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Breakfast

Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins (Dairy-Free, Grain-Free)

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Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Forget those box mixes! You can make these wholesome muffins from scratch with just basic grocery store ingredients. These gluten-free blueberry muffins are bursting with fresh blueberries and are deliciously soft on the inside. With only 11 ingredients and two bowls needed, this gluten-free blueberry muffin recipe is simple to follow with dairy-free and grain-free options.

Blueberry muffins are a classic recipe, and while this version is gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free, you won’t be disappointed! Super easy and quick to make, they taste just like they came from your favorite bakery!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Blueberries – Whether fresh or frozen, the ultimate staple to this recipe is, of course, blueberries!

Almond Flour – This gluten and grain-free flour is a staple in my kitchen. Almond flour has a very mild taste and gives these blueberry muffins their irresistibly soft texture!

Non-Dairy Milk – Although I used almond milk for this recipe, feel free to use other dairy-free products like oatmilk.

Honey or Maple Syrup – Naturally sweeten these blueberry muffins with honey or maple syrup to add a subtle but delicious flavor. It’s also much healthier than any refined sugar!

ADJUST THIS GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFIN RECIPE TO YOUR DIET

  • Vegan: Use 3 flax eggs. They won’t be as big and fluffy, but will still taste delicious!

TIPS FOR MAKING GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

  • If you can’t find fresh blueberries, go ahead and use frozen.  

  • Use cupcake liners to keep the muffins from sticking to the pan.

  • To keep your muffins from getting “soggy bottoms,” allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a few minutes before placing on a cooling rack.
Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins (Dairy-Free, Grain-Free)
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Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins (Dairy-Free, Grain-Free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: Breakfast, Dessert, SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes
Total time

30

minutes

Forget those box mixes! You can make these wholesome muffins from scratch with just basic grocery store ingredients. These gluten-free blueberry muffins are bursting with fresh blueberries and are deliciously soft on the inside. With only 11 ingredients and two bowls needed, this gluten-free blueberry muffin recipe is simple to follow with dairy-free and grain-free options.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ Cups Almond Flour

  • ½ Cup Tapioca Starch (corn or arrowroot starch might work, I haven’t tested it myself yet)

  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt

  • 3 Eggs 

  • ¼ Cup Coconut Oil, melted

  • ¼ Cup Honey or Maple Syrup

  • ¼ Cup Non-Dairy Milk

  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

  • 1 Cup Fresh Blueberries

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F & grease or line a muffin pan.
  • Combine your dry ingredients – almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, & salt in a large bowl.
  • Add in your wet ingredients – eggs, coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, almond milk, vinegar, & vanilla extract and mix everything really well.
  • Fold in your fresh blueberries to your muffin batter until they’re incorporated.
  • Scoop out ¼-1/3 cup of batter into each muffin tin & bake for 20-25 minutes. These store best in the fridge – just pop in the toaster oven for a few minutes before enjoying.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Use cupcake liners to keep the muffins from sticking to the pan.
  • Frozen blueberries are a bit more likely to tint the muffins as you mix them in, but the result won’t taste any less delicious!
  • To store, wait until the muffins get to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container in the freezer. 

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30 Minutes or Less

Swiss Chard Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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swiss chard salad on a plate with a fork and sunflower seeds on the side

This Swiss chard salad is light, fresh, and crunchy! It’s loaded with healthy vegetables and dressed with a simple red wine and dijon vinaigrette.

swiss chard salad on a plate with a fork and sunflower seeds on the side

Why Swiss Chard?

Swiss chard is a nutritional POWERHOUSE! It’s jam-packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. But before I really get into how healthy this Swiss chard salad is for you, let’s first talk about its taste. Swiss chard is sort of a cross between kale and spinach. It’s not quite as tough as kale, but also not as light as spinach. Swiss chard is most commonly cooked or sautéed to help break down its hearty texture. Though, like any raw fruit or vegetable, when you cook Swiss chard, you lose much of its nutritional benefits.

Admittedly, Swiss chard can be tough to chew when raw. HOWEVER, the method in the Swiss chard salad recipe below provides this veggie with the right ingredients and steps to break down on its own – without any exposure to heat. I don’t know about you, but to me, that’s a total win WIN. Swiss chard is a warm-weather vegetable, peaking from early spring to late fall. Unlike other lettuces, it can withstand hotter temperatures making it the last-man-standing during brutal July/August heatwaves. My parents have harvested a large amount of this hearty green vegetable over the last few months. And aside from its health benefits, that was one of the main reasons why I came up with this easy salad recipe!

Ok now back to the nutritional benefits! Swiss chard is full of:

  • Calcium (builds strong bones and teeth)
  • Vitamin C (aids in growth, development, and repair of all body tissues)
  • Iron (gives you energy and is vital to growth and development)
  • Vitamin E (big time antioxidant and protects body against free radicals)
  • Magnesium (supports a healthy immune system and muscle function)
  • Potassium (maintains heartbeat and a healthy blood pressure)
  • Vitamin A (great for skin health and cell growth!)
  • Folate (helps convert carbs into energy)
  • Vitamin K (positively contributes to bone, cognitive, and heart health)
  • Fiber (regulates hunger and blood sugar)

What You Need To Make Swiss Chard Salad

Sunflower Seeds – The sunflower seeds give this easy vegan salad recipe an irresistible crunch! Raw, cooked, unsalted, or salted will all taste equally as delicious in this dish – so use whichever kind you’d like. I went with roasted and salted sunflower seeds and they tasted incredible. This easy-to-find seed acts as a healthier crouton in this Swiss chard salad recipe. However, if you don’t have sunflower seeds, feel free to use any kind of seed or nut you’d like!

Red Wine Vinegar – The acidity in this vinegar is what helps to break down the fibers in swiss chard, therefore making it easier to eat and digest. Red wine vinegar is delightfully tangy, a little fruity, and has just a touch of sweetness. Additionally, I should probably mention just a few of the health benefits of red wine vinegarl. Red wine vinegar has been proven to lower blood pressure and blood sugar, as well as cholesterol. Therefore, as if the swiss chard wasn’t enough, this dressing addition makes this salad even healthier!

Swiss Chard Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
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Swiss Chard Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Chilling Time

15

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

This Swiss chard salad is light, fresh, and crunchy! It’s loaded with healthy vegetables and dressed with a simple red wine and dijon vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped

  • 1/2 cucumber, sliced

  • 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

  • 4-5 radishes

  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, see Notes

  • For the vinaigrette:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, see Notes

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Mix all vinaigrette ingredients together in a large bowl then add in the vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Sunflower Seeds: Feel free to use whatever kind of seed or nut you’d like in place of the sunflower seeds in this recipe! Pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts, or sliced almonds would also make great additions.
  • Red Wine Vinegar: If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you can use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar instead.

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Dairy-Free

Healthy Cheesecake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

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overhead image of healthy cheesecake with fresh strawberries

This healthy cheesecake is light, tangy, and only tastes indulgent! It’s entirely vegan, gluten-free, and made with the healthiest ingredients. Enjoy a big slice of this healthy cheesecake with some fresh berries for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast – yup, it’s THAT healthy!

close up overhead image of healthy cheesecake with fresh strawberries of healthy cheese

I didn’t always love cheesecake. Most I tried were too dry, dense, and/or sweet. Therefore, in developing this cheesecake I made sure it was light, almost fluffy, and perfectly sweet! And it wouldn’t be a SDHB recipe if I didn’t make it healthier too. I took the best cheesecake recipes I could find, substituted a few simple ingredients, and voilà this better-for-you cheesecake recipe was born!

Ingredients such as vegan cream cheese, vegan yogurt, and a touch of maple syrup make for a more nutritient dense recipe. I wish I had recorded the look on my boyfriend’s face when I told him this cheesecake was SO healthy he could, in fact, eat it for breakfast! Once he processed the near too-good-to-be-true news, he excitedly inhaled a massive slice of this vegan and gluten-free treat.

What You Need To Make Healthy Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Graham Crackers – I used my own recipe for gluten-free graham crackers, though you can use your favorite store bought gluten-free graham crackers instead. To turn them into graham cracker crumbs you can either seal them in a ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin or heavy object, or add them to a food processor and give them a few pulses. Once all crackers have been ground into crumbs and no large pieces remain, you’re ready to use them in this recipe!

Vegan Cream Cheese – I used and love the Kite Hill Plain Vegan Cream Cheese in this recipe! Though feel free to use your favorite vegan cream cheese instead. If not vegan, you can use regular cream cheese. However, be sure to avoid flavored cream cheeses, plain is necessary for this healthy cheesecake recipe.

Vegan Yogurt – Similar to the vegan cream cheese, make sure your vegan yogurt is plain and unsweetened. Any added flavors or sugar would completely throw off the balance of this recipe. I used plain coconut yogurt and had great results, though any non-dairy plain unsweetened yogurt will work!

Corn Starch – Most cheesecakes contain eggs to help bind the filling once baked. However, this cheesecake recipe is both healthy and vegan with the use of corn starch instead. Corn starch is imperative in getting this cheesecake to firm up and set to its perfectly light and soft consistency. If you don’t have corn starch, you can use arrowroot starch instead.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Add Dairy: Use regular butter, cream cheese, and yogurt in this recipe if not vegan or dairy-free.
  • Make it Paleo: Use paleo graham crackers, coconut oil instead of vegan butter, and arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch to turn this into a healthy paleo cheesecake recipe!
Healthy Cheesecake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
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Healthy Cheesecake (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Chilling Time

8

hours

This healthy cheesecake is light, tangy, and only tastes indulgent! It’s entirely vegan, gluten-free, and made with the healthiest ingredients. Enjoy a big slice of this healthy cheesecake with some fresh berries for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast – yup, it’s THAT healthy!

Ingredients

  • For the graham cracker crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, see Notes

  • 5 tablespoons vegan butter, melted

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil

  • For the cheesecake filling:

  • 16 ounces plain vegan cream cheese

  • 2 cups plain unsweetened vegan yogurt

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • 3 tablespoons corn starch, see Notes

  • Pinch of salt

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
  • Add all graham cracker crust ingredients to a large bowl and mix together.
  • Transfer crust to the springform pan, flatten into an even layer across the bottom, then bake for 7-8 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
  • Beat all cheesecake filling ingredients together in a large bowl then transfer to the pan and smooth over the crust.
  • Fill a pan with 1-inch of water and transfer it to the oven on the lower rack.
  • Place the cheesecake on the upper rack, above the water and bake for 30-35 minutes. Crack the oven door and allow cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
  • Remove from the oven and chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours before slicing and eating.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crumbs: I made my vegan and gluten-free graham crackers, then turned them into crumbs by pulsing them in a food processor. However, you can use store bought gluten-free graham crackers instead if you’d like.
  • Corn Starch: Feel free to use arrowroot starch instead!

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Drinks

Arnold Palmer Drink Recipe (Iced Tea Lemonade)

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lemonade being poured into a glass of an arnold palmer drink with lemon slices on the side

This arnold palmer recipe is the only one you’ll ever need! A simple lemonade meets a home-brewed iced tea for a beverage that is perfectly light and refreshing. Enjoy an arnold palmer on a hot summer day as a slightly sweet and cooling drink!

lemonade being poured into a glass of an arnold palmer drink with lemon slices on the side

Ask me what my favorite non-alcoholic beverage is and I’ll say an arnold palmer every time. I look forward to every summer when the only thing that will refresh and cool me off is one of these half ice tea, half lemonade drinks. While this arnold palmer recipe isn’t limited to just the summertime, it’s just something I’ve associated with very hot days over the years. Let me tell you, the combination of fresh brewed iced tea and a homemade lemonade simply hits different when it’s a billion degrees outside.

The funny thing is, for the longest time I thought of this drink like it was one of those things I could only order while out to eat. But what I didn’t realize for all those years is how freaking EASY it is to make at home. The lemonade for this arnold palmer recipe consists of just three ingredients (one being water) and the iced tea consists of just two ingredients (again, one being water)! I’m talking like stupid easy, ladies and gentleman. And because it’s me who created the recipe – this drink is refined sugar-free, too.

What You Need To Make This Arnold Palmer Drink Recipe

Lemons – Lots and lots of lemons! If you have a lemon juicer, go ahead and whip that baby out for this recipe. In the end, you’ll need an entire cup of lemon juice. Which may sound like a lot, but will actually only end up being about 6 to 8 juicy lemons. My trick for super juicy lemons is to roll them between my palm and the counter before slicing them in half. By rolling them, you’ll soften up the inside making it easier to squeeze as much lemon juice out of them as possible.

Honey – This natural sweetener is the only sweetener you’ll need for this arnold palmer drink recipe! I love honey for its high dose of antioxidants and strong anti-bacterial properties. It’s also perfectly sweet and makes a delicious addition to this refreshing beverage. If you don’t have honey, you can use either maple syrup or simple syrup instead.

Black Tea Bags – Any black tea bags will work! I’ve also used green tea instead of black tea and had great results. Brew your own tea by adding the tea bags to water and leaving it to steep in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight. Homemade iced tea couldn’t be easier to make, and is essential to this simple arnold palmer drink recipe!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Make it Vegan: Substitute maple syrup for the honey to make this a vegan arnold palmer drink recipe.
Arnold Palmer Drink Recipe (Iced Tea Lemonade)
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Arnold Palmer Drink Recipe (Iced Tea Lemonade)

4 from 5 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: Better Than Takeout, Made Healthy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Calories

300

kcal
Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

This arnold palmer recipe is the only one you’ll ever need! A simple lemonade meets a home-brewed iced tea for a beverage that is perfectly light and refreshing. Enjoy an arnold palmer on a hot summer day as a slightly sweet and cooling drink!

Ingredients

  • For the lemonade:

  • 1 cup lemon juice (about 6-7 lemons)

  • 1/2 cup honey, see Notes

  • 2 cups cold water

  • For the iced tea:

  • 4 black tea bags

  • 4 cups cold water

Directions

  • Make the iced tea by placing the tea bags in 4 cups of water then transfer to the fridge to steep for 8-12 hours.
  • Make the lemonade by adding all lemonade ingredients to a large jar or pitcher and stirring until honey dissolves completely.
  • Fill a cup with ice and fill halfway with iced tea, then the rest of the way with lemonade.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Honey: Feel free to use maple syrup or simple syrup in place of the honey in this recipe!

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Desserts

Vegan (No-Churn!) Raspberry Sorbet

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three upside down cones of vegan raspberry sorbet on parchment paper

This vegan raspberry sorbet is perfectly sweet and irresistibly delicious! This super easy, no-churn, and three ingredient recipe is totally foolproof. Simply add all ingredients to a blender then freeze and enjoy a nice cold bowl of vegan raspberry sorbet when the sweet cravings hit!

hand holding a cone of vegan raspberry sorbet

The Story Behind This Vegan Raspberry Sorbet Recipe

Raspberry sorbet will forever taste like vacation to me. I’ve been known to eat ice cream every. single. day. while on vacation. It’s what vacations are all about! Though when I had to cut dairy out of my diet, I was SO sad to have to leave behind my daily vacation ice creams. Raspberry sorbet was first introduced into my life as a way to fill that ice cream void. However, I quickly became obsessed and excited to order raspberry sorbet over tummy ache-inducing, dairy-filled ice cream. I just can’t get enough of the sweet yet tart flavor of a good cone of raspberry sorbet.

Over my last few dairy-less years, I guess you could say that I’ve become a sort of raspberry sorbet snob. I can lick out the good sorbets, and the not-so-good sorbets. To me, raspberry sorbet should be sweet but not too sweet. It should tastes like fresh, not artificial, raspberries. And most importantly, it should contain a subtle chunks of fresh raspberries throughout.

This vegan raspberry sorbet recipe is not only a way for me to enjoy the taste of vacation at home. But it’s also a way for me to make (in my opinion) the most PERFECT cone of raspberry sorbet EVER. I also figured, since I’m making this myself, I might as well make it healthier too! With the help of fresh raspberries, maple syrup, and a touch of lemon juice – I’ve managed to make a raspberry sorbet that entirely vegan and refined sugar-free. I also don’t have enough space in my one bedroom apartment for an ice cream machine, so it’s a no-churn recipe too! This vegan raspberry sorbet is probably the easiest thing you’ll make all week. It’s also healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast if you’d like!

What You Need To Make Vegan Raspberry Sorbet

Frozen Raspberries – As I said earlier, so many ice cream shops make/sell sorbet using artificial fruit flavors. And we will have none of that over here at SDHB! Easy to acquire frozen raspberries are the star of this show. You can either purchase pre-frozen raspberries or fresh raspberries, then freeze them yourself. To freeze fresh raspberries, lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Transfer them to the freezer for 2-3 hours or until frozen solid. You can then go straight into using them to make this vegan raspberry sorbet. Or, you can store them in an airtight container in the freezer to use later on.

Maple Syrup – A little bit is all you’ll need to lightly sweeten this vegan raspberry sorbet! Maple syrup is a natural sweetener, which yields more vitamins and minerals than its refined counterparts. If you don’t have maple syrup, you can use honey or simple syrup instead.

Lemon Juice – This ingredient is totally option, though I recommend it. Lemon juice brings out the freshness of the raspberries. It also contributes to that perfect balance between tart and sweet in this non-dairy recipe.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Make it Sugar-Free: Feel free to leave the sweetener out of this recipe altogether, if you’d like! The raspberries have enough natural sugar on their own to sweeten this vegan raspberry sorbet.
  • Use A Different Fruit: You can swap the raspberries out for your favorite frozen berry – strawberries, blueberries, or even blackberries would make great substitutions.
Vegan (No-Churn!) Raspberry Sorbet
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Vegan (No-Churn!) Raspberry Sorbet

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Calories

300

kcal
Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

This vegan raspberry sorbet is perfectly sweet and irresistibly delicious! This super easy, no-churn, and three ingredient recipe is totally foolproof. Simply add all ingredients to a blender then freeze and enjoy a nice cold bowl of vegan raspberry sorbet when the sweet cravings hit!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups frozen raspberries

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup fresh raspberries, optional

Directions

  • Add frozen raspberries, maple syrup, and lemon juice to a bender and blend until smooth.
  • Transfer to a baking dish lined with parchment paper, swirl in fresh raspberries if using, transfer to the freezer for 2-3 hours or until solid.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Remove this vegan raspberry sorbet from the freezer 5 minutes before serving! It will be rock solid straight out of the freezer, but will quickly soften to the perfect consistency after a few minutes at room temperature.

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