We all deserve a sweet treat once in awhile, but it doesn't have to be bad for you. Here are my top 3 homemade treats that don't contain sugar, gluten, dairy or eggs.
Chia pudding with frozen blueberries
This recipe is based on a Blue Zones recipe that my friend Aaron shared with me. I've made chia pudding many times before, but this one is particularly tasty because it contains cinnamon. You'll have to play around with different plant milks to determine which ones you like best. So far, I've had the best results with a So Delicious unsweetened vanilla coconut milk. I love topping it with frozen blueberries, but you can add any kind of frozen or fresh fruit.
The best way to make chia pudding is to use a mason jar (or any lidded jar) that will hold at least 2-3 cups. Make sure you have a lid handy.
- Add 2 cups of the milk of your choice
- Add in 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Use a whisk to whisk in the cinnamon and maple syrup as much as you can.
- Add in 1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons of chia seeds
- Put the lid on tightly and shake well. You'll have to shake it a few times to make sure that the chia seeds don't clump together.
- Place the jar into the fridge for at least an hour for the chia seeds to absorb the liquid from the coconut milk.
- Pour out the chia pudding into a bowl and add your toppings.
Energy Balls
This recipe is from Rich Roll's book, Finding Ultra. In his recipe, he cuts them into bars, but I like rolling mine into balls, adding vegan chocolate chips and rolling them in hemp seeds and/or coconut flakes. You can eat them for dessert, but they're great fuel during long runs as well.
You will need to soak 1 cup of raw almonds in water overnight.
Soak 7-8 pitted dated for about 30 minutes.
In a food processor, pulse almonds until mealy in texture.
Then add the following:
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs (I've left these out before)
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup goji berries
- 2 tablespoons of cacao powder
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- pinch of coarse salt
With the motor running, add 1 date at a time. You might have to stop the food processor to scrape the sides down.
Make the mixture into balls and press chocolate chips into the balls. Coat with hemp seeds or coconut flakes. Store in the fridge or freezer.
Homemade Bubble Tea
I have given Kung Fu Tea and Fruity Yogurt much of my hard-earned money for the pleasure of chewing on delicious tapioca boba and drinking tea at the same time. When I'm feeling frugal, I'll make my own version at home. I'm super sensitive to caffeine, so the benefit of making my own is that I can use decaf tea and raw honey as a sweetener instead of sugar. You can buy boba (or bubbles) at an Asian grocery store and I like this brand.
Super simple. Make your tea and add your sweetener of choice. Stick your tea in the fridge to cool it down. To make the bubbles, bring water to boiling and add about 1/3 cup of the bubble per serving. When the bubbles float to the top, turn the heat to medium, cover and let the bubbles cook for 9 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let the bubbles sit in the water for another 9 minutes. Drain the bubbles, rinse with cold water. You can add some honey to sweeten the bubbles. Take your cooled tea out of the fridge, add bubbles, ice and and extra creamy oat milk. Other creamy plant milks should work well too. Chewing on those tapioca pearls is so satisfying.
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