Dessert Archives - Eat Simply, Eat Well

Vegan Coconut Scones

August 18, 2016 by aplough

Do you love baked goods but just kind of wish some of them were a little healthier? These vegan coconut scones are the answer to that.

I have to admit: I love baking. I love the process of creating the product; love the smell of it baking in the oven; love the moment when the timer dings and I can pull that delicious thing out of the oven to barely cool before digging in. Don’t you?

But nowadays I try to really limit white flour and sugars, many of my old baking favorites need to be reworked in order to fit into my new way of eating. It doesn’t always work out well. Sometimes, using an alternative for the flours or a different kind of sugar or choosing to leave out eggs can make it really difficult to create a successful product. (As a full disclaimer: I do use eggs – often. They are a great source of protein, and a staple in my diet – I just didn’t want to use them here.). The risk is the product won’t hold together and instead, you’ll have a crumbling mess instead of a cookie, muffin or cake. Or, you’ll change out the sugar and you’ll have a puffy product where you wanted a flat one or a chewy product when you’d been hoping for cakey. It’s tricky sometimes, but so worth experimenting with to find out what works.

I was craving scones. I wanted something that could replace both a biscuit and the sweeter scones often served with coffee or tea, but also wanted to experiment with using coconut oil to replace butter and plant-based milk to replace cow’s milk. I wanted something that was delicious all on it’s own, but suitable with everything.

Could I make these vegan? Turns out, yes I could. And since coconut itself has a natural sweetness, I opted to take the (small) risk of leaving out the sugar as well.

The results are really delicious.

These simple, healthy, vegan coconut scones are super versatile: you can take them to the sweet side with a mixed berry chia jam (or any other jam of choice) or work them into a savory meal and serve them with one of your favorite soups.

Packed with good fats, all the fiber and nutrients of whole grains, and no added sugar, eggs, or dairy, you’ll find that these suit pretty much any occasion. If you or someone you’ll be serving these to has a gluten sensitivity – no problem! Simply substitute your preferred gluten-free flour mix for the whole wheat flour. If you can, try to get a gluten-free mix that contains a lot of whole grains so that you’ll be getting good nutrients and fiber from the flour. Unfortunately, a lot of commercial gluten-free flour mixes use refined flours, and while gluten-free, are really just another form of junk food.

Note: you’ll be using a chilled can of coconut milk with this, so, pop one in the fridge in the morning of or the night before the day you want to make these. Sorry – but that small hassle is worth it!

Vegan Coconut Scones

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold coconut creme (from chilled can of coconut milk)
1/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup coconut water (from chilled can of coconut milk)
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil + 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut for the tops of the scones

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, coconut, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized baking bowl. Add the coconut creme and coconut oil, and use a pastry blender or fork to mix the fats into the flour until the mixture forms lumps about the size of peas. Pour in the coconut water and stir until it begins to clump.

Gather the mixture in your hands and gently press it into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough to the baking sheet and press it into a 1″/2.5 cm high round disk. Cut the disk into 8 even triangles. Separate the triangles and space them out evenly on your baking tray. Brush the top and sides of each scone with coconut oil and sprinkle desiccated coconut over the top of each one. Bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes 8 scones.

Did you like this recipe? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Eat Simply, Eat Well,

Ann

5-Minute Berry Parfait

April 20, 2016 by aplough

5-Minute Berry Parfait

This beautiful dessert has got to be one of the easiest, fastest desserts you could ever hope for. Just four ingredients, this lovely parfait is the perfect afternoon snack, quick breakfast on the go or makes a great dessert. Any way you eat it, you’ve gotta love its simplicity.

The secret to the creaminess is the silken tofu – an ingredient available nearly everywhere.

Tofu is made by first soaking dried soybeans overnight and then grinding them to a pulp. The pulp is then pressed through a cheesecloth to remove the milk – producing soy milk. You could bring the soy milk to a boil, pour it into jars and enjoy it fro there – it’s really delicious.

To make tofu, the soy milk is heated and then some kind of acid – vinegar, lemon juice – is added to make the milk coagulate and form curds. The process is much like making ricotta cheese, actually. the curd mass is spooned into a tofu mold and the excess liquid is drained away.

Silken tofu is simply tofu that has been drained in a mold, but hasn’t been pressed, so it contains higher levels of moisture than the firm tofu you might want to use in stir fries. It has a texture similar to a full fat Greek yogurt – but with a lot less fat and none of the dairy, making it a great option for people with lactose intolerance or who want to simply avoid dairy. It’s creamy texture lends well to desserts like this one – or to dips and spreads, such as a tofu mayonnaise.

5-Minute Berry Parfait

Tofu can be a great, healthy addition to your diet:

Per 100g it has: 55 calories, 2.5 g fat, 2.1 g carbohydrates, 6.0 g protein
it is good source of calcium, manganese and copper
It’s real food and close to its whole food form and undergoes much less processing than most soy consumed in food products today.
Much of the soy grown in the world today is GMO soy and heavily sprayed with pesticides, so it’s really important to spend the money and buy organic soy products. Check your labels!
As this article by Bon Appetit says, there has been a lot of research done around soy and whether or not you should be eating it. As with so many products, it depends…and everything should be eaten in moderation. Most scientists agree that moderate amounts of soy from a good source offer multiple health benefits.

Personally, I love soy and eat it once a week or so. Desserts like this one are a wonderful way to include it in your diet, so get out your blender and let’s get rolling!

5-Minute Berry Parfait

5-Minute Berry Parfait

1-300g package silken Tofu (e.g. Pehmeä Jalotofu)
2 cups / 5 dl mixed fresh or thawed frozen berries
1 – 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (depends on your test and the tartness of the berries)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons hemp hearts or Chia seeds

Combine the tofu, 1 1/2 cups/4 dl of the berries, maple syrup and lemon zest in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Taste; and add more maple syrup if you prefer it sweeter.

To make the parfaits:

pour a heaped spoonful of the remaining mixed berries into the bottom of four short, clear glasses.
add 2-3 heaped tablespoons of the soy-berry mixture to each glass
pour another spoonful of berries over to form another layer
divide the remaining soy-berry mixture between the four glasses and spoon the remaining berry mixture on the top
sprinkle each parfait with 1/2 teaspoon of hemp hearts or Chia seeds, or both.

Serves 4.

Eat simply, eat well,

Ann

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Lingonberry Custard Buckwheat Tart

September 9, 2015 by aplough

Would you believe that this beautiful tart is actually something so good for you, that you could actually eat it for breakfast, without guilt?

What?!? Pie for breakfast? I’m definitely in.

Here’s the thing: most pies can’t really be considered health food, (though one could argue that some pies are so good they are comfort food, and there’s something to be said for that). But this is a case of being able to have your pie and eat it too:

no refined sugars – maple syrup provides the sweetness
no refined oils – coconut oil adds a lovely flavor profile
gluten-free, whole grain flour – buckwheat
plain yogurt – no funny stuff added
a superfood: lingonberries
good quality protein, Omega 3 and vitamins D & B12 – organic eggs

Pretty good, right? This is definitely a dessert you can feel good about. So if you want to enjoy a slice with your morning coffee and call it a well-rounded option, well, let’s just say it may have been done before. Possibly.

Lingonberries are in season right now here in Finland. All across the forests you can see these bright red berries contrasting beautifully with the dark green leaves of their low-lying bushes. I picked the ones for this pie, but if you are living in a place where Lingonberries grow and don’t have the time or don’t want to pick them yourself, you can probably visit your local Farmer’s market right now and get a 5 kilogram box for €25 or so, without every crossing through a spider web or picking your way through the pine trees – though you will miss the mighty stillness and beauty of the Autumn forest.

However it is that you get access to your Lingonberries, know that you’re doing your body a favor. This is one powerful, nutrient-filled berry. They :

can lower inflammatory molecules
block oxidants from destroying tissue
help the body replace important antioxidants
have been used to treat people suffering from diabetes and cardiovascular illness
are an excellent source of vitamin A
are a good source of vitamin C and Calcium and fiber

Sources: Dr. John Anderson, doctoroz.com, National Food Institute at Denmark Technical University

Note: if you can’t find Lingonberries, Cranberries, Bilberries and Blueberries, all cousins and part of the vaccinium family of berries, are a fine substitutes here. Fresh and frozen berries both work well; do not use dried berries for this recipe.

Yup. Pie for breakfast. I really like the sound of that.

Lingonberry Custard Buckwheat Tart (gluten-free)

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Line the removable bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper, attach the top securely, and cut away the excess parchment paper.

Make the crust:

1 cup/2.5 dl/200g buckwheat flour
4 tablespoons/40g coconut oil
1/4 cup / 1/2 dl pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth and uniform. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan. Use your fingers to smooth and press the dough: you want it to come up about 1″ / 2.5cm. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Make the filling:

2 cups / 500 g plain yogurt (use Greek yogurt for best results)
1/2 cup / 1 dl pure maple syrup
zest of one organic lemon
2 organic eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup / 250 g fresh or frozen lingonberries (do not use dried berries)

Combine all the filling ingredients except for the lingonberries. Once the crust is ready, remove it from the oven and pour the yogurt mixture into the hot crust. Sprinkle the lingonberries evenly over the filling. Place the pan back into the hot oven and bake until it has puffed slightly, is golden around the edges, and jiggles slightly in the middle when you gently shake the pan; about 35 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the tart to cool completely. Run a thin sharp knife between the edge of the pie and the pan. Release the springform and lift the top away. Gently lift the pie away from the springform bottom, grab the parchment paper and hold it firmly as you slide the tart onto a serving tray. Enjoy!

Serves 8-12.