Healthy banana & chocolate muffins (v+gf)

I'm finally back with another recipe - yes, I am alive but university can really eat your time away! These sweet little muffins are filled with great flavor and nutrients, plus they are totally free of sugar, wheat, milk products and eggs so everyone can enjoy the famous banana-choc combination. 

Makes about 9 medium-size muffins:

*adapted from Zoe Nathan's "Huckleberry"

- 70g gluten-free blend (I'm using this one)

- 2 tbsp walnuts, roasted and ground

- 3 tbsp almond flour

- 1,5 tbsp flax seed meal

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- pinch of salt

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 3 tbsp canola oil

- 50ml honey

- 3 tbsp non-dairy milk of choice (I used almond milk)

- 3 medium-sized, ripe bananas, mashed

- 60g dark chocolate, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

2. In  a large bowl, mix gluten-free flour, nuts, flax seed, baking powde, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. 

3. Fill the prepared muffin cups with batter and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden-brown on top and set on the inside. Cool slightly before serving.

 BON APPÉTIT ! 

Ferrero Rocher energy bites (v + gf)

Super tasty and healthy snack, perfect for school, work or just whenever you feel like getting something sweet and nutritious in your mouth. 

Ingredients for about 20 chocolate truffles:

- 2 cups dates, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes

- 1 cup roasted hazelnuts, skins off (plus more to decorate)

- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

- 50g dark chocolate, chopped

1. Melt the chocolate in a water bath until smooth.

2. Blend the dates, hazelnuts and cocoa powder in a food processor until you have a nice, smooth mixture. 

3. Form the dough into walnut-size balls. Cover half of each one in melted chocolate and dip in crushed hazelnuts. Refrigerate until set. 

BON APPÉTIT !

Oregano & rosemary pumkin bread (v + gf)

Ingredients for 25x12cm pan:
*adapted from: nirvanacakery.com

- 140g (1 cup) quinoa flour or buckwheat flour
- 100g (1 cup) ground almonds
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 200g (2 cups) raw pumpkin, finely grated
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 120ml (1/2 cup) warm water
- 80ml (1/3 cup) canola oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- sunflower seeds, for topping


1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.

2. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in the pumpkin, garlic, water, oil and vinegar. The batter will be quite thick.

3. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool until serving.

BON APPÉTIT !

Pineapple, kale & peach morning smoothie

Although my love for baking goods is absolute, I would never have a piece of cake for breakfast. Every morning something in my head keeps telling me to nourish instead of going for a guilty pleasure so I often decide to make myself a smoothie. Green one, with lots of fruit. 

Ingredients for 1 serving:

- 1 cup cold water

- 2 cups kale

- 1/4 chopped pineapple

- 1 peach, cubed

- 1 tbsp chia seeds

- lemon juice (for taste)

- ice (optional)

1. Put all of the ingredients in your mixer and mix well. So simple.

BON APPÉTIT !

Peanut butter & chocolate cookies II ( df / v )

My first ever post on this blog featured a recipe for chocolate & peanut butter cookies, which are - no doubt - my favourite combination of flavors. Today I had a special job to find a way of making these beauties dairy-free (for someone allergic to milk products) and still tasting as alike as possible. All in all, I guess they turned out pretty nice!

Makes about 20 small cookies:

- 200g (7 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 180g (6.3 oz) crunchy peanut butter
- 80g (1/3 cup) sugar
- 1 free-range egg*
- 100g (3/4 cup) flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 tsp baking soda
- vanilla

*for vegan option: combine 1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 2 tbsp warm water and leave for 3-4 minutes to thicken. 


1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F.

2. Using a water bath, melt 100g of chocolate chips and leave to cool slightly.

3. Mix the sugar, peanut butter, egg, vanilla and melted chocolate until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix again to combine.

4. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. If the dough seems dry and it is hard to incorporate the chocolate, try adding a tablespoon of water.

5. Form a walnut-size balls, tranfer to a baking tray and press gently with your hand. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

BON APPÉTIT !

Strawberry amaretto crumble pots (v + gf)

Summer is pretty much here and I can't wait to load my kitchen with piles of fresh fruit and veg. But for now I am soaking up the sun and creating a thousand ways to eat strawberries.

Today I made for you a quick dessert which could as well be an individual meal. It is really healthy and you have my permission to eat as much of it as you want. 

Makes 8 small servings:

FRUIT

- 500g fresh strawberries (little ones halved, larger quartered) 

- 2 tbsp xylitol or brown sugar

- 1 heaping tbsp of potato starch

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1,5 tbsp amaretto liqueur

- vanilla

TOPPING

- 100g rolled oats

- 100g buckwheat flour

- 75g xylitol or brown sugar

- 125ml melted coconut oil 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F.

2. In a bowl, mix the strawberries with all of the other ingredients to combine.

3. Put the oats, flour and sugar in a separate bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the melted oil and rub the mixture with your fingertips to create a fine crumb. 

4. Discard the excessive strawberry juice from the bowl and tranfer your fruits to the prepared ramekins. Top with a fair amount of crumb and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

*To make your dessert fancier, try serving it with honey sweetened yogurt. 

BON APPÉTIT !

Raspberry rosewater chia pudding (v + gf)

Mornings are definitely my favourite thing. I cannot image starting the day without a moment to enjoy good food and give my body some nourishing boost. I also truly believe that breakfasts are one of the most important things for maintaining a healthy life and weight. Even when you like to snack on a piece of homemade cake from time to time ; )

Makes 2-3 servings:

- 400ml coconut milk

- 200g raspberries

- 3 tbsp honey (agave nectar for vegan option)

- 60g chia seeds

- 1 tbsp rose water

- fresh fruits and pistachio nuts for topping

1. In a large bowl, put together the milk, raspberries, honey and rose water and blend until smooth. Stir in the chia seeds.

2. Divide the mixture between your prepared bowls or jars and refrigerate overnight.

3. Top with fresh fruits and pistachios just before serving.

BON APPÉTIT !

Nutella cake (v+gf)

I love healthy sweets. Especially those with which your thoughts wander through its chocolatiness without mentioning the lack of white flour, milk, eggs and butter. While testing this recipe, I've started to recall my less successful vegan bakes and by the end I don't really know what compelled me to take up the creation of the cake free of almost everything. But with a little bit of determination something wonderful was born - an intensely moist, chocolate cake with a gentle hazelnut taste, which was a great success even among the most bitter traditionalists. 

Ingredients for 18cm cake tin:

Source: minimalistbaker.com

- 4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed + 10 tablespoons water

- 1 cup (250ml) of unsweetened almond milk

- 1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar

- 3 tsp baking soda 

- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup (honey for non-vegan option)

- 154g cane sugar 

- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

- 1 tsp vanilla extract 

- 2 cups unsweetened applesauce

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 cup of good quality cocoa

- 120g almond flour

- 50 g oat flour

- 200g gluten-free mix*

Chocolate ganache:

- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

- 230g good quality dark chocolate, chopped

- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

- 150 g powdered sugar

- 175g roasted hazelnuts, half whole, half chopped

CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/360F. Grease two small cake tins with oil and coat with flour. 

2. Mix almond milk with apple cider vinegar and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.

3. In a large bowl, combine flaxseed with water. Leave for couple minutes until adding sugar, maple syrup and curdled milk. Mix everything to combine.

4. Add apple sauce, vanilla, coconut and salt. Mix again.

5. Then stir in cocoa, flours and baking soda. If the dough seems too thick, add a little more almond milk. 

6. Separate the batter between two cake tins and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of cake will be dry. When ready, take out the tins from the oven and let them chill for about 15 minutes. After that, carefully remove the molds and put the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely. 

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1. In a small saucepan heat up the almond milk and turn off the fire as soon as it begins to boil. Pour into a bowl, add the chocolate and leave for 3 minutes to melt. 

2. Once melted, stir with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients and add coconut oil. Leave for another 10 minutes.

3. Use a hand mixer to beat the mixture adding sugar at the same time. When smooth, refrigerate for about 10 minutes to solidify. Proper ganache should be solid but easy to spread.

4. Beat the mass again and if it turns out to be too thin, add a bit more sugar.

5. Place the first layer of cake on a plate and spread approximately 1/3 of chocolate on the top. Sprinkle a handful of chopped nuts.

6. Set the second layer and use the remaining ganache to evenly coat the edges and top of the cake. Garnish with whole hazelnuts. 

* Mix together: 280g rice flour, 100 g of potato starch and 30g of tapioca starch. Store in a sealed container.

BON APPETIT!