Paleo Beet Cakes- NUT FREE, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Dairy Free

 BEET ''RED VELVET'' MUDCAKES- Nut Free Version. Also Paleo, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free! 

  Here is a NUT FREE version of the original beet cakes previously posted! They turn out almost the same as the original, but are made entirely with coconut instead of nuts! 

  These delightful red heart shaped cakes are super fun to make and completely guilt-free to eat! So, while your friends (or kid's friends!) are enjoying sugar-loaded red velvet cake, you'll be enjoying these healthy little cakes while getting your veggies in as well. These cakes do have a slightly earthy taste from the beets, but it blends delightfully with the carob and chocolate flavor making these unique and enjoyable. Even my adult brother who doesn't usually eat as healthily as I do (he still loves his sugar-loaded sherbert and icecream) asks for these treats! 
Choose beets that are on the smaller side: fresh looking, bright toned and without spots or wrinkles.

3 dates (I used deglet noor but medjoul dates are bigger and sweeter which would work best for this recipe)
2 TB raisins or other dried berries
1 1/2 beets, peeled and grated
2 cups plus 2 TB unsweetened shredded or desiccated dried coconut 
2 TB raw cacao powder
2 TB carob powder
1 TB ground flaxseed
1 TB coconut oil, melted
Optional: 1 tsp. xylitol or coconut sugar or 1/2 tsp stevia to taste

Icing: 
1 avacado, halved, pitted and peeled
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
3 1/2 tsp powdered xylitol 
1 1/4 tsp powdered stevia (if you hate stevia, don't worry! The chocolate masks the taste)
1 TB coconut oil
1.4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp sea salt

To make the cakes, process the dates in a food processor or blender until they are in smaller pieces. Add dried berries or raisins and oil and process until smooth. Add the beets, coconut, cacao and carob powders, vanilla and flaxseed meal and blend until combined and even in texture. Taste mixture to see if you would like to add sweetener of your choice: stevia, xylitol or coconut sugar. I only needed a little of sweetener in this recipe, but each person is different! 
You can continue blending until desired consistency is reached. I like mine a little crunchy but if you have patience, you can reach a lovely smooth texture for these cakes! 

   Line a small baking sheet or flat container with parchment paper. Place heart cookie cutters on the parchment paper and using your fingers or a spoon, firmly press beet filling into molds. Carefully remove molds and tada! you have perfect red heart shapes! 

Place in freezer on parchment paper to firm up for about 30 minutes. Or, leave in fridge over night. 

For icing, blend (or mash) avacadoes, in a small bowl and add all other ingredients. Mash or mix until blended and smooth. Spread over chilled beet cakes and chill for 30 minutes. Or, you can enjoy immediately!

 Garnish however you like, with berries, chocolate shavings, melted chocolate, cacao dusting or anything! 

Paleo Beet Red Velvet Cakes- Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free for VALENTINES!

BEET ''RED VELVET'' MUDCAKES- Paleo, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free! 

Chocolate, Beets, dates and nuts make these paleo cakes delightful and healthy to eat!

  These delightful red heart shaped cakes are super fun to make and completely guilt-free to eat! So, while your friends (or kid's friends!) are enjoying sugar-loaded red velvet cake, you'll be enjoying these healthy little cakes while getting your veggies in as well. Even my brother who doesn't eat as healthily as I do (he still loves his sugar-loaded sherbert and icecream) loves these! 
If possible, choose beets that are on the smaller side: fresh looking, bright toned and without spots or wrinkles.

 In this recipe, I included an option for using soaked (activated) nuts or regular unsoaked nuts. The reason you should soak nuts is to diminish the phytic acid. (click on the link to read more)

 1 cup macadamia and brazil nuts or walnuts, activated  (place nuts in a bowl with enough water to cover for 6-12 hours.  Alternatively: you CAN make these without soaking nuts. Just add an extra 1 TB of coconut oil to mixture= 2 TB coconut oil total in cake mixture)
3 dates (I used deglet noor but medjoul dates are bigger and sweeter which would work best for this recipe)
2 TB raisins or other dried berries
1 1/2 beets, peeled and grated
1 cup plus 2 TB unsweetened shredded or desiccated dried coconut 
2 TB raw cacao powder
2 TB carob powder
1 TB ground flaxseed
1 TB coconut oil, melted

Icing: 
1 avacado, halved, pitted and peeled
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1 TB coconut oil
1/8 tsp sea salt

To make the cakes, process the nuts in a food processor or blender until the consistency of bread crumbs. Add the dates, dried berries or raisins and oil and process until smooth. Add the beets, coconut, cacao and carob powders, vanilla and flaxseed meal and blend until combined and even in texture. Taste mixture to see if you would like to add sweetener of your choice: stevia, xylitol or coconut sugar. I didn't need sweetener added for this recipe, but each person is different!
You can continue blending until desired consistency is reached. I like mine a little crunchy but if you have patience, you can reach a lovely smooth texture for these cakes! 

   Line a small baking sheet or flat container with parchment paper. Place heart cookie cutters on the parchment paper and using your fingers or a spoon, firmly press beet filling into molds. Carefully remove molds and tada! you have perfect red heart shapes! 
                                                    

Place in freezer to firm up for about 30 minutes. Or, leave in fridge over night. 

For icing, blend (or mash) avacadoes, in a small bowl and add all other ingredients. Mash or mix until blended and smooth. Spread over chilled beet cakes and chill for 30 minutes. Or, you can enjoy immediately!

 Garnish however you like, with berries, chocolate shavings, melted chocolate, cacao dusting or anything! 

Ice them with the avacado icing completely, partially, or not at all! Enjoy!

Tafts Silk Pillowcase- product review

                                                                   A review of Tafts silk pillowcase                                     

 This heavenly silk pillowcase from Tafts is just what every woman needs! Made of 100% Pure Mulberry Silk,  these beautiful pillowcases are hypoallergenic and perfect for the most peaceful nights rest. Using a silk pillowcase is ideal for the hair because the smooth surface of the fabric will not damage your hair as you toss and turn (or just turn) as you sleep. Similarly, It also greatly helps protect the delicate skin of the face and neck from signs of aging and wrinkling during the five to eight hours of nightly rest you may take per day!

I love the feel and look of this company's pillowcase. It comes in a wide range of colors; I chose the misty rose pink which looks so beautiful in my room! Since these pillowcases also come in neutral colors and blue, these would be great for guys as well. There is no need for hair care to be limited to only women!

Taft's pillowcase also features comes in two types: with a concealed zipper or envelope-style and is available in a variety of sizes: standard, queen and king. Although they look and feel luxurious, these high-quality pillowcases are suprisingly affordable. 

I absolutely loved using this pillowcase and could feel a difference in my hair when I woke up in the morning. My hair was smoother and less tangled than usual and I am excited to continue using this product to lessen frizz and damaged hair!    

Keto friendly, Gluten Free, Sugar Free Triple Chocolate Cheesecake- Rich and Creamy!

Valentines Triple Chocolate  Sugar free Gluten free Cheesecake

Gluten-free
Refined sugar free
Nut free
Keto-friendly!

Best made a day or 2 before decorating and serving! Also freezes well. 

    Cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts and there was NO way I was letting my sugar-free, Keto-style diet rob me of this treat! My family loves eating it for Valentines, Christmas and Birthdays (and believe me, we have a lot of birthdays every year in my family!) so I knew I had to invent a version which fit in with my lifestyle! I present to you, my triple chocolate cheesecake dream! The crust is a dark chocolate gluten and nut-free brownie crust, the filling is a creamy chocolate cheesecake which is topped with a dark chocolate ganache and garnished with the creamiest chocolate whipped cream ever! Talk about heavenly!
                                                

This recipe is for a 7 inch Cheesecake. Double it for a 9-inch Cheesecake! (yes, I know. Math. But trust me, it will be okay. Also, I know double 7 does not equal 9. But trust me again. It will be okay. Lol)

  At first, it may look like this recipe has a lot of steps. But don't be overwhelmed! If you are new to all this, you can stick with just the crust and cheesecake filling and just one of the toppings! You can't ever go wrong with chocolate. 

First: Soften 2 eight oz pacakages of cream cheese
Second: Heat oven to 350 degrees F
Third: Find a 7-inch springform cake pan (height of sides: 4-5 inches)
and optional: a rimmed tray big enough for it to sit in (the depth of this pan can be anwhere between 1/2 inch to 2 inches. It doesn't matter about the size other than that)
Note: This is an optional step for best quality of baking but is not necessary. See note at the end of recipe!

Dark Chocolate Brownie Crust: 

This recipe will make a little extra brownie batter which is A Good Thing because you will have something to snack on while you wait for the cheesecake to bake :)

Butter a 7-inch springform cake pan and line with parchment paper.
Beat together for 5 minutes:
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or 1/2 cup plus 1 TB xylitol or a mixture of both sugars)
1/2 tsp stevia (if you hate stevia, trust me this camouflages well. You will not notice it)
Add: 
1/4 cup Coconut flour
1/3 cup almond flour
1/2 cup plus 1 TB melted coconut oil or butter
6 Tablespoons raw organic cacao powder
 
     Mix all ingredients gently together and spread 3/4 * of the mixture into 7'' Springform pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes until the top is set but not hard. At this stage, it's better for it to be undercooked than overcooked! Remove from oven and wrap 2 pieces of aluminum foil around the bottom of the springform pan. Sit it in the previously mentioned 1/2 inch-2 inch deep pan and set aside while you prepare filling.

 *Note: the thickness of the crust is totally up to you. I use 3/4 of the mixture, but you can use 1/2 or even all of it. (cook for an extra minute if you use all) If you have extra, simply bake it separately in a muffin cup for snacking! 

     Cheesecake filling! 

2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened (at room temperature)
2 TB plus 1 tsp tapioca starch (or arrowroot powder)
2 eggs
1/4 cup plus 2-3 TB xylitol (NOTE: can substitute coconut sugar but it will be sweeter)
1 1/2 tsp stevia (I use the  most natural green, powdered kind. Again, if you hate stevia don't worry. You will not notice it in this delightful chocolate dessert!)
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or ghee or butter
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half 

Beat first package of cream cheese, xylitol, stevia and tapioca or arrowroot powder until whipped.
Add one egg, beat thoroughly followed by second cream cheese and second egg.
Beat until combined and whipped. 
In a separate small bowl, mix cacao powder and oil or butter together.
Add to cream cheese mixture, mixing just until combined. You don't want to over mix the batter or it won't rise as much! Gently add cream, folding and mixing in until just combined. 
Pour mixture into prepared brownie crust and gently smooth out the top. 

Optional: Your last step is to pour some water into the tray on which the springform pan is sitting. This water will ensure an even baking of the cheesecake and a beautiful smooth top. You do not HAVE to do this step, but I recommend you try it at least once in your cheesecake making! I love the results. 
Place cheesecake (on tray with water) in preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, until top is set. 

After baking, simply remove cheesecake from oven, take off of tray and let it cool for about 2-3 hours. Do not try to remove from pan until entirely cooled. 
When cheesecake is cooled, gently remove springform pan sides and base. Chill cheesecake for at least 1 hour (or longer! I have great results with freezing the cake and thawing it for later)

To serve: 
Chocolate Ganache:
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate (preferably organic)
 6 Tablespoons heavy cream
Optional: 1/3 cup raw cacao nibs

Finely chop chocolate, place in heat resistant bowl.
Heat cream in a pot until scalding hot but not boiling
Pour cream over chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. 
Gently mix to combine and spread over chilled cheesecake with spatula! You can choose to spread the ganache perfectly smooth over the top and sides (or skip the sides) or make designs by swirling your spatula back and forth throught the ganache after spreading it.
If you covered the sides of the cake, press cacao nibs into the sides as desired. Let chill. 

Chocolate Cream, for decorating
1/2 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
2 tbsp powdered xylitol (in blender, blend 5 TB xylitol with 1 TB tapioca or arrowroot powder until powder consistancy is reached)
1 1/2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Whip all ingredients together until peaks form. I like it to be rather stiff, but not too buttery. 

You can spoon cream onto top of cheesecake in any patttern or style you wish! I like using a cake decorating nozzle/piping tool to make lovely shapes. 

Optional: also decorate with melted chocolate, raspberries, berries, chocolate curls or shavings, cacao nibs, cacao powder, and or squares of sugar-free chocolate! 

Of course, ideally, you should use organic ingredients including raw unpasteurized cream cheese, organic raw grass fed butter or ghee, organic raw cacao powder, etc. I like using the powdered stevia which is a natural green color! Some people still hate the taste of stevia. I think you can grow accustomed to it, and chocolate flavor really masks the taste of stevia. Plus, in this recipe you don't notice the stevia at all! 

 

How I quit sugar and grains for good!

 

It was actually a dentist visit that changed my lifestyle. 

 

I grew up with a fair knowledge of health and which foods were ''good'' and ''bad''.
However, since I have direct French and Scottish ancestry which means I innately love bread (all breads!) and baked goods! Okay, so maybe I can't blame my heritage but it sounds better than just saying ''I love everything bready and sweet''. Lol.

 

    For years I struggled with keeping temporary promises to ''eat better''. 

I would write lists of foods I should abstain from, make 'solemn' promises 

food-wise, and actually feel more content when I had a cold because I kept to a strict healthy diet during the weeks I was ever sick.

But even when I made those promises I knew that they were not permanent choices, and that in a week or so I would be back to enjoying certain very delightful treats with my family or friends.

For me, sweets and treats are really a big part of family memories!

                        And goodness! We like to celebrate. Growing up, we celebrated 11 birthays each year!

    Fast forward through the years and I was doing much better keeping control of my eating habits. I didn't eat hard candy. My treats were dark chocolate or baked goods with whole wheat and honey or raw organic cane sugar. I thought I was doing great.

    THEN I went to the dentist and discovered I had, not just one dental cavity, but EIGHT. I will be honest, I was so discouraged I started crying right there in the dentist chair. I kept thinking "I eat so healthy''! I went home depressed but with new resolve. And thus also began my journey to learn about the damage phytic acid does on the teeth and bones. That's a long story for another time, but my diet turned completely gluten free, refined-sugar free, grain-free, starch-free, and for a while fruit-free (this is not always recommended but it helped me for a time). What did I eat? Lots of protein, vegetables, organic raw dairy, and coconut products!

    The crazy and awesome thing about this change was that it wasn't just a diet. It was a change of a frustrating lifestyle! I had not really been concerned with my weight but in just a couple months I went from 135 lb to 115 lb! My brain felt free, I felt confident about my body and because of this I want to share with everyone how easy it is to make the switch from processed, sugar loaded foods to all natural, unprocessed, and sugar free meals and treats! 

Oh- and the teeth? That sad year, the dentist had filled 5 of the 8 caries and warned me about the other 3. The next time I visited the dentist, they acted like nothing was wrong. I thought they were just being kind. I questioned them and they said my teeth were good! And they have been since then! 
     
  If you are interested in starting on this journey yourself, or have been following this kind of lifestyle for a while, I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment or email me at mazzou91@gmail.com 

On this blog, I am so excited to share with you recipes for various diets including: gluten free, sugar free, grain free, unprocessed, nut free, dairy-free, and more! 

You can also follow me on Instagram @mazzoustyle  

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Welcome! This blog is alive again!

    Well, hello strangers! 
  This blog is a lot like my personal diary. It has mysterious spans of blank space which usually cover a good 6 months.
Terribly sad.
 I feel like I owe an explanation. Like, I died or something.
But I didn't and....I have good news for you!
This blog is coming back to life! I won't say as much for the diary. 

  I have a ton of recipe ideas and tips for you all and am super excited to share them with you!!!