Healthy Chocolate Birthday Cake

September 4, 2018 · 12 Comments

This recipe is the our easy, go-to, never-fail birthday cake base. We have been making it for years and everyone always loves it.

Making a birthday cake can sometimes feel daunting but trust me, this is so, so easy! My kids make it all the time themselves without any worries.

Birthday cakes are so expensive these days and the weird additives in them makes a homemade one much more appealing! You don’t have to get fancy with toppings (unless you want to!)

Just some thick cream (so you don’t have to whip it) and some strawberries is all you need.

Quick, easy and so good! Best of all, it’s made with love.

What more could you want for your birthday?

Healthy Chocolate Birthday Cake

Vital Stats: nut-free, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options

Okay, so this is what you need:

3/4 cup self-raising flour (for gluten free, I use the self-raising Orgran brand)
1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup rapadura or coconut sugar
1 cup or 200g organic natural yoghurt (for dairy-free, use coconut yoghurt)
2 organic eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a round cake tin with toxin-free baking paper.

Sift together the flour, cacao and bicarb. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together.

Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients. Pour batter into the cake tin.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Hot tips:

This recipe is easy to double and bake in a lamington tin if you need to feed a crowd. It also freezes really well, so make it in advance if you are pressed for time.

This cake is not very sweet because that’s how we like our cakes! If you want it to be a bit sweeter, add 1/4 cup more sugar or don’t even worry if you are going to add a sweet icing.

We just usually top it with double cream (choose one without additives) and fresh fruit but if you need a healthy icing, check out these ideas.

Let me know if you make my Healthy Chocolate Birthday Cake! I love hearing from you. 🙂

Strawberry Coconut Slice (gluten free, dairy free)

September 11, 2017 · 16 Comments

Strawberry Coconut Slice (gluten free, dairy free)

How good is strawberry season??? So cheap and so yum.

Strawberries are however one of the most heavily sprayed crops. If you can’t get organic, make sure you give them a good wash to get as much pesticide off as you can.

This slice is super soft and moist with a tang of fresh strawberries and a coconuty texture. It’s not overly sweet either, which we prefer, but feel free to add more coconut sugar if you like.

When strawberry season is over, use any fruit in its place. I think sliced fresh apricots or nectarines would be divine but also thinly sliced apple and pear would be good too – add some cinnamon!

I hope you like it as much as we do.

Strawberry Coconut Slice

Vital stats: gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegetarian

This is what you need:

1 cup (around 150g) strawberries

2 cups almond meal

1 tablespoon coconut flour

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 eggs

1 cup melted coconut oil

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

This is how you do it:

Preheat oven to 180° celsius. Line a slice tray (31cm x 20cm) with non-toxic baking paper.

Wash strawberries well, take off the tops and slice into three pieces, vertically (depending on how big they are).

Whisk the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla and sugar together well.

Add to the rest of the ingredients, except the strawberries and mix well.

Spread into the slice tray and smooth out the top. At this point it looks a little toffee like – don’t worry!

Now you can decoratively arrange the strawberries on top, pressing them in gently as you go.

Pop into the oven and bake for around 20-25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Cool well on a baking rack. Slice gently with a serrated knife.

Let me know if you make it and what the family thought. I love to see your photos too – shoot me an email or upload to my Facebook page.

Easy Coconut Biccies

April 22, 2015 · 13 Comments

I am loving these Easy Coconut Biccies.

They are perfect for lunchboxes as they have no nuts! Also great when you have a bare pantry – you only need four ingredients and they are so, so easy to throw together.

Feel free to add in your own bits and pieces – I have made them before with a mixture of dried fruit and some healthier choc chips would be yummo too. You may want to add in a little drizzle of honey and maple syrup if you like a really sweet biscuit, but I think the sultanas make them sweet enough.

Easy Coconut Biccies

Vital Stats: grain free, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, refined sugar free, paleo

Okay, this is what you need:

2 cups organic dessicated coconut

2 organic eggs

1 cup organic sultanas

1 teaspoon organic cinnamon

1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

HOT TIP: Using organic coconut and fruit means you don’t have to worry about added sulphur dioxide. Read more here.

Okay, this is how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 180°c on a gentle setting. Fan force is too harsh for these little babies.

Mix everything together – I like to get my hands in there and give it a good massage to distribute the egg properly.

Squeeze into round biccies, about the size of a walnut. It will make about 15.

Whack on your baking paper lined tray and fling into the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until they are just set and lightly brown. Keep an eye on them!

Leave to cool on the tray to firm up. Enjoy!

HOT TIP: I love the If You Care Baking paper to cook with. It is unbleached and 100% chlorine free. I even wash it and reuse if it’s not too yucky. Your regular baking paper can contain chromium (a heavy metal).

Macadamia Chocolate Fudge

December 11, 2014 · 4 Comments

This fudge is so quick and easy to make.

Once you have the base sorted, you can top it with anything you like! Try all different types of nuts, coconut, goji berries, ginger or any dried fruit. For a supercharged nutrient boost, add some Superfoods for Kidz powders.

It’s not sickly sweet and it’s packed full of nutrients. Enjoy!

Macadamia Chocolate Fudge

Vital Stats: Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free

This is what you need:

2 cups sulphur-free dates ( I like the Honest to Goodness brand)

2 cups organic cashews

1/2 cup organic raw cacao

2 tablespoons organic maple syrup

1 vanilla pod, scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 cup organic macadamias, chopped

This is how you do it:

Soak the dates in some boiling water for ten minutes or so. Squeeze the excess water out.

Place into a food processor or thermomix with all the other ingredients (except the macadamias).

Pulse or turbo until smooth and well combined. I like it with a little bit of cashew still showing, but do it to your preference.

Using wet hands, press into a small slice tin that is lined with baking paper.

Sprinkle the chopped macadamias over the top and press down gently into the mix.

Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Keep refrigerated or freeze.

10 Healthy Winter Desserts

August 12, 2014 · 8 Comments

10 Healthy Winter Desserts

One of the best things about winter is tucking into a hot, comforting, delicious pudding!

This round up features healthier recipes – refined sugar free, wheat free, additve free and some are gluten free, dairy free and egg free as well. Enjoy them with hot custard, grass fed cream or homemade icecream for a treat that is oh so good for the soul!

Here are 10 healthy winter desserts from some of Australia’s most fabulous wellness bloggers (and me). You are going to want to use the PIN IT feature for these!

My Easy Gluten-Free Apple and Fig Crumble

Berry and Vanilla Clafoutis by Eleanor at Petite Kitchen

Apple Rose Tart from Hungry Cub

Sticky Date Pudding by Jen at Living on Little

Lemon Meringue Pie by Marinya Cottage Kitchen

Gingerbread Pudding Cake from Jude Blereau’s Wholefood Cooking

Lemon and Elderflower Honey Puddings from Homegrown Kitchen

Chocolate Self Saucing Puddings from Well Nourished

Creamy Coconut Vanilla Rice Pudding from Jo at Quirky Cooking

Flourless Mandarin Cake with Honey Thyme Syrup and Nutmeg Cream by Kelly Gibney

What is your favourite winter dessert?

Choc-Hazel Bliss Balls

March 18, 2014 · 22 Comments

Choc-Hazel Bliss Balls

Now I am a bit of a bliss ball addict, but these are something really, really extra special.

After I made up this variation, I had to get everyone to come running and try them and officially declare me a genius!

Yes, they are that good. Think nutella, think ferrero rocher but healthy!!

Choc-Hazel Bliss Balls

Vital Stats: raw, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free

Okay so this is what you need:

1 cup pitted sulphur free dates

2 tablespoons Crio Bru (I used the new flavour, Maracaibo)

2 tablespoons organic raw cacao powder

2 teaspoons Heilala Vanilla Bean paste (secret ingredient)

1 cup hazelnuts, skin removed

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Process the dates, crio bru, cacao and vanilla until well combined in a food processor or thermomix. Add hazelnuts and pulse or turbo until they are finely chopped. Use damp hands and roll them into balls. Store in the fridge or freezer.

Exclusively for NNAM readers, you can use this code to get 10% off everything in store: CHRISTMAS10 until 15 December 2016 at Crio Bru here.

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Gluten-Free, Nut-Free Muesli Bars

January 21, 2014 · 50 Comments

This is such an easy and tasty recipe that is perfect for lunch boxes.

I guess they aren’t really ‘muesli’ bars as they don’t contain oats! But you can certainly use oats instead of quinoa if you like.

Quinoa (pronounced KeenWah) is incredibly nutritious – it’s very high in protein. Combined with all the seeds and eggs, these bars will have you fuelled up and ready to go!

HOT TIP: You can use any combination of dried fruits,nuts and seeds – as long as the mixture you add to the eggs equals 5 cups.

Gluten-Free, Nut-Free Muesli Bars

Vital Stats: gluten free, grain free, dairy free, nut free, refined sugar free

Okay, so this is what you need:

1/2 cup organic quinoa, dry

1 cup dried apple

1 cup organic sultanas

1/2 cup dried organic figs

1/2 cup organic sunflower seeds

1/2 cup organic pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 cup organic shredded coconut

1/4 cup organic chia seeds

1/4 cup organic sesame seeds

3 organic, free range eggs

2 tablespoons organic maple syrup or honey (optional)

2 teaspoons organic ceylon cinnamon

2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract

Hot tip: choose organic dried fruit where you can, as it doesn’t contain preservatives.

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Preheat the oven to 160° celsius. Line a slice tray with a non-toxic baking paper.

Rinse the quinoa really well (I soak for a bit and then rinse). This is really important as quinoa has a bitter saponins that coat it and need to be removed.

Cook the quinoa in a saucepan with 1 cup of filtered water. It will take about ten minutes. You will know it’s cooked because it becomes translucent.

HOT TIP: Make extra quinoa and store it in the fridge or freezer. It’s fantastic added to a salad or used instead of rice.

Cool the quinoa right down (you don’t want scrambled eggs)!

Chop the apple and figs. You can use the food processor or thermomix to do this.

Mix all the ingredients together well. I like to get my hands in and give it a good massage!

Press it firmly down into the slice tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked.

I cover the slice halfway through the cooking time with some baking paper so it doesn’t burn on top.

Cool on a wire rack before slicing with a bread knife into bars.

These freeze really well, so make a double batch and you will always have some on hand!

Makes about 12 large bars.

Want more?

Check out my 10 Healthy Muesli Bar recipes.

Double Choc Berry Biccies

February 27, 2013 · 45 Comments

It is a very rainy and miserable day here, so I decided to make the kids some biscuits and a hot home-made milo for afternoon tea.

Yes, I know, I am a truly awesome Mum!! 😉

Thinking about this recipe, I played around with some other flavours and came up with these Double Choc Berry Biccies!

I was pretty impressed. What a powerhouse little biscuit, chock-full of superfoods! You won’t get that in a Tim Tam!

Please check for sweetness. I like the bitey dark chocolate taste, but you might like them sweeter. I know the kids did!

Double Choc Berry Biccies

Vital stats: gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, vegetarian.

Okay, this is what you need:

1 cup almond meal

2 tablespoons organic cacao

2 tablespoons Crio Bru (unbrewed straight from the pack)

2 tablespoons Changing Habits coconut oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (adjust to taste)

1 tablespoon coconut flour

2 tablespoons Superfoods for Kidz C-Berry Blast

1 organic egg

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Chuck everything together and mix. (I can’t make it any easier than that, can I??)

If you have a thermomix, make your almond meal first and then chuck everything else in and whizz.

Wet your hands and roll into balls – I made 15. Press down slightly on them. Fling on a baking tray with some baking paper.

Bake for 10 minutes or until brown in a 180 degree celsius oven.

I think they would also be fab, sandwiched with some paleo salted caramel.

I used three of my favourite superfoods in these biccies and you can get them from my affiliate shops. Click on the picture for more info and prices.

C-Berry Blast from Superfoods For Kidz

Crio Bru, 100% organic brewed cocoa

Changing Habits Coconut Oil

Are you a fan of choccie biccies?

Want more healthy biccy recipes? Try these.

Really Healthy ANZAC Biccies

February 17, 2012 · 77 Comments

These are a healthier version of everyone’s favourite Australian biscuit.

We have made this recipe numerous times now – it’s a winner.

Of course, I tweak, tweak and tweak recipes, so mine is a little different to the original recipe I found over at Teresa Cutter’s website. I absolutely love Teresa’s recipes – she makes really great healthy sweet treats. There is also a gluten-free and paleo friendly option for this biscuit on her site.

Really Healthy ANZAC Biccies

Vital Stats: egg free, dairy free, wheat free, vegan, vegetarian

So this is what you need:

1 cup almond meal

1 cup organic rolled oats

1 cup organic coconut shredded

1/2 cup rapadura sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate

1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 tablespoon water

This is how you do it:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line a baking sheet with non-toxic baking paper.

In a mixing bowl, throw your almond meal, coconut, rapadura, cinnamon and the oats. Stir well.

Fling the coconut oil and the apple juice concentrate into a small saucepan and stir over a low heat.

Combine the bicarb and water, then add to the oil mix – it will froth up like a science experiment. Get the kids to watch for some cool mum points.

Add the frothy mix to your dry mix and combine it well. Add a little water if it’s too crumbly.

With wet hands, shape small balls of the dough and press together firmly.

I got about 15 biscuits from the mix, but it will depend on how much you sample as you go. 😉

Whack them onto the baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking on them so they don’t go black and crispy.

Cool down on a wire rack and then eat.

These biccies will freeze well and keep in an airtight container for a week or so (they won’t last that long, because they are sooo yummy!)

As always, let me know if you make them and how you went. Tell me your tweaks too! Sharing, of course is always advised as we like to spread the love. 🙂

Want more recipes?
Check out these other healthy Anzac Biscuit recipes from some of my favourite wellness bloggers! And this amazing Anzac Slice recipe from The Root Cause.