Flourless Brownies

If I had to pick a favourite dessert, I think brownies would be have to be it. These brownies are rich, gooey & delicious. They are made with 72% dark chocolate, real Irish butter and coconut sugar for sweetness. They are also gluten-free and grain-free. They are perfect party food and make for a delicious end to any meal. They are quite rich so go for smaller squares than your average brownie. They are nice served with whipped cream, coconut cream or even a little thick natural yoghurt for a hint of sour to act as the perfect foil to the sweetness of the brownies.

Ingredients:

  • 225g dark chocolate, 72% cocoa solids
  • 225g butter
  • 4 free-range eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 225g coconut nectar
  • 225g ground almonds
  • Pinch of sea-salt

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3.
  2. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.
  3. Melt the dark chocolate with the butter using a double boiler.
  4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract and coconut nectar together in a large bowl.
  5. Once the dark chocolate and butter have melted to a smooth consistency, pour over the egg mix and whisk to combine.
  6. Add the almonds and sea-salt and bring the mix together using a spatula.
  7. Pour the mix into the prepared cake tin and bake for 25-30 minutes.

 

Lemon & Poppy Seed Scones

Lemon+Poppyseed+Spelt+Scones.jpg

Some zingy scones for the weekend. They are made with spelt flour which is lower in gluten than wheat & many find easier to digest. They are sweetened with maple syrup instead of the usual white sugar so will keep you blood sugar levels on a more even keel. The poppy seeds provide a pleasing crunchy texture to offset your chosen creamy or sweet fillings. I chose homemade raspberry jam & a thick natural greek yoghurt for mine.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 350 spelt flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bread soda
  • 100g butter, cut into cubes
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 175ml almond mik
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1 egg, beaten to glaze

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 160ºC/325ºF/Gas 3. Line a flat baking tray with a sheet of baking paper.

  2. Place the flour, baking powder, bread soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and begin to rub it in to the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the lemon zest and poppy seeds stir to distribute evenly.

  3. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk and lemon juice and maple syrup. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mix, bring together to form a dough. Shape the dough into a round and roll out on a lightly floured board. Use a round cutter to cut out as many scones as you can, then bring the dough together and roll out again. Repeating the process until you have used all of the dough.

  4. Place the cut scones onto your prepared baking tray. Brush the top of the scones with the beaten egg, this will give them a nice golden colour. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving with your favourite toppings such as butter, jam, cream, fruit or yoghurt.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

The thought of jam cookies bring about warm childhood memories. This version is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and grain-free but still managed to pass the kiddy taste test. These little nuggets of joy are the perfect treat to have with a cup of tea or coffee when you are craving something sweet. I used a homemade raspberry jam made with unrefined sugar to spoon into the centre of the cookie, you could also make your own chia jam if you are looking for a lower sugar option. Health foods shop also stock low sugar jams that are sweetened with fruit and natural fruit juices.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 175g ground almonds
  • ¼ tsp bread soda
  • Pinch of sea-salt
  • 2 tbsp raspberry jam

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3.
  2. Lay a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray.
  3. Whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup & vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl mix the ground almonds, bread soda and sea-salt together.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients & stir to combine.
  6. Scoop tablespoons of the mix into your hands and shape into balls.
  7. Place these down on the prepared baking sheet and using your finger make a small indent in the middle.
  8. Spoon a tiny bit of jam into each indent, then transfer to the oven to bake for about 10 minutes or until golden. 
Jamthumbprintcookies.jpg

Healthy Flapjacks

This is a healthier version of the usual flapjack you can find in most shops and cafes. Flapjacks are seen as a healthy option, while many still contain lashings of sugar, golden syrup and margarine. This version is based on rolled oats, raisins, flaked almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut oil and sweetened with mashed banana. They are wheat-free and dairy-free and make a perfect addition to kids (and adults) lunch-boxes.

Ingredients:

  • 250g rolled oats
  • 125g raisins
  • 75g flaked almonds
  • 100g sunflower seeds
  • 2 bananas, mashed
  • 150ml coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
  2. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.
  3. Mix the oats, raisins, flaked almonds and sunflower seeds together in a bowl.
  4. Add the mashed banana and stir through.
  5. Pour over the coconut oil and vanilla extract and stir well.
  6. Tip the flapjack mix into the prepared cake tin.
  7. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Rhubarb & Oat Crumble

Crumble is a great dessert to feed a crowd. I like to make mine with an oat & almond crumble topping and vary the fruit to whatever is in season. Rhubarb is one of my favourite versions, I've thrown a handful of strawberries into this one too for good measure and perfect for this time of year when strawberry and rhubarb are in season for a short while. Enjoy it as it is or maybe with a little cream or coconut cream for those with dairy intolerances, you could also sub the butter in the topping for coconut oil.

rhubarb+oat+crumble

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

  • 900g rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into small chunks
  • 2 oranges, juiced
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 handful strawberries, hulled and quartered

Oat & almond topping:

  • 175g rolled oats
  • 100g ground almonds
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 125g butter, melted

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
  2. Place the rhubarb into a ceramic ovenproof dish with the orange juice and vanilla extract. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile to prepare the topping mix the oats, ground almonds and coconut sugar together in a bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir to combine.
  4. Remove the rhubarb from the oven and stir through the sliced strawberries. Scatter the oat topping over the top of the rhubarb, then place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden on top.

 

Blood Orange Spelt Sponge With Figs

This cake is a beauty, give it a try & feel free to substitute whatever fruit is in season. It's a basic sponge recipe with the addition of a little blood orange. I used maple syrup instead of the usual caster sugar and spelt flour instead of plain white flour. In doing this I increased the nutritional content a little. Even though I know a slice of cake is never really going to be a health food I always try and sneak in extra goodness where I can.

Ingredients:

  • 225g butter, softened
  • 200ml maple syrup
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 blood oranges, juice and zest
  • 225g spelt flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Filling/topping:

  • 250ml double cream, whipped
  • 75g pistachio nuts, chopped
  • 3 fresh figs, sliced
  • 1 blood orange, peeled and segmented

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
  2. Grease and line 2 x 8-inch cake tins.
  3. Whisk together the butter and maple syrup.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.
  5. Add the blood orange zest and stir through.
  6. Sift in the spelt flour and the baking powder.
  7. Add the juice of the blood oranges and mix well.
  8. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until golden and springy to the touch.
  9. Leave the tins to cool on a wire rack, then remove the cakes from the sandwich tins. 
  10. Lay the first layer on a plate and spread with a layer of whipped cream. Lay some fig and blood orange segments on top of this.
  11. Place the next layer of cake on top carefully.
  12. Spread some more whipped cream over the top of this and arrange the remaining fruit on top.

Quinoa & Oat Granola

Now that the weather is a little more mild my attention has shifted from warm bowls of porridge to lighter bowls of goodness, containing grains, fruit and yoghurt. I love experimenting with different combinations of grains, seeds, nuts and dried fruit to make the kind of granola which is tailored to your own taste buds. It's also an amazing way of using up all those random nut and seed packets you might have sitting in your cupboards. The recipe below is more of a guideline to show you what I used for depending on what was in my cupboards but feel free to use whatever is in yours and put your own stamp on it.

quinoa&oatgranola

Ingredients:

  • 100g quinoa flakes
  • 200g rolled oats
  • 100g cashew nuts
  • 75g sunflower seeds
  • 50g desiccated coconut
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 125g raisins

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and line a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper.
  2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the quinoa flakes, oats, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, desiccated coconut and ground cinnamon. 
  3. Melt the coconut oil and honey together in a small saucepan over a low heat.
  4. Pour the melted ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  5. Tip the mix onto the prepared baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.
  6. Leave to cool, then lastly stir in the raisins. Ready to serve however you wish, perhaps with some sliced fresh fruit and yoghurt or a splash of nut milk.
granola-7.jpg

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes you just need the crunch of a good cookie. On this occasion I was craving something chocolaty but a little healthier than the shop bought sugar-laden variety. The result was this recipe which is free from refined sugar, gluten and dairy but still tastes really good and provides that all important crunch.

Chocolatechipcookie

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200g ground almonds
  • 1/2 tsp bread soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea-salt
  • 100g dark chocolate chips

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
  2. Lay a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray. 
  3. Mix together the coconut oil and maple syrup.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla extract, whisk together gently.
  5. Place the ground almonds, bread soda, sea-salt and chocolate chips into a separate mixing bowl.
  6. Pour over the wet ingredients and mix together well.
  7. Scoop small balls of the cookie dough using an ice-cream scoop.
  8. Place these on the prepared baking tray and flatten with the back of a spoon.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  10. Leave to cool on a wire rack before enjoying.