Banana Bread v2.0

Here is yet another delicious banana bread recipe (the recipe that inspired mine is found here). The first one banana bread recipe I posted a few years back is made with coconut flour. This one is equally as good and healthy, and gluten free of course. My kids go bananas for it (no pun intended!) and would eat all four mini loaves in one sitting if I let them (which I don't, to their utter dismay).

This recipe will make two standard 8x4 inch loaves or 4 mini loaves, which is how I make it. You can sub shredded zucchini for the bananas if you wish (I've made it both ways).

Banana Bread v2.0

Wet ingredients:

3 ripe bananas (or 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini)
4 eggs
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
20-30 drops liquid stevia

Dry ingredients:
1 cup sprouted brown rice flour
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup sucanat or coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans with coconut oil.

In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork until almost smooth. Add eggs and whisk. Add remaining wet ingredients and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Once mixed, add to wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add chocolate chips is using and stir once more to incorporate.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let rest in the pans for about 15 minutes before removing and slicing.

Raspberry Kombucha

We are loving our kombucha around here. My kids ask for their "juice" day and night. I love that they're getting a good dose of probiotics when they drink this, and I usually serve it up at mealtimes. I've been brewing now for about a year and am truly amazed at how easy it is to make and how cost effective! (If you've ever bought kombucha at the health food store, you know it is not cheap!) I've given several scobies out to friends and family and by now there is a hand written instruction sheet floating around somewhere... so it's high time this recipe made it to my blog.

If you are brewing for the first time, ask around for someone to share a scoby with you. If you can't find one locally, you can order one online here. Once you start brewing, you'll notice that your scoby will grow a pancake (an extra layer) with each 2-3 batches. You can simply peel this extra pancake off and then do your own sharing, also known as spreading the kombucha love.

Raspberry Kombucha

1 kombucha scoby + 1/2 cup reserved kombucha tea from previous batch (ask around and see if a friend or someone in your area will share with you if this is your first time brewing kombucha)

1 gallon water
1 cup organic sugar
6 organic tea bags (I use 3 green tea bags and 3 black tea bags)
1/2 cup frozen raspberries

Bring 4-6 cups of water to boil. Once boiling, add the tea bags, turn off the heat, and cover the pot. Set timer for 10-15 minutes. Once the timer goes off, remove tea bags, squeeze any remaining tea out of the bags, and discard tea bags.

Pour sugar into brewed tea and stir to completely dissolve.

Leave sweetened tea out at room temperature until the temperature drops to 80 degrees or lower. (This will take several hours if you leave the sweetened tea in the pot. I brew my tea up at night, then let it cool while I sleep and finish the process in the morning.)

Once the sweetened tea has cooled, pour into a gallon size, wide mouth glass jar. Add the kombucha scoby and 1/2 cup reserved kombucha tea. Fill the rest of the jar with water.

Cover jar with cheescloth or light towel and secure with a rubber band to keep it tight around the top. Let set undisturbed at room temperature for 7-10 days.

On day 7, check kombucha to see if it's ready to bottle. Stick a straw below the scoby and suck a little bit of kombucha out. If it's too sweet, let it hang out at room temperature for 1-3 more days (checking each day). If too vinegary, bottle right away and lessen the time the kombucha ferments on your next batch. If just right, the kombucha should be slightly fizzy- not too sweet- not too vinegary.

Now your kombucha is ready to drink as is or bottle. I like to bottle and get a second fermentation; this is where the kombucha will get nice and carbonated (and even a tad sweeter) from the raspberries.

If you decide not to second fermentation, simply remove the scoby and 1/2 cup of liquid and set aside for your next batch. Then pour into bottles or jars of choice and place in the refrigerator.

If you are going to do the second fermentation, remove the scoby and 1/2 cup of liquid and set aside for your next batch. Then pour the remaining kombucha into bottles or jars of choice, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top of each bottle or jar. For 16 ounce jars, add about 4 raspberries. Use this ratio of ounce liquid to raspberries for whatever size your bottling jars happen to be. Screw bottles or jars tightly with caps and let kombucha ferment for an additional 2-3 days (or up to a whole week).

Cinnamon Kettle Corn

We love kettle corn at my house. My kids go bananas for this stuff whenever I make it. It's so easy and I love that it has some added protein from the nut/seed butter, making this a great, balanced snack.

A great time saving tip for this recipe is to use day old popped popcorn. I will pop a big stockpot full of popcorn in coconut oil and my family enjoys it plain the first night, then I'll use the leftover popcorn to make this yummy cinnamon kettle corn the next day.

I should warn you though; this recipe has the potential to become an addiction, so it probably won't last very long! (At least it doesn't in my house!)

Cinnamon Kettle Corn

10-12 cups popped popcorn
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup nut or seed butter (peanut, almond, and sunflower seed butter all work well)
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cinnamon
15 drops liquid stevia
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place popped popcorn in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat oil, nut butter, and honey over low heat and stir until combined. Remove from heat and add cinnamon, stevia, and salt. Stir again.

Pour mixture over popcorn and stir with a large spoon until evenly distributed on popped corn.

Spread popcorn evenly on two prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Store covered or in a plastic bag for up to two days.

Monster Cookies (gluten free)

These are hands down my favorite Christmas cookies. Every year, my best friend's mom would make these and save some just for me, as she knew I liked them so much.

Well, the last few years since I've gone gluten free, I have really missed these cookies making their appearance during the Christmas season. This year I decided to change that and create a gluten free, refined sugar free version (except for the M&M's of course) that tasted just like the ones I remember from my childhood.

I am so happy to report success in this venture. My kids love them, my friends love them, my hubby loves them, and I love them! The only complaint my eldest son had was that they didn't look like monsters (after all, isn't that what a monster cookie is anyway?)!

I took my cue from Lori's recipe (aren't her photographs wonderful?), changing several things to fit my dietary profile, and here are the results for your Christmas (or anytime) enjoyment.

Monster Cookies (gluten free)

3/4 cup almond butter
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
3/4 cup xylitol
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch cinnamon and salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 M&M's*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three large cookie sheets** with parchment paper.

Mix almond butter through stevia in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Once creamed, add eggs and vanilla and mix again to combine. Add oats, soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix with a large spoon to combine. Lastly add the chocolate chips and M&M's and stir once more to combine.

Drop in large rounds onto cookie sheet and press lightly with the palm of your hand to flatten. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the bottoms are just golden. Cool on wire racks for about 10-15 minutes** to "set" the cookies a bit before enjoying.

Makes approximately 3 dozen.

*If you are super sensitive to sugar, swap the M&M's for dark chocolate chips or chopped walnuts.

**If you'd rather make these into bars, you can press the batter into two 8x8 inch square baking pans or one 9x13 inch pan and bake for about 35 minutes until the sides start to get golden.

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Smoothie

I call this recipe a dessert smoothie because that's exactly what it tastes like to me... dessert. Though not overly sweet, it has that hit-just-the-right-spot quality that makes it seem more luscious than just your average snack.

I make it thinner like a smoothie rather than thicker like a pudding because I prefer it to be drinkable. However, it you would rather eat it with a spoon, simply omit the water in this recipe and serve it in mugs with dollops of freshly whipped cream and sprinkles of cinnamon on top. (Maybe, just maybe, this will become your new favorite Thanksgiving dessert! Say goodbye to sugar-laden, calorie-laden, grain-laden pies for this light, refreshing take on the good ole' pumpkin pie!)

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Smoothie

1 1/2 cups whole milk yogurt
1 cup pureed pumpkin or other winter squash
1 cup water
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg, cloves, and ginger

Place all ingredients in a Vitamix and blend until creamy consistency.

Pour into glasses and drink as is for a refreshing smoothie. Or for a thicker dessert option, omit the water from the recipe and pour into small mugs, then top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Chocolate Cupcakes (with Beets)

I have young ones, and don't all young ones love cupcakes? Well, mine do at least. They've been asking me to make cupcakes for a while now, and happily, I obliged them with this healthful version of the iconic kids dessert.

This recipe brings me back to the Deceptively Delicious days, when I was putting pureed veggies into nearly everything I cooked. I'm out of that phase now, mostly because I currently don't have any babies eating pureed foods. My focus now is on getting my children to eat veggies- whole- and this proud mama must say that they are really good veggie eaters. (Of course some days they still refuse, but I keep trying!)

But with these cupcakes, there's no need to coerce anyone to eat their veggies, as you can't even tell they're in here. The beet puree lends these cakes to their nice moist consistency (and added nutritional value). As noted, you can also use a squash or pumpkin puree in its place, or a combination of any of the three, without notice to the overall taste.

Cupcakes they may be, but indulge my friends, completely guilt-free, as these babies are so good for you!

Chocolate Cupcakes (with Beets)

Wet ingredients:
1 1/4 cups beet, squash, or pumpkin puree (or a combination of these)
1 cup dates, pitted
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
4 eggs
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla


Dry ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon stevia powder
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.

Add all wet ingredients in the order listed in a Vitamix or other high powered blender. Blend until completely smooth.

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add blended wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Pour mixture prepared muffin tin. Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Let set for 15-30 minutes before eating.

Zucchini Banana Bread (grain and sugar free)

I am on zucchini overload right now, as it is just flowing in from my CSA like the land of milk and honey. I love the stuff; I've been sautéing it in grass-fed butter, roasting it, grilling it, and of course, using it in zucchini bread. I've made this bread several times now, each time changing up a thing or two to get to the "perfect" consistency. And this is it!

The key to this bread is in wringing out the excess water from the shredded zucchini before adding it to the batter. Otherwise the bread becomes too soggy (although still very good) and harder to cut without it falling apart.

I'm getting back on my high protein/fiber kick, and that is where this recipe really shines. Made exclusively from blanched almond flour, it is a sure fire way of getting the muscle-building protein and digestion-pleasing fiber in, while ditching the grains altogether. And the truly amazing thing about baking with blanched almond flour is that there is no need to add xanthan gum to bind things together. For some reason, it just works without it (something very rare in gluten free baking). Some people have sensitivities to xanthan gum; I personally don't, but if you do, it's just another reason that you will love this recipe.

Zucchini Banana Bread (grain and sugar free)

Dry ingredients:

3 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup xylitol
2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon powdered stevia
pinch salt

Wet ingredients:

4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ripe banana, mashed
2 heaping cups shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 4 mini loaf pans with coconut oil cooking spray (I use Pampered Chefs stoneware mini loaf pan).

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then add milk, vanilla, and banana and stir. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to combine.

With a paper towel, wring out the excess water from the shredded zucchini, then add to the batter and lightly stir a few more times to fully incorporate the zucchini.

Pour the batter into prepared loaf pans, lightly spreading the tops of the loafs with the back of a spoon to even out.

Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loafs come out clean. Cool in pans for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

The bread can be left out on the counter for the better part of a day, but thereafter wrap the loaves in a paper towel, seal in a ziplock bag, and store in the fridge.

Chocolate (Raw Milk) Milkshake

It's been hot, hot, hot here. So we've needed lots of foods that cool our bodies. My Vitamix has been getting a ton of use these days, as I've been whipping up milkshakes in the afternoon for our snacks. This is one of my favorites. It's creamy, smooth, filling, and super refreshing on a hot day. And, as with all of my snacks, contains a hefty dose of protein to keep those little bodies (and Mama's too) satisfied until dinnertime.


Chocolate (Raw Milk) Milkshake

2 cups ice
4 cups raw milk
1/4 cup almond or peanut butter
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons xylitol (or sweetener of choice)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 banana

Place all ingredients in the order listed in a Vitamix or other high powered blender. Turn on high for 10-15 seconds, until completely blended. Serve immediately or store in the fridge and add more ice as desired.

Cinnamon Bread Mini Loaves (gluten free, sugar free)

These mini loaves are so good and baking them makes your house smell amazing. I love anything with cinnamon in it (and in fact use it on a daily basis, multiple times). There is something so grounding, so warming about this spice. It makes for the ultimate comfort food (I even put it in my chili). And it provides the main attraction for these wonderful bread loaves.

My son wanted to bake something special for his Awana teachers, Miss Jill and Miss Bonnie, so I suggested these. He thought it sounded like a great idea. So we'll be wrapping up one of these for each of his teachers and we'll enjoy one for snack time. I've made this recipe several times, the original inspiration coming from the blogsphere somewhere, I really wish I could remember where so I could give proper credit to its source, but alas it was quite some time ago and my recipe revisions are all that remain. I did, in fact, change many things from the original version, but nonetheless it always good to site back. So please forgive me this one time. :)

I bake my mini loaves in the Pampered Chef stoneware with the four mini loaf dividers. I've had this stoneware for years, getting it as a gift from my father in law back when my husband and I were newlyweds (almost 10 years ago now!), and I only started using it in the last few months since we moved. I had always been intimidated about baking in stone (don't ask me why), but now that I've baked in stone several times, I love it. It makes the best baked goods. I highly recommend stoneware for baking. In fact, I aim to add more stoneware pieces to my collection in the years ahead.

Either way you bake this, be it in stoneware or glass, you will be super impressed with this delicious, gluten and sugar free cinnamon bread.


Cinnamon Bread Mini Loaves (gluten free, sugar free)

Dry ingredients:
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup xylitol
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon powdered stevia
pinch salt

Wet ingredients:
1 egg
1 1/4 cups almond milk or raw cow's milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three mini bread loaf pans with coconut oil (I use the stoneware from Pampered Chef).

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk egg with milk, coconut oil, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir again to fully incorporate.

Pour batter into prepared bread loaf pans, spreading out the tops evenly.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let set about 10 minutes before slicing.

Raw Milk Hot Cocoa (sugar free)

I've been making this hot cocoa all winter long; it's such a delicious and satisfying, sugar free treat to warm those bones when the temps dip low. And today was hopefully the last day I will be making hot cocoa for many, many months. We've been having such amazing spring weather lately that I didn't think I'd be making hot cocoa again until next winter. But for some reason, my son has been asking me to make him hot cocoa for three days now. I wasn't able to make it for him until today, when our raw milk supply was replenished. I thought I'd better document this recipe now so I won't have to fidget with the ingredient ratios again next winter.

A few notes about this hot cocoa: 1) Since we're using raw milk here, be sure to heat it on the very lowest possible setting on your stovetop to preserve as many of those healthful properties in the milk as you can. It really doesn't take long to get this yummy treat warm enough to enjoy, maybe five minutes, so be patient (i.e. no microwaving!) and the payoff will be worth it. 2) I like to thin my hot cocoa out with some water to save a little money (since raw milk can be a bit pricey), but if you like yours really creamy and thick, omit the water and use 1 3/4 cup raw milk, or use some raw cream in place of the water.


Raw Milk Hot Cocoa (sugar free)

1 cup raw milk
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
12 drops liquid stevia

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan. Turn heat on low and whisk thoroughly to combine. Cook over low heat for about five minutes, until desired temperature is reached, whisking occasionally.

Ladle into mugs and enjoy.

Serves two.

Cinnamon Caramel Apple Dip

New addiction alert!!! Raw caramel apple dip for all of those wonderfully tart and sweet apples in season right now. Funny thing is, the ingredients in this recipe resemble nothing of the typical caramel dip you find in stores, which are full of sugar and nothing else (and often times it's not even real sugar). This recipe, however, is actually good for you. Who knew that you could eat your caramel apple dip and get your protein too? Well, this is proof that you can (thanks to my friend the cashew).

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogger's site, The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen. Ali posted it about a year ago, and I've been waiting in anticipation for apple season this year to make it. It is divine, to say the least. Creamy, smooth, sweet... the apple's perfect dipping companion. I changed Ali's recipe up slightly: adding cinnamon, decreasing the amount of maple syrup and adding in a few drops of liquid stevia instead. I also found that I need to use the date soaking water to get this dip to the perfect creamy consistency.

My favorite way to inhale (I mean... enjoy this) is with sliced, raw apples, but it is also delicious as a dip for crackers, pears, or carrots, or as a spread for bread or icing for cinnamon roles. Or maybe you'll just want to eat it plain, right from the spoon!

Just to let you know how good it is, I've already made five batches of this in two weeks. :)


Cinnamon Caramel Apple Dip

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup dates
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 drops liquid stevia
pinch salt

Soak cashews in water for 2-3 hours. Soak dates separately in about 1 cup of water for 2- 3 hours (save date soaking water).

Drain cashews and put in a Vitamix or high powered blender. Remove dates from soaking water and add to cashews, along with remaining ingredients. Turn blender on low speed and slowly increase speed as ingredients come together to form a smooth consistency, adding a few tablespoons of date soaking water at a time to keep mixture flowing smoothly. Once it is flowing, run the Vitamix on high for 10 or so seconds.

Stevia Sweetened Lemonade

Since summer is officially here (and we've had the summer weather to prove it), I figured it's about time I post this recipe: stevia sweetened lemonade. I love this stuff, and so does my family. We make a pitcher of this almost daily when it's hot out. It's nice to have an alternative to water, something with no sugar whatsoever, so you can drink with absolutely no guilt. Light, refreshing, and healthy!

The cool thing about this recipe is that is serves as a base recipe for all kinds of lemonades. If you want to add a little flair, try crushing a 1/2 cup of ripe strawberries in the bottom of the pitcher before adding the rest of the ingredients. Or add a handful of fresh mint. Or switch out the lemon juice for lime juice and add some cilantro. The options are endless!

Stevia Sweetened Lemonade

4 cups water + 2 cups ice
1/2 cup lemon juice
12-15 drops liquid stevia

In a large pitcher, add add ingredients and stir.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cherry Power Bites (gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, raw)

I have been in love with Larabars every since my raw food days. Simple ingredients, sweet- yes (thanks to the dates), but packed with protein and fiber. I keep a Larabar in my purse at all times in case of a hunger emergency. The only problem with Larabars is the cost. At most grocery stores, they retail for about $1.29 per bar, although I can frequently find them on sale for around $1.00 (at which times I purchase about 20 to stock up!). Nonetheless, I've been on a mission to create my own, homemade version of the Larabar. I knew it must be an easy recipe to re-create, with the list of ingredients so few and no baking required. Then all of a sudden, bloggers started posting recipes for their own versions, and came up with names ranging from energy bars, power bars, power balls, superfood bars, etc... Elana has posted quite a few in the last month or so (she's often a source of gluten free inspiration for me), an I've taken queues from this version in creating mine. And when she says they taste like cookie dough, she's right!

I've made so many batches of these, changing up the ingredients slightly each time, and this version is one of my favorites. I love the sunflower seeds in here. It almost gives these little guys a peanut-y taste (without the peanuts). I don't know how long they last in the fridge (I assume it would be a week or two) because we eat them all within two days... :)

So simple to make- it literally takes about five minutes- you have no excuse for not having an energy food on hand when you need it most (at about three o'clock for me!). Also makes a great pre-workout snack!


Chocolate Cherry Power Bites

1 cup Medjool dates (about 8), pitted
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
pinch salt
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons dried cherries

Place dates, walnuts, sunflower seeds, salt, and vanilla in a food processor and process for about a minute, until a course meal consistency is reached. Stop processor and add chocolate chips and cherries. Pulse for about 30 more seconds, until chocolate and cherries are coarsely chopped and integrated into the batter. Using a spoon, scoop about 1 tablespoon of mixture into your hands and form into balls. Repeat with remaining batter. Freeze for about 30 minutes, then store power bites in the fridge.

Makes about 18 power bites.

Banana Chocolate Pudding Pie (with Avocado)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, last week I made a version of Kelly the Spunky Coconut's Banana Chocolate Cream Pie. And is it ever good! Free of grains, sugar, and dairy, it feels so much more like a super food or power food than dessert. Truly, you can feel completely guilt-free eating this. It's light, not heavy at all, which I like in dessert-like food. Although the list of ingredients is lengthy, I believe the end result is well worth the effort of gathering them all for this recipe. I've been shaving off slices of this a few times a day... for me and my baby (well, he's not really a baby anymore, he's 16 months now, but he's my baby!). I actually love feeding this to him because he's getting doses of fruits and veggies and protein in every bite, and he thinks it's dessert!

This would also be a good dessert to serve at your Easter gathering. I mean, who doesn't love chocolate? And after a meal that's probably a bit more heavy than usual (as holiday meals tend to be), a light and delicious pudding-like pie is just the ticket to get everyone in the mood to hunt for Easter eggs (that is if you participate is such pagan festivities, right Dad?). Well, whatever it is you do on Easter, be it hunt for Easter eggs or just simply go to church and get together with family, this dessert is a great choice.

Banana Chocolate Pudding Pie (with Avocado)


Crust:

1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon flax
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Filling:

2 ripe bananas
1 ripe avocado
5 dates
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
10 drops liquid stevia
2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon Xylosweet (xylitol)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, place all ingredients in a food processor and process until coarsely mixed. Press into a 9 inch pie plate and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

For the filling, place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until completely smooth. Pour into cooled pie crust, cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for a couple of hours before slicing and serving.

Chocolate Pudding (with Avocado)

Here I go again with Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious. This recipe was inspired by her Chocolate Pudding recipe, which is cooked over a stove and calls for 1 cup of powdered sugar (that's a lot of sugar, yikes!). I simplified the recipe by eliminating the need for cooking and instead opting for a one minute wiz in my Vitamix. And I cut out the sugar and replaced it with a significantly less amount of powdered Xylosweet (I use either my Vitamix dry blade or my coffee grinder to turn my Xylosweet granuals into powder) and a tad of stevia. (Not sure about sugar alcohols? Check out this post on Mark's Daily Apple. Not sure about stevia? Check out this post while you're there.)

This is my go-to recipe of choice when my avocados are on the brink of going bad (or are already there). You don't need the avocado to look perfect or pretty. The beauty of this recipe is that you don't even know there's an avocado in here. With the presence of cocoa powder, it naturally makes the pudding a deep brown-chocolately color. Bad avocados no more!

This pudding is so good. I mean, it is so good. I mean, it is so good I literally lick my Vitamix to make sure I get as much out of it as possible before washing. Hard to believe the main ingredient is an avocado, which is just brimming with nutrients. Oh heavens me, I eat this stuff for breakfast!


Chocolate Pudding (with Avocado)

1 large avocado
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup powdered Xylosweet
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup water or almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon stevia powder + 5 drops liquid stevia

Place ingredients in the order listed in Vitamix or other high powered blender. Process on high for a minute or mixture is completely smooth (adding more water or almond milk if necessary to facilitate blending).

Makes 4 servings (or 2 servings for a hungry mommy and her four year old).

Chocolate Cake (with Beets)

This cake is the real deal: chocoately, moist, fluffy, and healthy. Yes, healthy, for a number of reasons. First, there isn't a whole lot of sweetner in here, as compared with most other chocolate cakes out there. Second, it's packed with protein and fiber, thanks to almond flour. And lastly (my favorite part), there are vegetables baked right on in: beets! I recreated Jessica Seinfeld's chocolate cake recipe from her Deceptively Delicious cookbook to be both gluten and sugar free.

If you haven't read her cookbook, I encourage you to grab a copy at your local library and read about her system of keeping pureed veggies and fruits on hand all the time, allowing you to instantly blitz any recipe with nutrients. Then peruse through her fun and creative array of recipes and find a few to try using purees.

I started keeping purees on hand when my oldest was a baby, to use as baby food, and even after he was off of purees and onto solids, I would still keep purees in my freezer and add them to all sorts meals. (Four years and another baby later and you'll still find purees in my freezer!)

I use a bit of a different system than Jessica. Instead of storing purees in plastic bags in the freezer, I freeze my purees in ice cube trays; once frozen, I pop them out and store in a plastic bag, allowing me to have 2 tablespoons of any given puree at any given time (see Ruth Yaron's Super Baby Foods for this method).

This week I was cleaning my freezer and stumbled upon some pureed beets that had been in there for a while. I pulled them out to de-thaw in my fridge for a few days, not really knowing what I was going to do with them at the time. When the baking (and chocolate) urge struck later on in the week, I knew I needed a chocolate cake, so into the cake the beets went!

I do have to warn you though: when you pour the batter into the pan before baking, it will be a nice, deep pinkish color. But once it is baked and cooled, it takes on its natural dark chocolately color that we all expect from chocolate cake, allowing you to be a bit sneaky when feeding this to your kiddos and hubbies alike. I admit, I do love the element of surprise on people's faces when, after they've finished their serving, they find out it has unexpected veggies in it.

Tell me about your experience with pureed fruits and veggies and adding them "deceptively" to other dishes by leaving a comment below...


Chocolate Cake (with Beets)

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Xylosweet
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
2 tablespoons powdered Xylosweet or sugar (optional)

Wet Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/3 cup pureed beets

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/4 cup agave

1/4 cup almond (or other) milk

5 drops liquid stevia (optional)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan with coconut oil. 

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. 

Whisk eggs in a separate bowl. Add beets. Melt coconut oil and add to bowl along with the rest of the ingredients (through vanilla). 

Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to incorporate, getting rid of most lumps (a few lumps are ok). 

Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle powdered Xylosweet or sugar over the top if using. 

Tastes amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Classic Cheesecake

Happy New Year everyone!

My husband is one of those really lucky people who happened to have been born on New Year's Eve (please note the sarcasm in my tone), so every year since we've been married, we get to celebrate his birthday on this joyous day (which means we get to do what he wants to do!). But I am also so lucky that my husband is so caring and wants to throw a party instead of just making it all about him (as we should all be able to do on our birthday, right? No argument there!)

So this year, we celebrated with a feast cooked entirely by my husband. It is the one day that I relinquish complete control of my kitchen (this is a very hard thing for my Type A, control-freak-natured person to do). And it was fabulous! And it was a feast!

The one request that he had of me was to make him his favorite dessert: cheesecake. Now, I've never been a big fan of the stuff; I'd opt for a chocolate dessert-thingie any day over a cheesecake. However, I have come to love it in recent years, probably because I make it from scratch and put only the healthiest of ingredients in it.

This recipe just so happens to hit the delicious cheesecake mark so high, we end up eating whatever is left over for breakfast over the next few days. And it's totally ok to eat for breakfast as there is no sugar (and thus no spike in insulin levels); it is replaced by a small amount of Xylosweet (the particular brand of Xylitol I use), which is a natural sugar replacement derived from the sap of birch trees and other plant sources and is very low on the glycemic index (making it great for anyone with diabetes or glucose issues, or just for people who want to nix the sugar addiction, which should be all of us).

The secret to it's light and refreshing yumminess is in the lemon zest and juice. Not much (so lemon flavor doesn't overpower the taste), but just enough (to give it that, "Hmm.... what is that bit of surprising tang I taste...?").

A real winner, for cheesecake lovers and even those who are not, so try it for your next party and you'll have raving reviews!

Classic Cheesecake


Gluten Free Crust

1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon agave

Filling

3- 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (or 1 1/2 pounds)
3 eggs
3/4 cup Xylosweet (Xylitol)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest and juice from half a lemon
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch pie plate with coconut oil.

To make the crust, combine sorghum, almond, and tapioca flours in a bowl. Add baking soda and stir. Next add the oil, water, and agave and stir until a dough ball forms (use a pinch more water if it is too dry, but be care not to add to much water).

Press the dough ball down with the palm of your hand in the pie plate, and continue pressing out the dough until it is evenly distributed on the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

Bake crust for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and reduce oven temp to 325 degrees.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, soften the cream cheese (pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute if need be). Beat cream cheese with a hand mixer until combined. Add the eggs and continue mixing until almost smooth. Add the vanilla and salt and give it one final mix.

Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust. Place pie plate on a cookie sheet and bake pie for 45 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake start to brown slightly.

Remove from oven, let cool for one hour on the counter, then refrigerate for a few hours until ready to serve.

Serve with freshly whipped cream and blueberries or cherries.

This is part of Slighty Indulgent Tuesdays...

(Sugar-less) Sugar Cookies

We all need a good sugar cookie recipe, and gluten freer's/sugar freer's no less. It's funny now that I think about it... this isn't really a sugar cookie at all since there is no sugar in it. But the taste is out of this world good (and just like it's inspired sugar-laden twin). The key here is in the lemon juice. Just the tad bit that is used makes all the difference in the world. It gives this cookie it's punch.

I decided to leave these plain (so boring, I know) because I just enjoy a simple cookie now and then. But I did intend to frost them for Christmas, so feel free to experiment with a colored frosting to match the occasion, whatever it may be (birthdays, Easter, sports themed, etc.).

Either way, frosted or not, I know you'll enjoy this delightful sugarless, sugar cookie.


(Sugar-less) Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 oz. cream cheese
2/3 cup Xylosweet (Xylitol)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup gluten free baking mix (I used Arrowhead Mills)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt coconut oil in saucepan or microwave. Add cream cheese and Xylosweet and cream together with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy (a few minutes). Add egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and mix again.

Add baking mix and xanthan gum and mix again until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Make dough into approximately 1 inch balls with your hands (wet your hands first) and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet about two inches apart. Flatten the balls with your wet palm.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges become slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Enjoy plain or frost for a festive occasion (Christmas, birthdays, Easter, etc.).

Makes approximately 16-18 cookies.

Pumpkin Pie

I've always been a pumpkin pie lover. Anything pumpkin, actually. This time of year, I put it into everything: muffins, waffles, smoothies, rice dishes, cupcakes you name it. I do prefer to make my own pumpkin puree, by first slicing the pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds, and roasting it in a 375 degree oven for 1-1 1/2 hours. I then scoop out the cooked flesh and puree it in my Vitamix or food processor. But when the pumpkin craving calls and I don't have an actual baking pumpkin, I use canned pumpkin out of convenience.

I created this recipe because A) I wanted a gluten free crust for my pumpkin pie and B) I wanted to make it without the traditional evaporated milk. (I'm not much of a cow's milk fan unless it is raw, real, and straight from the cow!) This version utilizes coconut milk, which contributes to this pies incredibly rich flavor. (Please note, though, that although the flavor is rich, the pie itself is not so rich that you can only eat one piece and you're stuffed. It's actually incredibly light on the tummy.)

My crust is a variation of Elana's simple pie crust from her book Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook. I really love her cookbook and would recommend it for sure to anyone who is gluten free, but also to anyone looking to up the protein and fiber value of their everyday foods (almond flour is great for that and super tasty too).

This recipe comes just in time for you to make it for your Christmas gathering with family and friends.


Pumpkin Pie

Crust:

1 cup almond flour

3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch salt

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1-2 tablespoons water

Filling:
1 can pumpkin puree (or 2 cups fresh)
1 can coconut milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons agave
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves and nutmeg, each

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, combine almond flour through salt in a bowl and stir. Add grapeseed oil and water, one tablespoon at a time. Stir until it forms a dough. Take dough and press into a 9 inch pie plate, spreading the mixture evenly in the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Turn the oven up to 425 degrees.

For the filling, combine all ingredients into a large bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Pour into crust (the filling will come over the top of the crust, and this is fine).

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven temp down to 350 and continue baking for an additional 45-50 minutes, until the top is set. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. The top will sink a tad when cooling, but will also become more firm.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

We're officially snowed in today. My baby woke up at 5:30 a.m., so I've been up with him and we've been baking all morning. (The snow and cold really make me want to have that blessed oven on.) We made scones for breakfast, then a quiche and this crisp for brunch (yes, I had breakfast and brunch today. And in an hour or so, I'm fixing to have lunch. Now that sounds like a lot of food!).

This crisp is just what you think a warm winter dessert should taste of... tart apples and cranberries combined with a hint of sweet agave and the crunch and buttery flavor walnuts. I will note too that it does taste best when combined with a rich and creamy vanilla ice cream.

(Heck, who wouldn't love ice cream for brunch?)

Cranberry Apple Crisp

2 medium apples
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons agave
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/2 almond flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons Xylosweet
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
pinch salt
1/3 cup coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Core apples and slice thinly. Combine sliced apples, cranberries, agave, and lemon juice in an 11 x 7 inch baking dish and stir to coat.

In a separate bowl, add oats through salt. Stir. Melt coconut oil and pour over oat mixture. Stir again.  Pour oat topping over cranberry apple mixture.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking an additional 20-25 minutes until top is crispy.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.