Clean Apple and Almond Brownies

Today I'm back with yet another recipe.  Whilst back visiting my childhood home over the past week or so, boredom seems to have led me to the pantry, armed with a wooden spoon and a desire to experiment whilst not to falling too far off the wagon.  Today, I concocted these, and finally my belief in fat-free, sugar-free baking is beginning to be cemented.  

Ingredients

125g ground oats 

25g ground almonds

50g cocoa powder

3 small apples, grated

2.5 tsp baking powder

2  - 3 tablespoon chopped nuts

180ml milk

3 tbsp honey

1 egg

1) Preheat oven to 180˚C.  Line a muffin tin with paper cases.

2) Add all ingredients to a large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.

3) Add one tablespoon to each paper case.

4) Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until firm and a skewer comes out clean.

And that's it - healthy brownies in just four simple steps.  You can use any nuts you wish (I used sliced almonds but walnuts or pecans would be delicious too) and either buy ground oatmeal or simply blend whole oats yourself.  A word of warning though, these are one of the few baked goods that I think are actually nicer when cooled than they are oven-warm.  A completely guilt free treat to startle your friends and family with.  

Healthy(ish) Carrot and Oat Muffins

This morning, at 8am, I awoke with an urge to bake.  Having done my long run yesterday (14 beautiful miles in the mud), I guess I was just at a bit of a loose end as to what else to do on a Sunday morning.  I didn't want to make anything deadly though, so I browsed Pinterest and stumbled across a recipe for carrot and oat muffins.  A little adaption later - mostly due to the limitations of my pantry - I had a batch of breakfast muffins which I will definitely be making again.

Ingredients

2 cups wholemeal flour

1 cup oats

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 eggs

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 cups yoghurt

1 - 2 grated carrots

Handful chopped walnuts

1) Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF

2) Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, oats, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, sugar, spices).

3) In a separate bowl, whisk eggs then stir in yoghurt and melted oil.

4) Add egg, yoghurt and oil mixture to dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in grated carrot and walnuts.

5) Line a muffin tray with cake cases and add a level tablespoon of mixture to each.

6) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

I ate mine with peanut butter and sliced banana and they were delicious.  Next time I might try an alternative sweetener that's a little healthier but these were a great starting point.  Enjoy!