Creamy dairy-free peanut chicken satay skewers
This quick and easy grilled chicken skewers make a delicious free-from dinner or lunch. Served with creamy peanut satay sauce with hints of fresh ginger and soy sauce.
Tag: dairy free
Stove-top sweet potato scones
These savoury scones are a soft, fluffy and filling vegetarian dinner recipe. They’re low in fat, sugar and calories, but have a buttery sweet taste that pairs perfectly with any number of vegetable side dishes.
Raspberry dark chocolate gluten-free brownies
Fudgy dark chocolate & raspberry gluten-free brownies
The ultimate gluten-free brownie recipe – gooey, fudgy and intensely chocolatey. With just a small amount of gluten-free flour mixed with heaps of melting dark chocolate, muscovado sugar and fresh raspberries, this is an incredibly rich and squidgy brownie recipe.
PREP TIME: 15 MINS
COOK TIME: 50 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 65 MINS
Okay – it’s worth clearing up off the bat that this isn’t a ‘brownies made healthier’ recipe (check out my banana-based GF brownie pots for that). This is an all-in, super indulgent, ultimate chocolate-craving killer of a brownie recipe.
Oh, and it’s gluten free and dairy-free – but you wouldn’t know it. These brownies are so soft and fudgy that I literally cannot rave about them enough. They only use a very small amount of GF flour too, so there’s none of that strange grainy texture here.
Ingredients
Dark chocolate – this recipe uses A LOT of melted dark chocolate to make it so gooey. For best results, use a high quality 75-80% bar.
Vegan butter – to ensure this is dairy-free, I use vegan butter. However, you could swap to the regular version for the same results (personally, I really can’t tell the difference)
Gluten-free flour & baking powder – I’ve used Doves plain white gluten-free flour, however you should be just fine to switch brands or blends (not to coconut flour though, as this is much more absorbent and might need some extra tweaking of ingredients)
Dark muscovado sugar – dark or brown sugar gives a softer, more fudgy feel as it seems to react to baking a bit differently from regular caster sugar
Eggs – this recipe uses 3 large eggs to bind the ingredients together. I haven’t experimented with egg substitutions for a vegan recipe
Unsweetened cocoa powder – …just in case this wasn’t already chocolatey enough!
Fresh raspberries – the only thing better than an indulgently fudgy brownie, is a burst of fruity raspberry to cut through the richness of the chocolate. Mix them into the batter and then sprinkle a few on top before popping in the oven
Walnuts – nuts are a great thing to add to break up the squidgy texture with some crunch. Feel free to omit if you need a nut-free brownie recipe
Method
Brownies are a great simple recipe to make, and this gluten-free version is no different.
- Start by melting the chocolate and butter together in the microwave, on low power
- Then beat the eggs together with the sugar, until glossy. I like to use an electric mixer for this stage
- Combine the melted chocolate with the eggs, then add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and vanilla. Stir until smooth
- Add the walnuts and raspberries, giving a gentle stir so as not to break them up
- Line a baking tin with greaseproof paper and pour the mixture into it
- Sprinkle some extra raspberries and chocolate chunks on top of the brownie mixture and press them down until flush with the rest of the mix
- Bake for 50-55 minutes. This stage needs some careful judgement, as the time may vary if you use a different sized tin or have spread the mixture thicker/thinner. The cooked mix will still be very gooey when removed from the oven (the clean skewer test doesn’t really work with this recipe), however it shouldn’t wobble if you shake the tin slightly – if it still behaves like a complete liquid, give it another 10 minutes cooking time and check again. Repeat these steps as necessary
- Leave to cool in the tin for at least an hour, then lift the brownies from the tin, using the edges of the baking parchment to get a hold, and leave to fully cool on a wire rack
- Cut into squares and enjoy
Storage instructions
Shelf-life – Once fully cooled, store the brownies in an airtight tin or container in a cool place at room temperature for up to 1 week. If this is still quite a warm environment, like during a hot summer, you will probably be better off keeping them in the fridge, as they are very gooey and may go quite melty if your house isn’t cool enough
Freezing – you should be absolutely fine to freeze these brownies for up to 5-6 months (however, they’re definitely best served fresh and slightly warm from the oven). Once fully cooled, layer the brownies in between sheets of baking paper and seal in an airtight container. To defrost, just remove from the freezer and leave at room temperature for about 2 hours until thawed
Fudgy raspberry & dark chocolate gluten-free brownies
This is the ultimate gluten-free brownie recipe - gooey, fudgy and intensely chocolatey. With just a small amount of gluten-free flour mixed with heaps of melting dark chocolate, muscovado sugar and fresh raspberries, this is an incredibly rich and squidgy brownie recipe
Servings 16 squares
Calories 297kcal
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium microwave-friendly bowl
- Electric hand mixer
- Baking tray
Ingredients
- 280 g (9.8 oz) dark chocolate
- 250 g (9 oz) vegan butter
- 3 large eggs
- 150 g (5.2 oz) dark muscovado (or other brown) sugar
- 85 g (3 oz) plain gluten-free flour e.g. Doves
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 80 g (2.8 oz) walnut halves, broken up
- 100 g (3.5 oz) raspberries
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140°C and line a 9 inch baking tin with greaseproof paper
- Melt 230g of chocolate (leaving the remaining 50g to one side) and vegan butter together in a medium bowl by heating in the microwave on medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, removing every 30 seconds to stir
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy, then add the sugar and continue whisking until thick and glossy (about 1 minute when using an electric hand mixer). Gently fold together with the melted chocolate mixture, then add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and vanilla essence and continue stirring gently until smooth and fully combined. Finally, add the walnuts and about ¾ of the raspberries, and give the mix one last stir
- Pour the brownie mixture into the baking tin and scatter the remaining raspberries and chocolate (broken into small chunks) over the top, pressing them in so they are flush with the rest of the mixture
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the surface of the brownies has slightly hardened up. The inside will still be very gooey when a skewer is inserted, but the mixture shouldn't wobble too much when the tin is given a gentle shake (if it still resembles a liquid consistency, continue to bake until slightly hardened up, checking every 5-10 minutes to make sure the brownies haven't overcooked)
- Remove from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack to cool for 1 hour, then pull the corners of the baking parchment to remove the brownies from the tin and leave until fully cool. Cut into squares and serve
Please support my blog by leaving a rating!
Or, check out some other dessert recipes:
Gluten free salmon blinis
Soft and fluffy mini gluten-free pancakes – otherwise known as blinis. Perfect for topping with smoked salmon, cream cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chives
Tropical banana, mango & coconut smoothie bowl
Banana, mango & coconut smoothie bowl This creamy smoothie bowl is stuffed with fresh mango, delicate banana and thick coconut cream. The best part – it’s dairy-free and has zero added sugar. Serve with fresh granola, blueberries and coconut shavings for a clean, easy breakfast.…
Vibrant berry smoothie bowl
Vibrant berry smoothie bowl
A beautifully light and tangy triple berry smoothie bowl packed with antioxidants and vitamins. Top with homemade gluten-free granola, desiccated coconut and slices of fresh fruit for a clean & filling detox breakfast.
PREP TIME: 5 MINS
ASSEMBLY TIME: 5 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 10 MINS
This smoothie bowl packs a whole load of goodness – it’s vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and low in fat and calories (with options to reduce even further). This is partly due to the fact that smoothies retain much of the fiber from the fruit’s pulp – as opposed to fruit juices, which often end up being very concentrated in sugar.
You can top it with pretty much anything that you happen to have in your cupboard – peanut butter, dried coconut, chopped nuts… not forgetting a (mandatory) spoon or two of fresh granola! For a healthier homemade version, try this super simple gluten-free pecan granola recipe.
Are smoothie bowls actually healthy?
The short answer – yes! The bulk of this smoothie bowl recipe is made up of mixed fresh berries, which are actually just shy of 90% water and so have a very low concentration of sugar and carbohydrates.
They’re also packed with antioxidants that help rid your body of the damaging free radicals resulting from eating high sugar foods and alcohol – hence their longstanding use as a detox food. This makes them a great low-calorie option for weight loss diets and general clean eating.
The only caveat is that you need to control what you top your smoothie bowl with. Loading it with too much granola will turn it into a high carb/calorie meal, so if weight loss is your goal, just be careful to only sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on top.
Ingredients
Blueberries, raspberries & strawberries – you can really mix and match the quantities depending on what you have on hand. I love the combination of all three berries, but when British strawberries are out of season, I’ll often omit them and add extra blueberries instead
Banana – balances the sharpness of the berries with a bit of natural low calorie sweetness. For an even lower carb smoothie, you can easily make it without the banana
Plain soya yoghurt – Adding a bit of yoghurt gives the smoothie base a thicker, creamier consistency, while also adding a bit of protein. If you’re not dairy intolerant, greek yoghurt packs a higher protein content
Honey – optional! You can use a little extra banana to sweeten the bowl a bit more instead, or swap the honey out for a drizzle of maple syrup
Optional extras
Peanut butter – some crunchy PB is really delicious drizzled on top, but you can actually add it to the smoothie base too. For an even creamier and nuttier base, add a tablespoon to the mix and blend together.
Supplement with more vitamins – smoothie bowls are a good way to disguise any supplements you might be taking. Try stirring in a teaspoon of spirulina or vitamin powder.
Oats – to make this even more filling, blend a couple of tablespoons of gluten-free rolled oats into the smoothie base for a slow-release energy source.
How to make a thicker smoothie
I make this recipe without any milk, as the berries add a lot if liquid when blended. However, there are a few extra ways that you can make it a bit thicker.
Use frozen berries – prepare ahead by freezing your berries in advance before blending them for a thicker smoothie consistency. I often forget to do this and happily use chilled berries instead, but it does give a thinner texture
Add yoghurt – the thicker the better! You can get hold of a lot of different dairy-free greek yoghurt alternatives now, which help give the smoothie a thicker and creamier feel. I really like the soya-based versions
Add banana – banana doesn’t just make everything taste better, but it also helps thicken up the bowl. Freeze it before adding to make the smoothie even thicker
Add glucomannan powder – I bang on about this stuff a lot for thickening up fruit sauces (like my raspberry coconut pancake topping). A small amount rapidly absorbs any liquid mixed with it, without adding any calories or changing the taste. Try sprinkling some into the mix to help set the smoothie
Additional smoothie tips
Making smoothies without a blender – high powered blenders are definitely the easiest and quickest way to create a smoother consistency. I don’t actually own a particularly powerful one myself, so I just use a hand-held stick blender to make mine. However, you could easily make do with just a fork and a whisk.
For the berries, leave them until they’re super ripe and soft, so you can squish them easily. For the banana, try breaking it into chunks and microwaving for 30-60 seconds. This makes it so much easier to mash by hand. Then thoroughly beat together with the yoghurt using a whisk until about smooth.
Storage – you can keep leftover smoothie in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 36 hours. It may have separated in this time but that’s totally normal – just give it a good stir before serving.
Vibrant berry smoothie bowl
A vibrant, triple berry smoothie bowl crammed with antioxidants. Top with homemade gluten-free granola and sliced banana for a refreshing breakfast.
Servings 1 large bowl
Calories 259kcal
Equipment
- electric food blender
Ingredients
Bowl ingredients
- 60 g (½ cup) raspberries, frozen
- 60 g (½ cup) blueberries, frozen
- 60 g (½ cup) strawberries, chilled
- ½ medium banana, frozen
- 3 tbsp plain soya yoghurt
- ½ tbsp honey or maple syrup
Toppings
- 3 tbsp gluten-free granola of choice
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
- ½ medium banana, sliced
- 5 strawberries, sliced
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, blend the blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, banana and honey/maple syrup until smooth. Then stir in the yoghurt and pour into a large bowl.
- Scatter the fresh granola, desiccated coconut and sliced banana and strawberries over the top. Serve immediately, and store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container
If you like this, please support me by leaving a rating!
Or, check out more delicious gluten-free breakfast ideas:
Raspberry yoghurt baked oats
Raspberry yoghurt baked oats Change up your usual morning porridge with a comforting dish of gluten-free baked oats, served warm from the oven. This recipe is stuffed with fresh raspberries and creamy dairy-free yoghurt for a filling, tangy breakfast. PREP TIME: 10 MINS COOK TIME:…
Berry coconut-flour pancakes
Berry coconut-flour pancakes A decadent stack of soft, fluffy gluten-free pancakes, made with a blend of buckwheat and coconut flour and stuffed with juicy blueberries. Serve topped with rich raspberry compote and thick cream or dairy-free yoghurt for an epic breakfast. PREP TIME: 10 MINS…
3-bean chilli stuffed peppers
3-bean chilli stuffed peppers
This is a warming, vibrant low-carb dinner. Mix up your toppings with avocado, yoghurt, baby tomatoes or a sprinkle of freshly chopped basil. It’s also a great way to use up any leftovers from the previous night’s chilli. Swap the beef for Quorn mince or lentils for a vegetarian alternative.
PREP TIME: 15 MINS
COOK TIME: 30 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 45 MINS
Stuffed peppers are a very forgiving kind of food. They don’t seem to be mind being over-baked a bit, and they still look colourful and appealing even if you hack them open with a blunt spoon and throw the chilli all over the shop.
Out of all the vegetables you could stuff, peppers are definitely one of the easiest. You don’t need to painstakingly scoop out loads of flesh as with courgettes or squash. It’s as simple as chopping them into rough halves and cutting out the small seed section.
I hadn’t seen any peppers in the supermarkets for a little while – apparently the good people of High Wycombe have shifted from panic-buying toilet roll to hitting up the vegetable section – so when I finally got my hands on some today I was quite excited to make this.
Are they healthy?
Stuffed peppers are not just a healthy and filling supper option. They’re also friendly to all kinds of diets, this list touching on just a few.
- They’re naturally gluten free – even when you add extra bits like rice and other spices
- They’re easy to make dairy free – just avoid topping them with cheese or normal yoghurt
- They’re keto friendly – as long as you don’t add any extra high-carb ingredients like rice
- They’re low in carbs – making them a great recipe for anyone trying to lose weight. Having said that, don’t try and go zero-carb to shed the fat. Your body needs at least one meal with healthy carbs in it, especially if you’re doing any regular training
- You can easily make them vegetarian – just swap the meat for Quorn pieces or mince, and/or add lentils to the tomato sauce before stuffing the peppers
- They can be prepared in advance – you can make the filling ahead of time, then let it cool before stuffing the raw peppers and leaving in the fridge for up to 4-5 days before baking them. They’re also great reheated the next day
Ingredients
On the whole, this recipe can be very easily customised to suit whatever you have in the fridge – down to the meat, flavourings and the vegetables that you can mix into the chilli.
- Beef mince – I prefer to use mince with a higher fat content for this, as it adds loads of flavour and helps fill you up, given the lack of carbohydrate. However, if you’re on a serious diet and would prefer to make it low-fat as well, use lean beef or turkey mince instead.
- Large bell peppers – for the purposes of a main meal, large peppers work best for this as they allow you to cram loads more mixture inside. However, you could change it up and use baby peppers for a cute starter.
- Tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, onion & chilli powder – because it wouldn’t be chilli otherwise!
- Beef stock cube – I add this in every time that I make a mince-based dish. It really brings out the flavours and makes everything taste twice as good.
- A few veggies – I opted for keeping things simple with grated carrot and garden peas, but feel free to add in anything you like to liven it up a bit more. Just make sure to chop everything very small, as it makes stuffing the peppers easier.
Cooking instructions
If you’re cooking the stuffed peppers from raw, they’ll take about 25 minutes in the oven. To save a bit of time when preparing the filling – for those who can cope with two things cooking at the same time – get the mince cooking while the empty peppers bake in the oven for the first 15 minutes. Then, once both are reasonably cooked through, stuff the peppers and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Although I wouldn’t recommend cooking the peppers from scratch in the microwave, you’re absolutely fine to do this when reheating a batch from chilled.
Freezing leftovers
On that note, stuffed peppers are an easy food to freeze for later. It doesn’t make much difference whether the peppers are raw or not, however it’s safer if the filling is already cooked. Store them in an airtight Tupperware container or a freezer-safe dish wrapped in tin foil for up to 1 month.
To defrost, place straight into an oven-proof dish or tray and cook from frozen for 25-35 minutes at 180°C or 350°F until completely thawed through. To shorten the cooking time, let them defrost slowly in the fridge overnight before baking.
3-bean chilli stuffed peppers
An easy, colourful low-carb dinner. Top with your choice of chopped tomatoes, fresh herbs, yoghurt and mashed avocado
Servings 2
Calories 448kcal
Equipment
- Large wok/frying pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 200 g (1 cup) 15% beef mince
- ½ tin (approx 200g or 1 cup) mixed beans - e.g. kidney beans, black-eyed beans, pinto beans
- 400 g (1 ⅔ cups) tinned tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 beef stock cube, crumbled up into small pieces
- 1 carrot, grated
- 0.5 tsp chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- 70 g (⅓ cup) frozen garden peas
- 1 tbsp gluten free Worcester sauce
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 large bell peppers
Toppings
- 1 tbsp dairy free yoghurt or sour cream
- 50 g (¼ cup, pureed) avocado
- ½ tsp finely chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or 350°F
- In a large wok, fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil on a medium heat, until softened. Then add the mince and mixed beans, and cook for 15 minutes until completely brown
- Slice the peppers in half and coat with some olive oil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes
- Add the tinned tomato, tomato puree, Worcester sauce, chilli powder and crumbled stock cube to the mince mixture, stirring well until fully combined. Add a generous amount of salt & pepper, to taste
- Remove the peppers from the oven and spoon in the mince mixture, until it is level with the top edges of the peppers. Place back in the oven and bake for a further 10-12 minutes
- Serve topped with sliced or crushed avocado, sour cream or yoghurt, and a pinch of finely chopped fresh basil
Berry banana peanut butter smoothie
Berry banana peanut butter smoothie This thick and fruity smoothie makes a great antioxidant-packed snack. Naturally sweetened by the ripe banana, it’s so easy to make and has a tangy berry kick. Top it with a handful of your favourite granola or an extra drizzle…
