10 Healthy Baking Tips & Tricks

Being my stubborn self, I have to try everything on my own before accepting it as fact. Whilst experimenting with healthy recipes, this attribute has lead me to make numerous mistakes and a few discoveries, most which could have been avoided if I did my research first.. and actually believed the subjective opinions of others on the internet. Anywho- I have decided to put together a quick “Tips & Tricks” list, from my personal experiences, for anyone who has a desire to give healthy baking a try 🙂

1. Density Matters: When using gluten-free substitutes for flour it is important to know the difference between almond meal, gluten-free oats, coconut flour, and your typical gluten free flour blend (usually some combination of rice and tapioca flour) as each has it’s own density, which can make or break your recipe:
   1. Gluten-Free Flour Blend: This is probably the lightest of the bunch & most closely resembles all-purpose flour. It is great for making cookies and pastries and pretty much anything else you dream up; however, it has the least nutritional value, in my opinion.
   2. Gluten-Free Oats: Second to lightest, this flour substitute is great for really flavorful cookies like peanut butter or pumpkin spice cookies (i.e. not chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies), pie crusts, and pancakes/waffles. Of course, gluten free oats have somewhat of a “wholesome” taste to them so the less flavor in your recipe, the more wholesome your food will taste.
   3. Almond Meal / Coconut Flour: I am lumping these two together because they are both very dense flours and are, therefore, both suitable for super dense cakes. I have used almond meal for pie crusts before and found it to be quite tasty. These flours absorb a lot of moisture. So far, I have only found this attribute to be useful for the crumb topping of my apple pie…
2. BEWARE BAKED PROTEIN: Especially baked casein. It tastes terrible. While it is possible to get away with adding some to pancake batter- some brands are better than others- it should, as stated, be added, not “instead off”. Otherwise just save it for your “room temp or colder” recipes.
3. Identify your main ingredient: Healthy recipes are more likely to be successful if you can actually use the main ingredient or have a very close substitute. This is why you don’t see many healthy recipes for sugar cookies, butter cookies or pastries; and you are up to your ears in banana pancake & peanut butter cookie recipes.
4. Coconut Sugar is not for baking: I have used coconut sugar in some of my recent baked experiments and they all have one thing in common: they are slightly tacky in texture. I don’t know what the chemical process is that causes it, but it is not cool. While I consider it tolerable in some circumstances, I’m sure others do not. I think it would be good in a gluten-free granola bar recipe though..
5. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR BROWN SUGAR: I’m sorry, I said it. I don’t care what your co-worker’s super fit friend’s blog says, if your recipe depends on the amazing flavor that is brown sugar, you’re S.O.L.
6. BEST BUTTER SUBSTITUTES: I find it best to go half “solid” half liquid
   1. Almond Butter & Coconut Oil
   2. Avocado & Coconut Oil
7. Bake in small batches: There’s a lot of “hit and miss” when it comes to healthy baking, so naturally one would want to limit the amount of waste.. Or you’re like me and pinching pennies so you eat it no matter what. I tried to make protein cinnamon banana oatmeal this morning. Kids, refer back to #2 and do not try it at home.. And, yes, I ate it all……..ew.
8. Better N’ Peanut Butter should never be baked: It ends up having the same tacky texture as coconut sugar. If you are trying to reduce fat cals for your peanut butter orgasm recipe, try PB2 first; however, refer back to #3 before deciding to use all PB2.
9. When using butter substitute, press cookies down with a fork before baking : I’m not sure why this always happens, but even if I use all coconut oil as my substitute, my cookies always end up needing to be pressed down like a peanut butter cookie. What is that about ??
10. Always write your recipes down: Even though you think you will still remember after you try your new creation, you won’t.

~Rummy

“Healthy” Reese’s Mounds

As promised.. A RECIPE!

What are these delectable, orgasm-in-your-mouth treats? I call them Reese’s Mounds Aesthetically, they aren’t perfect, but hey- perfect is sooo last season.

I wouldn’t necessarily consider these treats to be super healthy, but they are certainly better for you than store-bought (assuming you can resist eating the remaining jar of peanut butter).

On to the good stuff…

Ingredients:
– 1/2c Natural Peanut Butter or PB2 or Better n’ Peanut Butter
– 1/4c stevia or other sugar substitute
– 1/4c Coconut sugar
– Dash of salt
– 2 Tbsp Coco Powder
– 2 Tbsp Coconut oil
– 2 Tbsp Agave

Directions:
1) Mix together PB, stevia, coconut sugar and salt
2) Roll dough into 1″ balls
3) Freeze for at least 45 min
4) Melt coconut oil in saucepan
5) Turn off flame and stir in coco powder and agave
6) Dip frozen balls in chocolate sauce and replace in freezer for at least 10 min

I poured the excess chocolate sauce over the mounds- hence sloppiness- because it’s that good.

And that’s it! Prepare your tastebuds because you have probably never had anything so close to a real Reese’s Cup before 🙂

Enjoy!

– Red Rumson

Oh my! A recipe: Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

I have struck gold- according to my taste buds at least. Saturdays I have Muay Thai training @11am, so it is no surprise I found myself in need of some serious sustenance this beautiful afternoon. Protein? Yes.. Peanut Butter? A must.. Let’s make it chewable.. Pancakes? YES.

Now, I’m not going to be one of those bloggers that writes a novel before you get to the good stuff so here it is:

Heathy Banana Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes:

• 1c. Gluten Free Oatmeal, ground (or other GF flour)
• 4 Tbsp Egg Whites
• 1 Tbsp Almond Butter (or Peanut butter if your want to get really PB crazy)
• 1 Banana, sliced
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 – 1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
• Stevia to taste
• Almond Milk to consistency
• Low sodium Better N’ Peanut Butter or Natural Peanut Butter

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients, except almond butter and PB together. You can choose to leave your bananas chunky or puree them.
2. Slowly add almond butter until batter has a soup-like consistency
3. Heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Once hot, turn to medium heat
4. Pour batter into pan to make roughly 5″ diameter pancakes
5. When pancakes start to bubble, flip and let cook for 2-3 more min
6. Top with peanut butter. I used an icing bag, but for those who are without, a knife will do.
7. Serve with a Peanut Butter Mocha Protein Shake and your life will be complete 🙂

Enjoy!