Category Archives: Deserts

Chia Pudding Parfait

On its own, chia pudding* is a great treat when you are looking for something different. Something with texture and a little sweet. In this recipe, I combined the pudding with fruit to make a parfait, using raspberries and blueberries to create a red, white and blue version in honor of Independence Day.

As you will see below, chia pudding is simple to make. Use this recipe as a base and create your own yummy version. Some examples include eating the chia pudding with grain-free granola, stirring in some organic powdered cacao for a chocolate version, topping the pudding with nuts or seeds, or just enjoy it plain.

Chia seeds are packed with nutrients. Learn more about chia seeds here.

*NOTE: This recipe is high oxalate due to the chia seeds. You can substitute chia pudding with whipped coconut milk for a similar parfait effect. Continue reading →

Sweet and Tart Cake

I made this sweet and tart cake for the first time when we celebrated two birthdays at the end of February, shortly before the talk of quarantines. When Memorial Day came around and the city of Nashville prepared to start opening back up, it seemed appropriate to make it again. This time as a celebration of the future.

It is extremely easy to make. I used a gluten free cake mix, which has just the right amount of sweetness. (See below mix suggestions.) It is the glaze topping that makes it so unique – it has only 3 ingredients and two of them come from a lemon. Continue reading →

Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies

A new twist on an old holiday favorite. . . I took this classic recipe and made it my own. If you want to take some of your favorite recipes, especially those you loved as a child, and make a healthier option that is gluten-free, dairy-free and GMO-free, use this post to learn how. It is a matter of making the correct substitutions.

Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies 

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Best Icing Ever – Seven Minute Icing

When you eat GMO-free and gluten-free it is fairly easy to find a good cake mix when you do not have the time to make a special cake from scratch. However, finding an icing that is not loaded with sugar is more of a challenge. This seven minute icing is quick to make and lets you control how much sweetener to add. Instead of butter and sugar, egg whites becomes the base. It works great on single and multiple layer cakes!

Healthy Seven Minute Icing

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Tips for Baking Healthy, Gluten-Free, and Dairy-Free With Links to Substitute Ingredients

I finally figured out what I have been doing wrong all these years. I love to take classic dessert recipes and convert them into healthy gluten-free and dairy-free options. (That means GMO-free too.) But, it was not until more recently that I figured out a few secrets that took my creations to a new level.

Growing up, I was the baker in the family. Being the only girl in a family of seven, I did not have much competition, so it was often me who made the deserts and birthday cakes. Back then, to make a recipe healthier meant using whole wheat flour instead of white flour and replacing sugar with honey. I loved it.

My Experiments

Since going gluten-free and dairy-free about seven years ago, my baking wonders have not always been so wonderful. Replacing dairy ingredients with coconut versions was not that difficult, especially with all the new options that have come out the last few years. However, replacing the flour has been a little more challenging, especially when using natural sweeteners.

I have experimented will all sorts of flours. In the past, I strictly used rice flour (which is inherently gluten-free) and replaced all the required flour in a recipe with rice flour. However, the resulting treat was always too crumbly. I also tried other gluten-free flours like garbanzo bean flour and quinoa flakes without much difference.

The newest trend in gluten-free baking is to add Continue reading →

German Chocolate Cake (Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free)

For my husband’s birthday last month, I made his favorite birthday cake for the first time: German chocolate cake. His mom always made it in the past, but I was curious to see if I could make a gluten and dairy free version.

So, I offered to make the cake this year – gluten-free (GF), dairy-free and GMO-free. (I include butter as a option for those who are dairy-free but can tolerate butter.)

To be honest, I was not sure if the rest of the extended family would like it. However, it got rave reviews, which means a lot when the recipe is being compared to a classic.

I started with my mother-in-law’s classic Baker’s Chocolate recipe from Kraft and made it my own, changing out ingredients to meet my family’s needs.

Both the cake and the frosting recipes are shown below with links to the ingredient brands that I used. I was even surprised to find a coconut milk version of condensed milk. (Check out my Pantry for other wholesome and healthy brands.)

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Continue reading →

Bone Broth and Other Recipes: Thinking Ahead to Thanksgiving Dinner

“We’re really looking for more than just health of parts. We’re looking for happiness of whole.” – Shilpa Saxena, MD

When we had our big Thanksgiving dinners as I was growing up, it was my job to debone the turkey afterwards. We all looked forward to turkey sandwiches the rest of the week, but what I really enjoyed was finding the wish bone and making a wish.

If you are eating a good quality turkey this Thanksgiving, one that is free-range and GMO-free, don’t forget to save the bones and make bone broth.  Continue reading →