For people on a gluten- or dairy-free diet, you’re good to go because the base of these bars are made with cashew butter, the perfectly healthy alternative.

What Is a Cheesecake Bar?

A cheesecake bar is exactly what it sounds like — cheesecake that has been chilled and divided into bars. This makes it easy to pass out dessert at a party or to your family, and it helps you to be aware of your portions.

My cheesecake bars are also raw, so there’s no baking required. That’s why this recipe is so simple and only requires you to throw the ingredients into a blender.

Best Cheesecake Bar Ingredients

Most cheesecakes are made with white sugar, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream and even graham crackers for the crust. Don’t get me wrong, growing up I used to love eating cheesecake, but to me it’s no longer worth the gamble. Am I going to be feeling bloated afterwards? Maybe the sugar will give me a headache or the crust will throw off my digestion.

That’s why I started making cheesecake with much simpler and healthier ingredients.

I decided to use sprouted cashew butter instead of cream cheese. Cashew butter also has a creamy texture, plus cashews are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, plant-based protein, dietary fiber, antioxidants and minerals like copper, zinc and magnesium.

Instead of using artificial or processed sweeteners, I use dates and honey for my cheesecake bars. Medjool dates are the healthiest sugar alternatives, which is why you often see them in all-natural energy balls or bars. They are undeniably sweet, but completely unprocessed; plus, they can help to lower your cholesterol, boost your bone health and prevent constipation, which is why I often use them as a pre-workout snack.

Raw honey has incredible nutritional value, most notably, it works to relieve seasonal allergy symptoms and boosts your overall immunity.

How to Make Cheesecake Bars

This is a really simple recipe. Start by adding all of your ingredients to a food processor or blender. That’s sprouted cashew butter, raw honey, fresh lemon juice, Medjool dates, vanilla extract and sea salt.

Adding lemon juice to this mixture gives it a great tartness that you get from your classic cheesecake. Make sure you use fresh lemon juice and not lemon juice from concentrate. I like to squeeze my own, but you can also find fresh lemon juice in most grocery stores.

Did you know that vanilla extract is a powerful antioxidant that can help to lower your cholesterol naturally and boost your mental health? It’s true. Try to use a high-quality vanilla extract for your baking to get these awesome benefits.

Blend the ingredients until you have a smooth and creamy texture. If your blender gets jammed up in the process, just move the mixture around with a spoon and start again.

And just like that, your cheesecake batter has been made! You can even eat it just like this, as a pudding. The last step is to spread your cheesecake mix out to make bars.

Press your cheesecake mix into a pan lined with two sheets of parchment paper — this way you can slide out the parchment from both sides when the bars are ready. Put the pan into the refrigerator for about an hour until the mixture becomes hard. Then cut the mix into square bars and they’re ready to enjoy!

Looking for other healthy snack bars? Try these recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Quinoa Crispy Bars
• Pumpkin Bars
• Lemon Bars
• Homemade Granola Bars

Cheesecake Bars Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 5 min
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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These nutty cheesecake bars are the perfect dessert because they only take five minutes of your time, yet they deliver perfectly on the creamy, sweet, tangy and salty combination. It’ll be the easiest, fanciest dessert you’ll ever make.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup sprouted cashew butter, unsalted
• ⅓ cup lemon juice
• ⅓ cup raw honey
• 4 Medjool dates
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

1. In blender, chop dates first to make sure they will integrate in the cheesecake smoothly.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients in food processor or blender.
3. Blend until smooth, then scrap into a 8×8 baking pan lined with two sheets of parchment paper
4. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
5. Slice into 12 squares and serve cold.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Blender
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 square (46g)
• Calories: 178
• Sugar: 13.2g
• Sodium: 101mg (7% DV)
• Fat: 10.6g
• Saturated Fat: 2.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 20.1g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: cheesecake bars, lemon cheesecake bars

The post Lemon Cheesecake Bars Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Well, worry no more. My edible cookie dough recipe is completely safe to eat before it goes in the oven, and it’s delicious if you decide to bake it, too. Win-win! Plus, you won’t find any unhealthy ingredients, like refined sugar, white flour or canola oil here. Only the healthiest, nutrient-rich and anti-inflammatory foods out there.

What Is Edible Cookie Dough?

The popularity of edible cookie dough continues to grow. It seems like people just can’t get enough, with shops and parlors popping up that are exclusively dedicated to serving different flavors of the stuff. I don’t blame them — we’ve been told since we’re kids that we can’t eat it, so of course we want to indulge now that it’s “safe” to do so.

The edible cookie dough recipes out there vary, with some calling for refined, white flour and conventional milk as the main ingredients. As always, I like to find the healthiest mix of ingredients possible. Ingredients that not only taste good, but help my body to function optimally, too.

How to Make Edible Cookie Dough

The base for my edible cookie dough is one cup of almond flour. I love baking (or not baking) with almond flour because it’s a gluten-free flour that boosts heart health, aids in managing blood sugar levels and works as a natural energy booster.

Next I use a half-cup of nut butter. Choose whatever nut butter you like best. I like to use a good quality almond butter because I love the taste, especially when it’s combined with our next ingredient.

The best part — chocolate. It’s necessary for an edible cookie dough recipe, and did you know that there are a number dark chocolate benefits? Dark chocolate (70 percent or higher) protects us from disease-causing free radicals because it’s one of the top high-antioxidant foods.

Add 1½ cups of good quality dark chocolate chips to the mixture. Then add in a quarter cup of coconut flour, half cup of maple sugar and a quarter teaspoon of sea salt. Did you know that adding salt to your dough makes it a little stronger and tighter? It also contributes to the overall flavor of the dough.

Only a few more ingredients left. Add in one-and-a-half teaspoons of pure vanilla extract next. This delicious dessert spice works as a powerful antioxidant, and it helps to reduce inflammation in the body, something that can be helpful for all of us.

And finally, bring in one ripe banana, which will serve as your binder for this edible cookie dough. Bananas are a great source of essential vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium and fiber.

If you just don’t like bananas very much, you have another option. Use one flax egg, which is a tablespoon of ground flax seeds mixed with three tablespoons of water. Either choice will bring the ingredients together and don’t need to be cooked, so they work perfectly for this edible cookie dough.

And after letting your mixture chill for about 10 minutes, your edible cookie dough is officially ready to eat! And, as I promised earlier, this recipe can be served two ways.

If you rather use your dough for baking cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and roll your dough into small disks that are about 1 inch in circumference and ¼ inch thick. Place your cookie disks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them bake for 15–18 minutes, until they are light golden brown.

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Edible Cookie Dough Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 28 minutes
• Yield: 20
• Diet: Vegan

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This edible cookie dough recipe is completely safe to eat, vegan and also healthy! Eat it before it goes in the oven, but it’s aslo delicious if you decide to bake it, too.

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Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana or flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons water)
• ½ cup almond butter or nut butter of choice
• 1 cup almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ½ cup maple sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips (70% or higher)
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Mix all contents in a large bowl and refrigerate until chilled, about 10–12 minutes.
2. Eat raw OR if you choose to bake, preheat oven to 350 F.
3. Roll dough into small disks, about 1 inch diameter and ¼ inch thick.
4. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until cookies are a light golden brown.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 18 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie/dough (28g)
• Calories: 121
• Sugar: 7.2g
• Sodium: 31mg (2% DV)
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 1.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 10.5g
• Fiber: 1.9g
• Protein: 2.8g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: edible cookie dough, vegan cookie dough, vegan cookies

The post Edible Cookie Dough Recipe — Paleo, Vegan and Gluten-Free! appeared first on Dr. Axe.

These are also no-bake granola bars, which means this is one chewy granola bar! If you’re looking for a great recipe for oat bars or coconut bars, this recipe has you covered on both accounts with hearty gluten-free oats and rich pieces of coconut. It’s also low in sugar with great macronutrients, unlike most. Learning how to make these granola bars is also easy as can be.

Why Are Most Granola Bars Unhealthy?

Granola and pre-packaged granola bars commonly make the list of secretly unhealthy foods for good reason. The problem with most granola bars on shelves today is that they are not made of healthy, whole-food ingredients. Instead, they are loaded with refined sugars and unhealthy fats yet low in fiber, healthy fat and vital nutrients. The source of sugar in many conventional granola bars is often health hazardous high fructose corn syrup.

The high sugar content of most granola bars, even many homemade granola bar recipes, is something you really want to avoid for the sake of your health. Consuming too much sugar is well-known to lead to weight gain, inflammation and even wrinkles.

Conventional granola bars (and granola cereal) are also known for containing unhealthy partially hydrogenated oils, which means they contain trans fat. This is a highly concerning ingredient since trans fat increase LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the body while lowering HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

This recipe completely skips the refined sugars and gets its sweetness from maple syrup and dark chocolate chips. These bars wouldn’t be the same if they were totally unsweetened plus the maple syrup helps to bind the ingredients together. If you’re not a fan of maple syrup, molasses is another natural sweetener with a similar consistency to help hold the bars together. You can also use honey but don’t heat it up, as that can create inflammatory properties.

Instead of hydrogenated oils, these homemade granola bars contain blood sugar-balancing good fat from ingredients like almond butter and coconut. Other healthy fat additions you might want to consider adding to homemade chewy granola bars or crunchy granola bars include chia seeds and nuts like pecans, almonds or walnuts.

Nutrition Facts

One serving of these homemade granola bars contain about:

• 156 calories
• 20.4 grams carbohydrates
• 2.8 grams fiber
• 7.3 grams sugar
• 6.8 grams fat
• 4.6 grams protein

You’ll note that this is perhaps the most balanced macronutrient granola bar you can find, with 20 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein. In other words, it’s much lower in overall carbs and far lower in sugar than even rival homemade granola bar recipes.

What makes this granola bars recipe healthy? Here are some of the healthy and delicious stars of this homemade granola bar recipe:

• Almond butter: When you purchase almond butter, you’re looking for one that only has one main ingredient: almonds. Almond nutrition is rich in protein, fiber, calcium, iron and many other essential nutrients.
• Oats: Oats are a wonderful source of soluble fiber, specifically a type called beta-glucans, which research has shown can help to naturally lower cholesterol when eaten regularly. To avoid any cross-contamination with wheat, rye or barley, look for oats labeled “certified gluten-free.” Puffed rice is another gluten-free ingredient that you could use along oats.
• Dark chocolate chips: Not all chocolate is created equal, so if you’re looking to get the highest antioxidant and nutrient content from your chocolate, opt for an organic dark chocolate with at least a 70 percent cocoa content or higher. The higher the cocoa content, the lower the sugar as well, so that’s another plus.
• Maple syrup: One of the best natural sweeteners, maple syrup also can help lower inflammation, supply nutrients and better manage blood sugar, all while helping to make recipes taste great.

How to Make Healthy Granola Bars

Since these are no-bake granola bars, you don’t even need to preheat the oven before you get started making this healthy granola bar recipe. This recipe also only has six ingredients — many of which you may likely have on hand already. Minus the “cooking time” (more like sitting time) in the fridge, these homemade granola bars only take about 10 minutes to make!

The first step is to add the almond butter and maple syrup to a small pot over low heat and stir until they are well combined but are not hot (this shouldn’t take long at all). Once the almond butter and maple syrup are mixed together, you can remove the pot from the heat and set it aside.

Start putting the remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Once you have everything in the large bowl, you can mix it together lightly.

Pour the warm almond butter mixture atop the contents of the large bowl.

Stir until well incorporated.

In an 8×8 baking dish greased with coconut oil, dump, pack and flatten the mixture using your hands.

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).

Cover the baking dish and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).

Slice into bars or squares, and that’s it.

Enjoy your healthy homemade granola bars!

Looking for other healthy snack bars? Try these recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Quinoa Crispy Bars
• Pumpkin Bars
• Lemon Bars
• Cheesecake Bars

Homemade Granola Bars Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 24
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Granola bars should be one of the great snacks, but nearly all store-bought and even homemade granola bars have way too much sugar and not enough good fats or protein in them. This chewy granola bar recipe fixed those problems with six healthy ingredients to produce the perfect granola bar.

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Ingredients

• ¾ cup maple syrup
• ¾ cup creamy almond butter, unsalted
• 2½ cups organic, gluten-free rolled oats
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
• ¼ cup desiccated coconut

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Instructions

1. In a small pot, over low heat, add the almond butter and maple syrup, stirring until well-combined but are not hot (this should happen quickly).
2. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients.
4. Pour the warm almond butter mixture atop, stirring until well-incorporated.
5. In an 8×8 baking dish, greased with coconut oil, dump, pack and flatten the mixture using your hands.
6. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).
7. Slice into bars or squares.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: No Bake
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar (37g)
• Calories: 156
• Sugar: 7.3g
• Sodium: 54mg
• Fat: 6.8g
• Saturated Fat: 1.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 20.4g
• Fiber: 2.8g
• Protein: 4.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: homemade granola bars, gluten-free granola bars, granola bar recipe, chewy granola bars, healthy granola bars

The post Perfect Homemade Granola Bars: Low in Sugar & Delicious appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Don’t worry, it won’t take long to make these dark chocolate delights a reality; These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies can be made in just 30 minutes.

The Perfect Cookie Texture

What makes a chewy chocolate chip cookie?  How do you make cookies soft and chewy? How do you make cookies chewy not cakey? How can you make a hard cookie soft? These are just some of the many questions people ask when on their quest to create the perfect cookie texture.

Of course, the perfect texture is a matter of personal opinion, but let’s talk about some of the ways to create your ideal cookie results. Think of this as a mini baking lesson.

If your end goal is to make your homemade cookies…

• Thicker: There are a few things that can help to make cookies thicker as well as softer. First, combine a higher temperature with a shorter baking time to create thicker as well as softer cookies. Creating round dough balls (rather than flat) also helps bakers to obtain softer, thicker cookies. (1)
• Thinner: Adding more sugar typically makes cookies thinner, but skip the refined sugar and opt for a healthier option like the coconut sugar used in this recipe. Of course, I always recommend adding as little of any sugar as possible. Another thing that helps to create thinner cookies is to flatten the cookie dough balls before they go into the oven.
• Fluffier: If fluffy is your goal, opt for baking powder in place of baking soda in a recipe. Both contribute to fluffiness, but baking powder trumps baking soda here. Keep in mind that a quarter teaspoon of baking soda is equivalent to one teaspoon of baking powder. Both baking soda and baking powder also contribute to a lighter colored cookie in the end.
• Softer/Chewier: Including a melted fat like butter or coconut oil makes for wetter batter, and it also generates more holes in the dough that are smaller which results in a softer, chewier cookie texture.
• Cakier: For a cakey texture, keep the fatty ingredient (like butter or coconut oil) cold because this will result in a cookie with larger holes and hence a cakier texture.

What if you end up with hard cookies and you really didn’t want them to be hard? You can try putting the cookies into an airtight container and add several slices of a water-rich fruit such as a fresh apple. Wait a few hours. In theory, the cookies will soak up the moisture from the apples and be a bit softer. If all tricks fail, I’ve never met a hard cookie that a glass of milk didn’t soften.

Nutrition Facts

One serving of this chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe contains about:

• 170 calories
• 3.7 grams protein
• 12.8 grams fat
• 13.9 grams carbohydrates
• 1.6 grams fiber
• 7.7 grams sugar
• 125 milligrams sodium (8 percent DV)

How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

There are so many chocolate chip cookie recipes out there, but after you try this one, you just might consider it the best chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. I’m happy to say that you can actually use healthier ingredients, ditch the gluten-heavy flour and still create incredible cookies.

How to make chewy chocolate chip cookies starts out with combining the wetter ingredients. Next, you add the dry ingredients into the mix. Don’t forget you can also make the Paleo flour blend yourself! Now it’s time for the delicious dark chocolate chips to get folded in.

At this point, you have your final cookie dough, and you can form it into balls before putting them onto your baking sheet.

Let’s get started on making these. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium bowl, combine the coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg, almond butter and vanilla extract. Whisk together and set aside.

In a small bowl, add in the remaining ingredients, minus the chocolate chips, and mix until well-combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until well-incorporated.

Add the dark chocolate chips.

Add the dark chocolate chips. Fold them into the mix.

Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough and form into a cookie shape. Place each cookie on a 9×11 baking sheet, spaced 1–2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. Take them out of the oven and cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before offering them up!

Enjoy your homemade soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies!

Want to just eat cookie dough? Try our Paleo, vegan and gluten-free edible cookie dough recipe!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 10
• Diet: Gluten Free

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We’re all on a mission: Finding the best chocolate chip cookie on the planet. In our humble, opinion, this one is it because it’s chewy (a must!) and loaded with healthy ingredients yet still deliver that classic chocolate chip cookie punch. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon Paleo flour blend
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips (70% or darker)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg, almond butter and vanilla extract. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, add in the remaining dry ingredients, except the chocolate chips, and mix until well-combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until well-incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Cover dough and let chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes to make it easier to work with. (Optional)
6. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough and form into a cookie shape. Place each cookie on a 9×11 baking sheet, spaced 1–2 inches a part.
7. Bake for 10–11 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before diving in.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Category: Desserts, Sncks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie (37g)
• Calories: 197
• Sugar: 7.7g
• Sodium: 125mg
• Fat: 12.8g
• Saturated Fat: 7.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 13.9g
• Fiber: 1.6g
• Protein: 2.9g
• Cholesterol: 17mg

Keywords: chewy chocolate chip cookies, best chocolate chip cookies, soft chocolate chip cookies

The post Soft, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

You might be thinking, can one even make a gluten-free pie crust? This pie crust recipe doesn’t require chilling any butter or messing with gluten-filled wheat flour.

I’ve upgraded the ingredients to include the incredibly versatile cassava flour (one of the best gluten-free flours), grass-fed butter, date sugar (one of my preferred natural sweeteners) and a pastured egg. My pie crust with cassava flour is a great replacement for a wheat or white flour crust, and you only need a hand mixer or a fork with a strong arms to get this whipped up!

Key Ingredients

I chose cassava flour for this recipe because it has many amazing properties and benefits. Cassava flour is completely gluten-free, grain-free and nut-free. It can replace wheat flour in many recipes and is neutral in flavor.

Cassava flour comes from the yucca root and is considered to be a whole food, coming from the entire plant, as opposed to tapioca flour, which is the bleached and extracted starch from the yucca root. The yucca root is a staple for millions of people in developing countries since it is high in carbohydrates and drought-resistant.

I know you’ve heard me talk about the many benefits of grass-fed butter, so I won’t repeat myself too much. Grass-fed butter is far superior than conventional butter and especially margarine, since it contains many vitamins, minerals, healthy fatty acids and a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Good news for my dairy-free or dairy sensitive readers: You can alternatively use coconut oil in this pie crust with cassava flour with great results!

Date sugar was an easy choice for sweetening up this gluten-free pie crust. You can also swap it out for coconut sugar or any other healthy granulated sweetener that isn’t refined or artificial.

Adding a pastured egg helps bind the crust, as well as providing some more omega-3 fatty acids from the yolk. You know how much I love benefit-rich eggs from chickens that are pasture-raised.

How to Make a Gluten-Free Pie Crust

First, you will want to preheat your oven to 350 F.  You can use either a pie pan, an 8×8 baking dish or a 9×13 baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, add in butter that is room temperature along with date sugar. Mix until creamy. Add in the egg and continue mixing.

Slowly add in cassava flour a little at a time, until it is well combined. Press your crust mixture into your baking dish until it completely covers the bottom and goes up the sides of the dish.

Note: the pie crust will be thicker in a pie pan and 8×8 dish, but will still bake through.

Partially bake your pie crust with cassava flour for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and then fill with whatever pie filling you made.

Continue baking the pie according to the recipe. You can use this gluten-free pie crust in pumpkin bars or a pecan pie and please your family and friends!

Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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You can make a very healthy, nourishing pie only to undo your good work with a store-bought, white flour–excessive pie crust. Not this time with this delicious and easy gluten-free pie crust.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup grass-fed butter, room temperature (can alternatively use coconut oil for dairy-free version)
• ½ cup date or coconut sugar
• 1 egg
• 1½ cups cassava flour

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add in butter and date sugar.
3. Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy.
4. Add in the egg and continue mixing.
5. Slowly add in cassava flour a little bit at a time, until it is well combined.
6. Pour crust mixture into pie pan or 9×13 baking dish.
7. Par-bake crust for 15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and fill with desired pie or bar filling.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 236
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 13mg
• Fat: 15.8g
• Saturated Fat: 9.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4.8g
• Trans Fat: 0.6g
• Carbohydrates: 23.1g
• Fiber: 0.7g
• Protein: 1.1g
• Cholesterol: 54mg

Keywords: gluten-free pie crust

The post Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Key Ingredients

This easy peppermint fudge has its sweetness fueled by maple syrup, which is healthier than regular sugar.

It’s no mistake that we use heaps of coconut products as well. Coconut oil is one of the healthiest foods on the planet, and coconut milk is a terrific option for those folks who are intolerant to dairy.

Add the coconut butter, and you’ve got a healthy fats powerhouse that can support immunity, weight loss and performance.

Then, of course, in addition to the cocoa or cacao — healthier versions of chocolate — the peppermint extract adds that distinct holiday flavor while also boosting health, whether we’re talking allergy and pain relief, increased energy, digestive support or skin protection.

What’s more, this chocolate peppermint fudge is delicious! So forget the overpriced, over-processed peppermint fudge recipes out there, and try your hand at making this peppermint fudge recipe at home instead.

How to Make Peppermint Fudge

We start by heating up a double boiler over medium-low heat. Add in the coconut oil, coconut butter, coconut milk, maple syrup and peppermint extract until it’s all melted.

Once those ingredients are nicely combined, add in the cocoa powder. Give it a good stir, making sure it’s evenly distributed.

You might want to sneak a taste at this point — you know, just to make sure you’re on the right track!

Once quality control is over, spread the fudge mixture into an 8 x 8-inch pan or the molds of your choice. Stick it in the freezer for two hours.

Let the peppermint fudge thaw for a few minutes before cutting it up and serving. If you have any leftovers (doubtful), just pop them in the fridge.

This peppermint fudge couldn’t be any easier to make. The peppermint extract makes it a great choice to serve as dessert during the holidays, but it also makes a lovely gift for a party host.

Just store it in a festive container, and you’re good to go! And don’t worry — this peppermint fudge is delicious year-round.

Similar Recipes

Here are some other fudge and chocolate-related holiday dessert recipes to give a try:

• Peppermint Bark
• Protein Peanut Butter Fudge
• Homemade Peppermint Patties
• Chocolate Caramel Coconut Flour Brownies

Peppermint Fudge Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 9
• Diet: Vegetarian

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My peppermint fudge recipe is full of good-for-you, recognizable ingredients, including maple syrup, peppermint, and coconut oil, butter and milk.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 1/3 cups coconut butter/manna
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 1 1/3 cup cocoa or raw cacao powder

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Instructions

1. In a double boiler over medium low heat, mix together the coconut oil, coconut butter, coconut milk, maple syrup and peppermint extract until fully melted and combined.
2. Add the cocoa and stir until well incorporated.
3. Spread the fudge in an 8 x 8-inch pan or molds and place in the freezer for 2 hours.
4. Allow to thaw slightly before cutting and serving. Store any remaining fudge in the freezer.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 3 hours (freezing)
• Category: Dessert
• Method: By hand
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: A couple pieces
• Calories: 612
• Sugar: 23.9g
• Sodium: 10mg
• Fat: 53.3g
• Saturated Fat: 46.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.7g
• Trans Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 40.1g
• Fiber: 10.5g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: peppermint fudge recipe, easy peppermint fudge, chocolate peppermint fudge, peppermint fudge recipes,

The post Healthy, Easy Peppermint Fudge Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

How to Make the Peppermint Patty Healthy

They might sound difficult to make, but homemade peppermint patties are actually quite simple to whip up at home. And trust me, you’ll want to make these yourself! While they’re still a treat, you can feel a lot better about eating these peppermint patties than the stuff you buy in the store.

These peppermint patties have only four ingredients, and you can feel good about eating them ­— no mysterious artificial flavor here! Instead, we’ll use just coconut oil, Manuka honey, dark chocolate and peppermint extract or oil.

Is there a difference between peppermint oil and peppermint extract? In fact, there is. Peppermint oil is more concentrated than an extract, so you won’t need as much to get a strong peppermint flavor. Here, you’ll use just 10 drops of the oil or 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract.

Nutrition Facts

I just love how these peppermint patties are made from all-natural ingredients that you likely have on hand already. Here’s what you need to know about these nutritious ingredients before indulging in this decadent after-dinner treat.

Coconut oil: One of my favorite kitchen and household ingredients, the coconut oil in this peppermint patty recipe adds the smooth creaminess you want. Its natural saturated fat content also helps prevent heart disease and lowers bad cholesterol.

Manuka honey: Honey is good, but Manuka honey is even better. It’s a type of honey that’s produced in New Zealand from bees who pollinate the Manuka bush, and it’s seriously packed with health benefits. It’s full of anti-inflammatory properties. Plus, as a natural sweetener, it adds flavor to your favorite dishes without sending your blood sugar into a frenzy.

Too pricey for your taste? Then use raw honey that features many of the same benefits.

Peppermint: This oil is great for things like focus, improving digestion, reducing nausea and giving you an energy boost. While you might not get all these benefits from the peppermint patties, you can definitely keep the leftover peppermint oil for other uses!

Dark chocolate: Finally, dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants that can help protect you from disease-causing free radicals and improve heart health.

How to Make Paleo Peppermint Patties

Start by mixing together the coconut oil, honey and peppermint extract/oil in a large bowl.

Place the mixture into the silicone mold by the spoonful and freeze for 20 to 30 minutes.

While the mixture is freezing, melt the chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat.

Remove the coconut oil mix from the molds. Put the melted chocolate in a bowl for dipping.

Then, with a spoon or fork, submerge the coconut oil squares into the chocolate one by one.

Resist the urge to eat the peppermint patties at this stage!

Once all of the coconut oil squares are covered in melted chocolate, place them on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 to 30 minutes.

Once all of the coconut oil squares are covered in melted chocolate, place them on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 to 30 minutes.

Before serving, allow the peppermint patties to reach room temperature (about one to two minutes).

Then pile the patties high on a plate and serve. These make an awesome snack or after-dinner dessert. Enjoy!

Here are some other chocolate-related holiday recipes to try:

• Peppermint Bark
• Homemade Peppermint Patties
• Chocolate Caramel Coconut Flour Brownies

Homemade Peppermint Patties Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
• Yield: 24
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Holiday season is the best time of year to indulge a little bit. These homemade peppermint patties fit that bill but still contain some healthy ingredients without too much sweet. They will satisfy all!

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Ingredients

• 2 cups coconut oil, room temp
• ½ cup Manuka honey (or raw honey)
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract or 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• three 3-ounce dark chocolate bars, minimum 72% cacao

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix coconut oil, Manuka honey and peppermint extract.
2. Place a spoonful of mixture into the silicone mold and freeze for 20–30 minutes.
3. In a double boiler over medium heat, melt the dark chocolate.
4. Remove coconut oil mixture from the molds.
5. With a fork or spoon, submerge the coconut oil into the chocolate.
6. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for 20–30 minutes.
7. Allow peppermint patties to come to room temperature before serving (about 1–2 minutes).

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Freezing
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 peppermint patty (36g)
• Calories: 242
• Sugar: 8.3g
• Sodium: 2mg
• Fat: 22.7g
• Saturated Fat: 18.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 10.7g
• Fiber: 1.2g
• Protein: 0.9g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: peppermint patties recipe, homemade peppermint patties, peppermint patty recipe

The post Homemade Peppermint Patties Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

I love baking with dark chocolate. I’ve used it in a number of recipes, like my dark chocolate coconut clusters recipe and my gooey chocolate crinkle cookies recipe. Good quality dark chocolate that’s 75 percent cacao or higher is an excellent source of antioxidants that help to protect you from disease-causing free radical damage and early signs of aging.

My peppermint bark recipe also calls for cacao butter, which is high in antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids and contains several types of healthy fatty acids.

So if you’re looking to prepare a healthy holiday candy this season, try my peppermint bark recipe. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

What Is Peppermint Bark?

I bet you don’t often think about how a holiday candy can improve your immunity when you take that first bite. Well, this peppermint bark is not only delicious, it’s also a lot healthier than the vast majority of holiday treats.

There are a few key ingredients in my peppermint bark that are working to make you healthier. Dark chocolate, coconut oil and cacoa butter contain powerful antioxidants and healthy fats.

Plus, I use maple syrup as a natural sweetener, and beet juice and spirulina as natural food dyes, so there’s really nothing artificial about this peppermint bark. You can enjoy a piece of this delicious candy without feeling the typical guilt that comes with indulging.

Key Ingredients

Peppermint oil: Did you know that just the scent of peppermint oil can reduce hunger cravings? If you are using peppermint oil internally for this recipe, be sure to use a high-quality oil that’s 100 percent pure grade.

Cacao butter: Did you know that cacao butter is the fat source that’s used to make chocolate? It’s a healthy fat that’s extracted from the cocoa bean, and it’s loaded with antioxidants. You can also use cocoa butter, which is processed at a hight temperature and isn’t raw like cacao butter.

Dark chocolate: When it comes to choosing a sweet treat, dark chocolate may be your healthiest choice. That’s because good quality dark chocolate contains disease-fighting antioxidants.

Spirulina: Spirulina is a blue-green algae that I use as a natural green food coloring in this peppermint bark recipe. Instead of using synthetic food dyes, spirulina promotes healthy detoxification and boosts your energy levels.

How to Make Peppermint Bark

To begin preparing your peppermint bark, you’ll need a double boiler over medium heat. Melt 3 cups of cocoa butter, 2 tablespoons of powdered coconut milk (or use canned coconut milk), 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and about 5 drops of peppermint oil.

Let the ingredients come together. This is your white chocolate mixture. Next, you’ll divide it into three bowls so you can add the natural food coloring.

In one of your white chocolate bowls, add 1 tablespoon of powdered spirulina. Mix the spirulina in thoroughly until you get your desired green color and it’s evenly distributed.

Next, pour the green white chocolate mixture into a dish that’s lined with parchment paper. Then place it in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Now you’ll take your second bowl of white chocolate and begin making your red white chocolate.

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh beet juice to your white chocolate. Mix it until you get your desired red color and it looks even. If you want the red to be deeper, just add a little more beet juice.

Then add your red chocolate to a dish lined with parchment paper and leave it in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.

While you are waiting on your red and green chocolate mixtures, you can begin prepping your dark chocolate mixture. Add three 3-ounce dark chocolate barks (that are at least 75 percent cacao) to a double boiler. Then add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and 5 drops of peppermint oil. Combine.

Once the ingredients are melted and well-combined, pour the dark chocolate mixture into a lined baking sheet and spread it out evenly.

Then pour the remaining white chocolate on top of the dark chocolate mixture. If necessary, reheat the white chocolate so that it spreads over the dark chocolate.

Now you can take the red and green chocolate mixtures out of the freezer. Using a knife, break up the red chocolate mixture. You want to make small pieces that will be sprinkled over your peppermint bark. Then do the same thing to your green chocolate mixture.

Finally, you get to sprinkle the red and green chocolate pieces on top of the dark and white chocolate. Coat the dish evenly with the red and green pieces. Then place the dish in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s completely solidified.

When it comes out of the freezer, break the chocolate apart so it makes about 10 to 15 servings.

Enjoy your festive and delicious peppermint bark!

Peppermint Bark Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 14 pieces
• Diet: Vegan

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My peppermint bark recipe contains antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and cocoa butter; plus, its festive colors, that are naturally made with beet juice and spirulina, will definitely get you into the holiday spirit.

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Ingredients

• 10 drops peppermint oil or 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 3 cups cocoa butter or cacao butter
• 2 tablespoons powdered coconut milk (or canned coconut milk)
• three 3-ounce dark chocolate bars, 75% cacao and up
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1–2 tablespoons fresh beet juice (red food coloring)
• 1 tablespoon powdered spirulina (green food coloring)

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Instructions

1. In a double boiler over medium heat, melt cocoa butter, powdered coconut milk, two tablespoons of maple syrup and 5 drops of peppermint oil.
2. Separate white chocolate mixture into three bowls. Set one aside.
3. Add spirulina to one bowl and mix thoroughly until desired green color is evenly distributed.
4. Pour green white chocolate mixture into a dish lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 15–20 minutes.
5. Follow steps 3 and 4 once again but add beet juice instead of spirulina.
6. Remove white chocolate from freezer and break into small pieces. Set aside.
7. In a double boiler over medium heat, melt chocolate bars, coconut oil, remaining honey and peppermint oil.
8. Pour dark chocolate mixture into a lined baking sheet. Spread evenly.
9. Pour remaining white chocolate on top of dark chocolate mixture (reheat white chocolate if necessary).
10. Sprinkle green and red chocolate pieces on top of the dark and white chocolate.
11. Place in freezer for 15–20 minutes or until fully solidified.
12. Break apart for serving.

Notes

To make this recipe easier to put together, I highly recommend that you use a double boiler.

• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 35 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Double-boiler/freezer
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 piece (1/8 cup)
• Calories: 191
• Sugar: 2.5g
• Sodium: 4mg
• Fat: 19.5g
• Saturated Fat: 11.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.8g
• Carbohydrates: 4g
• Fiber: 0.7g
• Protein: 0.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: peppermint bark, easy peppermint bark recipe

The post Peppermint Bark Recipe: A Festive Christmas Treat appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Is it even possible to have a gluten-free pecan pie? Of course! I incorporated my easy gluten-free pie crust into this recipe for pecan pie and the filling doesn’t require any flour.

Traditional pecan pie is typically laden with white sugar and corn syrup, both of which have a detrimental impact on your health. Corn syrup is ultra-processed and can come from GMO corn crops while refined sugar has been shown to be highly addictive. Not to mention it is usually served on top of a highly processed white flour with even more sugar and conventional butter.

Key Ingredients

My gluten-free pecan pie recipe is filled with whole food ingredients. The star ingredient, the pecan, is packed with nutrition including vitamin E, which benefits skin and can boost prostate health in men. Pecans and other nuts help improve LDL cholesterol levels and are packed with magnesium.

Maple syrup is one of my go-to natural sweeteners, and you don’t need that much to make this the best pecan pie recipe that’s out there. I added grass-fed butter to give this pecan pie a rich flavor and texture, and the benefits of grass-fed butter outweigh conventional butter by a ton. Pastured eggs help to bind the pie filling together and provide protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Vanilla and cinnamon give this easy pecan pie warmth and depth, and perfectly complement the pecans and maple syrup in flavor. Did you know cinnamon helps balance blood sugar levels? So it’s a perfect spice to add to desserts, especially this recipe for pecan pie.

I didn’t create a chocolate pecan pie, but I did add a melted dark chocolate bar to the topping for optional extra decadence. This easy pecan pie recipe is a Thanksgiving crowd pleaser!

How to Make Pecan Pie

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Prepare your gluten-free pie crust and partially bake it for 15 minutes and set aside while you’re preparing the pecan pie filling.

Add chopped pecans, maple syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla extract and cinnamon to a food processor.

Process the pecan mixture until it is well combined. Remove your pie crust from the oven and fill it with the pecan pie filling.

Next, take pecan halves and cover the filling in lines or circles in a design of your choosing.

Place your pecan pie in the oven and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick or fork inserted comes out mostly clean.

To melt the dark chocolate, place the chocolate in a double boiler or a small saucepan on low heat. Remove your pie from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.

Drizzle the melted dark chocolate over your gluten-free pecan pie.

Let your pecan pie cool slightly before serving, or even cool it in the refrigerator. This pecan pie recipe is so good, it might even rival your grandmother’s southern pecan pie!

Pecan Pie Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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My gluten-free pecan pie recipe is filled with only the best whole food ingredients. And it’s surprisingly easy to make. Your loved ones will be amazed.

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Ingredients

Crust:

• Gluten Free Pie Crust

Filling:

• 2 cups chopped pecans
• ¾ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup unsalted grass-fed butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

• ½ cup whole pecans
• 3 ounce dark chocolate bar, melted (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Prepare pie crust ingredients and par-bake pie crust for 15 minutes.
3. While pie crust is baking, add pecans, maple syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla extract and cinnamon to a food processor.
4. Process pecan mixture until well combined.
5. Remove pie crust from oven and fill it with pecan mixture.
6. Top the pie with whole pecans.
7. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes.
8. In a double boiler or small saucepan, melt dark chocolate bar.
9. Remove pie from the oven and begin to let cool. Drizzle the pie with the melted dark chocolate.
10. Serve the pie slightly cooled or refrigerate to cool it even more.

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 50 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice (126g)
• Calories: 481
• Sugar: 21.9g
• Sodium: 31mg
• Fat: 35.5g
• Saturated Fat: 13.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 19.4g
• Trans Fat: 0.8g
• Carbohydrates: 29.2g
• Fiber: 2.8g
• Protein: 4.5g
• Cholesterol: 105mg

Keywords: pecan pie recipe, gluten-free pecan pie

The post Pecan Pie Recipe without Gluten or Refined Sugars appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Rich, smooth and bursting with flavors of pumpkin, cream and Fall spices, this recipe is sure to be a hit. Also, this recipe uses all natural ingredients and is full of good fats. I can’t wait for you to indulge in this creamy and decadent pumpkin dessert recipe!

Key Ingredients

Almond flour: Low in saturated fatty acids, rich in unsaturated fatty acids, and containing filling fiber, almonds are one of the top nuts. They also feature unique and protective phytosterol antioxidants as well as plant protein.

Pumpkin: Did you know that pumpkins are technically fruits? It’s true, as fruits are edible products of seed-bearing, flowering plants. This “fruit” is high in fiber, low in calories, and full of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, copper and manganese. 

Goat cheese: One of the healthiest cheeses and very workable in recipes. Nutrition benefits of goat cheese include good levels of calcium, healthy fats, probiotics, phosphorus, copper, protein, B vitamins and iron.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the almond flour, crushed almonds, coconut sugar, baking soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Melt the butter and stir into the flour mixture until it’s even. Pour almond mixture into a 10-inch springform pan and press firmly into the bottom. This will make one of the great gluten-free crusts that you can use for other pies, by the way.

Bake until crust is set, about 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, beat together goat cheese and the second quantity of coconut sugar. Add in cream cheese (you can go with a vegan cream cheese or goat cream cheese if you’ve avoiding cow-based dairy) and beat for one minute. Add remaining ingredients and beat until mixture is very smooth, about 2 more minutes.

Transfer the batter to prepared pan and bake on a rack positioned in middle of oven for about 1 hour, 15 minutes or until cake is set.

Allow it to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4–5 hours before serving.

Interesting in another holiday-ready dessert? Try this gluten-free pecan pie.

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 21 minute
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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You’ve tried pumpkin pie and cheesecake, but what about pumpkin pie cheesecake? It’s a sublime flavor that comes together beautifully with these ingredients and is sure to be a hit with your loved ones.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• ½ cup almonds, crushed
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 10 inch springform pan
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 ounces chèvre goat cheese
• 1½ cups coconut sugar
• 16 ounces organic cream cheese
• 1¼ cup pumpkin
• ¾ cup organic goat’s milk yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix almond flour, crushed almonds, ¼ cup coconut sugar, baking soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Stir in butter until almond mixture is even. Pour almond mixture into a 10-inch springform pan and press firmly into the bottom.
4. Bake until crust is set, about 10 minutes.
5. In a separate bowl, beat together goat cheese and 1½ cups coconut sugar.
6. Add in cream cheese and beat for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and beat until mixture is very smooth, about 2 more minutes.
7. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake on a rack positioned in middle of oven for about 1 hour, 15 minutes or until cake is set.
8. Allow it to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4–5 hours.

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 1 hr 25 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice (142g)
• Calories: 476
• Sugar: 32g
• Sodium: 383mg
• Fat: 31.8g
• Saturated Fat: 14.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15.2g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 35.9g
• Fiber: 2.3g
• Protein: 14.2g
• Cholesterol: 96mg

Keywords: pumpkin pie cheesecake

The post Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake: A Decadent Treat appeared first on Dr. Axe.

By baking these fritters, you still get that crunchy texture, but you don’t have to worry about the affects they may have on your mood, energy and waistline.

What Are Apple Fritters?

An apple fritter is a small, fried cake that’s commonly made with a batter consisting of egg, flour and milk. Sliced apples are dipped in the batter and pan- or deep-fried to make a crunchy, tasty fritter.

Of course, the traditional American apple fritter is made with ingredients that can be hard on your digestion, waistline and overall health. That’s why I use a Paleo flour, flax meal, almond milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup in my recipe.

I also fry the apples in coconut oil instead of using rancid oils, like vegetable or canola oil, that are highly processed and can interfere with normal cell metabolism when eaten. And then I bake the fritters, cutting down on the amount of oil that’s needed to prepare this delicious dessert.

The foods and spices used in my apple fritters recipe are packed with healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. These fritters are not only a comforting fall dessert, but they are completely gluten-free, gentle on your digestive system and Paleo-friendly.

Key Ingredients

Here’s a quick glance at some of the top health benefits associated with the ingredients in this apple fritters recipe:

Apples: Apple nutrition contains a good amount of fiber, and eating apples can help to reduce inflammation and support the health of your heart.

Pecans: The healthy fats found in pecan nutrition impact your grehlin hormone, which plays a role in weight management and affects your hunger levels.

Coconut oil: Using coconut oil in your cooking can help to prevent heart disease and high blood pressure, fight infections, reduce inflammation and boost your immune system.

DIY pumpkin spice blend: My DIY pumpkin spice blend is made with a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cardamom — all anti-inflammatory spices that contain powerful antioxidants.

How to Make Apple Fritters

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Then, take out a large frying pan and add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, 2 chopped Granny Smith apples, 1 cup of chopped pecans and 4 tablespoons of coconut sugar (which is an optional ingredient if you’d like to skip the added sweetness).

Fry the mixture for about 10 minutes until the ingredients become soft. Then set it aside so it can cool.

Next, in a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of Paleo flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, 4 tablespoons of flax meal, ⅔ cups of water, 1 cup of almond milk and your DIY pumpkin spice blend.

Next, in a large bowl, mix together 2 cups of Paleo flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, 4 tablespoons of flax meal, ⅔ cups of water, 1 cup of almond milk and your DIY pumpkin spice blend.

I like to use a spatula to make sure the batter is smooth and well-combined.

Then add in your fried apples and pecans mixture.

Fold it into the batter until the apples are covered.

Then, take out a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Scoop about ⅓ a cup of batter onto the baking sheet, creating a round fritter shape. Fill the sheet with fritters, leaving some space in between them. Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes.

The last step is to make your glaze. To do that, you need a small saucepan over medium heat. Combine ⅓ cup of coconut sugar, ⅓ cup of coconut butter and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir the ingredients often until the mixture becomes a thick but runny glaze.

When your fritters come out of the oven, top them with the glaze.

I know you are going to love these sweet, gooey yet crunchy treats… Enjoy!

Dig apple baked goods and want to try others as well? Make up our apple galette, apple crisp or apple cinnamon muffins.

Apple Fritters Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 10
• Diet: Vegan

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Fall means apples in their prime, but what type of apple dessert or snack to prepare you ask? Try these apple fritters, the healthier version. You and your loved ones will love these!

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Ingredients

Batter

• 2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 4 tablespoons coconut sugar (optional)
• 2 cups Paleo flour
• 2 tablespoons homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons flax meal
• ⅔ cup water
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

GLAZE (optional)

• ⅓ cup maple or coconut sugar
• ⅓ cup coconut butter
• 2 tablespoons water

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large pan, on medium, fry apples, coconut oil, pecans and coconut sugar for about 10 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, maple syrup, flax meal, water, almond milk, pumpkin spice blend and apple mixture.
4. Scoop batter (about ⅓ cup) onto a lined baking sheet, creating the fritter. Repeat until you run out of batter.
5. Bake for 15–20 minutes.
6. In a small saucepan, on medium, combine glaze ingredients: coconut sugar, coconut butter and water.
7. Stir often until the glaze becomes thick but runny.
8. Top fritters with the glaze and serve.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 frittter (87g)
• Calories: 205
• Sugar: 11.4g
• Sodium: 3mg
• Fat: 8.2g
• Saturated Fat: 1.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 31.5g
• Fiber: 4.3g
• Protein: 4.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: paleo apple fritters, vegan apple fritters, apple fritters recipe

The post Apple Fritters Recipe (Baked, Not Fried!) appeared first on Dr. Axe.

While they might look complicated, the only special tool you need to prepare donuts is a donut pan! Super easy. And I suggest you try your hand at making these treats with my Lavender Lemon Vegan Donuts recipe.

Special Ingredients

Not only is there no dairy in these vegan donuts, but they’re also gluten-free. They’re prepared with chickpea flour, a high-protein, high-fiber alternative to wheat flour.

The dried lavender adds such a distinctive — and delicious — taste. If you haven’t tried this flower in food before, you’re in for a pleasant surprise!

Meanwhile, rather than using inferior fats, this vegan donut recipe uses healthy fats from coconut oil and coconut butter. This is a snack that will keep you energetic rather than weight you down (and is only 250 calories per donut … much less than the typical donut.)

Move over, Krispy Kreme. There are some new donuts in town.

How to Make Lavender Lemon Vegan Donuts

Start by preheating the oven to 350F and then mixing together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set them aside.

In a separate bowl, add the wet ingredients — including nutrition-rich coconut milk — and whisk until combined. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry bowl and stir it all up.

Next, grease the donut pan and pour in the combined mix. (No donut pan? Use a cake or muffin pan, and use parchment paper or tin foil to create the center area.) Bake for about 12–15 minutes or until the donuts are golden brown. Don’t overbake!

While the donuts are baking, prepare the frosting, in which you use either maple syrup or raw honey. In a small saucepan, add all the frosting ingredients and heat over medium-low on the stove until everything is well mixed.

Let the donuts rest for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Top the vegan lemon lavender donuts with the frosting and coconut flakes, then serve and enjoy!

These donuts are delicious anytime a day — breakfast, snack or dessert. Make extra, because these will go quickly!

Lavender Lemon Vegan Donuts Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 6 donuts
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Vegan donuts have become more popular, and when you make them with chickpea flour, the texture really works. Add in these lavender and lemon flavors, and wow, this is a delicious donut.

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
• ⅓ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender
• zest of ½ lemon
• ½ tablespoon poppy seeds

Wet Ingredients

• ⅓ cup full-fat coconut milk
• ⅓ cup water
• 2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Frosting

• 2 tablespoons coconut butter
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender

Topping

• Coconut flakes (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease one donut pan for 6 donuts with a little coconut oil and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry.
5. Grease a donut pan and pour in the mixture. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until donuts are golden brown. Allow donut cakes to rest for 5 minutes before flipping onto cooling wrack.
6. While donuts are baking, in a small saucepan, add the frosting ingredients and stir over medium-low heat until well combined. Remove from heat.
7. Top with frosting and coconut flakes.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 donut (76g)
• Calories: 247
• Sugar: 17.5g
• Sodium: 166mg
• Fat: 14.6g
• Saturated Fat: 10.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.8g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 26g
• Fiber: 1.9g
• Protein: 3.9g
• Cholesterol: 10mg

Keywords: vegan donuts, lemon vegan donut, vegan donut recipe

The post Lavender Lemon Vegan Donuts appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Then the best part — eating the caramel apples — can be guilt-free because those nutrition-rich apples are filled with fiber to improve heart health and help keep weight down, plus phytonutrients and antioxidants.

And my dairy-free caramel apple recipe, made with beneficial coconut milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup, just sweetens the deal (pun intended). You’re going to want to eat this sauce on everything.

How to Make Caramel Apples

Here’s how to make these easy and delicious caramel apple recipe. (Note that you’ll want to make these the day before you plan to eat them, to give the caramel time to set.)

First, wash and dry four Granny Smith apples and remove the stems. (The tart nature of green apples works well with the sweet of the caramel.) Insert your sticks and set the apples aside to come to room temperature. This will help the caramel stick to the apples better.

Grab a small pot and add the coconut milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup. Place the pot over medium-high heat. Stir the sauce as it heats to make sure the sugar and maple syrup dissolve in the milk and don’t burn. You want to bring the mixture to a rolling boil and allow it to boil for 1 minute.

Once the caramel has boiled for a minute, turn it down to medium-low heat and set your timer for 15 minutes. You’re going to let the caramel simmer, reduce and thicken. Scrape down the sides of the pot and stir the caramel every few minutes. You’ll see it begin to thicken and turn a darker brown.

At the end of the 15 minutes, it should be thick and coat the back of a spoon. If it seems like it could be thicker, allow it to simmer a couple minutes more.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in some vanilla extract and sea salt. Voila! Caramel sauce! Now comes the hard part: waiting for the caramel sauce to cool. Beware of little fingers sneaking into this sauce because it’s hard to resist.

Transfer the caramel sauce to a glass bowl and refrigerate it until it cools. Once you no longer feel any heat on the bowl, it’s ready.

Now the fun part in the caramel apple recipe. Stir the caramel and, holding the apples one at a time over the bowl, spoon the caramel over them to coat all sides. Then place the apples on a cookie sheet coated in parchment paper.

Put them back in the fridge to set up. This will take at least 4 hours, or you can leave them overnight. Pull them out in the morning and give them one more coating of caramel. Then refrigerate them again to allow the caramel to set.

Once the caramel apples are ready, you can add even more fun by drizzling some melted dark chocolate over them or sprinkling them with shredded coconut or your favorite chopped nuts. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Looking for another apple-based dessert? Try these apple fritters or apple galette. Yum!

Caramel Apple Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 4 hrs 30 min
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Vegan

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This dairy-free caramel apple recipe, made with beneficial coconut milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup, just sweetens the deal (pun intended). You’re going to want to eat this sauce on everything.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 4 green apples
• 4 sticks

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Instructions

1. Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Wash and dry the apples. Remove the stems. Insert the sticks into the top of the apples. Set the apples aside to allow them to come to room temperature.
3. In a small pot, combine the coconut milk, coconut sugar and maple syrup. Place the pot over medium-high heat. Stir the “caramel” frequently as it heats, watching for it to begin boiling. Once it comes to a rolling boil (bubbles covering the entire surface), allow it to boil for 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds to be sure the mixture doesn’t stick and burn.
4. After 1 minute, turn the heat down to medium low. Allow the caramel to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to scrape down the sides and prevent sticking. You should see the caramel darken in color, reduce in volume, and thicken significantly. After 15 minutes, the mixture should resemble caramel and coat a spoon.
5. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Transfer the caramel to a glass bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.
6. Stir the caramel and, holding each apple over the caramel bowl, drizzle the caramel over the apples until they are fully coated. Place the coated apples on the lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Refrigerate remaining caramel.
7. Re-coat the apples in the caramel and refrigerate again. Add coconut milk to caramel as needed to thin it for dipping/drizzling.

Notes

Once the caramel apples are ready, you can add even more fun by drizzling some melted dark chocolate over them or sprinkling them with shredded coconut or your favorite chopped nuts.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 caramel apple
• Calories: 361
• Sugar: 56g
• Sodium: 158mg
• Fat: 12.4g
• Saturated Fat: 10.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 65.3g
• Fiber: 4.4g
• Protein: 1.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: caramel apple recipe, caramel sauce

The post Caramel Apple Recipe Without Dairy! appeared first on Dr. Axe.

I’m always looking for new coconut flour recipes because coconut flour doesn’t contain any grains, making it completely gluten-free. Plus, coconut flour is high in fiber, easy to digest and it doesn’t lead to blood sugar spikes like white, processed flour does. So, if your looking for a dessert that comes with a range of health benefits, look no further than these delicious coconut flour brownies.

Regular Flour vs. Coconut Flour

I’m excited that coconut flour is becoming easier to find in local supermarkets and health food stores because it’s one of my favorite gluten-free flours out there (along with almond flour). A major benefit of choosing coconut flour for your baking instead of regular, processed white flour is that coconut flour has a lower glycemic index, and it won’t lead to blood sugar highs and lows.

Research shows that coconut flour is actually beneficial for patients with diabetes because it contains a high dietary fiber content and doesn’t alter blood glucose levels the way that regular flour does. Coconut flour also aids your metabolism, energy levels and digestion.

And don’t worry. Making your chocolate brownies with coconut flour may make them a little more dense than traditional brownies, but it won’t take away from the desired fudgy texture and chocolatey taste.

Key Ingredients

Aside from the No. 1 ingredient in this recipe, the coconut flour, here’s a quick glance at some of the top health benefits associated with the other ingredients in my coconut flour brownies:

1. Dark chocolate

A little dark chocolate is more than just a delicious treat, it’s good for your health too. Studies show that the benefits of dark chocolate include protection against disease, due to its antioxidant content, improved heart health, promoting healthy cholesterol and better brain function. Dark chocolate also has a richer flavor than milk chocolate because of its cocoa content.

2. Cacao powder

Cacao is considered a superfood because it contains powerful bioflavonoids that have been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic and neuroprotective properties. When added to smoothies, baked goods and trail mixes, cacao nibs and powder help to maintain muscle and nerve function, reduce the risk of heart disease, correct digestive issues and boost your mood.

3. Coconut sugar

Coconut sugar is one of my favorite natural sweeteners. It comes from the sap of the coconut tree and is then dried to form sugar. Coconut sugar contains the same amount of calories as granulated sugar, so you don’t want to eat a ton of it, but it also provides trace minerals and antioxidants, making it the healthier choice.

How to Make Coconut Flour Brownies

To make these delicious coconut flour brownies, start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and take out one bowl for mixing your ingredients. First, mix your wet ingredients, which includes 4 eggs, half cup maple syrup, one tablespoon vanilla extract and one-third cup of coconut oil.

Next, mix in your dry ingredients, which includes one and one-fourth cup coconut flour, one-fourth cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder, if you prefer), one-fourth teaspoon sea salt, one teaspoon baking soda, one-fourth cup coconut sugar and one-third cup of dark chocolate chips.

Stir until all of the ingredients come together. Pour the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 brownie pan, top it with chocolate chips and nuts, if you’d like and bake the brownies for 25–30 minutes.

After letting your coconut flour brownies cool, drizzle on some of my caramel sauce that’s made with coconut milk, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract. And just like that, your gluten-free and gut-friendly brownies are ready to enjoy!

Even those picky eaters in your life who don’t love trying gluten-free recipes will want these coconut flour brownies.

Coconut Flour Brownies

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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My coconut flour brownies are packed with antioxidants and healthy ingredients like cacao powder, dark chocolate chips and maple syrup. They’re as tasty as they look!

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Ingredients

• 1¼ cup coconut flour (or use Paleo flour)
• ¼ cup cacao powder
• 4 eggs
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup maple syrup (for sugar-free, go with applesauce here)
• ¼ cup coconut sugar (for sugar-free, go with monkfruit)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup coconut oil
• ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 homemade caramel sauce recipe (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium bowl, add the wet ingredients and combine.
3. Next, add the dry ingredients.
4. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated together.
5. Pour the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan.
6. Top with chocolate chips and/or nuts if desired and bake for 25–30 minutes.
7. Let cool and then drizzle with caramel sauce.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 brownies (59g
• Calories: 208
• Sugar: 14.8g
• Sodium: 185mg
• Fat: 10.5g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23.8g
• Fiber: 2.4g
• Protein: 5.4g
• Cholesterol: 55mg

Keywords: coconut flour brownies, gluten free brownies

The post Chocolate Caramel Coconut Flour Brownies appeared first on Dr. Axe.

That is, unless you make my Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream, which is easy to do, healthy and not loaded with calories. Making your own chilly treat means your favorite flavor — yes, ice cream can be added to my list of favorite pumpkin recipes — is always in stock.

I love the pumpkin pie flavor in this. It’s terrific during prime pumpkin time in fall and winter, but it’s delicious year-round. You might be surprised that the base of this treat is actually butternut squash and apples! An ice cream packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants? Yes, please. Add in that delicious, nutritious coconut milk and some metabolism-boosting spices, and you’ve got a truly guilt-free dessert.

Move over, Ben and Jerry. It’s time to try your hand at making this Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream.

Start by cranking the oven up to 425 F and lining a cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and no sticking. Sprinkle the diced squash with sea salt and spread onto the parchment paper.

Once the oven’s ready, slide the cookie sheet in. While the squash bakes, let’s go ahead and prepare our coconut-caramel syrup.

In a small pot, heat half a can of creamy coconut milk over medium-high heat. When it’s nice and hot, add the coconut sugar. Let the coconut goodness simmer for 6–8 minutes. Remove the syrup pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla. How good does this smell? This will add a ton of flavor to our ice cream later.

Remove the baking sheet with the squash from the oven, add the sliced apples onto it and slide the sheet back into the oven. Bake ’em all up for another 20 minutes, then remove and let them cool for 5–10 minutes.

Now comes the fun part. Using a high-powered blender, add the rest of the coconut milk, the coconut syrup you made earlier, squash, apples, spices and the whiskey/bourbon. Puree all the ingredients until they’re well blended and nice and thick. No one can accuse this Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream of not having any flavor.

A quick note about the whiskey/bourbon: I wouldn’t skip this step unless it’s absolutely necessary. Two tablespoons is a minimal-enough amount where you won’t wind up with “boozy” ice cream, but it imparts a ton of taste and keeps the ice cream from freezing too hard; no one wants to eat their ice cream with an ice pick! Unflavored whiskey and bourbon also qualify as gluten-free alcohol.

Time for the final step: refrigerate the mix for at least three hours or overnight. When it’s totally chilled, churn it all up in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

No ice cream maker? No problem. Just be sure to whisk the ice cream really well before freezing, as air is an important ingredient in ice cream (weird, huh?). And no matter how you make it, let the ice cream thaw for 5–10 minutes before serving, as coconut ice creams freeze really hard — don’t break a spoon!

There you have it! Super creamy, Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy. 

(Want another spin on the pumpkin pie concept? Try our pumpkin pie cheesecake.)

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Vegan

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This vegan pumpkin pie ice cream is fun to make … and creative. It relies on coconut milk and a base of butternut squash and apples! A tasty ice cream packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants? Yes, please.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cans full fat coconut milk, divided
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 sweet-tart apple, cored and sliced thick
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425 F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the squash evenly on the parchment.
3. Sprinkle the squash with the salt and bake for 30 minutes. Make the coconut-caramel syrup while the squash is baking.
4. In a small pot, heat half a can of coconut milk over medium-high heat. When hot, add the coconut sugar and simmer at medium heat for 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, stir and set aside.
5. Remove the squash from the oven. Add the apples to the pan and bake 20 minutes more
6. Remove the squash and apple from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
7. In a high-powered blender, combine the remaining can of coconut milk, coconut-caramel syrup, squash, apples, spices and whiskey/bourbon. Puree on high until thoroughly blended and thick.
8. Refrigerate in an airtight container at least 3 hours or overnight. When completely chilled, churn in an ice cream according to manufacturer’s instructions.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Ice Cream Maker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 small bowl (222g)
• Calories: 285
• Sugar: 23.5g
• Sodium: 14mg
• Fat: 15.3g
• Saturated Fat: 13.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 36.6g
• Fiber: 2.7g
• Protein: 2.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: vegan pumpkin pie ice cream, pumpkin pie ice cream, vegan pumpkin ice cream

The post Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This frozen treat is made from only seven ingredients. Medjool dates, blackberries and peaches provide lots of flavor and natural sweetness, while the nutrition-rich coconut milk gives a smooth, creamy texture, just like “real” ice cream.

Even if you’re not vegan, I know you’ll enjoy this vegan ice cream.

In a high-speed blender, puree the coconut milk and dates until they’re completely smooth.

Next, add in peaches, blackberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract to the coconut mix. Purée it all up until it’s well blended.

Now, pour the mixture into a glass container and store in the freezer for an hour. If you have more time, you can refrigerate until the ice cream mixture is extremely cold.

Once the blackberry mixture has reached the right temperature, add the vegan blackberry peach ice cream to your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Afterward, add the ice cream to a large glass container with a lid and place in the freezer for an hour or overnight.

If you’ll be freezing the blackberry peach ice cream for an hour, serve immediately. Try this delicious Coconut Whipped Cream on top. If the ice cream sets overnight, let it thaw for 10–15 minutes before serving in a bowl.

Vegan Blackberry Peach Ice Cream

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 min
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Vegan

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This frozen treat is made from only seven ingredients. Medjool dates, blackberries and peaches provide lots of flavor and natural sweetness, while the nutrition-rich coconut milk gives a smooth, creamy texture, just like “real” ice cream.

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Ingredients

• One 13.5 ounce can of coconut milk
• 5 medjool dates, pitted
• 3 small peaches, peeled and diced
• 1 cup blackberries
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ teaspoon lemon zest
• ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. In a high-speed blender or food processor, puree coconut milk and dates until completely smooth.
2. Add in peaches, blackberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract to the coconut mixture.
3. Puree on high until well blended.
4. Pour mixture into a glass container and store in the freezer for an hour or refrigerate until very cold.
5. Add blackberry mixture into your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. In a large glass container with a lid, add ice cream and place in the freezer for at least one hour or overnight.
7. If freezing ice cream for an hour, serve immediately.
8. If freezing overnight, set ice cream on the counter to thaw for 10–15 minutes before serving.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Ice cream maker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 3/4 cup (179g)
• Calories: 218
• Sugar: 20.1g
• Sodium: 9mg
• Fat: 13.9g
• Saturated Fat: 12.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 25.7g
• Fiber: 3.6g
• Protein: 2.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: vegan ice cream, vegan peach ice cream

The post Vegan Blackberry Peach Ice Cream appeared first on Dr. Axe.

When mixed with condensed coconut milk, gluten-free arrowroot flour and maple syrup, the lime juice used in this key lime pie recipe creates a thick and creamy texture that makes this pie so popular. And at only 12 grams of sugar per slice, that’s around one-third the typical slice you’d get in a store or restaurant.

If you’ve tried my gluten-free lemon meringue pie or my vegan banana cream pie, this one has to be next on your list. Not only is it decadent looking, because of the vibrant sliced limes on top, but it’s also absolutely delicious.

What Is Key Lime Pie?

Traditionally, key lime pie is made with juice from the small key limes that grow throughout Florida. Compared to the Persian limes that we see year-round in our grocery stores, key limes are smaller, lighter and more acidic.

Key limes also have a stronger aroma than Persian limes and are known for their unique flavor. Although the scientific name for key limes is Citrus aurantiifolia, they’ve become known as key limes because of their popularity in the Florida Keys.

Key lime pie is traditionally made with a combination of key lime juice, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, sugar and pie crust that’s made with all-purpose, white flour. In an effort to make my key lime pie recipe as healthy as possible, I use maple syrup as a natural sweetener, condensed coconut milk that provides healthy fats and arrowroot flour that makes my pie gluten-free.

I also typically use lime juice and zest from the Persian limes that you find in your local grocery store in an effort to make this recipe accessible. Plus, the maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt in this recipe contributes greatly to the robust flavor.

Instead of relying on store-bought pie crusts made with refined sugar and flour, I make my gluten-free pie crust that’s made with gluten-free flours, grass-fed butter, date sugar and eggs.

Did you know that when the acidic lime juice is mixed with the coconut milk and arrowroot flour, it causes a reaction that makes the filling of the pie thicken? This is why key lime pie doesn’t need to be baked. So, give my recipe a try … eating this key lime pie will make you feel like you’re sitting on a sunny patio in Florida.

How to Make Key Lime Pie

Your first step in preparing this key lime pie is to combine 2 tablespoons of arrowroot flour and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Simply whisk the starch and oil for about a minute until it creates a roux.

Next, add 2 cups of evaporated or condensed coconut milk (or you can substitute cream of coconut). You want to whisk this mixture continuously until it thickens and forms a custard-like consistency. This should take about 10 minutes of whisking.

Now add in ½ cup of key lime juice, 1 teaspoon of lime zest, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ½ cup of maple syrup and ½ teaspoon of sea salt.

Keep whisking the mixture for about five minutes until it becomes even thicker.

Well, that was easy, wasn’t it? Your pie filling is done. Now, just pour it into your gluten-free pie crust and allow it to cool.

Once it’s cool, chill your pie in the freezer for about an hour. I like to top my key lime pie with two to three sliced limes for garnish. This is a really colorful finishing touch.

And just like that, your key lime pie is ready to enjoy!

Key Lime Pie Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 20 min
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Key lime pie makes me think of spending warm, sunny days with my family in Floria. This creamy, sweet and acidic pie provides bold flavors and it’s also an accessible, healthy version that everyone will appreciate!

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Ingredients

• 1 Gluten-Free Pie Crust
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 cups evaporated or condensed coconut milk (or cream of coconut)
• ½ cup key lime juice (or use regular limes)
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2–3 limes, sliced for garnishing

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Instructions

1. First, make up the gluten-free pie crust using my recipe. (Or make your own type of crust.)
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine arrowroot and coconut oil. Whisk to create roux.
3. After about one minute, add coconut milk. Whisk continuously until mixture thickens into a custard-like consistency, about 10 minutes.
4. Add lime juice, lime zest, vanilla, maple syrup and salt. Whisk until mixture thickens even more, about five minutes.
5. Pour mixture into pie crust and allow to cool, then chill the rest of the way in the freezer, about one hour.
6. Top with sliced lime for garnish and serve.

Notes

Did you know that when the acidic lime juice is mixed with the coconut milk and arrowroot flour, it causes a reaction that makes the filling of the pie thicken? This is why key lime pie doesn’t need to be baked.

• Category: Desserts
• Method: Mixing
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 12.4g
• Sodium: 228mg
• Fat: 30.7g
• Saturated Fat: 23.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.7g
• Trans Fat: 0.6g
• Carbohydrates: 32.5g
• Fiber: 1.5g
• Protein: 2.2g
• Cholesterol: 54mg

Keywords: key lime pie recipe, best key lime pie

The post Key Lime Pie Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Key Ingredients

Almond flour: It’s simply ground-up almonds so it gives you all of the original almond’s health benefits. One cup of this flour contains about 90 almonds and provides more than 100 percent of the daily requirement for vitamin E. It’s super versatile and can be used in all kinds of baked foods.

Coconut flour: High in fiber, protein and healthy fats, it’s also free from wheat and other grains. It is also low in sugar, digestible carbohydrates and calories. Plus, this flour has a low score on the glycemic index. This makes coconut flour a favorite among Paleo dieters, gluten-free eaters.

Eggs: Eggs are also a great source of protein and can help provide a wealth of important nutrients, including selenium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and riboflavin, all of which play a key role in overall health.

Strawberries: Most of the health benefits associated with strawberry nutrition are due to the presence of anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Strawberries contain numerous anti-aging flavonoid antioxidants, including anthocyanin and catechin, in addition to many others, that are associated with lowering the risk for chronic diseases.

How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.

Sift dry ingredients — almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, sea salt — together into a bowl. Add the coconut flakes separately.

Separate the yolk from the whites of two of the eggs. Set the egg whites aside.

Next, combine 3 whole eggs, two egg yolks, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice with a hand mixer. Be careful that you don’t over mix.

Turn the mixer to low and add the dry mixture and wet mixture in alternate batches until the batter has no lumps.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until thick, soft peaks form. (Using a hand mixer works best.) Fold into the batter very gently with a scraper.

Pour or spoon batter evenly into the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for about 20 minutes or until done. Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes, then carefully remove cupcakes from the pan. Cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cool, cut a small circle off the top and scoop out a little of the cupcake and put one whole strawberry in the cupcake.

Frost the cupcakes with the whipped coconut cream.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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This strawberry shortcake cupcakes recipe includes only the best ingredients, and it’s free of refined sugars and gluten. Sweet enough for dessert but also not overly sweet, so it’s also suitable for a healthy snack!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• ½ cup coconut flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
• 5 eggs
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 whole strawberries
• 2 cups whipped coconut cream

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.
3. Sift dry ingredients together into a bowl. Add the coconut flakes separately.
4. Separate the yolk from the whites of 2 of the eggs. Set the egg whites aside.
5. Combine 3 whole eggs, two egg yolks, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice with a hand mixer. Be careful that you don’t over mix.
6. Turn the mixer to low and add the dry mixture and wet mixture in alternate batches until the batter has no lumps.
7. In a small bowl beat the egg whites until thick, soft peaks form. (Using a hand mixer works best.) Fold into the batter very gently.
8. Pour or spoon batter evenly into the 12 cupcake liners.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes or until done. Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes, then carefully remove cupcakes from the pan. Cool completely.
10. When the cupcakes are cool, cut a small circle off the top and scoop out a little of the cupcake and put one whole strawberry in the cupcake.
11. Frost the cupcakes with the whipped coconut cream.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cupcake (92g)
• Calories: 258
• Sugar: 9.7g
• Sodium: 112mg
• Fat: 21.7g
• Saturated Fat: 14.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 13.5g
• Fiber: 1.5g
• Protein: 4.9g
• Cholesterol: 68mg

Keywords: strawberry shortcake cupcakes recipe, gluten-free strawberry shortcake cupcakes

The post Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This healthier version is grain-free and uses sunflower seed butter, a healthier peanut butter alternative. They’re naturally sweetened with medjool dates — no refined sugar here! You probably have all the ingredients on hand to make this incredible dessert.

Line two mini-muffin pans with liners and set aside.

In a double boiler, add in the chocolate chips, coconut oil and vanilla. Melt it over a pot of simmering, hot water until the ingredients are incorporated. Fill each liner with 1–2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture.

Set aside the remaining chocolate to cover the cups with later. Place the muffin pans in the freezer while you prepare the paleo sunflower butter cups filling.

Using a food processor or heavy-duty blender, add in the sunbutter, coconut oil, sea salt and dates. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Grab the muffin pans from the freezer, then spoon 1 teaspoon of the sunbutter mix atop each chocolate-filled muffin liner. How good are these sunbutter cups starting to look?

Next, take the bowl of melted chocolate and spoon 1–2 teaspoons to cover each sunbutter cup and sprinkle with sea salt.

Add the sunbutter cups into the freezer for about half hour or until the paleo sunbutter cups are set. Serve these little chocolatey treats frozen.

These sunbutter cups are a fantastic way to satisfy your sweet tooth without any icky ingredients. Enjoy!

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Salted Paleo Sunbutter Cups Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
• Yield: 24
• Diet: Vegan

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This healthier version of peanut butter cups is grain-free and uses sunflower seed butter, a healthier peanut butter alternative. They’re naturally sweetened with medjool dates.

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Ingredients

Chocolate Shell:

• 2 cups 70-85% dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

• 1 cup sunflower seed butter
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• ¼ cup pitted Medjool dates

Topping:

• Pink Himalayan salt, to taste

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Instructions

1. Prepare two standard mini-muffin pans with mini-muffin liners and set aside.
2. In a double boiler, add in dark chocolate chips, coconut oil and vanilla.
3. Melt over a pot of simmering (not boiling) hot water until well incorporated.
4. Fill the bottom of each muffin liner with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture. Set aside leftover chocolate (about half) to put on top of the cups.
5. Set the muffin pans in the freezer.
6. In a food processor or heavy duty blender, add in sunbutter, sea salt, coconut oil and dates. Blend or pulse until smooth and creamy.
7. Remove muffin pans out of the freezer.
8. Spoon out about 1 tablespoon of the sunbutter mixture on top of each chocolate filled muffin liner.
9. Take the bowl of melted chocolate and spoon out 1–2 teaspoons to cover each cup.
10. Sprinkle Himalayan salt on top.
11. Place the cups back in the freezer for 30 minutes or longer until set. Serve frozen.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 mini-cup (33g)
• Calories: 192
• Sugar: 7.2g
• Sodium: 101mg
• Fat: 14.7g
• Saturated Fat: 5.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 13g
• Fiber: 2.8g
• Protein: 3.4g
• Cholesterol: 1mg

Keywords: sunbutter cups recipe, sunflower butter cups

The post Salted Paleo Sunbutter Cups Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

See, when you add chia seeds to a liquid and let them soak in it, the chia seeds absorb the liquid and puff up in size, transforming from a seed-like texture to a gel consistency that’s reminiscent of pudding.

Best of all, this chia seed pudding can be eaten as breakfast, snack or dessert. You have to try it!

3-Ingredient Chia Seed Pudding

This is the classic chia seed pudding, with just three ingredients: a nondairy milk, chia seeds and vanilla extract. Each serving is roughly two tablespoons of chia seeds, a half-cup of nondairy milk (coconut or unsweetened almond milk work best) and a quarter teaspoon of vanilla.

Because of the fiber in chia seeds, this classic version also doubles as a keto chia seed pudding, with only 4 net carbs per serving. It’s also friendly to nearly any kind of diet, including vegan and Paleo.

Beyond the benefits of chia seeds, coconut milk adds great creamy texture, electrolytes and healthy fats. As an alternative, almond milk contains far fewer calories and contains half a day’s recommended intake of vitamin E, a significant amount of vitamin D and a hearty dose of calcium.

Optional Toppings

If you want to dress up this pudding, consider making a strawberry rhubarb compote.

Rhubarb does more than give the pudding a gorgeous color. The vegetable lowers inflammation and eases digestion while adding a tart taste to this chia seed pudding.

Start by mixing the first three ingredients — coconut milk, chia seeds and vanilla — in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.

Next, chop up the rhubarb and strawberries, then add to a small pot over medium heat. Cook until the rhubarb is tender.

Add the rhubarb mixture plus maple syrup and water to a blender, and blend until all the ingredients are well combined.

Remove the chia seed pudding from the refrigerator and separate into four glasses, topping with the strawberry rhubarb compote once it has cooled.

Place the glasses in the fridge for about an hour to let them chill and set. Top them with coconut flakes, cacao nibs or both and serve! (This pudding will also last in the fridge for a week.)

This strawberry rhubarb chia seed pudding is easy to take on the go to work — just put in a portable container. It also doubles as a super healthy dessert that the entire family will enjoy.

If you dig the taste of this chia seed pudding, try our chia seed smoothie bowl next!

Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Vegan

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The classic chia seed pudding only requires three ingredients. On top of this pudding, you can add any kind of fruit, or this strawberry rhubarb compote.

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Ingredients

Chia Pudding Mixture:

• 3 cups coconut milk (full fat/canned)
• ¾ cup chia seeds
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Compote Mixture (Optional):

• 5–6 rhubarb stalks, chopped
• 1½ cups strawberries
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ⅓ cup water
• top with shredded coconut flakes/cacao nibs

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Instructions

1. Mix well the first 3 ingredients in a bowl and place in the refrigerator.
2. For the optional compote, chop up the fruit and add it to a small pot. Cook over medium heat or until rhubarb is tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Add mixture, maple syrup and water into a blender and blend until well combined.
4. Distribute chia seed pudding evenly into four glasses and top with the compote, once it has cooled. Place in refrigerator and allow to chill for up to 1 hour.
5. Serve topped with shredded coconut flakes and/or cacao nibs.

Notes

• If you want to reduce the calories, use reduced fat coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk.
• Rather than a compote, you can also simply add some fresh fruit: blueberries, strawberries, pineapples, cherries, etc.
• Coconut flakes, raw sliced almonds, hemp seeds and cacao nibs all offer good toppings, with or without fruit.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (135g) of pudding only
• Calories: 327
• Sugar: 0.1g
• Sodium: 18mg
• Fat: 30.5g
• Saturated Fat: 22.1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12.1g
• Fiber: 7.1g
• Protein: 5.7g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: chia seed pudding recipe, 3 ingredient chia seed pudding, keto chia seed pudding

The post 3-Ingredient Chia Seed Pudding, with a Compote appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Molten lava sounds like a serious volcanic explosion. But molten lava cake? Now that’s delicious. From a dish that used to be found only on high-end restaurant menus to a dessert that’s now available in the frozen section of your local grocery store, there are many ways to make a molten chocolate cake. But I guarantee you’re going to love this one best.

What Is A Molten Lava Cake?

It’s impressive how tasty chocolate lava cake is, especially when you consider how few ingredients it requires. The cake itself seems to have come as a happy accident; there are various accounts of who “invented” it first, but in the U.S., most seem to point to Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who pulled a sponge cake out of the oven too early, leaving it with a runny center which, despite being undercooked, tastes fantastic. And thus, the molten lava cake as we know it was born.

The key feature of these lava cakes is their gooey, chocolate-y centers. If you’re a dark chocolate fan, this is the cake for you! Traditionally, these cakes also eschewed flour, though most home recipes these days use all-purpose flour.

Best of all, lava cakes are almost always served in individual portions, rather than one large cake that’s sliced and divvied up. That means no sharing! And since you’re making several mini-cakes, baking time is drastically reduced, too. You can make these little cakes in just 15 minutes!

How to Make Molten Lava Cake

You don’t have to be a trained chef to make a fantastic molten chocolate cake right at home. This is my favorite recipe to make this dessert — it ensures you bake a decadent, mouthwatering cake without the suspect ingredients of other recipes.

Instead of regular old flour, we’ll use cassava flour. This gluten-free alternative is especially great to bake with because it lacks a strong flavor, so it’s easy to substitute in nearly every recipe.

By using grass-fed butter, you’re getting more nutrients and fatty acids than standard butter. It’s also anti-inflammatory and better for your heart health. You’ll also prevent blood sugar crashes by using date sugar instead of refined sugar. Made from Medjool dates, this natural sweetener is easily digested and helps metabolize proteins, fats and carbs.

Finally, skip the milk chocolate chips and grab dark chocolate chips for this chocolate lava cake. Not only is it full of antioxidants and has a low sugar content, it’s also drastically lower in milk than milk chocolate, which means your body will absorb of all the health benefits of dark chocolate much better.

If you’re ready to start baking, let’s make this lava cake!

Start by preheating the oven to 400 F, then grease four 6-ounce ramekins and set them aside.

In a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate, butter and date sugar. Once the chocolate is melted, add in the vanilla extract.

Next, remove the chocolate mixture from heat and whisk in the eggs, cassava flour and baking powder. Pour even amounts of the mixture into the greased ramekins, and bake the molten lava cakes for 10 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and serve while still hot and gooey.

This molten lava cake recipe serves four, but you might find yourself reaching for more!

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Molten Lava Cake Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

You don’t have to be a trained chef to make a fantastic molten chocolate cake right at home. This is my favorite recipe to make this dessert — it ensures you bake a decadent, mouthwatering cake without the suspect ingredients of other recipes.

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Ingredients

• 4 ounces dark chocolate chips (minimum 70% cacao)
• 6 tablespoons grass-fed butter
• ¼ cup date sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup cassava flour (or sprouted wheat flour if you can tolerate gluten)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Grease four 6-ounce ramekins and set aside.
3. In a double boiler, melt dark chocolate, butter and date sugar.
4. Once melted, add in vanilla extract.
5. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and whisk in eggs, cassava flour and baking powder.
6. Pour even amounts of the mixture into the greased ramekins.
7. Bake the molten lava cakes for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and serve hot.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cake (94g)
• Calories: 434
• Sugar: 19.6g
• Sodium: 176mg
• Fat: 31.6g
• Saturated Fat: 18.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10.5g
• Trans Fat: 0.7g
• Carbohydrates: 31.9g
• Fiber: 3.9g
• Protein: 6.2g
• Cholesterol: 128mg

Keywords: molten lava cake recipe, gluten-free molten lava cake

The post Molten Lava Cake Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

But what if I told you there was a way to enjoy the dessert guilt-free? Goodbye, rice krispies, hello Quinoa Crispy Treats! This healthified version replaces the rice with protein-rich quinoa and sweetens things up the natural way thanks to healing raw honey. And instead of using gobs of butter, the quinoa crispy bars are held together with almond and sunflower seed butters. Yum!

Not only is this quinoa bar tasty, it’s also the perfect energy bar. It delivers 235 calories per serving, with 24 grams of healthy carbs, 14 grams of healthy fats and 6 grams of protein.

Try this new take on an old treat tonight.

How to Make Quinoa Crispy Bars

Start by lining an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. In a small pot over very low heat (honey should never be heated up much at all), melt add the coconut oil, honey, almond butter and sunflower seed butter.

Remove the pot from heat once the mixture has melted and sprinkle with the sea salt and cinnamon. Then pour it all into the waiting baking dish.

Stir the puffed quinoa through the almond butter mixture, making sure all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

With a spatula, even out the quinoa crispy mix so it’s all level. Then place the baking pan in the freezer, letting the crispy bar set for 20 minutes or so.

When you’re ready to serve, remove the quinoa crispy bars from the freezer and cut immediately. Serve while still frozen.

These are healthy quinoa bars are delicious and so easy to make. Kids love to help make them — and eat them, of course!

Looking for other healthy snack bars? Try these recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Homemade Granola Bars
• Pumpkin Bars
• Lemon Bars
• Cheesecake Bars

Quinoa Crispy Bars Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN
• Total Time: 30 min
• Yield: 20
• Diet: Gluten Free

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This healthy version of rice krispy treats replaces the rice with protein-rich quinoa and sweetens things up the natural way thanks to healing honey. And instead of using gobs of butter, the quinoa crispy treats are held together with almond and sunflower seed butters. Yum!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted almond butter
• ½ cup sunflower seed butter
• ½ cup raw honey
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups puffed quinoa or millet

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Instructions

1. Prepare a 8×8 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a small pot at very low heat, melt almond butter, sunbutter, honey and coconut oil.
3. Remove from heat and scrap into a mixing bowl.
4. Stir in sea salt and cinnamon.
5. Add in puffed quinoa and stir until well incorporated.
6. Pour mixture into prepared dish.
7. Spread out mixture with a spatula to make an even layer in the dish. Freeze for 20 minutes or longer until set.
8. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and cut immediately. Serve frozen.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 20 min freeze time
• Category: Snacks
• Method: Freezing
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar (50g)
• Calories: 235
• Sugar: 8.2g
• Sodium: 61mg
• Fat: 13.8g
• Saturated Fat: 2.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23.9g
• Fiber: 3.1g
• Protein: 6.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: quinoa crispy treats, quinoa bars

The post Quinoa Crispy Bars (Better Than Rice Crispy Treats!) appeared first on Dr. Axe.

I use gluten-free flours in my carrot cake and natural sugars; plus, it’s topped with my all-natural and organic cream cheese frosting.

When eating these cupcakes, you can actually feel like you’re doing something good for your body. And you aren’t counteracting the benefits of carrots (like their ability to protect your eyesight and brain function) with pro-inflammatory flour and sugar.

Key Ingredients

Many carrot cake recipes call for white sugar, white flour and canola oil — ingredients that I choose not to use in my desserts. The truth is that you can stick to healthy ingredients without forfeiting the taste. These carrot cake cupcakes prove just that.

I use two gluten-free flours in my carrot cake cupcakes: almond flour and coconut flour. Almond flour is made from almonds and only almonds, which are blanched to remove the skin and then ground. Instead of using an ingredient like white flour, that could be detrimental to your health, why not choose a flour that will promote your well-being and supply vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium?

Just like almond flour, coconut flour is gluten-free, which is important to me because gluten can irritate the gut, which we know can lead to a slew of health issues. Coconut flour is high in fiber, so its components move through the digestive tract quickly, taking toxins and waste with them.

I also choose to use coconut oil instead of canola oil in my healthy carrot cake cupcakes. I don’t like to use canola oil because it’s a refined, genetically modified product that can cause a number of health issues.

Coconut oil, on the other hand, helps to prevent heart disease and high blood pressure, and it works to protect the liver and kidneys.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Now that we know healthy carrot cake recipes do exist, let’s get into baking these delicious cupcakes. Before you get your batter prepared, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, begin to add your ingredients. I start with the dry ingredients first: almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon and ground ginger.

The cinnamon and ginger really enhance the flavor of these carrot cake cupcakes. And, in case you didn’t know, ginger health benefits include its ability to help relieve indigestion and boost the immune system with its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Instead of sugar, I use maple syrup, which is a great alternative when used in small amounts. The glycemic index score of maple syrup is about 54, compared to a score of 65 for regular cane sugar.

After you add your maple syrup to the dry ingredients, add the remainder of your wet ingredients, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla extract.

Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes so that it all comes together and then fold in ½ cup of grated carrots.

Add the mixture to a lined or oiled muffin pan and bake them for 18–20 minutes. This recipe should make about 12 cupcakes.

Let your muffins cool off when they come out of the oven and then make up the cream cheese frosting.

I make my cream cheese frosting with four simple ingredients: organic cream cheese, coconut milk, maple sugar and coconut flakes. Using a high-powered mixer, mix these four ingredients together until well-combined.

Your carrot cake cupcakes are done and ready to enjoy!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 12 cupcakes
• Diet: Gluten Free

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My carrot cake cupcake recipe includes beneficial alternatives for the typical, not-so-healthy ingredients in carrot cake. And the results are delicious!

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Ingredients

Cupcake

• 1¼ cups almond flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1–2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup coconut oil
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ cup grated carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8-ounce package grass-fed, organic cream cheese
• ¼ cup evaporated coconut milk or coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons maple sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut flakes

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. in a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients, except the carrots, mixing until well combined.
3. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes.
4. Fold in the carrots.
5. Add mixture to a lined or oiled muffin pan.
6. Bake for 18–20 minutes.
7. While the cupcakes bake, make up the cream cheese frosting. Using a high-powered mixer, mix all ingredients together until well-combined.
8. Top with cream cheese frosting.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cupcake (71g)
• Calories: 253
• Sugar: 8.4g
• Sodium: 152mg
• Fat: 21.3g
• Saturated Fat: 11.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8.4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12.6g
• Fiber: 2.5g
• Protein: 5.4g
• Cholesterol: 44mg

Keywords: carrot cake cupcakes recipe, gluten-free carrot cake cupcakes

The post Carrot Cake Cupcakes Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

What Is A Blondie?

A traditional blondie recipe calls for vanilla and brown sugar instead of using cocoa, which gives it that lighter, blonde color. Unlike brownies, there’s no chocolate or chocolate flavors added to blondies. Some people add white chocolate or butterscotch chips to their blondies, but I use chocolate chips — making them my own chocolate chip cookie bars.

My blondie-esque chocolate chip cookie bars are also gluten-free and made with a natural sugar substitute, maple sugar. Maple sugar is what remains after the sap of sugar maple is boiled for longer than is needed to create maple syrup. Once almost all the water has been boiled off, solid sugar remains. This takes the place of brown sugar, which is commonly used in blondie recipes.

And, curve ball, I use cannellini beans in my chocolate chip cookie bars, too. Beans help to add volume to the cookies without the need for flour or gluten products. Just like using black beans for my black bean brownies recipe, I chose light, cannellini beans for my blondies.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

This recipe only requires you to add ingredients to a blender and throw the mixture in the oven — super easy! Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees F.

I use some very basic ingredients here: eggs, maple sugar, vanilla extract, melted butter and a can of rinsed and dried cannellini beans.

It’s important to me to use good quality ingredients when I’m cooking or baking. For instance, I like to use grass-fed butter, and although people are often terrified of saturated fat, when it’s obtained from healthy sources in moderation, like grass-fed butter and coconut oil, it provides the body with much-needed fuel and helps with blood sugar stability. Also, studies have shown that the milk from grass-fed cows is significantly richer in fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins than milk from cows that are fed grain-based diets.

Adding cannellini beans to this recipe makes it pretty unique. When the beans are blended and broken down, they act like the flour in the batter, which allows this recipe to be completely gluten-free.

Beans such as cannellini are also an important part of a healthy diet because they provide you with protein and fiber without overloading a meal or dessert with calories.

Once you’ve blended your batter ingredients, pour the mixture into an 8 x 8 pan.

Now it’s time to add the best part — chocolate chips and walnuts. I add a 1/2 cup of each. The chocolate provides an extra sweetness and richness to these easy cookie bars, and the walnuts add the perfect crunch. I think any dessert, or meal for that matter, needs that crunchy texture for a satisfying bite.

Your blondie brownie, or blondie with a twist, needs to bake for 45 minutes, until it is golden brown. Once it’s cooled for a few minutes, you can dive in!

Sometimes I add kefir and raw honey on top for that creaminess (and the boost of probiotics too, of course). But these chocolate chip cookie bars, my play on blondie brownies, are perfect all by themselves. Enjoy!

Looking for other healthy snack bars? Try these recipes:

• Homemade Granola Bars
• Quinoa Crispy Bars
• Pumpkin Bars
• Lemon Bars
• Cheesecake Bars

Want to just eat cookie dough? Try our Paleo, vegan and gluten-free edible cookie dough recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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My blondie-esque chocolate chip cookie bars are gluten-free and made with a natural sugar substitute, maple sugar. And, curve ball, I use cannellini beans in my chocolate chip cookie bars, too. The results are delicious.

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Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup maple sugar
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• one 13.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and dried
• 4 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter, melted
• ½ cup walnuts, crushed
• ½ cup dark chocolate chocolate chips

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Add everything except walnuts and chocolate chips to a high-powered blender, blending on high until well combined. (You can also use a food processor.)
3. Pour mixture into an 8 x 8 pan.
4. Sprinkle chocolate chips and walnuts over the mixture.
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Top with coconut kefir and honey if desired.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 45 min
• Category: Snacks, Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie bar (73g)
• Calories: 209
• Sugar: 12.7g
• Sodium: 136mg
• Fat: 11.4g
• Saturated Fat: 5.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 22.5g
• Fiber: 1.3g
• Protein: 4.9g
• Cholesterol: 51mg

Keywords: chocolate chip cookie bars, cookie bars, easy cookie bars

The post Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Recipe — A Healthy Blondie! appeared first on Dr. Axe.

“In A Mug” Trend!

Cakes in a mug have spiked in popularity the last several years, thanks to food bloggers on the internet. Who doesn’t love having a quick option for post-dinner dessert? (Such as for Valentine’s Day!)

The problem with many of these chocolate mug cakes is the list of ingredients in them. Refined flour, addictive sugar and conventional dairy are at the top of the list, and you know how I feel about those ingredients. Some mug cakes even call for highly refined vegetable oils, which typically are rancid since they have been exposed to light and air while being processed.

When I make my chocolate cake in a mug, I actually bake mine in the oven. Using an oven allows the cake to bake evenly without heating the ingredients up too quickly. Although it would be quicker to use a use a microwave for this chocolate mug cake, the quality of your ingredients will stay intact using an oven.

For the Gluten-Free Baker

This recipe is perfect for the gluten-free baker who always has ingredients on hand. Since this chocolate cake in a mug is for one, you’ll only need a little bit of each ingredient to make this mug cake come together. No need to run out to the grocery store to get a whole bag of cassava flour (although with this moist chocolate cake recipe, it would totally be worth it)!

How to Make Chocolate Mug Cake

You’ll start with part of a dark chocolate bar, with a minimum of 70 percent cacao. Cacao is rich in magnesium and antioxidants, so the darker the chocolate bar, the better. Melt the chocolate bar pieces with a tablespoon of grass-fed butter. If you want to keep it dairy free, substitute with coconut oil.

Add the melted chocolate mixture to a mug, or in a mixing bowl if you plan on doubling or tripling this mug cake recipe. Next comes coconut flour, which is a healthy gluten-free flour high in fiber. Add in cassava flour, which is another great gluten-free flour. It’s highly versatile, a great replacement for wheat flour and free of grains.

I added a little bit of baking powder and sea salt, as well as a pastured egg.

Since I used an oven to make the chocolate mug cake, I preheated an oven-safe mug as the oven was preheating. Carefully remove the mug from oven and pour in the chocolate cake mixture.

Place mug or mugs onto a baking sheet, and put back into the oven. Bake the mug cake for 10–12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Your mug will be hot, so be careful as you dive into this delightful chocolate cake in a mug.

Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 22 minutes
• Yield: 2
• Diet: Gluten Free

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The idea of a chocolate mug cake is to whip up an easy, decadent single-serving of cake in just minutes, typically with the help of a microwave. Here’s a healthier version but done in an oven. Much better all around!

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup dark chocolate (minimum 70% cacao), chopped
• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• ¼ cup cassava flour
• ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 eggs

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place oven-safe mugs in the oven while preheating.
3. In a small sauce pan, melt dark chocolate and butter.
4. Pour chocolate mixture in a small mixing bowl.
5. Add in coconut flour, cassava flour, baking powder, sea salt and egg and whisk until well combined.
6. Carefully remove mug from the oven and pour mixture into the mug. Place back in the oven.
7. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Top with coconut whipped cream, if desired.

• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 12
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (128g)
• Calories: 426
• Sugar: 8.3g
• Sodium: 367mg
• Fat: 32.6g
• Saturated Fat: 19.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10.1g
• Trans Fat: 0.5g
• Carbohydrates: 25.6g
• Fiber: 4.8g
• Protein: 8.7g
• Cholesterol: 195mg

Keywords: chocolate mug cake recipe, chocolate cake in a mug

The post Chocolate Mug Cake: Valentine’s Day Last-Minute Special appeared first on Dr. Axe.

I love a good fruit or pumpkin pie. But sometimes, you just need a healthy dose of chocolate. And that’s what you’re getting with this Chocolate Cream Pie recipe.

Coconut ingredients, like coconut oil and coconut milk, are some of my favorites. They add so much nutrition to recipes along with a rich, creamy flavor that’s hard to replicate. If the only chocolate cream pies you’ve eaten before are those packaged single-serving ones, you are in for such a treat!

This chocolate cream pie recipe makes a delicious dessert or a yummy alternative to a birthday cake.

How to Make A Chocolate Cream Pie

We will begin by preheating the oven to 350 F. Then in a high-powered blender, blend the pecans into a coarse meal and place in a bowl. Into the same bowl, add the almond flour, sea salt, honey and coconut oil and mix it all together. That’s your homemade crust.

Press this mix into a pie pan and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges begin browning. No need to buy pre-made pie crusts again, folks. Let the pie crust cool on a wire rack.

Now let’s get the chocolate going. Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler, stirring together. Remove from the heat and set aside — we’ll be back.

In a medium pot, add the coconut milk, salt, honey and vanilla over medium heat while whisking. Once it starts steaming, add the cocoa and arrowroot to the mixture. Keep whisking. We want this to be smooth and thick; it should take 2–4 minutes.

Remove the coconut milk mix from the heat and add the choco-butter mix to it. Stir to combine and then add in the coconut shreds, too.

Now, take 1/2 cup of this new chocolate mixture and drizzle it slowly over the egg yolks. You’ll want to whisk constantly while you do this, so the heat from the chocolate doesn’t cook the egg yolks. When the chocolate drizzle and egg yolks are combined, add the whole shebang back to the chocolate mix and stir constantly.

Now, pour the chocolate filling into the pie shell. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight, letting the chocolate cream pie set.

When it’s time to serve, top the whole pie with coconut shreds and coconut whipped cream. While this chocolate cream pie isn’t the easiest dessert you’ll ever make, it just might be the most delicious. I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!

Want to make another rich pie that will wow your guests? Try our gluten-free pecan pie.

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Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 21 minute
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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You’ve tried pumpkin pie and cheesecake, but what about pumpkin pie cheesecake? It’s a sublime flavor that comes together beautifully with these ingredients and is sure to be a hit with your loved ones.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• ½ cup almonds, crushed
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 10 inch springform pan
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 ounces chèvre goat cheese
• 1½ cups coconut sugar
• 16 ounces organic cream cheese
• 1¼ cup pumpkin
• ¾ cup organic goat’s milk yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix almond flour, crushed almonds, ¼ cup coconut sugar, baking soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Stir in butter until almond mixture is even. Pour almond mixture into a 10-inch springform pan and press firmly into the bottom.
4. Bake until crust is set, about 10 minutes.
5. In a separate bowl, beat together goat cheese and 1½ cups coconut sugar.
6. Add in cream cheese and beat for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and beat until mixture is very smooth, about 2 more minutes.
7. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake on a rack positioned in middle of oven for about 1 hour, 15 minutes or until cake is set.
8. Allow it to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4–5 hours.

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 1 hr 25 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice (142g)
• Calories: 476
• Sugar: 32g
• Sodium: 383mg
• Fat: 31.8g
• Saturated Fat: 14.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15.2g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 35.9g
• Fiber: 2.3g
• Protein: 14.2g
• Cholesterol: 96mg

Keywords: pumpkin pie cheesecake

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Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 3 hrs 30 min
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Coconut ingredients, like coconut oil and coconut milk, are some of my favorites. They add so much nutrition to recipes along with a rich, creamy flavor that’s hard to replicate. This chocolate cream pie recipe makes a delicious dessert or a yummy alternative to a birthday cake. You’ll love the crust, too!

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Ingredients

Crust:

• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup almond flour
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Filling:

• ⅔ cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder, sifted
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 recipe Coconut Whipped Cream

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a high-speed blender, blend pecans into coarse meal and place in a bowl. Add almond flour, salt, maple syrup and coconut oil, and mix together thoroughly.
3. Press crust mixture into a pie pan and bake for 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Let cool on a wire rack.
4. Melt chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler. Stir together, remove from heat and set aside.
5. In a medium pot, heat coconut milk, salt, maple syrup and vanilla over medium high heat, whisking often. Once mixture starts steaming, add cocoa and arrowroot and whisk vigorously until mixture is smooth and thickened, 2–4 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and add chocolate-butter mixture. Stir to combine, and add coconut shreds.
7. Slowly drizzle 1/2 cup of chocolate mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly so as not to cook yolks. When combined, add this back into the chocolate mixture, stirring constantly.
8. Pour chocolate filling into pie shell, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
9. When ready to serve, sprinkle coconut shreds over the pie and top with coconut whipped cream.

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking/Refridgeration
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 328
• Sugar: 8.4g
• Sodium: 45mg
• Fat: 29.2g
• Saturated Fat: 19.4.g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8g
• Trans Fat: 0.1g
• Carbohydrates: 16.7g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 36mg

Keywords: chocolate cream pie recipe, chocolate pie

The post Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

While pies, crumbles and even tarts are widely known and baked, apple galette recipes are less common among the average cook. It might be because the name sounds unfamiliar or they just look so gorgeous that it’s hard to think you can whip up a galette in the comfort of your own kitchen.

But, my friends, you absolutely can. This nutrition-rich apple galette recipe will knock the socks off anyone you serve it to, including yourself!

What Is a Galette?

Before we begin baking, however, you might be thinking to yourself, “What the heck is a galette?” Good question!

A galette is very similar to a tart. Tarts are made of a straight-sided pastry that’s filled either before or after baking and lacks a top crust.

You may also have questions such as:

• What is the difference between a galette and a crostata?
• What is the difference between a galette and a pie?
• Is galette dough the same as pie dough?

Again, all good questions. For starters, the difference between a galette and a crostata is simply that the term “galette” is derived from the French language, while crostata is Italian.

Otherwise, they’re essentially the same free-form pastry — in this case, apple pastry.

As for the difference between a galette and a pie, galettes are less restrictive. The dough can be the same or similar as far as ingredients go — but the shape is where they differ.

Technically, a galette is any flat, free-form pastry.

Galettes are free spirits: They don’t need a pastry ring or pie pan holding them down or giving them shape. Often, the sides of a galette are also folded up and over the pastry sides to contain the juices of whatever yummy filling is inside it.

Really, there are no rules when it comes to fruit galette recipes. As long as they’re stuffed with something delicious, galettes will turn into tasty, golden-brown desserts.

Key Ingredients

Good news for those with gluten sensitivities: This apple galette recipe is totally gluten-free! Thanks to the sprouted gluten-free flour and sprouted almonds, you can enjoy this dessert without fearing for your belly.

Because the flour is sprouted, not only is it more nutritious, but it’s also easier to digest. This apple galette is also free of refined sugar.

You get all the sweets you need from the maple sugar, which means no sugar crashes to worry about later.

Of course, you can’t make a healthy apple galette recipe without apples, which we know are great for immune and gut health, among many other apple benefits.

This galette has it all! Ready to bake?

How to Make a Gluten-Free Apple Galette

Start by processing the flour ingredients in a food processor and setting aside.

Next, process the first three ingredients of the galette crust mixture. Add in the butter, while pulsing until well-combined.

Then, add in the ice water, little by little, while pulsing until a thick dough is formed.

Roll the dough into a disc, and wrap with saran wrap. Stick in the refrigerator for two hours, and then preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the apple galette crust, and roll the dough into a 10- to 12-inch circle. Coat with some of the flour mixture.

Arrange the apples in a circle, and then top with more of the flour mixture.

Fold the pie crust over the apple mixture, and brush with coconut cream. Then, sprinkle with more maple sugar.

Refrigerate it all for 25 minutes.

Bake the apple galette for 50 minutes to one hour or until the crust is golden. Just like that, you have yourself a delicious French apple galette.

Other Apple-Centered Recipes

Still have a drawerful of apples or want to take advantage of their peak flavor? Try these other apple-based recipes:

• Apple fitters
• Apple cinnamon baked oatmeal
• Apple cinnamon muffins
• Caramel apples
• Apple butter

Gluten-Free Apple Galette Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 21 minute
• Yield: 6
• Diet: Gluten Free

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While pies, crumbles and even tarts are widely known and baked, apple galette recipes are less common but even easier to make.

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Ingredients

• 3 apples of choice, thinly sliced

Flour Mixture

• ⅓ cup sprouted almonds
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free sprouted flour blend (brown rice, oat, sorghum)
• 5 tablespoons maple sugar, divided

Galette Crust

• 2½ cups gluten-free sprouted flour blend (brown rice, oat, sorghum)
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1 tablespoon maple sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted grass-fed butter, chilled and cubed
• ¼ cup ice water

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Instructions

1. Process the flour mixture and set aside.
2. Process the first three ingredients of the galette crust mixture.
3. Add in the butter, while pulsing until well-combined.
4. Add in ice water, little by little, while pulsing until thick dough is formed.
5. Roll dough into a disc and wrap with saran wrap.
6. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
7. Preheat oven to 400 F.
8. Remove the galette crust and roll dough into a 10- to 12-inch circle.
9. Coat with some of the flour mixture.
10. Arrange apples in a circle, then top with more of the flour mixture.
11. Fold pie crust over apple mixture.
12. Brush with coconut cream and sprinkle with more maple sugar.
13. Refrigerate for 25 minutes.
14. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until crust is golden.

• Prep Time: 140 min
• Cook Time: 1 hr
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 207g
• Calories: 576
• Sugar: 18.4g
• Sodium: 395mg
• Fat: 36.3g
• Saturated Fat: 19.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15.2g
• Trans Fat: 1.2g
• Carbohydrates: 61.1g
• Fiber: 6.5g
• Protein: 6.5g
• Cholesterol: 81mg

Keywords: apple galette recipe, galettes, what is a galette, fruit galette, apple pastry, french apple galette,

The post Gluten-Free Apple Galette Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This brownie recipe lets you have the dessert without the guilt. These healthy black bean brownies are absolutely delicious and also packed with fiber, protein, iron and magnesium. Plus, they’re completely gluten-free.

Is a Black Bean Brownie Recipe the Healthiest Brownie Option?

Black bean brownies with flour (as in all-purpose, wheat-derived flour) contain gluten and are typically high in both sugar and carbs … not to mention they are lower in protein and fiber compared to these black bean brownies.

This recipe for gluten-free black bean brownies uses Paleo flour, which you can make yourself or buy in the store. These are also sugar-free black bean brownies as in they contain zero refined sugar like typical brownie recipes.

Some people like black bean brownies with dates included as a natural sweetener, which isn’t a bad idea at all. For this recipe, I decided to use maple syrup and stevia.

As you’ll see from the nutrition information below, this easy black bean brownie recipe is impressively high in fiber, which can help ward off digestive complaints like constipation.

One of the drawbacks of these brownies is the fact that some people have a hard time digesting legumes like black beans. Soaking and sprouting beans can help make them easier on the gut.

These may not be vegan black bean brownies, but to make black bean brownies vegan, you can substitute ¼ to ½ of a ripe avocado mashed for each egg in this recipe. Black bean avocado brownies are also delicious and healthy.

As another vegan option, the regular eggs can be substituted for flax eggs. The standard conversion for a regular egg to a flax egg is one tablespoon of flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water to replace one egg.

You may be thinking, “This all sounds very healthy, but how do they taste?” Try serving these to your friends and family … with no bean taste, I bet they’ll mistake them for regular brownies — delicious, gooey, chocolatey brownies.

How to Make Black Bean Brownies

Forget making black bean brownies with mix because even though this recipe is made from scratch, it’s still an incredibly easy recipe to create even when you don’t have a ton of time.

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, put all of your ingredients into the blender.

Once everything is mixed up well, pour the batter into the greased pan.

These simple black bean brownies will be ready for tasting in less than an hour! Let’s go into detail …

Add all of the ingredients to the blender.

Blend all of the ingredients together.

When it’s all done, there shouldn’t be any clumps.

Pour the black bean brownie mix into a greased 8×8 pan or baking dish. Coconut oil works great for greasing the pan/dish.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Let the pan cool for at least 10 minutes.

Time to serve! Depending on how you cut them, this recipe will make anywhere from nine to 12 brownies.

Last but not least, enjoy a delicious black bean brownie!

Black Bean Brownies Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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This black bean brownies recipe lets you have the dessert without the guilt! It’s packed full of fiber, protein, iron and magnesium.

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Ingredients

• 15-ounces cooked black beans, drained
• ½ cup cacao powder
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• ¾ cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons stevia
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup Paleo flour
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup water

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Blend all ingredients together.
3. Pour ingredients into a greased 8×8 pan and bake for 40 minutes.
4. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes.

Notes

• To make these brownies vegan, swap out the egg for avocado or flax eggs.
• You can use raw honey instead of maple syrup, as shown in the video, but be aware that honey loses many of its beneficial compounds when heated.

• Prep Time: 15min
• Cook Time: 40min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 brownie (86g)
• Calories: 181
• Sugar: 12.1g
• Sodium: 68mg
• Fat: 6.3g
• Saturated Fat: 4.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 29.5g
• Fiber: 4.3g
• Protein: 5.2g
• Cholesterol: 41mg

Keywords: black bean brownies recipe, gluten-free black bean brownies, healthy black bean brownies, sugar-free black bean brownies, black bean brownie, black bean brownie recipe, easy black bean brownie recipe

The post Black Bean Brownies Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

But have you looked at the ingredients list? For such a small product, Pop-Tarts have a massive list of unsavory ingredients.

The fantastic thing about this toaster pastry recipe is it’s fairly simple to make on your own — and you can add it my list of amazing pumpkin recipes. While the instructions here might seem a bit long, they’re not super-involved.

Best of all, once you get the hang of these and discover the wonder of gluten-free flours, you can have this toaster pastry snack ready for any occasion, chock-full of healthy ingredients.

Key Ingredients

Speaking of healthy ingredients, here are the main players in this gluten-free toaster pastry recipe:

• Allspice: You may be wondering: What is allspice? While many think it’s a blend of spices, it’s actually just one spice that comes from the ground berries of a Jamaican plant. Full of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory compounds, it’s a healthy spice that adds flavor while keeping sugar levels and calories in check.
• Grass-fed butter: Butter is a staple in baking, and these toaster pastries are no exception. As always, make sure you use grass-fed butter to get the highest-quality choice of this healthy fat.
• Coconut sugar: As a substitute to unhealthy, refined sugar, coconut sugar adds sweetness while keeping this recipe Paleo-friendly.
• Paleo flour: Speaking of Paleo-friendly, you can’t make a pastry without flour, and this recipe uses gluten-free flour so it’s safe for any diet. Try my Paleo flour blend, or use gluten-free flours like coconut, sprouted corn, oat, rice, almond or tapioca flour, among others.
• Sugar pumpkin: A smaller variety of pumpkin, sugar pumpkin makes for a great option for baking and provides the same pumpkin benefits you’re familiar with, such as providing a host of vitamins and antioxidants to support heart, gut and immune health.

Roll up your sleeves, and let’s get these pop tarts happening!

How to Make a Toaster Pastry

Start by prepping the pumpkin, also known as the toaster pastry filling. (You can also cheat and use one cup of pumpkin puree.) Turn the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease up a baking sheet.

Wash and remove the stem from your sugar pumpkin.

Slice that bad boy up vertically, and remove the seeds. Don’t toss them, though! Roast them for an on-the-go healthy snack later.

Place the de-seeded pumpkin halves on the waiting sheet, and bake for about 45 minutes or until you can stick a fork into the pumpkin with no trouble. Because time is valuable, while the yummy pumpkin filling is roasting, we’re going to prep the dough.

Start by whisking flour, coconut sugar and salt in a bowl. With a fork or pastry blender, start cutting in the butter until the entire mixture is crumbly.

Add in the ice water, just a tablespoon at a time, until the dough is formed.

Divvy up the dough in half, and roll each half into a ball. Wrap each in plastic wrap, and let it cool in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Time’s up! Remove and unwrap one ball of dough, smoothing out any cracks along the sides. Then, on a smooth surface that’s been dusted with flour, like a kitchen counter, roll the ball of dough into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle, with dough about 1/8 inch thick.

That’s right, these homemade toaster pastries are really starting to take shape!

If you’re picky about the edges, use a paring knife to get these looking clean, and give them a more “authentic” toaster pastry look. Cut the rectangle into three equal pieces, and then cut those into three pieces, leaving you with nine rectangles.

Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the rectangles on the baking sheet, refrigerating while you prep the rest of the dough.

Remove that second ball of dough that’s been hanging out in the fridge, and repeat the process. One of the balls will be the bottom of the toaster pastries, while the other will make up the top.

Once you’ve cut and made all your rectangles, let both sets hang in the refrigerator. It’s filling time!

By this point, your pumpkin should be roasted. Slide it out of the oven, but don’t turn turn it off just yet. Instead, lower the temperature to 350 F.

Let the pumpkin cool before doing your thing, as it will be hot!

Using a spoon, scoop out the pumpkin “meat,” and toss out the rinds. Then it’s time to bust out the food processor.

Combine the pumpkin filling, butter, coconut sugar, vanilla and all those yummy spices, and pulse till they’re mixed.

Once that’s ready, grab the waiting toaster pastry rectangles from the fridge. With a tablespoon, scoop a heap of the pumpkin mixture onto each bottom dough rectangle, leaving about a 1/4-inch border.

Next, place the second rectangles on top of each toaster pastry, and seal the edges down with a fork. Poke three teeny holes on each top to let air escape while these cook.

Finally, bake the toaster pastries for 45 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Let them cool for 20 minutes before sprinkling each with coconut sugar and serving!

They might more labor-intensive than those store-bought processed food versions, but these toaster pastries are so much healthier — you can actually feel good about serving them to your family! Once you get comfortable making them, you could also play around with the filling ingredients.

Enjoy!

Want another spin on the pumpkin flavor concept? Try our pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie oatmeal or pumpkin pie cheesecake.)

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Vegan

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This vegan pumpkin pie ice cream is fun to make … and creative. It relies on coconut milk and a base of butternut squash and apples! A tasty ice cream packed with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants? Yes, please.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cans full fat coconut milk, divided
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 sweet-tart apple, cored and sliced thick
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons whiskey or bourbon

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425 F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the squash evenly on the parchment.
3. Sprinkle the squash with the salt and bake for 30 minutes. Make the coconut-caramel syrup while the squash is baking.
4. In a small pot, heat half a can of coconut milk over medium-high heat. When hot, add the coconut sugar and simmer at medium heat for 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, stir and set aside.
5. Remove the squash from the oven. Add the apples to the pan and bake 20 minutes more
6. Remove the squash and apple from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
7. In a high-powered blender, combine the remaining can of coconut milk, coconut-caramel syrup, squash, apples, spices and whiskey/bourbon. Puree on high until thoroughly blended and thick.
8. Refrigerate in an airtight container at least 3 hours or overnight. When completely chilled, churn in an ice cream according to manufacturer’s instructions.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Ice Cream Maker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 small bowl (222g)
• Calories: 285
• Sugar: 23.5g
• Sodium: 14mg
• Fat: 15.3g
• Saturated Fat: 13.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 36.6g
• Fiber: 2.7g
• Protein: 2.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: vegan pumpkin pie ice cream, pumpkin pie ice cream, vegan pumpkin ice cream

Gluten-Free Toaster Pastry with Sugar Pumpkin Filling

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 9
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Pop-Tarts are popular processed foods, but they’re really unhealthy. Instead, make your own toaster pastry with healthy ingredients!

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Ingredients

• 1 sugar pumpkin (or 1 cup pumpkin puree)
• 2 cups Paleo flour
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 2/3 cup Nutiva shortening
• 7–8 tablespoons ice water
• 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter, sliced into 1/2 tablespoon pieces
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9 x 12-inch baking sheet with avocado oil.
2. Wash and remove the stem from the sugar pumpkin. Slice the pumpkin vertically and remove the seeds.
3. Place the pumpkin halves face down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is easily pierced with a fork. Prepare the dough while the pumpkin is roasting.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut sugar and salt. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in ice water one tablespoon at a time until dough is formed.
5. Divide the dough evenly in half, forming each half into a ball. Wrap both halves in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. Remove and unwrap one ball of dough. Smooth out any cracks along the sides of the dough. On a smooth surface dusted with flour, roll the dough into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle. The dough should be about 1/8 inch thick.
7. Use a paring knife to trim and create clean edges. Cut the rectangle vertically into 3 equal pieces, then cut those pieces horizontally into three equal pieces, creating 9 rectangles (you can use a ruler to help guide you).
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rectangles on the baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate while you work with the rest of the dough.
9. Remove the other ball of dough and repeat the process above. One set of rectangles will be the bottoms of the pop-tarts; the other set will be the tops. Refrigerate both sets of rectangles while you prepare the pumpkin filling.
10. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and lower the heat to 350 F. Allow the pumpkin to cool before handling it. It will be hot!
11. Use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin meat out of the rind. Discard the rind.
12. In a food processor, combine the pumpkin meat, butter, coconut sugar, vanilla and spices and pulse on high until mixed.
13. Remove the pastry rectangles from the refrigerator. Using a tablespoon, spoon a heaping tablespoon of the pumpkin mixture onto each bottom rectangle, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Place the pop-tart tops on top and seal the edges with a fork. Poke 3 rows of 3 tiny holes in the tops to allow air to escape.
14. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the tarts from the pan and allow them to cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with coconut sugar and serve.

• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 90 min
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 pastry
• Calories: 357
• Sugar: 17.4g
• Sodium: 300mg
• Fat: 20.5g
• Saturated Fat: 7.9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12.6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 44.5g
• Fiber: 2.2g
• Protein: 0.6g
• Cholesterol: 14mg

Keywords: toaster pastry recipe, toaster pastries

The post Gluten-Free Toaster Pastry with Sugar Pumpkin Filling appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Nowadays, there are a lot of ways to up the health factor of brownies and still keep them tasty. For example, there’s my sweet potato brownies recipe, which has a similar taste and nutrient boost as a pumpkin brownie recipe. You can also try a zucchini brownies Paleo-friendly recipe!

The healthy options keep on coming, but what if you really just want a healthier version of brownies minus the fruits and vegetables? Well then you’re in luck because I’m about to reveal my rich and delicious Paleo brownies recipe to you.

Whether you’re currently following a Paleo diet or close to it, looking for a flourless brownies recipe, or you’re just wanting a healthier take on this classic recipe, these Paleo brownies are going to be perfect for you! Do you have a milk allergy or are you choosing to avoid dairy for health reasons? This recipe also has you covered since these are completely dairy-free brownies.

Paleo Brownie vs. Regular Brownie

While these aren’t sugar-free brownies, they are brownies free of processed sugar. Instead of the usual stark white sweetener, this recipe contains maple sugar. This healthier sweetener comes from maple syrup, which is the sap of the maple tree. Unlike processed sugar that offers nothing nutritionally, maple syrup and maple sugar contain important antioxidants and minerals like manganese and zinc.

There are many versions of gluten-free brownies to choose from like coconut flour brownies and almond flour brownies. This Paleo brownie recipe is actually not just gluten-free, but also entirely flour-free. My recipe uses arrowroot starch, which is completely grain-free and ideal for gluten-free baking. Arrowroot starch comes from arrowroot, which has been shown to boost immune health in recent scientific studies.

Chocolate frosting for brownies can be a way to make brownies even more chocolatey and decadent, but most frostings are just a sugar and fat trap. If you’re looking to add frosting to these paleo brownies, you can try my Spiced Coconut Chocolate Frosting, which is actually a Paleo-friendly frosting recipe. Or, if you’re okay with butter then you may also want use my healthier take on a more traditional chocolate frosting. Warning: these frostings may use healthier ingredients, but they will not disappoint your taste buds one bit!

How to Make Paleo Brownies

Any dessert is only as tasty and healthy as the ingredients that go into it. This is certainly true for brownies. This Paleo brownie recipe uses high quality ingredients with a focus on avoiding common food allergens like wheat, gluten and dairy. As I said earlier, I’m also skipping the common health hazardous ingredient of processed white sugar. The healthy substitutions in this recipe increase nutrient levels and possible health benefits.

Do you know what else? This Paleo brownie recipe is no harder or more time consuming than a traditional brownie recipe. Plus, you loose nothing in the flavor department. This recipe includes dark chocolate chips, sea salt, vanilla extract, coconut oil … is your mouth watering yet?

Before you start making your delicious Paleo brownies, you’ll need to preheat your oven to 350 F. Next, in a small pot, after melting the coconut oil, add chocolate chips over medium heat.

Now you can start combining all of your other ingredients into a large mixing bowl, starting with sea salt and maple sugar … then the arrowroot starch … then the vanilla extract.

Using a hand mixer, mix all the other ingredients together until the batter is thick.

Bake for 30 minutes. I know it’s hard to wait, but allow these delicious brownies to cool for 15 minutes before digging your teeth into one.

Paleo Brownies Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Want a simple, healthier version of brownies that keeps out all processed ingredients? Welcome to my rich and delicious Paleo brownies recipe.

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Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup maple sugar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
• ½ cup cocoa or cacao powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips in a small pot over medium heat.
3. Using a hand mixer, mix all the other ingredients together until the batter is thick.
4. Pour contents into a 8.5″ x 4.5″ x 2.75″ loaf pan.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 brownie
• Calories: 170
• Sugar: 7.5g
• Sodium: 122mg
• Fat: 13.3g
• Saturated Fat: 9.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 11.1g
• Fiber: 0.8g
• Protein: 2g
• Cholesterol: 103mg

Keywords: paleo brownies recipe, gluten-free brownies

The post Paleo Brownies Recipe with 7 Perfect Ingredients appeared first on Dr. Axe.

My chocolate crinkle cookies are made using heart-healthy dark chocolate, antioxidant-rich cacao powder and energy-boosting coconut oil. These ingredients, plus natural sweeteners like maple sugar, make these the healthiest crinkle cookies out there.

What Are Crinkle Cookies?

To crinkle is to form small creases or cracks, which is exactly what happens when you bake a crinkle cookie. As the cookies puff up in the oven, they begin to crackle.

The perfect chocolate crinkle cookie is crisp and crunchy on the surface and gooey on the inside. Using my chocolate crinkle cookies recipe, that’s made possible with the combination of coconut oil and dark chocolate — two disease-fighting, energy-providing, brain-boosting foods that taste delicious too.

Chocolate crinkle cookies are also traditionally topped with confectionary sugar, but I do that a little differently, of course. I use maple sugar as a natural sweetener and combine it with arrowroot starch, which gives it that powdery texture so it coats the cookie perfectly.

Key Ingredients

Here’s a quick glance at some of the top health benefits associated with the ingredients in these chocolate crinkle cookies:

• Cacao powder: Raw cacao nibs and powder can be considered superfoods because they contain many phytonutrients and flavonoids. Cacao powder is high in magnesium, a mineral that plays an important role in muscle and nerve function, and it reduces your risk of coronary disease and stroke due to its antioxidant content. Cacao also works to enhance your mood and ability to focus.
• Coconut oil: There are so many coconut oil benefits, which is why I often use it in my recipes, especially when baking. Coconut oil contains healthy fats called medium-chain fatty acids, including caprylic acid, lauric acid and capric acid. These fats are immediately converted into energy instead of being stored as fat. They are also easier to digest, help boost brain function and prevent heart disease, and protect the liver.
• Dark chocolate: Unlike processed, highly sweetened chocolate, the health benefits of dark chocolate are impressive. Dark chocolate contains powerful antioxidants that fight disease-causing free radicals. Dark chocolate also improves your heart health and cholesterol profile, while boosting your cognitive function, too.

How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

The first step to making these tasty chocolate crinkle cookies is preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll also need a cookie sheet that’s lined with parchment paper for these crinkle chocolate cookies.

Next, in a small bowl, mix together ½ cup of solid coconut oil that’s at room temperature and ½ cup maple sugar. Then add in 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of cocoa or cacao powder.

Now stir in 1 cup of dark chocolate chips for these chocolate crinkles.

Once the ingredients are well-combined, use a cookie scoop to shape cookie dough balls, making about 15 cookies. Bake your cookies for 10 minutes or until the cookies are set around the edges.

When they’re done in the oven, let the cookies cool for about 5–10 minutes. Then combine arrowroot starch and maple sugar as your powdered sugar replacement. You can just use a fork to dust the cookies, adding a little sweetness to your bite.

And just like that, your chocolate crinkle cookies are ready to enjoy!

Want to just eat cookie dough? Try our Paleo, vegan and gluten-free edible cookie dough recipe!

Gooey Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 15 cookies
• Diet: Gluten Free

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My chocolate crinkle cookies are made using heart-healthy dark chocolate, antioxidant-rich cacao powder and energy-boosting coconut oil.

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Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil, solid at room temperature
• ½ cup maple sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cocoa or cacao powder
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (70% or darker)
• Arrowroot starch/maple sugar (as powdered sugar replacement)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a small bowl mix together the coconut oil and maple sugar until well combined.
3. Add in the egg and vanilla, stirring until combined.
4. Add in the baking soda, salt, and cocoa or cacao powder, mixing until smooth.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Use a cookie scoop to shape cookie dough balls.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until set around the edges.
8. Allow cookies to cool for 5–10 minutes before serving.
9. Top with arrowroot starch/maple sugar mixture.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Category: Desserts, Cookies
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 135
• Sugar: 7.9g
• Sodium: 124mg
• Fat: 10.5g
• Saturated Fat: 8.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12.9g
• Fiber: 3.4g
• Protein: 2.6g
• Cholesterol: 11mg

Keywords: crinkle cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies recipe, crinkle chocolate cookies, chocolate crinkles,

The post Gooey Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Secret Ingredients

You might be confused about how sweet potatoes could play a role in a homemade brownie recipe. Do they make the brownies taste like vegetables? Will the brownies be the wrong texture? Worst of all, will anyone know that there are sweet potatoes in these brownies?!

The answer is no! In fact, these sweet potatoes are one of the secret weapons in this brownie recipe. Adding the vegetable means you’ll get all the benefits of sweet potato nutrition each time you take a bite out of these brownies.

I’m talking nearly 700 percent of your daily value of vitamin A and tons of antioxidants, which keep your skin looking awesome. They also lower inflammation and cholesterol levels — plus, sweet potatoes taste great!

But these sweet potato brownies have another secret ingredient: avocados. Benefit-rich avocados are one of my favorite foods, and I love them in baked goods as well. They add healthy fats, protein and a super creamy texture. And no, avocados won’t turn these brownies green!

How to Make Sweet Potato Brownies

Let’s whip up these sweet potato brownies!

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F. Next, grease an 8×8 pan with coconut oil and line it with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the avocado, sweet potato, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla. The applesauce and maple syrup will sweeten up these healthy brownies without any refined sugar; that means no sugar crashes or hyper children!

Once the mix is creamy, add in the cacao powder.

Next, add in the eggs one at a time. Then, in a separate bowl, combine the coconut flour, arrowroot flour, salt and baking soda. That’s right, these sweet potato brownies are gluten-free. Next, combine both of the mixtures until smooth. Then transfer the sweet potato brownie mix to a greased pan and bake for 25–35 minutes.

While the sweet potato brownies are baking, combine the frosting ingredients in a separate bowl and mix until creamy and smooth. The consistency may be a blend between syrup, icing and frosting.

Once the brownies are done baking and have cooled, frost them with the mixture and enjoy! One batch makes approximately 12 of these chocolate sweet potato brownies. Want something a little extra? Try topping the brownies with mini dark chocolate chips.

Other Sweet Potato Recipes

Looking for more sweet potato recipes to try out? Here are some to get you started:

• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato Hash
• Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Sweet Potato Latkes
• Sweet Potato Soup
• Sweet Potato Tacos

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Sweet Potato Brownies Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Brownies are one of my favorite desserts. How could they not be: they’re chocolatey, creamy and simple to make. But are they healthy? Well, with these sweet potato brownies, you don’t have to worry anymore. And yes, they still taste amazing!

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Ingredients

• 1 avocado
• 1 cup cooked sweet potato purée
• ½ cup applesauce
• ¼–½ cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• ½ cup cacao powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting

• ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
• ½ cup sprouted almond butter
• ¼ cup cacao powder
• ½ cup coconut milk
• sea salt to taste

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Grease 8×8 pan with coconut oil and line it with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, combine avocado, sweet potato, applesauce, honey or maple syrup and vanilla. Once creamy, add in cacao powder.
4. Add in eggs one at a time.
5. In a separate bowl, combine coconut flour, arrowroot flour, salt and baking soda.
6. Combine both mixtures until smooth.
7. Transfer to greased pan and bake for 25–35 minutes.
8. While baking, combine the last 5 ingredients listed in a separate bowl and mix until creamy and smooth.
9. Once the brownies are done baking and have cooled, frost with this mixture.

Notes

Want something a little extra? Try topping the brownies with mini dark chocolate chips.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 brownie
• Calories: 222
• Sugar: 13.5g
• Sodium: 236mg
• Fat: 13.3g
• Saturated Fat: 4.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 24.9g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 6g
• Cholesterol: 55mg

Keywords: sweet potato brownies, healthy brownies, gluten-free sweet potato brownies

The post Sweet Potato Brownies Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

This thumbprint cookie recipe uses nut or seed butter as a base instead of flour so the cookies are completely gluten-free. You can choose to use anything from almond butter to sunflower seed butter. The entire recipe only contains four ingredients: the nut or seed butter of your choice, egg, coconut sugar and a jam of your choice.

They literally take only about five minutes to create and then you just pop them in the oven for a half hour. When it comes to homemade desserts, it doesn’t get much easier than this thumbprint cookie recipe.

What Are Thumbprint Cookies?

Thumbprint cookies are a type of handmade cookie. They are created by pressing the center of the dough with the thumb and then filling the impression with a tasty substance, most commonly jam. In Sweden, thumbprint cookies are called hallongrotta. The name is quite fitting — it means “raspberry cave” in Swedish. (1)

Typical thumbprint cookie recipes include all-purpose flour, but my recipe leaves out the flour and replaces it with nutrient-rich nut butter (I chose almond). Most recipes also call for sugar, but this recipe uses coconut sugar, one of my five best sugar substitutes.

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

You might have been told as a kid not to play with your food, but making thumbprint cookies actually requires being somewhat kid-like and getting your hands in the mix, literally. This recipe for jam thumbprint cookies allows you to use a jam of your choosing. I highly recommend choosing a jam that is free of added sugar.

What’s a good jam choice? Raspberry thumbprint cookies are a popular choice and they are made with you guessed it — raspberry jam.

If you’re not a fan of jam or just want to switch it up, you can also make chocolate thumb print cookies and sub a bit of high-quality dark chocolate for the jam. Around the winter holidays, thumbprint snowman cookies are also common.

I’m about to tell you how to make easy thumbprint cookies using a jam of your choice that are quick, delicious and truly satisfying.

While the oven is preheating to 350 F, add the nut or seed butter, egg and coconut sugar to a medium bowl.

Next, mix the three ingredients until they are well combined. Now it’s time to get your baking sheet ready for action. Line a 8 x 10 baking sheet with parchment paper (preferably unbleached parchment paper).

Roll the mixture into small balls and add them to the lined baking sheet about two inches apart.

Now it’s time for the most enjoyable part of this recipe — the thumbprints! Using a clean thumb, make a small indent into the center of each cookie. Remember the prints don’t have to be perfect.

Add a jam of your choice to the indents you just created with your thumb.

Bake cookies for 20 to 25 minutes.

Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies
• Diet: Gluten Free

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This thumbprint cookie recipe uses nut or seed butter as a base instead of flour so the cookies are completely gluten-free. You can choose to use anything from almond butter to sunflower seed butter. The entire recipe only contains four ingredients: the nut or seed butter of your choice, egg, coconut sugar and a jam of your choice. They literally take only about five minutes to create and then you just pop them in the oven for a half hour.

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Ingredients

• 1¼ cup nut or seed butter
• 1 egg
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup jam of choice for filling, such as raspberry

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium bowl, add the nut or seed butter, egg and coconut sugar.
3. Mix until well combined.
4. Line a 8 x 10 baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Roll mixture into balls and add them to the baking sheet.
6. Using your thumb, make a small indent into the cookie.
7. Add jam to indent.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 120
• Sugar: 8.8g
• Sodium: 51.7mg
• Fat: 7.5g
• Saturated Fat: 0.7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 11.9g
• Fiber: 0.8g
• Protein: 2.5g
• Cholesterol: 7mg

Keywords: thumbprint cookies recipe, raspberry thumbprint cookies, jam thumbprint cookies, gluten-free thumbprint cookies

The post Thumbprint Cookies Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

Now, these gluten-free snickerdoodle cookies are better for you than the average recipe. Instead of using refined table sugar, we’re opting for coconut sugar, one of the best natural sweeteners for baking. Add some gluten-free flour, which keeps this Paleo- and celiac-friendly, and you’ve got some delicious cookies that are perfect for dessert or an after-school treat. Let’s start baking with this easy snickerdoodle recipe!

Start by creaming together the butter and coconut sugar together in a large bowl. You can use a handheld mixer or whisk. Then slowly add in the eggs and vanilla and mix it all up together.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Once the ingredients are well combined, add it to the sugar and butter bowl. Then cover the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. You will be tempted to try the dough. Do not give in! (Or you’ll miss the best part.)

While the snickerdoodle cookie dough chills, grease a cookie sheet and preheat the oven to 350F. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and cinnamon.

Once the hour is up, roll about 3 tablespoons of cookie dough together into a ball. Give it a good roll in the cinna-sugar bowl and then place on the cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is covered in cinnamon sugar — yum!

Bake the snickerdoodle cookie dough for 10–12 minutes and let cool slightly before enjoying.

I love this healthy snickerdoodle recipe because it’s free of all the additives and weird ingredients you find in store-bought brands — plus you can adjust the sugar and cinnamon to your liking. Hope you enjoy these!

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Snickerdoodle Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hr 21 min
• Yield: 24
• Diet: Gluten Free

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These snickerdoodle cookies are better for you than the average recipe, with less sugar (coconut sugar), and beautifully easy to make.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (or try a Paleo flour blend)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

For rolling cookies in:

• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

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Instructions

1. With a mixer or large whisk in a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla, whisking together thoroughly.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar.
3. Add dry mix to wet mix and combine thoroughly. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. Grease a cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 350F.
5. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and mix together.
6. Pinch off about 3 tablespoons of dough at a time. Roll each into a ball, roll in cinnamon-sugar mix and place on greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 11 minutes, or to your desired doneness.

Notes

I love this healthy snickerdoodle recipe because it’s free of all the additives and weird ingredients you find in store-bought brands — plus you can adjust the sugar and cinnamon to your liking.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 11 min
• Category: Desserts, Cookies
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 162
• Sugar: 9.8g
• Sodium: 108mg
• Fat: 8.2g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
• Trans Fat: 0.3g
• Carbohydrates: 20.1g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Protein: 1.9g
• Cholesterol: 34mg

Keywords: gluten-free snickerdoodle recipe, snickerdoodle cookie recipe, easy snickerdoodle

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Pumpkins were first discovered and cultivated around 7,500 years ago in Central America and Mexico and were cherished for their versatility and longevity. Our ancestors cultivated the pumpkin for its thick flesh that was ideal for times of scarcity and later used the pumpkin seeds that are packed with nutritional benefits.

The first pumpkin recipe published in America came from John Josselyn’s New-England’s Rarities Discovered with diced pumpkin cooked down all day with butter and spices. It wasn’t until the 1800s that pumpkin was made into sweet pumpkin dishes like pumpkin pie and the modern-day pumpkin bars and pumpkin dessert bars.

Gluten-free pumpkin bars are a delightful relative to pumpkin pie or pumpkin pie bars, and my pumpkin bars are easy to make with a simple gluten-free crust that doesn’t require messing with cold butter and wheat flour. As an added bonus, the filling ingredients only require a blender or mixer!

These easy pumpkin bars are just like pumpkin cheesecake bars without any of the complications and will be a crowd pleaser for holiday gatherings and parties.

Key Ingredients

Want to make your pumpkin bars healthy? These gluten-free pumpkin cream cheese bars are about as healthy as you can get with such a tasty dessert.

I use organic pumpkin purée, which is loaded with beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is necessary to convert into vitamin A, which is important for vision, skin and brain function.

Use any leftover pumpkin purée for a pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin pie oatmeal.

Grass-fed cream cheese and mascarpone contain fat-soluble vitamins A, D and K2 and higher amounts of short-chain fatty acids, CLA and omega-3s, which contribute to heart health and help lower inflammation in the body. (Try our pumpkin pie cheesecake that also uses this cream cheese along with goat cheese.)

Instead of using refined cane sugar or corn syrup, I use maple syrup, which is a natural sweetener and has a lower glycemic impact on the body. It also contains more minerals and antioxidants than regular sugar.

Free-range eggs provide omega fatty acids and help reduce heart disease.

Cloves kill parasites, improve blood circulation and reduce gum disease, and those are just a few benefits that cloves provide to your body. Meanwhile, vanilla is a powerful antioxidant and natural antibiotic and adds depth and a warm flavor to your pumpkin bar recipe.

How to Make Pumpkin Bars

Start out by making the simple gluten-free pie crust and adding it to the bottom of a 9×13 or 8×8 baking dish. The crust will be thicker in an 8×8 dish.

Bake the pie crust for about 15 minutes, and begin making your filling.

Add your cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, ginger and cloves to a high-speed blender or food processor, and blend away.

You want the filling batter to be smooth and creamy.

Remove your crust from the oven, and add in your pumpkin bar filling.

Instead of gluten-free pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, we just added the cream cheese to the bars. Place the whole dish into the oven, and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Top your pumpkin bars with coconut whipped cream, if desired.

Looking for other healthy snack bars? Try these recipes:

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Quinoa Crispy Bars
• Homemade Granola Bars
• Lemon Bars
• Cheesecake Bars

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 12
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Pumpkin bars are a delightful relative to pumpkin pie or pumpkin pie bars. Mine are easy to make with a simple gluten-free crust.

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Ingredients

Crust:

• Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Filling:

• 16 ounces grass-fed cream cheese
• 8 ounces grass-fed mascarpone cheese
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cloves

Topping:

• Whipped coconut cream (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Prepare crust and bake in a 9×13 or 8×8 baking dish for 15 minutes. (Note: Crust will be thicker in an 8×8 dish.)
3. In a food processor, add in cream cheese, mascarpone, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
4. Process ingredients until completely smooth.
5. Remove crust from oven and fill with cream cheese mixture.
6. Place the bars back in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Top with whipped coconut cream, if desired.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 65 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 152g
• Calories: 424
• Sugar: 13.4g
• Sodium: 325mg
• Fat: 31.7g
• Saturated Fat: 19.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 11.5g
• Trans Fat: 0.6g
• Carbohydrates: 27.7g
• Fiber: 3.1g
• Protein: 8.5g
• Cholesterol: 140mg

Keywords: pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin pie bars, pumpkin bars recipe, pumpkin bars with cream cheese, pumpkin dessert bars, pumpkin bars healthy, pumpkin cream cheese bars, easy pumpkin bars,

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Many people adore beignets (also called “New Orleans donuts” or “Louisana-style doughnuts”), which are typically deep-fried in unhealthy oil and loaded with multiple forms of refined sugar, but not this beignet recipe! This twist on a classic uses much healthier ingredients (like coconut oil), and it’s even gluten-free.

Before we dig in to how to make beignets, exactly what is a beignet?

What Is A Beignet?

The beignet was brought by French colonists to New Orleans in the 18th century. From then on, French beignets have become quite entrenched in the cuisine of Louisiana.

In fact, they became Louisiana’s official state donut in 1986!

Pronounced ben-YAY, this sweet treat is often described as a cross between a French pastry and an American donut. They are fried, raised pieces of dough, commonly around two inches in diameter or two inches square.

This New Orleans pastry is often eaten as a dessert, for breakfast or a sweet treat at any hour.

As I already mentioned, typically a beignet gets deep-fried. It’s also usually made from choux pastry, which is a light pastry dough commonly used to make desserts with a European origin — like éclairs and profiteroles.

This light and airy dough is ideal for sweets that involve a filling of some kind.

While that typical beignet dough may be tasty, for many people with a gluten allergy or gluten intolerance, most beignet recipes are a complete no-go. Not anymore because this beignet recipe is actually gluten-free!

Key Ingredients

For a dessert, this beignet recipe is pretty healthy. Per serving, it’s not overdoing it at all when it comes to calories, and more importantly, it’s not too high in sugar.

It also has a notable amount of energy providing protein and healthy fat. That’s because the beignet main ingredients in this beignets recipe are on the healthier side.

• Active dry yeast — This is the base for the pastry and necessary to get the dough to rise.
• Arrowroot and Paleo flour — Arrowroot and the Paleo flour blend keep this recipe gluten-free, and they benefit the gut, urinary tract and immune system.
• Cinnamon — One of the most common spices in the world, cinnamon is high in health-promoting antioxidants that can help relieve inflammation, protect the heart, stabilize blood sugar, preserve brain function, benefit skin health and so much more.
• Coconut milk, oil and sugar — High in healthy fats and better than their dairy and refined alternatives, coconut milk, coconut oil and coconut sugar all provide a host of benefits in moderation and help up the nutritional profile of this dessert.
• Eggs — High in protein and collagen, eggs support heart, eye, immune, liver, brain and skin health.

Paleo Beignet Recipe: How to Make Beignets

Making beignets at home can be a lot healthier and easier than you think with a recipe like this one. Are you ready to make some homemade beignets?

First, sift the Paleo flour to remove any large clumps, and set it aside.

In a bowl, mix together the water, yeast and sugar. Then let stand for about eight minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, evaporated milk and salt together. Now, add the yeast mixture you set aside.

Add ½ the amount of flour, and then mix. Add coconut oil, remaining flour and cinnamon.

Knead with your hands to ensure all ingredients are mixed well, and mold the dough into a large ball.

Place dough ball in the bowel, and cover it with a towel. Let stand for at least one to two hours.

Heat coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Right before you’re ready to fry them (to ensure they stay intact), form the dough tightly into one- to two-inch balls.

Fry the dough balls for three to four minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.

Cool on a paper towel, and sprinkle with equal parts arrowroot flour and maple sugar for a powdered sugar substitute.

Take a bite of this beignet recipe and enjoy! Want extra sweetness? You can try dipping these in maple syrup for a little added flavor.

Paleo New Orleans Beignet Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 24 beignets (12 servings)
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Beignets are typically deep-fried in unhealthy oil and loaded with multiple forms of refined sugar, but not this beignet recipe!

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Ingredients

• ½ cup room temperature water
• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• 3 cups Paleo flour
• 2 eggs
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ cup evaporated coconut milk
• 1½ tablespoons coconut oil
• coconut oil, for frying
• equal parts arrowroot flour and maple sugar for powdered sugar substitute

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Instructions

1. Sift Paleo flour to remove large clumps and set aside.
2. In a bowl, mix together water, yeast and sugar. Let stand for about 8 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, evaporated milk and salt.
4. Add yeast mixture.
5. Add ½ the amount of flour and mix.
6. Add coconut oil, remaining flour and cinnamon.
7. Knead with hands to ensure all ingredients are mixed well.
8. Mold dough into a large ball and cover bowl with a towel. Let stand for at least 1–2 hours.
9. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
10. Form dough tightly into 1–2 inch balls just before you fry to make sure they stay intact.
11. Fry dough balls for 3–4 minutes on each side or until golden-brown.
12. Cool on a paper towel and serve with powdered sugar substitute.

Notes

• The powdered sugar alternative is optional.
• To add extra sweetness, try dipping in maple syrup or other healthy natural sweeteners.

• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 60 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Pan-fry
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 62g (2 beignet balls)
• Calories: 174
• Sugar: 4.4g
• Sodium: 13mg
• Fat: 4.1g
• Saturated Fat: 2.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 29.3g
• Fiber: 1.6g
• Protein: 5.1g
• Cholesterol: 27mg

Keywords: beignets, how to make beignets, easy beignet recipe, french beignets, beignet recipes, beignets recipe, beignet main ingredients,

The post Paleo New Orleans Beignet Recipe appeared first on Dr. Axe.

But for a real treat, my wife Chelsea and I love to make up this Easy Blueberry Cobbler Recipe. It’s relatively easy to make, gluten-free, full of the best ingredients and delicious.

Key Ingredients

• Blueberries: Blueberries are one of the best sources of antioxidants. One study compared the antioxidant capacity of blueberries, blackberries and strawberries and found that blueberries not only contained the highest total antioxidant capacity, but also contained more of many specific types of antioxidants, including phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins.
• Almond flour: People love almond meal because it’s a gluten-free flour, and it’s also a great choice for anyone on a low-carbohydrate diet. If you’re a following a Paleo diet or looking to bake without grains, almond flour is pretty much a must-have in your pantry as well. This flour is made of almonds and only almonds, which are first blanched to remove the skin and then ground up to a very fine consistency.
• Coconut flour: It is high in fiber, protein and healthy fats and free from wheat and other grains. Coconut flour is also low in sugar, digestible carbohydrates and calories. Plus, this flour has a low score on the glycemic index.
• Maple syrup: Similar to the contrast between whole and refined grains, unrefined natural sweeteners like maple syrup contain higher levels of beneficial nutrients, antioxidants and enzymes compared to white sugar.

How to Make Blueberry Cobbler

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8×8 glass dish with coconut oil. Melt the butter in a small pan at low heat.

Rinse the blueberries in cold water and then place into the dish.

Stir the almond flour, coconut flour, salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Separately, whisk together melted butter, maple syrup and extract.

Mix wet and dry ingredients together, stirring in the flax. Once well combined, quickly stir in cider vinegar.

Pour batter onto berries, spreading up to the edges. Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes.

Blueberry Cobbler Recipe

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• Author: Dr. Josh Axe
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

My wife Chelsea and I love to make up this Healthy Blueberry Cobbler Recipe. It’s relatively easy to make, full of the best ingredients and delicious.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups blueberries
• 2 cups almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup butter, soft
• drop of almond extract
• 3 tablespoons flax-meal whisked with 9 tbsp warm water, allowed to plump up for 5 minutes
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (to be added last)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease an 8×8 glass dish with coconut oil.
3. Pour the Blueberries in pan, reserving a few berries for the top if you wish.
4. Whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl.
5. Separately, whisk together butter, honey, and extract.
6. Mix wet and dry ingredients together, stirring in the flax. Once well combined, quickly stir in cider vinegar.
7. Pour batter onto berries, spreading up to the edges.
8. Bake for 40-50 minutes.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 50 min
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 323
• Sugar: 18.6g
• Sodium: 156mg
• Fat: 21.1g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 13.8g
• Trans Fat: 0.2g
• Carbohydrates: 29.9g
• Fiber: 4.7g
• Protein: 8.2g
• Cholesterol: 15mg

Keywords: gluten-free blueberry cobbler, easy blueberry cobbler, blueberry cobbler recipe