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Perfectly light and fluffy almond flour cake! A totally irresistible dessert that’s grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. This simple cake comes together in one bowl, with only a handful of simple ingredients.

overhead image of almond flour cake with fresh berries on top

Can You Use Almond Flour For Cakes?

Yes, absolutely! Almond flour adds texture and flavor, and is loved by those following a paleo diet. Almond flour can be beneficial to someone looking to reduce their carbs, grains and sugar intake. Unlike wheat or rice flour blends, almond flour contains no grains so it won’t lead to a spike blood sugar.

What You’ll Need To Make Almond Flour Cake

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this almond flour cake. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card!

Eggs – Bring your eggs to room temperature before using them in this recipe. Then, crack them into your bowl and beat them until super light and airy. The goal here is to introduce as much air to the eggs as possible, which will result in a lighter and fluffier cake!

Almond Flour – I recommend the Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour for this grain-free recipe. The more finely ground the almond flour is, the lighter your cake will be. However, if you can’t find an almond flour labeled “super fine,” don’t worry – many are ground finely enough to work in this recipe. Also, avoid using almond meal, it’s heavier and will result in a more dense cake.

Lemon Zest – Let’s call is the secret ingredient! A pinch of lemon zest gives this almond flour cake a hint of tangy, citrus-y freshness. Without out, the cake tastes great, but with it, the cake tastes incredible. So if you’re looking to take this gluten-free dessert recipe up a notch, don’t forget the lemon zest.

close-up image of almond flour cake with coconut whipped cream and berries on top.

Tips and Tricks When Making Almond Flour Cake

  • Beat the eggs for a full 5 minutes, no less! Beating the eggs until pale and thick is hands-down the most important part of this recipe. No matter how tempting it may be, don’t cut this step short!
  • For easy removal, I recommend baking this almond flour cake in a spring-form pan. Once done baking, gently run a butter knife along the inside edge of the pan to unstick it from the sides. Then, release the sides of the spring-form pan and list away the sides revealing your perfect cake!
  • Top this gluten-free cake however you’d like! I finished mine off with a generous dollop of coconut white cream and some fresh berries. This cake would also taste great with your favorite frosting, or a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar!
  • If you like cinnamon, try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.
slice of almond flour cake on a plate

Adjust This Almond Flour Cake Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Make it Paleo: For a paleo almond cake recipe, replace the white sugar with coconut sugar!

Perfect Almond Flour Cake

4 from 5 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Perfectly light and fluffy almond flour cake! A totally irresistible dessert that’s grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. This simple cake comes together in one bowl, with only a handful of simple ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour

  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest, optional

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • whipped cream, for topping

  • fresh berries, for topping

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and grease an 8-inch cake pan.
  • Beat together the eggs and sugar with either a hand or stand mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
  • Add in the almond flour, lemon zest, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat for another minute, until batter is fully combined.
  • Transfer to prepared cake pan and bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted down the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove cake from pan and let cool completely before garnishing and serving.

Recipe Video

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This berry breakfast crisp tastes so indulgent, it might as well be dessert! But don’t worry, it’s entirely gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. It’s super healthy with plenty of plant-based protein and fiber which will leave you feeling full until your next meal!

overhead image of berry breakfast crisp with coconut yogurt on top.

What You’ll Need To Make Berry Breakfast Crisp

Fresh Berries – Use any kind(s) of fresh berries you’d like! I used a combo of fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries – and OMG they were delicious. However, you can totally use whatever berry’s in season, or whatever you have on-hand. You could even use frozen berries if you’d like, just keep in mind they’ll yield more liquid once baked, resulting in a watery filling.

Rolled Oats – It’s super important you use rolled oats, instead of whole or steel cut oats. Rolled oats are flattened then toasted, and bake up beautifully in this berry breakfast crisp.

Almond Flour – Either almond flour or almond meal will work in this gluten-free breakfast recipe. I use and love the Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour, as well as Anthony’s Almond Flour. And if you’re interested in other almond flour breakfast recipes, check out my almond flour pancakes or almond flour banana bread – both are incredible!

Coconut Oil – A tablespoon of solid coconut oil gives the crumble atop this berry breakfast crisp its crumbly texture. If your coconut oil is liquid at room temperature (this happens when the weather’s warm), then simply place it in the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes before using. Also, if you don’t have any coconut oil, you can use a tablespoon of cold butter or ghee instead.

close-up image of berry breakfast crisp with coconut yogurt on top.

Tips and Tricks

  • Remember, this recipe makes a single serving. Therefore, you’ll want to double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe when baking for others!
  • Finish off this berry breakfast crisp with a scoop of vanilla yogurt! I topped mine with a dollop of Cocojune’s unsweetened coconut yogurt and it was perfectly creamy and delicious. Though if you’re eating this for dessert, feel free to top it off with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream instead – YUM!
  • You can easily prep this healthy breakfast recipe the night before if you’d like. To do this, assemble the berries and crumble, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Then, in the morning, bake it off as instructed and enjoy a warm berry crisp for breakfast!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Paleo: For a paleo crisp, replace the rolled oats with finely chopped nuts and/or coconut flakes!

Make it Nut-Free: To make this a nut-free breakfast recipe, replace the almond flour with one tablespoon of brown rice flour or all purpose flour.

Berry Breakfast Crisp (for one!)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: BreakfastDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

This berry breakfast crisp tastes so indulgent, it might as well be dessert! But don’t worry, it’s entirely gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. It’s super healthy with plenty of plant-based protein and fiber which will leave you feeling full until your next meal!

Ingredients

  • For the berries:
  • 1 cup fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc)

  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • For the crumble:
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats

  • 2 tablespoons almond flour or meal

  • pinch of salt

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, solid

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
  • Add all berry ingredients to a bowl and toss to evenly coat, then transfer into small oven-safe dish.
  • Mix all crumble ingredients together in same bowl as the berries, then sprinkle over top of the berries.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm with additional maple syrup and/or a scoop of vanilla yogurt.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Make this an apple breakfast crisp by replacing the fresh berries with fresh sliced apples!

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This strawberry spinach salad is both light and satisfying! Sweet strawberries, hearty farro, fresh mint, and healthy spinach are tossed together in a simple honey balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy this strawberry spinach salad as a quick and nutritious lunch or serve it alongside your favorite protein for a well-rounded lunch!

overhead image of strawberry spinach salad on a plate with a fork

I am SO here for strawberry season! I’ve challenged myself to eat as many strawberries in as many different ways as possible before this delicious season is over. And as someone who loves a good sweet and savory combo, I will forever be pro-fruit in salads. There’s also just something about a strawberry and balsamic combo that is SO incredibly perfect. Also, as someone who loves and needs more quick and easy salad options in her life – this strawberry spinach salad checks all my boxes!

What You Need To Make Strawberry Spinach Salad

Farro – Farro is a grain that’s full of fiber, iron, protein, and magnesium. I know, it’s the total package. If you’ve never had farro before, I highly recommend you give it a try. It tastes like a heartier brown rice. Though it has more than twice the amount of protein as rice! Follow the instructions on the package for how to cook the farro. The method is typically similar to pasta or rice. You’ll boil it in water for about 10-15 minutes, then strain it and let it cool for this recipe.

Spinach – Spinach is another major superfood in this recipe! Along with protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals – spinach is chock-full of antioxidants. The antioxidants found in spinach have been shown to reduce the risk of common diseases and even cancer. Yup, Popeye was seriously on to something with the whole spinach thing…

Walnuts – Here we go again with another superfood! Walnuts are also rich in antioxidants, are an incredible source of heart healthy omega-3s and have also been studied and found to reduce the risk of some cancers. Not only are they good for you, but walnuts give this salad a delightful crunch. I’m telling you, this strawberry spinach salad is the most well-rounded salad in both flavor and nutrition!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

  • Add Protein: Feel free to add a flakey salmon filet or your favorite grilled/roasted chicken to increase the protein in this strawberry spinach salad recipe.
  • Make it Vegan: You can easily make this salad vegan by using maple syrup in place of the honey.
  • Use a Different Grain: Swap the farro for your favorite grain if you’d like! Cooked brown rice, quinoa, or even barley would taste great in this recipe.
  • Add Dairy: Sprinkle some crumbled feta over the top of your strawberry spinach salad.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

This strawberry spinach salad is both light and satisfying! Sweet strawberries, hearty farro, fresh mint, and healthy spinach are tossed together in a simple honey balsamic vinaigrette. Enjoy this strawberry spinach salad as a quick and nutritious lunch or serve it alongside your favorite protein for a well-rounded lunch!

Ingredients

  • For the salad:
  • 1 cup farro

  • 1-2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

  • 3 cups spinach, sliced

  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • For the honey balsamic dressing:
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Cook farro according to package instructions then set aside to cool completely.
  • Toss all salad ingredients together in a bowl, including cooked and cooled farro.
  • Whisk together salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then drizzle over salad and toss again to coat.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • If you don’t have strawberries, fresh blueberries or sliced apples would taste great in their place!

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More Easy Salad Recipes

These mini vegan berry shortcakes are as cute as they are delicious! A few simple ingredients come together to create a soft shortcake base, which is then topped off with homemade coconut whipped cream. A sprinkling of fresh berries is the finishing touch to this easy and adorable dessert!

close-up image of mini vegan berry shortcakes

These Mini Vegan Berry Shortcakes Are…

  • Soft
  • Crumbly
  • Perfectly Sweet
  • Grain-Free
  • Fresh
  • Summery
  • & a total crowd-pleaser!

What You Need To Make Mini Vegan Berry Shortcakes

Almond Flour – This gluten and grain-free flour is a staple in my kitchen. Almond flour has a very mild taste and gives these shortcakes their irresistibly soft and crumbly texture! While almond flour used to be difficult to locate, you can easily find it either online or in most grocery stores these days.

Coconut Flour – This particular ingredient is vital to the construction of these mini vegan berry shortcakes. Coconut flour holds together these tiny treats, in the absence of eggs. It is very important that you do not skip or replace this it with any other type of flour (unless noted in the flour substitutions section below).

Coconut Cream – If you’re looking to make the vegan coconut whipped cream yourself, you’re going to need a can of coconut cream! I highly recommend the tiny cans of Native Forest Coconut Cream which can be found at Whole Foods. However, if you can’t find that particular brand then pick up any can of coconut cream and use just the solid coconut cream at the top of the can in this recipe. This step will ensure your cream whips up beautifully light and fluffy!

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Nut-Free: I have not tested this myself, but I can imagine that equal parts oat flour would work in place of the almond flour in this recipe. If you give this a try, let me know how it turns out! 🙂

Flour Substitutions: I get asked a lot if all purpose flour can be subbed in my gluten-free recipes and for this one in particular, you can try using 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour in place of the almond and coconut flour. Though keep in mind that I have also not tested this myself and therefore cannot attest to its success! If you opt for all purpose flour in these mini vegan berry shortcakes, start with just one cup and the remaining half cup (or maybe even more flour) until a dough forms.

Mini Vegan Berry Shortcakes (Grain-Free)

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

24

mini shortcakes
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

45

minutes

These mini vegan berry shortcakes are as cute as they are delicious! A few simple ingredients come together to create a soft shortcake base, which is then topped off with homemade coconut whipped cream. A sprinkling of fresh berries is the finishing touch to this easy and adorable dessert!

Ingredients

  • For the vegan shortcakes:
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 cups almond flour

  • 1/4 cup coconut flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • For the coconut whipped cream:
  • 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut cream

  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • For topping:
  • fresh berries

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and lightly grease a mini muffin pan.
  • Beat together the dairy-free butter and maple syrup, then add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, and baking soda.
  • Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined, then cover and let chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  • Scoop two tablespoons of dough into each mini muffin mold and press down then up the sides to form a cup shape.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes, then let cookies cool in pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • While cookies cool, remove the top later of solid coconut cream from the can and discard any liquid. Beat coconut cream along with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
  • Top each mini shortcake with whipped cream and fresh berries – enjoy!

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Store these mini vegan berry shortcakes in an airtight container in either the fridge or freezer!

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Other Delicious Vegan Dessert Recipes