Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake
Today we decided to make a healthy dessert to satisfy our sweet tooth. A gluten free lemon pound cake. As Christine teaches us you can still enjoy great things in life while watching what you eat. Everything in moderation to keep yourself in balance. We had Rachel investigate today the benefits of adding lemon to your food. Lemon reminds us of spring which shifts our mood to happiness. Christine taught us the difference between evidence based research and regular articles. Evidence based research shows that:
- Lemons support heart health. Lemons are a good source of Vitamin C. Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke
- Helps to control weight. One common theory is that the soluble pectin fiber in the lemons expands in your stomach, helping you feel full for longer.
- Prevents kidney stones. Citric acid may help prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and increasing urine pH, creating a less favorable environment for kidney stone formation.
- Protect against anemia. Lemons contain some iron, but they primarily prevent anemia by improving your absorption of iron from plant foods.
- Reduce cancer risk. A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent some cancers. Some observational studies have found that people who eat the most citrus fruit have a lower risk of cancer, while other studies have found no effects.
- Improve digestive health. The main fiber in lemons is pectin, a form of soluble fiber linked to multiple health benefits. Soluble fiber can improve gut health and slow the digestion of sugars and starches. These effects may result in reduced blood sugar levels.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 1 Tbs. milk, dairy or non-dairy (soy, almond, cashew, hemp, rice, etc.)
- 1 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tbs. Limoncello (or 2 Tbs. additional lemon juice)
- 2 1/2 cups (337.5 grams) Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup butter or non-dairy alternative
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tbs. lemon zest
- 3 eggs, room temperature
You’re going to preheat the oven to 325°F. Oil and flour one 9x5inch loaf pan. Measure and mix together the milk, lemon juice and limoncello and set aside. The milk will begin to curdle while you prepare the rest of the batter.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, In a large mixing bowl, whip butter and sugar at medium-high speed for 6-8 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Add vanilla and lemon zest, then the eggs, one at a time, and mixing in between each egg addition.
Slowly stir in the whisked dry ingredients, alternating with the milk mixture and stirring until fully integrated. Pour batter into prepared pan, filling only 2/3 full. If you have extra batter that will not fit into your pan, bake in another small loaf pan or ramekin.
The edges of the cake will become lightly browned as well.
Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs — approximately 65-75 minutes for a large/deep pan. The edges of the cake will become lightly browned as well. If also baking a small loaf pan, bake only about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the loaf springs back to a light touch.
Remove baked cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Add some fruits and dairy whip cream for more taste.
LEARN AND BURN
We did salutations to the sun, a routine that Christine taught us to do everyday on the Fit kids yoga mat upon rising to energize our body and mind for a great day ahead.
NOTE TO SELF
The lemon really gave zest and made this healthy pound cake pop.
DR. GRIMALDI’S TAKE AWAY
I love to teach and educate people of all abilities of how to add simple ingredients to increase health benefits and flavor of all foods. The lemon represents spring, summer, sunshine, radiance, warmth, and joy. I teach the kids how to stand tall in dark times until they find the light. I also use the lemon as a tool when teaching kids communication strategies. They have a lot of fun passing around the lemon when its their time to talk, teaching them communication in a fun way. As an integrative medicine strategy at FUEL we make lemon aroma therapy to help alleviate anxiety which helps alleviate nausea, dizziness, anxiousness, and irritability. Bring some radiance into your life and try our recipe.