These healthy cakes were recently enjoyed by the staff at Billabong Retreat during a team development day. They were so delicious we knew we had to share the recipe with the Billabong Retreat community.
These mini cakes were lovingly prepared by former Billabong Retreat Chef Annette Robinson. They are packed with delicious dates, the fruit of the date palm tree. We love cakes with dates as they are naturally sweet and offer a wide range of health benefits due to their nutritional composition. Here are some of the benefits of consuming dates:
- Rich in Nutrients: Dates are packed with essential nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamins (such as B vitamins and vitamin K), and minerals (such as potassium, magnesium, and copper).
- Natural Sweetener: Dates are naturally sweet, making them a healthier alternative to refined sugars in various recipes and dishes.
- Digestive Health: The dietary fiber in dates supports healthy digestion by preventing constipation and promoting regular bowel movements.
- Energy Boost: The natural sugars in dates, including glucose, fructose, and sucrose, provide a quick source of energy, making them a great option for a pre-workout snack or a mid-day energy boost.
- Heart Health: Dates are low in cholesterol and contain potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.
- Bone Health: Dates contain minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which contribute to maintaining strong bones.
- Antioxidant Properties: Dates contain various antioxidants, including flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid, which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress.
Banana and sticky date mini cakes with tahini maple drizzle
(makes around 15)
Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:
*1 1/2 cups Almond meal
*1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
*1 cup Rapadura sugar or coconut sugar
*1 cup desiccated coconut *2 tsp baking powder
*1 tsp bicarb soda
*2 tbsp flax meal
*2 tsp cinnamon
*1 tsp ginger powder
*good pinch of salt
Wet ingredients:
*2 cups dates soaked in enough boiling water to cover
*3 large ripe bananas (mashed)
*1 cup of plant based milk like oat or coconut
*2 tsp vanilla paste
*1/2 cup olive oil or coconut oil
Method:
-mix dry ingredients together in mixing bowl
-empty dates and soaking water into a mixing bowl and break up into a chunky paste with your hands or process until you get a paste with bits of date still through it
-add mashed bananas to date mix along with all other wet ingredients
-add wet ingredients to dry mix and stir till well combined -use muffin tray for 15 individual cakes
-cut small squares of baking paper to put in each individual muffin hole -fill each one with mix -top with a sprinkle of rapadura sugar
-bake for 35/40 mins on 160 degrees -for topping mix a cup of tahini with around 2 tbsp of maple syrup and pop a good dollop on top once cakes are cooled
-toast some crushed almonds in a fry pan with a good drizzle of maple and pinch of salt till golden brown, then sprinkle on top of the tahini along with a few rose petals.
About Annette, Omsai Ayurveda:
Annette Robinson incorporates Ayurvedic medicinal herbs and spices into her dishes to cater to and balance the three unique Ayurvedic doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Having had extensive training as an Ayurvedic chef under both Hale Pule, in Kauai and Dr Adjit, Australasia’s most experienced Ayurvedic doctor, Annette focuses her meal plans on maximising the healing benefits of each dish to aid in enhanced digestion, reduced inflammation, increased energy, increased vitality and happiness.
For more recipes from Annette visit: www.omsaiayurveda.com.au
