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Recipe: Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip Muffins

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I find myself wanting to eat baked goods like muffins, cookies and cakes very rarely now I’m Paleo. There’s always an abundance of ‘real food’ like meats, veggies, eggs, fruit and nuts sitting in my fridge, and nine times out of ten I will always go for something from this list rather than starting a batch of Paleo brownies or cupcakes. There are times, however, when the aspiring chef within you wants to make a sweet treat for the whole family; but its often a battle finding a recipe that is full of goodness.

These sweet potato muffins are one of the exceptions to the rule. They pack in a ton of goodness from the nutrient dense eggs, coconut flour, flaxseed and the sweet potatoes themselves. The sweet potato and cinnamon combination is divine, and the chocolate chips add an extra bit of indulgence. Give them a try – you won’t be disappointed!

 Makes 8

Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip Muffins Ingredients:

  •  1.5 cups roasted sweet potato, mashed and left to cool
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/3rd cup raw, organic honey
  • 2 heaped tbsp. ground flaxseed
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • 100g dark chocolate chips (at least 70%) or a 100g bar of dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp gluten free baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

 Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip Muffins How To:

1)            Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F. Line an 8 hole muffin tray with paper or silicon cases.

2)            In a bowl, combine the sweet potato mash with the coconut oil, eggs, almond milk and honey. Whisk together until smooth.

3)            In a separate bowl, combine the flaxseed, coconut flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, before folding into the wet ingredients to make a batter. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4)            Pour the muffin batter into the cases, filling to about 2/3rds of the way up. Bake on the top shelf of your oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip Muffins recipe paleo sweet treat dessets cake-min

Raw Chocolate Maple and Pecan Fudge recipe paleo primal sugar free sweet streats dessert-min

Recipe: Raw Chocolate Maple and Pecan Fudge

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Makes roughly 20 squares
The classic combination of Maple and Pecan tastes like heaven in this silky smooth raw chocolate fudge. I added Lucuma for a touch extra sweetness and to ramp up the levels of iron and calcium, but its not essential.

Raw Chocolate Maple and Pecan Fudge Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup pecan butter (best when home made!)
  • ½ cup coconut butter
  • ½ cup raw cacao powder
  • 100ml maple syrup (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lucuma powder (optional)

Raw Chocolate Maple and Pecan Fudge Ingredients:

1) With a fork, combine the pecan butter and coconut butter. If you don’t have coconut butter available, I guess coconut oil would work just as well, however you may want to use a little less.

2) Whisk in the cacao powder until smooth. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, and lucuma if using, and whisk well until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped pecans.

3) Line a baking tray with some parchment paper. Pour the mixture out evenly, then transfer to the freezer for an hour or so. When completely set, remove, leave for 10 minutes at room temperature, then fall in love.

Raw Chocolate Maple and Pecan Fudge recipe paleo primal sugar free sweet streats dessert-min

Maple and Cayenne Roasted Almonds paleo recipe snack-min

Recipe: Maple and Cayenne Roasted Almonds

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A recipe I came up with when I had more almonds than I knew what to do with; a little bit of maple syrup goes a long way to making these roasted almonds taste like a real treat. To adjust sweetness for your own palette, simply alter the ratio of maple syrup to olive oil. If you want more spice, don’t be afraid to go for it with the cayenne!

Roasted Almonds Ingredients:

  • 250grams raw almonds
  • 3 tbsp high grade maple syrup
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp sea salt

Roasted Almonds How To:

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas mark 4. Line a large baking tray with some parchment paper.

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the coating. Add the almonds, and coat evenly in the mixture. Lay them out on the baking tray, making sure they are evenly spread out. You may need to cook in two separate batches.

Roast in the oven for 5 – 6 minutes, give them a shake, then return to the oven for a further 5 – 6 minutes. Remove when golden brown.

So tell me, what are your favourite nuts to roast?

Maple and Cayenne Roasted Almonds paleo recipe snack-min

Paleo Diet Recipe Primal Raw Chocolate Caramel Torte dessert sweet treat pudding cake 680 min

Recipe: Raw Chocolate Caramel Torte

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Delightfully decadent chocolate cream, layered on top of rich caramel and a crisp, buttery biscuit base in a beautiful torte. Sound like the kind of thing you can only eat in your wildest, non-paleo dreams? Think again! The power of almonds, avocado, cacao and coconut make this treat as good for your body as it is for your soul.

I used maple syrup as my sweetener in this recipe, but I’m sure raw honey will work just as well!

Raw Chocolate Caramel Torte Ingredients:

For the base:

  • 1 cup ground almonds
  • 1 cup unsweetened, finely shredded coconut
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 tbsp raw honey / maple syrup

For the caramel:

  • 50g almond butter
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 medjool dates
  • 2 tbsp raw honey / maple syrup
  • A dash of almond milk
  • A little vanilla extract and sea salt (optional)

For the chocolate:

  • 1 avocado, skinned and pitted
  • ¼ cup raw cacao powder
  • ¼ cup raw honey / maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 handful cacao nibs (optional)

Raw Chocolate Caramel Torte How To:

Line a 6 inch round cake tin with some baking parchment.

To make the base, combine the ground almonds with the coconut in the food processor. Add the coconut oil, dates and maple syrup, and whizz together until combined. Press the mixture into the cake tin, and put straight into the freezer for 10 minutes to set.

Meanwhile, make the caramel by combining almond butter, coconut oil, dates, honey, vanilla and sea salt. Whizz together in the food processor until a smooth, thick paste is formed. Gradually add a little dash of almond milk to thin down to your desired caramel consistency (I used about 2tbsp). Spread evenly over the biscuit base, then return to the freezer for another 10 minutes.

Make the chocolate topping by combining all ingredients in the food processor. Smooth evenly over the caramel, top with cacao nibs if using, then leave to set in the fridge for an hour (if you can wait that long!)

Paleo Diet Recipe Primal Raw Chocolate Caramel Torte dessert sweet treat pudding cake 680 min

Raw Chocolate Coconut Macaroons paleo dessert sweet treat snack primal gluten free sugar free-min

Recipes: Raw Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

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Let’s face it; sometimes, we all crave a bit of chocolate. Even we Paleo folk have our weaknesses. Fortunately though, our chocolate fixes don’t have to be laden with sugar and dairy. In moderation, raw cacao is extremely healthy, bursting with antioxidants and beneficial phytochemicals. There are loads of different ways you can enjoy it, and for me it's much more delicious than the cheap and nasty stuff people buy stacks of in the supermarket. What better way to enjoy it than as part of some delicious, no bake, easy to make, mini macaroons?

Makes 12

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons Ingredients:

  • 1 banana
  • ¼ cup Almond Butter
  • ¼ cup Coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 5 tbsp raw cacao powder
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons How To:

Cover a flat baking tray with some baking parchment.

Mash the banana in a large bowl. Whisk in the almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla if using to form a paste.

Add the cacao powder to the mix, one spoonful at a time, stirring well.

Stir in the coconut, making sure all the mixture is well combined (I used my hands for this part!). Form the mixture into 12 mini ‘macaroon’ shapes, and place on top of the baking parchment.

Leave in the fridge for at least an hour to fully set. If you can’t wait that long, 10 minutes in the freezer is just as good!

Raw Chocolate Coconut Macaroons paleo dessert sweet treat snack primal gluten free sugar free-min

Paleo Diet Primal Recipe Double Almond and Black Cherry Slices-min

Recipe: Double Almond and Black Cherry Slices

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This recipe really is one of those ‘I can’t believe its Paleo’ moments. Perfect for a special occasion, or occasional treat! The abundance of almonds creates a delightfully buttery flavour, and is just heavenly when combined with the black cherry. Go on, see how many of your non-paleo friends you can convert with these slices!




Double Almond and Black Cherry Slices Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups ground almonds
  • 1 tbsp coconut flour
  • ½ cup flaxseed
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tbsp raw honey
  • 2 tbsp high grade maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 200g sugar free black cherry jam (I like the St Dalfour brand, but if you can’t find any it’s easy to make your own!)
  • Coconut flour to dust with (optional)

Double Almond and Black Cherry Slices How To:

Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C / Gas Mark 5. Line an 8 inch square pan with some baking parchment.

In a large bowl, combine the ground almonds, coconut flour, flaxseed and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, maple syrup and coconut oil. Blend in the almond butter a little at a time to make a thick, buttery paste.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and rub together with your hands to form a dough. Set aside around a ¼ of the mixture.

Press the remaining dough into the baking tin. Smooth it out with a spatula, then poke a few times with a fork all over. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.

Remove the tin from the oven. Spread the jam over the base, smooth out, then crumble the remaining dough all over the top. Finish with a few flaked almonds if you wish.

Return to oven and bake for another 10 – 12 minutes. When the top is lovely and golden, the slices will be ready.

Set aside to cool for around half an hour before you cut into squares! You can dust with coconut flour to serve.

Paleo Diet Primal Recipe Double Almond and Black Cherry Slices-min

Recipe paleo Perfect Almond Butter peanut butter nut-min

Recipe: Perfect Almond Butter

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Not only is almond butter absolutely delicious on its own, its great to use in loads of different Paleo desert recipes. It’s a store cupboard staple in my house, and this recipe is perfect every time.

Almond Butter Ingredients:

  • 250g organic almonds
  • Pinch of sea salt

Almond Butter How To:

1)     Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4. Cover an ovenproof tray with some baking parchment and lay out the almonds, making sure they are spread out next to, and not on top of, one another.

2)     Roast for 6 minutes, then shake, then roast for another 6. Remove from the oven, then leave to cool for 10 minutes.

3)     Pop the almonds into a food processor with a pinch of salt. On the highest setting, blitz for around 10 minutes. At first, the ground nuts will stick to the side of the food processor – just push them back in to the barrel with a spatula. You may have to do this 4 – 5 times depending on your food processor!

4)     You should watch the nuts turn from solid, into a ball, into a thick liquid. At this point, YOU ARE NOT FINISHED! Keep processing until a thin layer of oil begins to rise to the top. Here, the nuts have released their natural oils, and at the optimum for taste, texture and digestion. Pour into an empty jar, then keep in the fridge. What’s the best thing about making your own almond butter? Scraping the remains off the side of the food processor!

Have you tried making your own nut butter yet?

Recipe paleo Perfect Almond Butter peanut butter nut-min

Paleo Lemon Cookie Cupcakes recipe dessert sweet treats cakes-min

Recipe: Paleo Lemon Cookie Cupcakes

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As the name implies, these Lemon Cookie Cupcakes are somewhere in the Venn diagram of a Cookie and a Cupcake. Not that that makes them any less delicious! These guilt free treats (well, provided they are occasional treat, that is!) are delightfully light and lemony, and the coconut ‘icing’ makes them feel just a little indulgent. Enjoy!

Serves 12

Lemon Cookie Cupcake Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups ground almonds
  • 2 tbsps coconut flour
  • Zest of 2 large lemons
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tbsps coconut oil
  • 3 tbsps maple syrup
  • ½ vanilla pod

For the icing:

  • 1 can of chilled coconut milk
  • Zest of 1 large lemon
  • ½ vanilla pod

Lemon Cookie Cupcake How To:

For the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 180C / 350 F / Gas Mark 4

To make the cupcakes, combine the ground almonds, coconut flour, lemon zest and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla to form a thick oil, and then gradually stir in to the dry ingredients.

Tightly press the cookie dough into 12 muffin cups, about an inch and a half high as the mixture will rise.

Bake in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes until golden brown.

For the cream icing:

Remove the can of coconut milk from the fridge. Drain off any excess liquid by pressing the lid firmly down into the can and tipping upside down (over the sink that is!)

Pour the remaining ‘more solid’ coconut cream into a large bowl, and add the lemon zest and vanilla. Whisk for 3 – 4 minutes, until soft and fluffy.

When the cupcakes are fully cooled, spoon 1 tbsp of the icing on to each cupcake. Leave in the fridge to set for about an hour. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, or grated lemon rind if you like, before serving.

The hardest part of this recipe for me was waiting for the cupcakes to cool! They just smelt so good, I may have eaten one straight from the oven. And yes, I did burn my mouth. Good things come to those who wait, don’t forget that folks!

Paleo Lemon Cookie Cupcakes recipe dessert sweet treats cakes-min

Recipe paleo ginger bread men gingerbread man no flour grain free gluten free-min

Recipe: Paleo Gingerbread Men

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Whilst I generally avoid anything sweet, sometimes it's good to have a recipe for a more natural version of a sweet treat up your sleeve – and it doesn't get much better than ginger biscuits.

Adapted from a gluten free recipe I found online, I've replaced rice flour with a mixture of arrowroot and ground almonds to make these wonderfully moreish cookies. I've also cut out the sugar and replaced with unrefined molasses. The butter is optional – if you don’t do dairy, you can replace it with coconut oil.

Ingredients:

  • 50g butter
  • 55g arrowroot
  • 55g ground almonds
  • 2 tbsp molasses
  • 1 tbsp raw honey
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1 teaspoon ginger

How To Make Ginger Biscuits:

1)     Preheat an oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 4

2)     In a saucepan, melt the butter with the molasses and honey.

3)     Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the mix from the saucepan a little bit at a time, stirring well.

4)     Roll the mixture into biscuits, or use a gingerbread man cookie cutter (or whatever shape you prefer). Cover a baking tray with parchment, and lay the biscuits out side by side.

5)     Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until golden brown

6)     You can use nuts or seeds to decorate your gingerbread men.

Do you often do “Paleo Baking”, or is it something you avoid all together? And if you do bake, what do you make?

Recipe paleo ginger bread men gingerbread man no flour grain free gluten free-min

Avocado Chocolate Mousse paleo recipe dessert sweet treat-min

Recipe: Avocado Chocolate Mousse

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Whilst I generally try to avoid desserts and puddings, sometimes it is nice to have a sweet treat. And when I do have a sweet treat – it needs to still be Paleo. It’s easy to veer of Paleo towards SAD treats if you don’t have a back-up plan, so far better to make sure if you are going to have something sweet or containing chocolate, that it’s made with better ingredients.

I don’t think it can get much better than a dessert made with avocado, do you?

Recipe: Avocado Chocolate Mousse
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Desserts
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Print
This delicious creamy chocolate mousse has a hidden ingredient - avocado!
Ingredients
  • 1 ripe avocado (straight from the fridge)
  • 1 frozen banana (peeled and cut into chunks before freezing!)
  • 3 heaped tablespoons of raw cacao powder
  • 2 tablespoons of raw local honey (optional)
  • Squeeze of lemon
  • Water as required
  • Pinch of sea salt (I used Celtic sea salt)
Instructions
  1. In a blender, add the cacao powder, then the remaining ingredients on top.
  2. Blend until it reaches a “moussey” texture. Make sure you scrape the sides of the blender and mix in, to ensure it is all blended well.
  3. Fill small cups or shot glasses with the mixture and serve straight away!

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Do you have “Paleo treats”, or are sweet things strictly off the menu for you?

Avocado Chocolate Mousse paleo recipe dessert sweet treat-min