Lemon Blueberry Loaf (gluten-free and refined sugar free) August 23 2016, 0 Comments

Yes, this loaf really is as good as it looks... I could eat it all day, every day! It has a nice density, but is also light and simply delicious. Hope you enjoy it too.

 INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour, sifted
• ¼ cup tapioca flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup coconut oil (melted)
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• zest from 1 large lemon (or 1.5 small ones)
• 1 and ½ cups fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan (9x5) and cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of pan.

Combine almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until well incorporated. (it will have a strange, thick and seemingly lumpy texture - not smooth/creamy like regular batters)

Spread one third of the batter onto bottom of prepared pan. Sprinkle ⅓ of the blueberries on top. Spread another third of the batter and another third of the blueberries. Repeat one more time with the remaining batter and berries.

Bake 32-37 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cover with foil if top begins to brown too much. Remove from oven and allow to cool. (NOTE: my oven tends to not run as hot, so I baked the loaf at 375 degrees for 35 minutes)

OPTIONAL: You can also add a glaze.

LEMON GLAZE

INGREDIENTS:

• ⅓ cup coconut butter, softened
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• hot water

DIRECTIONS:

While loaf cools, prepare the glaze by whisking together all of the glaze ingredients. Add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a glossy, liquidy, smooth consistency. Once loaf has cooled, pour glaze over top of loaf, letting it drips down the sides.

*Original recipe inspiration/credit: Katja from Savory Lotus (thank you, it's amazing!)

Triple Chocolate Mini Cream Cakes (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free) November 20 2015, 0 Comments

Yes, I did say "triple chocolate"... Did I get your attention?

These no-cook, vegan, gluten-free, sugar free cakes are a divine (and healthy) indulgence. And in case you were wondering, they really are as delicious as they look.

Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

CRUST

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup pecan or almond meal (or any other nut meal you love)
• 4 medium size medjool dates
• 1/2 cup cacao powder (I use raw, organic)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combined. You want the crust to slightly stick together. 

Grab your mini cheesecake pan (removable bottoms - see photo below) and scoop the crust mixture into it. Press down with your fingers to firmly place the crust into the bottom of the pan.  

CHOCOLATE FILLING

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups cashew pieces
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (I use organic)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup water
• 3/4 cup cacao powder (I use raw, organic)
• 2.5 tsp Stevia (powder)
• 2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Place the cashews into the food processor with maple syrup, vanilla, stevia and water. Blend for a little bit to get it creamy.

Next add in the cacao powder and coconut oil. Blend until nice & smooth. (scrape the sides a few times, then keep blending)

Once the chocolate filling is blended, scoop into the pan on top of the crust. Fill them to the top. Put in the refrigerator for a few hours (or freezer for an hour or two) and let the cakes set before you remove them from the pan.

Add topping of your choice. In this photo, I used raw, organic cacao nibs and a sprinkle of Lakanto sugar (natural, calorie-free sweetener made of high-purity Monk Fruit extract and erythriol).

Makes 12 mini cakes.

* Special thanks to Michelle & Lori for the original recipe (that I modified slightly). You can find more of their amazing healthy recipes on purelytwins.com

Chocolate-Banana Smoothie: Good & Good for you! June 15 2015, 0 Comments

Since I'm one of those people who could live on ice cream (and other frozen treats), this is one of my favorite ways to start the day.

But I'm also one of those people who chooses to eat very little sugar (other than fruit) because it feel so much better. Here's a super healthy and absolutely delicious alternative. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 frozen banana (cut in chunks)
• 1 cup coconut unsweetened milk
• 1 tbsp raw, organic Cacao powder
• 1tbsp chia seeds
• ¼ cup chopped raw walnuts
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ -1 tsp powdered Stevia (to taste)
• 3-4 ice cubes
• Raw, organic Cacao nibs (for a little crunch)

PREPARATION 

Put all ingredients (except Cacao nibs) in a high speed blender and mix until smooth. Add ice if you prefer it thicker. (Makes about 12 oz)

Yes, it’s that easy!

I like to eat mine with a spoon (yep, like ice cream) so I make it nice & thick and add cacao nibs for added crunch. But you can make it a little more liquid, skip the nibs and drink it with a straw like a traditional smoothie.

ENJOY!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free) January 12 2015, 0 Comments

One thing that was clear to me when I decided to take better care of my body and adopt a healthier lifestyle was that I needed to eat less sugar. A LOT less...

My sweet tooth was passed down to me by my mother who, when I was a kid, would often make herself a bowl of icing as a snack and eat it with a spoon. It's no wonder I would most often reach for sugar when I felt hungry. Or when I was sad. Or really happy. Or bored, or stressed... You get the picture.

I still enjoy sweets, but I most often choose healthy options. And I'm always very excited when I create or find new delicious desserts.

Here's a great recipe I found online and modified to make it even healthier. There is Maple syrup in it, so by my usual standards it isn't "sugar free" (I try to use only fruits and Stevia), but still a wonderful option for the health-conscious people.  

And if you're a peanut butter cup lover... you'll be in heaven with this one. Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE PIE

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 1.5 cup almond meal
• 3 tsp Stevia (powder)
• 2 tbsp pure Maple syrup
• 1/4 cup raw organic cacao powder
• pinch of sea salt
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil

Filling

• 1 cup organic creamy peanut butter (salted)
• 1/4 cup pure Maple syrup
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 3.5 tsp Stevia (powder)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 cups water

Topping

• 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1 tbsp pure Maple syrup
• 3 tbsp raw organic cacao powder
• 1.5 tsp Stevia (powder)

PREPARATION

Line an 8-inch springform pan or pie dish with parchment paper and set aside.

To prepare the crust, combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then add the melted coconut oil  and stir well to create a uniform dough. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the lined pan and set aside.

For the filling, combine all ingredients with a mixer (or food processor), and blend until completely smooth and silky. Pour the filling over the top of the crust, and use a spatula to smooth the top. Place the pie in the freezer to set until firm, about 4 hours.

Once the pie is firm, prepare the chocolate topping. Combine the cacao powder and the Stevia in a small bowl, then mix in the coconut oil and maple syrup. Whisk well to combine, creating a smooth chocolate sauce. Use the parchment paper to easily remove the pie from the pan, then drizzle the chocolate over the top.

Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to slice and serve. Store any remaining pie in the refrigerator for up to one week.

* To make this recipe acceptable for a Raw diet, simply use "raw" peanut butter.

*Original recipe by Detoxinista.com (thank you!)

Chocolate-Mint pudding (raw, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free) November 14 2014, 1 Comment

I don't typically share recipes... because I rarely use them! I mostly cook by adding a little bit of this & that, until I love the flavor. (Yes, I have to taste. A lot.)

But I often get asked for my recipes, so last night I decided to take notes during my little experiment, keep track of my "this & that" additions to be able to share the goodness with my peeps.

My hubby & I do a detox twice a year, in the spring and in the fall, and the super-healthy-and-clean eating during those weeks always inspires me to get creative and find new and delicious food combinations to satisfy our palates (and cravings).

Right now we're on a vegan diet without gluten and sugar (except for fruit). I'd heard about making chocolate pudding with avocado a while ago, and wasn't sure I liked the idea at the time... but right now, anything with the word "chocolate" in it sounds divine!

So I looked up a bunch of different recipes for inspiration, and then created my own little concoction. And the result was delicious. So here it is my friends. Hope you enjoy it!

CHOCOLATE-MINT PUDDING

INGREDIENTS

• 12 medium size dates (Medjool are great) soaked in hot water for about 15 min. to soften them. 
• 1 cup of coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 2 medium size ripe avocados
• 1/3 cup of cacao powder (I used raw & organic)
• 2.5 tsp of Stevia extract (powder)
• 3 tsp of vanilla
• ½ tsp of pure peppermint extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Put the dates (be sure to remove all the pits), coconut milk and avocados in a high speed blender or food processor. Start blending on slow and slowly raise the speed to high until mixture is smooth (no date chunks). Add the rest of the ingredients and blend some more until super smooth (don't be afraid to leave it in for a while). And voila!

Be sure to taste your pudding and add cacao powder if you'd like it a little more chocolaty (1-2 tsp at a time). You can also add a little Stevia if you'd like it sweeter (a pinch at a time as it's very potent). Be sure to blend thoroughly.

I personally like to cover up the avocado flavor completely so the pudding feels totally indulgent. And I often adjust after I taste; this recipe can't be extremely specific due to the various sizes of avocados & dates.

It takes about 5 minutes to make and serves 4-6.

Enjoy!

PS: feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

*** HEALTHY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BORING! ***