Pumpkin Pie

  
It’s that time of year! All the USA has gone pumpkin mad…. From Oreos, lattes (my recipe here) to pies! 

I freaking love pumpkin so I wanted to share my recipe.

You can make this crustless if you prefer, but trust me, this crust is so delicious, healthy and the texture is spot on. It’s worth doing. Buy your protein bread HERE and use the code VJC10 for a discount.

PIE CRUST

70g Protein Bread Co Mix

30g coconut flour + 5g

20g coconut oil + 5g

5g stevia

1 large egg

Start with the crust, combine the bread mix, coconut flour,  coconut oil, stevia and egg and it will be a nice press able consistency. Leave out the extra 5g of coconut flour & oil.

Use the extra coconut oil to grease the pan you are using. I love springform cake tins.

Put the 5g coconut flour on a bench to prevent sticking and roll out the pie crust dough until large enough to cover the base and sides of the tin you are using.

Gently press the crust into the tin. Bake for 10 mins at 160 degrees.

PIE FILLING

400g cooked, mashed pumpkin

3 eggs

125ml coconut cream

50g stevia (or to your taste)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg – or use pumpkin pie spice to replace this and cinnamon.

Pinch of salt 

Combine all ingredients in a blender or processor to make a runny yet creamy batter.

Pour into the crust that has already been baked a little while.

Return to the oven and bake at 160 degrees for 45 mins or until the centre is no longer liquid.

Cool in fridge for a few hours before slicing and serving. This will set the filling further.

Serve with whipped coconut cream and for extra decedance some roasted (candied perhaps) pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup.

*not my image, the pie was eaten too quickly to get one*

Choc Chip Cookie Dough Pie

Do you love cookie dough? Pie? Chocolate? Healthy food? Desserts?

Good… You will LOVE this!

The original recipe came from Chocolate Covered Katie and I changed it a little. This is her picture also, mine aren’t as pretty but the dish looks the same 🙂 

I used butter beans, originally I was going to use chickpeas as I have in multiple desserts but I read the nutritional profile and butter beans where the same! But a better flavour. 

So here is my version;

2 cans (420g) drained and rinsed of butter beans

100g rolled oats (ground into flour or whole)

100g fat free natural yogurt

100g dark chocolate

60g coconut oil

60g stevia (or sweetener of choice)

5g vanilla bean paste

10g baking powder

Put put the beans, melted oil and stevia into the food processor. Mix until smooth.

Add in oats, yogurt, vanilla, baking powder, a pinch of salt.

Process again until smooth and well combined.

Stir in (by hand, well, a spoon really) the chopped chocolate. 

Spoon the batter into a lined pie dish or cake tin and bake in a 180 degree oven for about 40 mins. Allow to cool before cutting.

Its delicious warmed up in the microwave for 10 seconds and topped with low fat icecream!

Info per slice (serves 10)

Calories 229

Carbs 23

Fat 12

Protein 10

Chocolate Coconut Pie

 

 It’s nearly Easter! I don’t celebrate in a religious sense. It’s all about the chocolate for me 🙂

For about 12 months I have wanted to make a chocolate pie. Not sure why it took me so long really?!

The base of this pie is made from chickpeas. I’ve made biscuits so I figured a pie crust would work, it did!

Base;

400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained very well

150g coconut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste

50g stevia (I always use natvia icing mix)

Put everything in a food processor until it’s a kind of ‘dough. Won’t take long. 

Using your fingers press dough around base and sides of a greased and lined(very important) springform tin. 

Bake in a 220 degree C oven for 15 mins. 

Filling;

400ml coconut cream – full fat

150g dark chocolate

75g stevia

10g cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract/bean paste

4 egg yolks

Melt chocolate. 

Put rest of ingredients in a food processor. Turn on and combine very well, then pour chocolate in with it still running. 

Pour into base. Turn oven down to 160 degreesC and bake for about 45-60 mins. Until base is golden and the filling has only just firmed up in the centre. 

Remove from oven. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top. Allow to cool 30 mins in springform cake tin. 

Remove sides of the cake tin and bake again at 200 degrees C for 10 mins. Probably not totally needed but dried out the base so it’s not soggy. 

Cool and refrigerate before cutting and serving. Some whipped coconut cream would be amazing on top!

Serves 8

Per slice;

Calories 298

Far 21.9

Carbs 18.1

Protein 6.4 

Oat and Blueberry Pancakes

Here is a super easy and tasty recipe. Its basically exactly what MANY MANY bikini competitors eat.

I used to, before I knew different. I’m not knocking it, its healthy, delicious, provides carbohydrates, protein and antioxidants, I just prefer more variety. Sometimes though, you cant beat a blueberry pancake!

40g oat flour (blend oats until powdery)

100ml egg whites

50g blueberries

1 tsp stevia

Mix the oats, egg whites and blueberries together and cook on a low heat in a frying pan, with a little macadamia/coconut oil or butter/ghee.

Sprinkle a little stevia on top

Easiest pancakes ever!

Calories 230

Fat 4

Carbs 29

Protein 16

Christmas Fruit Mince Pies

I hope you enjoy this…. My version of a holiday favourite! They are made in a mini muffin tray (portion control) and from yummy, healthy ingredients.

70g Protein Bread Co Mix
30g coconut flour + 5g
20g coconut oil + 5g
5g stevia
1 large egg

100g apple
15g dried fig
15g dried apricot
15g raisins
15g dried cranberries
50ml 100% orange juice
1/2 tsp each of nutmeg, mixed spice and cinnamon

Combine the night before all the dried fruit, spice and orange juice, refrigerate.

Now don’t eat it…. The next day preheat the oven to 160 degrees and start on the rest.

Mix in a bowl the bread mix, coconut flour, oil, stevia and egg. Use your (clean) hands to bring the dough together.

Dust the bench and a rolling pin with the extra 5g of coconut flour and roll out pastry to about 4-5mm.

Use the extra 5g coconut oil to grease the muffin holes.

Cut out circles and press gently down the pastry into the tray. Squish and holes together so there are no leaks.

Add the fruit, juice, spice and apples to a food processor and chop finely. You could do it by hand & grate the apple if easier.

Spoon the fruit mince mixture into the pastry cases and using the excess pastry put triangles or whatever you can manage, on top.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and then allow to cool in tin.

63 calories each based on 12 pies
6.2 carb
2.8 fat
2.1 protein

Mexican Chicken Bake

I love a good one dish kind of meal. The kind that you throw together, cook and the house fills with comforing, delicious aromas. The kind that is healthy and with minimal clean up yet everyone loves it!

I made this in winter and only just got around to writing this out… I dont know why since its so simple.

500g diced chicken breast

Mexican Seasoning

Put the chicken in a large baking dish and massage the seasoning into it. Refrigerate for an hour up to a day if you have the time.

Now add in whatever chopped vegetables you like. I love it with zucchinni, mushrooms, beans (kidney or black), capsicum, corn. You can use anything though, carrots, sweet potato, broccolli, asparagus, tomato, cauliflower. Dont be afraid to fill the baking dish!

Pour over a tin of diced tomatoes, these are about 400g, and mix to evenly distribute the tomatoes, chicken and vegetables.

Put some grated cheese on top if you like, or use nutritional yeast (loving this stuff), cottage cheese or EGGS!

Bake until chicken is cooked and the cheese is melted and golden.

This could be 20 mins to an hour depending on how large you cut everything up.

Serve on its own, with a salad and/or some brown or wild rice.

I hope you love this! Dont forget and of my recipes, if you post a photo on Facebook or Instagram to include #thesecretlifeofness I would be so overjoyed to see you all enjoying my ideas!

Mexican Seasoning

I love Mexican food!

It’s flavourful and can be made into a lot of healthy options… I’ve got some recipes coming!

You can buy taco/burrito/nacho seasoning but it’s usually salt, sugar and flours in it.

Make your own for fewer calories, and you have more control of flavour too!

2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
4 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
4 tsp. ground paprika
1/4 tsp. chilli powder (add more or less to taste)

Mix and store in a airtight jar in a cool place x

Date & Walnut Loaf – Gluten Free

For a while now I have thought I am allergic to gluten, and after talking to my doctor, he suggested a coeliac disease test.

I was going to do it, except, you need to actually have it in your system, and quite a lot of it (a few pieces of bread a day for 6 weeks prior to testing) to get a reading. Seems crazy but I just your body can’t show it doesn’t like something without having contact with it.

So I have just been eating reduced gluten, I figure the odd bit of pasta or cake won’t kill me. I do eat very well so I’ll be ok. But I found I was getting more and more cramps, as well as feeling ill and issues with… Ahhh, let’s just say the last part of digestion!

The worst was just recently, after nightshift, Gavin bought me some Tim Tams, so at 7am in my sleepy state I had 3. No big deal.

That day I slept terribly, and that night I was so sick, and in so much pain. I though to myself, ‘that’s strange, hope it passes quickly’ and didn’t even remember I ate the biscuits. At about 9pm (I’m on nightshift) I remembered I had eaten them and vowed to completely avoid gluten from then on. No ‘reduced’ because that’s just silly, you don’t just eat a little of what you are allergic to!

Since then, no aches, pains, illness or issues!

But then I wanted cake. Sweet, dense, delicious cake!

I baked this, had a few slices, as did Gav and gave it away to friends & family.

Date & Walnut Loaf

200g dried and roughly chopped dates
50g coconut oil
200g gluten free self raising flour
2 eggs
100g chopped walnuts
Mixed spice to taste

Put dates & oil in a saucepan on a medium heat for 2 mins, then on a very low heat for 5mins, you will see the dates break up and soften.

Set aside to cool for 20 mins.

Mix together date mixture, flour, mixed spice, eggs and walnuts.

Pour into lined loaf tin and bake at 180 degrees until firm & golden, about 45 mins to 1 hour. Serve with whipped coconut cream.

Protein Cinnamon Buns

I have been craving hot cross buns, and they are everywhere as it’s easter! But I made these instead, and they are delish!!!!

Mix in a bowl mix dry ingredients;

1 cup oat flour (just put oats in the blender until fine)
2 scoops Vanilla Muscle Milk Protein (70g)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Now add in the wet ingredients;

1 egg
2 egg whites
2 tbsp macadamia nut oil

Mix until it forms a dough. It will be crumbly so be gentle when handling it.

Put a piece of baking paper on a bench and dough on top. Cover with another piece of baking paper.

Using a rolling pin, roll out a rectangle then remove the top sheet. Put the top sheet on a baking tray ready for the oven.

Drizzle a TBSP of honey and as much cinnamon as you like over the rectangle of dough.

Using the baking paper, gently roll into a log, squeezing lightly to keep it together.

Cut the log into 6 and place pieces on the baking tray.

Dust with a little cinnamon and bake for 15-20 mins until golden.

Once removed from oven drizzle with; 1/2 tsp tahini mixed with
1 tsp honey

Enjoy your Easter weekend!

Calories 185
Carbs 16
Protein 10
Fat 9

Sweet Potato Chocolate Brownies

I LOVE chocolate, who doesn’t?

But I am always looking for healthy recipes, and my favourite ones are grain free!

So this one, uses sweet potato as the main starch so you can eat this with no regrets.

1 large sweet potato, peeled, chopped and cooked
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup macadamia nut oil
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp coconut/buckwheat/gluten free flour

Drain the sweet potato extremely well, you don’t want any excess liquid in here.

Put potato(cold), eggs, vanilla, honey, oils into a food processor and combine. It should be super smooth.

Add in the cocoa and baking powder and mix.

If it is too wet then add 2 tbsp of your chosen flour or protein powder (1 tbsp at a time).

Pour batter into a dish (20x20cm is best) that is greased with coconut oil and lined for best results.

Bake in a moderate oven – 180 degrees until firm. About 30 mins.

Make sure the oven is hot before it goes in.

Set the brownies in the fridge once cool.

Microwave to reheat or have cold. I served mine with whipped coconut cream, banana and ABC caramel.

ABC caramel;

2 tbsp almond, Brazil nut and cashew spread
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp almond milk

Microwave for 1 min and stir well.

I hope you enjoy this sweet, chocolatey treat, as much as I did xxx