Kat Cupcake: Grain Free

May 11, 2020

Chocolate Banana Pie Squares (vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free)

Kat @ Cupcake Kat 3:31 PM 0 Comments

These bars are amazing! I love the filling because it is just bananas! (pun intended)

They are such a great healthy alternative for any chocolate or banana dessert.

The crust is chocolately and delicate. The filling is packed with banana flavor and so creamy!

They taste just as creamy and maybe even more delicious than your average banana pie. Plus they are gluten free, vegan, and free of refined sugars! I could barely notice myself that they were healthy when I tried them because I really felt like I was indulging!

I adapted them from here and didn't realize until after I finished making them that the creator suggested not using coconut flour. I thought the coconut flour was great though and not dry at all! It also stayed well together after it completely cooled.

I thought they tasted really good warm (if you're ok with the crust falling a part a little) but also awesome at room temperature or cold. If you eat them cold, it gives a more banana pie texture.

Chocolate Banana Pie Squares
Adapted from here

Crust
2/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup peanut butter
4 tp 6 tbsp almond milk

Filling
3 bananas (at least 1 cup mashed)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp almond extract
almond milk if needed
1/2 cup peanuts
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F and prep a 8x8" square pan
2. Combine all ingredients for crust in a bowl. Add more almond milk if needed so that the dough sticks together when you squish it
3. Press dough into you pan. It may not look like you have enough at first but keep spreading and squishing!
4. Combine all filling ingredients in a food processor except peanuts and chocolate chips
5. Blend until creamy and smooth. Add extra almond milk if needed to help blend (for example if you're using frozen bananas)
6. Add in peanuts and chocolate chips. I like to pulse them into the mixture in my food processor but you could also stir them in
7. Pour over crust and smooth out
8. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until filling is set and lightly golden brown on the sides
9. Allow to cool for a few hours or chill. You could eat it warm right away if you want but the crust most likely won't stay together. It still tastes good though!

March 30, 2018

Tahini Turmeric Cookies

Kat @ Cupcake Kat 10:41 AM 0 Comments

If you are as into food blogs as I am then I’m sure you’ve noticed that turmeric and tahini have become trendy buzzwords. I have enjoyed experimenting with both in recipes and especially grabbing a jar of tahini for the first time in a while! While turmeric and tahini are fun and delicious foods, they also have numerous health benefits!

I have to make a small disclaimer though, I have tried many turmeric lattes and not really enjoyed them :o . I don’t know if I just haven’t found the right recipe yet or if I just don’t like turmeric lattes! However, I love turmeric in curries and I love it even more in these cookies! So if you haven’t been entirely convinced in using turmeric yet then I urge you to try these out!

Now on to the health benefits!

Turmeric contains curcumin. Curcumin has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. This can aid in digestion, reduce the risk of cancer, and relieve pain. However, the content is not that high in turmeric and it is poorly absorbed in the blood stream. Black pepper contains piperin which helps with absorbing curcumin. Therefore, it is added in the cookies! I promise you will barely if ever be able to taste the black pepper.

Tahini is a source of many vitamin and minerals. It is high in iron which can prevent anemia. It is incredibly high in calcium. It's also a good source of methionine, which aids in liver detoxification. It has 20% complete proteins, making it a higher protein source than most nuts! This helps maintain healthy skin and muscle tone. It's easy for your body to digest because of its high alkaline mineral content, which is great for assisting in weight loss.

These cookies are gluten free, vegan, and free of refined sugars so you can enjoy them with all their health benefits and no guilt!

Turmeric Tahini Cookies

Makes around 20

Ingredients
3/4 cup tahini
1 tbsp coconut oil, softened
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 egg or flax seed egg (mix 1 tbso ground flax seeds with 3 tbsp of water and sit for a few minutes)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut flour
pinch of black pepper
1-2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, this is important so that your baking sheet doesn't stain!
2. In a large bowl, cream together tahini, coconut oil, and coconut sugar until well combined. Add in egg or flax egg, maple syrup, and vanilla and mix again until combined.
3. Add in coconut flour, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt over the dough and blend in with a spatula. The dough will be thick and oily.
4. Fold in chocolate chips
5. Scoop out tablespoons of the dough and round into a ball shape. Then place on to your prepared baking sheet a couple inches a part from each other, Gently flatten the balls with your hands.
6. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until cookies are set and lightly golden on the edges. Allow to cool

# Cookies # Gluten Free