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Category: Food Balance Your Body Type

Rye Bread Cake – Is it Bread or Cake?

Rye bread cake is my new favorite cake for holiday sharing or any occasion.

No eggs or fat (butter or oil) ingredients needed.

Most cakes can’t say that. Not even an easy boxed cake mix.

This is one easy flour and milk cake you make from scratch.

Moist rye bread cake that's so easy to bake without eggs or fat.

And make no mistake, it’s a delicious, moist cake with no butter or oil.

…Where just earlier this year, I put on the debate between which is the better fat, butter vs. oil in a moist cake. Because I used to always use them interchangeably, based on my mood or what I had closest to me.

…So along those curious lines, I also wondered if rye bread is actually a cake?… and those bread vs. cake ideas collide in this dessert recipe below, where the dessert can be considered both.

And you can decide for yourself what the dessert should actually be called.

…Oh, and for a 3-D full-on experience, make the rye bread-cake for yourself, that btw is called rye bread (rứgbrauđ) in Iceland.

Icelanders bake this bread low and slow. And their European and Nordic counterparts (they’re invisibly tethered to), have their own similar versions.

The close inverted flag colors say it all… 🇮🇸🇳🇴

But going against the grain, I call it rye bread cake because the leavener of choice is baking soda (and baking powder if you wish). There’s no yeast. And no proofing.

That proof in simple baking terms, means cakes.

I try to keep it simple.

And it’s cake that’s soft enough to eat with a spoon-fork on a plate

It’s also better served with sweets (and not savory usually), so that’s also cake-dessert leaning, where you can adjust the sweetness.

You can make the cake consciously low-sugar healthier.

And adjust how you bake this bread (?) cake (?)…

Icelanders bake volcanic rye bread outside where they add the ingredients in a covered stainless steel metal pot. They bury it in the geothermal volcano underground.

The ground is like a community natural oven.

…Aww well hey, when you’ve got lemons (like they’ve got in Amalfi), make lemonade. …and when you have simmering volcanic heat, use that as your oven. Did you see my basalt and lava steam love Iceland photos ?

It wasn’t rocket science for the people of the fire and ice land to learn what they could heat with their natural fire pit resources. 🌋

And then dig the ready-rye treat out of the ground the next day.

Such a cool idea. And across the Atlantic, this is what the rye bread cake looked like when I dug my metal pot out (of my kitchen oven) after 60 minutes…

See how easy this can be!

Or sticking with tradition, you can bake a savory rye bread. And serve with non-sweet bites… dialing up the Icelandic salt.

Icelanders sometimes add their fishy tastes ontop (salmon, arctic char, and fermented shark)… eww. You’d agree if you got a whiff of the putrid bite where others I know have described the aroma as hair permanent solution. And Gordon Ramsay spit it out. No mouth wash is going to help. Not even Iceland’s natural water filtered through lava rock.

…And in those times, that would be a good use case for rye bread. Bread is appropriate and can serve as a palate cleanser.

And like other breads, rye bread pulls apart with your hands, like when you’re sharing and breaking bread.

rye bread cake that can be considered cake or bread.

…And yes this is the same rye bread cake I made (photos above).

It’s comfort food with a matching warm-comfort chestnut color from the rye.

And healthy rye is full of fiber.

…So if you do like me, this bread or cake is breakfast food.

I like to pair the rye bread cake with yogurt and honey to lean into early morning glee. I serve it like a dessert cake.

…And so do restaurants around Iceland further away from the geothermal underground. They bake in an oven like you and me, under a roof top. This is where I first tried this rye cake delight in Reykjavik (the capital of this geothermal cake wonderland).

They paired the rye plate with ice cream for dessert. But at home, I like to pair with the healthy pairings for breakfast.

…Like here I deliciously paired with a healthy Greek yogurt for a suitable breakfast plate, full of prebiotics and probiotics harmony.

easy rye bread cake.

That way your gut and mouth will both be thankful. And satisfying to your mind in mind-body alignment. 😊

But that’s up to you… you do you!

And whatever you decide to pair it with, it’s delicious on a plate.

And a little honey drizzle and walnut confetti on the cake helps the happy plate celebration. 🎉 Skál!

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Rye Bread Cake

This is a delciously moist cake where you don't need eggs, oil, or butter.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American, british, icelandic
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

  • stainless steel cooking pot or cake pan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp molasses and/or honey
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients to make the batter. This is a liquid and dense batter.
  • Bake at 350℉/180℃ for 60 minutes.

Pastry Shell with Apple Dessert Filling (Low-Sugar)

Pastry shell with an apple filling is a dessert that’s versatile and easy. And most importantly, delicious! As in a Red Delicious apple or similar fruit filling that’ll be delightful. These ones are decked out with Muscadine grapes, the in-season “cherry” choice on top.

apple pastry shell dessert.

These are shiny, but first you have to make the pastry.

And pastry is unique over cookie and cakes (that can made with healthy fats). But there’s no skipping butt-ah in pastry or else you have a paste.

…And you don’t need much for the effect. 🧈

The healthier truth is you only need a smidge ‘o butter to get buttery tastes. Think a knife pat vs. a whole stick.

..But-ah, it’s forgiving.

In return, pastry loves back.

You can’t mess up the pastry love (tastes) with its 2 ingredients… butter and flour. Sugar is not a necessary trio. And that makes this apple pastry a tasty low-sugar dessert. And an economical one.

…So it pays2-try pas-try!

And it’s also a lower calorie dessert option if you count water as a 3rd ingredient.

Water is often the most important ingredient in many recipes including this one.

Cold water is the kind that matters here for this easy dough make and bake.

And using a cold butter-flour-water trifecta makes it magical out of the heated oven.

Maybe that saves you?… where you don’t need to do a local bakery run in a pinch if ya got flour and butter in your kitchen.

And this recipe can be used or any rough puff pastry, from a whole pie to an individual pastry shell dessert pan.

Except one twist…

And this one’s a doozy in my book…

To make food life more interesting. And easy. It’s also always about the healthier but tasty ways in my shared world.

Tools like a pasta maker help do this.

That if you’re on the fence of whether you need one, if you like shortcuts (…who doesn’t?)  this is a tool that helps you get thickness uniformity.

There’s a time and place for rustic, and it you want a consistent thickness roll that works for pastry, a roller will do that and help with the crisp finish.

With a roller, it’s still by hand because you’re cranking the machine handle. But the dough won’t bounce back like it often does with a hand roller.

A pasta machine is more like a press or iron.

And you can roll a few times after each fold that will create some well-worth-it lamination and flakey crunch texture at the end. You’ll be glad you did. And for fun if nothing else! 🎉

That makes bringing out the equipment worthwhile.

Which btw, a pasta maker comes in handy during holiday cookie season. You can even make cookies this way to get even 1/4″ cookie dough.

And then turnaround and make homemade pasta from the same machine.

This is the pastry shell bottom with the recipe below:

To construct the sealed pastry shell bottom, instead of one flat round piece of pastry dough, I cut out a round piece with a round cookie cutter on the bottom and attach to long pastry strips that become the sides.

This way you get more of a deep basket to hold more apple filling (making it healthier). Like a wicker basket effect. 🧺

But you do you!

This yields delightful pastry tastes and textures I can only compare to Palmiers if you know those (like my younger self did 🧒🏻)… they’re a little crispy and very buttery (even with the little pat of butter)

To make the apple filling: you can rough chop apples, and add in an oven-safe bowl or skillet with a little water, and bake alongside the pastry. No need to heat separately.

Be sure to add water so the apples don’t dry out. I love to add cinnamon and it leaves the nicest oven potpourri aroma. Baking and heat invigorates the spice.

When the apples are soft, you can bring ’em out of the oven while you check on your pastry.

This comforting autumn bake can be a warming autumn ritual, that pairs with a  steaming hot mug drink you sip on.

It’s comfort food. And maybe you just had a comforting potato soup bowl (that’s low-sodium).

pastry shell filled with apples and seasonal fruit.

If you want to freeze the baked pastry shell, they will be just as good.

Let them de-thaw overnight in the fridge and they’re as good as new for the next day.

And just in time for apple season!

How ’bout them apples?  If you like this apple pastry shell recipe idea, you might also love an apple cheesecake. 🍎

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Apple Pastry Shell Dessert

This makes 4 regular (2-3") muffin diameter-size pastry shells.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

  • pasta maker or baking roller
  • cookie cutters
  • muffin or cupcake tin

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour, plus bench flour
  • 2-3 Tbsp butter, cold
  • 3/4 cup cold water

Instructions

  • Add flour to a bowl. Cut off small bits of cold butter (from the fridge) and add to the bowl. Add enough cold water to create a soft shaggy dough disc. If too wet, add some bench flour to the dough disc top and bottom.
  • Cover the dough and let chill for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge (or freezer), or overnight in the fridge.
  • Add bench flour on the outside of the dough so it doesn't stick to your fingers and pasta maker or dough roller.
  • Fold the dough a few times to create lamination that will help the flakey crunch at the end.
  • Roll dough at least twice after folding dough. If using a pasta maker, use higher settings. On my pasta maker, it's "7" for about 1/4" thick rolled dough.
  • Butter or baking spray the bottom of a muffin tin for non-stick. With the rolled dough, cut out 4 round bottoms with cookie cutter. Add one to each muffin pan cavity bottom. With the remaining dough, cut approximately four 1" long strips and wrap around as a ring for each cavity to make a basket shell, patching together with the round dough piece.
  • Bake at 375°F/190℃ for about 35 minutes until dark golden bottoms.

Popover – 3-Ingredients (and Easier than Choux)

Popover is a sweet one you can fill with your favorite fillings like a pudding, custard, or jam that goes great with warm tea. Like this one straight out of the warm oven. The nice steam is blurring the lens.

popover straight out of the oven.

This is not a bread …and actually a popover is usually described as pudding or custard and an egg based batter. But I like to compare it as easier than making choux and bread, with just 3 ingredients (and no need to knead).

With easy 5 minute prep and 30 minutes of bake time, you’re done in the time it takes for easy pastry. All my notes below.

And however you describe a popover, it’s hard to beat a sweet bake like this one here that looks like a choux pastry inside and a muffin on the outside. It’s a versatile bite great for any brunch table, dessert occasion, or sweet craving.

popover muffin-style, filled with fruit.

And one you can easily do, like as easy as making pancake batter.

A popover is especially magical in the oven because it does not need any leaveners like baking powder or baking soda, like in a cake or muffin recipe that is more dense.

The oven does all the heavy lifting rise when you do all the steps (and you will know what those are from below).

Then with the all the flavor options, you have a versatile popover dessert you can fill with so many sweet (and healthy) options… so, it’s a tasty crowd pleaser.

And like muffins, they’re better fresh and home baked than store bought. I remember my first muffin was a muffin made from a box. The fun part was draining and adding to the batter, the small can of blueberries that came in the box.

Kinda like these blueberries sitting in this popover with cinnamon pears. Sounds a little like a (papasan) chair for fruited desserts. 😋

And a popover, when opened inside, is lighter than a muffin or cupcake. Like this one that sat in one of those tins…

popover baked from a muffin tin with a soft interior.

Inside a popover, is a light and airy baked bite. One that can be no-butter or a pastry substitute.

Because NO butter can be a dilemma in your kitchen when you run out and don’t wanna  run out (to get more). And in that case, a choux dessert is easily ruled out.

…And then you’re faced with your cooking oil options in your kitchen.

If you’re not up for baking a cake, you have less easy sweet options. Maybe pancakes or brownies?

…Sometimes, meh… those can get boring (like my muffins from a box 😊)… and maybe saved for another day.

So then I got you!

Because a popover saves the dessert day.

You can use the oil you have for priming the baking pan.

…Or if you do have a little bit ‘o butter, you can use it to coat your muffin pan bottom… and the benefit is the buttery flavors will actually infuse into the muffin for a buttery popover taste.

Your oven will also have a buttery aroma that’s pleasing to most. And again there’s no butter in the batter itself.

But butter is a sensory pop-over-load that you can lean into when your popover is popping over in your oven.

All you do is make a simple popover pour-over liquid batter (like a pancake batter)!

Let the batter chill and then bake  in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.

And on the other side of the oven, if you open a popover when it’s still popover warm or piping-hot out of the oven, you’ll let out the steam (and experience a mini steam facial).

This makes a popover uniquely different from a pancake.

And what it most resembles is a choux (not a shoe 👠) that’s a pastry. A popover can’t fill those choux.

Popover vs. Choux

Inside a choux you’d delightfully notice has a light and hollow interior.

choux interior.
choux inside.

And so does a popover.

But unlike choux, you don’t need to guess at the number of eggs based on the baking day and rely on your intuition. Which, btw, eyeballing to me is usually more reliable.

But with a popover, you don’t need to do either. You can just use the recipe and easy to remember 3-ingredient proportions to make as many popovers as you want, in any shape you can make and dream up. 💭

Oh, and choux has another distinct disadvantage of relying on butter for it to work (or else you can end up with a pancake batter or pasta dough 😊).

And choux is usually using both the oven and heated stove elements. With a popover, you need only use your warm oven.

That makes it easier… and more energy cost-saving at that!

So with all those reasons, ready to pop over to your kitchen and make your dessert that’s easier than a Dutch baby?

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Easy Popover

This makes 2 regular size muffins.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American, british
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 1-1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1-1/4 cup milk of choice

Instructions

  • Whisk eggs by hand to incorporate into a liquid in a bowl. Combine in flour and milk and refrigerate overnight (or chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes before using). This is a liquid batter.
  • Coat the bottom of your muffin pan.
  • Pour the liquid batter into the muffin pan, about half full for uniform muffins. Or if you want more of a rustic look, where the muffins have different large muffin tops like a wild mushroom, then fill a little more to the top.
  • Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, then turn the oven to 375°F and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is golden to deep browned. You can create a sheen on top with milk or egg wash if you like.

Apple Cheesecake – Ricotta (Low-Sugar)

Apple cheesecake is a happy dessert. And can be made low-sugar, but apple delicious. You don’t have to add any sugar with spice if you choose.

…But I love a heavy handed douse of cinnamon and fall-ish nutmeg spice.

Why not?, I say.

To make the apple cheesecake: separate 2 eggs. And break up the 2 egg yolks in a bowl where the cheesecake batter will be made.

You can save the egg whites for meringues or your egg white breakfast bowl or a no-bake apple meringue dessert.

In batter bowl, add in 1 cup ricotta cheese and 1 cup thick Greek yogurt. Set aside.

Btw, thick yogurt doesn’t always have to mean whole milk. I used a nonfat Greek yogurt this time, and unlike the myth, did not have more sugar to compensate. You don’t know until you read the ingredient label.

But what you do know is if you use a thinner (more liquid) yogurt, the bake will take longer to bake, and the cheesecake will not fully set and may not stand on its own without sides. But the cheesecake tastes will be there.

So your best is you can practice test, and then keep note for sourcing next grocery shopping time.

…Because you’ll want to make this again! 💕

Apple cheesecake is one apple-y great fall cake when apples are abundant AND when you’re trying to figure out what to do with all them apples!

The apples can fall off the trees and into your bakes. And then melt in your mouth.

An apple cheesecake is also great year-round when there’s no apple picking… but there is a holiday and celebrating. And you have a few apples around.

Apples pair so snugly with cinnamon spice. Eaten, it sweetens and calms at the same time.

You can add the spice(s) at the start into your apple mixture.

The mixture is easy to make from scratch. It’s like making a compote, that will turn into a soft apple chunky sauce texture.

Store bought applesauce is definitely an option. but in this recipe won’t be as good tasting. Save your applesauce for low-sugar applesauce blueberry cobbler or an applesauce roll up.

In a cake, fresh apples is a better deal as you can get small taste bits of sweet apple in your bites (like in an apple pie 🥧).

…when it’s said and all done.

But first you have to prepare the apples! And you start prep by de-skinning your apples and removing the cores.

Then rough chop the apples and add to a dark skillet. You can soften them on the stovetop or in the oven. I make it an easy choice. I simply choose to do it in the oven when it’s baking day.

I add the apples in the skillet with a 1/4 cup of seasonal apple cider (or you could use water).

And you can even add orange juice to give an ambrosia sweet taste harmony effect in your mouth. 😋 Up to you!

Then put in the oven while it’s preheating at 350°F for the cheesecake bake.

Before heating, add your spices to the skillet, so they meld and activate in the heat.

Let the apples heat soften for about 15-20 minutes (in the oven or stovetop) until you can easily use a spatula to break up and smash them down a little. But not too much. You don’t want jam or applesauce.

This looks about right…

cooked apples for apple cheesecake.

Let the apple mixture cool a little and slowly add to your now apple cheesecake batter. You can also reserve some apples for cake decorating.

Then spoon-pour the liquid batter to your sprayed, oiled, or buttered springform pan.  I like to add a piece of baking parchment paper as bottom insurance, that you can peel off at the end. You do you, but whatever you do here… don’t skip this sticky step, and especially if you use a regular cake pan.

If you saved some softened apples, you can even leave an apple trail pattern on the top sides if you like to decorate your ricotta cheesecake, and your efforts will show up after baked on the cake…

apple cheesecake baked.

And it’s as good as it looks! Apple pomes works so well with a zing taste of ricotta in a cheesecake, that’s like lemon tartness without the summery vibes. 🍎

And you can dollop ricotta at the baked end as the whipped cream. Dollops remind me of doilies on a worthy dessert plate or warm dessert beverage.

For baking instructions: Bake until the top sides are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Your oven will have cozy apple aromas.

This one took 1 hour and 15 minutes in a 350°F oven on the bottom oven shelf. And that’s about how long it will probably take in your oven.

I exercised self-control and left the cheesecake in the oven for a little longer after the oven was turned off. That pays off because, fully set you could actually pick up the cake with your fingers and it shouldn’t fall apart.

With dessert on a plate, you can decide if you want to add warm douses of cinnamon dusting or serve with berries.

 

Or to each her own. I added a honey drizzle to my bite.

apple cheesecake with apple bits and bites.

Want more easy apple recipe ideas? Try the ones above and an easy apple galette.

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Ricotta Apple Cheesecake

This is one apple dessert that's texture and flavors you'll love. This is for a smaller 6" springform pan.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

  • springform pan

Ingredients

  • 2-3 chopped apples, cored and de-skinned
  • 1/4 cup apple cider (or water)
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt or thicker yogurt
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon spice
  • 1 tsp nutmeg spice

Instructions

  • Make the cheesecake batter: Break up the egg yolks. Combine in the yogurt and ricotta.
  • Make the apple mixture with spices: heat for 15-20 minutes in oven until soft. Mash into a compote sauce consistency. Let cool and then add to cheesecake batter.
  • Prepare the bottom and sides of a springform pan with oil, butter, or baking spray.. Add a piece of baking parchment paper to the bottom.
  • Pour batter into pan and bake at 350°F/180°C until sides are slightly golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. The time could vary based on the thick (height) of your batter and how much (yogurt) liquid you add, about one hour.

Amaranth vs Quinoa – Which Is Better?

Amaranth vs quinoa is a good comparison for grains. They’re both actually pseudo cereal grains (seeds), and not from rice, corn, or wheat.

They’re both complete proteins, meaning they have all essential amino acids.

So they’re perfect breakfast starters to get you going on a fuller meal.

…Oh, and gluten-free.

…Someone’s ears just perked up.

Because if you’re trying to eat less gluten (or are allergic), amaranth and quinoa are more on filling you with protein. And filled with vitamin and mineral nutrients.

Quinoa for starters, is a popular whole grain.

I remember the 90s Friends episode where the trend took off. Move over rice and couscous in the pantry, quinoa became the household food newcomer.

As the world sped up from old fashioned times, people wanted quicker meals.

And quinoa fit the quick and easy to cook up profile, vs. other grains like some raw rices take much longer to cook and soften.

Today, decades later, you can add amaranth to the list as easier to source and quicker cook-soften.

It’s an ancient grain and known as a longevity booster to help your longer ancient-ability.

Farro, einkorn, and spelt are also ancient, but they’re wheats, so they have gluten.

Then there’s barley as its own grass category, like wheat.

But if you’re looking for gluten-free, try the pseudo-cereals like quinoa, amaranths and buckwheat.

Buckwheat is usually ground into a flour. You can bake into desserts and sweets like a buckwheat ginger cookie. You may have heard of them in soba noodles.

So now that we’ve cleared that up, we know different grains for a savory bowl cook differently.

And smaller pseudocereals cook quicker in 20 minute or less meals, with amaranth vs quinoa being the more practical choices.

So which is better?

Of course, that depends on you!

…I really like amaranth because it won’t burn-stick to your pan like quinoa if you’re deciding on amaranth vs. quinoa.

Amaranth is mushy with water and quinoa is more dry, so it can burn more easily if there’s not enough water in your pan at any heating moment.

With amaranth in water, you won’t lose a single grain as it can become a mushy ball and soft like creamed wheat, or a porridge you can spread out in your bowl.

Quinoa is usually more dry like fluffy wild rice that I like to compare it to as each piece stands on its own. Each piece looks like a small piece of thread hanging on each quinoa seed.

And because of these texture differences of amaranth vs. quinoa, cooked in liquid amaranth doesn’t linger in your mouth and end up on your teeth after you’ve finished your meal.

But don’t let that stop you from you quinoa.

Because as for healthy notes, both are still great protein options.

If you’re needing fiber and lower glycemic index options, quinoa is a better choice.

Amaranth is higher in calcium and minerals. Also, if you are looking for easy to digest foods like a temporary BRAT diet, amaranth is a great variety option to keep in your pantry.

You can also add a little amaranth to bread dough (like you would sourdough starter) in a healthy whole grain roll.

And the best part is the versatility of amaranth vs quinoa that you can mix up in your meals.

Amaranth can also be made more dry (instead of the mushy texture already mentioned), as you can make “popping” amaranth like stove popcorn.

Or you make quinoa more wet in a bowl, like in a quinoa cereal with your milk of choice. This is good for Vata balancing as your body is feeling dry and looking for more moisture that you can get through a healthy bowl.

Amaranth vs quinoa is a good comparison for grains. You can add them to a healthy breakfast bowl.

Add in your nuts and seeds. Oh, and how about a heart healthy quinoa bowl to start your day?

strawberry quinoa cereal.
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Heart Healthy Strawberry Quinoa Cereal

Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

  • Red quinoa
  • Organic fresh strawberries
  • Almond milk

Instructions

  • Cook quinoa to soft. You can use red or traditional quinoa.
  • Chop strawberries. Use organic and fresh strawberries. You can freeze what you don't use in a few days.
  • Add milk.