3 Healthy and Affordable Bakes To Get You Through Lockdown

Life as we know it has drastically changed in the last year for every single one of us.

With the closure of gyms, I have struggled along with so many to find joy in my home workouts but especially with my food. Binge eating was a personal detriment at the beginning of lockdown as the unknowns surrounding the virus had heightened my stress. I felt the need to change as the realisation came upon me that one day we will get through this adversity. I saw peoples love affair for baking spark as shops had run out of ingredients such as flour, eggs and yeast. It led me to experiment and come up with these three easy, sweet substitute and affordable bakes that have brought joy to me and hopefully they can to you too. 

1) BANANA OATCAKES WITH A SPICED BERRY SAUCE

These cakes are the easiest decadent treat that is my go-to after a filling dinner when I crave that sweet treat or breakfast to start my day. Even though this is the most affordable bake out of the three it still tastes just as good especially accompanied with the easy to make berry sauce.

RECIPE

Ingredients

Cakes                                                                                                                                    

•  225 grams of rolled outs                                        
• 1 Banana 
• Topping of your choice

Sauce

• 225 grams of frozen blackberries 
• 225 ml of water
• 2 tbsp of honey
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

METHOD

Step 1: Preheat

Preheat your oven at gas mark 5 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Step 2: Sauce

Place a pan on medium heat and add your berries and water. When they come up to the boil lower your heat and let them simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes add the honey and spices to finish.

Step 3: Mix

In a large bowl mix using a fork your banana and oats until it comes together. 

Step 4: Press

Take equal pieces of the mixture and press it down onto your baking sheet

Step 5: Add

Add your toppings (in my case a tsp of peanut butter) to each cake and put them into the preheated oven for 5 minutes or until they are soft in texture.

Step 6: Serve

Serve the delicious oatcakes along with the velvety berry sauce.

These are so simple to make and at 18 cents per cake why not give it a go. If you are willing to have it with the delicious sauce it would only cost just shy of €2. The crisp outer layer and a soft inner layer of the oat cake perfectly complements the simple but complex taste of the berry sauce. Each oat cake comes in at 180 calories (that’s with the peanut butter!) so even more incentive to try these out. Do not hesitate to substitute the spice, berries, or sweetener also, go with what you have and like!

2) GOOEY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES WITH A HEALTHIFIED TWIST

You will not believe that these are healthy after eating them as they do feel like a lot of calories. They are beautiful served warm or cold and can store in a freezer for one month, just heat them through and they are good to go.

RECIPE

Ingredients 

• 70g of coconut oil
• 100g 90% dark chocolate
• 60 g cocoa
• 2tsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• 45g coconut flour
• Any topping you like (my case hazelnuts)
  

Method

Step 1: combine and place

Combine the weighed-out oil, honey and chocolate into a bowl. Place the microwaveable bowl into the microwave for 2 minutes until melted. 

Step 2: Preheat

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4

Step 3: Line and add

Line the baking tin with baking paper or use silicon moulded ware. Add the eggs into the mixture along with the essence and beat until combined.

Step 4: Add and bake

Layer your toppings on top of the wonderfully glossy mixture and bake for 30 mins.

Step 5: Rest and serve

Let them rest for at least 2 minutes to settle in the tin. Serve slightly warm or cooled whatever you fancy!

 Brighten up your day with these delicate brownies that will make you all warm inside. To make these 12 brownies it will also only cost €4.60 for the entire batch! At 121 calories per brownie, you can be sure to sit back, relax and enjoy them without the guilt.

3) MUFFIN TO START YOUR DAY OFF IN THE BEST WAY

During lockdown I built a habit of going out every morning to buy a muffin along with a coffee. I never once questioned exactly what has gone into this muffin, so instead of not knowing what I was eating and wasting money on this unnecessary habit, I decided to change. This tried and tested recipe is so rewarding as I know exactly what I have eaten and have saved a lot of money in the process.  

RECIPE

Ingredients 

• 75g coconut oil 
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp honey
• 100g coconut flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 30g porridge oats
• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 2 apples
• 1 tbsp of natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• 1 orange zest
• 1 carrot
• 50g blueberries

Method

Step 1: Preheat

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4

Step 2: Prepare

Peel and grate the carrots and apples

Step 3: Mix eggs into oil

Melt the oil, when cooled add the eggs and beat the mixture.

Step 4: Add

Add the vanilla essence and yoghurt to the eggs

Step 5: Mix

Mix all the other ingredients, the carrot, apples, blueberries, zest, honey, oats, flour, baking powder and cinnamon into the wet mix. Stir until everything is combined.

Step 6: Line and spoon

Place 8 muffin liners into your tray and spoon the mixture into the cases, roughly 3/4 of the way allowing them to rise.

Step 7: Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until they are golden on the outside and have risen nicely. 

For the price of one muffin in my local café, I can make 8 of these nutritious muffins as they only cost a mere €3.70 in total. This recipe will be a staple in my kitchen for a long time as each muffin only contains 218 calories. Trust me you won’t miss your usual breakfast when you try these as the oats do provide you with energy for the afternoon.

Try these recipes and you will be surprised at how easy, affordable and rewarding they are both in the taste and the making! 

What would you change with the ingredients? Comment down below if you tried and liked these recipes!

Enjoyed this blog? click down below for more!