Holiday Bread- pumpkin, cream cheese, cranberry

INGREDIENTS:

(Pumpkin bread)

-1 3/4c flour — I used gf mix and spelt 

-2t pumpkin pie spice

-1t baking soda 

-3/4t salt

-2 eggs

-1/2c oil 

-1/3c honey 

-1t vanilla

-1c pumpkin puree

(Cream filling)

-4oz cream cheese — room temperature 

-2T honey

-1 egg yolk

-1t vanilla

+ 1-1.5c fresh or frozen cranberries 

DIRECTIONS

-Make pumpkin cake mix: Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl 

-Lightly beat eggs, followed by all other wet ingredients, mixing in pumpkin last. Set aside. 

-Use beaters to combine all ingredients for cream filling until smooth

-Oil a loaf pan and then layer 1/2 the pumpkin mix, the cream filling, the cranberries, and the rest of the pumpkin mix

-Bake at 350 for 55-65 minutes

Carrot Cake Muffins with Chocolate

Why did I never think of adding chocolate before?? Perfect for breakfast with plain cream cheese on top  

INGREDIENTS

 -1 1/2c flour (1c GF; 1/2c spelt)

-1t baking powder

-3/4t baking soda 

-1/2t salt

-1T spice 

-1/2c avocado oil

-1c date syrup (food process 2/3c pitted dates, 1/3c warm water)

-2 eggs

-1t vanilla

-1 1/2c+ shredded carrot

-1/2c chocolate flakes or mini chips (food process)

DIRECTIONS

Mix dry and wet separately, gently combine. 

Mix in carrots and chocolate until just combined. 

Line 10 muffin cups and fill. 

Bake 10-15 minutes, 350. Cool completely. 

Lemon Posset Squares (+ tofu!)

INGREDIENTS:

Crust—

-8T butter, melted

-1.5 c flour (almond flour & gf baking mix)

-2T honey

-1/4t salt

Bake in an 8x8 pan, lined with parchment, at 350 for 10 minutes. 

Filling—

-1 container silken tofu (16oz)

-4 lemons (juice of 4, zest of 1-2)

-1/3c honey

-2 eggs 

-1/3c gf flour

DIRECTIONS:

-Let crust cool while juicing and zesting lemons

-Blend tofu and lemon juice in a blender until smooth

-Add eggs, flour, and honey to blender, blend until well combined 

-Gently pour over crust and bake at 350 about 30 minutes until wobbly, but solid 

-Allow to cool before cutting

Holiday GF Pumpkin Cornbread

INGREDIENTS 

-1c fine cornmeal

-1c course cornmeal

-1/2t xanthan gum

-2t baking powder 

-1/2t baking soda 

-1t salt

-2t pumpkin pie spice

-1/4c avocado oil

-3T honey 

-2 eggs, lightly beaten

-3/4c pureed pumpkin or other squash

-3/4c condensed milk

DIRECTIONS 

Whisk dry ingredients.

Which first 3 wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Whisk in pumpkin and milk. Fold in dry ingredients. Don’t over mix. 

Add batter to prepared 8 inch square pan. Bake at 350 ~25 minutes.

 **Note— use the rest of the condensed milk to make Mrs. Jackson’s sweet potato pie (half the standard recipe makes an 8-inch pie) + put the rest of the pumpkin puree in some chili.

Holiday Cranberry Snacking Cake

Non-pie dessert, snack waiting for thanksgiving dinner, breakfast throughout the week— this cake does it all. We made it multiple times this season, and next I want to experiment with using a whole grain flour like spelt.

INGREDIENTS:

-1.5c gf (or regular) flour 

-2t baking powder

-1/2 sea salt

1/8t cinnamon (optional)

-3 eggs

-1/3c honey

-1.5c whole milk ricotta (15oz container)

-1/2c avocado oil 

-1t vanilla 

-1.5c fresh or thawed whole cranberries (16oz)

DIRECTIONS:

Combine dry ingredients.

Lightly beaten eggs. Whisk eggs, honey, ricotta, oil, vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients, then fold in 1 cup of cranberries and transfer to prepared 8x8 pan.

With remaining cranberries, swirl them in a bowl with a little extra honey, then gently press into the top of the cake.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1:15 until cooked through. Let cool 20 minutes.

Adapted from Real Simple, November 2024

GF Yogurt Banana Bread

 

INGREDIENTS

-2 c gf flour blend

-1 t baking powder

-1 t baking soda

-1/4 t salt

-3 bananas, mashed

-1/4 c oil 

-1/3 c maple syrup 

-1/2 c plain yogurt

-2 eggs

-1 t vanilla

DIRECTIONS 

Combine dry ingredients. 

Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry to wet. Don’t over mix. 

Add batter to prepared loaf pan. Top with flax seed, hemp hearts, chia seeds, chocolate chips, etc as desired. 

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes until cooked in the middle. Allow to cool as long as you can wait!

Morning Glory Muffins

INGREDIENTS 

-1 1/2c gf flour

-3/4t xanthan gum

-2/3c oat flour (from blitzed oats)

-1t salt

-2t pie spice (cinnamon, cloves, ginger etc)

-1t grated fresh ginger 

-2c shredded carrot 

-1c shredded stone fruit (nectarine, peach)

-1/4c honey

-1/3c unsweetened shredded coconut

-3 eggs

-1t vanilla

-2/3c yogurt or cream cheese

-extra 1/4c oats + coconut sugar for topping 

DIRECTIONS:

-Combine dry ingredients

-Beat wet ingredients and add to try

-Sprinkle sugar/oat mixture on top

-Bake at 350, 20-30 minutes 

Disappearing Pumpkin Bread

 Baked this in the toaster over in 3 mini loaf pans, looked the other way, and the guys had demolished it!

INGREDIENTS 

-1c pumpkin puree

-1t soda

-1/2t powder

1/4t salt

-1/2c honey 

-2t vanilla

-3 chia eggs (3T chia, scant 1/2c water)

-1/3c oil

-1 1/4c gf baking mix

-1T cinnamon or pumpkin spice

DIRECTIONS 

-Make chia eggs and set aside

-Mix pumpkin + first group of dry ingredients 

-Mix in wet ingredients 

-Mix in flour and spices

-Pour into 3 prepared mini loaf pans

-Bake 350, 30-40 minutes 

-Cool in pans

Vegan Cornmeal Muffins with Oats and Cranberries

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 c cornmeal
• 3/4 c rolled oats
• 1T baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 3/4 t salt

• 3T chia seeds + 9T water
• 3/4 c plant mylk
• 1/2 c water
• 1/3c avocado oil
• 2T honey or maple syrup

• 1c fresh or frozen cranberries

DIRECTIONS

• Combine chia seeds and 9T water in a small bowl to gel
• Combine dry ingredients
• Separately combine wet ingredients + chia gel
• Add wet to dry, blend until just combined
• Add cranberries
• All to sit 15 minutes (oats soak up some moisture)
• Scoop into a muffin tin with unbleached muffin liners
• Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes; makes a dozen

Tomato-Garlic-Cheddar Biscuits

What in the world do I do with a leftover half can of tomato paste?? Make biscuits:) 

Better (and cheaper) than the ones I get at the farmer's market...

INGREDIENTS:

• 1c GF flour
• 1t baking powder
• 1/4t xanthan gum
• 1/4t salt

• 4T butter, cold, cut into tiny pieces
• 2T herbs (oregano or chives)
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 can tomato paste (~2-3T; double recipe to use whole can)
• 1/2c grated vegan cheddar cheese

• 1 egg
• 1/4c cold milk

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine dry ingredients
• Use fingers to blend butter into dry ingredient mixture
• Mix in herbs, tomato paste, and cheese (gently)
• In a separate bowl, beat egg and milk together before adding to other ingredients
• Add a little extra flour if too wet
• Plop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for 15-25 minutes

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

 Maybe the best textured quick bread I’ve ever made. There have been lots of bad ones… but this one was like a regular moist chocolate cake. Allowing it to cool completely before cutting, covered in foil, probably helped. 

INGREDIENTS 

-1c GF flour

-1/4 c coconut flour

-1/3c fair trade cocoa powder

-2t powder 

-1/2t soda

-1/2t salt

-2t cinnamon & spice

-2 eggs

-1/3c avocado oil

-1/4c nut milk, room temp

-1/4c honey

-1t lemon juice

-2t vanilla

-1c shredded, squeezed zucchini

DIRECTIONS

-Beat wet ingredients together

-Add dry ingredients, combine well 

-Gently add zucchini

-Pour into parchment lined loaf pan

-Bake 350, 35-45 minutes 

-Cool completely 

Pumpkin Oat Cake

 Quick bread/snacking cake for fall. 

INGREDIENTS:

-1c GF flour

-1c quick oats

-2t pumpkin spice 

-1/2t soda

-1/4t salt

—

-1/2c organic pumpkin purée

-1/2c oil

-1/4c honey

-2 eggs, lightly beaten

-1t vanilla

-2/3c chocolate and/or cacao chips

DIRECTIONS:

Combine dry ingredients. Separately combine wet ingredients. Slowly add dry to wet, adding chocolate chips last. 

Bake in parchment lined 8x8 pan at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until done. 

Flourless Chickpea Blondies with chocolate chips and peanut butter

 Not half as gross as they sound. And actually, they’re really good. 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1-15 oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed with 2T of aquafaba reserved from can
• 2-3T honey
• 1/2c unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter 
• 1/4c chickpea flour
• 2t vanilla
• 1/2t baking powder 

• 1c+ dark chocolate chips
• Pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS

• Blitz all top ingredients in blender until smooth
• Mix in chocolate chips
• Smooth into parchment-lined 8x8 pan
• Top with pinch of sea salt
• Bake @350 for 45 minutes
• Cool pretty well before cutting 

Plain banana muffins

Plain and well mixed for a picky toddler, with a secret hidden veggie ingredient. 

INGREDIENTS 

• 2t baking powder
• 1/4t baking soda
• 1/2t xanthan 
• 1/2t cinnamon 
• 1/2t salt
• 1c GF flour
• 3/4c cassava-cauliflower blend (Trader Joe’s)

• 1/2c butter, softened
• 3T maple syrup 
• 2 eggs
• 4 bananas (~2c)

DIRECTIONS 

• Combine dry ingredients 
• Cream butter and syrup in separate bowl
• Beat in eggs
• Beat in bananas- remove lumps 
• Add in dry ingredients 
• Bake at 375, 20-25 minutes 

Low Sugar Chocolate Bark

INGREDIENTS 

-unsweetened dark baking chocolate

-semi sweet chocolate chips

-freeze dried berries (Trader Joe’s)

-unsweetened coconut flakes

DIRECTIONS 

-Quantities vary, I used 3 bars of baking chocolate, 1 bag unsweetened chips, and 1/3 bag of semisweet chips to cover one full sized sheet pan 

-Gently melt chocolate in saucepan, stirring constantly 

-Pour onto parchment covered baking sheet

-Sprinkle coconut, then fruit, generously all over chocolate

-Fridge a couple hours until hard

-Break up, put in air tight containers, keep in fridge 

Cranberry + Orange Jam Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

• 12oz (1 bag) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 1/4c water
• 3T maple syrup
• 2T chia seeds

• 1c gluten free flour
• 1/2c teff flour
• 1/2c whole flax seeds
• 2/3t salt
• 1t soda
• 1t powder

• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4c oil
• 1T apple cider vinegar
• 1t vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Make the jam! 

• Add cranberries, orange juice, water, and maple syrup to a saucepan and cook down for a few minutes until cranberries burst
• Reduce heat, smooth cranberries, add chia seeds and orange zest, cook for a few more minutes
• Transfer to jar and refrigerate

Make the muffins!

• Combine dry ingredients
• Add wet ingredients until well combined, add a little milk if needed
• Marble in 1/4 cup of jam
• Distribute among muffin cups, making a dimple in the middle of each muffin
• Use another 1/4 cup jam to dollop a bit into each well
• Bake at 350, 23-25 minutes

Instant Pot Dairy Free Clam Chowder

INGREDIENTS:

• 1T butter
• 1/2 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 head of garlic, chopped
• 1 medium rutabaga, chopped
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1t Italian seasoning
• 1t salt

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1c veggie broth
• 1 pint clams
• 3 stalks fresh oregano

DIRECTIONS:

• SAUTE veggies, add seasoning
• Add clams, coconut milk, and broth
• PRESSURE COOK medium for 7 minutes
• Allow to naturally vent for several minutes
• When lid is safely removed, stir in fresh oregano, reserving some for garnish
• Optional: add 1/2 c cream
• Optional: serve hot with crumbled turkey bacon on top!

GF Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with Almond Milk

Quarantine-style. Only 2 bananas, not too much flour/eggs/oil.

Just right!

INGREDIENTS:

·  2 bananas, mashed

·  2 eggs

·  2T maple

·  3T oil

·  1t vanilla

·  2/3t cinnamon, soda, powder

·  Pinch of salt

·  1c almond meal

·  1c GF flour

·  2/3c choc chips

DIRECTIONS:

• Beat wet ingredients
• Mix in all dry ingredients at once
• Pour into oiled 8x8 pan
• Bake at 350 for 25+ minutes 

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Light, airy, open texture (#GBBO).  I was shocked.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 c almond flour (finer than almond meal)
• 1 c gluten free baking flour (Trader Joe's)
• 1 3/4 t baking powder
• 1/2 t xanthan gum
• 1/4 t salt

• 1 mashed extra ripe banana
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/3 c almond oil
• 1/3 c unsweetened almond milk
• 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 t vanilla

• 1 c fresh or frozen blueberries

DIRECTIONS

• Combine all dry ingredients
• Add in all wet ingredients; mix until well combined
• Fold in blueberries
• Spoon into greased muffin tin (I made 10 large muffins, and added water to the 2 extra muffin cups for steam)
• Dust muffins with cinnamon
• Bake at 350 about 25 minutes
• Allow to cool a bit before removing

Nutty Grapefruit Tart

*Could easily be transformed into a refreshingly different meringue pie!

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

• 1 1/4 c GF flour
• 1/2 c almond meal
• 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2T honey
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/3 c unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

• 1 1/2 c grapefruit juice
• 1/3 c honey
• 3T corn starch

• 3 egg yolks, room temp, beaten
• 6T butter, cut roughly into tablespoon size chunks
• (a bit of beet juice for color, if you're adventurous)

TOPPING

• 1/4 c unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted (optional)
• 1/3 c slivered almonds (?? deciding what nut works best, pistachios were ok)
• 2T honey
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
• 1t vanilla

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven at 400; butter a large pie pan (parchment paper is a good idea, too)
• Combine all dry crust ingredients
• Drizzle in butter while stirring until combined
• Press into pie pan evenly; bake 5-8 minutes; set aside to cool slightly

• Put juice, honey, and cornstarch in a saucepan; break up the corn starch lumps by hand
• Medium heat, whisking regularly until bubbly, thickened, and translucent 
• Slowly whisk half the hot mixture into the egg yolks; when incorporated, add the rest
• (I use two sauce pans here just to minimize a transfer)
• Cook the egg-juice mixture another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly
• Remove from heat, add butter, whisk until incorporated
• Pour mixture into crust, smooth the top, cover with cling wrap
• Refrigerate at least 4 hours

• Before serving, make whipped cream and candied nuts (photo shown with raw pistachios- false advertising)
• Toast the flaked coconut (optional)
• Add toppings artfully!