Tag Archives: low sugar baking

Baking, Cooking with Kids, Snacks, Special Diets, Wheat Free

Pear Rock Cakes, no added sugar.

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It’s been a week of pretty awful sleep. That saying about “They saved the best till last” is not true when it comes to sleeping babies. The third baby is the worse sleeper! However she also gives the best cuddles and is super cute with it, so I can’t be cross with her.

When I don’t sleep well I tend to :

  1. Walk around in a bit of a brain fog, yet still be functional for work – how does that happen?
  2. Want to poke out the eyes of anyone who has a baby that sleeps through the night.
  3. Loose some of my words. My 6 year old is good at finding them for me. “I’m just making…..ummm, ummm” “Breakfast Mummy?” “Yes, that’s the one”. 
  4. Get creating in the kitchen. I’ve no idea how but cooking and baking helps restore my sanity.

So on a cold, fuzzy headed Sunday afternoon I was flicking through my recipe notebook and stumbled upon rockcakes. Rockcakes seem to be one of those recipes that people make in school or when they are learning to bake. I think they need a come-back. Super easy to make, which means the children can help, there is little that you can go wrong with and you are left with a mountain of tasty snacks for your week.

I’ve adapted the usual rock cake recipe by adding in fruit and upon tasty the mix I decided it was sweet enough for our palates. Try a bit of it before you add in the eggs and see what you think as you can always add in a little sugar to taste. Doing it this way will hopefully mean you don’t go OTT on the sugar content.

My kids were happy bunnies and rewarded me by playing nicely with minimal arguments all afternoon. I love the subtle pear hint in these. Perfect for tbe after school munchies, which happens to co-incide with my cuppa and snack time 🙂 

Dietitian UK: Pear Rockcakes

Pear Rock Cakes
Yields 20
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
116 calories
17 g
29 g
5 g
2 g
3 g
45 g
9 g
5 g
0 g
1 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
45g
Yields
20
Amount Per Serving
Calories 116
Calories from Fat 41
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 5g
7%
Saturated Fat 3g
14%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 29mg
10%
Sodium 9mg
0%
Total Carbohydrates 17g
6%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 5g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A
3%
Vitamin C
2%
Calcium
3%
Iron
2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 100g butter at room temperature
  2. 250g flour (I used Doves Farm Plain Gluten Free Blend)
  3. 2 tsp baking powder
  4. 1 tsp mixed spice
  5. 1 soft large pear, peeled and chopped
  6. 1 soft ripe banana, mashed
  7. 100g raisins
  8. 2 eggs
Instructions
  1. Rub the butter into the flour.
  2. Now add the baking power and spice.
  3. Add in the wet fruit. the pear should break down easily if you are using a stand mixer or food processor.
  4. Now mix the raisins in gently.
  5. Add in the eggs, one at a time.
  6. Taste and add sugar if needed, I found it wasn't necessary.
  7. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5, line and grease a baking tray.
  8. You should end up with a soft dough.
  9. Take dessert spoons of the mixture and gently shape into rounds.
  10. Place onto a greased, lined baking tray.
  11. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are lightly browned on the top.
beta
calories
116
fat
5g
protein
2g
carbs
17g
more
Dietitian UK https://www.dietitianuk.co.uk/
Baking, Cooking with Kids, Dairy Free, Recipes, Snacks, Special Diets, Wheat Free

Banana, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Flapjack (WF, GF, DF).

3 Comments

It’s been a rainy summers week, so I felt the need to pimp up my own flapjack recipe to cheer us up. It’s a healthier take on a full fat, full syrup flapjack, perfect for a cuppa on a rainy day. What is even better is that I used peanut butter in it so my hubby won’t touch it 😉 I love using peanut butter in baking as it is lower in saturated fats, higher in the heart healthier monounsaturates and it also adds protein to help with satiety. The oats provide low glycaemic index carbs which can help stabilise blood sugars so also helping to keep you fuller for longer. It should provide for a healthy snack that will tide you over until your next meal.

Recipe creation for me provides an outlet for creativity and is almost a form of therapy as I switch off from “work” and get inspired by what is around me. It’s actually something I sometimes recommend to eating disorder clients, but they don’t have to eat it unless they want to. Often they love looking at recipes, love creating things and so being given the green light to go ahead and make things but not have to eat them can be quite releasing. 

So here is my latest flapjack. It’s a keeper. It is also wheat free, gluten free (if you use gluten free oats) and can be made dairy free if you use the right chocolate. GENIUS.

Dietitian UK: Peanut butter and choc flapjack

Banana, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Flapjack
Yields 12
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
167 calories
21 g
2 g
7 g
6 g
2 g
51 g
46 g
7 g
0 g
5 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
51g
Yields
12
Amount Per Serving
Calories 167
Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7g
11%
Saturated Fat 2g
10%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 2mg
1%
Sodium 46mg
2%
Total Carbohydrates 21g
7%
Dietary Fiber 3g
13%
Sugars 7g
Protein 6g
Vitamin A
1%
Vitamin C
3%
Calcium
3%
Iron
6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 200g oats (gluten free if needed)
  2. 100g peanut butter (I used a low sugar, low salt version)
  3. 80g chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate (Dairy free e.g. Booja Booja if needed)
  4. 2 mashed, over-ripe bananas
Instructions
  1. Mix it all together by hand or food mixer.
  2. Grease and line a baking tray.
  3. Spread it into the baking tray, so it is about 2cm thick.
  4. Bake at Gas Mark 5 for 25-30 minutes.
beta
calories
167
fat
7g
protein
6g
carbs
21g
more
Dietitian UK https://www.dietitianuk.co.uk/
Baking, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Recipes, Special Diets, Vegetarian, Wheat Free

Rhubarb Crumble Squares (GF, DF, WF).

4 Comments

We’ve just had a wonderful week away in France, where all the food was cooked for us. I love being cooked for. One of the days we had rhubarb crumble. Rhubarb is one of those fruits that I adore but don’t cook very often as the rest of the family are not as keen on it as I am. I love the tart flavour and the way it perfectly compliments custard, another of my favourite foods!

On coming back home we have all felt pretty exhausted. Such is the joy of a holiday and travelling with small children (one of whom did not sleep at all well all week). However after a week out of the kitchen and a week of no flapjack, my creative side was itching to get going. So instead of sitting on the sofa and dozing, like I should have done, I remembered a neglected bag of rhubarb in my freezer. It was literally shouting out to me cooked up into an oaty, crunchy, crispsy, chewy delight. I took inspiration from crumble, a rhubarb crisp recipe that came to me from childhood and my beloved flapjack.

This isn’t any ordinary flapjack. This is rhubarb cooked to a jam consistency, layered ontop of a soft oaty base, topped with crispy oaty bits. I’ll admit I was unsure about the peanut butter, but you know what? It works! Both my kids are instant fans, rhubarb is back on the menu!

A few shots of baking in action:

The rhubarb layer goes on.

Rhubarb Crumble Squares

Before Baking.

Dietitian UK: Rhubarb Crumble Squares before cooking

The finished product:

Dietitian UK: Rhubarb Crumble Squares

Rhubarb Crumble Squares
Yields 12
Naturally sweetened rhubarb on a soft oaty base with a crunchy oat crumble on top. No added sugars. Plenty of natural sweetness and wholegrain goodness.
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Prep Time
20 min
Prep Time
20 min
150 calories
21 g
16 g
6 g
6 g
1 g
71 g
48 g
7 g
0 g
4 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
71g
Yields
12
Amount Per Serving
Calories 150
Calories from Fat 49
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6g
9%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 16mg
5%
Sodium 48mg
2%
Total Carbohydrates 21g
7%
Dietary Fiber 3g
14%
Sugars 7g
Protein 6g
Vitamin A
1%
Vitamin C
3%
Calcium
4%
Iron
6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
For the Rhubarb filling
  1. 300g rhubarb in chunks (I used frozen)
  2. 2 tsp corn flour mixed with 2 tbsp water
  3. 100g dates
  4. 100ml water
For the oaty layer
  1. 200g oats
  2. 100g peanut butter
  3. 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Place the rhubarb in a pan over a medium heat. Let it start to release its juices and cook.
  2. Meanwhile finely chop the dates and add to the pan with 100ml water.
  3. Mix the cornflour with the 2 tbsp water and mix in.
  4. Allow it to all simmer away for 10 minutes, stirring frequently so the rhubarb breaks down and it all become a sort of jam.
  5. Whilst that cooks mix the oats with the peanut butter and the egg.
  6. Spread just over half of the layer on the base of a flapjack pan.
  7. Top with the rhubarb jam.
  8. Crumble the rest of the oat mixture over the top.
  9. Bake in the oven at Gas Mark 5 for 25-30 minutes.
beta
calories
150
fat
6g
protein
6g
carbs
21g
more
Dietitian UK https://www.dietitianuk.co.uk/
Baking, Cooking with Kids, Gluten Free, Recipes, Snacks, Special Diets, Wheat Free

Peanut butter and chocolate healthy muffins!

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A lovely Pilates client turned up with a couple of healthy muffins for me the other day. Now that’s one way to make me go easy on you in class 😉 Laurie, thankyou! Peanut butter is one ingredient I’ve learnt is good in cookies and smoothies… so why “nut” muffins?! (I know funny aren’t I).

These muffins were so delicious that I grabbed hold of the recipe and then I decided to give it a go myself, with a few changes as I rarely manage to actually follow  a recipe properly and I also had no bananas! 

These take minutes to make and really are both easy and tasty. You can also mash up 2 ripe bananas and substitute for the apple. I actually had to hide these from the kids 😉

Dietitian UK: Peanut butter and Chocolate Muffins

Peanut butter and Chocolate Muffins (gluten free)
Serves 9
Peanut butter and chocolate HEALTHY muffins. Yes really!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
104 calories
16 g
2 g
4 g
3 g
1 g
69 g
41 g
4 g
0 g
3 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
69g
Servings
9
Amount Per Serving
Calories 104
Calories from Fat 31
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g
6%
Saturated Fat 1g
5%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 2mg
1%
Sodium 41mg
2%
Total Carbohydrates 16g
5%
Dietary Fiber 2g
6%
Sugars 4g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A
1%
Vitamin C
2%
Calcium
5%
Iron
3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 200g cooked apple
  2. 50g peanut butter
  3. 1 tsp Sukrin Gold (sweetener)
  4. 1 tsp vanilla
  5. 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  6. 1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
  7. 100g rice or coconut flour
  8. splash of milk
Instructions
  1. Pre cook the apple (I have a stock I keep in my freezer).
  2. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4.
  3. Measure out all the ingredients and mix well. I left my stand mixer going for 5 minutes.
  4. Grease a muffin tin or use silicone cake cases.
  5. Place the mixture into the cake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Notes
  1. You can substitute agave, honey (2-3tbsp) or Stevia (1tsp) for the Sukrin Gold.
beta
calories
104
fat
4g
protein
3g
carbs
16g
more
Dietitian UK https://www.dietitianuk.co.uk/
Baking, Recipes, Weaning, Wheat Free

Superhealthy oaty bars.

42 Comments

Flapjacks go down a storm in our house, I’m wheat free so they fill a much needed gap in my mouth. Now it seem little Kezia is a bit of a flapjack lover. In fact, as soon as she spies the tin I keep them in I get a pointy finger and a sign for “Food Now Mummy”. Cheeky monkey she certainly is.

My usual banana flapjacks use only a small amount of marg, sugar and honey, however with a hungry 1 year old and feeling inspired by a certain brand of raw food bars I decided to try something different. The results are not quite your usual flapjack (due to the distinct lack of sugar, syrup and butter!) but they make a great healthy snack for big and little people and are set to become a regular in our house already. In fact the little one even enjoyed helping me make it.

Well when I say she helped, I mean she ate half of the raisins out of the bowl, stuck her fingers in the banana, stirred the oats around and made holes in the mixture once it had been smoothed into the tray. So much fun!

These are wheat free and if you use gluten free oats they will be gluten free too. Here’s the finished product:

And here is the mess I found later on…

Superhealthy Oaty Bars
Yields 24
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
85 calories
16 g
0 g
1 g
3 g
0 g
36 g
1 g
4 g
0 g
0 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
36g
Yields
24
Amount Per Serving
Calories 85
Calories from Fat 10
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1g
2%
Saturated Fat 0g
1%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 1mg
0%
Total Carbohydrates 16g
5%
Dietary Fiber 2g
9%
Sugars 4g
Protein 3g
Vitamin A
0%
Vitamin C
2%
Calcium
1%
Iron
5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 400g oats
  2. 2 handfuls dates chopped very finely in a food processor with enough water to make into a paste
  3. 2 large or 3 medium mashed bananas
  4. 1 cup sultanas
  5. Cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Mix it all together, put into a greased and lined tray and bake at Gas Mark 5 for about 35-40 mins.
  2. Slice it up whilst it is warm and leave to cool (if it lasts that long!).
beta
calories
85
fat
1g
protein
3g
carbs
16g
more
Dietitian UK https://www.dietitianuk.co.uk/
Enjoy 🙂

 

 

 

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