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?

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!

Carob-Dusted Raw Power Bites (Vegan, GF, No Sugar Added)

Carob-Dusted Raw Power Bites

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These little treats are similar to my Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites, but with two major differences: sunflower seeds and carob. Sunflower seeds are anti-inflammatory, making them excellent for recovery. And unlike cacao, carob doesn’t have any stimulating properties, so you can eat these right before bed and not worry whether they’ll keep you awake.

Carob is less sweet than cacao, however, so if you like your treats sweeter but don’t want the extra sugar (stimulating just like caffeine!), you can add some stevia to the mix.

Carob-Dusted Raw Power Bites

Like the chocolate-coconut bites, these little guys are loaded with antioxidants, healthy fats, alkalizing properties, and pure deliciousness.

They’re an excellent refueling and recovery snack after a hard workout, but they’re equally good as a healthy dessert.

I make these very small: the recipe can roll out as many as 22 miniature servings. But if you’re a big fan, you can make 12 1-inch bites instead. Or double the recipe and make 24 1-inch bites

Carob-Dusted Raw Power Bites

Carob-Dusted Raw Power Bites (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added, Raw)

Ingredients for 12 regular or 22 mini servings

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 4-6 hours
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked 4-6 hours
• 3 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. + 4 Tbsp. raw carob powder for dusting
• Optional: 10 drops (or 1 packet) of stevia

Steps

1. Drain and rinse the cashews and sunflower seeds.
2. In a food processor, blend together the cashews, sunflower seeds, coconut oil, and 1 Tbsp. carob powder.
3. Hand-roll into 1-inch or 1/2-inch balls with your hands, then roll in the carob powder to dust.
4. Freeze for 15 minutes. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. 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 eat before working out?

If you run long distances, do you have a favorite snack for long runs?

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites (Vegan, GF, No Sugar Added, Raw)

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites

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

This week marks the six-week countdown to my first marathon, the San Francisco Marathon, which I’ll be running with my sister at the end of July. I’m nervous but I know we can do it well!

Training for a marathon involves, as you might have guessed, lots of running. Sometimes these are long, slow runs and sometimes they’re shorter, faster, hillier runs. 

Either way, I need to make sure I’m fueled up well every time I go out. For shorter runs, a burst of quick sugars can help. But for longer runs, it’s best to have a combination of fast sugars, protein, and fat.

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites

These energy bites are the perfect solution for a long run! The nuts provide protein for muscle repair; the coconut oil provides fat for satiety and recovery; and the dates provide carbohydrates that are quickly digested and ready to burn for energy.

Plus, they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats, and pure deliciousness.

There’s no need to buy pre-made, processed, or packaged energy bars when you can make tasty treats like these. They’re easy, fast, and exactly what you need to get you through a long distance. Stick ‘em in your pack the next time you head out on a long run and enjoy their pure, natural goodness.

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites

Chocolate-Coconut Energy Bites (Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added, Raw)

Ingredients for 12 servings

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
• 2 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Steps

1. Optional first step: soak the cashews for 3-6 hours. Drain and rinse the cashews.
2. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until well-mixed.
3. Hand-roll into 1-inch balls.
4. Freeze for 15 minutes. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Enjoy!

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

If you run long distances, do you have a favorite snack for long runs?