the decorations down onto the cookie to help them stick. Leave the cookies to cool slightly and set on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
6. Store in an airtight container for up to five days.

Melinda's Nourishing Raspberry and Coconut Cupcakes aka Healthy Jam Donuts

This mix is sweetened with Natvia and gluten free, making it easy for clean eaters to whip up a batch of delightful cupcakes in a few minutes. I was inundated with emails and my to-do list was half way down page two when I decided to take a baking break. The perks of working at home. Baking is total relaxation for me and I love testing out new products on the market that make it easier for all of us busy people to make healthy sweets at home. 

Melinda's gluten free goodies range offers cake mixes that are often fructose free, low in sugar and of course, free of wheat. I've tried her brownie mix a few times and loved it so I jumped at the chance to try these cupcakes. 

As I usually do, I modified the ingredients to suit what I had in the pantry and the results were amaze, creating cakes that were moist, fluffy and scrumptious. You can do the same with the mix, just as long as you use the appropriate ratio of ingredients, which you can usually figure out by the mixture's consistency. Not too runny, not too dry. 

When baked, these came out of the oven golden brown and smelling like berry jam donuts, making it a little easier to go back to work.

Melinda's Nourishing Raspberry and Coconut Cupcakes 

Ingredients:

• 1 Melinda's Nourishing Raspberry and Coconut Cupcakes
• 1 small can of light coconut cream (165 ml)
• 2 organic eggs
• 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries
• 3 tablespoons of chia seeds + extra for topping
• 3 tablespoons of coconut oil

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin or line with patty pans and distribute the mix evenly.
3. Top with chia seeds and bake in a moderate oven (165 degrees) for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Take out and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring the a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with camomile tea.

Chickpea Blondies

Don't let the title alarm you; these blondies taste amazing and are free from gluten, low in sugar and packed with protein. Honestly, you cannot go wrong! Chickpeas or garbanzo beans give the blonde brownies a creamy texture without adding any flavour. Customise the mix by adding your favourite vanilla protein powder to the mix and throw in a chopped chocolate protein bar or 1/2 cup of low-sugar chocolate chips. A chopped or mashed banana or diced dates are delicious additions too.

I promise no one will be able to detect the mystery ingredient, although if you think it will deter friends and family from devouring these blondies in one go, you may want to drop the chickpea bomb...

Chickpea Blondies

Ingredients:

• 400 grams/1 can of cooked chickpeas (or garbanzo beans)
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 of Natvia sweetener (stevia sweetener)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 chocolate protein bar, chopped or 1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Grease a small brownie tin with coconut oil or line with baking paper.
2. In a blender or food processor, blend all the ingredients except for the protein bar or chocolate chips and combine until creamy.
3. Fold in the chocolate and pour the mixture into a tin.
4. Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Don't overcook the blondies or they will be a bit dry. 
5. Let cool in the tin and then slice, and serve, or store in an airtight container.

Almond Cookies Two Ways (sugar and gluten free)

These almond cookies are loved by health gurus and cookie aficionados alike.  Free from gluten and low in sugar, these tasty treats are perfect skinny sweets to satisfy cravings. The recipe is easy to modify and you can be creative with what you want to add in. I have two delicious recipes below that take minutes to prepare.

Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of almond meal/flour 
• 1 teaspoon of superior ground cinnamon
• 1 egg 
• 1/4 cup of organic coconut oil 
• 1/4 cup of Natvia stevia sweetener
• 1/2 cup of chopped cacao raw chocolate (I used Pana Chocolate in cinnamon)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together to form a dough. You can add more almond flour or extra coconut oil depending on the dough's consistency. 
2. Roll into little balls and flatten on a cookie tray that has been covered in baking paper.
3. Bake in a hot oven (185 degrees) for 10 minutes or until toasty brown.
4. Take out a leave to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Maple Nut Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of almond meal/flour
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg or ginger
• 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons of Natvia stevia sweetener
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons of organic coconut oil
• 1/4 cup of toasted slivered almonds
• a handful of chopped macadamia nuts 

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together to form a dough. You can add more almond flour or extra coconut oil depending on the dough's consistency. 
2. Roll into little balls and flatten on a cookie tray that has been covered in baking paper.
3. Bake in a hot oven (185 degrees) for 10 minutes or until toasty brown.
4. Take out a leave to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.