Chocolate Chip Tahini Blondies (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Low Sugar)

AHHHHHmazing!

That’s what I’ve got to say about this recipe! These gluten free, grain free gems are absolutely delish, and loaded with healthy fat, protein, and fibre. I keep all my dessert recipes very low to no sugar, so if you’re looking for healthy holiday dessert recipes, you’re in the right place.

You can join my FREE 5-Day Sugar Detox challenge for lots of sugar free and healthy recipes HERE.

Now, tahini is the star of the show in this recipe. Not sure what Tahini is?

It’s ground sesame seeds made into a paste. Just like almonds ground into almond butter. Tahini is loaded with plant based calcium, which means it offers up some bone protective benefits. If you don’t have tahini on hand, you can swap it out for almond butter or sun butter. Both would work well!

If you’re looking for a delicious and healthified treat to serve up this holiday season, whip up a batch of these blondies!

Chocolate Chip Tahini Bars
These gluten free, grain free gems are delish. I keep all my dessert recipes very low to no sugar, so if you’re looking for healthy holiday dessert recipes, you’re in the right place
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup almond flour
  2. 2 tbsp coconut flour
  3. 1 scoop vanilla collagen creamer from Vital Proteins (optional)
  4. 1 tsp baking soda
  5. 1/4 tsp sea salt
  6. 1/2 cup tahini
  7. 1 egg
  8. 1/3 cup monkfruit (I use Lakanto)
  9. 1/4 cup maple syrup
  10. 3 tbsp coconut oil
  11. 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 2 tsps if not using vanilla collagen)
  12. 1/3-1/2 cup Lilys Sweets dark chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 brownie pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl combine flours + collagen + baking soda + salt and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together tahini + egg + monkfruit + maple syrup + oil + vanilla.
  4. Add to the dry mix and stir until all ingredients are well combined.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips, then spread into brownie pan.
  6. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until the edges get slightly golden brown.
  7. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pie with a Vanilla Honey Graham Gluten Free Crust

It’s Thanksgiving long weekend here in Canada and I’m about to get my bake on! And of course, get cooking too! Truth is, I don’t truly need a reason to bake something special. Baking is a creative outlet for me, and if you’ve been following me over on Instagram @holisticwellnessfoodie – then I’m sure you’ve seen many of my baking creations. 

The thing is, pumpkin pie is not really a favourite of mine. I love baking with pumpkin and you can find many pumpkin dessert recipes on my site, like these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, or my Spice Pumpkin Loaf.

But, pumpkin pie – not my thing. So this year, I had the intention of making a pumpkin pie because well, everyone else in my family loves it, but I wasn’t too excited about it. And then I was going to make a peanut butter pie and thought to myself… “why not just combine the two together? Brilliant!”

And so, my Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pie recipe was born. It’s also damn easy to make and no-bake too.

A few other recipes I’ll be cooking up this weekend include:

My Brussel Sprout Walnut Salad with Bacon (this recipe is in my NEW book, which I will release details about VERY soon!)

Keto Stuffing (I’m using Thornbury Keto bread – and this will be a first. So we’ll see how it turns out)

Pumpkin Marshmallow Almond Butter Rice Krispie Squares (this is also a first and not something I would typically make. I came across pumpkin marshmallows at Natures Emporium and had the urge to try them)

We’re also making my Roasted Turkey Thighs with Fresh Sage and Melted Butter – another recipe you’ll find in my book. This is G’s favourite and to be quite honest, it’s much easier to cook than a turkey.

It’s potluck style, so friends and family are filling in the gaps elsewhere. 

Whatever you get up to this weekend, Thanksgiving or not (for my US friends), I do hope you’ll find the time to do the things you love most, eat some delicious food and bake up my deeelicious Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pie. Be sure to tag me over on Instagram @holisticwellnessfoodie and let me know how you like it!

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! 

*As a note – I do suggest you add parchment paper to your pie dish. I didn’t, so I couldn’t remove the pie from the dish and had to snap photos of it with the dish. Or, use a springform pan. 

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pie
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 15 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. VANILLA GRAHAM COOKIE CRUST
  2. 2 boxes Enjoy Life Vanilla Honey Graham Cookies (you'll need roughly 25 cookies)
  3. 1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
  4. PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN FILLING
  5. 3/4 - 1 cup creamy peanut butter (if you prefer more of a peanut butter taste, go with 1 cup)
  6. 3/4 - 1 cup organic pumpkin puree (again, your preference here on how much you'd like to use)
  7. 1/2 cup full fat coconut cream (from the can)
  8. 2 tablespoons monk fruit (or coconut sugar)
  9. 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  10. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  11. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. In a food processor, pulse the cookies until they are ground into a flour like consistency.
  2. With food processor running, slowly pour in melted butter.
  3. Pulse a few times until all is combined, then pour crust into a parchment lined pie dish (roughly 9-inch in size). Using your fingers, press the crust into the dish and slightly up the sides.
  4. *Keep some of the crust in the food processor. This will combine with the filing and add a nice crunch. Also, keep some aside to sprinkle on top of pie or use any leftover cookies and crumble over pie.
  5. Place crust in the freezer to set and begin making the filling.
  6. Add all filling ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth and well combined.
  7. Pour on top of crust, sprinkle with shredded coconut and cookie crumbs and place in the freezer to set for 2 hours.
  8. To serve, leave pie out on counter for 30 minutes to come to room temp. Garnish with a dollop of coconut whip and serve!
Notes
  1. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or covered, in the freezer for up to 2 months
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Banana Cake with Coconut Chocolate Frosting

I feel like it’s been a while since I posted up a delicious recipe. Truth is, it HAS been a while and I’ve been one busy girl. I was super busy preparing and prepping for my newest online program, Healthy Hormones for Women and in all honesty, I got busy taking care of me. 

As you know, I’m on a mission to heal my hashimoto’s and a part of that healing journey is slowing down and not filling my plate up with so much stuff – which is much easier said than done. I’m sure you know what that’s like!

In fact, I have so many new and delicious recipes to share with you that I haven’t even had a moment to post them. But this amazing grain free, gluten free Banana cake couldn’t wait another minute!

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you for a few reasons:

  1. This cake is insanely delicious and light
  2. It’s grain free and gluten free – yay!
  3. It’s incredibly easy to make
  4. The coconut chocolate frosting is the best thing in life – like ever!

You know I am a baking enthusiast right?! Especially since being more conscious about grains, baking has taken on a whole new level of creativity. And truthfully, with the amazing selection of gluten free and grain free flours nowadays, it isn’t that difficult to bake something healthy, delicious, AIP friendly and low inflammatory.

With the holidays just around the corner (I mean honestly, can you believe christmas is almost here?!), I’m excited to get back into the kitchen and bake up something sweet to enjoy with my family over the holidays. This cake is definitely a winner and I’ll be sure to bring it to our family Christmas party. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and if you’re looking for a delicious and healthy treat for your holiday parties, trust me, this cake is for the WIN! And the best part, no one will know it’s grain free and gluten free (unless you tell them of course!). Plus, topped with the Coconut Chocolate Frosting – you are sure to win over everyone’s heart. 

As a bonus, the frosting works great as a dip for fresh berries and fruits. #score

Banana Cake with Coconut Chocolate Frosting
Serves 10
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Dry Ingredients
  1. 1 cup coconut flour
  2. 3/4 cup arrowroot powder
  3. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  4. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  5. 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  6. 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
  1. 4 ripe bananas
  2. 1 cup coconut oil, melted
  3. 1/3 cup lakanto or coconut sugar
  4. 10 large organic eggs
  5. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Coconut Chocolate Frosting
  1. 6 tablespoons coconut oil
  2. 4 ounces dark chocolate (I use enjoy life chocolate chips)
  3. 1/4 cup lakanto or coconut sugar
  4. 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  5. 1/3 cup coconut cream (place can of coconut milk in the fridge for a few hours then scoop out cream from the top)
Instructions
  1. CAKE: Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 12 baking dish (I used a round baking pan) with coconut oil.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
  3. In a food processor, add all wet ingredients and combine until thoroughly combined. Once blended, add in dry ingredients and blend again. Alternatively, you can whisk the wet into the dry ingredients, but blended all together in the food processor creates a silky smooth batter.
  4. Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 37-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  5. FROSTING: In a saucepan ove medium heat, combine coconut oil, chocolate and sugar. Whisk until smooth and melted. Add in arrowroot powder and coconut cream. Which until creamy.
  6. Pour frosting into blender and blend on high for 60 seconds to create an ultra smooth and creamy texture (optional).
  7. Pour warm frosting over cake or set in the fridge for an hour to thicken up, then spread onto cake/cupcakes/or use as a chocolate dip with fruit.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Flourless Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Mini Muffins

The perfect bite sized treat, you will LOVE these muffins. 

They are so easy to make and free of grains and gluten. I whipped these up twice last week. Once because I was testing the recipe and two, because I had a girlfriend come over and not only cooked her up a fabulous meal, but I treated her to these mini muffins. In fact, I got her to whip all the ingredients together and I threw them in the oven. 

So if you ever come visit me at my house, you now know I’ll put you to work in the kitchen 😉

You’ve heard me say it before and I’ll say it again… I love pumpkin! Try my pumpkin pie smoothie recipe HERE. It’s delicious! Oh and my pumpkin waffles HERE. Yes, waffles! So yummy! 🙂 

My cat is a fan of pumpkin too. He’s really just a fan of food in general. It’s interesting some of the things I’ve seen him eat. And not because I gave it to him, but because he’s sneaky and managed to grab food off the counter and run with it under the bed. You can see him in the below photo trying to sneak some muffins!

Image 14

No onto the easiest muffins you’ll ever make. You’re kids will love them and you’ll feel like a super star for treating them to something good and without having to mess up the kitchen. Less mess is a huge bonus when it comes to baking.

Flourless Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Yields 20
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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
Ingredients
  1. 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  2. 1 cup raw almond butter
  3. 1/3 cup maple syrup
  4. 1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  5. 1 egg
  6. 1 tsp cinnamon
  7. 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  8. 1 tsp ground vanilla
  9. 1 tsp baking soda
  10. 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Grease a mini muffin pan with coconut oil or use muffin cups.
  3. Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips into a bowl. Mix until well combined, then fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Place evenly into muffin tray.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
 Check out more delicious and gluten free recipes in My Qualitarian Cookbook. It’s full of healthified treats, like my quinoa chocolate chip bars! They are a customer favourite! 

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Gluten Free Banana Chia Muffins

I had an overwhelming amount of organic bananas stocked up in my house over the weekend. So naturally, I baked!

I couldn’t decide whether to make banana bread or cookies or muffins, as the possibilities are pretty endless when it comes to baking with bananas. I finally settled on some allergen free delicious muffins. Yup…allergen free. These muffins contain no gluten, dairy or eggs. 

I decided to swap out eggs in this recipe for chia seeds, which acts as an amazing binder. Have you ever made chia gel/pudding before? Then you know what I mean by binding! Chia seeds, when soaked in water, emulsify and become rather gelly. Adding this into your baking is a great substitute for eggs, especially for vegans looking to get their bake on!

Chia seeds contain a ton of plant based omega 3’s, plus they are rich in fiber which is amazing for keeping you regular and supporting your gastrointestinal health. Alternatively, you could use ground flax for the same benefit. 

Additional alternative for this recipe:

* I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour, but you could use brown rice flour instead

* You can add in 1/3 cup coconut sugar for extra sweetness. I decided to leave the sugar out as the bananas are rather sweet. 

Banana Chia Muffins
Yields 12
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Dry Ingredients
  1. 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour (Bob's Red Mill)
  2. 1/2 cup arrowroot starch/flour
  3. 2 tsp baking powder
  4. 1/2 tsp baking soda
  5. 1/2 tsp sea salt (I use GiddyYoyo Mountain Salt)
  6. 1 tsp cinnamon
  7. 1 tsp ground vanilla bean (I use GiddyYoyo)
Wet Ingredients
  1. 2 tbsp chia seeds
  2. 3/4 cup warm water
  3. 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
  4. 1/3 cup coconut sugar (optional)
  5. 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
Add Ins
  1. 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
  2. 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life. They are dairy free)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a muffin pan with coconut oil or line with muffin cups.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together chia seeds with warm water. Mix really well and let sit for 5 minutes.
  4. Once chia mixture has gelled, add mashed banana and coconut oil and mix together really well.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine. Mix well.
  6. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips and mix until well incorporated.
  7. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes.
  8. Let cool before serving.
  9. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. I love these muffins warmed up with some almond or hemp butter. Makes a perfect afternoon treat!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/

 

 

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