Category: Desserts

Nut and Seed Bars (dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free)

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1 cup coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 tsp salt

1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup honey, warmed for easier mixing

  1. Mix the nuts, seeds and salt together.
  2. Stir in the vanilla and honey.
  3. Place a piece of parchment in an 8″ x 8″ pan. (Cut slits in the corners to get it to go up the sides nicely.)
  4. Pour the nut and seed mixture into the pan and press it down firmly with a spoon.
  5. Bake at 325 for 40-55 minutes. (Start checking them at 45 minutes, but you want to cook them until they’re slightly golden.)
  6. Optional: Melt dark chocolate and spread on top.

Every time I make this, I change the recipe a bit and it always turns out. Try any nuts or seeds (or similar ingredients) you like.

Energy Bars (dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free)

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½ cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup cocoa
5 large, pitted dates
¼ cup raisins (or dried cranberries)

¾ cup raw pecan halves
¾ cup raw cashews
¾ cup raw almonds
¼ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

Honey (to taste if desired)

  1. Put the first six ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. Add the nuts and coconut and pulse until it reaches a desired consistency.
  3. Taste the mixture and add honey if you want it sweeter. (You can also add more peanut butter if it’s not binding well enough.)
  4. Press into an 8” x 8” pan. Chill and then cut into squares.

Suggestion: Feel free to experiment with different ingredients in this recipe, such as oat bran, chia seeds, sesame seeds, wheat germ, flax seeds, psyllium husk, chocolate chips… I make it differently each time!

Lava Cakes (gluten-free option)

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4 (1 oz) squares semi-sweet chocolate*
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup icing sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp flour#
Whipped cream or ice cream (to serve with cakes)

  1. Microwave chocolate and butter in large glass bowl on high for 1 minute, or until butter is melted. Stir with wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted.
  2. Stir in sugar until well blended. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in flour.
  3. Divide batter between 4 greased (3/4 cup) custard cups or soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet.
  4. Bake at 425 degrees for 13-14 minutes or until sides are firm but centres are soft. Let stand one minute.
  5. Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes (scoop them onto plate, upside down). Top with topping and serve immediately.

* Instead of semi-sweet baking chocolate, I use 15 squares of the PC bitter-sweet (or extra dark) 300g chocolate bar.

# To make this a gluten-free dessert, just substitute the flour for any gluten-free flour. (Because there’s so little flour, this works well without affecting the texture too much.)

Chocolate Cake

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1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar (original recipe called for 1.5 cups)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour (I use whole wheat)
½ cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

1 ½ cups milk (you can also use sour milk)
2 cups fresh baby spinach (optional)

  1. Cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
  2. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
  3. If you’re using the spinach, blend it in a food processor or blender with the milk until it is completely pureed (and you have green milk).
  4. Alternately, stir the flour mixture and the milk into the creamed mixture. (Stir in a bit of flour, then a bit of milk… until it’s all mixed).
  5. Pour batter into a greased 8” x 12” pan. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes, until a fork comes out clean.

ICING
½ cup butter
2 cups icing sugar
6 Tbsp cocoa
Enough milk to make it easy to stir

  1. Cream the butter with the icing sugar and cocoa.
  2. Add enough milk to make it easy to spread. Ice the cake once it has cooled (or preferably chilled in the fridge).

Banana Pancakes (dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free)

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1 overly ripe banana
3 large eggs
¼ cup milk (can be non-dairy like coconut or almond)
1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp coconut flour
1/3 cup almond flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

  1. Mash the banana well. Mix in the rest of the wet ingredients.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Whisk them into the wet ingredients and let them sit for 3-5 minutes to let the coconut flour soak up some of the moisture.
  3. Fry over medium heat in a greased frying pan. (The batter is quite runny and it’s easier if you make the pancakes small, about ¼ cup of batter per pancake.)
  4. Serve hot, with maple syrup or melted chocolate chips.

For a super-simple version, you can mash one banana, beat in two eggs and fry. Recipe here: https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/2-ingredients-eggs-banana-pancakes-501408.

Decadent Chocolate Cake

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1 cup boiling water
3 oz unsweetened chocolate (see note at bottom)
½ cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups sugar (original recipe was 2 cups)
2 eggs, separated

1 tsp baking soda
½ cup sour cream

2 cups flour, sifted (can skip sifting if you want)
1 tsp baking powder

  1. Pour boiling water over chocolate and butter, in a bowl. Let stand until melted. Stir in vanilla and sugar. Then whisk in egg yolks, one at a time blending well after each addition.
  2. Mix baking soda and sour cream. Whisk into chocolate mixture.
  3. Sift flour and baking powder together and add to batter, mixing thoroughly.
  4. Beat egg whites until stiff. Stir ¼ of the egg whites thoroughly into batter. Scoop remaining egg whites on top and gently fold together (not mixing thoroughly).
  5. Pour batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes (until a tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean).
  6. Let cool for 10 minutes (if poosible, it’s better to chill for at least an hour). Carefully remove cake from pan and place on a plate.

Frosting

¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp milk
¾ cup icing sugar

  1. Melt the butter and brown sugar and cook for two minutes to caramelize it.
  2. Add milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the icing sugar.
  3. Carefully frost cake. (It’s easier to frost if it’s chilled.)

Suggestion: Instead of unsweetened chocolate, I use 10 squares of the PC bitter-sweet (or extra dark) 300g chocolate bar.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

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1 ¼ cups water
2 cups pitted dates
1 tsp baking soda

¼ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs

1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

  1. Bring dates and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda. (Mixture will become foamy.) Set aside. (If you don’t want any little bits of dates in your cake, you can puree this mixture in a food processor.)
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. (Mixture will be grainy.)
  3. Add 1 egg and beat to blend. Add half the flour mixture and half the date mixture and beat to blend. Repeat with remaining egg, flour mixture and date mixture.
  4. Bake in a buttered Bundt pan at 350 for 40-45 minutes (until a tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean).
  5. Let cool for 30 minutes (or longer). Carefully remove cake from pan and place on a plate.

Sauce

1 ¼ cups brown sugar
½ cup heavy cream (can substitute 10% cream)
¼ cup butter
1 tsp brandy or whisky (optional)
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

  1. Bring sugar, cream and butter to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to boil, stirring constantly for three minutes.
  2. Remove from heat. Stir in brandy (if using) and vanilla.
  3. Cut cake into wedges. Serve with hot sauce and whipped cream or ice cream.

Cake and sauce can be made a day ahead of time. Rewarm sauce gently before using. For adults, you can also drizzle 1 Tbsp brandy or whisky over the cake before adding the sauce.

Chocolate, Peanut Butter Squares

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½ cup butter, melted

2 cups icing sugar

¾ cup peanut butter

½ cup graham wafer crumbs

½ cup chocolate chips

  1. Mix together the butter and icing sugar. Stir in the peanut butter and graham wafer crumbs.
  2. Pat into the bottom of an 8” X 8” pan.
  3. Melt the chocolate chips. Spread evenly over top of peanut butter mixture.
  4. Cut when the chocolate is almost firm. Refrigerate.

Suggestion: When melting the chocolate, to make it smoother, add 1 Tbsp of butter before melting.

Brownies

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½ cup butter

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup flour

6 Tbsp cocoa

½ tsp salt

  1. Beat together in a bowl the margarine, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, using a fork.
  2. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt and stir together.
  3. Pour into a greased 8” X 8” cake pan.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Suggestion:

While these are still hot from the oven, serve them with vanilla ice cream, peanuts, and chocolate sauce.  This looks fancy enough to serve to dinner guests.

Brownies (dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free)

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1/2 cup unsalted butter (or palm shortening)
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped*

1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

  1. Melt the chocolate and butter together. (I just microwave it on medium heat, stirring a few times as it melts.)
  2. Stir in the honey and vanilla and let cool.
  3. In a food processor, grind the coconut sugar, almond flour, coconut flour, arrowroot powder, salt, and baking soda for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the chocolate mixture and blend until smooth. Add 1 egg at a time, blending for 15 seconds between additions to fully combine.
  5. Pour the batter into a greased 8 x 11 pan and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting.

Suggestion: Instead of unsweetened baking chocolate, I use 30 squares of the PC bitter-sweet (or extra dark) 300g chocolate bar, and omit the coconut sugar, since the chocolate is sweetened.