Category: Snacks

Chocolate Mousse Dip

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I was creating a recipe to use local Southbrook Vineyards‘ Bioflavia, an organic red wine grape skin powder loaded with antioxidants. Beginning with wine-waste—the leftovers from crushing grapes for wine—the skins are dried, separated, and milled into a fine powder. This dip is an antioxidant powerhouse, with both Bioflavia and cocoa powder as main ingredients. Enjoy as a fruit dip, use as a pie filling, or simply eat it with a spoon (I choose the latter). You can nix the Bioflavia if you can’t get your hands on it; it will taste the same.

chocolate mousse3

Chocolate Mousse Dip

4 small to medium ripe avocados
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder, sifted
1/2 cup agave nectar, pure maple syrup, or coconut syrup
2 scoops (20g) Bioflavia*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
4 to 8 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

Put the avocados, cocoa powder, agave nectar, Bioflavia, vanilla extract, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, adding nondairy milk as necessary. Refrigerate overnight before serving for best flavor. It will thicken in the refrigerator; thin with additional nondairy milk before serving if desired. Serve with fresh fruit, or enjoy as a pudding/mousse.

*Bioflavia comes with a little scoop inside the container.

chocolate mousse

Those little tiny blackish bits in the mousse are the grape skin pieces, but it doesn’t taste gritty (or like anything) at all. Just smooth, silky, deliciousness.

Banana Rhubarb Crumble Muffins

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My latest article on tuja wellness features one of my favorite muffins recipes from the pages of my first book, The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Bread. They come together fast, have a pop of sweetness from the crumble topping, and offer a lovely contrast with sweet, moist bananas and tart rhubarb.


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Head over to tuja wellness for the full recipe: Banana Rhubarb Crumble Muffins.

Maple Parsnip Bread with Dried Cranberries

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After I made and loved a cake with parsnips, I had a bunch of grated parsnips leftover and wanted to use them up. Surprisingly light, with a hint of maple flavor, this easy quick bread mixes together before your oven even preheats. It’s loaded with good stuff, nixes the refined sugars, and stays moist at room temperature for a few days, thanks to the applesauce and parsnips.

gluten-free vegan parsnip bread

Maple Parsnip Bread with Dried Cranberries

3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
6 tablespoons club soda
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (I used amber)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups grated parsnips, lightly packed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.

Put the sorghum flour, millet flour, arrowroot flour, tapioca flour, ground flaxseeds, ground cinnamon, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the dried cranberries, mixing until they are coated with the flour.

In a large glass measuring cup or small bowl, put the applesauce, club soda, maple syrup, cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix well to combine. Pour the applesauce mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until combined. Mix in the parsnips.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan using a rubber spatula, smoothing the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the loaf from the pan and put it on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing.