Category Archives: Treats

Gluten free, dairy free, paleo, sugar free, grain free treats and desserts

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

| 0 Comments | Beatty Protocols, Beverages, Recipes, Treats

Now that it is officially fall, I can finally post a pumpkin recipe! It’s been a busy week in my household, so I’m going to keep this post short. It’s also been an exciting week, because I was quoted in an article for in the Toronto Sun, as well as local Sun Media papers in a dozen or so other Canadian cities such as Calgary, Ottawa, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Check out my thoughts on sugary vs. salty snacks here!

Pumpkin Spice Creamer - Amanda Naturally

Okay, back to more important things, our beloved pumpkin – the celebrated fall flavour that is exploding all over the blogosphere and Pinterest right now! You can pretty much type “pumpkin” before any food and find a recipe…pumpkin fudge, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin chill and of course, the fan-favourite:

Pumpkin Spice Latte!

I’ve been making my own pumpkin spice latte for a few years now, because:

  1. I didn’t trust the barristers to not cross contaminate my soy latte with milk
  2. I don’t love soy milk, especially the heavily sweetened one they use at Starbucks 
  3. They’re damn expensive
  4. I didn’t trust the ingredients

I knew the ingredients had to be shifty, but I hadn’t actually looked into it, so I couldn’t speak to it. Well that all changed a few weeks ago when Vani over at The Food Babe did an expose about what’s in your PSL! If you haven’t seen it on your Facebook feed, go check it out now. It’s worth the read! Turns out all of my reasons for avoiding the Starbucks PSL were legit: the pumpkin syrup is sweetened with condensed milk, so even a soy version has dairy in it, and there are some other sketchy ingredients!

Last year I was in the habit of routinely making PSLs from scratch every morning – and while they were delicious, it was a little time consuming. So this year, I created a PSL creamer that you can just add directly to your coffee! Not a coffee lover? Add some extra milk to enjoy a warm mug of pumpkin spice deliciousness, similar to a hot chocolate!

A few notes:
– pumpkin spice does not have to contain pumpkin, but I like to add it because it makes the flavour richer and pumpkin is good for you!
– I don’t like my coffee sweet, so if you’re expecting a Starbucks style PSL, you’re going to want to add more maple syrup!
– the creamer works best if you pour it in first, and add coffee to it, or if you blend it with an immersion blender, but a vigorous whisk with a fork will do just fine!

Step 1: gather ingredients – coconut milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sea salt 

Pumpkin Spice Creamer - Amanda Naturally

Step 2: combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Blend with an immersion blender, or transfer to a stand up blender.

Pumpkin Spice Creamer - Amanda Naturally Pumpkin Spice Creamer - Amanda Naturally

Step 3: store in a jar in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Pumpkin Spice Creamer - Amanda Naturally

Pumpkin Spice Creamer
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Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
3 min
Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
3 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups full-fat coconut milk (preferred brand: Aroy D)
  2. ⅓ cup pumpkin puree (organic canned or homemade)
  3. 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
  4. 2 tbsp maple syrup
  5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  6. pinch of sea salt
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a small pot and heat over medium.
  2. Blend with an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender.
  3. Store in a jar in the fridge.
Notes
  1. Use within 5-7 days.
  2. Shake well before using (there are no emulsifiers added, so separation might occur!)
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

Coconut Milk Parfait

| 2 Comments | Apps, Snacks & Sides, Beatty Protocols, Breakfasts, Recipes, Treats

Coconut Milk Parfait - Amanda NaturallyRemoving dairy from my diet was absolutely crucial in gaining my health back. As a child I always had stomach issues and in hindsight, dairy was likely the culprit. Not only was constant consumption (seriously, I was obsessed!) causing chronic low-grade inflammation in my body and setting the stage for recurrent ear infections and strep throat, it took a serious toll on my digestion. Let’s just say it slowed everything down to a crawl. I had to eat 3-4 hours before any exercise, otherwise I’d lose my meal! Knowing what I know now about exercise and nutrition – this is not ideal. Cutting dairy vastly improved my digestion (I can now eat half an hour before working out if I need to), helped my body heal from the chronic inflammation, reduced length and duration of illnesses that (rarely) get me and really opened my eyes to the dramatic healing that can occur by identifying food sensitivities. I haven’t looked back since and to be honest, I very rarely miss it!

The only thing I tend to miss is yogurt! Growing up in the 90’s and 00’s during the low-fat greek yogurt phase, I was fully addicted. Yogurt parfait’s were a regular occurance and oh how I loved them! Now there are cultured coconut and almond “yogurts” available at grocery and health food stores, but they tend to have questionable ingredients, so I avoid them. I was okay with just not having it – after 4 years of being truly dairy free you kind of forget what all those dairy-filled foods taste like! But suddenly this summer, I had a serious craving for yogurt out of nowhere. It was a hot morning, I was over my traditional egg breakfast and I just needed something fresh and cool. Enter the Coconut Milk Parfait!

I already professed my love for coconut milk in this post and this one. So I won’t go on and on about it. Just know this:

  • coconut milk is high in medium chain triglycerides (specifically lauric acid), a fat the body LOVES burning as fuel. Lauric acid is absorbed in the upper part of the small intestine, without any assistance from bile (i.e. it is very easy to digest, absorb and utilize). It is interesting to note that lauric acid is prominent in human milk – likely because it does not require a fully functioning digestive tract to be utilized!
  • most of its fat is saturated in chemical nature, so it oxidizes (goes bad) very slowly. This is one of the main reasons saturated fat is so healthy for you – stability!
  • it is naturally antimicrobial, so it fights fungi, bacteria and viruses in the body
  • it is full of satisfying fats that keep you full longer
  • it is delicious!!

Ok, so I ended up going went on and on after all. That’s how it goes with me – coconut is up on a well-deserved pedestal! 

Coconut Milk Parfait - Amanda Naturally

Coconut Milk Parfait
Serves 1
A delicious paleo, vegan, high-fat alternative to your standard yogurt and berries. It's allergen free too!
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Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
12 min
Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
12 min
Ingredients
  1. ½ cup full-fat coconut milk (Aroy D is my favourite brand)
  2. 2 tbsp chia seeds
  3. ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  4. pinch of sea salt
  5. ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  6. ½ banana, sliced
Instructions
  1. Combine coconut milk, chia seeds, vanilla and sea salt in a small bowl. Mix well.
  2. Place in the fridge and let sit for 10 minutes (or overnight).
  3. Top with desired fruit.
  4. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. If your coconut milk is particularly thin, you may need more chia seeds to thicken it up.
  2. Add nuts for a crunchy texture.
  3. Make in bulk on Sunday and have breakfasts prepared for the entire week!
  4. If you don't like the consistency of chia/coconut milk, blend the milk mixture after it has soaked for a while to achieve a smoother consistency.
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. 

Coconut Milk Parfait - Amanda Naturally
Let sit for a minimum of 10 minutes (while you’re getting yourself or the kids ready in the morning!) or overnight.

Coconut Milk Parfait - Amanda Naturally
Top with your favourite fruit, nuts or seeds. Or enjoy plain!

Coconut Milk Parfait - Amanda Naturally

What flavour combination are you going to try? Share in the comments below!

Mango Creamsicles [vegan, paleo]

| 0 Comments | AIP, Beatty Protocols, Recipes, Treats

Mango Creamsicles - Amanda NaturallyWhen the dog days of summer roll in, I really start craving ice cream. 

Who am I kidding…I always crave ice cream!! 

That’s all fine and dandy, except for the small issue of a severe dairy allergy, which makes enjoying ice cream a little more challenging for me than for most people. Added to that allergy is a fierce aversion to any ingredients that fall into the fake, chemical, artificial, risky, highly processed or questionable categories. So needless to say, most commercial ice creams are simply not options for me. Yes that includes dairy-free ice creams too! Here’s why:

 

Case #1 – Rice Dream Vanilla Frozen Dessert

Ingredients: filtered water, organic brown rice syrup, organic agave syrup, organic rice dextrin, organic expeller pressed sunflower oil and/or safflower oil and/or canola oil, natural vanilla flavour with other natural flavours, organic tapioca starch, soy lecithin, sea salt, organic guar gum, carrageenan

 

Case #2 – So Delicious Chocolate Coconut Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

Ingredients: Organic coconut milk, organic agave syrup, chicory root extract, cocoa, carob bean gum, guar gum, natural flavour

 

Does that list strike anyone else as odd? Shouldn’t ice cream be made from mostly cream, sugar and vanilla? What the heck are those other ingredients in there for? Let’s break it down:

  1. Brown rice syrup & agave syrup: sugar alternatives
  2. Rice dextrin: a dextrin is a starch (in this case rice starch), which has been treated with either an enzyme, an acid or an alkali to create a string of glucose molecules. It is used as a thickener.
  3. Organic expeller pressed sunflower/safflower/canola oil: an industrial seed oil, touted as heart-healthy by the powers that be, which were originally meant for paint and machinery (heaven forbid there is any real fat or cholesterol because that stuff will kill you!)
  4. Tapioca starch: a thickener
  5. Soy lecithin: an emulsifier, made from non-organic (therefore GMO and pesticide-laden) soy. Emulsifiers allow fat to dissolve into water.
  6. Guar gum: a powder derived from guar bean, a legume. It is used in food production as a thickener, an emulsifier and a stabilizer. It prevents the product from separating.
  7. Carrageenan: a polysaccharide extracted from seaweed, often used in lieu of gelatin to thicken food products. It also acts as an emulsifier and stabilizer. There is controversy around the safety of heavily processed carrageenan, with some research showing an association with intestinal ulcers and neoplasms. In my own experience, I find it very irritating to the digestive tract and choose to avoid it.
  8. Chicory root extract: made from the root of the flowering chicory plant. The root is most commonly used as a coffee substitute. It also contains inulin, which is an insoluble fibre, known for its prebiotic activity. It is used as a thickener and mild sweetener.
  9. Carob bean gum: a powder derived from the carob bean, a legume. It is also known as locust bean gum. It is used as a thickener and an alternative to cocoa.

So why are all of these ingredients necessary? Well first of all they’re not, but that’s besides the point. What’s going on here is an attempt to mimic the chemical composition of cow milk. Milk is what is known in the science world as a colloid – a bunch of tiny fat droplets suspended in water. Now in order to mimic this using water and an industrial crop oil such as canola, all sorts of emulsifiers must be added to the mixture to force it to become a colloid. The right mix of emulsifiers, thickeners and stabilizers can turn water and oil into an ice cream evil clone. It sort of feels the same, but deep down you know it’s not right! 

The coconut version is definitely a better option, because it embraces the naturally high-fat composition of coconut milk, eliminating the need for adding a crop oil to water and forcing them to mix. However it still contains chicory root, guar gum and carob bean gum. Since guar gum and carob bean gum are legumes, and I don’t particularly enjoy migraines (trigger), the lesser of 2 evils is still evil to me!

Now that your favourite non-dairy ice cream is starting to look a little questionable (sorry!) how about a delicious and easy alternative that will totally satisfy kids of all ages? Made with only 2 ingredients, my Mango Creamsicles are a guaranteed winner! As always, I will be using my favourite brand of coconut milk – Aroy D. 

While you can use any popsicle mould, try to find a plastic-free version if possible. I was super thrilled to find these silicon popsicle moulds on Amazon and promptly bought 2 packs!

Mango Creamsicles - Amanda Naturally

While I have never made this recipe in an ice cream maker (I don’t own one – yet – hint hint oh hubby dearest!), I have a feeling it may turn out pretty well. If I end up the owner of an ice cream maker, I will give it a shot and report back, but until then they will stay in popsicle form for me. Enjoy!

Mango Creamsicles [vegan, paleo]
Serves 8
Homemade mango creamsicles made with 2 ingredients. Easy, healthy, delicious and kid-friendly!
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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup Aroy D coconut milk
  2. 2 ripe ataulfo mangos
  3. pinch of sea salt
Instructions
  1. 1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
  2. 2. Blend on high until a very smooth consistency is achieved.
  3. 3. Pour into popsicle moulds and freeze.
Notes
  1. Run under hot water for 10 seconds to help the popsicle release from the mould.
  2. I am sure you can use any type of mango (or fruit for that matter) but the ratio of fruit to milk might change. Green mangos tend to be a lot larger than ataulfo's, so you likely will only need 1!
Amanda Naturally http://www.amandanaturally.com/

Combine all ingredients and blend. Check out this amazing trick for preparing mangos! 

Mango Creamsicles - Amanda Naturally

Pour into popsicle moulds and freeze. Mine don’t stand up on their own so I put them in a pint glass. 

Mango Creamsicles - Amanda Naturally

Run under hot water and enjoy! 

Mango Creamsicles - Amanda Naturally

This recipe is flexible and adaptable to any ingredients that you have on hand. Get creative! What other flavours are you going to try? Share in the comments below!

 

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