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.
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!
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!
1/4tspbaking sodaomit if your cocoa powder is dutch processed
1/4tspsalt
1/2cupchocolate chips or chopped chocolateI 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 8×8 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 1/2 cup of either yogurt or apple sauce or even mashed banana
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!
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.
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 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 6 hourshours
Servings 6servings
Author Victoria Faling
Ingredients
Crust
1/2cupoat flour
1/2cuptigernut flouralmond flour or more oat flour works too
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.
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 1/4 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.
gluten free and dairy free browned coconut butter chocolate chip cookies
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.
gluten free and dairy free browned coconut butter chocolate chip cookies
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.
1/2-3/4cupchocolateI 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)
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
-1/2 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:
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-2 tbs. olive oil
-1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
-2 tbs. olive juice
-1 tsp 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.
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!
gluten free brookie bar
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!
gluten free brownie cookie bar
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
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.
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.
gluten free lemon zucchini bread
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!
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.
Hi! I'm Victoria. I was diagnosed with Lyme in 2012 and have been on a healing journey ever since. I love helping others on their road to healing through allergy friendly recipes, exercise, and overall well-being.
