Category: Treats

Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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Lately I’ve been experimenting with different flours, such as tigernut, cassava and soon I’ll give plantain a try. But this delicious Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Banana Bread turned out way better than I thought! #cassavaflourforthewin 

This experimentation is due to the fact that I’ve been trying to avoid almond flour – which is my fav! On an AIP protocol, nut and seeds are not allowed, hence the swap to new flours. 

I love baking with almond flour, but almonds also came back high on my IgG Food intolerance test and so I’ve decided to cut them out, and since I’ll be going AIP in a few short weeks, it makes all the sense to begin this process now. 

A huge challenge with the AIP protocol is eliminating eggs. Not eating eggs for breakfast isn’t a big deal for me, but not being able to bake with them!? UGH! Huge challenge. And because I would normally swap eggs for a flax egg, this is not do-able on AIP. 

So, because I’m not on the AIP plan fully as of yet, I’ve kept eggs in this recipe. I tried baking with a ‘gelatin’ egg the other day and well… it did NOT turn out as expected. Not every recipe I make is a hit. There are epic fails around here!

I love cassava flour for a number of reasons, including:

  • it is free from inflammatory proteins
  • it is a good source of resistant starch, which feeds the good bacteria in your gut
  • it’s totally grain- and gluten-free
  • it contains minerals like calcium, manganese, and iron
  • it’s a great source of fiber

What I especially love about it is that you can can use a 1:1 measure with most traditional white flour recipes. That’s a HUGE win as swapping flours in recipes isn’t always an easy thing to do. 

This banana bread was a little denser but-oh-so-delicious. I’m officially a fan of baking with cassava flour and can’t wait to create more recipes with it. 

Oh! and if you want to take this recipe up a whole other level, use it to make french toast. Like for REALS! Dip the slices in some whisked egg and add to your pan coated with coconut oil and watch the magic happen. If you’ve never had Banana bread french toast before you are missing out!

It’s seriously epic and if you’ve got kiddos in the house, they will literally start to worship you. You’ll become the breakfast goddess – no joke! 

Ok, onto the goods! Enjoy 🙂 

Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Hearty and moist Cassava Flour Banana Bread that is completely Paleo approved! This delicious loaf is free of added sugars and if dairy free, gluten free and grain free.
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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr 25 min
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
1 hr 25 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 overripe medium bananas
  2. 3 large eggs
  3. 1/2 cup coconut milk (I used the carton)
  4. 2 tbsp coconut oil melted and cooled
  5. 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  6. 1 1/2 cups Cassava Flour
  7. 1 tsp baking soda
  8. pinch sea salt
  9. 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  10. 1/2 -1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a standard loaf pan (8.5x4.5 or 9x5) by coating with coconut oil.
  2. In a food processor, blend together bananas and eggs.
  3. Add in coconut milk, coconut oil, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth and incorporated.
  4. Add in cassava flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Blend until well incorporated and smooth.
  5. Add in chocolate chips, gently pulse until mixed into batter then pour into prepared loaf pan. Batter will be slightly thick. Smooth out the top, and bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mainly clean (crumbs are okay.) Alternatively, I also baked this at 375F for 50-55 mins. Totally your call.
  6. Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Using a sharp knife, gently cut around edges of the bread to remove from the pan.
  7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then slice and serve!
Notes
  1. *Feel free to add in chopped nuts or seeds or even dried fruit.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Cacao Coconut Almond Butter Cups (Keto, High Fat & Sugar Free)

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I’ve been obsessed with making fat bombs. Mainly because I love spending time recipe creating, but also because I want to be able to enjoy something sweet every now and again without a boat load of sugar. 

Enter these fat bombs. 

They are high fat and sugar free. Now of course, you can always add in more sweetness if you like as cacao can be slightly bitter, but I much prefer them without the sweetness and the extra guilt. 

Not to mention the insane cravings that start to follow once you consume too much sugar. Ever notice that? You go sugar free or low carb for a while and then – BAM – one bite of a sweet cake or cookie or piece of bread and your cravings come back full force?

It’s normal. Sugar triggers pleasure receptors in your brain, which cause you to want more and more and more. 

This is why I like to keep my sugar intake very low and my fat intake high. It keeps my sugar cravings at bay, it helps to balance my blood sugar, it keeps my brain fuelled and it provides me with lots of energy. Plus, fat is incredibly important for hormonal health. 

Fats are structural components of some of the most important substances in the body, including prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances that regulate many of the body’s functions.

You need fats because they regulate the production of sex hormones, which can often be the reason why some teenage girls and women in general can experience amenorrhea (no period). 

So if you’ve been hesitant about including fats in your diet, don’t be. Just be sure to choose the right kinds, such as: coconut oil, ghee, grass fed butter, animal fats (ideally from organic, grass fed, pasture raised animals), olive oil, avocado oil and avocado. 

I hope you enjoy these yummy fat bombs as much as we do. We keep a bunch in the freezer all the time for a quick grab and go snack or treat. I originally made these for my trip out to Banff. I wanted to have something healthy and high fat to fuel me while on the plane. 

Originally, I made these without the almond butter and they were great, though a little more on the bitter side. As a note – the almond butter does mean they will melt quicker, so just an FYI if you do plan on traveling with them.

I also used my new silicon molds which I’m obsessed with. They are amazing for baking as nothing sticks to them, plus they are reusable.

You can click here to get them on amazon. I also got the mini silicon baking molds. These were great for my Chocolate Cherry Fat Bombs. 

I highly recommend them for all your baking necessities 🙂 Enjoy and happy baking!

 

Cacao Coconut Almond Butter Cups (Keto, High Fat & Sugar Free)
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Ingredients
  1. 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
  2. 3/4 cup cacao butter, cut into small chunks
  3. 2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee (I like the vanilla ghee from Lee's Ghee)
  4. 3 heaping tbsp almond butter (crunchy or smooth)
  5. 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  6. Pinch of sea salt
  7. 2 tbsp lakanto or swerve, optional (you can add more or less depending on the amount of sweetness you prefer. Liquid stevia would work well too).
  8. 1/2 cup coconut chips, roughly chopped or broken into small pieces (chopped nuts would work well too)
Instructions
  1. Line a large muffin pan with silicon liners.
  2. Over a double boiler, melt cacao butter and coconut oil or ghee together.
  3. As they start to melt, add in almond butter and cacao, gently stirring everything together.
  4. Add in vanilla extract, sea salt and sweetener of choice.
  5. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in coconut chips.
  6. Pour into silicon muffin molds. I filled mine just over 1/4 of the way. I didn't want them to thick.
  7. Place in the freezer for 1 hour to set. Then remove from freezer when ready to eat. If using the silicon molds, they pop right out of them with ease!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Grain Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Vanilla Brown Butter Ghee

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I love me a good muffin and I love me some pumpkin! 

I remember in my teens, when I was semi-health-conscious (or at least trying to be), I would pick up whole wheat or bran muffins from the grocery store thinking they were healthy.  I thought I was doing my body good – giving it some good fibre and choosing what I thought was a healthy breakfast or even snack option.

Boy was I wrong.  Obviously, I know better now! Wheat = inflammation. Too many carbs = insulin resistance and blood sugar imbalances. Muffins = not a healthy breakfast option! But let’s face it, every now and again you just want to eat a friggin’ muffin, regardless the time of day or meal. 

And so, grain free, gluten free, dairy free muffins have become my saviour. And trust me when I say, the deliciousness factor is not at all lacking. These moist and fluffy muffins are full of flavour and made without any added sugar; only sweetened with banana.  I upped the ante by swapping out regular butter for Vanilla Brown Butter Ghee from Lee’s Ghee. You can grab 15% off all of Lee’s Ghee + Teas over at www.leesprovisions.com/healthyhormones with the code HEALTHY HORMONES

Anyhow, this ghee is heavenly and is the perfect addition to these muffins (but of course, regular butter or coconut oil will do, so not to worry), and it’s also delicious added to my morning elixirs! 

You can also serve these muffins up with a cup of their delicious Pink Chai tea and start welcoming in the Fall vibes.

These muffins are perfect on their own or you can dress them up with a delicious vanilla frosting or like I did – drizzled on some warmed vanilla brown butter ghee just before serving. Yuuuuuummy! 

*As a note – this batch made 12 regular large muffins + 12 mini muffins (which I baked for half the time). You can divide the batter up however you like. 

*If you’re a pumpkin lover, you might also want to check out my Mini Flourless Pumpkin Muffins here or my Chocolate Pumpkin Torte, which would make the perfect holiday dessert! And if you are looking for more delicious grain free and gluten free dessert recipes, my Healthy Holiday Dessert eBook contains over 30 amazing recipes you can enjoy this holiday season and throughout the year!

 

P.S. If you’re looking for more delicious and easy recipes, come join me inside my Healthy Hormones Recipe Club! Are you confused with all the information out there about how to balance your hormones, lose weight + support your immunity? Can’t keep up with all the different diets; Paleo, Keto, Intermittent Fasting, or which one is even right for you Get a monthly meal plan + shopping list + recipes that will help you to support your body, balance your hormones, detoxify and shed some inches in the process! Each month has a different theme (click here to read what I’ll be sharing over the next few months!) This Recipe Club is available for a super affordable price, so you can easily say YES to putting yourself first, without breaking the bank. Delicious food & zero deprivation, I promise!

Grain Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Vanilla Brown Butter Ghee
Serves 12
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 bananas
  2. 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
  3. 4 eggs
  4. 1/2 cup unsalted almond or cashew butter
  5. 4 tablespoons Vanilla Brown Butter Ghee (butter or coconut oil will work too)
  6. 1/2 cup coconut flour
  7. 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  8. 1 teaspoon ginger
  9. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  10. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  11. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  12. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  13. 1/4 cup shredded coconut
  14. 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I like enjoy life brand, which are dairy free)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with liners.
  2. In a food processor, combine bananas, pumpkin puree, eggs, almond butter and ghee and process until well combined.
  3. Add in coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and sea salt and blend until.
  4. Lastly, add in coconut and chocolate chips. Pulse quickly to combine.
  5. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups. (*My batter made 12 large muffins + 12 mini muffins - divide batter up based on your preference).
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes - until a toothpick comes out clean and tops of muffins are golden brown.
  7. Serve as is, or add frosting, drizzle with melted chocolate or brown brown ghee. ENJOY! xoxo
Notes
  1. *Feel free to leave out chocolate chips or swap for chopped nuts
  2. *Batter makes more than 12 large muffins.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Grain Free Wild Blueberry Chia Muffins

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Ok, so, my muffins look green! That’s what happens when you combine BLUEberries with baking soda. It’s chemistry people! But don’t let the colour deter you from making these delicious gems….because they are delicious.

In fact, it’s easy to transform a standard muffin into a gluten free, dairy free, low sugar, grain free treat and still have it taste delicious!

The honest truth is that more and more people are becoming conscious of ditching the grains, dairy, gluten and sugar (which is a good thing!!) and that really excites me!

Why? Because that’s what my cooking and baking is all about and that’s what my diet currently reflects.  

Of course, some sugar, dairy and gluten creeps it’s way into my diet every now and again, but it’s rare. And being able to recognize how I feel by eliminating these food culprits is enough for me to keep them out of my diet. 

With my hashimoto’s, it’s really important that I avoid certain foods that could exacerbate my autoimmunity. This is why grains/beans/legumes/gluten/dairy has gotten the boot. And trust me, it’s not easy. 

Sometimes I find myself sprinkling goat cheese or sheep cheese into my salad and on my most recent trip to Florida, grains and gluten found their way onto my plate. I thankfully ate at great restaurants that focused on local, organic and sustainable ingredients, but still… gluten is gluten. 

Wherever you are on your health journey, it’s important that you be gentle with your body. It’s important not to beat yourself up because you had a slip up, because you ate the extra slice of bread, or that your travelling endeavours made it difficult to completely eliminate your food culprits. 

Now with that said, it’s also important to recognize how badly you may feel by letting these certain foods creep into your diet. The truth is, gluten (for most people) can cause an autoimmune flare up just by one tiny BITE! 

In my case, and while traveling, I made sure to drink adequate amounts of water, get lots of sleep, take my digestive enzymes to help me break down my food better, take my probiotics, and follow my adrenal-thyroid supplement protocol. 

And this is why what you do MOST of the time is so important. 98% of the time, this is where I focus my energy – on staying well and vital, taking my supplements, moving my body, getting adequate sleep, slowing down, eating well and eliminating my food culprits. 

It’s not always perfect. It’s a process. In fact, it’s a lifelong journey and I’m in it for the long haul of experimenting, testing, eliminating, re-introducing and more importantly, enjoying the process of learning. 

As with this recipe, I’m so happy that coconut is NOT on my autoimmune elimination list (some people do react to it). These #grainfree #glutenfree #diaryfree muffins are super delicious, light, fluffy, and loaded with protein and fiber. 

1/4 cup of coconut flour (here’s the one I used here), provides close to 10g of fiber and 4g of protein. With the addition of 6 protein rich eggs in this recipe, these muffins won’t be spiking your blood sugar – which is key to supporting overall hormonal health, weight, energy and supporting your menstrual cycle. 

Now let’s eat!

P.S. –> My Clean, Lean and Green program is currently on sale and it includes delicious guilt free treats just like this, plus, quick and easy to prepare recipes to help you support your hormones and lose weight. It’s a full 21-day program with a customized meal plan guaranteed to take the overwhelm and confusion out of what to eat, when to eat and how to support your health and body. Click here for more details. 

 

 

Grain Free Wild Blueberry Chia Muffins
Yields 12
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup organic coconut flour
  2. ½ tsp sea salt
  3. 1 tsp baking soda
  4. 1/3 cup maple syrup
  5. 1 cup coconut milk
  6. 6 organic eggs
  7. 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  8. ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  9. ¼ cup chia seeds
  10. 2 tbsp shredded coconut flakes, unsweetened
  11. 1 cup wild blueberries, frozen or fresh
Instructions
  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees and line a muffin tray with liners.
  2. Combine the coconut flour, baking soda & salt in a bowl.
  3. In a bowl whisk together the milk, maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla.
  4. Add the chia seeds and blueberries combine.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
  6. Spoon the batter into the muffin tray, filling cups about 3/4 of the way.
  7. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
  8. Cool on rack and serve.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Avocado Fudgesicles

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Girrrrrllll, this is the perfect summer treat that you are gonna wanna make all.summer.long.

Summer is not only my favourite time of year because it’s hot and sunny out, but because I feel like I can get extra creative with recipes that are refreshing and healthy all at the same time. 

This delicious fudgey gems are gonna be your new fav! And they only take minutes to make. You do need to be patient and let them set for a few hours, but they are worth the wait. 

I’m sure you’ve seen your fair share of popsicles popping up on your social media feeds, and why not! Homemade popsicles are so easy to make and with just a few ingredients you can whip up a healthy treat minus the added sugars and junk you find in most store bought brands. 

Well you know that homemade and all natural is how we roll over here at Holistic Wellness. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

If you haven’t tried out my Avocado Chocolate Pudding yet (which totally doubles as a face mask), you have got to get your hands on that recipe, like now. 

I basically took that recipe and make fudgesicles out of it. I know, genius right!? 

If you’ve got little kiddos at home they won’t even know there is healthy avocado in here. There’s nothing like getting a little sneaky. And sometimes, it’s your hubby you’ve got to hide the ingredients from, not the kiddos! Hey, a healthy girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. I’m not judging!

To sweeten these gems I used BeeKeepers Raw Honey with Cacao. It was the perfect addition to these healthy treats. If you don’t have this honey, not to worry. Any raw honey will do (I love Beekeepers and Fairhaven Farms – local and sooo good!) or you can use maple syrup. 

Avocado Fudgesicles
Yields 6
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Ingredients
  1. 2 small avocados
  2. 1 cup full fat coconut milk
  3. 3 tbsp beekeepers naturals cacao honey (or maple syrup or regular raw honey)
  4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  5. 1⁄3 cup unsweetened cacao powder
  6. Pinch of sea salt
  7. Melted chocolate (optional, for drizzle)
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients into a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.
  2. Transfer mixture to popsicle tray, and insert sticks.
  3. Freeze for 2 hours or overnight.
  4. Unmold and serve (you may need to run under hot water to gently loosen out of tray)
Notes
  1. *Feel free to drizzle on some melted chocolate! I like using Giddy Yoyo chocolate with vanilla or Altereco burnt caramel chocolate
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Just last week Canada celebrated it’s 150th Birthday! And I must say, I am one lucky girl to be Canadian and live in this beautiful country. 

I grew up in Toronto and my Mother immigrated from Portugal to Canada when she was 14 years old. My dad also grew up in Toronto. He is as Canadian as they come!

Being Portugese, my mother was the first to introduce my father to fish and seafood – food he had never eaten before. They met at 19 and it was then that my dad first introduced my mom to a burger!

Growing up it was an interesting mix of food. My mother made everything from scratch and I was super lucky to have fresh, real, homemade food cooked all the time. My father on the other hand, did not cook. If dinner was left in his hands, we’d be eating kentucky fried chicken or kraft dinner. 

It’s funny because my mother literally cringed at pre-packaged food. She. Hated. It. 

But, you take the good with the bad and you roll with it.

In fact, it’s funny how things change. Growing up my mom didn’t take the easy way out – it was always about preparing fresh food at home. Nowadays, she still cooks, but she has definitely opted for more convenience then she used to. 

Myself on the other hand, I learned from my mother growing up. Prepare food from scratch. And I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

And so, these Maple Bacon Gluten Free Chocolate Chip cookies. Prepared from scratch. Using “Canadian” ingredients. I made them for my family and they were mom-approved 🙂

I personally love the sweet and salty combo. Hope you enjoy them!

 

Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields 24
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 5 slices bacon (nitrate free and organic is best)
  2. 3 tbsp maple syrup
  3. 3 cups almond flour
  4. 2 tbsp coconut flakes, unsweetened
  5. 1 tsp baking soda
  6. 1 tsp sea salt
  7. 2 eggs
  8. 1/3 cup maple syrup
  9. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  10. 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  11. 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out bacon. Using a brush, brush on 3 tbsp of maple syrup evenly across slices.
  3. Bake at 350F for roughly 20-25 minutes, until desired crispness is reached. Once cooled, break into pieces. Increase oven temperature to 375F.
  4. In a food processor add in almond flour, baking soda and salt. Combine.
  5. Then add in eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil. Combine until a dough is formed.
  6. Place dough into a bowl and add in chocolate chips and bacon pieces. Combine together.
  7. Place small balls of dough onto cookie sheet, about a tablespoon in size.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool and serve.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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No-Bake Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

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Nothing beats a no-bake recipe! I mean, does it get any easier?

I was heading into a meeting the other day and well, of course, I just had to bring something for everyone to munch on. I have a really hard time showing up to things empty handed, and so these bars were the perfect meeting snack!

And I should probably mention that I hadn’t recipe tested them before bringing them to the meeting, so everyone essentially became my guinea pig. And they were totally fine with that! I mean, who doesn’t love free food?

You can get really creative with this recipe and add or take out whatever ingredients you like! Some delicious additions would be dried cherries or blueberries, or even goji berries. If you want them a little less sweet, leave out the chocolate chips. As for the binder, I used rainforest butter. 

If you haven’t tried this delicious nut butter yet, you are missing out. It’s a blend of cashew, brazil nut and coconut and it is deeeelish! Alternatively, you can use almond butter or even peanut butter. Regardless, any nut or seed butter would work well. 

As with most recipes, nothing beats making them at home. You can control the ingredients that go in and avoid certain things such as: non-gmos, added sugars and preservatives, none of which should belong in a granola bar, let alone any recipe! 

Hope you enjoy these no-bake bars as much as I did. They didn’t last long, as is the case with most of the recipes I bake 🙂 

No-Bake Gluten Free Granola Bars
Serves 10
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup packed medjool dates, pitted
  2. 1/4 cup maple syrup
  3. 1/4 cup rainforest butter (or any nut butter you prefer)
  4. 3/4 cup raw nuts (such as pecans and almonds)
  5. 1 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats
  6. 1/4 cup dairy free dark chocolate chips (Enjoy Life Brand)
Instructions
  1. Place dates in a food processor and blend until a small ball is formed and dates are well broken up.
  2. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add oats, nuts, and chocolate chips. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking down the dates so they disperse fairly evenly throughout the ingredients. Small chunks are OK.
  3. Warm maple syrup and nut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Mix until both are melted and well incorporated.
  4. Pour over dry ingredients. Stir quickly to evenly coat. The chocolate chips will get a little melty, which is fine.
  5. Transfer to a shallow 8x8 brownie pan lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to press mixture into the pan, evenly spreading out across pan. You may need to use a spatula.
  6. Place them in the freezer to set for 15 minutes. Remove and cut into 10-12 bars. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge to keep fresh, or in the freezer for long term storage.
Notes
  1. *Feel free to add in additional nuts and/or seeds such as chia, flax or pumpkin seeds. Get creative and try out different ingredient pairings.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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The Perfect Peanut Butter Cookie

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Having a child with several food sensitivities in the house can be challenging. Especially when trying to find ready made treats, or even, when preparing treats at home.

My little man loves cookies, his favorite being peanut butter. We have tried many different store bought and bakery bought options, in a quest to find a cookie that he can enjoy without compromising his health.

Unfortunately, we always end up finding overpriced garbage or just plain old mass-produced, conveyor-belt rollin’, cellophane wrappin’, sugar laden, un-edible garbage.

Needless to say, I have spent countless hours trying to perfect the tastiest and healthiest “egg-less, gluten, wheat and refined sugar free” peanut butter cookies. Proudly I can finally say I have…

…I introduce to you the THE PERFECT PB COOKIE. They’ll never know what ingredients are missing ?

With all the amazing gluten free flours available nowadays, plus with some handy little tricks (like swapping eggs for flax eggs), there are numerous ways to turn a un-healthy cookie into a healthy one!

And the best part… your kids will never even know it! I’ve baked up so many treats for my family and they’ve all happily gobbled them up. 

As for all you moms out there who are trying to get your kids to eat healthier, I’ve found it helpful getting my kids involved in the cooking and baking process. When they see you using whole food ingredients, it just becomes second nature to them to eat those foods versus unhealthy ones. 

What you eat as a family has a profound impact on how your child not only grows and develops, but it impacts the food choices they make as they get older and learn to make their own decisions. 

From one mother to another, I hope your kids love this peanut butter cookie recipe and if peanut butter is an allergen in your household, simply swap it out for another nut or seed butter. 

Enjoy!

The Perfect Peanut Butter Cookie
Yields 12
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
MIX TOGETHER
  1. ¼ cup of coconut oil
  2. ¼ cup of natural peanut butter – I have also used almond and cashew butter, peanut is our favourite
ADD
  1. 1 Flax egg - (Mix 1 tbsp. of flax seeds & 2 tbsps. of water, and let sit for about 10 mins)
  2. ½ cup coconut sugar
  3. 2 tsp. vanilla extract
ONCE ALL WET INGREDIENTS HAVE BEEN COMBINED ADD
  1. 1 cup of gluten free oat flour
  2. 1 cup of almond flour
  3. ½ tsp. of sea salt
  4. ½ tsp. of baking soda
  5. ½ tsp. of baking powder
FINALLY ADD IN
  1. ½ cup of enjoy life chocolate chips. (If you decide to use a different chocolate make sure they are mini chips. The big ones don’t stick to the cookie dough very well)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Roll dough into balls and place onto a prepared cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Depending on how big you make them, you can get anywhere from 12-18 cookies out of this batter.
  3. Bake for 11-15 minutes.
  4. Cool for 5 minutes before devouring them!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Chocolate Pumpkin Torte (Gluten Free & Sugar Free!)

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If you’ve got Holiday Parties of ANY kind coming up, I’d like to introduce you to my famous Chocolate Torte. You’d never know that the filling contains vitamin rich pumpkin. So for all you non-pumpkin lovers, trust me, you won’t taste the pumpkin!

The best part about this torte is the leftover filling. I had quite a lot leftover, which I used for dipping strawberries into, drizzling over coconut bliss ice cream or serving with a side of fresh fruit. Bottom line, you get to be creative with the leftover filling which can lead to more recipes creations and inspirations!

IMG_9725

And speaking of meal plan + recipe creations, have you checked out my Healthy Hormones Recipe Club Yet?!

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So let’s get back to drooling over this torte…

If you’re looking to bring a dessert to a holiday party with you, then trust me, this is it! I love it when my family takes a bite of my healthy creations not knowing what the heck is in it, or that it’s gluten free. I’ve learned over the years not to say ANYTHING about what’s in my recipes until someone asks!

Especially when it comes to my non-healthy-conscious family members! They always give me weird looks when I talk about certain ingredients and often times don’t want to try something because it’s gluten free, when they have no idea what gluten free even means! 

So, I’ve learned not to say anything anymore and it works out so much better. So in case you happen to be in the same situation, keep your mouth shut and just smile nicely 🙂

So before we get to this magical creation, I must point out one very important thing! This torte is SUGAR-FREE! Yes, sugar-free! I used Lakanto, a sweetener from monk fruit that has zero calories, is gluten free, vegan, contains no artificial ingredients and best part is, it has ZERO aftertaste (unlike stevia!). 

It also has ZERO impact on blood sugar and insulin which is HUGE considering I work with diabetics and women struggling with PCOS (insulin sensitivity is associated with both these conditions). 

If you CAN’T get your hands on lakanto, which you can find now at pretty much any health food store, you can use coconut sugar or cane sugar instead. 

Enjoy the deliciousness!

 

Sugar Free, Gluten Free Chocolate Pumpkin Torte
Serves 8
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Prep Time
20 min
Prep Time
20 min
Pecan Oat Crust
  1. 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (I use Bobs Red Mill)
  2. 1/2 cup raw almonds
  3. 1/2 cup raw pecans
  4. 2 Tbsp Lakanto (or coconut sugar)
  5. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  6. 1/2 tsp sea salt
  7. 1/2 cup coconut oil, not completely melted, but soft and at room temperature
Chocolate Pumpkin Filling
  1. 2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
  2. 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  3. 1 cup Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips
  4. 4 Tbsp tapioca starch/flour
  5. 1/4 cup lakanto (or coconut sugar)
  6. 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  7. 1/4 tsp sea salt
  8. 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  9. 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, toasted coconut, dried or glazed pecans for topping (all optional0
Instructions
  1. FOR THE CRUST: preheat oven to 350 F. Place an 8 to 10 inch removable bottom tart tin on large baking sheet.
  2. In a food processor, blend together oats, almonds, pecans, lakanto cinnamon, and salt until a coarse meal forms.
  3. Pulse in coconut oil until fully combined and a loose dough is formed.
  4. Firmly press dough into tart tin. Be sure to press crust up the sides. This will help keep the filling from flowing over.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool completely and refrigerate until filling is ready.
  6. FOR THE FILLING: in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together coconut milk, pumpkin puree, chocolate chips, tapioca, lakanto, cinnamon, vanilla and sea salt.
  7. Whisk constantly until chocolate is melted (about 5-6 minutes). Continue to whisk for 8 to 10 minutes, until mixture begins to thicken and large bubbles start to pop on top.
  8. Once thick and bubbling, continue to whisk for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
  9. Strain through a fine sieve into large bowl. You want the filling to be smooth and creamy without big lumps.
  10. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave filling to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, whisk filling until nice and smooth and pour into cooled crust. Smooth out top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. You can make this the night before and leave overnight in the fridge if you prefer.
  11. Garnish with pomegranate, cherries, nuts, seeds or flaked coconut.
  12. Torte/filling comes to room temperature fairly quickly. Be sure to serve chilled for best texture.
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