Paleo Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

I stumbled across this Paelo Chocolate Peanut butter Fudge recipe while I was searching Paleo recipes. I am trying to clean up my diet and it doesn't help that I have a massive sweet tooth.

This fudge is incredibly smooth and creamy but still a bit bitter. It's not super sweet. You must store this is the fridge because it will melt. It's delicious when it melts in your fingers. I love licking melted chocolate from my fingers.

I can't find where I got this Paleo Chocolate Peanut butter Fudge recipe. Originally it was a sesame butter fudge but since I had peanut butter on hand just used that instead.

Paleo Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

Ingredients
100 gms dark chocolate broken into pieces
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 Tbsp Maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia

Method
In a microwave safe bowl, add all the ingredients.

Microwave for 30 seconds, then remove and stir.

Microwave again for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat this process until the mixture is smooth. It only takes about 1-2 minutes total.

When it’s smooth, pour into a slender loaf tin.

Place in the freezer to firm up, about 1-2 hours.

After its solidified, cut into squares and transfer to fridge.

Homemade Granola Recipe

This delicious homemade Granola recipe comes courtesy of the Wheat Belly Cookbook. My choice cook book of the moment.

I am trying this wheat free diet and so far so good. That means that this recipe is grain free but it is still filling with all those nuts and seeds.

I used maple syrup which I know the good doctor disapproves of but not so much that he does recommend it in other recipes.

Anyway the syrup he suggests for this homemade granola recipe is hazelnut syrup which you can get in major supermarkets in the coffee section. I thought it would be impossible to find so didn't even bother. My mistake.

This is incredibly delicious especially with the maple syrup it gives this homemade granola a delicious sweet flavour and toasting it is genius. It's incredibly tasty. I have mine with almond milk. Divine.

Homemade Granola Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup raw cashew pieces
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup


Method
In a large bowl combine cashews, pumpkin seeds, almonds, chia seeds, coconut and cinnamon.

Add the oil and syrup and mix until well combined.

Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet in a 1cm or 1/2 inch thick layer.

Bake for 10 minutes at 180C/350F then stir.

Bake for another 10 minutes or until golden.

Healthy Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

Is there such a thing as healthy chocolate chip cookies? Yes there is. It's this Paleo Chocolate Chip cookie recipe I got from the Wheat Belly Cookbook.

These are wheat free, dairy free and gluten free chocolate chip cookies. They are also incredibly filling. I find eating two is enough for a while. It helps that they are made from almond meal and not flour which is quite filling and nutritious.

I am aiming for a wheat free diet and so far I am feeling a whole lot better. I noticed a lot of other people who have been on this Wheat Belly diet have lost a lot of weight. So far I have lost none. Maybe I have been indulging in too many of the healthy bakery recipes!

Here's hoping some of this Christmas weight gets going soon as I would like to start fitting into my clothes again! Yes I went a bit too far last Christmas. I will make sure next Christmas I will be more restrained.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups almond meal
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
¼ cup coconut oil melted
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
¼ teaspoon liquid stevia
100gms dark chocolate chips (I used Nestle Dark Chocolate Bits)

Method
Preheat oven to 170 C or 350 F. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

In a large bowl whisk almond meal, baking soda and salt.

In a small bowl whisk together eggs, coconut oil, coconut milk vanilla and stevia. Stir into flour mixture until combined. Stir in the chips.

Drop heaped tablespoons onto the baking sheet. Using a spoon or the bottom of a glass and press each cookie out to 1cm or ½ inch thickness.

Then assemble chocolate bits on top of cookies. (optional)

Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Pecan Brownies - Dairy Free, Wheat Free, Gluten Free

These are the best brownies in the world! The basis of this Pecan Brownie recipe comes from the Wheat Belly Cookbook by William Davis MD. The brownies are wheat free, soy free,  gluten free and dairy free but incredibly moist and delicious.

Gluten free recipes are all the rage and this is a great recipe for gluten free brownies. 

I changed it a bit because the original recipe is Mocha Walnut Brownies but since I don't like coffee and walnuts upset my stomach I changed it. This recipe also called for butter bit since I am lactose intolerant I used coconut oil which is an excellent substitute.

These brownies are made with chocolate chips because that is what I had in my pantry but any type of dark chocolate is fine.

I also halved the recipe as I thought they would be my little stash but a friend had a BBQ so I took them along and came back home with an empty container!

To say they were a big hit is an understatement.

Pecan Brownies

Ingredients
100gm dark chocolate
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia
2 eggs
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 tablespoons almond meal
1/4 cup chopped pecans


Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

In a large glass bowl combine the chocolate and coconut oil. Microwave on high for 1 minute stirring halfway through the cooking time.

Whisk in eggs one at a time blending well after each addition. Whisk in the coconut milk and vanilla.

Stir in pecans and almond meal until well blended.

Pour into lined and oiled loaf tin and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.


Note: You can get coconut oil from large supermarkets. I got mine at Woolworths. It was just under $6 for a glass jar which was in the Asian food section.

Almond meal is easy and cheaper to make if you grind raw almonds in a food processor yourself. Once you have made your almond meal they begin to oxidise so make sure you only make what you will use. If they oxidize outside they will also oxidise inside your body.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Bread

 

I made this Peanut Butter Bread which is wheat free as I have decided to go on a wheat free diet after pigging out too much during the holiday season and having put on a lot of weight.

So on my travels searching through the internet for healthy cook books I came across Wheat Belly Cookbook by William Davis MD.

Just from eliminating the wheat products I have in my pantry I feel heaps better, have lost a bit of weight and my body feels firmer not so much jelly wobbling!

Since I need to buy some new ingredients to make some of those recipes I searched for a bread I could make that contained ingredients I already had in my pantry and found the Peanut Butter Bread which came from 24-7 Low Carb Diner.

You can see from the recipe below that it doesn't have any yeast or flour like products. It doesn't need it. Not sure how it works but it is super quick, super simple and super easy to make. It tastes delicious too and you can make sandwiches from it.

I used slices of the Peanut Butter Bread to dip into my poached egg and it was delicious and even better I had no problems with bloating afterwards. I will be making this from now on.

Let me know if you have made the Peanut Butter Bread and what you think about it.

Peanut Butter Bread

Ingredients
1 cup natural peanut butter, smooth
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method
Blend peanut butter and eggs until smooth.

Add in remaining ingredients.

Pour into a sprayed loaf pan and smooth the top.

Bake at 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Let cool before slicing.


 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe comes from the Taste archives. It is moist, rich and delicious. 

I ground my own almond meal by putting almonds through a blender. I prefer to keep the skins on. I think it adds to the flavour and also has more nutrients. You can also buy it in packets if you don't want to make it yourself. 

The recipe also calls for the Flourless Chocolate Cake to be baked in a water bath as the picture shows above. 

Do not think it is difficult or time consuming as it isn't. All you need to do is find a roasting pan bigger than the tin you are using put your tin in the pan then fill the pan halfway up. It is just one step.

I am guessing this step is used to make the cake lighter and more moist. It's like a fluffy cloud. I really like this Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe and I hope you do to.

Served with Coconut Ice Cream you can't go wrong. They are an incredible combination together. You can never go wrong pairing anything with chocolate can you? 

Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients

Milk free margarine
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup hot water
100g almond meal
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 eggs, separated

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 22cm (base measurement) cake pan or a loaf tin with milk free margarine spread to lightly grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Combine the cocoa powder and hot water in a medium bowl.

Add almond meal, sugar and egg yolks to cocoa mixture and stir until well combined.

Use an electric beater to whisk egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Use a metal spoon to fold a spoonful of egg whites into cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Place cake pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the side of the cake pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven allow to cool a few minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool and enjoy.


Nutritional Information
Energy                          725kJ

Fat saturated                 1.50g

Fat Total                       10.00g

Carbohydrate sugars        -

Carbohydrate Total      15.00g

Dietary Fibre                1.50g

Protein                          7.00g

Cholesterol                      -

Sodium                             -

Coconut Ice Cream

I made this Coconut Ice Cream because I have been hearing so much about how good coconut products are for you.

This recipe comes from Kora Organics and is simple to make yet really delicious. I made this Chocolate Flourless Cake to go with the ice cream and what a dream pairing they are. It is a decadent treat. Both recipes are dairy free.

You will absolutely love this Coconut Milk Ice Cream with it's rich texture and incredibly fragrant aroma with the vanilla paste, cinnamon and the coconut too. 

Don't have too much as the coconut milk is high in calories but still very good for you. Naughty me I drizzled a little honey over the top but really it wasn't needed as the combination is rich on it's own.

Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients
2 x 400ml cans full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup honey or agave
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Method
In a medium large bowl whisk all the ingredients together until well combined. (Make sure the honey is fully blended with the coconut milk)

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufactures instructions. When the ice cream is done place in a freezer proof container with a lid to set for a few hours.

You can also eat it right away but it will be more like soft serve.

Note: You can also make this ice cream without an ice cream maker. Just mix all the ingredients together in a glass or stainless steel bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a lid (I prefer a lid), and place in the freezer.

Remove the bowl from the freezer every hour and mix with a fork and place back in the freezer. The ice cream is ready when it is as thick and creamy as you desire which usually takes a few hours.

Microwave Sponge Pudding Recipe

This microwave Sponge Pudding recipe is absolutely delicious. It is so quick and easy to make and it does actually feed four people!  It's even better with a scoop of lactose free vanilla ice-cream. YUM!

Microwave Sponge Pudding Recipe

Ingredients
60 g milk free margarine
60 g caster sugar
1 medium egg, beaten
2 tbsp rice milk or similar
60 g self-raising flour
2 tbspns honey

Method
1.In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
2.Stir in egg and milk gradually.
3.Sift in flour and fold gently.
4.Put the honey into a heat-proof bowl.
5.Pour in the milk mixture.
6.Cook covered for 3 minutes on full power.
7.Serve warm with custard or ice-cream.


Tip: You can also use stewed apple, jam or golden syrup in place of the honey.

Christmas Pudding Bombe

This Christmas Pudding Bombe is a recipe I got from Jamie Oliver - not personally. He had it on one of  his Christmas specials but called it a Winter Pudding Bombe. Well Christmas is during summer in Australia so I renamed it Christmas Pudding Bombe.

There will be milk in the panettone and also in the chocolate. You can use milk free chocolate if you like.

It looks difficult to make but is actually very easy and you can do it all in 30 minutes.

Christmas Pudding Bombe Recipe

Ingredients
1 litre lactose free ice cream
1 kg panettone
125 ml sherry
half a small jar of strawberry jam
25 g shelled pistachios
75 g tinned sour cherries, drained
40 g glacé fruit thinly sliced
1 orange peeled and sliced into rounds
200gm good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), bashed up


Method
Get your ice cream out of the freezer so it can soften a little while you get things ready.

Line a 2 litre pudding bowl with 3 layers of cling film. Use a serrated knife to slice four 2cm thick rounds off of your panettone then cut them in half. You'll have some panettone left over, so keep this for another time.

Arrange six of the slices in a single layer around the bowl and push them down if they overlap. Drizzle some sherry around the sponge so it soaks in, then use the back of a spoon to smear the jam over the sponge.

Add 500ml of ice cream to the bowl and use the spoon to spread it around in a thick layer. Sprinkle in the pistachios, cherries and glacé fruit then layer the orange slices on top. Add the rest of the ice cream. Spread it out, working quickly so the ice cream doesn't completely melt. Put the rest of the panettone slices on top of the ice cream, drizzle over some more sherry then cover the bowl tightly with cling film. Press a plate down on top to press everything down, then freeze overnight, or longer.

When you're ready to serve it, put the chopped up chocolate in a bowl and get that over a pan of simmering water on a really low heat. Leave the chocolate to melt while you unwrap your pudding bombe and carefully turn it onto a beautiful serving dish. Add a few shavings of orange zest to the chocolate and when it's nicely melted, pour it over the top so it oozes down the sides and looks delicious.

Enjoy!

Fruit Bread

I was searching for a fruit bread recipe because I had a lot of mixed fruit left over from making my Christmas puddings last year. I found the recipe in one of my favourite little cook books - One Bowl Allergy Free Baking by Linda Bosnic.

The recipe in her book is a Sultana Loaf but instead of using one cup of sultanas I used as much mixed fruit as I could in the cup.

This fruit bread recipe is incredibly easy to make and delicious. It will become a favourite I assure you.

 Fruit Bread Recipe

1 tbspn Nuttelex or other dairy free spread
1/2  cup sultanas
1/2 cup currants
1 heaped tbsp mixed peel
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cups self-raising flour

Stir Nuttelex, mixed fruit, sugar and water in a medium saucepan over heat until boiling then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour into mixing bowl to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a loaf tin with non-stick baking paper.

Add flour to cooled mixture and combine well.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into loaf comes out clean.

Cool in tin before turning out onto wire rack. 

Cut a slice and spread milk free margarine and enjoy. This fruit bread is absolutely delicious fresh out of the oven with the melted margarine. Also try it toasted.