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Recipe: Gluten-free banana bread
Much like brownies, there are different kinds of banana bread. Some people like them dense; while some enjoy the cakey, airy variety. This gluten-free banana bread falls in the second category and is great either fresh or toasted. Besides being gluten-free, this banana bread does not contain any added sugar. The riper the bananas you use, the sweeter the bread will be. Having said that, if you are used to commercial banana breads, you might want to add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey on top prior to eating. Of course, toppings are optional, we usually enjoy ours with butter but peanut butter is also a great option. If…
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Recipe: Carrot and orange muffins
These carrot and orange muffins are a healthy treat you can bring to your next picnic. They also make a great alternative to store-bought muffins and cakes. Keeping with Nutrition Australia’s Try For 5 campaign, this recipe can help you sneak in some carrots to your daily intake. Make sure you also try the purple sweet potato brownies recipe from last week. These muffins are free of gluten and added sugars. They do contain butter but you could use oil to make them completely dairy-free. The basic recipe does not call for any spices but you can add a pinch of any of all the following spices, which work well…
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Recipe: Purple sweet potato brownies
These purple sweet potato brownies are a healthier gluten-free, refined sugar-free alternative to regular brownies. They are a great way to sneak vegetables into dessert. If you have never had or seen purple sweet potatoes before you will be surprised to know that even though their skin is purple, their flesh is white. Hence, they are also known as white sweet potatoes. They are starchier than regular (orange) sweet potatoes, making them great for desserts. The sweet potato will provide some sweetness to the batter but you will need some sweetener as well. I recommend using any natural granulated or powdered sweetener (e.g. stevia and/or monk fruit). You can also…
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Product review: FroPro singles
FroPro singles are a healthier “ice cream on a stick” option for people looking for a frozen treat that doesn’t pack up the calories and keeps carbs and sugar low. FroPro singles FroPro singles are another product from the healthier ice cream manufacturer FroPro. These are Magnum-style ice cream on a stick covered in a hard chocolate shell. FroPro singles come in 3 flavours: Double Chocolate, Salted Caramel and Plant Based Vanilla. They are available at Woolworths supermarkets, often at a discounted price. Each box contains 4x 400ml sticks. All the flavours are gluten-free. The Double Chocolate and Salted Caramel flavours are milk-based and higher in protein than the Plant…
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Product review: Nonie’s hot cross buns
Nonie’s hot cross buns are an Easter treat by the artisan gluten-free bakery from Botany NSW. They come in classic and chocolate flavours. Nonie’s hot cross buns Nonie’s hot cross buns come in two flavours: classic and chocolate. They are gluten-free and vegetarian. You can buy them in bags of 4 or 6 buns, each weighing 125g (classic) or 110g (chocolate). They are available on the weeks leading to Easter at Nonie’s HQ in Botany and some of their stockists. Check their website (at the bottom of this post) for more details. Ingredients The ingredients list in these buns is long, mainly because getting a good texture in gluten-free baked…
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Product review: YoPRO frozen dessert
YoPRO frozen dessert is a high protein treat with no added sugar from the makers of my favourite high protein yoghurt. YoPRO frozen dessert YoPRO frozen dessert comes in packs of 4 individually wrapped items in the “ice cream in a stick” format. Each serve contains 540 ml of frozen goodness, 105-109 kilocalories (depending on the flavour), 10 grams of protein, no added sugar and no artificial sweeteners. You can find them in the frozen section of Coles supermarkets. The current available flavours are: Mint Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Berries & Cream, and Chocolate Mocha. Ingredients Below are the ingredients lists for a couple of flavours. Note that despite YoPRO is…
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Recipe: Budin de pan (Peruvian bread and butter pudding)
Budin de pan is the Peruvian version of bread and butter pudding. It’s an economical dessert commonly made in bakeries with leftover bread. This is not a light dessert by any stretch of imagination. It’s energy dense and hearty and falls in the “comfort food” category for many people, including me. I used natural sweetener (stevia) instead of sugar to make it a little lighter and less sweet than the original version. I used Woolworths Free From gluten-free sliced white bread but any bread (stale or not) will do. You can use bread rolls but be mindful that there will be more crust-to-crumb ratio in the final product. To soak…
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Recipe: Zenzai (adzuki bean dessert soup)
Zenzai is a simple and comforting Japanese dessert made with adzuki beans, sugar and glutinous rice cakes (mochi). It can be described as a sweet bean soup great for the colder months of the year. Even though I grew up eating many variations of sweet beans such as “frejol colado” (black bean paste) eaten as dessert and as a filling in Chinese pastries, the adzuki bean paste in mochi, and my aunties’ treat made with canario beans (white beans similar to canellini) and sugar. During our trip to Japan last year we learned you can buy warm cans of sweet adzuki bean soup in many vending machines. We also came…
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Recipe: No bake low carb cherry cheesecake
No bake low carb cherry cheesecake is a quick and easy recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth during the summer months. This recipe is vegetarian, high in protein and free of added sugar. It is not low carb or keto, but all the sugar comes from the cherries so there’s no need for you to feel guilty. I used Natvia natural sweetener, but feel free to use your favourite. I recommend using stevia and/or monkfruit. Final note on ingredients: different brands of cottage cheese have different amounts of water and fat. Therefore, the recipe calls for a variable amount of water to be used when whipping the cheese. You are…
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Recipe: Strawberry, rosemary and pistachio parfait
If you don’t have a super sweet tooth (like me, wink wink) this strawberry, rosemary and pistachio parfait might be the perfect dessert for you. It is not only a looker but also super easy to make. This treat is gluten-free, vegetarian-friendly and super healthy. You’ll get calcium, protein and probiotics from the yoghurt, vitamin C, fibre and lycopene from the strawberries and a bit more protein and fibre, as well as healthy fats from the pistachios. The rosemary doesn’t only contribute to flavour but also provides a small amount of antioxidants.
