Anti-Inflammatory Recipes Archives - Page 4 of 19

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.

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

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).

Sweet Potato Soup – Low-Sodium Comfort Soup

Sweet potato sour is one delicious comfort soup. If you like dramatic soups with a melange of umami and herby fresh flavors (like Pho broth), you’ll love this elevated sweet potato soup.

It doesn’t need salt with all the punchy flavor adds. It’s also low-sodium.

It’s an anti-inflammatory soup that’s great anytime of year and will be good with your favorite flavors made from fresh ingredients. 🥣

I call these penny adds because spices, herbs, and alliums are when you break down the costs. Since 2020, homemade, warm low-sodium soups are the way I roll.

After you soften and prepare your cooked sweet potatoes in a pot of heated water, that usually takes about 45 minutes on medium-high heat, you can mash them down in the water.

You can decide whether you like a thicker or thinner soup. Thinner would be with more water, and straining out the small sweet potato pieces (that you can enjoy or use separately) .

And a thicker soup would be on the opposite spectrum, with less water. It’s kinda like deciding if you like high pulp OJ (or no pulp). And in line with cold, winter month extra Vitamin-C decisions

This sweet potato soup bowl is great for those reasons.

It’s when a bowl like this is love and hearty comfort. You can add in all your immunity flavor foods like mushrooms, red onions, more onions (green), and cilantro. 🍄‍🟫 If you like, add in your jalapeño or mild peppers. Some people like to add garlic, but I like to save some flavors for other soups.

Shiitake mushrooms are high in Vitamin D that go well with a cold weather bowl.

I also added a jammy egg as the top bowl feature. My personal rule is if it’s savory sauce or soup, add an egg. Poaching eggs for any bowl occasion is easier done than many think.

And it’s not only delicious, it’s nutritious.

The egg yolk has less sodium than the whites, that may sound surprising when you break down an egg. That could make the yolk sunnier to some (that grew up eating only the egg whites).

And eggs in general are a way to get in more protein, and alphabet soup D, E, A, K, and B vitamins.

That’s also a good time to add in your healthy fats (olive oil, Omega 3, etc.) for better absorption. And healthy fats mean it’s a better time to take your fat-soluble daily vitamin supplements.

A bowl of soup can be the timely reminder. 😊

Then you can also add in your elevated noodles and fish sauce. I opted to add in rice (unlike Pho) and soy sauce (where a reduced low-sodium version is an option).

A drizzle of lime juice adds more zingy taste. It pairs well with the fresh cilantro. And healthy lime juice is good for preventing kidney stones and for the skin, while anti-inflammatory cilantro has many benefits including detoxification.

…Sounds like a lot added, but they’re easy ingredients to add.

Oh, and don’t forget to add in additional proteins where the possibilities are endless… chick peas, meatballs, chicken, seafood, fish, and tofu.

In this dreamy soup bowl you can do you. 💭

If you like this soup, you may also like a turmeric soup that would be a good variety. And is perfect if all you have is the (turmeric) spice and soup warm water. It’s the simple things that are the best….

And what makes this sweet potato soup, sch-weet. 🍠

Sweet Potato Soup - Low Sodium (One-Pot)

This is a delicious warming bowl of soup that you can elevate.

Course Soup

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

3 medium to large sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp green onions, finely diced
2 Tbsp red onions, diced
1 Tbsp cilantro (or parsley), cut
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1 Tbsp jalapeno or bell peppers (optional)

Instructions

Prepare sweet potatoes: peel potatoes and cook them in a pot of water on the stovetop in medium heat until potatoes are soft.
Keep stove on and mash sweet potatoes (in the same pot), straining small sweet potato pieces into a separate bowl if you would like a thinner soup.
Add all other ingredients in the pot. If cooking raw ingredients like mushrooms, allow 3-4 minutes longer. If adding poached egg, add to pot for several minutes until the egg yolk turns translucent. For a jammy egg, add about another minute to the poached egg time and take out of the pot into your soup bowl, with a slotted or regular spoon to stop cooking.

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake – High Protein (and Surprisingly Good)

Cottage cheese in a cheesecake sounds like a lot of cheese, like this oozing over cake you can see below. But it’s actually a healthy way to get protein.

And a way to hide the cottage-y cheese texture (especially if you’re not a natural cottage cheese fan). And in this dish, you’ll get a smooth texture you’ll love!

Use your Magic Bullet or food processor and add 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and one egg.

Pulse the blender with cottage cheese and egg a few times to smoothly blend. This will make enough for an individual portion.

You can bake into an oven-safe mug if you don’t have a baking vessel that’s the exact right size.

Anyone can make this! 😊

It’s a quick (quiche?) way to get protein that’s sweet or savory delicious and healthy.

You decide!

And this is where it gets fun because you get to decide if you want a sweeter cheesecake (dessert) or savory cheesecake with healthy veggies or more proteins, like that you would add to a quiche.

Either way, it’s about 14 grams of cottage cheese protein and much lower in calories and fat… in case that’s important to you. And the egg adds another 6 grams, so this one individual portion has 20 grams of protein, plus any other proteins you add.

The Breakstone’s 2% milk fat cottage cheese I used had 13 grams of protein, but was only 100 calories. Some creamy cheese can be more than double or triple those calories.

I went sweet (the blueberries are a hint) and I added 1 tsp of maple syrup and some berries and surprise-inside cherries. That’s it.

The bottom was brushed with coconut oil. And if you go the savory route, you can make this a Mediterranean diet olive oil serving as an option.

Oil helps for a non-stick bottom that’s baking-desirable and improves the overall bake texture.

And since I used an under 2-inch low baking vessel (that’s shorter in height than a drinking mug), I got the anticipated dramatic spillover effect that’s fun and adds a lava effect.

Like an oozing fall “lava” cake or a French Onion soup that’s baked in another baking pan to catch the flow. I used a cake pan and carried over the spill to the plate (that was scrumptious too 😋).

And you can simply cut off the baked lava or leave on for an ahhh…

After exiting the oven, you would think this dish is made with fancy cheese like Gruyere (or other fondue cheeses) that are usually more expensive per ounce and higher fat calories. You’d never think it was easy-to-source cottage cheese.

And you may at first think that using cottage cheese as the main ingredient doesn’t give a delicious bake… but not here in this cottage cheese cheesecake where it’s controversially satisfying.

Give it a try yourself. Your friends will never guess it’s cottage cheese… unless you tell them. 🧀

Cottage Cheese Cheesecake - Healthy and Easy

This is a health conscious cheesecake that is delicious and easy, and can be made into a sweet dessert or savory quiche.

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

Magic bullet or similar blender
oven-safe mug or shallow baking vessel

Ingredients

1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
coconut oil (liquid) for bottom of baking vessel or mug
1 tsp maple syrup
berries

Instructions

Add a thin layer of liquid coconut oil to bottom of baking vessel.
Blend cottage cheese with egg in Magic Bullet blender.
Pour in mug or small baking vessel. Drizzle in maple syrup and add berries.
Put mug ontop a larger baking pan (or cake pan). Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until cheesecake sides on the top brown.