I have made some amazing carrot cake cupcakes in the past so I wanted to make something similar but grain and refined sugar-free and this is the result. These are good and the chocolate topping makes them amazing too. This topping could also be used as a chocolate mousse as is or you could even fold through some whipped cream if you are not dairy-free. But this time I used it as a frosting. Make sure you blend this really well so there are not lumps of avocado or you will taste it. Otherwise the chocolate is the overwhelming flavour. Before we get to the recipe, here are a few brief facts about avocados: Foods like avocados that contain monounsaturated fat lessen your LDL cholesterol, which is harmful to your body. One cup of avocado has 23% of the recommended daily value of folate. Studies show that people who eat diets rich in folate have a much lower incidence of heart disease and stroke than those who don't. A typical avocado will contain both insoluble and soluble … [Read more...] about Carrot, Coconut Muffins with chocolate topping – grain, nut and refined sugar-free
Sugar-Free Treats
Strawberry Coconut Macaroons – grain, dairy, nut and refined sugar-free
This is the last of the recipes from Carol's e-book Indulge which I will be sharing with you. After this, you will have to buy the book to get the rest of the 70 recipes, and you won't regret it. These coconut macaroons are as simple as pie with very few ingredients and, if you know how to whip egg whites, then you won't fail with these. Carol has the plain recipe without fruit or with raspberries, but I had strawberries in the fridge so strawberries it was. To find her book Click here to visit Ditch The Wheat and then scroll to the bottom of the page. I went to the Sunday market a few suburbs over today, looking for organic vegetables and became very confused when Bonita bananas had a cardboard label against them announcing they were organic. To my knowledge and according to wikipedia, they come from Equador and pesticides are involved. That little cardboard sign made me skeptical about every other organic sign and I only bought a few bits and pieces. I am wanting to move to … [Read more...] about Strawberry Coconut Macaroons – grain, dairy, nut and refined sugar-free
Chocolate Banana Tart – grain, dairy and refined sugar-free
A few days back I made this tart using the base I found in Carol Lovett's e-book, Indulge, which I mentioned in my last post. I have been looking for a good grain and nut-free pie crust which didn't fall apart and this is it. It was so easy to make - I actually used a food processor and it all came together like a dream. I didn't attempt to roll it out but just pushed it into the pie dishes and that worked well. This is the second recipe I have made from Carol's book and I am very pleased with it. If you are interested in the book, Click here to visit Ditch The Wheat and scroll to the bottom of the page to buy it. I filled it with the simplest of dairy and sugar-free fillings - uncooked banana, cocoa and coconut oil. Even out of the fridge it holds its shape well and the filling stays firm. I would say this was a triumph and the tarts look so pretty. I actually had all the ingredients in the house and it was all done and dusted in very little time. This would be a great dessert … [Read more...] about Chocolate Banana Tart – grain, dairy and refined sugar-free
Classic Vanilla Cake – grain, dairy and refined sugar-free
I belong to a Facebook group of wonderful women with food blogs and one of them, Carol Lovett, has written an e-book of grain-free desserts called Indulge. I offered to try a couple of recipes and this is the first one. I couldn't be more pleased with the result. It was easy to prepare and even easier to eat. It is light and a great basic for various different flavours and desserts. This could be the cake part of a trifle for example or the base of lamingtons. I decided to frost it with the coconut topping I have used before on my Banana Strawberry Muffins. Coconut cream whips up exactly like whipped cream and can be used as a substitute. Coconut is a healthy fat as long as it has not been hydrogenated but don't buy it in a can because BPA (Bisphenol-A) is used in the can lining. BPA especially leaches into canned foods that are acidic, salty or fatty, such as coconut milk, tomatoes, soup, and vegetables. BPA is not a good thing to have running around in your body so buy all … [Read more...] about Classic Vanilla Cake – grain, dairy and refined sugar-free
Coconut, Cranberry Cookies – grain, nut and sugar-free
I am ecstatic over my last baking effort. When I started going grain-free, I knew things might get worse before they got better. Because most of the grain westerners eat is refined, it doesn’t provide a lot of quality fibre. When I dropped it all from my diet, I had to replace it with something else or I would have starved to death so I upped the quantity of vegetables I ate. They have heaps of fibre and our bodies don’t like to suddenly get an overload. Our systems take a while to adjust to more fibre as it kicks the digestive system into top gear after being sluggish for so long. In fact, I had a rough few days and was very glad to be on a two-week break from work. But I stuck to it. One of the bonuses of changing the way I eat while on holiday is that I have the time to be aware of the effect of everything I eat. The fibre issue has settled down but what I have found is that nuts seem to be an irritant for me. Now this is a bit of a problem because grain-free diets like the paleo … [Read more...] about Coconut, Cranberry Cookies – grain, nut and sugar-free
Chocolate Vanilla Tart – grain, dairy and refined sugar-free
My search for great grain, dairy and refined sugar-free sweets continues. The ingredients for such creations are often similar with some variations. They need a base of nuts to create something solid, then some oil, usually coconut for moisture and something sticky to keep it all together like a nut butter. The toppings or frostings involve bananas or whipped coconut cream for bulk with various flavourings like chocolate, almond, mint or vanilla - as in this case. The sweeteners can be either pureed dates, honey or stevia. Now let's get to today's offering - a chocolate tart with vanilla banana topping. This is not a low Fodmap recipe. Chocolate Vanilla Tart Print Prep time 15 mins Total time 15 mins Serves: 8 slices Ingredients For the base: 1.5 cups roasted unsalted cashews 1 cup date puree ½ cup smooth peanut butter For the topping: 120g sugar-free chocolate 1 banana 3 tbsp honey 2 tsp vanilla essence Shredded coconut or extra cashew … [Read more...] about Chocolate Vanilla Tart – grain, dairy and refined sugar-free
