Desserts / Treats
I love desserts, absolutely adore them although only the healthy ones of course as I would never eat the 'butter-white flour-white sugar-icing sugar' versions of cakes, cookies and what have you. The main ingredients (all organic) in my baking are: nuts and nut butters (mainly peanut-, almond- or cashew butter), tahini (sesame paste), coconut oil, rapeseed oil, agave nectar, maple syrup, raw cane sugar, dates, raisins, baby food / apple sauce, spelt flour, barley flour and so the list goes on. Perhaps not the most obvious ingredients but they are widely available in health food stores and you can also find them in the health food section of your larger supermarket. I am very keen on raw cakes although I bake many of my cakes as well, it depends on my mood, the occasion and the time I have available. I also love raw ice creams because they don't use any cream, eggs, butter or anything that might clog veins.
The fat is often limited in my baking (for example I might use one tablespoon coconut oil and a whole jar of baby food instead of using 200 grams of butter. The downside of using lesser fat is that the baking won't always keep for long although you can freeze most of what you make and use it later. Also the cookies tend to require a bit more fat to become crunchy. It's just not fun biting into a soft cookie which is supposed to be crunchy! So wherever I can save 1000 calories and a 100 grams of fat, I do. If the fat is absolutely required, I will use more. My husband is very happy with this policy because it means he can eat a lot more of everything (because it has fewer calories and lesser fat than traditional baking!).
Rhubarb Muffins
When I have a lone jar of something in the fridge, like a jar of rhubarb jam staring at me for a very long time, I kind of become obsessed thinking about ways to use it.
Sesame and Maple Syrup Treats
These are quick to make although they require some dexterity unless you use small cake moulds.
Spicy Blueberry Jam
This is more of a thick sauce than a jam as I don't use gelatin or other thickening agents. You can make it thicker by using pectin.
Spicy Carrot and Raisin Muffins
These are lovely and I particularly like the spicy undertone from the nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. These muffins are packed with fibre, antioxidants, iron and more.
Spicy Christmas Fruit Loaf
Although the loaf seems quite complicated to prepare it is actually fairly easy, especially if you are able to break the task down over a few days (chop the fruits on day one, prepare the batter on
Spicy Gingerbread Cookies
When I make these, it only means one thing....Christmas is upon us!
Spicy Loaf
This is a very simple bread, very popular in Iceland. I didn't like butter when I was a child (even refusing it on my toast) however this was about the only thing I would spread butter on.
Spicy Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies
These are quite the lovely treats.
Spicy Orange and Carrot Muffins
I love the spicy aroma that surrounds my kitchen when making these muffins. I absolutely love the combination of orange and spice, it is so divine.
Spicy Pumpkin Loaf
This loaf is perfect when the pumpkins start to appear in late autumn.
Spicy Scones with Dried Fruits
These were the first scones I ever made (pictured) and they were amazing.
Strawberry and Banana Ice Lollies
I love ice lollies. When I was a little girl I used to live in Canada (from 3-7 years old) where of course there are warm summer days.
Strawberry Jam and Soy Dessert
I can't make up my mind as to whether this is a breakfast treat or a dessert. Sometimes I definitely want to make this in the morning but other times I really crave this after dinner.
Trail Mix
This is the perfect trail mix and much cheaper than buying ready made trail mix from a health food store.
Vanilla Ice Cream
This is a low fat egg free, lactose free, gluten free and vegan vanilla ice cream. Sounds bad right?
Vanilla Milk Shake
I absolutely love to make this milk shake on a warm summer's day (which happens around once every summer in Iceland with a "heat wave" of 20 degrees Celsius/68 Fahrenheit..I know, pretty sad).
Vanilla Mousse
When I was a kid I never used to like the mousse you could buy in the shops.
Waffles
I used to think that making waffles was an Icelandic tradition...I grew up watching my mom and grandmother make waffles on so many occasions.
Walnut and Honey Treats
These are quite unusual because normally I don't use honey (I am not that keen on honey). I find however that it fits perfectly with the sesame seeds.
Walnut and Raisin Cookies / Treats
Walnuts are amazingly healthy and are sometimes called the "heart's seat belt" because of their heart protective qualities. They are also good for our brain.
Warm Blueberry and Vanilla Sauce
I absolutely love this sauce. It is so good with everything. I use it on pancakes, waffles, on ice cream, in milk shakes and whatever I think goes well with blueberries.