Anti-Inflammatory Recipes Archives - Page 3 of 18

Easy Goat’s Cheesecake (Low-Sugar) – Cacao and Protein

Goat’s cheesecake is one that’s so easy to make! And you win body points with a more gut healthy cheesecake, using goat cheese. Oh, plus the healthy probiotic piped topping. See the full notes and recipe below…

…And I’d be remiss if I didn’t share the skinny on the healthy ingredients that make a healthy cheesecake difference.

…That’ll benefit your body and also help you be happy, feeding healthy vibes to your gut (where most happy hormones are made) and mouth (stirring up glee). 😋

With this cheesecake recipe, it starts with the ingredient choice of chevre or goat cheese, that’s higher in protein, calcium, and lower calories (about 25% less than regular cream cheese). Plus, healthy prebiotic notes as fermented cheese.

Despite a French name, chèvre is not to be confused with cheval that means horse in French. 🐐 Fun fact: Horses make milk too. 🐎

And goat cheese has a texture closer to cream cheese so it works great in a cheesecake.

Its calories and fat content is more like a Neufchâtel cheese, a reduced cream cheese, which is what I used to use for cheesecakes before I knew better. It’s French named after the town it comes from in Normandy…

But today, we have other available healthier options, like goat cheese…

And the Mediterranean region was one area of the world that put healthier (the real-deal) prebiotic goat cheese on the map 🗺️ straight from the farms, while cow’s cheese is still what dominates cheeses.

And we benefit with the arrival of goat cheese makers. Montchèvre is one organic brand made in the USA. Specific to Wisconsin, that’s also home to the Cheese Heads (America’s Dairyland).

Montchevre is the organic goat cheese used in this cheesecake recipe. It looks like a packaged small cheese log.

You can find it in many grocery stores that has a premium or specialty cheese section, like Harris Teeter or Trader Joe’s. So it’s easier to source.

…And even easier to find is a thick Greek yogurt for additional healthy probiotics (gut health), protein and B12 vitamins (good for energy), to name a few healthy body benefits.

All for the sake of being healthy (that’s a good cause)… and a tasty, nice textured smooth cheesecake.

Sheep’s cheese is another type of healthy protein cheese, like goat cheese, that is growing in common availability, thanks to places like Sardinia, Italy. The rural green pastures are known for the rustic and healthy cheese tradition.

And for cheesecakes, you can also make a delicious, high protein Basque-style sheep’s cheesecake. Keep in mind: sheep’s cheese 🐑 is generally more firm than goat’s cheese 🐐, so the sheep’s way makes a better rustic cheesecake shape.

But with Montchevre goat cheese in this recipe, you should get a smooth batter like mousse that makes a rounder shape. And this means you can use one piece of baking paper effectively (instead of cutting scrapbook strips like I did with sheep’s cheese in a cheesecake).

💡An idea for if you don’t have baking paper: if you use a small half-size 4″ springform pan where the cake pan sides pop off, then you can use one cupcake paper holder and it will fit perfectly at the bottom.🧁Flatten it out and that can be the baking paper you use.

And then to complete the goat’s cheesecake batter to pour into the cake pan:

Bring in the egg yolk that helps the structure in the recipe, and will add more protein/B12 healthy notes. But instead of probiotics (like in yogurt), it’s prebiotic to feed the healthy bacteria probiotics.

And for some FUN batter flavor variety, you can add easy flavors to your goat’s cheesecake like chocolate (via cacao powder).

…Or cherries and chocolate for a delightful pairing. That’s where the HAPPY dials up for me, but your flavors are up to you. You can also add in chocolate chip morsel bits for a little added crunch.

Then when you’re good with your batter in your pan, bake your cheesecake in the oven. It’s a timed event (and not one where you have to keep checking the oven).

After it’s well-baked, the goat’s cheesecake should come out of the cake pan pretty easily in one cake piece, after it’s cooled. The sides will shrink a little to help that effort, because a cheesecake usually sticks to the sides.

Tip: I have tested butter and oil directly on the bottom and sides of the pan before, and nothing seems to have worked better than baking paper and oil. Since this will be a smoother, less dense, and almost pudding-like batter you pour into the circle pan, you can use one piece of baking paper instead of little strips and pieces, and the shape of the cheese cake will remain close to a circle (without weird geometric angles for a rustic look).

And then for the final zhugh and topping (fun), I saved the best for last… where it’s thick Greek yogurt again!

Pipe away guilt-free. 💕 And add coconut oil melted chocolate on to your adult delight.

This chocolate cheesecake won’t last!

Easy Goat's Cheesecake - Protein and Low-Sugar Cacao Healthy

This will make a 4" size cheesecake about 2" high. Double the ingredient amounts for an 8" cake pan.

Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

springform or cake pan
baking paper

Ingredients

3/4 cup Greek yogurt, thicker portions (2% or higher/reduced fat milk)
1/4 cup chevre goat cheese
1 large egg yolk
1 Tbsp cacao, unsweetened or cocoa powder (for chocolate cheesecake)
1 Tbsp cherries, halves (optional)
1-2 tsp mini chocolate chips (optional)
1 Tbsp additional Greek yogurt (for piping on top)
1 Tbsp melted chocolate (optional)

Instructions

Make the cheesecake batter: combine goat cheese, yogurt, and egg yolk ingredients in a bowl. Add in any flavors like cacao powder.
Coat neutral oil to the bottom and sides of a springform pan. Add a rectangular cut piece of baking paper to the middle. Two opposing sides should reach the top. Tip: if you don't have baking paper, an easy trick is you can use paper cupcake holders. Flatten out and add to the bottom of your springform cake pan.
Pour-spoon cheesecake batter to the pan.
Bake at 350°F/180°C in the bottom oven rack for 55-60 minutes. The cheesecake sides should be a little darker and slightly pull away from the pan that will help you to pull out of the pan.
Let the cheesecake fully cool (and firm up) before removing from pan.
Pipe Greek yogurt and melted chocolate if desired. Rounded star tips work best to make a "diner whipped cream" topping look.

Sourdough Bagel – with Healthy Matcha

Sourdough bagel made with matcha is hard to match-ah when it comes to the healthy matcha marble effect you can swirl in. Someone already took an irresistible bite out of this one, backside up.

In this bagel recipe, you’ll not need to cut around a bagel. This bagel comes already halved out of the oven. The benefit is you don’t have to do extra slicing work. 🥯

..AND you can make the topping side toasty brown and crunchy if that’s what you like. That’s what I’m talkin’ about! 😋 But for a softer side, bake about 5 minutes less than the recipe time calls for.

To make this sourdough bagel, you probably have all the ingredients you already need in your kitchen pantry.

If you have flour, you can make this!

Since it’s made from sourdough, you won’t even need dry yeast. Time and air will do the heavy (sour bread dough) lifting.

…That results in light and airy pockets inside the bagel bread. And sourdough is more digestible than regular bread or store-bought that can have sugar, so you’ll possibly feel better (and lighter).

And with this recipe, you may never go back to store-bought processed bagels 🥯

While warm and fresh, after baked, the sourdough bagel is best eaten same day, 2-3 days after, or you can freeze them.

But straight from the oven when it’s piping hot, and ready is delightful!

To make the sourdough bagel:

Knead the dough as you would (instruction in recipe below).

Then let the sourdough proof (and turn sour) in room temperature for 2-3 days.

(In case you’re wondering about the step order.)

And after sourdough proofed (see the sourdough bubbles), as you shape your dough for your baking, you can add in (lightly knead in) your matcha powder just before it goes in the oven.

Matcha Sourdough Bagel Heathy Points

Matcha is a green tea and you can find it in powder form along with other tea types, these days. It has healthy ECGC, an antioxidant. And an amino acid that’s known for calming anxiety and stress. That also naturally supports sharpening your cognitive abilities like mind focus. Who couldn’t use more of that, some days (or daily)?

Also your sourdough comes with a lower GI (as in glycemic index that most breads are higher in). Basically, sourdough is more of an anti-inflammatory bread food vs. processed white bread.

Then after baked, when you pile on lean protein and healthy fat ingredients like wild salmon lox (with Omega 3s for more anti-inflammatory goodness), you’re actually getting a healthy meal and not just mostly high carb calories… that’s not ideally what your body wants to start with in the morning.

And maybe also add fermented cabbage or an avocado (source of macronutrient) that are other types of greens that pair well with matcha and savory meals. And maybe an avocado smoothie to break a fast?

This sourdough bagel is hard to match-ah!

Matcha Sourdough Bagel

Use one cup of flour per regular size bagel (with two halfs).

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

Baking pan
Silpat silicone baking sheet
container with a top or cover

Ingredients

1 cup bread flour
1/2 cup water
1 tsp coarse salt
1 Tbsp matcha powder
1/4 tsp olive oil (optional)
poppy seed (optional)

Instructions

Make the bagel dough: Add flour to bowl with water and salt. Start with 1/4 cup of water and add enough water for the dough to all come together and is slightly sticky (but not soaking with water). Knead the dough for about 7-9 minutes by mixer machine (or by hand) and form a small dough disc (shape won't matter as your dough will expand and spread in your container).
Proof (and sourdough) the dough: Add dough to a container with a lid or cover with plastic wrap. You can drizzle olive oil at the bottom of the container if you like for flavor (optional). Leave out for 2-3 days in a shaded/cool room temperature kitchen spot. If you want to speed up sourdough, bring out to a warmer room temperature spot. You will know it's ready when you see dough bubbles and the dough has a fragrant aroma (not too sour). If it gets too sour for your liking, put in the refrigerator for a few hours and it will calm down. When you add bench flour also, it will do the same.
Shape the bagels: "Pour" and scrape out the sticky-ish dough all-in-one from the container onto the baking pan. Roll in a little bench flour (like bread or semolina flour). Split into two long bread dough strands. Add dashes of random matcha powder to create a marble effect. Optional (for rolls): you can pour (onto baking pan) in one layer into a rectangle shape for a bread loaf you can cut up.
Tip: For a traditional bagel round ring shape with a hollow middle: pour the sourdough around a small circular object -- (like a smooth small oven-safe cup or metal piping tip) and onto a Silpat lined baking sheet pan that will leave a hole (in the ring center) -- until the dough ends meet. Make 2 bagel half shapes. Add poppy seeds on tops, or any flavor adds you want to make.
Bake at 350°F/180°C about 35-45 minutes or until edges and bottom are golden brown and depending on the "toast" type/soft vs hard bagel you like. Let cool and remove the circular object. Tip: Between the grip of the thumb and forefinger on one hand, shake the object back and forth until it loosens and then push through to loosen.

Buttermilk Biscuit (No Dairy Vegan) – Savory or Sweet

Buttermilk biscuit can be a healthy recipe way to start a day, breakfast, or weekend brunch. This recipe is dairy-free and delicious.

You can make a texture-full classic savory buttermilk biscuit or low-sugar biscuit with wholesome wheat germ and healthy ingredients in this recipe that you’ll learn more about if you’re not familiar.

This gobble-friendly biscuit you can make in 30 minutes total including one-bowl easy prep time, refrigerating, and then baking! And whether you make one or a dozen healthy and scrumptious biscuits, it’s up to you. It will take about just as much time from start to finish.

And you can use all pantry ingredients to make this healthy buttermilk biscuit that’s dairy-free and Vegan. You can even make your own dairy-free homemade coconut milk from pantry ingredients to use in the biscuits. Because there’s no actual buttermilk (that’s a dairy ingredient) in this biscuit.

No dairy needed — no butter, no milk. And even no egg needed. So it’s even more simple than the easiest of cakes. Or easy low-sugar cupcakes in my world of simple sweet treats.

The buttermilk is made from non-dairy milk and vinegar, where I chose almond milk and apple cider vinegar. And you can use the same, coconut milk, other nut milks, oat milk, and/or white vinegar as alternatives if you wish.

Use which ingredient inspires you and that you already have on hand.

Whether you choose to make traditional a savory or sweet buttermilk biscuit, you can use healthy and wholesome ingredients.

There’s no added sugar needed.

Because you can make it sweet and low-sugar with cinnamon.

This base healthy buttermilk biscuit recipe uses healthier whole wheat flour (vs all-purpose flour), wheat germ, apple cider vinegar (or any vinegar), cinnamon, almond milk (or any non-dairy milk), and coconut oil.

I used golden wheat that’s the main flour: a whole wheat with a milder taste than regular whole wheat flour… less wheat germ “whole” tasting. And then added back some wheat germ (crunch) that does have gluten, but is anti-inflammatory with Vitamin E, and healthy with minerals, fiber, and protein.

That was a mouthful. And adding a little wheat germ will not negatively change the texture of the buttermilk biscuit, but will add healthy notes.

The wheat germ (embryo) is the healthiest part of a wheat kernel. And you can also use wheat bran vs. wheat germ based on your need for more protein or fiber, or add both.

And And using wheat flour overall (vs. white flours like all purpose flour), the dough will turn out to be a looser dough that’s dry and slightly wet for a description.

buttermilk biscuit dough with wheat germ. — Wheat germ add to dough.

And if you use solid coconut oil for your biscuits, refrigerate for about 10 minutes to let it stay solid. This helps the fat stay separate to create steam and a lighter biscuit. And another healthy fat foods option is small avocado pieces (use half of a medium avocado), that won’t give you the airy rise, but it’s a healthy food exchange. 🥑

You should be able to easily use a biscuit or cookie cutter to cut the dough shape, and the happy biscuit will hold its shape on its own without needing pan walls for structure. It should stay height intact.

And what I LOVE about whole wheat flours is not only that it’s more healthy (protein and fiber) than all-purpose and some other gluten flours, but that it doesn’t stick to your hands or the biscuit cutter!

The only real decision you need to make here is: do you want this to be a slighter sweeter biscuit, or a classic savory one that often is paired with chicken?

And if your choice is savory, as most biscuits are with Southern meals, then after you brush the tops with oil (olive or coconut oil) before going in the oven for baking, you can add a medium salt to the tops like sea salt.

The adds a little fun-faceted bling action, and additional crunch.

And if you know me, I decided to go a little sweeter… so, I added dried raspberries to mine plus the cinnamon spice…

This recipe makes a 3″ large healthy biscuit. Multiply the recipe amounts by the number of biscuits you want to make.

The result: a soft buttermilk biscuit interior and crunch outside that you taste in each bite. Comparable to fresh warm biscuits from some of your favorite brunch and fast food places. But you know what’s in this one. 😊 Because you’ve made it!

Ready to make this? You Goooo! ⏲️

A buttermilk biscuit plate goes well with other brunch-y waffle iron food recipes.

dairy-free buttermilk biscuit that's low-sugar.

Healthy Buttermilk Biscuits - No Dairy Vegan

This makes one 3" biscuit about 2" high. You can make a classic savory biscuit or a sweet brunch one with healthy wheat germ.

Course Breakfast, brunch

Cuisine American, southern

Total Time 30

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour (or 3/4 cup flour + 1/4 cup wheat germ or bran)
2 Tbsp refined coconut oil, solid in small pieces
1/4 cup almond milk (or non-dairy milk), unsweetened + additional 1 Tbsp (if the dough isn't fully sticking).
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or vinegar of choice)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional for sweet biscuit)
3/4 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 Tbsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp optional: cinnamon spice (can sub with 1/4 Tbsp maple syrup and 1/4 Tbsp cinnamon if you want more sweet)

Instructions

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in a bowl. Fully incorporate all the ingredients by hand.
Chill dough in fridge for 10 minutes. No need to wrap/cover (unless you will be baking the biscuits later).
Hand fold dough several times. The dough should be loose and a little moist.
Cut out biscuit with biscuit cutters (or an empty 15 oz. metal can). This makes 1- large 3" biscuit, or 2- 1.5" biscuits.
Brush oil on top(s).
Bake at 425°F/218°C for 16-18 minutes until warm golden brown all around. Optional: For additional crunch, turn oven down to 350°F/180°C and bake for another 10-12 minutes.

Cardamom Cookie – Low-Sugar (Cake Soft)

Cardamom cookie is great with melted chocolate vibes. And since these are healthy-ish with cardamom and olive oil, you can make these cake soft cookies anytime.

The chocolate and a hint of vanilla with cardamom make a great combo for a warm festive cooke. They just need a mug and warm beverage to dunk in.

This reminds me of a vanilla wafer soft cookie or the Italian dipped cookies. You can make these S-shaped cookies that look like a G clef symbol or Gruppetto on a music sheet.

It’s classic on a cookie, just like classical music sheets.

…I don’t read music, but I appreciate everything about music when I hear tunes 🎼

Or if you’re into beauty, you can make cookies like unique railing curves in historical homes. They don’t have to be cookie cutter.

And whatever shape you make these, you’ll hopefully get a nice hump rise. And this has become my new favorite cookie (I say that about most yummy cookies in front of me!).

You’ll want to pipe the cookies as the batter will be a little sticky (or elastic). So cookie cutters are not needed. And you can decide if you want make them each unique shape or a specific cookie cutter shape.

And how these are different than most cookies is the cake flour. You want to be sure to not mix too much as you’re not trying to build gluten (like for bread). And that gives the softer bite.

And actually if you pipe the batter through a pastry bag with a larger tip, you’ll get a better result. It’s not always about the flour.

The reason they need to be piped and not smeared on a baking tray or through a cookie cutter, is so the air isn’t knocked out of them.

When it’s piped, you get a pouffy cookie.

You can pipe onto a sprayed cookie sheet (or Silpat on baking tray so they don’t stick).

After baked, you’ll see all the piping marks so each cardamom cookie can be unique. And swirly good. 🍥

Happy like a pouffy bubble skirt, and not an A-line one that’s flat to the surface (that can be good for other applications). 👗

That reminds me of my mom who was a dressmaker. She made me a pink bubble skirt that also made me happy. So puffy or pouffy is a good word in my book. And cookies.

And when the baked cookies have cooled down, they don’t deflate.

Then you can dip them in melted chocolate that’s best with a coconut oil method that’s foolproof every time! If you use refined oil, you won’t taste the coconut-y tastes if that’s what you’re after.

I think that’s a myth that people believe that it’ll turn into an easy low-sugar coconut cookie (that’s good for other tasty occasions!).

And the cardamom cookie belong on a holiday table of snacks.

And you can make cardamom tree cookies for a Jenga stack on a plate while you listen to Christmas music.

If you like this, you may like a low-sugar oatmeal cookie, no-bake matcha cookie, low-sugar vanilla cookie.

Cardamom Cookie Dipped in Chocolate - Low-Sugar

This is a festive low-sugar cake cookie that's easy to make and requires no butter. These will be puffy light and crunchy but soft inside like vanilla wafer cookies, and can be dipped in melted chocolate.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

3/4 cup cake flour
1 tsp monk fruit sweetener
1 egg
1 tsp light olive oil
1/4 cup milk
3/4 tsp baking powder
white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 tsp cardamom spice

Instructions

Mix ingredients. The ingredients should be wipeable and slightly elastic (almost like a choux recipe except *no need* to add the heated stove as another step... yay!). Tip: if your batter is too wet, add back a little flour.
Add your batter to a piping bag. Recommend using a large star tip (or sharp jagged tip if you're looking at the tip from the side).
Bake at 350°F/165°C for about 20 minutes or until bottom and sides are golden brown (but most the outside of the cookie will stay a light pale color). Don't overbake.
After the cookies cool, dip in melted chocolate and add sprinkles before the chocolate sets, if desired. Let set In refrigerator or room temperature. Plate and enjoy!

Raspberry Scone – Low-Sugar

Raspberry tea scone can be a low-sugar healthy dessert. When I don’t know what to bake, and have a sweet craving, it’s a scone!

Whether you pronounce it sgonn or scone, it’s a score that will be gone soon!

…Like this raspberry scone plate that’s irresistible during heart month and for a Galentine’s dessert 💕

Pair heart healthy raspberries and dark chocolate (with flavanols that improve blood flow) for a tasty anti-inflammatory effect.

And if you’re wondering what separates a scone apart, here’s my take…

A scone is a breakfast pastry, a sweet snack like a cookie, and more elevated than a bar. It’s also an EASY bake you can make low-sugar and healthier with your delicious flavors!

Cut round like a pie, but looks flat like a pancake (before the oven)… a scone comes out of the oven wedge heel-raised elevated, puffs up in the center, and crunchy inside and around in all the right places.

You can be creative and dream up your own easy scone flavors to life. This is the new food wheel… with berry and white chocolate. 😊

And if you cut the wedges before it goes in the oven, like this…

…You’ll have less crumbs on the baking board and more in your mouth.

Plus with cut wedges, whether you share or not, you’ll know how many wedges are left… before it’s sgonn. 😋

That I’m sure is fast. It’s a good idea to go ahead and make 2 scones side-by-side to anticipate its appeal.

And if you have an event you need or want to bring a dessert to, a scone is a smart, foolproof one!

You can’t mess it up, and it will be a hit 🙌

On that note, the reason I really like a scone is you don’t have to do any prep work.

For starters, the few, small pats of butter you use can be straight from the fridge or freezer and works better.

Because cold keeps the fat separate with small pieces in the dough, so that when it goes into the magical oven, steam happens and creates air pockets so you get an airier scone like you expect in breakfast pastries.

That’s the fascinating baking science part.

And with the texture working for your easy berry tea scone, you can add almost any sweet food ingredient that inspires you.

Think of the variety of tasty, healthy anti-inflammatory flavors (aka flavanols).

…Like spices, healthy smoothie powders, extracts, berries, honey, tea, and fruit. And for the wet ingredients, you can use tea like Early Grey bergamot or lavender that I added.

Perfect pairings for weekend Sunday brunch or afternoon tea! 🫖

A technique I like: in a mug, add warm tea water to honey to liquefy, plus the tea all together. Let it cool and then add to the dough mixture.

You can also shredded coconut or zest like in a low-sugar orange scone (that’s like confetti 🎉).

Think also of healthy cake ingredients you can use.

…But without any egg or milk (if you choose).

Which means a easy berry tea scone can live longer if you want it to last on a room temperature plate.

All in all, this is a delicious dessert for any occasion that no one will know there is very little sugar (and no table sugar) if you choose.

Shhh!… unless you tell ’em.

Because honey and butter alone are a delicious pairing that is enough for a delicate and decadent pastry.

But why leave it there? Healthy tea and fruit in an easy berry lavender tea scone adds an elevated taste.

And while I pulled 13 pantry and fridge ingredients in total (in the recipe), you can make this with half as many ingredients or less if you want to keep it simple… starting with some flour, butter, liquid, and sweet.

And to keep it healthier, use a healthier flour blend (e.g. almond or gluten-free flour), less butter, honey, and brewed tea. Up to you!

One thing in common is your easy berry tea scone will be delicious. See what you can come up with using my recipe as inspiration. 🍥

Enjoy your raspberry scone tea tasting! 🫖

Easy berry scone with raspberries for heart healthy.

Easy Raspberry Scone

This is a raspberry tea scone that you can make your own flavors and ingredients with the instructions provided

Course afternoon tea, Breakfast

Cuisine American, british

Servings 8 pieces

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter, cold small pieces
1 tsp lavender tea (brewed and cooled)
1-2 tsp raw honey
2 Tbsp raspberries, dried or fresh
additional other berries for tops
1/4 tsp cinnamon spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp white chocolate (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Fully hand mix ingredients into a 4" dough disc. If you find that the scone dough is too dry (and won't stick together), add a little inspiring liquid that can be water, or flavored teas to get a dough that sticks together and slightly moist to the touch. If you find the scone is too wet or sticky, add some dry ingredients like spices, almond flour, and/or healthy powders.
Press additional sweet ingredients like berries randomly to the tops.
Cut 4" scone into 8 pie wedges.
Bake at 325°F/165°C for about 35 minutes (or until browned all around).