Strawberry Spinach Mango Smoothie – Dairy Free!

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Better Baking Bible

SMOOTHIE / HEATHER HAMMOD / CC BY

Finally the long awaited summer weather has come, and it’s sizzling outside a little too much for my liking! The best way to combat the heat? With frozen smoothies of course! Strawberry spinach and mango smoothie to be exact is what’s popping up on my menu for breakfast, lunch, and even a late night snack. I’m not going to lie – I love smoothies, cakes, desserts, anything sweet and I’ll have it. But what makes something even more enjoyable is when it’s delicious but also super healthy. This gives you an automatic excuse to take seconds, right?

Deliciously healthy is exactly what this smoothie is, it tastes refreshing, heavenly, it looks amazing, and it’s also quite healthy. Packed with antioxidant rich strawberries, spinach, and mango, who knew this combination would work so well together? To make this smoothie, the only tool you need is a blender. There are tons of food blenders on the market, although make sure to buy one that is made out of glass. Glass is much easier to wash, and it’s more sanitary. Bacteria seeps into plastic, it’s almost impossible to disinfect, and plus it’s not healthy to use period. Food blenders are a great investment, as long as you purchase one made out of glass and from a reputable brand.

The best part about this smoothie is that it’s super easy to make. I love recipes that don’t take too much effort, but still turn out wonderful. What really makes it come together is the beautiful presentation. Eye popping layers of strawberry, spinach, and mango make this smoothie look and taste even more yummy!

Strawberry Spinach Mango Smoothie

A summer ready smoothie made with frozen strawberries, spinach, and mango!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups frozen mango chunks
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup water
1 tbsp honey

Instructions:

Using a blender, blend the frozen mango chunks with water until smooth. Pour 2/3 of the blended mixture into a serving glass.
Add strawberries into the blender and blend until smooth. Pour ¾ of the smoothie into the serving glass, covering the mango to form a layer.
Add spinach and 1 tbsp of honey into the blender and blend until smooth. Poor into the serving glass and serve right away or store in the freezer for later.

Rosemary Bread with Whole Wheat Flour and Olive Oil

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Better Baking Bible

Take a bite into the Mediterranean with this sweet and savory whole wheat rosemary bread! A crunchy crust and a soft inside make this bread a true winner. Rosemary is one of the hottest herbs in cooking and since a few bushes around my home I try to use it in all of my dishes. It’s native to the Mediterranean, and being an evergreen shrub, the bitter needle-like leaves are available fresh all year around.

Including rosemary in cooking or baking is easy and fun since it adds a unique kick to any dish. This whole-wheat rosemary bread makes fantastic spin to regular whole wheat bread, and one of the reasons why it tastes so delicious is because of it’s partner in crime – olive oil. Rosemary and olive oil is definitely a Mediterranean staple and must be paired together to put a seal on any Mediterranean dish.

To get the most out of this whole wheat rosemary bread, eat it with grilled fish or even slather on some butter while it’s still warm!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!

Rosemary Bread with Whole Wheat Flour and Olive Oil

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water
1 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tsp dry yeast
1 tbsp flax seed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tbsp rosemary, chopped (if possible use fresh)
pinch of salt
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

In a mixing bowl, add warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes until bubbly and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine flours, salt, garlic, chopped rosemary, and olive oil. Slowly add this mixture to the yeast mixture and knead until a ball shape is formed.
Oil a clean bowl and place the ball of dough inside, covering with plastic wrap or a dishcloth. Place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down. Form dough into a round loaf shape and transfer to a flour dusted baking sheet. Cover dough with a dishcloth and let it rise again for 30-45 minutes.
Set oven to 350 F and using a baking brush, brush loaf with olive oil. For decoration, place a few rosemary twigs in the center of the loaf and place in the oven to bake for about 25 minutes. The bread should be golden brown at the top. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Better Baking Bible

Carrots and chocolate? Yes please! This combination of flavors is delicious and what’s a better way to try it out than with carrot cake cupcakes with chocolate glaze. These cupcakes are healthy and make great snacks on the go. Lately cupcakes have been a little underrated, especially with summer rolling around the corner and people are trying to get a little healthier. This version isn’t loaded with refined sugars, instead it includes honey which is a fantastic healthy alternative to sugar. I like to call it edible liquid gold since it’s full of anti-bacterial properties that help fight cancer, increase athletic performance, and can actually fight off colds.

If you are looking for a easy take-to-work or school snack, these cupcakes are just perfect. Toss them into ziplock bags in the freezer and just take them out a few hours or the night before you need them. Now enough blabbing, let’s get baking!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!

Healthy Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

To Make Cupcakes

1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
½ tbsp. cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup raisins
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups grated carrots
1.2 cup honey
2 eggs at room temp
1/3 cup coconut oil (or you can use plain vegetable oil)

To Make Chocolate Glaze

A few squares of baking chocolate
Little bit of vegetable oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 430 F and line cupcake pan with cupcake cups. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, pinch of salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Peel and grate carrots and then in a separate small bowl toss raisins with 1 tsp of flour. Combine carrots and raisins to dry flour mixture from step 1.
In a separate bowl, combine oil, honey, and then beat in eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Combine with carrot and flour mixture and mix well until everything is incorporated. Pour batter evenly into cupcake cups and bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove cupcakes from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make chocolate glaze, melt a few squares of baking chocolate with a little bit of vegetable oil in a saucepan. Pour over cupcakes and voila!

Fruit Explosion Carrot Cake with Coconut Icing

Posted on April 24, 2016 by Better Baking Bible

I’ve tried many carrot cake recipes and this fruit infused version is my favorite! Believe me or not, I made up this recipe using my original carrot cake recipe plus a few additions I found in my fridge like mixed frozen fruit. This carrot cake is literally an EXPLOSION of flavors: carrot, raisins, frozen fruit, dark chocolate, coconut and vanilla. The ingredients mix beautifully together and produce a unique taste and a very dense cake full of flavor. It is the most tempting moist carrot cake you will ever try, and believe me – a classic favorite for a crowd where not a crumb will be left behind.

Give it a try, and why be a little adventurous and include some of your own ingredients? If you are a fan of hummingbird cake, add some chopped pineapple to the mix for a tropical version that will taste even better with the coconut frosting! Or why not toast your coconut and sprinkle it on top for a nutty flavor?

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!

Fruit Explosion Carrot Cake with Coconut Icing

A fruit infused carrot cake with loads of flavor and surprises!

Ingredients:

For Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup grated carrot
1⁄2 cup raisins
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp white vinegar
1 cup water

For Coconut Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
7 tablespoons milk

For Decoration

Baking chocolate
Oil
Butter
Mixed Frozen Fruit

Directions:

To Make Cake

1. Preheat oven to 180C and grease and flour a rectangular cake pan. Mix dry ingredients together (first 6 ingredients), place aside. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients together and then combine with the dry ingredients until well combined.
2. Pour into pan and bake for about 25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

To Make Coconut Buttercream Frosting

1. Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, combine butter and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until creamy.
2. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
3. Slowly beat in milk and continue mixing until thick and fluffy.

To Assemble

1. Cut rectangular cake in half straight down the middle (cutting across the long side).
2. Slather a thick layer of icing on one layer and then place then next layer on top. (Your cake needs to be cooled COMPLETELY or else the icing will melt.)
3. Using the rest of the icing, ice the whole cake and arrange mixed frozen fruit all over the top of the cake.
4. To make the chocolate syrup icing simply place a few bars of baking chocolate in a small pan over medium heat. Place a spoon full of butter and a spoon or two of oil (oil makes the chocolate shiny). Mix with a spoon consistently to prevent burning until melted and combined.
5. Drizzle chocolate syrup all over cake and place in fridge to chill and set before serving. Voila!

Chocolate Banana Marble Bundt Cake Recipe

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Better Baking Bible

To switch things up a bit this Easter I decided to make my much loved banana bread! Every holiday of the year, EVERYONE can’t wait to try this cake. It is absolutely delicious! And to satisfy everyones chocolate cravings, I used an adapted version of my classic banana bread recipe and turned it into a chocolate marble bundt banana bread!

Want to know my secret to make the BEST banana bread? Use old bananas! That’s right, old, black, bananas that have been sitting in the pantry for a week and no one wants to eat. A great way to make them ripen faster is to place them in a closed paper bag with apples. The apples give off gases that help the bananas ripen quicker. Then, if you aren’t in the mood to make your banana bread right away, you can easily freeze the bananas in a ziplock bag and use them when needed!

This banana bread is moist, soft, full of flavour and down right addictive. That’s why I usually make two cakes since this one gets eaten up in the first day!

Chocolate Banana Marble Bundt Cake Recipe

A soft, moist, and totally addictive banana marble bundt cake.

Ingredients:

For Cake

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup fine oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups whole milk
approx. half cup cocoa powder

For Chocolate Icing

Baking chocolate
Butter
Oil

Directions:

To Make Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C and grease a bundt pan.
2. Mix together flour, oatmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Mix milk together with oil, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract. Combine with the dry ingredients and mix until all lumps disappear.
4. Separate half of the batter into another bowl. Add approximately half a cup of cocoa powder or until all your batter turns dark brown. I did this step approximately!
5. Pour chocolate batter into the pan and then top with the remaining white batter. Swirl with a sharp knife. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To Make Chocolate Frosting

Place a few squares of baking chocolate in a pan on medium heat (be very careful to stir so it doesn’t burn!). Mix in a little bit of oil, butter, and stir until you make a chocolate sirup. Pour over completely cooled bundt cake and let it harden. Voila!

Neapolitan Chocolate Birthday Cake

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Better Baking Bible

This weekend I have a very special birthday coming up, and they are definitely a chocolate lover! The inspiration for this cake cake was inspired by my love of neapolitan ice cream – I remember spending summers at my grandpas eating Chapman’s Neapolitan ice cream just about every day (who didn’t back in the 90’s!).

Chocolate and vanilla layers stacked and sandwiched between generous layers of chocolate and pink buttercream frosting makes this cake the perfect birthday cake. The outside is smothered all over with chocolate frosting and makes this cake almost like a surprise when you slice it – the pink frosting inside really pops!

I haven’t revealed the inside of the cake just yet since it’s sitting in the freezer waiting for this weekend’s birthday party. When it’s sliced I will be sure to put up a picture, so stay tuned for the inside reveal!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back to this original post. Thanks!

Neapolitan Chocolate Birthday Cake

Chocolate and vanilla layer cake sandwiched between chocolate and pink buttercream frosting.

Ingredients:

For Chocolate Cake Layers

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa ¬powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp rum
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong black coffee
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

To Decorate

Strawberries
Homemade chocolate glaze (baking chocolate and oil mixture)
Shaved white chocolate

For Vanilla Cake Layer

½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

For Buttercream Frosting

4 cups unsalted butter, softened
8 tbsp milk
6 tsp vanilla extract
8 cups confectioners sugar
food coloring
cocoa powder

Directions:

To Make Chocolate Cake Layers

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8” round baking pans.
2. In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk, rum, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium for 2 mins and then pour evenly into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 30-35 mins or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins, remove to wire rack and transfer to the freezer to cool completely.

To Make Vanilla Cake Layers

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour one 8” round baking pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar with a mixer on medium until combined. Mix in eggs, and then slowly add in flour mixture and beat on low. Add milk and vanilla and keep beating until combined.
3. Pour cake batter into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn out onto rack and allow it to cool completely, or transfer to the freezer to chill.

To Make Buttercream Frosting

1. Using an electric mixer, cream all of the ingredients together until a buttercream frosting forms. Make sure the mixture is spreadable, and no clumps of butter are visible.
2. Separate ¼ of the frosting and place it in a separate bowl. Add a few drops of red food coloring and mix with an electric mixer to form a pink frosting.
3. In the rest of the white frosting add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder and mix with an electric mixer. If the frosting isn’t dark enough, add more cocoa and mix again.

To Assemble Cake

1. Add a tablespoon of frosting in the center of a plate to hold the first layer in place. Place the first chocolate layer on top.
2. Spread a generous amount of chocolate frosting over the first layer. Next, place the thick vanilla layer on top. Spread all of the pink frosting over this layer.
3. Add the last chocolate layer on top of the pink frosting and then frost the whole cake with the remaining chocolate frosting. Arrange strawberries on top of the cake.
4. In a double boiler, melt chunks of cooking chocolate and a little bit of oil to make a spreadable chocolate glaze. Pour over the top of the cake and strawberries. Sprinkle shaved white chocolate near the bottom of the cake and then place in the freezer to chill and set.

3 Step Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Better Baking Bible

Going gluten free has never been SO easy! These 3 step gluten free oatmeal chocolate chip raisin cookies literally take three steps to make! I love and support a gluten free lifestyle and confirm that it yields so many health benefits. In a matter of weeks you literally feel like a new person! But when it comes to baking, it can get a little tricky. Almost all baking recipes contain some kind of gluten, and I just can’t give up chocolate chip cookies.

These chocolate raisins cookies cookies are healthy, contain no sugar, and are jam packed with fibre. You wouldn’t even guess they are gluten free! You can make these cookies as 2 ingredient cookies or you can add in my favorite optional add-ins that I included in the recipe.

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back to this original post. Thanks!

3 Step Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:

2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups oat flour (see instructions)
2 tbsp ground flax seed (optional)
½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
½ cup raisins (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To make the oat flour, place oats in a blender and blend until they become the consistency of flour. (I didn’t blend mine all the way because I like a more crunchier taste!) In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, oat flour, chocolate chips, flax, and raisins.
Drop large tablespoons of cookie dough onto the baking sheet and then flatten the dough. Bake for about 10 minutes.