recipes

Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread

recipes
Raisin Bread

Cinnamon raisin bread is a flavored bread usually made with white flour and a cinnamon sugar swirl in the middle. This gluten free version is a loaf bread, sweetened with coconut sugar. It’s a play on my favorite raisin pastry as a child and it’s a must try recipe. This gluten free bread is soft and fluffy, with a buttery cinnamon flavor. Here’s how you can make it…

Which flours work best?

For this recipe you don’t need any complex flour blends, any all purpose gluten free flour should work well. I’ve tried it with multiple all purpose flours and they all work well, but it’s best to opt for one with xanthum gum. Also try to avoid blends that are heavy with bean flours because I find it adds an aftertaste to bread and pastries.

Ingredients

  • 500g gluten free all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
  • 2 eggs
  • 100ml plant-based milk
  • 300ml water
  • 3tbsp softened butter
  • 2tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 cup raisins

Directions

  1. Sift flour, baking powder, instant yeast, coconut sugar, and cinnamon together.
  2. Add in the eggs, milk, water, vinegar, butter and oil and mix until well incorporated. I used a hand mixer for this to ensure no lumps remained.
  3. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and fold in the raisins.
  4. Transfer the dough into a lined baking pan and allow to rise in a warm place for 45mins to 1hr.
  5. Bake at 200ºC for 45 mins until the top turns golden brown.
  6. Allow to cool before slicing. Best served warm with a drizzle of almond butter.

Thank you for joining on today’s post, I hope you try out the recipe and let me know what you think. Please like and follow for more gluten free recipes like this one, xoxo.

Coffee Cake Crumble Recipe

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Hey guys, welcome back to the blog. Today’s recipe is a soft coffee cake with a crumbly topping. This gluten free and dairy free version of a classic can be served warm with a scoop of dairy free or regular ice cream or even with a spoon of Oatly greek yoghurt. The crumble adds a great texture and you can even sprinkle some flaky salt to bring out the flavour.

I like making this as a Sunday dessert or for breakfast. When I first heard about coffee cake, I wondered how a crumble would work on a traditional cake, but the crumbly texture balances the base of the cake really well. Traditionally, an American style coffee cake is a sponge cake with a crumb on top, but this recipe uses more of a dense cake. The denser cake holds the coffee flavour while still being soft and fluffy. Here’s how you can make it.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup sugar substitute (I used Truvia)
  • 5 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1tsp coffee extract
  • 1 shot of espresso
  • 200 ml almond or oat milk
  • 4 cups gf flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Crumble Topping

  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 3-4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar substitute
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup coconut flakes (optional)
  • Almond extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature.
  2. Prepare the crumble by combining all of the dry ingredients and then adding in the coconut oil and any extracts.
  3. Set the crumble aside in the fridge and prepare the cake batter.
  4. Combine sugar, coconut oil, eggs, coffee extract, and shot of espresso.
  5. Sift and fold in the flour and mix in the plant-based milk and baking powder. You want a smooth and light batter.
  6. Pour half of the batter in a lined baking pan, sprinkle some of the crumble on top.
  7. Pour in the rest of the batter and top it with the rest of the crumble mixture.
  8. Bake in the oven for 30-40mins or until golden brown and a cake pick comes out clean.

This cake is best served warm and keeps well in the fridge. I hope you enjoyed today’s recipe and come back for more recipes like this one, xoxo.

Ginger Cookies

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Hey guys, today’s recipe is a simple one. Gluten free Ginger cookies! This is the first time I’ve ever tried baking ginger cookies and after experimenting with a few cookie dough types, this is one is ideal for the best flavor. You can easily adapt this recipe to suit your preferences. The best way I can describe this cookie is it has a soft centre and a crumbly texture. If you want a stronger ginger flavour then you can use fresh ginger, but you can use ginger spice for a more subtle flavour.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 cup corn flour
  • 1tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven at 150ºC.
  2. Combine coconut oil, coconut sugar, ginger, and eggs.
  3. Fold in the different flours, cinnamon, and any other spices you’d like.
  4. Avoid over mixing the cookie dough. Allow it to chill for 10-15 mins.
  5. Roll out the cookie dough into even portions, lightly pressing them down.
  6. Bake for 20-25mins or until they harden on the outside.

This recipe was a quickie, let me know if you do try it out down in the comments. Thank you for reading and please like and follow for more, xoxo.

Healthy Chocolate Cake Recipe

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You need to make this recipe!

I’ve always been a fan of chocolate cake, I mean who isn’t? But, as much as I love it, I don’t always feel that great after eating it. While there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a traditional chocolate cake without any guilt, I still wanted to enjoy a version that didn’t throw me into a food coma. That’s why I wanted to create a chocolate cake recipe that was rich and decadent yet light and simple. I made this chocolate cake a while back for Christmas and it’s become a personal favourite since then. It is gluten and dairy free, as well as sugar free if you use a sugar substitute like I did. Most importantly it is super quick and easy to make. So here’s what you’ll need…

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oat flour (simply blend some oats in a blender or food processor)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (I used pure chocolate pellets without dairy or sugar). You can also use roughly chopped dairy free chocolate (I like the one from sweet switch)
  • 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 1/3 cup xylitol (or any sugar substitute)
  • 1/3 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt

Steps

  1. Preheat your oven to 170ºC
  2. Over a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the almond milk, stirring gently.
  3. While the mixture is melting, separate your egg yolks from the whites.
  4. Whisk the egg whites until they become fluffy and soft peaks form.
  5. Once the chocolate has melted remove from the double boiler, allow to cool slightly and stir in the xylitol.
  6. Now take your yolks and temper them by adding a spoonful of the chocolate mixture and combining.
  7. Add the tempered yolks to the rest of the chocolate.
  8. Sift in 1/3 of the oat flour, the baking powder, salt, and cacao powder into the chocolate. Fold gently until well combined.
  9. Now add a third of the egg whites into the batter and fold gently. Repeat these steps until you’ve added in all your flour and egg whites. It’s important not to over mix, fold in the ingredients with a spatula to achieve the best results.
  10. Once fully incorporated, transfer the batter into a lined cake tin and place in the oven.
  11. Bake for about 30-45 minutes, once the cake is cooked in will be firm all the way through.
  12. Allow it to cool before removing from the tin and slicing.

Tips

  • Double boiler: to use a double boiler simply boil water in a saucepan and place a heatproof bowl over it to melt the chocolate in.
  • Oat flour: when making oat flour it’s useful to make sure your blender is completely dry and pulse the oats. I love using oats for this recipe because it’s light but keeps the cake moist. I wouldn’t suggest changing out the flour.
  • Tempering your yolks is necessary to prevent them from cooking in the hot chocolate.
  • With this type of cake, folding your flours in is better than whisking because you don’t want to over-mix. You want the batter to be airy and not dense.

I hope you try out this recipe and let me know how you find it. I know how ‘guilt-free’ treats are hard to come by which is why I try to find the best alternatives to make my own. If you’d like to see more of these recipes and other tips on healthy baking, please like and follow for more, xoxo.

Gluten Free Victoria sponge Cake Recipe

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Hey guys, welcome back to the blog. It’s been a while, mostly because I haven’t had any new recipes to share until now. For years I’ve tried to achieve the ideal gluten free cake; one that tasted like a regular cake and wasn’t dry or dense. This sponge cake was exactly what I needed, a Victoria sponge cake is richer than a traditional sponge cake but lighter than a pound cake. I stumbled upon many recipes before coming up with this one and I think it’s fair to say that I am pretty happy with it and so was my family. I decided to make this cake for a birthday and it did not fail, it was perfectly balanced and so fun to make. So here is the recipe for you to try it out yourself.

Ingredients

  • 250g softened butter (or vegan substitute)
  • 250g caster sugar (or sugar free substitute such as erythritol or xylitol)
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 250g gluten free self-raising flour
  • 1/4 cup oat or almond milk
  • 120g almond flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Buttercream

  • 50g softened butter
  • 100-150 icing sugar
  • 1/4 cup almond or oat milk
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp Jam for filling

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC (fan) and grease two 8″ baking tins with butter or a neutral oil and line the bottoms with baking sheets.
  2. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. This should take about 4-5 mins with a mixer and the batter should be lighter in colour.
  3. Add in your vanilla and the eggs, one at a time.
  4. Mix in your flours in a separate bowl before adding to the mixture in increments. You want to add your milk in gradually as well, mixing on low speed.
  5. When your batter is thick but still falls off the spoon it should be ready. Divide it equally between the two cake tins, spreading it with a spatula or spoon and tapping the bottoms to get rid of any air bubbles.
  6. Bake in the oven for 30-40 mins. It should become golden, you can insert a cake tester or toothpick into the cake to check when it’s done. The pick should come out clean and if you gently press on the cake, it should bounce back, not leaving any indents.
  7. Remove the cakes from the oven, allow to cool before removing and placing on a rack to cool down completely.

Making the Buttercream

  1. Beat the butter and icing sugar with a mixer until well combined.
  2. Add the vanilla and milk. You can add more sugar or milk to achieve the consistency you’d like. If you’d prefer piping or icing the sides of the cake, you’d want a thicker consistency.
Photo by Callum Hill on Unsplash

Tips

  • I froze my cakes for about 10-15 mins after the cooled down and before decorating to ensure they wouldn’t crumble when I flipped them over.
  • I used buttercream only on the edges of the cake, filling the middle layer with strawberry jam. But, you can make this cake however you like, opting out of both or substituting them with other fillings.
  • I made this cake the day before, it stores really well in the fridge for a couple of days.
  • I like adding almond flour because it adds a great texture to the cake, omitting it may affect the consistency of the batter but shouldn’t compromise it completely.

You can also double or half this recipe to change how many layers you want to make or the size of the cake (this recipe makes a 2 layer 8″ cake). Let me know if you do try out the recipe and if you have any tips down in the comments. I hope you enjoyed this post and that you come again soon, please like and follow for more recipe finds like this one, xoxo.

What I Eat in a Day…

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Hey Everyone, I’ve recently noticed how my relationship with food has changed within the past few months. I know exactly what my body needs and following that instinct has led to making progress in my fitness goals and mental health. This is sometimes referred to as ‘intuitive eating’ but it doesn’t always come naturally. Intuitive eating is personal to every individual; which means that intuitive eating for me is different from what it means for you. Nevertheless, a ‘what I eat in a day’ can give you some inspiration and show you that eating healthy doesn’t mean bland food. This is what I eat on an average day, keeping a balanced dairy and gluten-free diet.

BREAKFAST

This is definitely my favourite meal of the day! (That’s saying a lot cause I love every meal) Before eating I have a glass of water and my coffee with almond milk. I normally eat around 10am and I have a few breakfasts I alternate between, but today I chose my healthy banana pancakes. These never get old, they taste amazing and they usually hold me over until lunch. I love adding protein powder to the mix, especially if I have a weight session that day and my go to protein is the Organifi Vanilla.

LUNCH

This is my second meal of the day and I usually have it between 1-2pm. I like to think of my meals as balanced; carbs, protein, and fats. Today I had stir-fried veggie quinoa with grilled chicken breast. Quinoa is definitely one of my favourite sources of carbs, it’s easy to make and it takes less than 15 mins. I usually stick to lean protein so chicken breast is also a usual.

AFTERNOON SNACK

This is my pre-workout snack that I have between 4-5pm. This time, I had a protein coffee smoothie with banana, cacao nibs, and chia seeds. Gives you a great boost of energy while still being light, plus it’s ideal for my coffee lovers. If you’re tired of your typical green or berry smoothies give this one a try!

DINNER

Gluten Free Pizza! You can’t go wrong with that. The crust is from Schar and it takes about 30 mins to prepare. This is a quick, easy dinner that I indulge in at least once a week. Unfortunately, Schar recently added Soy protein to their recipe so if you know any good gluten, soy, and dairy-free crusts, let me know down below. After dinner I tend to have something sweet; either dark chocolate (I like sweet switch’s 70% Dark), vegan hot chocolate or if I’m hungry, like I was on that night, I have some granola with blueberries and almond milk.

That’s it for the day, as you can see, I don’t restrict my eating or track my calories. Keep in mind I am currently trying to build muscle steadily and I workout 4-5 times a week. One thing to keep in mind is that not everyone should eat the same diet, but this is what works for me and I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Please like and follow for more posts, xoxo.

Healthy Mug Cake Recipe

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I have become obsessed with this recipe because it’s the quickest cake recipe ever and it definitely satisfies my sweet tooth. If you find yourself binge eating your batch of cupcakes or eating the whole cake, perhaps a one-serving recipe is the best option for you. There are some days where you’re just craving a dessert or cake but you’re worried about your goals, so one thing to remember is it’s okay to have a little treat once in a while.

The key to having a healthy relationship with food is by eating mindfully, this means if you want something sweet, have a healthy alternative with intention rather than mindlessly binge eating a batch of processed cookies. This way if you set out to indulge, you won’t feel the guilt, you only feel guilty when it’s an impulse.

This mug cake is the perfect indulgence, it’s soft, rich and tastes exactly like a regular chocolate cake, even though it’s gluten and dairy free. You can also make a vanilla version if you’d like. So here’s how to make it…

INGREDIENTS

  • 2tbsp corn flour (or any gf flour)
  • 2tbsp almond flour
  • 1-2tbsp cacao powder
  • 1/2tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1tbsp coconut sugar (or any alternative)
  • 3tbsp almond milk
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1tbsp cacao nips (optional)

STEPS

  1. In a large mug, mix the flours, baking powder, sugar and cacao powder.
  2. Mix in the egg, vanilla and plant-based milk until well incorporated.
  3. Lastly mix in the cacao nibs (you can also use dairy free chocolate chips).
  4. Place it in the microwave and cook for 1-3 mins (depending on your microwave). Mine usually takes 2 mins and if the top is cooked, then it’s done but you can always double check with a skewer.
  5. Now you eat your cake straight from the mug!

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know if you try out this recipe and follow and like for more like this one xoxo.

Dalgona Coffee

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Dalgona Coffee is taking over the internet and lockdown by popping up everywhere on instagram and youtube. The bitter-sweet drink originated from South Korea, named by its similarity to the Korean sugar sweet, Dalgona, without actually containing any. The ratio for this drink is pretty exact, usually containing sugar, I found that a healthy substitute worked just fine. The reason we use instant coffee, is that it creates the foamy topping due to its drying process and the best part is that you don’t need a frother or hand mixer, only a whisk. After trying this a second time, I have to say I’m addicted and although it takes a bit more effort to make, it’s completely worth it.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tbsp instant coffee
  • 2 tbsp erythritol/xylitol (I used Sukrin)
  • 2 tbsp hot water
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any plant-based milk)

STEPS

  1. Use a large bowl to add the coffee, sugar and water. The large bowl allows for more air to be whipped into the foam.
  2. Using a whisk, start whipping the ingredients together in circular motions, for about 10-15 mins.
  3. Once soft peaks have formed, your coffee cream is ready. Pour some hot or cold vanilla flavoured almond milk into a glass and spoon your coffee fluff on top.
  4. You can choose to sprinkle some cinnamon or cacao powder on top, but the vanilla almond milk is just enough. Gently mix the cream and milk together and you’re all done.

You can store your coffee fluff up to 1 week in the fridge in an air tight container, so it’s easy to make a batch. I hope you try this out cause it is really one of the best, thank you for reading this quick post. Please like and follow for more healthy recipes xoxo.

Healthy Brownie Recipe

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I recently came up with this recipe on the spot with basic ingredients, but it makes the softest brownies ever! The ingredients are clean and completely gluten, dairy and guilt-free! If you’ve tried baking with oats before, you’d notice that they aren’t the most forgiving and tend to become dry, but this recipe is a must try.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4-5 medium bananas (ripe)
  • 1 cup oats
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 almond milk (or any plant-based milk)
  • 2-3 tbsp erythritol/ coconut sugar
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2-3tbsp raw cacao powder

Optional

  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp cacao nibs

STEPS:

  1. Mash the bananas in a bowl, mix in the eggs, sugar and vanilla (above)
  2. Blend the finely oats to make oat flour and mix into the batter.
  3. Add in the almond milk and the melted coconut oil.
  4. Sift in the cacao powder into the batter to prevent any clumps and fold in until well incorporated.
  5. Pour the batter into a square pan and sprinkle the cacao nibs on top, bake in an oven at 180ºC for 40-45mins.
  6. Let it cool and slice it evenly.

The best part about this recipe is that you can barely taste the banana and it has a great texture. I hope you try it out and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading, please follow and like for more xoxo.

3 Healthy Breakfast Ideas

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Breakfast is definitely my favourite meal of the day, so much so that I have breakfast for dinner at times. Breakfast can be identified as a morning meal but really it’s whenever you have your first meal of the day as you are breaking your fast. I like to workout in the morning so I need proper fuel before that and I usually alternate between these three meals during the week, they are filled with clean, nutrient-dense ingredients and they are pretty easy to make. So here are my weekly Go-To’s…

APPLE PIE OATMEAL

What you’ll need:

  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (or any plant based milk)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 small apple diced or grated (without skin)
  • honey (or any liquid sweetener)

Method: – Let your oats cook on the stovetop with the almond mill and water, add the cinnamon and apple after 1-2 mins. Once the oatmeal is cooked top it with honey, cinnamon and apple slices.

HEALTHY FRENCH TOAST

What you’ll need:

  • Gluten Free Bread (You can find a recipe here)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 1tsp vanilla
  • Coconut oil/ Butter (non-dairy free option)

Method: – Combine the egg, almond milk and vanilla, heat your frying pan and spray some coconut oil. Dip your bread slice into the mixture and place onto the pan. Cook evenly on both side on a low-medium heat until the sides are golden brown. Top with fruit and honey.

CHIA PUDDING

What you’ll need:

  • 2tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • honey or any liquid sweetener

Method: – Leave the chia seeds to soak with the milk and vanilla overnight. The next morning top it with some fruit, coconut flakes and nuts/seeds or with some granola, here is the recipe if you’d like to try it.

I hope you enjoyed this post and try one of these recipes. Thank you for reading and please like and follow for more xoxo.

Photos from Unsplash