tahini chocolate chip blondies

tahini chocolate chip blondies (gluten free, paleo, refined sugar free)

I’m obsessed with any and all things tahini. I eat it multiple times a day, whether it’s drizzled over roasted veggies and lamb meatballs for dinner or spooned into Medjool dates with chocolate chips for a sweet treat, tahini is the jam. It also makes for a delicious baking ingredient! Its creamy, fatty, smooth texture makes it a wonderful butter, oil, and/or nut butter alternative in many recipes. Plus, tahini and chocolate is such a tasty combo. This recipe uses wholesome, nutrient-dense ingredients, but still tastes oh so rich and decadent. Tahini chocolate chip blondies that are gluten & grain free, paleo, and refined sugar free as well? Sign me up!

Tahini Chocolate Chip Blondies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan (double recipe for 13x9 inch pan) with parchment paper and grease with coconut oil or nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl or base of a stand mixer, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, tahini, and vanilla extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just incorporated, careful not to over mix (it will be thick!). Fold in the chocolate chips. Add batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 25-26 minutes until edges are just slightly golden, but center may seem slightly underdone. Check using a cake tester- if it comes out mostly clean, they should be ready. Don’t overbake as grain-free baked goods will continue to set in the pan. Let blondies cool in pan for about five minutes before removing and allowing them to cool completely on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and drizzle with tahini, if desired. Cut into bars and enjoy!

*Adapted from Paleo Chocolate Chip Tahini Blondies by Ambitious Kitchen.

sweet laurel bakery cake shop

I had been plotting my visit to the Sweet Laurel Bakery Cake Shop over in the Palisades for quite some time now. I’m a huge fan of Laurel herself (and her cottage is to die for), as well as her delectable baked goods! But as well all know, the pandemic hit, and so I really haven’t been out & about all that much. In the meantime, I’ve been baking up a storm from the cookbook, and boy are there some tasty recipes to be had! Sweet Laurel recipes are all gluten, grain, and refined sugar free, and many are also vegan as well, making them a great choice for anyone with allergies or dietary restrictions. My bestie Rachel McConn (an amazing nutritional therapy practitioner & natural foods chef, by the way) came up from San Diego to hang for a night, and since she has Celiac Disease, the bakery has been on her must-visit list as well. We headed out on a (safe & socially distanced) mission for sweets, and we were not disappointed.

The star of the show was the ice cream sandwich- snickerdoodle cookies with chocolate ice cream. This was so delicious, not to mention all vegan & gluten free! It totally hit the spot on a hot summer day. I can never say no to carrot cake, so had to get a slice of that as well. This one is lightly sweet, and studded with walnuts and raisins. The probiotic cashew cream frosting is super unique and provides such a nice tang! Even my one year old got in on the sampling, and he was definitely a fan. I can’t wait to return to try some of their super food lattes and keto frappes- yum! And lastly, don’t miss Laurel’s new savory cookbook, which is now available for preorder!

healthy zucchini bread

It’s that time of year when zucchini squash are abundant, and I have to say, I’m not mad about it. While it’s common to use zucchini in savory meals like fired up on the grill alongside some meat, or turned into zoodles (aka zucchini noodles), they also make a wonderful baking ingredient! When grated and drained of their moisture, you can add this green veggie to countless baked good without compromising flavor. It’s such a clutch way to sneak in an extra serving of veggies for toddlers, or any picky eater for that matter! There are tons of zucchini bread recipes out there, and just like banana bread, you can make it as healthy or as sinful as you desire. This version is hearty and nutrient-packed, not too sweet, but still super delish thanks to ingredients like banana, flaxseed, almond flour, and (duh) zucchini. You can do a mix of flours like I did, or stick to one, but I find using a combo of both heartier and lighter flours is a nice way to balance things out. I went with a gluten-free version here (paleo if you sub out the brown rice flour as well), but feel free to use whole grain flours if you prefer. I typically do! I should note, since it’s sweetened just with banana, this bread is not overwhelmingly sweet. Make sure to use super ripe bananas, or if you prefer things on the sweeter side, you can opt to add a touch of maple syrup. I find once I add various toppings (fig jam, perhaps?), it’s sufficiently sweet for my tastes. Not to mention the citrus zest (use a microplaner) really adds a nice little kick. Mix-ins are another must in my book- they make for such great texture- so feel free to add in whatever your heart desires. Toasted nuts, raisins, shredded coconut, or even chocolate chips would all be tasty here. I kept things a bit simple this time, as I wanted my one year old to be able to dig in without any choking hazards ;) I’ll take a slice toasted and spread with a generous smear of nut butter, please. Yum!

Healthy Zucchini Bread:

  • 1 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)

  • 2 cups grated zucchini, excess moisture drained (about 2 medium zucchini)

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 1 tsp citrus zest (orange, lemon, or lime!)

  • 2 cups flour (I did a mix of almond, coconut & brown rice)

  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1/4 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup preferred mix-ins (walnuts, raisins, coconut, chocolate chips etc)

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, and add a bit of coconut oil or nonstick spray. In a large bowl whisk together banana, zucchini, eggs, coconut oil, vanilla extract & citrus zest until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flours, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt. Then mix dry ingredients into wet until just incorporated. If your batter is super thick, you may thin it out a bit with 1/4-1/2 cup almond milk. Stir in any desired mix-ins. Add batter to loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes (or until cake tester comes out clean). Allow the bread to cool a few minutes before removing it from the pan with the ends of the parchment. Place it on a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy with your preferred spread- butter, nut butter, or marmalade are all great choices!

*Adapted from The Best Paleo Zucchini Bread by RachL Mansfield.

lemon olive oil cake with polenta & rosemary

We are currently living through some crazy, uncertain, difficult, and stressful times. I don’t know about you, but in times of uncertainty, I find peace in the ritual of baking. I love the routine of it all, and the fact that some things do remain constant, even when so much else is unknown. We are lucky enough to have an abundance of lemons on our tree right now, so I took the opportunity to pick a bucket full. We use lemons pretty regularly, but even so, had more than we knew what to do with. It had been quite a while since I’d made an olive oil cake, but I do find them to be super comforting, and the perfect thing to nosh on while spending all this extra time at home, so it seemed like the perfect excuse! Plus, fresh citrus (zest & juice!) takes it to a whole other level. Using a top-notch quality olive oil for this as opposed to your typical store-bought variety is of the utmost importance here. I recommend Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Central Coast Family Farm for its crisp, pure olive flavor, which will keep your cake nice and moist. This olive oil cake is also entirely gluten-free, if that’s your thing- I find the hearty flavors and textures of almond flour and polenta complement the dense cake nicely. I also prefer to keep the cake itself not too sweet, as I typically serve it with assorted sweet toppings (like candied lemon peels, lemon marmalade & whipped cream) to balance things out. This baby will stay fresh wrapped in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, but you may also store it in the fridge if you prefer. It’s equally delicious at room temperature with a dollop of honey sweetened greek yogurt for breakfast as it is warmed in the oven and served with ice cream for dessert! You can bake this in a simple 8” cake pan, or use a springform pan for easy release of the sides! Whichever way you go about it, I hope that it brings you joy during this time. Stay safe, y’all!

Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Polenta & Rosemary:

  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour

  • 1 cup coarse ground polenta

  • 1 tsp baking power

  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped

  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/3 cup honey

  • 1/3 cup cane sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • 4 lemons, zested & juiced

  • 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

  • powdered sugar, candied lemon peels & fresh rosemary sprigs, for topping

  • lemon curd & whipped mascarpone, yogurt, or ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8” round cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease the paper as well. In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, polenta, baking powder, rosemary, and salt, then set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, sugar, eggs, lemon juice & zest, and vanilla/almond extract until smooth. You may alternatively use a stand mixer if desired. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan, making sure it’s level and evenly distributed. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan for about 5 minutes, and then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust cake with powdered sugar and top with candied lemon peels and fresh rosemary. Serve with a heaping dollop of lemon curd or marmalade, and maybe some ice cream or whipped mascarpone as well. Enjoy!

*adapted from Orange Polenta Cake from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

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salty nutty cereal cookies

Who doesn’t love holiday baking? I’m all about a cookie exchange, and these salty & sweet ones are sure to be a crowd pleaser. They don’t necessarily scream holidays, per se, but I think they fit in perfectly with a platter of otherwise festive cookies. And they’re super delicious, so who really cares? My mom has been baking up batch after batch of them this past week, and I have to say, I’m a huge fan. I love a sweet & salty flavor combo, and the almond flour & pecans lend the perfect amount of nutty goodness. Feel free to use a simple flakey cereal of your choice, or mix it up with a crunchy granola! You could even make them gluten-free by subbing in your fave GF flour for the all-purpose. These babies are super versatile, so have fun with it, and enjoy! Happy holidays!

Salty Nutty Cereal Cookies:

  • 3/4 cup coconut oil or unsalted butter

  • 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup almond flour

  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats, toasted

  • 2 cups flakey or crispy cereal (your choice!)

  • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more for topping

  • pecan halves, for topping

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread oats on a cookie sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Beat coconut oil, brown sugar & maple syrup together on a medium speed until well incorporated. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until fluffy, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, stir together flours, oats, baking soda & salt. Slowly add to the butter egg mixture. Add cereal and mix until combined. Refrigerate dough for at least 4 hours (overnight is better, but feel free to bake off a few right away too!). Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat. Measure out heaping tablespoon-sized balls and spread evenly on cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies a bit with your fingers, top with a pecan half and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. They will continue to harden a bit post-baking, so it’s okay if they look a tad underdone. Cool on cooling rack and enjoy!

*Adapted from Salted Oatmeal Corn Flake Cookies by sweetish.co.

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