Hello, Friends!
Whenever I am searching for healthy recipes online, I am nearly always looking for something gluten-free and low/no sugar. I often find recipes that are advertised as low/no sugar, and then there is some kind of sweetener or additive added in that turns me away from that particular recipe. Sweeteners and their additives are often toxic to the body, which can do much more harm than good!
The only 'sweetener' that is deemed completely safe by health authorities is Stevia, a plant extract from a daisy plant found in South America. Many studies have been done on the effects of this sweetener, and no adverse effects have been found. This is why you often see products advertise that they 'naturally sweeten with Stevia' on their labels. If you are an avid protein powder consumer, I am certain that you will see this claim on their labels. In fact, because no adverse effects have been found on the human body, the FDA actually constitutes Stevia as a supplement, not an additive/sweetener.
Stevia aside, I still prefer to sweeten my baked goods with honey. Most recipes usually call for about 1/4cup honey in baked items, but I have found success with a much smaller quantity. My baked goods are still sweet and satisfy my (massive) sweet tooth!
Today we made Strawberry Shortcake cupcakes. This is the second time I've made them and my kids gobble them up - They are definitely a kid-approved snack!
These cupcakes are made with coconut flour and almond flour.
Coconut flour is very fibre rich and contains Medium-Chain Triglycerides. In the typical North American diet, MCTs are often lacking, but are so useful as an energy source for the body. In fact, they are so useful that the liver metabolizes (breaks down) the MCTs in the same manner as carbohydrate breakdown, and the body uses them for energy. These types of fat are also linked to increased immune system function and enhanced brain and heart health. A word of caution: If you have a liver disorder, such as cirrhosis, limit your intake of MCTs and seek healthcare advice on how to incorporate MCTs into your diet.
Almond Flour is very rich in vitamins and minerals, manganese and magnesium. Manganese helps blood to clot after injury and magnesium can help with blood sugar control, blood pressure regulation and can even help to prevent migraines! Not to mention that almond flour is high in protein and the healthy monounsaturated fat (great for heart health).
Do I have you convinced of the nutritional powerhouse that is this cupcake yet? Find the recipe below and let me know what you think:
**Wherever possible, use organic ingredients to minimize your body's exposure to toxic pesticides, herbicides and genetically-modified ingredients.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup each of almond flour and coconut flour
1/2 cup organic plain yogurt
2 organic eggs
1/3 cup organic almond milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 cup organic strawberries, diced
2 tbsp honey
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| We use organic wherever possible. |
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| Make sure your strawberries are cut pretty small! |
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Combine almond flour, coconut flour and baking powder into a medium bowl and whisk together.
3. In the same bowl, add the eggs, vanilla extract, yogurt and honey. Use an immersion blender (the stick blender) to mix together thoroughly.
4. Add in the almond milk and mix again. The batter will appear very thick. This is because coconut flour is very absorptive, but don't worry! The cupcakes will still turn out, thanks to the yogurt.
5. Add the strawberries in and use a spoon to gently mix them into the batter.
6. In a cupcake tin lined with cupcake papers, separate your mixture into 10-12 cupcakes.
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| Wet the back of a spoon to smooth out the surface of your cupcakes. |
7. Wet the back of a spoon with water to smooth out the surface of your cupcakes.
8. Bake at 375F for 20-22 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for readiness.
9. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before consuming.
Honestly, I wish that these pictures had smell-o-vision because when they come out of the oven, they smell SO GOOD!
Tuck in friends and know that these little cakes of delight are full of nutrients to give you energy and boost your immune health.
Let me know when you try these out for yourself in the comments below.
Health and Happiness,
Hollie
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