healthy – Baking Genes

Almond Butter Trail Mix Cookies (Gluten free)

After a few adaptations and some serious taste testing with friends, I’m pretty sure this is the perfect healthy, gluten free cookie.

Oat flour is such a wonderful substitute for wheat flour, so you won’t miss it at all. These guys have received the seal of approval from gluten and non-gluten eaters alike.

I’ve made them 3 times in the past two weeks for one of my dearest friends who happens to be gluten intolerant. As soon as we’ve demolished every single cookie, it’s only right that I go back to the kitchen and whip up another batch. They’re really that good.

Wonderful at any time of the day, you can crumble some onto yogurt or into almond milk for breakfast or enjoy as a little snack or dessert.

They are busting open with hearty oats, healthy fats from nuts, and a little bit of chocolate to keep us all happy. I hope you enjoy:)

Almond butter trail mix cookies
recipe inspired by OhLadycakes

1/2 cup almond butter
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
6 Tablespoons honey (agave or maple syrup would also work)
1/3 cup almond milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oats
2 Tablespoons cacao nibs
1/2 cup nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.)
1/4 cup dried cranberries/cherries
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond butter, coconut oil, honey, and almond milk. Once combined, add the oat flour, baking soda, and salt until a thick dough forms. Now, add in your extras – oats, cocoa nibs, nuts, dried fruit, and chopped dark chocolate – and mix until evenly distributed. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate your dough for at least an hour.

Drop the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 325F for 15-18 minutes. I usually yield about 12 cookies. Once they are lightly browned but still a little soft on the inside, remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container. They keep even longer in the fridge!

Buckwheat Banana Bread (Gluten Free)

I’ve been baking way too much this week. I like to tell myself that it’s a healthy form of stress release.

Thank goodness for hungry med school friends who are always willing to take the masses of banana bread off my hands. The recipe for this bread appears somewhat similar to the gluten free chocolate muffins I posted yesterday, but it totally deserves its own post. To me, the flavor and texture of this banana bread are out of this world. It’s like something you’ve never tasted before, but once you experience it, you want to keep eating nonstop.

My friends have even asked me if I put some sort of magical ingredient in here. Luckily, the ingredients are simple and extraordinary on their own:) I’ve already made this bread twice this week. It’s a good thing that I ran out of bananas…or I’d be likely to bake it again.

Buckwheat Banana Bread (Gluten Free)

modified from Happy Healthy Life – Triple Banana-Dark Chocolate-Peanut Buckwheat-Banana Bread

3 large bananas, mashed (can also substitute pumpkin or sweet potato puree for some of the banana)
1/3 cup agave (or maple syrup, honey)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground flax seeds
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans (or any nut), roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with coconut oil.
Add bananas to a large mixing bowl and mash very well. Add in the melted coconut oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, and agave.
Fold in the flours, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, flax seeds. Stir well to form a very thick batter. Add in the chocolate chips and 1/3 cup of pecans. Pour this mixture into the loaf pan and smooth out the top with a spoon. Sprinkle the remainder of the pecans on top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool the loaf before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Everything Muffins

I bought some buckwheat flour the other day, and I’m hooked. It adds an amazing nuttiness to breads and muffins that I’ve never experienced before. Combine that with some oat flour, bananas, chocolate, and other delicious flavors, and you have a killer gluten free muffin:)

I’m a total novice in the gluten free baking world, so I’ve been searching my favorite food blogs for inspiration. This one is based off a recipe from Edible Perspective, and I’m pretty obsessed with it. These muffins are super moist, dense, and filled with chocolatley goodness. Luckily, they’re still pretty healthy for you:) Hope you enjoy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Everything Muffins
modified from Edible Perspective – ‘Triple Chocolate Quick Bread’

Muffins:
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 ripe banana, mashed
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (or sweet potato puree)
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons agave (or maple syrup, honey)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
6 tablespoons buckwheat flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground flax meal
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate

Crumble:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
3 tablespoons coconut oil, softened
2 tablespoons gluten-free oat flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease your muffin pan cups with coconut oil or use muffin liners.

Whisk the milk and apple cider vinegar in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. (We’re making some almond milk buttermilk!)

Whisk all wet ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add the dry ingredients on top of the wet and stir until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Combine all of the crumble ingredients in another bowl.

Pour the batter into the muffin cups and sprinkle the crumble mixture overtop. This recipe made about 18 normal sized muffins for me.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until the center is set and the top is golden and crumbly. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then carefully remove and transfer them to a cooling rack. Let cool another 10 minutes are so, and they are ready to eat!