I was on a sugar free cleanse a few months back and I had an intense craving for apple pie. As I wasn’t allowed any type of sugar, I had to figure out how to make a sugar free apple pie. Turns out, it is incredibly easy! This recipe only calls on 3 ingredients for the apple filling and only 4 ingredients for the crust. 🙂 You can also check out my post on the best Gluten Free Dairy Free Pie Crust Recipes (8 Options) for more (vegan/grain-free) crust options.
See my recipe below for how to make a sugar free apple pie. 🙂
I’ve been on a mint wave for the past couple of weeks and so this mint brownie recipe from scratch is my latest creation. 🙂
We had our first couple blind date earlier this week (my partner invited over a friend and his wife both of whom I’d never met before) and I was excited and nervous! I made a few Indian dishes for the main meal but I wanted a killer dessert. I also needed a dessert that was vegan and grain-free (there are a lot of dietary restrictions in our house currently) and wanted to use mint. Simply because I.LOVE.MINT. 🙂 I experimented with this mint brownie recipe from scratch and it was absolutely perfect.
According to our guest, “This is at least as good as a ‘normal’ brownie.” I’ll take it! This is one of those recipes that I’ll make again and again. 🙂
This bad boy is vegan, grain-free, paleo, nut-free and refine sugar free. It kind of doesn’t get cleaner (and tastier) than this. 😛
Friends, this dairy free mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe makes me so happy in my heart. 🙂 My favourite type of ice cream is mint chocolate chip and it’s always been that way. This flavour brings me back to my childhood. I imagine little Kiran eating a huge bowl full of mint chocolate chip ice cream, way more than she needed, with ice cream all over her face. Not much has changed except for the fact that now the ice cream is a dairy free mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe. 🙂
I’m a fan of all store-bought vegan ice cream options, but it’s so difficult to find mint chocolate chip. I decided to experiment with this ultra simple and easy recipe (only 4 ingredients!) without an ice cream maker. It came out absolutely delicious! I will be making this one again and again. Try it for yourself and let me know how it comes out.
Dairy Free Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe | happygut.ca
Throw all ingredients, except the chocolate chips if using, into your high powered blender (I use my Blendtec) or food processor and mix until totally smooth and you can't see any spinach pieces.
Pour the mixture into a tupperware and stir in the chocolate chips, if using.
Freeze overnight.
Notes
I didn't use an ice cream maker for this so the ice cream did turn out a bit crystalized. I don't mind this but you could probably add some coconut oil to make it creamer / use an ice cream maker.
This is the story of how this recipe for date balls rolled in coconut came to life.
I’m a lazy cook. There, I said it. I’m always on the hunt for super quick, easy and YUMMY recipes. The fewer the ingredients the better as well! I had invited a friend over for dinner and fifteen minutes before he was supposed to arrive I realized that I didn’t have dessert – yikes! It was the first time he was coming over and so one must host properly. 😛 I needed something super quick. I opened the fridge. I saw coconut and dates. Then I looked at my pantry. I saw walnuts. BAAM! A super easy, yummy and healthy 3 ingredient dessert. You are welcome. 🙂
The dessert was a hit! This one will go down as one of my favourite go-to super quick, healthy and yummy dessert recipes!
Recipe for Date Balls Rolled in Coconut | happygut.caRecipe for Date Balls Rolled in Coconut | happygut.ca
These grain free almond butter cookies are the result of my love for almond butter. I’m loving almond butter these days. Well, I love almond butter most days but because I’m currently on a zero to little grains diet, almond butter has become a staple in my pantry.
I was heading over to a girlfriend’s house and told her that I would bring dessert. I had plenty of almond butter in the fridge so decided to experiment with these grain free almond butter cookies. They turned out fabulous!
I made these flourless chocolate cupcakes with cocoa powder for my brother-in-law’s birthday last weekend (Happy Birthday Mufee!! :)) and they were a hit! Mufee has recently turned the big 4-0 (is it okay that I mention your age Mufee? :P) and so this birthday was a big deal. The family had conspired together to get Muf 40 gifts for his birthday and I was go get 6 of those 40! Yikes! That was stressful as my “love language” is definitely not gifts.
Aside: Have you guys heard about love languages? It’s very interesting! It basically says that people express love in 5 different ways – gifts, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service and physical touch. People express love in these different ways and, in turn, often expect to receive love in the same way. I, for instance, express love predominantly through acts of service (I like doing things for people, like making food! Hence, the food blog :P). After service, I probably express love through (ranking from most important to least) quality time, physical touch, words of affirmation and then gifts would be last. Because acts of service is most important and gifts is least, I am not a gift giver (or not a good one, at the very least). This also means that rather than valuing gifts myself, I would rather have people do things for me (like the dishes Irfan!).
There, now you know about love languages, I just saved you a million dollars on relationship therapy. 🙂 Just joking! I love therapy, I think everyone should go to therapy! 🙂
Okay, sorry for the rant, back to the cupcakes! Anyhow, it was Mufee’s birthday and I was to get him six gifts. As gifts is not my thang, I decided (actually Jemila, my sista from anotha motha, suggested) to make cupcakes instead. I also try to eat grain free and had some cocoa powder and so I experimented with flourless chocolate cupcakes with cocoa powder. They.were.darn.tasty. Even the unhealthy eaters liked them.
Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Cocoa Powder | happygut.ca
Makes 6 cupcakes
Ingredients for Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Cocoa Powder
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
generous pinch of salt
2 chia eggs (2 tbsp ground chia combined with 1/4 cup of water for 5-10 minutes) – or you can use 2 eggs if you’re not vegan
1/3 cup maple syrup (you can add 1/2 cup if you like, I don’t like things too sweet but if you are making for kids 1/3 cup maple syrup may not be sweet enough)
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp dairy free milk (I used almond milk)
Directions for Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with Cocoa Powder
Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor, combine the coconut flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt
Slowly add the chia mixture, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and dairy free milk
Combine until completely smooth
Prep a muffin pan with 6 liners
Use a 1/4 cup and scoop mixture into cups
Bake for about 25 minutes
Let it cool for about an hour
Add my vegan chocolate frosting (don’t skip the frosting! It’s so easy and makes it taste so so good!)
I’ve been on the search for a vegan chocolate frosting no margarine recipe for a while now! Many of the vegan frosting or icing recipes I have come across include some type of vegan margarine or butter. The thought of having a frosting with vegan margarine or butter wasn’t terribly exciting for me and so I wanted a healthier and yummier alternative.
I love coconut and try to add it to anything I make when it makes sense. I had some coconut milk handy and decided to experiment with a frosting recipe. The result? Amazingness. 🙂
This vegan chocolate frosting recipe is so good you can eat it by itself (I definitely did!). I made this to go along my flourless chocolate cupcakes with cocoa powder recipe which I made for my brother-in-law’s birthday. It was a hit!
Vegan Chocolate Frosting No Margarine | happygut.ca
Makes enough for 12 small cupcakes
Recipe for Vegan Chocolate Frosting No Margarine
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup maple syrup (you can add more maple syrup if you like but I found 1/4 cup of maple syrup amount to be the perfect amount of sweetness, although I don’t like things super sweet)
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
Directions for Vegan Chocolate Frosting No Margarine
Place coconut can in the fridge overnight (or for at least 2 hours)
Remove the coconut “meat” from the can (this is the solidified white part of the coconut milk) and place into a medium sized bowl. You can save the rest of the coconut liquid (I usually freeze it to use in other baked goods) or you can drink it!
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and whip it up with a hand mixer until completely smooth.
Spread on your goodies / eat alone.
Note that the frosting melts quickly so keep it in the fridge until right before you are ready to eat or serve it.
This paleo coconut flour naan was such an exciting discovery! I LOVE naan and grew up with amazing Afghani naan courtesy of the countless Afghani shops in our neighbourhood (thank you Toronto!). Since trying to cut down on the grains though, I am always experimenting with grain free versions of my favourite grain-filled stuff. I was surprised of how easy this paleo coconut flour naan turned out!
Paleo Coconut Flour Naan | happygut.ca
Directions for Paleo Coconut Flour Naan
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 tsp cumin, optional
1/4 tsp garlic powder, optional
*4 chia eggs (4 tbsp of ground white chia + 1/2 cup water)
1/4 cup full fat coconut milk (Full fat coconut milk from the can works best. Almond milk will also work though you may need to add more water and will have a stronger chia taste, I haven’t tried any other dairy free milks yet.)
oil, for frying
*You can use black ground chia as well but it will have a stronger chia-like taste. If you don’t have chia and are not vegan, you can use regular eggs instead. I haven’t tried it with regular eggs but I assume it will work.
Directions for Paleo Coconut Flour Naan
Combine the ground chia with the 1/2 cup water and set aside.
Meanwhile, combine the coconut flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices (if using) and mix well.
Add the dairy free milk and the chia mixture and mix well. The dough/batter should be easily spreadable but not as liquidly as pancake batter. Add some more milk/water if it’s too thick.
Heat a tbsp of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
When the pan is hot, use a 1/3 measuring cup and slowly pour the naan batter in the pan.
Use a spoon to spread out and pat the batter in a circular motion making sure to cover any holes in the batter. We want a complete naan. 🙂 Don’t spread it out too thin or else it will be like a crepe / may break. I spread my batter out to be about 1/8 inch thick.
Wait 3-6 minutes before you flip the naan to make sure it cooks completely. Wait another 3-6 minutes for the other side and continue flipping until you get some nice dark brown spots.
Remove from pan, coat with some oil, if desired and serve hot.
I am always looking for breakfast smoothies for protein and so I was so excited to write this post!
I searched far and wide for the best breakfast smoothies with protein that were also vegan. None of the recipes require protein powder (ain’t nobody got time for that! :P) and all of them are raw.
Note: The recipe makes two 16 ounce glasses. The protein of 10g is per glass.
The 10g of protein includes the 2 tbsp of chia seeds (optional in the recipe)
This vegan mushroom pate recipe is off the wall! I hosted a crazy New Years partaaay (and by crazy I mean, we had tea, meditated and had nice food 🙂 ) and made a ton of appetizers.
I got this recipe years ago from a friend and loved it when I made it but hadn’t made it in since – the audacity of me! I made it again for our New Years party and I remembered why I loved it so much in the first place. 🙂
It was a hit! Note that it does have a pate texture so be prepared!
Serves 8-10
Ingredients Vegan Mushroom Pate Recipe
4.5 cups slicked or shopped mushrooms (any type will do)
1 cup almond butter
¼ cup olive oil
1 small onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
black pepper to taste
1/2 – 1 tbsp Braggs or soy sauce (you can use salt if you don’t have either of those hand), to taste.
Directions Vegan Mushroom Pate Recipe
Heat olive oil in large frying pan/skilled on medium heat.
Add the chopped onions, garlic, mushrooms, and the 1/2 tsp salt, thyme and blackpepper
Cook it until the onion is translucent and most of the juices have evaporated.
Remove from heat.
In food processor, add the nut butter.
Add the mushroom mixture and Braggs (or substitute), add a little at a time depending on your salty preference.
