Desserts

December 2, 2021 Desserts

Keto Creme Brûlée

Prepare yourself for the tastiest low-carb dessert ever – keto creme brûlée! Perfectly sweet, creamy, and with that signature caramelized sugar top. With only 4 grams of net carbs, this sugar-free creme brûlée fits perfectly into any keto or low-carb diet!

overhead image of keto creme brulee with granular Swerve on the side

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It requires just four ingredients! Heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar-free sweetener, and vanilla bean paste is all you’ll need to make this decadent low-carb dessert.
It’s the key to satisfying your sweet tooth on the keto diet! Let’s face it, we all crave something sweet after most meals. So lucky for you, this delicious dessert is totally keto-compliant.
It has all the signature details of a classic creme brûlée, just without the extra carbs! A sweet, creamy base and crackly caramelized top. This low-carb treat is guaranteed to fool even the toughest of dessert critics!

Key Ingredients

Heavy Cream – The heavy cream is essential to achieving that thick, custard base. Don’t swap this main ingredient out for anything else, since it simply won’t work. Also, remember that when you warm the heavy cream in a saucepan – it should barely be simmering. If you’ve brought the cream to a boil, then it’s way too hot and you’ll need to start over.

Sugar-Free Sweetener – I used granular Swerve in my keto creme brûlée and had perfect results! The Swerve melts perfectly when heated with a kitchen torch, creating that delicious caramelized top. Though feel free to use your favorite sugar-free sweetener in this recipe instead. And if not keto, you can simply substitute the sweetener for regular white sugar!

Chef’s Tips

Don’t walk away from the heavy cream on the stove! The cream will heat up in only a few minutes, and if you let it get too hot, it could ruin this recipe. Therefore, keep a close eye on it and remove it from the heat just as it begins to simmer.
If you don’t have a kitchen torch, then place your ramekins under the broiler for about 30 seconds. If going this route, keep an eye on your creme brûlées as the sweetener can burn quickly under the broiler.
You can prep this keto creme brûlée ahead of time if you’d like! To do this, make the custard the night before and bake in ramekins. Then, leave to chill in the fridge overnight and for up to 24 hours before topping with extra sweetener and finishing them off with a torch.

More Keto Desserts You Must Try

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Print Recipe

Keto Creme Brûlée

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Chilling Time4 hrs

Total Time4 hrs 45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Keto

Keyword: four ingredients, healthy dessert, low carb

Servings: servings

Calories: 470kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Small saucepan
Medium bowl
4 ramekins

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar-free sweetener such as granular Swerve, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit.
Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, until barely simmering – not boiling.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar-free sweetener.
Slowly pour hot heavy cream into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Mix in the vanilla bean paste.
Transfer mixture to 4 ramekins and ramekins inside a large baking dish. Pour hot water into baking dish until halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 35-40 minutes before removing, leave to cool on the counter before covering and chilling in the fridge for 4 hours.Once chilled, top with remaining sugar-free sweetener and use a kitchen torch to melt sweetener until golden brown.

Notes

To test when the keto creme brûlées are done, gently touch the center of one after cooking. If it springs back just a bit, then it’s ready!

Recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using granular Swerve. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

October 26, 2021 Desserts

Sweet Potato Pudding

Classically Southern sweet potato pudding is a must-have for your holiday dinner table. Rich, earthy sweet potatoes mixed with evaporated milk and eggs until creamy, then topped with a nutty brown sugar pecan crumble and baked until crisp and hot. This is everything you love about Thanksgiving baked into one incredible dish!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

No offense to grandma’s classic Thanksgiving turkey or holiday ham, but… It’s no real surprise that the side dishes and desserts are the actual stars of a holiday dinner. Set this pudding dish out on the table and watch it disappear in no time! It’s similar to a Sweet Potato Casserole, but so much better.
The flavors and textures in this recipe are absolutely unbelievable. Rich, smooth, creamy sweet potato topped with crisp, crumbled pecans and brown sugar.
This is a great recipe to make into individual servings for a fancier presentation. Just portion the sweet potato pudding into individual ramekins instead of one large dish, top with the pecan crumble, and bake.

Key Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes – If you’re short on time or energy, or just want the holidays to be a little simpler, you can use canned sweet potatoes here. Just don’t use any that have added sweeteners, because they’ll throw off the other flavors in the recipe.

Pecans – Usually a dessert superstar in their own right, pecans add a delightful crunch and nuttiness to the sweet potato pudding. If nuts aren’t your thing, you can skip them and just stick with the brown sugar crumble.

Evaporated Milk – This is what makes the pudding SO rich and creamy. Since evaporated milk has the liquid evaporated out, it’s thicker than regular milk, though not as thick or sweet as condensed milk. If you only have regular milk at home, you can make evaporated milk yourself just by simmering regular milk over medium-low heat for roughly 20-30 minutes until reduced. You’ll need roughly 2 cups regular milk to yield 1 cup evaporated milk.

Chef’s Tips

For an even deeper, richer flavor, add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice to the crumble topping and/or the sweet potato pudding mixture. YUM!
If your brown sugar topping is browning too fast, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to keep it from burning.

Overhead view of sweet potato pudding in a casserole dish

You’ll Love These Holiday Recipes

Print Recipe

Sweet Potato Pudding

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: casserole, holiday dinner, thanksgiving dinner

Servings:

Calories: 356kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Medium bowl
Fork
Large pot
Colander
Large bowl
Hand mixer or stand mixer
2-quart baking dish, greased

Ingredients

For the Topping

⅓ cup all-purpose flour see Notes
⅓ cup brown sugar or Brown Swerve or coconut sugar
3 tablespoons cold butter cubed
½ cup chopped pecans

For the Sweet Potato Pudding

2 pounds sweet potatoes rinsed, peeled, and diced into even 1" chunks; see Notes
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup sugar or granular Swerve or coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Instructions

For the Topping

Place all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cold butter cubes, and chopped pecans in medium bowl. Use fork to mix and mash mixture until crumbled, similar to streusel topping. Place mixture in fridge until ready to bake.

For the Sweet Potato Pudding

Add diced sweet potatoes to large pot and cover with water. Bring water to boil over high heat and boil 15 to 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes can be pierced with tines of fork. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Drain sweet potatoes then transfer them to large bowl. Add evaporated milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Using hand mixer or stand mixer, mix ingredients together until just combined.
Add eggs, one at a time, to sweet potato mixture, mixing after each egg until just combined, then adding next egg. Repeat until all eggs have been incorporated.
Transfer sweet potato mixture into greased baking dish. Top with brown sugar pecan mixture, spreading topping out into one even layer.
Place dish in oven and bake approximately 30 minutes or until topping is crisp and crunchy. Serve warm.

Notes

Sweet Potatoes: The amount of potatoes you’ll need depends on their size. 2 pounds of sweet potatoes will be approximately 4 large sweet potatoes or 5-6 medium sweet potatoes.
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Make it Dairy Free: Use coconut milk and dairy-free butter.

Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

July 27, 2021 Air Fryer

Perfect Air Fryer French Toast

Cooking up perfect french toast is a breeze when you use an air fryer! This air fryer french toast is everything you could ever want – toasty and crisp on the outside, soft and warm on the inside, with an amazing hint of cinnamon and vanilla. Top it with maple syrup and fresh fruit for a special breakfast or brunch treat.

Syrup poured over air fryer french toast on a plate topped with blueberries and strawberries

What Makes This Recipe So Good

There’s barely any prep for the recipe, and the cook time is practically nothing! This is a great recipe for busy mornings OR for those laid back mornings when the kids help in the kitchen. There’s no hot pans, no standing over the stove, and clean up is a piece of cake. Er, well. A piece of french toast!
Air fryer french toast is incredibly versatile. You can top it with anything you want! Fresh fruit, flavored syrups, chocolate chips, raisins, powdered sugar… You can also add other seasonings to the egg mixture, like pumpkin pie spice. If you want to spin this into a dessert, adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside the warm french toast will blow. your. mind.
Leftovers are no problem, so don’t be afraid to make too much! Just refrigerate the cooled leftovers in an airtight container. They’ll keep up to 5 days or so. To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer until warmed through. You could also reheat them in the microwave but they won’t get as toasty. Note: if you think you’ll have leftovers, don’t put any toppings on those slices until you’re definitely ready to eat them.

Key Ingredients

Bread – So what’s the best bread for french toast? Whatever you like, so long as it’s thick! Brioche is ideal, but you can also use challah and Texas toast. If you’re cutting your own slices out of a larger loaf, just make sure to slice them approximately 1″-1.5″ thick. Cook times will vary slightly depending on the size and thickness of your bread slices.

Eggs – Eggs are a staple in traditional french toast. They’re the base of the egg wash you’ll dip the bread into, which turns into that magnificent sweet outer coating when you cook the bread.

Cinnamon – CLASSIC. Cinnamon on french toast is CLASSIC. We’re mixing a little into the egg wash mixture that coats the bread, which means every inch of bread ends up with cinnamony-goodness. If you’d like, you can use other spices here, in place of or in addition to the cinnamon.

Chef’s Tips

Don’t skip spraying the air fryer basket with a non-stick spray. You don’t want the bread to stick (trust me) so it’s super important. Make sure to use a spray that’s safe for air fryers, too. Your average aerosol sprays can damage the coating on the air fryer basket.
Really great french toast has a crisp exterior. In order to get that same texture with air fryer french toast, it’s important that you don’t overcrowd the basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer (and the size of your bread slices), you may need to work in 2-3 batches. If you cook multiple batches, be sure to spray the basket again between each one.
You can absolutely make air fryer french toast STICKS out of this recipe if you prefer those! Just cut each slice of bread into thick sticks and proceed as usual. Again, don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. You may not need a full 10 minutes to cook the french toast sticks, so keep an eye on them and adjust as needed.

Overhead angle of air fryer french toast

Try These Air Fryer Recipes, Too!

Stack of air fryer french toast on a plate

Print Recipe

Perfect Air Fryer French Toast

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: family friendly, lighter option, sweet treat

Servings: slices

Calories: 229kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Air Fryer
Large bowl
Whisk
Air-fryer-safe non-stick spray

Ingredients

2 large eggs
¾ cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 slices thick cut bread

Suggested Toppings (All Optional)

butter
maple syrup or your favorite sugar-free maple syrup
powdered sugar or powdered erythritol
cinnamon sugar
blueberries
strawberries
bananas
chocolate chips
whipped cream

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit.
In large bowl, mix together eggs, half and half, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
Remove air fryer basket and spray with air-fryer-safe non-stick spray. Dip each slice of bread in egg wash, coating both sides. Let excess egg wash drip back into bowl, then place bread in air fryer basket. Note: don't overcrowd basket. Work in batches if needed.
Return basket to air fryer. Cook 5 minutes, then flip bread and cook another 5 minutes. Repeat until all bread has been cooked. Serve warm with desired toppings.

Notes

All suggested toppings are optional. Use whatever you like, or enjoy the toast on its own!
This recipe was tested and perfected in a Chefman air fryer. Actual cook times may vary depending on your specific air fryer, and the size and thickness of your bread. Keep an eye on the toast and adjust as needed.

Recipe yields 5 slices of french toast. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 slice using the ingredients listed, not including any optional toppings. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

July 13, 2021 Breakfast

Vegan Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

Gorgeous and delicious, this vegan coffee cake is perfectly decadent. With a layer of rich cinnamon brown sugar sandwiched between two layers of fluffy, moist cake, it’s all topped with a crumbled streusel topping and sweet glaze for a perfect dairy-free, egg-free treat.

Two squares of vegan coffee cake stacked on top of each other

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Move over, Starbucks. The actual cake is SO incredibly moist and fluffy, and the crumbled streusel topping bakes up crisp and gives it just the right amount of texture. You’ll fall in love with the way this cake melts in your mouth.
It’s decadent enough for a special occasion or holiday, but simple enough to be a casual weekday treat. Enjoy it in the morning with a cup of coffee or after dinner to satisfy your sweet tooth.
This cake is perfect for a variety of dietary needs! Since it’s a vegan recipe, it’s written to be completely free from dairy and eggs. It’s also easy to make gluten free and added-sugar free, too!

Key Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour – For a vegan coffee cake that’s also gluten free, use gluten-free all-purpose flour. If your GF flour doesn’t contain xanthan gum, you’ll want to add a little so the texture is right. ½-¾ teaspoon added to the 3 cups of flour in the cake should do the trick. If your GF flour contains xanthan gum already, don’t add any extra!

Sugars – This recipe calls for 4 different sugars: granulated white sugar, brown sugar, light brown sugar, and powdered sugar. You can make it your own, though! Use brown sugar instead of granulated in the cake for a richer, warmer flavor. To cut back on the added sugars, use coconut sugar or Swerve (granular, Brown, and/or confectioners’) where appropriate.

Chef’s Tips

Like with most baked goods, the coffee cake will continue to bake a little as it cools, so it’s important that you don’t leave it in the oven too long. Bake times will vary from one oven to another and one altitude to another, so I recommend you start checking the doneness of the coffee cake around 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick or butter knife into the center of the cake – if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s time to take the cake out of the oven!
This vegan coffee cake will keep best if you refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container. You’ll get up to 2 weeks out of it that way, assuming it even lasts that long! If you want to store it at room temperature, an airtight container is still the way to go. It should keep 3-5 days at room temp if stored properly.
As written, this recipe is nut free, depending on the type of non-dairy milk you use. If you’d like, though, you can add finely chopped walnuts to the streusel topping for a little crunch and extra flavor!
For a vegan blueberry coffee cake, just fold ¾-1 cup fresh blueberries into the coffee cake mixture before you portion it into the baking dish.
To make vegan coffee cake muffins instead, line a muffin tin with paper liners and portion the recipe out as written – one layer of cake, the brown sugar-cinnamon filling, another layer of cake, then the streusel topping. They’ll need less time to bake, probably 15-20 minutes or so, up to 25 minutes depending on your oven. I’d start checking the doneness around minute 12 using the toothpick method. Take them out of the oven when they’re ready and finish the recipe as written below.

Squares of vegan coffee cake on a white plate

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One square of vegan coffee cake close up

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Vegan Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

Gorgeous and delicious, this vegan coffee cake is perfectly decadent. With a layer of rich cinnamon brown sugar sandwiched between two layers of fluffy, moist cake, it's all topped with a crumbled streusel topping and sweet glaze for a perfect dairy-free, egg-free treat.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free, egg free, holiday recipe

Servings: squares

Calories: 398kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Oven
9×13 baking dish
Parchment paper
Small bowls (2)
Hand mixer
Large bowls (2)
Whisk (3)

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

¾ packed cup brown sugar see Notes
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Fo the Streusel Topping

6 tablespoons vegan butter
1 packed cup light brown sugar see Notes
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Coffee Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar see Notes
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup coconut oil melted
1 ¾ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For the Glaze (Optional)

¼ cup powdered sugar see Notes
1 tablespoon unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
In small bowl, mix together brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon to create cinnamon-sugar filling. Set aside.
In separate small bowl, use hand mixer to mix together butter, light brown sugar, and all-purpose flour to create streusel topping. Set aside.
In large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients for coffee cake: applesauce, vanilla extract, coconut oil, non-dairy milk, and apple cider vinegar. Let mixture sit 5 minutes.
In separate large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients for coffee cake: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
When 5 minutes is up, slowly pour wet ingredients for coffee cake into large bowl with dry ingredients for coffee cake. Mix until ingredients are just combined.
Pour half of coffee cake mixture into lined baking dish. Add cinnamon-sugar filling to top of cake mixture, distributing evenly edge to edge.
Pour remaining coffee cake mixture on top of cinnamon-sugar filling layer. Crumble streusel topping over top of cake batter.
Place baking dish in preheated oven and bake 30-35 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center of cake should come out clean or with very few crumbs.
Remove baked coffee cake from oven and let cool completely in baking dish. While cake cools, whisk together all ingredients for glaze, if desired.
When cake is cool, drizzle glaze over top of cake. Cut coffee cake into squares and serve.

Notes

Sugar: Some sugar is filtered through bone char, which makes it not vegan. Use organic or unfiltered sugar, or a brand that specifically says it’s vegan.
Make it Added-Sugar Free: Use granular, Brown, and confectioners’ Swerve in place of the respective sugars listed above.
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum.

1 square = 1 serving. Recipe yields approximately 16 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on the size of your squares and your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving out of 16 using the ingredients listed. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

Nutrition

June 8, 2021 Dairy-Free

Vegan Peach Cobbler

This vegan peach cobbler is perfectly sweet and packed with fresh peaches! We took a summertime favorite, made it completely vegan, and even included gluten-free and sugar-free options as well. Serve this vegan peach cobbler warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream for the perfect warm-weather treat!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s a classic recipe, turned vegan! With the help of some vegan butter and almond milk, this is a traditional dessert that now everyone can enjoy. And the best part is, non-vegans won’t even know it’s vegan – it’s that good!
It’s perfectly sweet, with just the right amount of sugar which still allows that fresh peach flavor to shine! Peaches are a summertime fruit favorite around here and the last thing we’d want to do is take away from their incredible and naturally sweet flavor. A touch of sugar and a bit of lemon juice do an impeccable job of bringing out that delicious peach taste.
It’s easily made gluten-free and/or sugar-free! Simply swap out the all purpose flour for gluten-free all purpose flour to make this a vegan and gluten-free peach cobbler. Likewise, replace the sugar with granular Swerve or your favorite sugar substitute to make this dessert added sugar-free!

Key Ingredients

Peaches – Peak peach season is May through September and when you should have no trouble finding the best tasting peaches at your local grocery store or farmers market! To know when your peaches are ripe enough for this cobbler simply give them a gentle squeeze. If the peach gives a little bit without bruising, then it’s ready to use! To prepare peaches for this vegan recipe, start by removing the skin then cut around the pit and into similar-sized slices.

Sugar – You can use white sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, or even your favorite sugar-free substitute in this vegan peach cobbler recipe. I used cane sugar and had delicious results, but any of the listed options will taste equally as delicious!

Almond Milk – Almond milk bakes up similar to cows milk and is why I prefer it for this recipe. However, you can use any vegan milk you’d like! The others I’d recommend are soy milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.

Chef’s Tips

This is the perfect recipe to bring to a summer potluck or barbecue! For optimal serving – if cool, warm slightly in a 350° Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes. Then, serve this warm vegan peach cobbler with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped coconut cream!
Resist the urge to stir the melted butter, cobbler crust batter, and peach filling together before baking. The trick to a perfect cobbler is layering everything together, then letting the ingredients work their magic in the oven. The cobbler crust batter and melted butter will slowly rise to the top of the baking dish and wrap the peach filling in an irresistibly delicious crust.
If you feel like your cobbler is browning too quickly, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil while it bakes. Sometimes if the ends of any peaches poke out of the cobbler, they can become susceptible to getting a little too charred in the oven. So keep an eye on things and pull out the aluminum foil if needed!

What Do We Mean By Healthy?

Our recipes focus on real ingredients and homemade elements. We try to avoid processed flour and sugar, like white flour or white sugar. Our recipes often swap less healthy options (like a commercial, deep-fried tostada) for an easy homemade version.

Our recipes are not necessarily low fat or low calorie, and we aren’t afraid of fat or carbs! Some of our recipes will be “skinny,” low carb, keto, paleo, dairy free, grain free, gluten free, Whole30, or vegan, and they will be labeled when they qualify for any of these diets. All our recipes are easy and family friendly!

vegan peach cobbler in a bowl with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on top

More Delicious Vegan Recipes

Print Recipe

Vegan Peach Cobbler

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fruit dessert, potluck, summer cookout

Servings: servings

Calories: 332kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Medium saucepan
Medium bowl
9×13 baking dish

Ingredients

For the peach filling:

3 pounds peaches peeled and sliced
⅔ cup sugar see Notes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the cobbler crust:

¼ cup vegan butter
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour see Notes
¾ cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or any non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Add all peach filling ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.
Place the butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish and transfer to the oven for 3 minutes, or until butter has melted completely.
Mix together the flour, sugar, milk, and baking powder in a large bowl until just combined.
Remove baking dish from the oven and pour batter over the melted butter, do not stir. Then pour the peach filling over top of the batter and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free all purpose flour in place of the all purpose flour in this recipe.
Make it Sugar-Free: Replace the sugar with granular Swerve or your favorite sugar substitute.

Recipe yields approximately 6 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving out of 6. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe. Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 6. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

May 6, 2021 Dairy-Free

Vegan Banana Pudding

This vegan banana pudding is a sweet, creamy, dairy-free take on a classic Southern treat. Vegan vanilla pudding layered with bananas and vegan vanilla cookies, with a dollop of dairy-free whipped topping to round it off. Dress it up in individual servings or make a big bowl for yourself.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

This homemade, Southern-style vegan banana pudding is so simple to make, and you don’t need any instant pudding packets to do it!
It’s a fantastic make-ahead dessert option. The pudding needs at least 3 hours in the fridge to set up, but you can make it as many as 3 days before you need it!
This can be a beautiful, elegant, neatly-layered dessert, or it can be a fun, casual, eat-it-straight-out-of-the-bowl dessert. It’s up to you! Trust me, it’s delicious either way.

Key Ingredients

Whipped Topping – Any kind of store-bought dairy-free whipped topping will work here! I used a container of Cocowhip I found in the freezer section at my grocery store. Alternately, you can chill a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, then use the thick coconut cream that forms on top as your whipped topping.

Maple Syrup – This is my sweetener of choice for vegan pudding, but you can use any liquid or granulated sweetener you like! For a vegan sugar-free sweetener, try erythritol.

Bananas – Since this is a Southern-style vegan banana pudding, the pudding itself isn’t banana-flavored – it’s vanilla! That’s why fresh bananas are super important. Without them you’ve just got vegan vanilla pudding. Use bananas that aren’t overripe. You don’t want them to be mushy!

Chef’s Tips

Instead of serving this pudding layered like a trifle, you can make it a chilled vegan banana pudding pie! Take a vegan pie crust, layer slices of bananas on the bottom, then top it off with the vegan pudding.
Wait until you’re ready to assemble your pudding layers before you peel and slice the bananas. They’ll start to brown when they’re exposed to air, so slicing them too early will affect the texture and the presentation.
Traditional Southern-style banana pudding is made with Nilla wafers. If you have trouble finding vegan vanilla wafers, though, use any vegan vanilla cookies you like. You can also make this with vegan graham crackers instead.

What Do We Mean By Healthy?

Glass jars of vegan banana pudding on a white countertop

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5 from 1 vote

Vegan Banana Pudding

This vegan banana pudding is a sweet, creamy, dairy-free take on a classic Southern treat. Vegan pudding layered with bananas and vegan vanilla cookies, with a dollop of dairy-free whipped topping to round it off.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Chill Time3 hrs

Total Time3 hrs 40 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: comfort food, dairy-free, homemade

Servings:

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Small bowls (2)
Whisk
Small saucepan
Refrigerator
Serving dishes

Ingredients

¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup maple syrup
1 pinch salt
1 pinch turmeric optional, for color
1 9-ounce container vegan whipped topping divided, see Notes
4-5 bananas peeled, sliced into discs
vegan vanilla cookies to taste

Instructions

In small bowl, whisk together almond milk and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.
In small saucepan, heat coconut milk over medium heat. When hot, slowly whisk in almond milk/cornstarch mixture.
Simmer until thickened, approximately 7 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in vanilla, maple syrup, and salt. If adding turmeric for color, stir in here.
Transfer mixture to bowl and let cool at room temperature 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover bowl and move it to refrigerator. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours until set and thickened.
Remove pudding from refrigerator. Stir in 1 cup of vegan whipped topping. Combine thoroughly.
In dish(es) of choice, layer wafers, then bananas, then pudding. Repeat layers as needed. Top with remaining whipped topping and serve.

Notes

Whipped Topping: I used So Delicious Dairy Free Original Cocowhip.
Cookies: If you have trouble finding vegan vanilla wafers, you can use any vegan vanilla cookies you like. You can also make this with vegan graham crackers instead.

Recipe yields approximately 6 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect the information for 1 serving using Almond Breeze unsweetened almond milk, So Delicious Dairy Free Cocowhip, and Homefree Vanilla Mini Cookies (6 cookies per serving of banana pudding). Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh each component of the recipe. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the bowl, pot, or plate the food is in) by 6. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

March 30, 2021 Dairy-Free

Vegan Key Lime Pie

This vegan key lime pie is irresistibly creamy, slightly sour, and not too sweet! It’s the perfect dessert to bring to your next spring or summer gathering. Everyone will love it and no one will ever know how much healthier it is!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

It’s the perfect balance between tangy and sweet! Sour key lime juice is perfectly complimented by a subtly sweet can of sweetened condensed coconut milk. This recipe keeps the sugars low, but the flavors intense.
Coconut milk makes it lighter yet just as creamy as traditional key lime pie. Though the key lime juice is very strong, therefore you will barely taste any coconut!
It’s surprisingly simple to make! The crust alone is just two ingredients, and the filling is just five ingredients. A few easy steps and some time in the refrigerator is all it takes to make this delicious vegan treat.

Key Ingredients

Vegan Graham Crackers – Most graham crackers are already vegan! Take a look at the ingredients on the back of a graham cracker box and there’s a very good chance they’ll be unintentionally vegan.

Full-Fat Coconut Milk – Make sure to use full-fat coconut milk in this vegan key lime pie recipe. The extra thickness from a can of full-fat coconut milk with make your pie oh-so creamy!

Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk – The only sugar in this recipe comes from the sweetened condensed coconut milk. I’ve been able to find sweetened condensed coconut milk at most of my local grocery stores. If you’re having a hard time locating it, try looking around baking supplies and/or canned coconut milk.

Key Lime Juice – You can either purchase key limes from the store and juice them yourself, or buy key lime juice in a bottle. For ease, I used bottled key lime juice and made a delicious pie! And if you can’t find key limes or key lime juice, you can use regular lime juice instead.

Cornstarch – Since this recipe doesn’t contain the typical dairy ingredients found in regular key lime pie, we need cornstarch to help this pie set. Make sure to stir your filling really well after you’ve added all ingredients to a saucepan. If you see any cornstarch lumps left behind, keep stirring and cooking, they’ll eventually dissolve.

Chef’s Tips

Be patient when waiting for your vegan key lime pie to set in the fridge. Do not try to slice it before it’s fully set! If your pie isn’t left to chill long enough, the filling will spill out when served.
If you don’t have a pie dish, you can use a tart pan for this vegan key lime pie. Follow every step the exact same, just place your crust and filling in a tart pan instead of a pie dish!
Don’t forget to top this pie with vegan coconut whipped cream! You can either buy coconut whipped cream from the freezer section at the grocery store or make it yourself. If making it yourself, use a hand or stand mixer to beat cold coconut cream on high until light and fluffy.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

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4 from 2 votes

Vegan Key Lime Pie

This vegan key lime pie is irresistibly creamy, slightly sour, and not too sweet! It's the perfect dessert to bring to your next spring or summer gathering. Everyone will love it and no one will ever know how much healthier it is!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Chilling Time5 hrs

Total Time5 hrs 25 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy recipe, healthy dessert, summer

Servings: servings

Calories: 132kcal

Cost: $10

Equipment

9-inch pie dish
Small bowl
Saucepan

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 ½ cups vegan graham crackers crushed, see Notes
⅓ cup vegan butter melted, see Notes

For the Filling

1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk see Notes
1 7.4-ounce can sweetened condensed coconut milk
½ cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon key lime zest
5 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Mix the graham crackers crumbs and melted butter together in a bowl. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 9-inch pie dish and press into dish to form crust. Bake for 10 minutes to set.
Add all filling ingredients to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Once the filling has thickened, remove pie crust from the oven and pour filling into crust.
Refrigerate for at least 5 hours and up to overnight until set.

Notes

Vegan Graham Crackers: Most graham crackers are unintentionally vegan!
Vegan Butter: Any vegan butter will work in this recipe, and you could use melted coconut oil instead if you’d like.
Full-Fat Coconut Milk: Make sure that the coconut milk is full-fat, if not your pie won’t set. Full-fat coconut milk is most often sold in a can, not a carton.

Recipe yields approximately 10 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

February 4, 2021 Desserts

Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Chocolate covered espresso beans are the bite-sized energy boost you’ve been craving! Sweet and crunchy, with a little punch of caffeine. This 2-ingredient recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

There’s only 2 ingredients in this recipe, and you can find them at almost any grocery store! No need to run around tracking down crazy ingredients you might not use ever again.
They give you a little energy boost, thanks to the caffeine content of the espresso beans. How much exactly depends on the type of beans you use, but generally whole coffee beans have more caffeine than brewed coffee! Keep that in mind if you’re caffeine-sensitive.
Store them in an airtight container (refrigerated or room temperature) up to one week for a sweet treat you can keep on hand! They also freeze well – just keep them in an airtight container up to one month.

Ingredients

Espresso Beans – You can use basically any whole bean coffee you can find at your local grocery store! Hazelnut and vanilla beans add a little extra flavor to this recipe. Dark coffee beans generally work well with the sweetness in milk chocolate, while medium or light roast beans work well with the bitterness in dark chocolate.

Chocolate – The great thing about this recipe is you can customize it so easily! We used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use a chocolate bar, chili-flavored dark chocolate chips, mint chocolate chips, or any other flavor chocolate you like!

Chef’s Tips

Eat them on their own by the handful, or use them as a garnish for chocolate cupcakes or brownies.
We used a microwave to melt the chocolate because it’s so quick and easy, but you can totally use a double boiler if you prefer!
For a keto treat, try something like Choczero chocolate chips or Lily’s 55% Dark chocolate chips.
After coating the beans in the melted chocolate, you can roll them in cocoa powder if you like a really chocolatey snack.

Chocolate covered espresso beans in a small white bowl

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5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Chocolate covered espresso beans are the bite-sized energy boost you've been craving! Sweet and crunchy, with a little punch of caffeine. This 2-ingredient recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 2 ingredients, easy to make, no cooking

Servings: servings

Calories: 130kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Microwave
Microwave-safe bowl
Baking sheet
Parchment paper

Ingredients

1 cup espresso beans
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1 milk chocolate bar

Instructions

Place chocolate chips (or chocolate bar, broken into pieces) in microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is melted. Be careful not to burn chocolate.
Remove bowl from microwave and add in espresso beans, stirring until well combined.
Remove each espresso bean individually using a fork. Place beans on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, being careful not to let them touch.
Repeat until all beans are coated in chocolate and placed on parchment paper.
Let beans cool at room temperature. Alternately, chill them in the refrigerator to help them set up faster.

Notes

Make it Keto: Use keto-friendly chocolates like Choczero or Lily’s brands chocolate.

Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Nutritional values shown reflect information for 1 serving. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.

To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire finished recipe . Divide the total weight of the recipe (not including the weight of the bowl, pot, or plate the food is in) by 8. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Nutrition

February 2, 2021 Desserts

Gluten Free Mug Cake

Chocolatey gluten free mug cake is so easy to throw together when you’re craving something sweet. This recipe takes a few basic ingredients and turns them into delicious, moist cake. Easy to make dairy-free!

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Remember Easy Bake Ovens? This is kind of like a grown-up version of that… only way better. In less than 5 minutes you’ll go from ingredients to gluten free chocolate cake, with minimal effort.
The single-serve portion size is so convenient for anyone living alone or just watching what they eat. You won’t be tempted to eat 2 or 3 cupcakes or a slice of cake as big as your head since you’re only making one mini-cake at a time.
This recipe is egg-free, which means it won’t have a rubbery texture when you microwave the batter. Instead it’ll be moist and light and melt-in-your-mouth good!

Key Ingredients

Gluten Free Flour – Your results will vary depending on the brand of flour you use. If your attempts at mug cake are a bust, you may need to try a different brand or type of gluten free flour. We used King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour for our mug cake, so we can vouch for it working correctly.

Chef’s Tips

The cake will rise and expand as it “bakes” in the microwave. If your mug is on the small side, put a paper towel or a dish underneath it in the microwave, to catch any overflow.
You can make this mug cake in the oven if you prefer not to use a microwave, just be sure to use an oven-safe mug. Place the mug on a baking sheet, then bake 15-20 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
To cut down on clean-up, you can mix all of the ingredients directly in the coffee mug. I think it’s a little easier to mix them in a bowl and pour them into the mug, but do what works for you!
This recipe makes one single-serve mug cake. For larger quantities of cake, try this recipe for the Best Chocolate Paleo Cupcakes Ever (Gluten Free) from our sister site, 40 Aprons!

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Chocolate cake in a white ceramic mug with a scoop of cake on a spoon next to the mug

More Gluten Free Recipes You’ll Love

Gluten free chocolate cake in a white ceramic mug

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Gluten Free Mug Cake

Chocolatey gluten free mug cake is so easy to throw together when you're craving something sweet. This recipe takes a few basic ingredients and turns them into delicious, moist cake. Easy to make dairy-free!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time1 min

Total Time6 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Gluten Free

Keyword: comfort food, easy to make, less than 10 minutes

Servings: serving

Calories: 523kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Whisk
Microwave
Medium bowl
Microwave-safe mug

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, vegetable, avocado, coconut, etc.)
¼ cup milk plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ level cup all-purpose gluten free flour see Notes
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chocolate chips for topping

Instructions

In medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
Add in flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir batter until no clumps remain.
Pour batter into mug. Top with chocolate chips. Microwave 1 minute, then in subsequent 10-second intervals if needed until "baked".

Notes

We used King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour which includes xanthan gum. If your all-purpose gluten free flour doesn’t include xanthan gum, be sure to add some in separately. For a recipe this small, you should only need a dash.
Our mug cake was ready after one minute in the microwave, but every microwave is different. You may need to heat your cake batter longer, but don’t go too long or your cake will be super dry. Check the doneness by inserting a knife or toothpick into the center of the cake – if it comes out clean (or with just a few crumbs) then you’re good to go!
Make it Dairy Free: use almond milk or coconut milk, and vegan chocolate chips.

Recipe yields one mug cake. Nutritional values shown reflect information for one mug cake. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition

January 22, 2021 Desserts

Keto Churros

These cinnamony keto churros are so close to traditional churros you won’t believe they’re low carb. Crispy-yet-fluffy, lightly fried, and coated in a cinnamon/brown “sugar” mixture. They’re a delicious dessert that beg to be eaten with keto-friendly chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or vanilla ice cream.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

They’re SO easy to make! A little melting, a little mixing, a little frying, and before you know it you’ve got a dozen delicious low-carb churros.
You don’t need much oil at all. The keto churros will float so as long as the oil is roughly one inch deep, you’ll be golden (pun absolutely intended).
If you want to make these ahead of time, mix up the dough and store it (covered, in an airtight container) overnight in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before frying.

Key Ingredient

Mozzarella Cheese – OK, it seems a little odd. Cheese? In churros? Sweet, cinnamony churros? Yes. The mozzarella makes these churros crisp up like traditional churros, and absolutely does not make them taste like cheese sticks at all.

How to Make This Recipe

The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!

In a deep pot, heat avocado, coconut, or canola oil. At the same time, melt your cheeses in a glass bowl and mix your dry ingredients in another bowl. When the cheeses are ready, stir in the dry ingredients until you have a dough.

Fill a piping bag (or Ziploc bag) with churro dough, and when the oil is hot (see tips below) pipe 3-inch strips of dough directly into the oil. Don’t drop the dough straight down into the oil, but rather pipe the dough length-wise across the top of the oil. Let it cook for 10 seconds or so, then flip and let the other side cook. Both sides should end up a light, golden brown.

When the churros are ready, remove them from the oil and place them on paper towels to drain the excess oil, then repeat the process with new batches until all the dough has been fried.

While the churros are still hot, roll them in the cinnamon/brown “sugar” mixture to completely coat all the sides. Serve and enjoy!

Chef’s Tips

You absolutely must serve these keto churros with a keto-friendly chocolate sauce, a keto-friendly caramel sauce, or a keto-friendly vanilla ice cream. For a quick and easy store-bought dipping sauce, I like Walden Farms brand chocolate dip or caramel dip!
If your oil isn’t hot enough, your keto churros will just soak it up instead of frying properly. If it’s too hot, the churros will burn. The easiest way to tell if your oil is ready (without using a thermometer) is to dip the end of a wooden spoon in the oil. If you get steady bubbles, you’re good to go. Super intense bubbles mean your oil is too hot, and no or very few bubbles means it’s not hot enough.
To shave another carb off your count, shred your own mozzarella cheese. Some prepackaged shredded cheeses use a little flour and filler to prevent clumping in the bags, which subsequently raises their carb totals slightly.

What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”

Close up photo showing inside of keto churros

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Keto Churros

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: cinco de mayo, low carb, sugar free

Servings: churros

Calories: 117kcal

Author: Cheryl Malik

Equipment

Microwave-safe glass bowl
Large pot with tall sides
Piping bag
Large piping tip
Paper towels

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon "Sugar" Coating

½ cup Swerve Brown 100 grams or 3.5 ounces
2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the Churros

enough virgin coconut oil or ghee for frying
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella 170 grams or 6 ounces, see Notes
3 tablespoons Philadelphia cream cheese 45 grams or 1.6 ounces
1 cup almond flour 100 grams or 3.5 ounces
2 eggs large
1 tablespoon granulated erythritol or Swerve Granular 10 grams or 0.4 ounces
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder

Instructions

Mix Swerve Brown and cinnamon in bowl and set aside.
Heat oil or ghee in large pot. Liquid should be approximately one inch deep.
In a glass bowl, microwave cream cheese and mozzarella until melted. Be careful not to burn cheese. Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring between each.
While cheese is being microwaved, in another bowl mix together almond flour, eggs, erythritol, cinnamon, and baking powder.
Stir in melted cheese and mix until dough forms.
Spoon dough into piping bag. When oil is hot, squeeze dough directly into oil in 3-inch strips.
Fry dough 10 seconds, or until golden, then flip and fry another 10 seconds.
Immediately remove churro from oil and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat above until all dough has been fried.
While churros are still hot, dip each individual churro in cinnamon-"sugar" mixture until fully coated.
Serve with keto-friendly chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Use low-moisture, part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese for this recipe and not fresh mozzarella.

Recipe yields approximately 12 (one dozen) 3-inch long churros. Nutritional information shown reflects values for one churro with cinnamon-“sugar” coating. Macros may vary slightly depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition