Even though this has been a very difficult time for everyone, something positive has come out of this! Up until now baking has never been in my interest; it’s always been kind of a no-go zone for me. Due to the way I react to gluten, I usually end up feeling really uncomfortable and bloated. However, since discovering new guilt free and healthier baked good options, it’s given me the opportunity to experiment with baking, which I’ve also found is a really fun way for me to bond with my daughter. If it wasn’t for the lockdown, I don’t think I would’ve discovered this fun new hobby. As an entrepreneur I’m always really busy and never take the time to slow down and do fun therapeutic activities - who would’ve thought a difficult time like this would bring out my inner Mary Berry!
As I found these recipes really easy to bake, and I know a lot of us would love to have some cake everyday if we could, I’m going to be sharing these yummy guilt free recipes, including my Almond Bread, Chocolate Almond Bread, Vegan Almond Bread, Vegan chocolate Almond & Oat Banana Bread recipes – along with tips to get the best results each time!
Almond Bread
This is one of the first recipes I tried, it’s a yummy healthy treat that can be eaten by itself, with a layer of peanut butter or almond better or as a savoury quick breakfast toasted with avocados and egg. Lightly moist and springy, this tasty hybrid between a classic sandwich bread and a breakfast quick bread is high protein, low carb, and the kind of thing you’ll think about sneaking a bite of every second that it is on your counter. If by the off chance you haven’t eaten all this bread just after baking (because it’s just that good), you can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil, unsalted butter, or ghee
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal - optional
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon — optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar — NOT sweet apple cider or apple juice.
If you’d like a chocolate version, you can add 30g of our Transform by Cathy chocolate deluxe flavour diet protein.
Instructions
1. In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the coconut oil in 15-second bursts, just until it melts. Set aside to cool slightly at room temperature.
2. Place a rack in the centre of your oven and preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Coat a 9x5-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper so that the paper overhangs both sides, then lightly coat with spray again.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, cinnamon (if using), and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg white, honey, apple cider vinegar, and cooled coconut oil until smooth. And the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and, with a whisk or rubber spatula, stir until well combined. The batter should be thick and wet, like muffin batter. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
4. Bake until the top is toasty golden-brown, and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean, for about 35 to 40 minutes. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer from the pan to the rack (use the parchment overhang) and let cool completely. Slice and serve with your favourite toppings!
Recipe Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Vegan Almond Bread
For all my Vegan readers, don’t worry I’ve got you, you can also try this tasty Almond Bread recipe!
Ingredients
150 g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds (almond meal)
150 g (1 1/4 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/4 teaspoon salt to taste
250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or sub any other plant-based milk)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ** (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
To decorate (optional):
Mixed seeds
If you’d like a chocolate or salted caramel version, you can add 30g of our Transform by Cathy Vegan diet protein in salted caramel or dark coco mint flavours.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Place the ground almonds, gluten-free flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Add the milk and vinegar and mix again.
4. Transfer the mixture to a loaf tin (I used a one-pound loaf tin) lined with greased baking paper.
5. Sprinkle over mixed seeds to decorate, if desired.
6. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Recipe Tips
If you don’t have gluten free flour you can use almond flour.
Don’t skip on the vinegar as its acidity reacts with the alkali bicarbonate of soda, which will allow your almond bread to rise. If you don’t have vinegar you can substitute it with lemon juice.
If you’ve kept your bread in the oven for the right amount of time and it’s still not done in the centre and the outside is becoming hard/burnt, then I would recommend covering it with a piece of baking paper or foil to prevent the outside from becoming burnt, and then continuing to bake it until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Make sure to leave the bread to cool down completely on a cooling rack before packing it away to store because otherwise the steam from the warm bread will get trapped and you’ll end up with soggy bread, which nobody wants!
Keeps well covered in the fridge for a good few days. If not eaten on the day it’s made, it’s best toasted before eating.
If you’re freezing it, you can just slice it up and put the whole thing in the freezer. Then when you want to eat it you can just pop the slices of bread in the toaster straight from frozen.
Oat banana bread
This is a great healthier alternative to the traditional banana bread recipes used. This works as a yummy breakfast treat or as a snack throughout the day.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups QUAKER - Jumbo Rolled Oats — (do not use instant oatmeal)
1 cup whole-wheat flour (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas — about 4 medium bananas
2/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons coconut oil or unsalted butter — melted
1/4 almond milk (normal)
3 tablespoons Fage Total 0% Fat Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Heat oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly spray bottom only of 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine oats and milk: mix well. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in mashed bananas, eggs and oil/butter until blended, honey or maple syrup, yogurt, vanilla extract. In large separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; mix well. Add the wet mixture to dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (do not over mix). Pour batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until wooden a pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Then let it cool in a pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely. Store tightly wrapped.
Recipe Tips
Like all our recipes listed this bread can also be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
Make sure those bananas are ripe! I like to wait until they are almost all the way black on the peel, ensuring that bananas are super sweet.
Don’t mix the batter any more than you have to. The less you mix, the more tender your bread will be.
Keep an eye on it as it is baking, as you’ll want to cover it with foil once it starts to brown. If you don’t cover it, by the time the loaf is finished baking, the edges will be quite dark.
All ovens cook differently, so start checking your bread around 45 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. The top will also be fairly firm and not jiggly at all.
Overall, it’s been such a fun experience for me, baking during this lockdown. I hope you can all join me in baking these easy delicious guilt free breads! I’d love to see how your bread loafs turn out, please tag me on @bodybycathy on Instagram!