Lemon Poppy Seed Scones {paleo, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free}

Lemon Poppy Seed Scones {paleo, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free}

by | May 6, 2026 | Breakfast Recipes, Snack and Dessert Recipes

Looking for a lovely treat for Mother’s Day brunch or a springtime tea? These lemon poppy seed scones are delightful. 

I made this recipe thinking of my mom, as one of her favorite things is lemon poppy seed cake. I got to make them for my parents on a recent visit, and they loved them. My dad asked, “Does Mom have this recipe?” Well, now she will, as soon as we publish this post 😊  I hope you’ll enjoy these delightful lemon scones, too!

 

Let’s make lemon scones!

Gather your ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons chia seeds mixed with 4 Tablespoons warm water
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 3/4 cup light buckwheat flour*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (or 3 Tablespoons coconut sugar)
  • 6 Tablespoons plant-based butter or coconut oil, melted
  • 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk or almond milk

Gather your supplies:

  • large mixing bowl
  • 1/4 cup measuring cup
  • 1 Tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon
  • 1/2 teaspoon
  • 2 microwave safe bowls or mugs
  • mixing spoon
  • table knife
  • paring knife
  • zester
  • juicer (optional)
  • baking sheet
  • parchment paper (optional to line the baking sheet, or use butter)

Step 1

Measure 2 Tablespoons chia seeds into a bowl or mug. Add 4 Tablespoons warm water to the chia seeds. (Water can be warmed in the microwave before adding it to the chia seeds.) Stir and let the chia seeds absorb the water as you work on the next steps.

Step 2

Measure 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 3/4  cup light buckwheat flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt into a large mixing bowl.

Step 3

Stir the dry ingredients until well combined.

Step 4

Using a zester, zest the rind of one lemon.

Step 5

Slice the lemon in half and juice the lemon (either using a juicer or simply squeezing the juice into a dish).

Step 6

Add the lemon zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice to the dry ingredients.

Step 7

Add 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or 3 Tbsp coconut sugar). For sweeter scones, add slightly more sweetener.

Step 8

Measure 6 Tbsp plant-based butter or coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl or dish.

Step 9

Melt the butter or coconut oil (30 seconds in the microwave should be enough time).

Step 10

Add the melted butter or oil to the mixture.

Step 11

Add the chia seed-water mixture to the mixing bowl. 

Step 12

Stir together all ingredients you have added to the mixing bowl. Mixture will be crumbly at this point.

Step 13

Sprinkle 1 Tbsp poppy seeds over the dough.

Step 14

Add 1/4 cup coconut or almond milk.

Step 15

Stir the mixture together until it begins to form a ball. Add a little extra milk if the mixture is too dry or a little extra light buckwheat if the mixture is too moist.

Step 16

Grease a baking sheet or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 17

Kneed the dough and form it into a ball. Place the ball on the baking sheet.

Step 18

Pat down the ball of dough into a flat circle, about 1 inch thick.

Step 19

Use a table knife to cut the circle of dough into 8 pieces. Slide the pieces apart slightly on the pan.

Step 20

Bake in pre-heated 400 degree F oven for 12 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Step 21

Let scones cool slightly and serve. Serve with some fresh fruit for a tea time, and perhaps some eggs, sausage, or yogurt for a brunch. Enjoy!

Some extra notes:

1. We get our light buckwheat flour from Bouchard Family Farms. It is certified gluten-free. This is not the same as the dark buckwheat flour that is typically found in the grocery store. Light buckwheat flour has a very mild flavor. There are many recipes on our blog that use light buckwheat flour, so once you order some, you can find plenty of recipe ideas here! Our family typically goes through about 20 bags of light buckwheat from Bouchard Family farms each year – it’s that good. Here are some links to some other recipes on our blog with light buckwheat flour: crepes, muffins/cupcakes, cookies, and pizza crust.

2. The scones are delightful fresh from the oven, but they also freeze well. Once you’ve made the recipe a few times it can be quick enough to make on a weekday morning, but if you double the batch and freeze some, they can be quickly heated in the microwave or oven for an especially quick breakfast.

Enjoy!

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Chocolat à l’ancienne (with dairy-free option)

Chocolat à l’ancienne (with dairy-free option)

by | Oct 2, 2025 | Breakfast Recipes, Snack and Dessert Recipes

French hot chocolate. Amazingly decadent, surprisingly simple. French has the perfect word to describe this delicious treat: onctueux – a word that means rich, smooth, and creamy all at the same time.

Chocolat à l’ancienne, which could translate to “old-fashioned chocolate,” is served in famous Parisian cafés. It is a special treat, but it can be made at home quite easily, with a few simple ingredients.

Are you ready to enjoy it? Let’s make chocolat à l’ancienne.

Ingredients:

Ingredients (for 2 small cups of hot chocolate):

12 ounces (1.5 cups) whole milk*

3 ounces dark chocolate (60% – 90%) – broken into pieces

½ tsp vanilla extract or one cinnamon stick

*For dairy-free version, use 1 cup coconut milk from a carton and 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, in place of whole milk.

 

1 1/2 cups whole milk

Chocolat à l’ancienne is rich and creamy. You can use 1.5 cups whole milk, or for an even creamier version, consider using 1 1/4 cups whole milk and 1/4 cup heavy cream.

OR: For a dairy-free version, use 1 cup coconut milk from a carton, and 1/2 cup canned coconut milk

If you would like to make a dairy free version, use 1 cup coconut milk from a carton and 1/2 cup coconut milk from a can. Canned coconut milk has a higher fat content than coconut milk from a carton. This proportion of canned and carton coconut milk gives the right balance to be similar to whole milk.

3 oz. dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

Chocolat à l’ancienne is mean to be rich and not overly sweet. You can use dark chocolate from 60% to 90%. The lower the percent, the sweeter your drink will be. (You can always add extra sweetener to each cup to your taste.)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or a cinnamon stick

Add a flavor of your choice to your hot chocolat. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or a cinnamon stick. (Be sure to remove the cinnamon stick before serving.)

Instructions:

Pour milk into saucepan. Turn burner to medium heat. Add chocolate pieces and vanilla extract (or cinnamon stick). Wisk continually until a thick and creamy mixture forms. Pour into a small pitcher. Serve on a tray with two cups. Add sweetener as desired.

Watch our video to see how easy it is to make chocolat à l’ancienne. 

Enjoy!

Simple Salade Niçoise

Simple Salade Niçoise

by | Sep 20, 2025 | Lunch and Dinner Recipes

Bring a little southern French sunshine to your day with this simple salade Niçoise. Salade Niçoise is a traditional salad that one can find in restaurants all over France, but especially in the south. There are many variations of the salad. The recipe in this post is especially made so that children can easily make the salad. Our recipe is inspired by a wonderful recipe in The Best Ever French Cooking Course book.

The salad could be made on one large platter, but in this recipe, we suggest making individual plates of salad. This way each plate on the table can look pretty. This recipe serves 4 people, but it is easy to adapt the recipe for fewer or additional servings.

Let’s make Salade Niçoise…

Ingredients for the salad:

  • Bag of salad greens (pre-washed to save time)
  • 3-4 small tomatoes
  • 1 cucumber
  • 4 handfuls green beans (pre-washed and cut to save time)
  • several black olives
  • 4 hardboiled eggs 
  • 2 cans tuna

Ingredients for the dressing:

  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. crushed garlic (pre-crushed in a jar to save time)
  • juice of 1 large lemon
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • dash of black pepper

 

 

Supplies:

  • cutting board
  • knife
  • peeler
  • spoon
  • tablespoon
  • 1/2 cup measuring cup
  • juicer
  • jar and cover
  • 4 dinner plates

 

To make the salad, lay 4 plates on the counter. Add ingredients to the plates in the way shown below to arrange a beautiful salad on each plate.

Step 1

Place a handful of pre-washed salad greens on each plate.

Step 2

Wash and slice tomatoes.

Step 3

Place a handful of sliced tomatoes over the salad greens on each plate.

Step 4

Peel and slice the cucumber.

Step 5

Place a handful of sliced cucumbers on each plate.

Step 6

Steam the green beans (ask a adult for help with steaming). Cool the green beans with cold water, then place them in a wreath shape on top of the salad.

Step 7

Add half of a can of tuna to the center of each plate.

Step 8

Slice the eggs.

Step 9

Arrange egg slices and olives around the edge of the salad on each plate.

Step 10

To prepare the dressing, first juice one lemon.

Step 11

Pour the lemon juice (about 4 Tablespoons) into a jar.

Step 12

Add a Tablespoon of crushed garlic and a Tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the jar.

Step 13

Add 1/2 cup olive oil and a dash of black pepper to the jar.

Step 14

Place the lid securely on the jar and shake to combine.

Step 15

Pour the dressing over each plate of salad. Serve and enjoy!

Bon appétit!