Healthier, Lower Sugar Brownies (Gluten and Dairy Free)

June 7, 2023 by Victoria Faling 2 Comments

Let’s make some healthy, lower sugar, gluten free brownies! You truly can eat healthy food that is still delicious and serves your health goals. These brownies are still packed with chocolate-y goodness, but without the sugar rush. Serve them with some greek yogurt and cinnamon and you’ve got a blood sugar balanced snack.

gluten free and dairy free healthy brownies

I love chopping up a bar of chocolate to add to brownies or cookies because it melts and you get that chocolate pool when you bite into a warm slice. Chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape, but adding that chopped chocolate really takes it to the next level!

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Healthier, Lower Sugar Brownies

These healthier brownies have a fraction of the sugar while still being fudgy and delicious. These gluten free, dairy free, and allergy friendly brownies will make you realize you can eat healthier versions of your favorite foods!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, fudge, fudgy, gluten free, healthy, Low Sugar

Servings brownies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

2 eggs room temperature
¼ cup coconut sugar or light brown sugar
¼ cup melted and cooled coconut oil
2 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup yogurt of choice* see notes for alternatives
¼ cup applesauce* see notes for alternatives
2 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
¼ cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
⅓ cup cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda omit if your cocoa powder is dutch processed
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate I like using a combo of Enjoy Life chocolate chips and chopped HU Kitchen chocolate

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Using a handheld mixer, whisk your eggs and sugar together for several minutes until lighter in color, fluffier, and the sugar is basically dissolved.
Add in the oil, maple syrup, yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla and mix again until smooth.
Add your dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) and mix on low or use a spatula to combine.
Fold in your chocolate.
Transfer dough to a parchment lined 8x8 baking dish and bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and middle is set and feels springy to the touch.
These brownies get fudgier as you let them set. They are more cakey at first. If you can stand to, let them cool completely before cutting and enjoying!

Notes

*alternatively, you can use ½ cup of either yogurt or apple sauce or even mashed banana

gluten free and low sugar fudge brownies

Protein Packed Carrot Cake Cheesecake (Gluten & Dairy Free)

June 2, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Who says you can't enjoy dessert and keep it healthy and nutrient dense? This delicious cheesecake will prove to you just how easy it is! This cheesecake uses yogurt and eggs to get the creamy filling, there is no cream cheese or other fancy ingredients. You can keep that protein level high based on the yogurt you use plus the protein powder and eggs. But, this cheesecake can easily be made completely dairy free. Healthy cheesecake? Yes!

gluten free and dairy free protein carrot cake cheesecake

Ingredient Notes

What Yogurt Should I Use?

I used a vegan yogurt in this recipe since I am dairy free. Oatly brand works well in this because it is thicker. If you tolerate dairy, go for a Greek yogurt for the right texture and to boost the protein content!

What About the Protein Powder?

I do add protein powder to this recipe to amp up the protein. You want to use a pea protein because it acts like flour. If you don't have pea protein, you can just use 2 tablespoons of 1:1 gluten free flour instead.

gluten free and dairy free high protein carrot cheesecake

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Protein Packed Carrot Cake Cheesecake

This delicious carrot cheesecake is gluten free and can be made completely dairy free, too! We use a combination of yogurt, protein powder, and eggs to make this healthy and protein packed version of a cheesecake. There is no cream cheese and it's low sugar, keeping it lower fat and more nutrient dense.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword carrot cake, cheesecake, healthy, high protein, low fat, Low Sugar, protein packed

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 6

Servings servings

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Crust

½ cup oat flour
½ cup tigernut flour almond flour or more oat flour works too
2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
2 tablespoon maple syrup

Filling

2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 carrots)
1 cup yogurt of choice See notes above for what type
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 scoops of unflavored pea protein powder
1 tablespoon tapioca starch arrowroot or corn works too
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
First, make the crust ingredients together. Whisk together the flours, then add the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Press dough into the bottom of a lined loaf pan or small pie pan (a 9 inch pan will be too big, you'll need something smaller).
Set crust aside and make the filling.
Shred the carrots then blend them with the yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, starch, and protein powder in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth. Add your eggs and blend again until smooth.
Pour the filling over the crust and gently transfer to the oven.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until top is set.
Let cool to room temperature then place in the fridge to finish setting for at least 3 hours.
Enjoy!

Gluten Free Browned Coconut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy-Free)

May 31, 2023 by Victoria Faling 3 Comments

Have you ever heard of browned coconut butter? These Browned Coconut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies have a rich flavor and slightly coconut-y taste all while being completely gluten and dairy free!

gluten free browned coconut butter chocolate chip cookies

As someone allergic to dairy and palm oil, I can’t have butter and it's hard to find vegan versions without palm oil. The palm oil free vegan butters generally contain almonds or cashew and I've been determined to make a version free of those nuts. All the browned butter baked goods always have me drooling though! So, I decided to try making browned coconut butter and baking with that instead.

These gluten free chocolate chip cookies have a slightly coconut-y, deep nut flavor. It’s subtle, but it’s there and it’s so good! If you hate coconut, though, these cookies probably aren't for you. I also use less sugar than your average chocolate chip cookie as I generally try to keep my sugar content down for health reasons. These aren’t the sweetest cookies ever, but they won’t leave you with an awful sugar hangover like most recipes do... and don't worry, they are still delicious!

gluten free and dairy free browned coconut butter chocolate chip cookies

Coconut butter vs coconut oil

Although they are both made from coconut, they are very different products. Think peanut butter vs peanut oil.

Coconut butter is made from the whole coconut and includes the meat. It is a sweet spread that tastes great by the spoonful or drizzled on toast or desserts.

Coconut oil is made up entirely of fat and is an oily consistency.

These two can't be interchanged in recipes and function differently! This recipe calls for both, as we are using coconut butter for flavor and coconut oil as the butter replacement.

Can I use butter in this recipe?

The coconut butter in this gluten free cookie recipe is used for a specific reason and lends that rich, nutty and slightly coconut-y taste. This is NOT a traditional browned butter cookie recipe.

You can use butter to replace the coconut oil in this recipe if desired, though. Vegan or regular.

How to make browned coconut butter

Browned coconut butter is really easy to make and only takes less than 5 minutes! Coconut butter is different than coconut oil, so make sure to buy the appropriate jar at the store (although you will need both the butter and oil for this recipe).

For these chocolate chip cookies, you'll add ¼ cup of coconut butter to a saucepan on medium low heat. Stir frequently and then continuously once you start to see the color change. Keep stirring and cooking on low heat until you get a nice brown color and smell a rich, nutty smell. Take the butter of the heat to cool down before using.

Can I make these browned coconut butter chocolate chip cookies refined sugar free?

These gluten free chocolate chip cookies contain both coconut and white sugar. I have tested this recipe so many times and find the combination of both is what yields the best texture. You can technically use all coconut sugar, but I just don't think it's the best option.

If you are watching your refined sugar intake, be mindful of what chocolate you use in this recipe as well. There are many refined sugar free chocolate chip and bar options these days!

Storing and Freezing

How to store these cookies: once baked, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It's very important they are stored in an airtight container or they will get hard and crunchy.

Can you freeze these cookies? You can, but let them thaw at room temperature in order to eat them. Since they have coconut oil and butter, they freeze quite hard so they don't maintain the same texture as frozen cookies made with butter. I also advise against trying to quickly thaw them in the microwave or oven. The coconut butter will continue cooking and the cookies will end up crunchy and dry with a more bitter taste.

More delicious cookie recipes

Paleo Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Gluten Free Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Healthy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

Gluten Free Butter Pecan Cookies

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Gluten Free Browned Coconut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These delicious cookies are gluten, dairy, and nut free! They utilize coconut butter for that rich flavor. Who doesn't love browned butter chocolate chip cookies?! Now we've just made them allergy friendly.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword allergy friendly, browned butter, coconut butter, comfort food

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Total Time 45

Servings cookies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

¼ cup coconut butter
⅓ cup coconut oil melted and cooled
¼ cup brown or coconut sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 egg room temp
1 egg yolk room temp
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk of choice
¾ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
Scant ½ cup Sifted Tigernut flour or almond flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt plus extra flaky sea salt
½-3/4 cup chocolate I use a mix of dark and semi-sweet and a mix of chips and a chopped bar for that pooled chocolate deliciousness

Instructions

First, brown your coconut butter. Add it to a small saucepan and heat over medium low heat, stirring fairly consistently until it darkens in color and smells really nutty. Don't let it burn!
Let the coconut butter cool while you gather the other ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk together the coconut butter, coconut oil, and sugars for 1 minute with a whisk.
Add in the eggs and whisk until combined then add in the vanilla and milk and whisk for another minute until smooth.
Whisk your dry ingredients together in a bowl then add them to the wet. Use a spatula to mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the chocolate.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and divide dough into balls. Use a tablespoon sized scoop to scoop dough onto the baking sheet. You will need to bake in batches.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges JUST begin to brown. Don’t over bake! Centers will be soft and might seem undercooked, but they will set as the cookies cool. Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired upon removing them from the oven.
Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling (if they make it that far)

Healthy, Gluten-Free Pasta Salad (High Protein, Dairy Free, Vegan Option)

May 24, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

With summer right around the corner, it's pasta salad season! Growing up, my friends mom made THE BEST pasta salad ever. I've never been able to recreate that (I don't know what her secret ingredient was!), but I still enjoy a good pasta salad every now and again. This one is a bit Greek inspired with olives and feta.

I like using a chickpea based pasta for added protein. You can also feel free to add chicken or tofu to amp up the protein content. Using tofu and vegan feta will keep this recipe completely vegan! Pasta salad is so versatile with lots of options to make it your own. You can always feel free to use what veggies you have in your fridge (like peas and asparagus!).

Gluten Free Pasta Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

-3 large zucchini and/or yellow squash

-1 tbs. olive oil

-8 oz pasta of choice, I like to use a legume based pasta for added protein

-4 cups of spinach

-½ cup chopped fresh basil

-1 cup chopped kalamata olives

-Feta (We measure cheese with our hearts right?! I used a vegan feta)

-16 oz cooked chicken or tofu

Dressing:

-¼ cup balsamic vinegar

-2 tbs. olive oil

-1 tbs. rice wine vinegar

-2 tbs. olive juice

-1 teaspoon each of basil, oregano, thyme

-Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400F.

Chop up your squash and zucchini into large chunks. Toss with olive oil and roast for 20-30 minutes.

While squash is roasting, cook your pasta according to package directions. Rinse and set aside.

This is also a great time to make your dressing. Mix together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Once squash is done roasting, mix everything together in a large bowl and serve warm! This is also great cold as leftovers. Stores well in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days.

Healthy Protein Brookie Bars (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Oil-Free, Low Sugar)

May 19, 2023 by Victoria Faling 2 Comments

This is the best brookie because you can enjoy it knowing it’s serving your health too! Who doesn’t love brownies or chocolate chips cookies? And combining them into brownie cookie bars has always been a win-win, but brookies have a lot of sugar and can leave you with that hangover feeling. These brookie slices are great because they are gluten-free, dairy-free, lower in sugar, oil free, and have some sneaky protein in there to help balance your blood sugar. We are all about the healthy, allergy friendly treats around here!

Ingredient Notes

Flours: This recipe calls for a combination of 1:1 gluten free flour and tigernut flour. You can substitute almond flour for the tigernut flour.

Protein: You do need a vegan protein powder in this recipe. I used pumpkin seed protein, but you can also use a pea protein. These proteins act like flour, so they absorb liquid rather than dissolving. This is key for this recipe!

Yogurt: I used a vegan yogurt in this recipe, and any vegan yogurt will do. If you can eat dairy and want an even higher protein treat, try using Greek yogurt!

We are all about the healthy, allergy friendly treats around here! So tell me, if you had to pick one (which of course you don't now, thanks to this recipe) would you pick brownies or chocolate chip cookies?! Leave a comment letting me know

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Healthy Brookie Bars

These healthier brookie bars are gluten free, dairy free, lower sugar, and higher protein! A delicious and nutritious treat? You bet! The perfect combo of brownies and chocolate chip cookies for when you can't decide between them.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword allergy friendly, brownies, chocolate, cookies, dairy free, healthy, high protein, nut free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 2

Servings slices

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Base Batter

1 cup Tigernut flour or almond
¼ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
¼ cup vegan protein powder See notes above about what proteins work
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup yogurt I used Oatly vegan yogurt, but Greek would work too!

Brownie layer

¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoon milk of choice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup chocolate chips or more!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift all dry ingredients together for base batter (flours, protein, baking powder, salt) and set aside.
Beat all wet ingredients for base better together until smooth (egg, maple syrup, applesauce, yogurt).
Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine (or mix on low with paddle attachment until combined).
Separate half the batter into another bowl and mix in the brownie layer ingredients except for the chocolate chips.
Divide the chocolate chips between the two bowls and fold into each layer.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spread the brownie layer on the bottom. Then spread the cookie dough layer on top.
Bake for 35-40 min until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 10 min in the loaf pan then remove to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Try not to eat it all in one night!

Paleo Apple Cake Bars (Dairy-Free, Low-Sugar)

May 15, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

These apple cake bars have a deliciously apple filled cake base with a crunchy walnut topping. Walnuts and apples just go together, the combo never disappoints. This recipe is paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and lower sugar so you can enjoy dessert every day!

What if I can't have walnuts? If you are allergic or just don't eat walnuts, you can try using oats, chopped tigernuts, or shredded coconut instead of the walnuts. I cannot guarantee the outcome as I haven't tested these alternatives, but they should all taste delicious still!

Let's make this gluten free apple cake!

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Paleo Apple Cake Bars

These delicious bars have an apple filled cake topped off with a crunchy walnut topping. It's the perfect combo, all while being gluten-free, dairy-free, and lower in sugar than your average cake.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, dairy free, gluten free, healthy, paleo

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 28

Total Time 2

Servings slices

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Cake

¾ cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
½ cup cassava flour
¼ cup tapioca starch
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
¼ cup melted oil or butter
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup milk of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 apple, diced (about 1 cup)

Topping

½ cup chopped walnuts see notes above
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or butter
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk all dry ingredients together in a bowl for the cake.
Beat all wet ingredients, except for apple, together in a large bowl.
Add dry to wet and mix to combine.
Fold in the diced apple.
Spread batter into a 9x9, parchment-lined dish.
Mix all topping ingredients together in a bowl then sprinkle over the cake.
Bake for 25-28 minutes until a toothpick just comes out clean.
Let cool, slice, and enjoy!

Gluten Free Lemon Zucchini Bread (Paleo Option, Dairy Free, Nut Free)

May 3, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

This Gluten Free Lemon Zucchini Bread is the perfect blend of winter and summer. As we head into the warmer months, it's time to eat all the zucchini. This zucchini bread also has a paleo option, along with being dairy and nut free.

One of the best things about zucchini bread is how moist it is, thanks to the zucchini. I love how versatile zucchini is, so we're taking this zucchini recipe to another level by adding lemon. Lemon loaf has such a delicious zing and it truly pairs perfectly in this recipe.

This gluten free bread recipe is simple to make. You just mix together the dry ingredients, which consist of a mix of gluten free and paleo flours. I do provide a completely paleo option! Then add in the wet ingredients and fold in your shredded zucchini. The easiest way to shred zucchini is in the food processor. No straining your arm and back muscles leaning over a hand grater, just throw chopped zucchini into the food processor, give it a little blitz, and you're ready to go!

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Gluten Free Lemon Zucchini Loaf

This gluten free zucchini bread is taken up a notch with the delicious zing of lemon. It is the perfect winter to summer recipe! I provide a completely paleo option for my grain free friends and this recipe is also nut and dairy free. An allergy friendly bread for everyone.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword autoimmune paleo, dairy free, gluten free, lemon, Simple, zucchini

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 2

Servings servings

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

1 cup tigernut flour or almond
½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour *see notes for paleo option
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup liquid of choice I used olive oil
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce if doing the paleo version, add 2 tbs. (you can also use yogurt)
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup shredded zucchini excess moisture squeezed out

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Beat egg, oil, maple syrup, applesauce, and lemon in a bowl for 1-2 minutes.
Add dry to wet and mix to combine.
Fold in your zucchini.
Spread batter into a parchment lined loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Enjoy!

Notes

*Instead of 1:1 gluten free flour, use ½ cup cassava flour + ¼ cup arrowroot starch for paleo

Gluten Free Cloud Buns (Vegan, Dairy-Free, Allergy-Free)

April 24, 2023 by Victoria Faling 1 Comment

I actually made a chocolate chip cookie version of these (let me know if you want the recipe!), but decided an unsweetened version would be great as light, gluten free buns for burgers or sandwiches. I made these on the smaller side for more of a slider burger and I’m obsessed. These are gluten free and vegan, so everyone can enjoy

These buns are super easy to whip up since they only have a few ingredients and you can shape them how you want. The sparkling water is what gives them their airiness, making them light and fluffy like clouds! Henry the name ;). They will puff and spread a bit while baking, so don't flatten them out on the tray, keep them round and stacked.

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Gluten Free Cloud Buns

These easy gluten free buns are perfect for sandwiches or burgers! They can be made completely vegan, as well.

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Easy, gluten free bread, quick, vegan

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 20

Servings buns

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
½ cup tigernut flour or almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup yogurt of choice I used coconut yogurt to keep vegan
¼ cup sparkling water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Add the yogurt and water and stir to combine. You should get a nice dough. If it’s too dry, add a little more sparkling water.
Scoop dough on a parchment lined baking sheet. I made 6 smaller buns.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until fluffy to touch and JUST beginning to golden on the edges.
Enjoy!

Gluten Free Raspberry Chocolate Chip Crumble Muffins (Paleo Option, Diary Free, Nut Free)

April 19, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

You need to make these allergy friendly muffins. They are a combination of three of the most delicious things- chocolate, raspberry, and crumble. These gluten free muffins also have a paleo option and are completely dairy free and nut free.

I always use Enjoy Life chocolate chips when baking because they are allergy friendly. Dark chocolate is my favorite, but feel free to use semi-sweet. These gluten free raspberry muffins are made with a mix of gluten free flours, but I provide substitutions if you are trying to keep these fully grain free.

The crumble topping makes these muffins. Having that soft center full of sweet raspberries and chocolate balanced out with the crunch of a crumble topping is perfection. I hope you enjoy these delicious muffins as much as I do!

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Raspberry Chocolate Crumble Muffins

These delicious gluten free muffins are filled with all delicious raspberries and chocolate then topped off with a crunchy crumble topping. They can be made completely paleo and are dairy and nut free.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword autoimmune paleo, chooclate, dairy free, gluten free, nut free, raspberry

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Servings muffins

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Muffins

1 cup Tigernut flour or almond
¾ cup 1:1 gluten free flour see notes for paleo option*
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
¼ cup melted oil or butter I used olive oil
¼ maple syrup
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chocolate chips of choice I used Enjoy Life
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Crumble Topping

¼ cup oats use shredded coconut or nuts for paleo
¼ cup tigernut or almond flour
2 tablespoon gluten free or cassava flour
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine crumble topping ingredients together and set aside.
Sift all dry ingredients for muffins together in a bowl.
Beat wet ingredients for muffins together, except for choc chips and raspberries.
Add your dry muffin ingredients to the wet and mix to combine.
Toss raspberries with 1 tbs. of gluten free or cassava flour, then fold raspberries and chocolate chips into the batter.
Divide batter into lined muffin tin. Top each muffin with some of the crumble topping and press down gently.
Bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire wrack to finish cooling.
Try not to eat this all in one night 😉

Notes

*For all paleo version, substitute the gluten free flour for ½ cup cassava and ¼ cup arrowroot or tapioca starch

Gluten Free Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins (Paleo Option, Low Sugar, Diary Free)

April 14, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Let's make some delicious zucchini chocolate chip muffins for the warmer weather! These gluten free muffins are easy to whip up and they pack a nutrient punch too. Zucchini muffins are such a yummy way to get your veggies in and these muffins are perfect for most diets. They are low in sugar, dairy free, and I also provide a paleo option if you are grain free

gluten free chocolate chip zucchini muffins

These chocolate chip zucchini muffins are made with a blend of gluten free flours to get the perfect texture. They are kept moist by the extra liquid from the zucchini and are lightly sweetened with some maple syrup and the chocolate chips.

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Healthy Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

These gluten free muffins are the perfect healthy treat. They are lightly sweetened, allergy friendly, and packed with nutrients. They can also be made completely paleo.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword autoimmune paleo, chocolate chip, dairy free, Easy, gluten free, nut free, zucchini

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1

Servings muffins

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

1 cup Tigernut flour or almond
½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour see notes for paleo option*
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup melted oil or butter of choice I used olive oil
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup of chocolate chips I use Enjoy Life

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift your flours together in a bowl then add the rest of the dry ingredients and whisk.
Beat egg, oil, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla in a large bowl.
Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine.
Squeeze excess liquid out of your zucchini in a towel. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips to the batter.
Divide batter evenly among lined muffin tin and bake for 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.
Enjoy!

Notes

* ¼ cup cassava flour + ¼ cup tapioca starch

Paleo Cinnamon Roll Muffins (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)

March 24, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Enjoy cinnamon rolls without all the work with these Paleo Cinnamon Roll Muffins that are gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free. This healthy and easy cinnamon roll muffins provide all the sweet cinnamon flavor, without the stomach ache.

Making cinnamon rolls is a labor of love, heavy on the labor! If you're craving cinnamon rolls, but don't want to put in that much effort or don't have the time, then make these gluten free cinnamon roll muffins instead. They are super easy to make and perfect for dessert, a snack, or even to add to a holiday brunch or breakfast spread.

These easy cinnamon roll muffins are gluten free, dairy free, paleo, nut free, refined sugar free, and allergy friendly making them perfect for everyone! A grain free muffin base has cinnamon-sugar swirled into it and is topped with a dairy free glaze, just like a traditional cinnamon roll. The glaze is also easy to whip up and just sweet enough.

Paleo Cinnamon Roll Muffin Ingredients

Tigernut flour: this is a nut free and allergy friendly flour, but you can use almond flour instead. Both really compliment the cinnamon flavor and are slightly sweet which helps cut down on the added sugar.
Cassava flour: a great grain free flour for paleo baking!
Tapioca starch: adding a little starch to paleo and gluten free baking helps with a light texture.
Baking soda: rising agent.
Cinnamon: what's a cinnamon roll without cinnamon?
Salt
Eggs: this gives the muffins rise and fluff.
Olive oil: this can be substituted for melted coconut oil or butter.
Maple syrup: the unrefined sweetener used in this recipe.
Pumpkin puree: this adds moisture and rise without too much added fat. You can also use mashed banana or applesauce.
Milk of choice: I use a dairy free milk.
Vanilla
Coconut sugar: coconut sugar and cinnamon are used for the cinnamon swirl to replicate the cinnamon sugar filling of a traditional cinnamon roll.
Yogurt of choice: this is for the glaze. I use a dairy free coconut yogurt, but any yogurt will do!
Powdered sugar: be sure to use or make a coconut sugar based one to keep this recipe refined sugar free. Here is a recipe for homemade coconut powdered sugar.
Coconut oil: a little bit of coconut oil is used in the glaze to help it set.

How to Make Paleo Cinnamon Roll Muffins

These muffins are very easy to make.

First you will whisk all the dry ingredients together.

Then beat all the wet ingredients together. Mix dry into wet and divide into a muffin tin.

Swirl in the cinnamon sugar mixture and bake.

I find it's really easy to over bake paleo baked goods. And they dry out very easily and quickly. You want to start checking these muffins at 20 minutes (18 if you are at altitude) and take them out just when a toothpick come out clean with a few crumbs on it.

Once cooled, mix your glaze ingredients together and drizzle on top.

gluten free cinnamon roll muffins with dairy free icing

Substitutions and Variations

Flours: if you want to make these muffins just gluten free, substitute the cassava and tapioca starch for 1:1 gluten free flour and add in 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch.

Pumpkin puree: you can use mashed banana or applesauce instead!

Eggs: I have not tested a vegan version of this recipe. If you try an egg replacer, leave a comment and let us know how it went!

Storage

Store these paleo cinnamon roll muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The muffins themselves will freeze well for up to 3 months, but it's best to make the icing fresh as it will not freeze and defrost well.

gluten free and grain free paleo cinnamon roll muffin

More Paleo Dessert Recipes

Paleo Coffee Cake

Paleo Walnut Crumble Cookies

Nut Free Paleo Banana Bread

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Paleo Cinnamon Roll Muffins

These paleo cinnamon roll muffins are an easier and healthier version of a cinnamon roll. Gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and refined sugar free. A grain free muffin base is swirled with cinnamon sugar and topped with a dairy free glaze.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword autoimmune paleo, cinnamon roll, dairy free, gluten free, healthy, Low Sugar, nut free, refined sugar free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Servings muffins

Author Victoria Faling

Equipment

Ingredients

Muffins

1 cup tigernut flour or almond
½ cup cassava flour
¼ cup tapioca starch
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
¼ cup olive oil see notes for subs
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup pumpkin puree can sub applesauce or mashed banana
¼ cup milk of choice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze

½ cup yogurt of choice
2 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 teaspoon melted coconut oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk all dry ingredients for muffins in a bowl.
Beat all wet ingredients for muffins in another bowl.
Add dry to wet and mix on low to combine.
Divide batter into a lined muffin tin.
Mix your topping together in a small bowl then sprinkle over the muffins. Use a chopstick, toothpick, or knife to swirl the cinnamon sugar into the muffins.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes in muffin tin before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
While muffins are baking, make glaze by beating sugar and yogurt together until smooth. Then add your melted coconut oil, beat again and place in the fridge to set until muffins are done and cooled.
When muffins are cooled, drizzle the glaze over each muffin.
Enjoy!

Paleo Banana Bread Coffee Cake (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free)

March 20, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Why not combine two of the best breads out there? Banana bread and coffee cake are the perfect combination. We're taking a gluten free banana bread and elevating it by combining it with coffee cake. This delicious paleo cake is filled with delicious cinnamon flavor, sweet bananas, and the perfect crumb topping.

This gluten free coffee cake is completely paleo, dairy free, & nut free! It's delicious and the perfect snack or dessert. It's easy to whip up, so if you've got some extra ripe bananas, I highly suggest you get to baking!

We'll make a paleo banana bread base with a combination of paleo flours, ripe bananas, and just enough maple syrup to sweeten the deal. Then top it off with a gluten free crumble topping that is the perfect mix of sweet and crunchy. This delicious banana bread coffee cake is half the sugar of the average coffee cake,

gluten free and dairy free banana bread coffee cake

Looking for More Coffee Cake Recipes?

Paleo Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake Cookies

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Paleo Banana Bread Coffee Cake

This delicious banana bread coffee cake is full of flavor, low in sugar, and allergy friendly. It's the perfect snack, dessert, or addition to a brunch spread! There is no gluten, dairy, or nuts in this recipe.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword autoimmune paleo, banana bread, coffee cake, crumble, dairy free, gluten free, Low Sugar, nut free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 2

Servings slices

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Bread

½ cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
¼ cup cassava flour
¼ cup tapioca or arrowroot starch
¼ cup coconut flour or use pea protein for a protein boost!
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
2-3 very ripe bananas mashed
¼ cup applesauce can sub yogurt
¼ cup melted oil of choice
1 egg
2-4 tablespoon maple syrup depending on desired sugar intake

Filling

1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon coconut sugar

Crumble Topping

½ cup tigernut flour or almond flour
¼ cup cassava flour
2 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tablespoon solid coconut oil

Icing

½ cup thick yogurt of choice
1 tablespoon maple syrup or powdered sugar
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil

Instructions

Mix your cinnamon sugar filling in a small bowl and set aside.
Whisk all dry ingredients for the bread together.
Beat all wet ingredients for the bread together.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine (or mix with paddle attachment on lowest setting).
Pour half the batter into a parchment lined 9x9 (or loaf pan). Sprinkle filling evenly then top with other half of the batter.
In a small bowl, combine all of your topping ingredients and mix until you have a crumbly texture that holds together. Evenly crumble topping over the banana bread.
Bake 40-45 min until a toothpick comes out clean.
While bread is cooling, make your icing by mixing the yogurt and sugar together. Add the melted coconut oil and mix quickly. Set in the fridge.
When bread is cool, drizzle icing on top. Slice and serve!

Gluten Free Speculoos Cookie Butter (Nut Free)

March 15, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Have you always wanted to try the infamous Speculoos Cookie Butter (from Trader Joes), but can’t eat gluten? I sure have! I finally recreated the cookie butter and had my gluten eating friends test it. They said my version tasted similar all while being healthier and lower sugar! I can’t wait to for you to try this gluten free cookie butter.

This homemade cookie butter does have a few steps. You first have to make the gluten free Biscoff cookies. These are a pretty basic graham cracker like cookie. Once those have baked and cooled, you'll blend them up with some melted coconut oil and a few other ingredients to get a smoothie cookie butter.

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Gluten Free Cookie Butter

This homemade cookie butter tastes similar to the original all while being gluten free, nut free, and lower in sugar! We'll use homemade gluten free biscoff cookies combined with Speculoos seasoning to make this healthy version of cookie butter.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword cookie butter, dairy free, gluten free, nut free, speculoos

Ingredients

Cookie Butter

1 batch of my gluten free speculoos/biscoff cookies recipe below
2 tablespoon tapioca starch
¼ tsp. baking soda
2 tablespoon brown sugar
½ cup melted coconut oil
extra speculoos seasoning if desired

Gluten Free Biscoff Cookies

½ cup Tigernut flour
½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
¼ cup white sugar or 2 tbs white sugar, 2 tbs dark coconut sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon speculoos seasoning recipe below
¼ cup coconut oil
3 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

Speculoos Seasoning

1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cardamom if you have it (can leave out if don’t)

Instructions

First, make the cookies. Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift the flours together then mix with remaining dry ingredients.
Combine all the ingredients together and mix until a dough forms.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface and cut into squares or whatever shapes you want.
Place cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-17 minutes until golden and firming up to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Once cookies are done and cooled, blend them in a high speed blender or food processor into a fine powder. Add remaining dry ingredients and blend again.
With blender or food processor on low, drizzle in the melted coconut oil and let blender run until you get a smooth butter. This can take some time so be patient and clean up the kitchen while the blender runs 😉. If the butter is not coming together or smooth enough, you can add some more melted coconut oil until you get the consistency you like.
Taste the cookie butter and add more seasoning if desired.
If you want the cookie butter to harden, place it in the fridge. You’ll just have to leave out to soften when ready to eat. This keeps fine in the pantry too!

Gluten Free Lemon Sandwich Cookies (Girl Scout Lemonade Dupes)

March 13, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Growing up, the lemon Girl Scout cookies were one of my favs. They don’t make the one I had growing up anymore, but they have these new Lemonades which are a lemon sandwich cookie. Since I can’t eat gluten, I’m not exactly sure what they taste like, but here’s my version... healthier of course! 😊

These cookies start out with a lemon shortbread. I utilize white sweet potato as the base for the icing. I love using white or Japanese sweet potato for an icing because it's mild and holds it's form, plus we are sneaking in a veggie! Trust me, you'll love it too! The sweet potato serves as a base for a lemon icing that we'll sandwich between two shortbread cookies

Important note:

These cookies have a strong lemon flavor. If you love lemon, you'll love these! If you prefer something more subtle and mild, leave out the lemon zest and juice in cookie and only include it in the filling. They'll still turn out great.

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Gluten Free Lemon Sandwich Cookies

These lemon sandwich cookies are a gluten free dupe for the Girl Scout lemonade cookies. Filled with strong lemon flavor, they're sure to please!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, girl scouts, gluten free, lemon, nut free

Servings cookies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Cookies

1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour
½ cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
¼ cup powdered sugar*
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup melted coconut oil
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoon lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon maple syrup

Icing

1 cup cooked and mashed white or japanese sweet potato
¼ cup powdered sugar*
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon coconut oil melted

Instructions

Whisk all of your dry ingredients for the cookies together and set aside.
Beat all of your wet ingredients for cookies together in a large bowl.
Add dry to wet and mix to combine.
Form the dough into a ball then wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.
While dough cools, preheat oven to 350F and make your icing.
For the icing, blend everything together until smooth. You can add more sugar if you want it to be sweeter.
Place in the fridge until ready to use.
When ready to bake the cookies, roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper until about ¼ inch thick.
Use a cookie cutter or glass to cut an even amount of round cookies out. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 12 min.
Let cookies cool for 5 min on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
When ready to assemble, scoop icing into a piping bag (or plastic bag and cut tip off) then pipe some icing onto half the cookies. Sandwich with another cookie on top and enjoy!

Notes

*I make my own powdered sugar by blending 1 tbs of tapioca, arrowroot, or corn starch with 1 cup of white sugar on high until you get a fine powder.

Easy, Healthy Cheesecake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

March 10, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Want an easy, healthier cheesecake? This is it! I love sneaking in healthy fats and protein for dessert. Who doesn't love cheesecake, but it can be a heavy dish. This gluten free cheesecake is far easier to make than the traditional variety and is lower in sugar, but it's still super creamy and delicious.

This dairy free cheesecake is made with vegan yogurt, but you can certainly use Greek yogurt for an added protein boost. Instead of flour to help the cheesecake set, this recipe calls for pea protein which acts like flour, but will increase the protein content.

This homemade cheesecake is a smaller recipe so it’s best to bake in a loaf pan. You can double the recipe to fit into a cake pan if desired. You will get about 4-6 slices, so it's great to meal prep for the week.

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Easy, Healthy Cheesecake

This gluten free and dairy free cheesecake is healthier than the traditional. Made with vegan yogurt and protein powder, you can count on this recipe to help you reach your goals! It's easy to make, lower in sugar, and still full of creamy deliciousness.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, healthy, Low Sugar

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 6

Servings servings

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Crust

½ cup gluten free oats
½ cup tigernut flour almond or oat flour works too
2 tablespoon softened coconut oil
2 tablespoon maple syrup

Cheesecake Filling

1 cup yogurt of choice I used Oatly dairy-free. Use Greek for higher protein content
2 eggs
2 scoops pea protein Nuzest or Sprout Living are my favorites
2-4 tablespoon maple syrup depending on desired sweetness level
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heaping frozen fruit of choice I used a frozen berry blend

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix all crust ingredients together then press into the bottom of a parchment lined loaf pan and set aside.
For the filling, whip or blend all filling ingredients except for the fruit together in a bowl. Use more maple syrup as desired for sweetness.
Sprinkle your fruit over the crust then pour your filling overtop.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cheesecake has set.
Let cool completely then place in the fridge to fully set.
Enjoy!

The Best Crunchy, Salty Salad! (Gluten-Free, Diary-Free)

March 8, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

I am a chip FIEND! But eating a whole bag of chips as a meal isn’t ideal. So, if you’re like me, try this salad instead! It’s got all the salty crunchiness you could want, but filled with nutrients. We add a little sweet to balance it out and it’s honestly divine

The Best Crunchy, Salty Salad

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

-1 big bunch of kale, de-stemmed and chopped

-1 lbs of Brussels sprouts, shredded

-1 16 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

-olive oil

-1 large apple, diced OR ½ cup dried cranberries

-6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and crispy (I used turkey bacon, regular works too)

Dressing:

-2 tbs tahini or nut/seed/granola butter of choice

-2 tbs. yogurt of choice (I used Oatly)

-2 tbs. garlic infused olive oil

-1 tsp. mustard

-juice of 1 large lemon

-salt to taste

-water as needed to thin it out

For the salad, preheat oven to 425F.

Add your shredded Brussels sprouts to a baking sheet and toss with 1 tbs. of olive oil and some salt. Pop your chickpeas on a separate baking sheet and repeat the oil and salt process. Put both baking sheets in the oven and bake until each dish is crispy. Check and toss every 10 minutes until done.

You can cook your bacon at this time, as well. Either on the stove or on a other baking sheet!

While everything is cooking, make your dressing by mixing all dressing ingredients together. I like to add a splash of water to thin the dressing out some.

When everything is done, massage your kale with a little salt until darker in color and softer. Then, toss salad together and serve! This is best served fresh. If making ahead, do not toss everything together until ready to eat. If possible, pop Brussels sprouts in the oven to crisp up again before adding to the salad.

Gluten Free Tagalongs (Paleo, Nut Free, Dairy-free)

March 6, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

These nut free and gluten free Tagalongs are a Girl Scout Cookie remake to be healthier and allergy friendly! They have a gluten free shortbread base topped with granola butter and dipped in dairy free chocolate. This healthier cookie version is perfect for everyone.

It's officially Girl Scout Cookie season, but unfortunately Girl Scout Cookies aren't gluten free and are packed with sugar and weird ingredients. So, I'm starting a series and re-making a few gluten free versions of Girl Scout Cookies.

The first cookie in my series is the classic Tagalong. I loved anything with peanut butter growing up. Since I can't eat peanuts anymore and don't tolerate most nuts and seeds, I decided to try these with my granola butter, but you can certainly use whatever nut or seed butter you love best. These cookies are completely gluten/grain free, nut and seed free, and dairy free!

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Gluten Free Tagalongs

This allergy friendly version of the classic Girl Scout Cookie Tagalongs is completely gluten free, dairy free, paleo, and nut free. They've got a fraction of the sugar, yet still taste amazing!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword allergy friendly, autoimmune paleo, chocolate, christmas cookies, dairy free, girl scout cookies, gluten free, nut free, seed free

Servings cookies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Cookies

1.5 cups tigernut flour almond works too
¼ cup arrowroot starch
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoon softened coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

½ cup granola butter My recipe is linked. You can also use any nut or seed butter of choice
2-4 teaspoon powdered sugar

Chocolate Coating

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips I use Enjoy Life
2 teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk all dry ingredients for cookies together then add the wet and mix until you get a dough.
Divide dough into 15-20 balls. They will seem small, but the cookies spread in the oven! Place dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and press down to about ½ inch thick.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until just beginning to golden. Let cool completely on cookie sheet before next step.
Mix your granola butter and 2 teaspoon powdered sugar together until butter is like a soft dough (it holds together and doesn’t spread all over). Add more powdered sugar as needed.
Spread a layer of butter over the top of your cookies and pop in the fridge for 10 minutes.
While cookies are in the fridge, melt your chocolate and coconut oil together until smooth. When ready, dip your cookies in the chocolate to coat (or just drizzle on top) then place back in the fridge until chocolate hardens.
Enjoy this healthier, allergy friendly version of Tagalong cookies!

Gluten Free Protein Banana Muffins (Dairy Free, Nut Free)

March 3, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

These oil free, protein-packed banana muffins are gluten free and dairy free. The perfect snack or dessert!

These are the easiest, simplest banana muffins that are also packed with protein. With no oil, each muffin is only 100 calories, basically no fat, and ~6 grams of protein. They are pretty much the perfect carb to protein ratio which makes chowing down on a few of these an excellent as a post-workout snack!

gluten free and dairy free protein banana muffins

How to Make Gluten Free Protein Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

Bananas
Maple syrup
Egg
Vanilla extract
Pea protein (My favorite is the Sprout Living brand which is linked. Use code LEMONSNLYME20 for 20% off your order)
Oat flour
1:1 gluten free flour
Salt
Cinnamon
Baking powder
Chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Mash bananas then whisk or blend together with remaining wet ingredients.
Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Mix in chocolate chips if desired or sprinkle on top of muffins.
Divide batter into 9 muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool and eat up 🍌

Can these gluten free banana muffins be made vegan?

The only non-vegan ingredient in these protein muffins is the egg. Although I have not tested using a vegan egg substitute, I think it would work just fine! The best protein for these muffins is a vegan pea protein.

What add-ins should I use?

Although these protein banana muffins taste great on their own, I love adding chocolate chips. You can't go wrong with the chocolate and banana combo! Other add-in options that would be great include walnuts or even other fruit like blueberries. Adding an extra chopped banana for some texture would be wonderful, as well. Lots of options to experiment with!

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Gluten Free Protein Banana Muffins

These high protein banana muffins are oil free, gluten free, and dairy free. They are the perfect post-workout snack. High nutritional value and low in added sugar.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, Easy, gluten free, high protein

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings muffins

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas
2-4 tablespoon maple syrup depending on how sweet you like things
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 scoops pea protein use code LEMONSNLYME20 for 20% off
½ cup oat flour
¼ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
Optional: chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Mash bananas then whisk or blend together with remaining wet ingredients.
Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Mix in chocolate chips if desired or sprinkle on top of muffins.
Divide batter into 9 muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool and eat up 🍌

Gluten Free Hummingbird Bread (Dairy-free, Nut-free)

February 24, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Hummingbird bread is like a banana bread with pineapples, pecans, and coconut. It's a sweet bread that is often made as a cake as well. My gluten free hummingbird bread is lower in sugar and allergy friendly, making it the perfect snack, dessert, for addition to breakfast.

I hesitate to call this hummingbird bread as I changed quite a bit around. To keep this recipe nut free, I left out the pecans (and toasted coconut), opting for a lighter and healthier gluten free bread that is sweetened slightly with banana and moistened with dairy free yogurt.

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Gluten Free Hummingbird Bread

This gluten free bread is a healthier, paired down version of the traditional hummingbird bread. Sweetened slightly with banana and coconut sugar, it's kept moist with dairy free yogurt, and there are no nuts to keep it more allergy friendly. This healthy loaf is the perfect snack or dessert!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword allergy friendly, dairy free, gluten free

Servings loaf

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

1 cup Tigernut or almond flour
½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
¼ cup cassava flour or more gf flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 banana mashed
2 eggs
¼ cup melted oil/butter of choice I used olive
¼ cup full fat yogurt of choice I used a vegan yogurt
½ cup diced pineapple

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Mash your banana in a large bowl then add the remaining wet ingredients (except pineapple) and mix on medium until combined.
Add your dry to your wet and mix on low to combine.
Fold in your pineapple then pour batter into a lined loaf pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick just comes out clean.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Gluten Free Lemon Loaf with Citrus Glaze (Dairy-Free)

February 17, 2023 by Victoria Faling 2 Comments

This lemon loaf is the perfect mix of sweet and tangy with the zingy citrus. It's easy to make, but tastes decadent. This gluten free bread is packed with lemon flavor and kept moist with dairy free yogurt. A sweet citrus glaze tops off this loaf, bringing all the flavors together. It's the perfect winter or spring treat!

Ingredient Notes

To keep this lemon loaf gluten free, a mix of 1:1 gluten free flour and tigernut flour is used. I like using tigernut flour as it adds some sweetness, allowing for less added sugar to be used. The tigernut flour can also be subbed for almond flour if that is more readily available for you and you can tolerate nuts.

Any type of yogurt can be used in this lemon bread, but to keep it dairy free, use a vegan yogurt. Oatly and Forager brand are two of my favorites, but Greek yogurt should also work and will add a protein boost.

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Yogurt Lemon Loaf with Citrus Glaze (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

This sweet and zingy gluten free lemon loaf is a delicious sweet treat that can be made completely dairy free. If you love lemon flavored dishes, this bread is for you! A rich and moist lemon bread is topped off with a sweet glaze to bring it all together.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, lemon, nut free

Servings loaf

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Loaf

1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour
½ cup tigernut flour or almond flour
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup plain yogurt of choice I used a vegan yogurt
¼ cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Glaze

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil cooled to room temp
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice room temp
1 tablespoon lemon juice room temp
½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Beat all the wet ingredient, including zest, together in a large bowl on medium speed.
Add the wet to the dry and mix on low to just combine.
Pour batter into a parchment lined loaf pan and bake for ~40 min, until a toothpick comes out clean (the loaf may look pale or feel soft when touched, but if the toothpick comes out clean, take it out! don’t over bake!).
While loaf is cooling, whisk all your glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Once loaf is completely cool, pour glaze overtop and let set before serving.
Enjoy!

Black Bean Protein Brownies

February 15, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but there’s a secret ingredient in these brownies to make them protein and fiber filled! I’m sure you’ve seen black bean brownies before, but I add a lil extra protein boost to mine. I promise you can’t taste the beans! These brownies were taste tested and approved by someone who hates hidden healthy ingredients

Black Bean Protein Brownies

-1 15 oz can of black beans

-1 egg

-¼ oil (melted coconut or olive works)

-⅓ cup maple syrup

-½ cup milk of choice

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-1 cup of flour (regular, gluten free blend, oat, or almond should work. I used half gluten free, half tiger nut)

-2 scoops (1 serving) of Nuzest protein (vanilla or chocolate)*

-¼ cup cocoa powder

-½ teaspoon baking powder

-¼ teaspoon salt

-¾ cup chocolate chips, divided (I use Enjoy Life)

*I have not tested this recipe with any other brands of protein. Any pea protein should work, but I think any protein would be fine! Use 1 serving or about ¼ cup

Preheat oven to 350F.

You need a food processor for this recipe. If you only have a blender, you’ll need to blend the beans and then scoop them out and use a hand mixer for the rest of the process. Trust me on this.

Blend the black beans in a food processor until smooth. Add the remaining wet ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth. (if using a blender, blend and then scoop into a bowl and use a hand mixer with the remaining wet ingredients).

Add the dry ingredients, except for chocolate chips, and blend until just combined.

Melt ½ cup of chocolate chips until smooth, then add the chocolate to the food processor and blend again.

The batter will be thick! Pour it into a 9x9 baking dish and sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.

Bake for 30-35 min, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy for dessert, as a snack, a cheeky breakfast, or pre/post-workout hit!

Chickpea Protein Cookie Dough Bites (No Bake! Gluten-Free, Vegan)

February 8, 2023 by Victoria Faling 1 Comment

I’m kind of obsessed with these lately. They are a fun lil treat for anytime and perfect for the upcoming holiday ;). These babies are completely gluten and grain free, packed with nutrients and sneaky protein, and totally vegan. You’ll love this healthy snack/dessert alternative.

Chickpea Protein Cookie Dough Bites

-1 can of chickpeas (about 1 cup)

-1 tsp. vanilla extract

-¼ teaspoon salt

-2 tbs. vanilla protein (I use Nuzest)

-2 tbs. tigernut or almond flour

-2 tbs. coconut oil or nut/seed butter of choice

-2-4 tbs. of maple syrup

-1 ½ cups of mini chocolate chips of choice (I love dark chocolate from Enjoy Life)

Rinse your chickpeas then shake them around a bit to try and peel off some of the skins (it’s okay if you not all get removed).

Add chickpeas, vanilla, salt, protein, flour, oil/butter, and 2 tbs. of maple syrup to a blender and blend until smooth. The dough should be soft enough to form into balls, but not too runny. You may need to add more maple syrup depending on taste preferences and protein powder thickness.

Fold in ⅓-1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips.

Take tablespoon amounts of dough and roll into balls. Place on a freezer safe dish and pop in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

When ready, melt the rest of your chocolate then dip your cookie dough balls in the chocolate or drizzle it on top. Return to the freezer until chocolate has hardened. Store in the fridge or freezer.

Enjoy!

Carrot Apple Spice Bars (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo option, Nut-free)

February 6, 2023 by Victoria Faling 2 Comments

These bars are basically healthy carrot cake plus apple because why not? They are low sugar so they are a perfect snack or dessert that won’t spike your blood sugar before bed. You have the option to add some extra sweetness if desired too.

I like to make the icing with some yogurt and protein powder for that lil protein boost. I'm a huge dessert person, but I always pair it with some fiber (fruit!) and if I can sneak in some protein too, then it's even better. These bars are easy to make super warming for the winter months.

Carrot Apple Spice Bars

Ingredients:

-110 grams tigernut flour (1 cup) (almond would probably work too)

-70 grams arrowroot or tapioca starch (½ cup)

-30 grams 1:1 gluten free flour (¼ cup) (coconut would probably work)

-1 tsp. baking powder

-½ tsp. baking soda

-¼ teaspoon salt

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-1 teaspoon ginger

-pinch of nutmeg

-2 tbs. coconut or brown sugar (OPTIONAL)

-¼ cup melted oil of choice (I’ve used both olive and coconut)

-¼ cup applesauce

-¼ cup maple syrup

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 egg

-½ tsp. orange zest

-1.5-2 cups shredded carrots

-1 cup diced apple

-optional add ins include ½ cup each of raisins and walnuts

Icing:

-½ cup yogurt of choice

-1 scoop vanilla protein (I use Nuzest)

-1-2 tbs. powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Whisk all dry ingredients together in a bowl, including the sugar if using.

Beat all wet ingredients in a large bowl except for carrots and apple.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low to combine.

Fold in carrots and apples. Fold in all other add ins if using.

Spread batter into a 9x9 parchment lined or greased baking dish.

Bake for 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely before icing.

To make icing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Alternatively, you can use your favorite cream cheese based icing.

Ice, slice, and enjoy!

Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumpling Soup (Paleo Option, Diary free)

February 3, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

This winter has been BRUTAL! As I write this, it is currently 3 degrees F outside. Disgusting. So hearty, warming soups are the way to go. I'm not usually a huge soup person, but if it's got enough ingredients and something to chew, I'm in.

I love a good chicken and dumpling soup because, hello, carbs are not only life, but they keep ya warm! This soup is made easily in the instant pot, totally gluten free, and I provide a paleo option. You could easily make this soup on the stove by just simmering it for about 30 minutes. Shred the chicken, add it back in along with the dumplings and simmer another 10 minutes.

Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Serves 4

Soup:

-1 fennel or onion, diced

-6 carrots, chopped

-4 stalks of celery or sub other veg, chopped (I used leftover bok choy)

-1 cup of peas

-1 lbs of chicken breast

-2 tbs. olive oil

-2 tsp. thyme

-1 tsp. sage

-2 tsp. salt

-2 cups broth

-2 cups milk of choice (tastes best with full fat coconut milk)

Dumplings:

-1 cup of 1:1 gluten free flour*

-½ cup tigernut or almond flour*

-1 tsp. baking powder

-½ tsp. salt

-2 tbs. coconut oil or butter

-½ cup of milk (full fat coconut is best, but you can get away with your fav)

*For a fully paleo version, use ½ cup cassava, ½ cup starch, and ½ cup coconut flour.

Add your oil to the instant pot and set to the sauté function for 10 minutes. Add your carrots, fennel, and celery or other veg and saute until softened slightly.

Add peas, chicken, herbs, and liquid and mix to combine. Seal the instant pot and pressure cook for 15 min. When it’s done, quick release.

While soup is cooking, make your dumplings. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Cut in your coconut oil or butter then add your milk and mix together. Dough will be sticky. Divide into little dough balls.

When soup is done, take out the chicken and shred it then add it back into soup with the dumplings (try not to let them touch). Press the dumplings down into the soup a bit so they get covered with some broth. Re-seal instant pot. Cook for another 5 minutes then quick release.

Enjoy!

Heart Thumbprint Cookies (Paleo, Gluten Free)

February 1, 2023 by Victoria Faling 2 Comments

These easy and delicious Paleo Heart Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect Valentine's day treat. They are completely gluten free, dairy free, and nut free, so whoever your Valentine is can enjoy this sweet treat.

You can make these cookies anytime of year, but by imprinting a heart shape, they make the cutest and easiest Valentine's day cookies. If you're not a huge baker, but you want to impress friends, family, or loved ones this Valentine's day, then these gluten free thumbprint cookies are what you should make.

A delicious and grain free shortbread cookie is filled with sweet jam, but you can also use nutella for a chocolate version of these heart thumbprint cookies. I love using raspberry or strawberry jam for a strong pink/red color to emphasize the heart shape.

If you have food allergies, are following the Paleo diet or are just overloaded from all the sugar around the holidays, then these are a great dessert option. They are completely grain free and gluten free with no refined sugar or dairy. Keep up with your health goals this year while enjoying yourself!

Heart Thumbprint Cookie Ingredients

Tigernut flour: a nut free alternative to almond flour that is great for grain free baking. Feel free to use almond flour if you tolerate nuts though!
Tapioca starch: with paleo baking, it's best to use a combination of flours for the best texture. We need a starch in gluten free desserts for softness.
Cassava flour: another grain free flour for texture.
Baking powder
Salt
Maple syrup: maple syrup is used in this recipe to keep these healthy cookies refined sugar free.
Olive oil: a healthy fat for baking!
Egg: used as a binder.
Vanilla extract
Apple cider vinegar: I've found this helps with the texture. I have also forgotten to add it before and the cookies came out fine, so if you don't have any around, still make these!
Jam or Nutella: for the filling

How to Make Paleo Thumbprint Cookies

Whisk all the dry ingredients together.
Beat together the wet ingredients.
Add the dry to the wet and mix until just combined.
Take tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll flat. Use your fingers to imprint a heart shape. This works best by pressing your first finger in a diagonal across the cookie then lifting and pressing it along the other diagonal so you get a V shape that looks like a heart! If your fingers are sticking to the dough at all, just put a little flour on your finger before pressing.
Add the jam or Nutella into the imprint and bake!
Be sure not to over bake them as they can dry out quickly. I'm slightly at altitude and 12 minutes is perfect. If you are even higher, check them at 10 minutes. If you are at sea level, they may need 14 minutes. They cookie part should seem just done and JUST beginning to golden.

Substitutions and Variations

Flours: You can use almond flour for the tigernut flour and you can also sub the tapioca starch+cassava flour for gluten free flour to make this cookies just gluten free and not fully paleo. If you don't have tapioca starch, arrowroot starch should also work in a pinch!

Egg: this recipe should work just fine with your favorite egg replacer for a plant based version.

Jam: I love using raspberry or strawberry for the color, but feel free to use your favorite flavor, Nutella, or even a chocolate nut/seed/granola butter.

Feel free to dust these cookies with some powdered sugar if desired or drizzle with a vanilla icing of choice.

How to Store Paleo Thumbprint Cookies

Store these heart thumbprint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

They don't freeze great once filled, but it is possible. The jam may be a bit runny when defrosted, but you can defrost them in the fridge when ready to eat.

Can I Make This Recipe Vegan?

Although I haven't personally tested it, a vegan egg substitute should work just fine in this recipe. Like Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer or even a flax egg.

More Valentine's Day Treats

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars with Brownie Crust (gluten and dairy free)

Gluten Free Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten Free Vanilla Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Frosting

No Bake Protein Brownies

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Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies

These delicious and easy gluten free thumbprint cookies are the perfect Valentine's Day treat with their heart shape! They are also completely paleo, dairy free, and nut free so your favorite Valentine can enjoy them. Sweet jam compliments the shortbread cookie perfectly, so I know you'll love this fun holiday treat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword allergy friendly, autoimmune paleo, dairy free, gluten free, nut free, valentine's day

Servings cookies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

1 cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
⅔ cup tapioca starch
⅓ cup cassava flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup olive oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup raspberry or strawberry jam or your favorite jam or Nutella

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
Blend the all wet ingredients, except for the jam, together in a larger bowl.
Add your dry ingredients to the wet and mix well to combine.
Scoop tablespoonful amounts of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Use your thumb or first finger to gently press a heart shaped indent into the dough (See my video on Instagram for a tutorial).
Fill each cookie crater with jam or Nutella.
Bake for 12-14 minutes until just beginning to golden.
Let cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheet before moving to wire rack to finish cooling.
Enjoy!

Green Goddess Dressing (Gluten Free, Vegan, Paleo)

January 25, 2023 by Victoria Faling 1 Comment

Who doesn’t love an herb filled dressing to get more greens into your day?! This is an easy green goddess dressing without toooo many ingredients. It's super fresh and creamy without any dairy! This recipe is vegan, gluten free, and paleo with no inflammatory oils, so it's perfect for anyone. It tastes great over any of your favorite veggies or even as a dip (use less oil to make it thicker)

This makes a big batch so it will last in the fridge all week. I put it over my favorite salad of kale, sweet potato, chicken, cucumber, and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. You can use cilantro or parsley or a mix of both in this recipe depending on your preferences. I'm a big cilantro fan! I find parsley to have a VERY strong flavor, but I know some people are not a fan.

Green Goddess Dressing:

-½ an avocado

-¼ cup plain yogurt of choice or full fat coconut milk

-½ cup packed cilantro or parsley

-½ cup fresh basil

-Juice of half a lemon

-2 tbs. garlic infused olive oil and 2 tbs. regular olive oil (OR ¼ cup olive oil and 1-2 cloves garlic)

-2 tbs. rice wine vinegar

-Salt to taste

*Extra oil or water to thin to desired consistency.

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Easy peasy! Enjoy over your favorite salad or veggies

Gluten Free Protein Donuts (Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)

January 13, 2023 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

These gluten free donuts have a secret protein boost to make them more filling, nutrient-dense, and delicious! These baked donuts are an healthier Entenmann's copycat with two options to pick from- chocolate covered or cinnamon crumble. Both varieties are gluten, dairy, and nut free.

I love making baked donuts because you don't have to deal with the whole frying process. You just make the batter, pipe it into a donut tin, bake, and you're done! No messy oil, no burning yourself, and way healthier!

Recipe Notes

Do I need a special pan? In order to make homemade donuts, you will need a donut tin. Here is a great option or this one.

What protein is in these donuts? To boost the nutritional value of these gluten free donuts, these donuts contain pea protein. Another variety of protein will not work. Pea protein acts like flour whereas proteins like whey or beef isolate dissolve.

Other ingredient notes: To keep these baked donuts gluten free, a combination of gluten free flours is used. And to make these dairy free donuts, opt for a dairy free yogurt variety. You'll want to use a thicker yogurt like Forager or a dairy free Greek yogurt.

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Gluten Free Protein Donuts

These gluten free protein donuts can be made two ways and are completely dairy and nut free. They are a healthier take on a classic treat that taste like an Entenmann's copycat!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, donutss, gluten free, healthy, high protein, nut free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Servings donuts

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Donuts

½ cup tigernut flour or almond flour
½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour blend
¼ cup pea protein other proteins will not work
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ cup coconut sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg room temperature
½ cup Greek yogurt or dairy free yogurt
¼ cup melted oil I used olive, coconut will also work
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Topping

¾ cup chocolate chips I like Enjoy Life
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Cinnamon Crumble Topping

2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
2 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
4 tablespoon flour of choice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Melted coconut butter optional

Instructions

If you are making the cinnamon crumble topping variation, mix all of your crumb topping ingredients together except for the coconut butter and set aside. You should have a crumbly texture that still holds together.
For the donuts, preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
In a large bowl, whisk all wet ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the dry to the wet and use a spatula to combine (or use the paddle attachment on a standing mixer).
Grease your donut pan well. This is important!
Scoop batter into a piping bag or a plastic bag. If using a plastic bag, cut the tip off. Pipe the batter into the pan.
If you are making the cinnamon crumb variation, sprinkle your crumb topping on top of the donuts and press down gently so it sticks to the batter.
Bake for 14-16 minutes, until a toothpick comes up clean. Let donuts cool for at least 10 minutes before flipping them onto a wire rack to complete cooling.
CINNAMON CRUMB VARIATION: once donuts have cooled, you can drizzle coconut butter on top for a “glaze” (or use a homemade glaze of your choice).
CHOCOLATE VARIATION: once donuts have completely cooled, melt the chocolate chips and oil together over low heat until you have a smooth chocolate sauce. Dip the donuts into the chocolate until covered to your liking. Let them drip dry on a wire rack until chocolate is solid again.
Keep donuts stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Slow Cooker Orange & Apricot Chicken with Carrots (Paleo, Gluten Free)

January 8, 2023 by Victoria Faling 7 Comments

A delicious and warming slow cooker meal, this Orange & Apricot Chicken is fully Paleo with an AIP option. This allergy friendly recipe is packed with flavor!

This slow cooker chicken recipe is one of my favorites. I used to make this weekly back in college because it's an easy paleo recipe that is packed with protein. This flavorful orange chicken is marinated in fresh orange juice and delicious spices then paired with apricots and carrots. Trust me, it's the perfect combination!

This gluten free chicken recipe is paleo, dairy free, and nut free. You can easily make this recipe completely AIP and nightshade free by eliminating the paprika, it's not needed, but does add a little bit extra spice to the sweetness of the apricots.

slow cooker orange and apricot chicken with carrots

Ingredients

Chicken breast
Oranges: the juice will be used to marinate the chicken in
Ground ginger: for a little bit of kick
Ground cinnamon: delicious, warming flavor
Nutmeg: more warming flavor
Paprika: compliments the other spices for a bit more flavor
Ground turmeric: anti inflammatory
Salt: flavor!
Dried apricots: add sweetness to this recipe, but pair perfectly with all the spices
Carrots: a hearty root vegetable that compliments the apricots, chicken and spices

Substitutions

Chicken: I have not tried this recipe with chicken thighs, but I think it could be delicious!
Spices: the combination of spices is what brings this dish together, but if you are AIP, substitute the nutmeg for mace and leave out the paprika.
Dried apricots: this dish is built around the apricots, so I highly suggest using them. You could always try dried prunes or figs, but I can't promise the outcome.
Carrots: the carrots compliment the other flavors in this recipe, but you could try another root vegetable like sweet potato which has a similar flavor profile.

slow cooker paleo orange and apricot ginger chicken with carrots

Crockpot vs. Instant Pot

Crockpot is a type of slow cooker that cooks dishes on a low heat over a prolonged period of time. This helps obtain delicate and juicy cuts of meat and soft vegetables.

The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker so it does the opposite of a slow cooker. It cooks things much quicker, but it is often a multi-cooker with other functions.

Crockpot chicken is always so tender and moist (honestly, slow cooker any meat!), but you can also use an Instant Pot on the slow cooker function. You will just pick the medium heat setting for the same amount of time. You also need to make sure there is at least 1 cup of liquid in the pot. I just add a little bit of broth or water to the leftover juice mixture that you will marinate the chicken in to reach 1 cup, then add that to the pot.

I love using either device on the slow cooker setting because you just put everything in, walk away, and then you have a delicious dinner ready to go when you get home at the end of the day! Slow cooker recipes are some of my favorites.

Storage

Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

This recipe tastes best fresh and I don't advise freezing, as it doesn't freeze great. But, if you decide to freeze leftovers, portion them into individual, freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the oven at 300F for 45 minutes.

More slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes

Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew

Instant Pot Chicken and White Bean Soup

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Slow Cooker Orange & Apricot Chicken with Carrots

This delicious slow cooker chicken is packed with flavor and nutrients all while being allergy friendly! This gluten free chicken dish is completely paleo with an AIP option and is filled with delicious spices and a touch of sweetness. You'll love this slow cooker meal!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword AIP, allergy friendly, autoimmune paleo, crockpot, easy dinner, easy meal, instant pot, paleo, slow cooker

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 6

Total Time 18

Servings servings

Author Victoria Faling

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lbs. chicken breast
2 oranges juiced
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg use mace for AIP
½ teaspoon paprika omit for AIP
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried apricots
8 medium carrots chopped

Instructions

Place the chicken into a large freezer bag or bowl. Mix the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle them over the chicken.
Squeeze the juice of the 2 oranges into the bag and place the squeezed up oranges in the bag too. Put in fridge and let sit for 2 hours and up to overnight.
Once the chicken has marinated, place the chicken into your crockpot and add the carrots and apricots. Mix everything so that the carrots and apricots get covered in the juices, too.
If you are using an Instant Pot, make sure there is at least 1 cup of liquid in the the pot. See notes above for details.
Set your crockpot to low for 4-6 hours, until chicken is done- moist and delicious. If using an Instant Pot, cook for 6 hours.

Gluten Free/Paleo Triple Ginger Cookies (Dairy and Nut Free)

December 30, 2022 by Victoria Faling 5 Comments

These cookies are for all my fellow ginger loving folx out there! I am OBSESSED with ginger. Anything ginger, I will consume it, so these cookies are some of my fav. I think they've got just the right amount of spicy kick while still being sweet and chewy.

These cookies are gluten free with a paleo option for my grain free friends. They are also dairy and nut free. Ginger is a year round flavor to me, but as a warming spice, these are perfect for winter.

Gluten Free Triple Ginger Cookies with Paleo option

-1 cup tigernut flour (almond probably works too)

-½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour blend OR tapioca starch if grain free

-¾ tsp. baking soda

-1-2 tsp. ground ginger (I like a major ginger flavor and kick, so I used 2)

-½ tsp. salt

-¼ cup melted oil or butter of choice

-¼ cup brown sugar

-2 tbs. molasses

-1 egg

-1 tbs. grated fresh ginger

-¼ cup chopped candied ginger

-¼ cup sugar for rolling cookies in

Sift flours together and mix in baking soda, ground ginger, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the oil and sugar together for about a minute or two then add in the egg, molasses, and fresh grated ginger. Beat to combine.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.

Fold in the chopped ginger then cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While dough is in the fridge, preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop tablespoon size dollops of cookie dough and roll into a ball. Roll each ball in sugar to coat the cookies then place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and edges have hardened. Let cool on cookies sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire wrack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Upside Down Caramel Pear Cake (Dairy and Nut Free)

December 19, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

This is the perfect holiday dessert. We've got warming winter spices, delicious winter fruits, and creamy caramel all rolled into one scrumptious cake! This cake is, of course, gluten and dairy free, along with being nut and corn free.

Sometimes upside down cakes can feel overwhelming or like you need a lot of skill, but trust me when I say that this cake is very easy to make! It's simple and fairly quick to make, so you won't have to waste extra time in kitchen if you are making this for a special occasion.

Gluten Free Upside Down Caramel Pear Cake

Cake Ingredients:

-1-2 Bartlett pears

-1 cup Tigernut or almond flour

-1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour (I use King Arthur's)

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-½ teaspoon ginger

-¼ teaspoon salt

-¾ teaspoon baking powder

-¼ cup maple syrup

-¼ cup oil

-2 eggs

-¼ cup milk of choice (I used oat milk)

-¼ cup yogurt of choice (I use Oatly)

-1 teaspoon vanilla

Caramel: You can feel free to use whatever caramel sauce you desire, but I usually make a date-based caramel and here is that recipe

-6 LARGE dates (double if using small ones)

-¾ up full fat coconut milk, can shaken

-¼ tsp. salt

-Hot water

Preheat oven to 350F.

Line the bottom of a spring form pan with parchment paper. This will work with a pie dish too. You can line the sides of the pan, as well, or just grease them.

Thinly slice your pears. I only had one on hand, but if you are big pear lover, chop 2. Line the bottom of your pan with the pears in whatever shape you want. If using multiple pears, you’ll overlap them for a thick pear topping!

Sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Beat all wet ingredients together in a large bowl. If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.

Add dry to wet and mix until just incorporated. If using stand mixer, use the paddle attachment on lowest setting.

The batter is on the thicker side, so pour or scoop it into your pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick just comes out clean. Let cool before releasing the springform and flipping the cake.

While the cake is cooling, you can make the caramel sauce. Boil some hot water and soak the dates in it for 10 minutes. Reserve the hot water the dates soaked in.

Blend dates, milk, ¼ cup of the hot water, and salt in a blender until smooth. If it is too thick, you can add more of the reserved water or milk until you reach the desired consistency.

Once cake is cooled and flipped, drizzle with caramel and enjoy!

Instant Pot Chicken and White Bean Soup (Gluten Free, Diary Free)

December 16, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

This easy and delicious Instant Pot soup is the perfect comforting meal. Full of protein, fiber, and gut healthy ingredients, your body and soul will thank you!

chicken and white bean soup — Chicken and white bean soup

I'm not a huge Instant Pot fan, but I do love it for soups! It's so much easier to dump and go than have to watch the stove while a soup cooks. I also love that you can add the raw chicken and just shred it at the end, no need to cook it separately.

This gut healthy soup is packed with ingredients to support your gut microbiome without triggering a major IBS flare. I love using soaked and cooked white beans to not trigger digestive issues. This soup is simple, but delicious and it's become on of my favorite meals!

Chicken and White Bean Soup Ingredients

This Instant Pot soup is gluten free, diary free, and lower FODMAP.

Veggies: To keep this recipe more GI friendly, I use fennel instead of white onion. Fennel is low FODMAP compared to onion which can be quite triggering if you have IBS issues, like SIBO. There is a little bit of celery for flavor, but you can cut down on that as needed.

Oil: I love using garlic-infused olive oil to add flavor without the digestive distress that garlic can cause. You can find infused oils like this at your local olive oil store or even online!

Protein: This soup calls for chicken and white beans to bump up the protein and nutrition factor.

Beans: Although white beans are not low FODMAP, if you buy soaked and cooked beans it does help with digestion. I love using Jovial Foods as they prepare the beans the correct way and store them in glass jars.

Liquid: We use a combination of coconut milk and broth for a creamy and delicious consistency!

Flour: There is 1 tablespoon of gluten free flour in this recipe to help the consistency. Feel free to use tapioca or arrowroot starch to keep this recipe grain free.

Substitutions and Variations

Chicken: if you prefer dark meat, feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Veggies: you can add chopped potatoes or sweet potatoes. Feel free to stir in some chopped kale or spinach at the end when you add the chicken back in. You can also use onion instead of the fennel if you don't have issues with it!

Garlic olive oil: I use garlic infused olive oil for digestive reasons, but if you don't have issues with garlic, you can use regular olive oil and sauté some chopped garlic into it before adding the vegetables to the Instant Pot.

Coconut milk: if you don't have issues with dairy, feel free to use cream!

Beans: the mild and creamy taste of white beans is what pairs perfectly in this soup, but butter beans would also be delicious!

Crockpot vs. Instant Pot

Crockpot is a type of slow cooker that cooks dishes on a low heat over a prolonged period of time.

The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker so it does the opposite of a slow cooker. It cooks things much quicker, but it is often a multi-cooker with other functions.

Can I use a slow cooker or the stove for this soup recipe?

This recipe is written to use an Instant Pot. I have not cooked it any other way, but if you don't have an Instant Pot, you can try the below:

Slow cooker: add all ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken is done.

On the stove: use the same method as the instant pot, but bring everything to a boil then simmer the soup for 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is done. Alternatively, you can use cooked chicken or cube the chicken before adding it to the cooking process.

Storage

Keep this soup stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

This soup also freezes well. Divide soup into individual portions in freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight and reheat on low on the stove.

More cozy recipes

Easy Crockpot Beef Stew (Paleo and AIP)

Paleo Beef Stir Fry

Curried Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry (AIP)

Slow Cooker Orange and Apricot Chicken (Paleo)

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Instant Pot Chicken and White Bean Soup

This delicious and nourishing soup is easy to make thanks to the Instant Pot. Packed with flavor and nutrients, this is the perfect warming meal!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, instant pot, soup

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Author Victoria Faling

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 large fennel diced
1 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil or regular olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic, diced
4 stalks of celery chopped
4 large carrots chopped
1 lbs chicken breast
1 can of white beans
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup full fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon gluten free flour
juice of ½ lime or lemon

Instructions

Set instant pot to sauté function and add your olive oil and fennel (and garlic if using), stirring occasionally, until fennel has softened and just beginning to brown. Add your celery and carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Once done sautéing, hit cancel. Add your beans, broth, milk, oregano, salt. Stir to combine then add the chicken.
Seal instant pot and set to pressure cook for 15 minutes. When done cooking, manually release. Take chicken out and shred it with two forks.
Add chicken back to the instant pot with the flour and lemon or lime juice. Stir to combine and serve!

Gluten Free Gingersnaps (Dairy Free, Nut Free)

December 14, 2022 by Victoria Faling 3 Comments

These Gluten Free Gingersnaps are reminiscent of the Mi-Del gingersnaps we grew up on! Filled with ginger flavor and a solid crunch, these healthier gingersnaps are a must make.

I grew up on Mi-Del Gingersnaps and they were my freaking favorite! The specific ginger flavor and crunch they have is one I’ll never forget. They do make a gluten free version, but they contain palm oil. I haven't been able to find any other gluten free gingersnaps that taste just right.

I finally recreated a gluten free version that almost made me cry because they taste just like my childhood! I’m generally a soft cookie fan, but when it comes to gingersnaps, they are supposed to SNAP! If you also are a fan of a crunchier gingerSNAP, then you'll love this recipe. It's super easy to make and completely gluten free, dairy free, and nut free.

Gluten free gingersnap ingredients

White sugar
Brown sugar or coconut sugar
Coconut oil
Egg
Molasses
1:1 gluten free flour
Tigernut flour or almond flour
Baking soda
Ginger
Cinnamon
Salt

How to store gingersnaps

Keep these stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I find keeping them stored in the fridge results in a slightly softer cookie.

More holiday cookies

Healthy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

Gluten Free Kolachi

Paleo Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Gluten Free Butter Pecan Cookies

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Crispy Gluten Free Gingersnaps

These gingersnaps taste just like the Mi-Del ones I grew up. They are the perfect amount of sweetness and snap, all while being gluten free and dairy free. You have to make this this holiday season!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword classic, dairy free, ginger, gluten free, holiday

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings cookies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

¼ cup white granulated sugar (plus an extra ¼ cup for rolling the cookies in)
⅓ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
½ cup softened coconut oil or butter
1 egg
3 tablespoon molasses
1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour
1 cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Beat the sugar and oil/butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low for one minute. Or a hand mixer on low if you don’t have a stand mixer.
Add the molasses and egg to combine.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add they dry in thirds to the wet mixture, mixing on the lowest setting until just combined after each addition.
Take large tablespoon sized portions of dough and roll into a ball (lumps will result in a less round looking cookie). You should get about 18 cookies. Roll the balls in the ¼ cup of extra sugar if desired, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart (they will spread!). You will need multiple sheets or to bake the cookies in batches.
Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 15 minutes on the middle rack. Remove and let cookies cool for 10 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
They will be crunchy around the edges and soft in the middle at first, but if you let them sit overnight then the entire cookie becomes crunchy!

gluten free, dairy free, and nut free gingersnaps

Healthy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies (Diary-Free)

December 9, 2022 by Victoria Faling 2 Comments

Healthy sugar cookies that still taste delicious are possible! These Healthy Gluten Free Sugar Cookies are also dairy free and a fraction of the sugar, all while still tasting amazing.

I’m not usually a sugar cookie fan, I just find them way too sweet. I’m also not an icing girl, it’s always pure sugar- my teeth and tummy start to ache just thinking about it. I’m really excited about these gluten free sugar cookies, though, because they are lower in sugar and utilize sweet potato in the icing (yes, sweet potato!). They aren’t as sickeningly sweet and are still absolutely delicious. Who is ready for a healthy sugar cookie recipe?!

Ingredients for healthy gluten free sugar cookies

Sugar
Coconut oil
Applesauce
Egg
Vanilla
Gluten free flour
Tigernut flour or almond flour
Baking soda
Baking powder
Salt
White sweet potato
Maple syrup

Gluten free sugar cookie notes

Sugar: I have tested this recipe with multiple different sugars. I've found that raw turbinado or granulated white sugar works best to get the crunchy edges with softer middles. Coconut sugar results in a thinner, crunchy cookie, but if you love crunchy then feel free to use coconut sugar in these healthy sugar cookies.

Flour: These gluten free cookies call for a combination of gluten free flour and tigernut flour. You can sub the tigernut flour for almond flour, but I always use a mix of flours when baking gluten free. I find this helps with texture and taste. Baked goods can come out dry tasting or flour-y tasting when just using a gluten free flour blend. I find adding some tigernut or almond flour adds to the sweetness, taste, and texture, allowing me to use less added sugar.

Sweet potato icing

Let's talk about the icing in this recipe. Generally, icing is combo of butter and a lot of powdered sugar. It's overwhelming sweet, in my opinion. We're making a healthy sugar cookie icing this time around that also has some added nutrients in it by using sweet potato. Japanese or white sweet potato is quite sweet on it's own and, when cooked, is perfect for baking with, including making icing!

To make the icing, you use cooked and cooled Japanese or white sweet potato and blend it with some maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. It pairs perfectly with these sugar cookies. I've had Standard American Diet friends try them and love them! They didn't miss the added sugar at all!

More holiday cookies

Paleo Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Gluten Free Kolachi

Gluten Free Gingernsaps

Gluten Free Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Healthy Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

You won't believe these gluten free sugar cookies are a fraction of the sugar in a traditional sugar cookie. They are completely dairy free and nut free too! We even use a vegetable in the icing. Trust me when I tell you that everyone will love these! They are perfect for the holidays.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, healthy, Low Sugar, sugar cookie

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 10

Total Time 2

Servings cookies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Cookies

½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup coconut oil, softened
¼ cup applesauce room temperature
1 egg room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour
½ cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Sweet Potato Icing

1 cup cooked, cooled, and mashed Japanese sweet potato (about 1 large sweet potato)
¼ cup melted coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Beat sugar and coconut oil until smooth. Add in the applesauce, egg, and vanilla and beat until combined.
Sift in the dry ingredients and mix on low until the dough comes together.
Gather the dough into a ball and refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
When ready bake, Preheat oven to 350 F.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-1/3 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter about 2 inches in diameter to cut out cookies. Place cut cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Gather dough scraps into a ball and place back into the fridge until ready to bake another tray.
Bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle rack, until cookies are just set on the edges and just beginning to golden. Remove and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Repeat the above two steps with remaining dough.
While cookies are cooling, you can make the icing. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. I like to let this sit in the fridge for a couple of hours after so it’s not too runny before icing the cookies. You can feel free to add food dye to the icing, as well.
Ice, decorate, and enjoy!
Keep these cookies stored in the fridge. This keeps them soft and keeps the icing from going bad. They can be stored for up to 5 days.

Gluten Free Gingerbread Banana Bread (Paleo Option, Nut Free, Dairy Free, Low Sugar)

December 2, 2022 by Victoria Faling 2 Comments

Something I love about banana bread is that it's so versatile. You can basically flavor it however you like and there are so many versions out there. I have a delicious classic No-Sugar Added Banana Bread and a Fudgy Chocolate Banana Bread already. Once December hits, I'm all about the gingerbread flavors, so I had to create a gingerbread flavored banana bread.

gluten free and dairy free gingerbread banana bread

This Gingerbread Banana Bread is easy to make. All you have to do is mash up the bananas, blend with the rest of the wet ingredients, add in the dry ingredients, and bake! We add in the perfect blend of winter spices and a generous amount of molasses for the ultimate gingerbread flavors, while still allowing the banana to sneak through.

gluten free and dairy free paleo gingerbread banana bread — gluten free and dairy free gingerbread banana bread

This delicious banana bread is completely gluten and dairy free, but can also be made completely paleo. I provide substitutions and options based on your preferred dietary preferences. This recipe is also naturally sweetened with the flours used, bananas, and molasses. We only add a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup to pull all the sweetness together, keeping this banana bread lower in sugar.

allergy free gluten free gingerbread banana bread

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Gingerbread Banana Bread

This Gingerbread Banana Bread is the perfect winter treat! It's cozy, delicious, and allergy free. This recipe can be made gluten free or completely paleo.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword allergy friendly, healthy, winter flavors

Cook Time 45

Servings servings

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

1 cup tigernut flour or almond flour
1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour *see notes for paleo option
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
3 medium-sized ripe bananas black spots!
¼ cup molasses
¼ cup olive or melted coconut oil
2 tablespoon maple syrup
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift all dry ingredients together in a smaller bowl, whisk to combine.
Mash the bananas with a fork in a large bowl then add the remaining wet ingredients and blend with an electric mixer until well combined.
Slowly add dry to wet as you beat with an electric mixer until all ingredients are just combined (don’t over mix). You may need to scrape down the sides of a bowl with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are combined.
Let batter sit as you line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Scoop/pour batter into the pan and even out the top.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick just comes out clean. Do not over bake!
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Let cool before cutting! This is key and even better if you can wait overnight.
Store sliced bread in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze any leftover slices.

Notes

*For a paleo version, use ½ cup cassava flour + ½ cup tapioca or arrowroot starch + 2 tbs. coconut flour

Healthy, Fudge Brownies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-free, Lower sugar)

November 9, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Craving fudgy brownies? I got you! These are lower in sugar than your average brownie so you get all of the chocolate flavor with less of the sugar crash. What more could you ask for?

These brownies are so easy to make and you can quickly whip up a batch whenever that chocolate craving hits. They are the perfect mix between fudgy and cake-y so if you can't decide which type of brownie you prefer, these will become your go-to!

Healthy, Fudge Brownies

-½ cup tigernut or almond flour

-¼ cup 1:1 gluten free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)

-¼ cup cocoa powder

-½ teaspoon baking powder

-¼ teaspoon salt

-½ cup chocolate chips (I’ve used both dark and semi-sweet from Enjoy Life)

-3 tbs coconut oil or butter

-¼ cup plain yogurt or pumpkin (I used Oatly) (mashed banana or applesauce may work too)

-2 eggs

-½ cup sugar (I used coconut)

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-add ins (chocolate chips, walnuts, etc)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt your chocolate chips and oil over low heat then stir in your yogurt and pumpkin and set aside to cool slightly .

Whisk dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Beat sugar and eggs together until smooth and slightly darker in color, about 2 minutes.

Add chocolate mixture and vanilla to eggs and beat until just combined.

Gently stir or fold in in your dry ingredients.

Feel free fold in some more chocolate chips! Or other add-ins as desired.

Spread batter into an 8x8 or 9x9 in. lined baking dish.

Bake for 20-22 min until a toothpick JUST comes out clean (cook slightly less if you want super fudgy)

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies (Dairy Free)

October 19, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Want the ultimate fall cookie turned healthy? Then you are in the right place!

Carrot cake is SO FALL with those deep spice flavors and warming root veggie vibes. So why not make it a cookie? These gluten free carrot cake cookies are stuffed with a vegan cream cheese filling so they are completely dairy free too. I’m kind of obsessed and have made this recipe several times now

If you aren't dairy free or can't have coconut oil, you can also use butter or vegan butter as well as regular cream cheese.

In case you didn't know, I share all my recipes on Instagram and TikTok too, usually in video form. You can check out those links to learn even more about my recipes and get up close and personal with them 🙂

Gluten-Free Stuffed Carrot Cake Cookies

Cookie:

1 cup tigernut flour

½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)

¼ cup arrowroot or tapioca starch

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ginger

¼ cup coconut oil, softened

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ granulated or white sugar

¼ cup applesauce, room temp

1 egg, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup of shredded carrot

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup raisins

Filling:

4 oz. cream cheese of choice (I used Miyokos)

¼ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all your filling ingredients in a small bowl and beat or whisk with a fork until well combined and fluffy. Scoop teaspoon dollops (you need about 16) onto a tray or plate and freeze for an hour.

You’ll want to start on the cookies right away because the dough also needs to chill.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Sift the flours, baking soda, and spices together in a bowl.

Beat the coconut oil and sugars in a larger bowl until creamed together. About 2 minutes. Add the applesauce, egg, and vanilla and beat to combine.

Add the dry ingredients and beat on low until just combined.

Fold in carrots, walnuts, and raisins.

Chill dough in the fridge for 30-60 minutes so that it is workable.

When ready to bake the cookies, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 30-32 balls about 22-25 grams each.

Place half of the dough balls on the baking sheets and flatten out. Place a filling dollop in the middle of each.

Next, take another dough ball and flatten it between your hands. Lay it over top of a filled cookie and connect the edges. I find it helpful to pick up the entire cookie and roll it between my hands to get a big cookie ball with the filling in the middle. This can be a little messy.

Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet and bake for 18-22 min, until center looks done. It is best to place the cookie sheet in the middle of the oven, so you’ll bake one sheet at a time while the other cookies remain in the fridge.

Let cool for 10 min on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling

Enjoy!

THE BEST Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy Free)

October 14, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

These gluten free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are soft and sweet with crisp edges and no dairy or refined sugar. They are the perfect fall cookie for all my pumpkin lovers!

Pumpkin cookies can be tough. Baking with pumpkin adds a lot of moisture and puff to a recipe, which can be great for a bread, but not so great for a cookie. Usually pumpkin cookies turn out super soft and fluffy, more cake or muffin like. It's challenging to get that crispy edge and chewy center for the perfect cookie bite when using pumpkin.

It took a lot of trials to nail down these pumpkin cookies, but I finally made a version that was delicious and approved by my gluten eating friends! I find that using less pumpkin puree, but upping the spices added is really how to make the best pumpkin cookie happen. And I think I nailed it with these- major pumpkin spice flavor, all the chocolate chips, a little crisp around the edges but soft in the middle for the perfect chew. If you are looking for the perfect seasonal cookie or Halloween treat, this is it!

healthy gluten free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies

How to make chocolate chip pumpkin cookies

Ingredients:

1:1 gluten free flour
Tigernut flour or almond flour
Tapioca or arrowroot starch
Pumpkin pie spice
Baking soda
Salt
Butter or coconut oil: I've tested the recipe with both and either works (including vegan butter!)
Coconut sugar
Egg yolk
Pumpkin puree
Vanilla extract
Chocolate chips or Chocolate Gems (use code LEMONSNLYME for 15% off)

These chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are super easy to make! Just whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet in another, combine and bake! Feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed.

How to store these pumpkin cookies

Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days, in the fridge for up to a week, or in a freezer safe container.

These cookies taste best fresh or warmed up. I highly advise heating them before eating (microwave for 20 seconds or pop in the oven for a short bit).

Can I make these cookies vegan?

The egg yolk in this recipe helps add to the chewiness vs fluffy cake texture of these cookies. Pumpkin yields quite a cake-y texture, but if you want to keep them vegan, you can try using a tablespoon of vegan milk instead or an extra tablespoon of pumpkin.

As for the fat, vegan butter or coconut oil works in these cookies!

Looking for more pumpkin recipes?

Pumpkin Brownie Cookies

Healthy Pumpkin Blondies

The Best Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

gluten free and dairy free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies

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Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

These gluten free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are soft and sweet with just the right amount of pumpkin spice flavor. They are also dairy free and refined sugar free, perfect for the fall holiday season!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, fall dessert, gluten free, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, refined sugar free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 50

Servings cookies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

¾ cup 1:1 gluten free flour
¼ cup tigernut flour or almond flour
1 tablespoon tapioca or arrowroot starch
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup melted butter or coconut oil
½ cup coconut sugar
1 egg yolk room temperature
⅓ cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flours, starch, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the butter/oil and coconut sugar until well combined. Add the egg yolk, pumpkin, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a spatula until just combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips (add more as desired!).
Scoop tablespoon sized dollops of batter onto the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes. Cookies should seem not quite done, but feel set.
When you remove the cookies, smack the tray on the counter one time to help release the air for a better cookie texture.
Let cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

Easy Vegan Lentil Salad (Gluten-Free)

September 19, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

This lentil salad is packed with all the goods and topped off with a perfectly sweet and tangy dressing. I love making this salad for meal prep, as it's an easy way to get lots of nutrients in!

I've worked on introducing more beans and legumes into my diet over the last year. I never really liked lentils, but I've been trying them out lately just to see. I attempted to make vegan lentil meatballs a few weeks ago (yeah, those didn't quite work out) and had a bunch of leftover lentils. I wasn't sure what to do with them, but luckily I figured out something.... this lentil salad! And it did not disappoint. I think lentils might be growing on me.

This delicious salad is so easy to make for meal prep for the week, as it stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days. It's also a great, easy option for a potluck. All you do is chop everything up and toss it together. It really is that simple! To make salad prep even easier, use already cooked and canned lentils instead of cooking your own.

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Easy Vegan Lentil Salad

This delicious lentil salad is packed with nutrients and easy to make. It's the perfect meal prep or potluck option. Gluten free, vegan, and can be made nut free!

Course Main Course

Keyword Easy, gluten free, nutrient dense, vegan

Prep Time 30

Total Time 17

Servings servings

Ingredients

Salad

2 cups cooked brown or green lentils
6 carrots, shredded (I just pulse in a food processor)
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 fennel diced
½ cup pitted and chopped dates a must! These add a lot of flavor
½ cup diced olives also adds great flavor. I’m not an olive fan, but it’s good in this salad- do it!
½ cup toasted and chopped walnuts pepitas or other nuts would be good too
¼ cup fresh mint chopped

Dressing

¼ cup olive oil
½ tablespoon garlic infused olive oil or some minced garlic
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Salt to taste

Instructions

Combine all salad ingredients together in a bowl and toss.
Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or jar, adjusting as needed. You can always add a little more of the spices or any other ingredients to get a flavor you love.
Dress the salad and enjoy! I like to serve this over some massaged kale or arugula for an extra nutrient boost.
Salad will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Gluten Free Strawberry Bread

August 26, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Fresh strawberries, gluten free flour, and dairy free yogurt make up this delicious summer loaf! Allergy friendly and packed with fresh berry flavor, you are going to love this Strawberry Bread.

I'm curious what your favorite berry is? Mine is definitely raspberries so maybe I need to make a raspberry bread next. Although, I think you could easily sub raspberries in this recipe (or whatever your favorite berry is). Let me know if you try this recipe with a different berry.

How to make Strawberry Bread

Strawberry Bread Ingredients:

Tigernut flour
Gluten free flour
Cassava flour
Baking powder
Salt
Eggs
Maple syrup
Oil
Yogurt
Vanilla
Lemon juice
Milk
Strawberries
Powdered Sugar

Directions

Whisk all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Beat all wet ingredients, except for strawberries together in a large bowl.
Add the dry to the wet and beat on low to incorporate. Fold in the strawberries.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 min until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
While the loaf is cooling, make your glaze! Mash your strawberries well and then mix everything together in a small bowl. Alternatively, you can pulse everything together in a blender until not quite smooth.
Glaze, slice, enjoy!

gluten free and dairy free strawberry bread

Gluten Free Strawberry Bread Substitutions

Flours

I always use Tigernut flour in my recipes because I am allergic to almonds, but almond flour always works as a sub!

I use a blend of gluten free flour and cassava flour as I find that provides the best texture. You can sub the cassava flour for more gluten free flour, just eliminate 2 tablespoon of flour. You can also try using ¼ cup of oat flour, but I have not tested this myself.

Wet ingredients

This recipe calls for strawberry yogurt which enhances the flavor and moistness of this gluten free bread. I use a dairy free variety, but you can certainly use a dairy yogurt if you tolerate that.

Glaze

The glaze calls for powdered sugar. I always make my own at home by blending 1 cup of coconut sugar with 1 tablespoon of tapioca or arrowroot starch. This yields a refined sugar free and corn free powdered sugar.

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Gluten Free Strawberry Bread

A delicious way to use summer strawberries, this Strawberry Bread is a wonderful treat. It is gluten and dairy free and finished off with a strawberry glaze.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, strawberry

Servings loaf

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Loaf

1 cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
½ cup cassava flour *see notes for subs
½ cup 1:1 gluten free flour blend, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon if at altitude
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
⅓ cup maple syrup
¼ cup melted oil of choice I used olive
½ cup strawberry yogurt 1 tablespoon reserved
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk of choice
1 cup diced strawberries tossed in 1 tablespoon flour

Glaze

¼ cup powdered sugar
½ cup mashed strawberries
1 tablespoon reserved yogurt from bread
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
Squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Whisk all dry ingredients for the loaf together in a bowl.
Beat all wet ingredients, except for strawberries, together in a large bowl for 3 minutes.
Add the dry to the wet and beat on low to incorporate.
Fold in the strawberries.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 min until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the loaf is cooling, make the glaze. Mash the strawberries well and then mix everything together in a small bowl. Alternatively, you can pulse everything together in a blender until not quite smooth.
Once loaf has completely cooled, pour glaze over the top. I like to put the loaf in the fridge for a little to allow the glaze to set a bit.
Slice and enjoy!

Mixed Berry Blondies (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

August 19, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

In the summer, I try to get as many berries and peaches in as I can. Why are summer fruits the absolute best? And why is summer fruit season so short? Okay, why is summer so short?! Anyway, I love an easy, simple, delicious dessert and if you do too, then this recipe is for you!

These blondies are, of course, gluten-free. I've steered away from 100% grain free these days and find adding at least some 1:1 gluten free flour helps the bake. I do use a lot of tiger nut flour, though, as it lends a natural sweetness and earthiness to recipes. If you can't get your hands on tiger nut flour, almond flour should sub okay.

Mixed Berry Blondies

Ingredients:

-1 cup Tigernut (or almond) flour

-½ cup Cassava flour (or more 1:1 gluten free flour)

-¼ cup 1:1 gluten free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)

-1 tsp. baking powder (¾ if at altitude)

-⅛ tsp. salt

-1 egg

-¼ cup oil of choice

-⅓ cup maple syrup

-1 tsp. vanilla extract

-1 cup of mixed berries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.

Beat all of the wet ingredients, except berries, together in a larger bowl.

Mix wet into dry until just combined.

Gently fold in the berries.

Spread mixture in a 9x9 in. parchment lined baking dish.

Bake for 30-35 min until just golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool before cutting then enjoy before summer ends 😊

Gluten Free Coffee Cake Cookies (Dairy Free)

June 6, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

Turn coffee cake into cookie form with my Gluten Free Coffee Cake Cookies. A soft gluten free cookie texture, crunchy crumble topping, and drizzle of dairy free icing make these cookies absolutely delicious!

These lovely gluten free cookies are also completely dairy free and refined sugar free. They are such a fun way to switch up the classic coffee cake, but they still taste great with your coffee at breakfast. Don't worry!

gluten free and dairy free coffee cake cookies

How to Make Gluten Free Coffee Cake Cookies

Although there are a few layers to this cookie, they are really easy to make.

Gluten free cookies: the first layer of these cookies is the cookie base. A mix of gluten free flours creates the ultimate texture.

Coffee Cake Crumble: the second layer is an easy crumble made from a mix of gluten free flours, oats, oil, and maple syrup.

Icing: a dairy free icing brings these cookies together!

Can I Make These Coffee Cake Cookies Vegan?

The only non-vegan ingredient in these cookies is the egg. I have not tested a vegan version, but I'm sure an egg replacer would work. If you try it, let us know in the comments how they came out!

Can I Make These Gluten Free Cookies Dairy Free?

Yes! The only dairy ingredient is the yogurt in the icing. I used a vegan yogurt and any yogurt you like should work.

Can I Make These Cookies Paleo?

Although I have not tested a fully Paleo version of these coffee cake cookies, you could try substituting the gluten free flour in the cookie base for arrowroot or tapioca starch. For the crumble, sub the gluten free flour for cassava flour.

I can't promise the outcome of the cookie base if you make these substitutions, but leave a comment if you do!

Looking for More Coffee Cake Recipes?

Paleo Coffee Cake

Gluten Free Banana Coffee Cake

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Gluten Free Coffee Cake Cookies

Soft gluten free cookies have the perfect crunchy crumble topping and dairy free icing for the ultimate coffee cake in cookie form!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword coffee cake, cookies, dairy free, gluten free, healthy, refined sugar free

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 16

Total Time 2

Servings cookies

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

Cookies

1 cup Tigernut flour I have not tested with almond or oat, but I think it would work
¼ cup Cassava flour
¼ cup 1:1 Gluten free flour
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ cup Oil I used olive, but melted coconut should work too
¼ cup Maple syrup
1 Egg room temperature
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar

Crumble Topping

2 tablespoon 1:1 gluten free flour
1 tablespoon Tigernut flour
2 big Tbsp Gluten free rolled oats
1 tablespoon Granulated sugar of choice
Shake of cinnamon
1 tablespoon Maple syrup
1 teaspoon Melted oil of choice

Icing

¼ cup Coconut sugar
1 tablespoon Arrowroot powder
2 tablespoon Plain yogurt of choice I use dairy free

Instructions

For the cookies, sift all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Beat the oil, maple syrup, and egg together on medium low speed until combined. Add in the vanilla and ACV and combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat on low (or use your paddle attachment to combine) until just combined. Dough should be pretty wet.
Place the dough in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F while dough is cooling.
Combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl during this time. Everything should just come together and be slightly crumbly.
When dough is more solid, remove from fridge and form 12 balls. Place on parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart (cookies will spread) and press down into cookie shape about ½ inch thick.
Sprinkle the topping mix on top of the cookies and gently press down so it sticks to the cookies (it’s okay for cookies to flatten a bit more during this process).
Bake for 14-16 minutes, until edges are just golden. Let cool completely before icing.
While cookies are cooling, blend the sugar and arrowroot powder in a blender until it looks like powdered sugar.
Place 2 tablespoon of yogurt in a small bowl and then add your powdered sugar 1 teaspoon at a time (start with 3-4 tsp, then add one at a time after that) until you get your desired consistency (the more you add, the thicker it will get so it’s less runny).
Drizzle icing over cookies and enjoy!

Gluten-Free, Fudgy Chocolate Banana Bread with Optional Granola Topping (Paleo Option, Nut Free)

May 23, 2022 by Victoria Faling Leave a Comment

*This post may contain affiliate links

There's not really much to say about this banana bread other than you need to make it. It's super fudgy and chocolate-y! I love the contrast of the crunchy granola on top with the soft bread, the salty chocolate with the sweet bananas. You can also top this bread off with more chocolate chips and a sprinkle of sea salt for gooey, chocolate deliciousness.

gluten free and dairy free chocolate banana bread

I nailed a fully pa leo banana bread back during the height of quarantine, but this chocolate one takes it to a new level. I made this bread with a mix of tigernut flour and 1:1 gluten free flour, but I provide a grain free sub if you want to keep it 100% paleo. I love baking with tigernut flour because it provides sweetness and a really good flavor profile, in my opinion. I give you options for if you can't get tiger nut flour, but I highly recommend using that.

gluten free and dairy free double chocolate banana bread

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Gluten-Free, Fudgy Chocolate Banana Bread with Granola Topping

You won't be able to tell that this chocolate banana bread is allergy friendly. It's super rich and fudgy, packed with banana and chocolate goodness!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate, comfort food, fudgy

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings loaf

Author Victoria Faling

Ingredients

¾ cup tiger nut flour or almond
¾ cup 1:1 gluten-free flour *see notes for paleo option
½ cup cocoa powder I used Dutch processed, but you should be able to get away with natural as this recipe contains baking powder and soda
1 teaspoon baking powder use ¾ tsp. if at altitude
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 medium very ripe bananas
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
¼ cup olive oil melted coconut oil works too
scant ¼ cup plain and unsweetened yogurt not low-fat (I used Oatly oat yogurt- applesauce, mashed avocado, or more oil also works. Yogurt or avocado is what makes this bread super fudgy, though)
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chocolate chips
1 cup Purely Elizabeth Chocolate Sea Salt granola OR another 2-4 tbs. of chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift all dry ingredients (flours, cocoa, baking powder and soda, salt) together in medium bowl.
Mash bananas well with a fork then use a mixer to blend all wet ingredients (eggs, oil, yogurt maple syrup, and vanilla) together.
Add wet ingredients to dry and blend on low until incorporated.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into a lined loaf pan and sprinkle the granola or more chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean (if it went through a chocolate chip, it won't be clean, but you should see crumbs from the bread on the toothpick and batter shouldn't be wet).
Let cool completely before cutting! Banana bread is always best the next day, so if you have the patience to let it sit overnight, that is best.
Enjoy!

Notes

*For grain free, substitute with ½ cup cassava flour, ¼ cup tapioca starch, and 2 tbs. coconut flour