Almond Apple Cinnamon Bread (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

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Hello, all! How have things been with you, dear readers?

Life around here has been wonderful and busy in a good way. I’m a month into my cosmetology program and I am LOVING it! I’m learning SO much already and I’ve only just begun: everything from manis and pedis to hair cuts, styling, curling, and most recently… perms! Which: whoa. Going back to school has been the best decision I’ve made yet, and I can’t wait to share more with you once I get some killer pics.

For now, here’s more delicious bread!

This has been a weekly favorite around here!

I prefer it toasted and plain; my honey likes it with butter. Either way, it’s great for breakfast or for a high-protein, no-grain, low-carb snack that will keep you satisfied for a long time. If only the loaf lasted a long time, too! Haha.

If you’re lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s near you, see if they carry almond meal. I’ve been using one bag of it for this recipe, which is exactly 4 cups, and makes it really easy to buy.

If not, any health food store around you should carry it ~ it’s also called almond flour!

And if you make this with any changes, I’d LOVE to hear what you did! We’re always on the lookout for yummy, grain-free breads around here, so please share! Have a wonderful weekend!

Almond Apple Cinnamon Bread (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup granulted stevia or erythritol
• 4 cups almond meal / almond flour
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly incorporated.
3. Oil a 9×5 bread pan with coconut oil.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Do you have a favorite low-carb treat?

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US (and celebrating outside of the US, too)!

We are in the heart of the holiday season now, and of course that can mean a lot of tasty treats. This “breakfast” bread, of course, has nothing explicitly to do with breakfast, but it is delicious in the morning, anyway. Tastes festive! And goes great with a steaming mug of your favorite hot bevvie. (Sorry for the blurry pic below!)

It’s sweet but not overly so and wonderful toasted. It doesn’t need any toppings, but I imagine some butter (or Earth Balance) or cream cheese would be delish on it.

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Since it’s made with almond meal (aka almond flour), the carb-protein ratio is not overbalanced on the carb side. Also, both almonds and stevia are alkalizing, which helps to balance the acidifying effects of chocolate. Making this a perfectly balanced breakfast

Plus, it’s loaded with antioxidants and healthy coconut oil fat, making it the perfect start to a holiday weekend morning — or a great jump start to the Monday morning after a holiday weekend.

As we head on into “the most wonderful time of the year,” I hope you all have a very happy and healthy holiday season!

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Chocolate Breakfast Bread (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup stevia
• 2 cups almond meal / almond flour
• 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 egg substitutes (or 2 eggs if not making it vegan)
• 1/2 ripe banana, mashed
• 4 Tbsp. soy half & half (or dairy half & half if not making it vegan)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly incorporated.
3. Oil a 9×5 bread pan with coconut oil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Do you have a favorite morning treat?

Vegan Cauliflower Crust Pizza (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free)

Vegan Cauliflower Crust Pizza

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

One of the most unique and delicious dinners I’ve made recently is cauliflower crust pizza—that is, pizza crust made from cauliflower. If you’ve been reading recently, then you’ve already seen my recipe for Cauliflower Crust Pizza, which I made with egg and mozzarella cheese (and topped with my delicious Balsamic-Glazed Onions and Peppers!).

Since that turned out so well, I was eager to try a vegan version, using my recipe for Chia Egg Replacer and my favorite vegan mozzarella, by Daiya. And the result was both stunning and ridiculously delish.

Vegan Cauliflower Crust Pizza

If you are vegan, veggie, or just want to add more veg*n foods to your diet, I can’t recommend Daiya cheezes enough! They not only taste like real, dairy cheese, they also melt! I was vegan for four years and during that time, I tried just about every vegan cheeze on the market, mostly to my dismay. Daiya is like a vegan savior. Seriously, you’ve got to try it.

Vegan Cauliflower Crust Pizza

So! For this variation on the cauliflower crust pizza, all I did was swap out the egg for chia egg replacer and the mozzarella for Daiya. Once the crust was cooked, I topped it with some chopped peppers and arugula… and more Daiya. Then broiled it for 5 minutes and chowed down!

I’m super-happy to say this variation was a total success. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for anyone seeking a healthy pizza! It’s just an added bonus that this one is totally vegan AND totally grain- and gluten-free. Enjoy!

Vegan Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Vegan Cauliflower Crust Pizza (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium head cauliflower
• 1 chia egg replacer
• 1 cup mozzarella-style Daiya vegan cheeze
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried or fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. dried or fresh basil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Chop cauliflower into chunks. In a blender or food processor, pulse the cauliflower until “riced” or very small pieces. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a grater.
3. Sautee the cauliflower in a tiny bit of olive oil in a large skillet for 6–8 minutes or until translucent.
4. Transfer the cauliflower to a medium bowl. Mix in all the other ingredients and stir well.
5. Spread the mixture on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or a pizza stone if you have one. Form into a circle if you’re feeling traditional
6. Bake at 400F for 25–30 minutes until golden.
7. Remove from the oven and add your toppings.
8. Broil for 5 minutes.
9. Cool 2–3 minutes, then cut and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Have you ever made a cauliflower crust pizza?

Do you have a favorite pizza topping?

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free)

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

Over the past few months, I’ve seen many variations on recipes for cauliflower crust pizzas—that is, pizza crust made from cauliflower! At first, I thought it sounded blah. Cauliflower is a pretty boring vegetable; I couldn’t imagine it making a yummy crust. But after a while, it stuck in my brain and I realized I couldn’t knock it till I tried it. Plus, I couldn’t resist the idea of a totally grain-free, gluten-free pizza. How 2012!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers

Turns out the crust is not JUST cauliflower: it’s mixed with shredded mozzarella, egg, and spices. I’m sure you could make a vegan version very easily, too! In fact, it’s something I’m definitely going to try—just replace the cheese with Daiya and the egg with chia egg replacer. For a delicious sauce/spread, you could even try my vegan cashew cheese! YUM. That’s next on the list!

For my very first attempt, though, I stuck with a blend of recipes I found online (Pinterest and other food blogs, mostly). You make the crust first, then top it with your, er, toppings, and finally broil it. So your veggies (and meat, if you’re including it) have to be cooked beforehand, which is why I decided to go with balsamic glazed onions and peppers. Plus more shredded mozzarella

Step 1: chop your cauliflower

Step 2: rice your cauliflower

Step 3: mix your ingredients

Step 4: form your crust

Step 5: bake your crust

I basically loaded up the crust super-duper heavy, and we ended up eating the pizza with forks. But I’m a Chicago girl by birth, and deep-dish pizza is in my blood. So, what can I say? In the future, though, I’d like to try a “lighter” pizza. In fact, the crust alone would be just great!

As with any pizza, there are a gazillion ways you can customize this with various toppings and cheeses (or cheezes). If you try it, I’d love to hear what you did! And as soon as I make a vegan version, I’ll be sure to post some pics of that, as well.

Step 6: load up your toppings. I love this sauce!

Step 6: load up your toppings

Step 7: broil for 5 minutes

I apologize for the lighting in the photos, but sometimes you just have to work with what’s available

Recipe for the crust is listed first below… Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers is after that. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium head cauliflower
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried or fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. dried or fresh basil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Chop cauliflower into chunks. In a blender or food processor, pulse the cauliflower until “riced” or very small pieces. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a cheese grater.
3. Sautee the cauliflower in a tiny bit of olive oil in a large skillet for 6–8 minutes or until translucent.
4. Transfer the cauliflower to a medium bowl. Mix in all the other ingredients and stir well.
5. Spread the mixture on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or a pizza stone if you have one. Form into a circle if you’re feeling traditional
6. Bake at 400F for 25–30 minutes until golden.
7. Remove from the oven and add your toppings.
8. Broil for 5 minutes.
9. Cool 2–3 minutes, then cut and serve immediately. Enjoy!

 

These balsamic glazed onions and peppers are simply superb as a pizza topping! They’re super-easy to make but they taste expensive, if you know what I mean

Step 1: slice your onion & pepper very thin

Step 2: sautee for 7 minutes

Step 3: add balsamic, water, and sugar

Step 4: simmer for 30 minutes; uncover, simmer for 15 minutes more

Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 large orange bell pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. sugar

Steps

1. Slice the onion and pepper into thin strips.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil.
3. Add the onion and pepper strips and sautee until soft, about 7 minutes.
4. Add the water, balsamic, and sugar and stir gently.
5. Cover partially and simmer 30 minutes.
6. Uncover, and simmer 15 more minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
7. Add to your pizza… or to salads, sandwiches, burgers… Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Have you ever made a cauliflower crust pizza?

Do you have a favorite pizza topping?

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies

To see all recipes, scroll to the top and click on Recipes or just click here!

These delicious little treats were inspired by the Peanut Butter Graham No-Bake Thumbprint Cookies over at Little Bitty Bakes, with one big change: they’re baked! Actually, I made two versions, one baked and one no-bake. They’re both scrumptious, but my sweetie and I both liked the baked version just a teensy bit better.

PB&J Cookies: No-Bake Version

Remember, though, that we live in San Francisco, where the temperature rarely peaks above 70F, even during this Hottest Summer on Record. If you’re in any other part of the US right now, you’re probably scorching, and the thought of turning on your oven makes you want to scream. In that case, go for the no-bake version! They truly are tasty.

I would love to try these with almond butter or sunflower seed butter. Crushing the graham crackers also gives me some ideas for other “crushable” foods that would make a good cookie base, like Rice Krispies, perhaps, though I’m not sure how much nut butter they would soak up. Guess I’ll just have to try!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies (baked)

With just 4 ingredients, these are incredibly easy to make and in a very short time, you’ll have a yummy batch of cookies ready to share. If you try these or a variation, I’d love to hear your results!

UPDATE 8/17/12 9:44am: I originally called these vegan because I personally don’t consider honey vegan ~ although I know many people do. So… vegan or not, they’re still yummy!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies

Ingredients for about 2 dozen cookies

• 2 cups crushed graham crackers
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup honey
• Jam / jelly / preserves in your favorite flavor

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (or skip this step!).
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, and honey.
3. Hand-roll into 1-inch balls with your hands, place on a cookie sheet, then flatten each one slightly. Press your thumb or index finger into the center to make an indentation.
4. Spoon jelly into the indentation of each cookie.
5. If you’re making the no-bake version, stick in the fridge for 1-2 hours to firm up. Otherwise, bake for 8 minutes.
6. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes to firm up. Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Is it scorching hot right now where you live?

Do you have a favorite baked or non-baked cookie recipe? Share it!