Strawberry Milk

"Momma, can you make me pink milk??...or maybe a strawberry smoothie, or wait, how about strawberry milk!" 

Hmmm, I barely EVER say NO when my kids ask me for good food...Yep, that's alway a YES for sure! 

I have to admit, strawberries and creamy milk sounded divine to me too, and with the last bag of frozen strawberries from last summer it was even more special. How many more weeks till strawberry picking?!? The special-ness of those last berries were not lost on us- we made sure to really savor them. And this was a sweet and fabulous way to enjoy summer goodness months after. And even now, enjoying them gives us that last push to make it to spring!

This recipe is super simple and basic, but I added a few things to make sure that it was nutritious and protein packed as well. So because we are a strict dairy-free house because of severe allergies this milk is most definitely not cow milk, instead we added full-fat coconut milk for the fats, nutrition and creaminess! Also, an added scoop or two of gelatin makes this milk still full of protein, a 12 grams per TB is what gelatin offers, also countless amounts of goodness. So whip this one up, impress your kids, or heck, bring back your inner-child for just a moment and sit and enjoy yourself some pink strawberry milk!

Strawberry Milk Recipe

{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut, seed and sugar-free}

2 cups of frozen or thawed strawberries [can be chopped or wholes]

1/2 cup of juice [or water] of choice

1-2 TB of fresh lime juice

sprinkle of quality sea salt

1/4 cup of maple syrup drizzled (more or less depending on tastes, can sub in dates too!]

1/2 cup of plant-based milk beverage (coconut, rice, ect...)

2 TB of pure gelatin

1 can of full-fat coconut milk

In a small pan, warm up the strawberries in the liquid and let it simmer and bubble and release it's colors and sweetness. Then turn off heat. In a small bowl whisk together milk and gelatin until bloomed. Then in your blender add the whole can of coconut milk, strawberries from pan, and the bloomed gelatin. Blend on high and then when its all creamy and frothy, pour into glasses and and instantly enjoy! It will be warm from the strawberries if you consume right away and...

...you can chill it too and also it will become a panna cotta type treat if you have in the fridge for more than 30-60 minutes. It will start to turn into a yogurt-like subsatnce as the gelitan cools down. So you may even enjoy it as it cools more. 

Top with thawed or fresh strawberrie pieces for extra goodness and texture :)

ENJOY and much love!!!

Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Time for a little pre-Thanksgiving treat! I think this year we might start with the pumpkin pie for breakfast or maybe perhaps these pumpkin waffles. Maybe then we can really enjoy them instead of being too full of other goodness. Thanksgiving is not all about the food, yes?!? But so many times it feels that way since it is the focus point of the holiday. But truly, when we have all of our stresses taken away from what the menu is and what the plans are, maybe we can enjoy the simplicity of family and loved ones being together. Slowing down. Saying thanks. Living with amazement and gratitude for the gifts of life and cherishing the memories we can make together.

That is what Thanksgiving we are focusing on this year. Yes, the food. But more so, the time together. We have all had a busy and crazy year in so many ways, but this season begs us to slow down, say thanks and live fully present into our peoples lives. I hope this for you, I hope this for me. And sometimes making waffles and making lattes, is just the way to do it! So I share yet another pumpkin recipe as we gather and slow down and nestle into this holiday week.

Pumpkin Spice Waffles Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, seeds, eggs, refined-sugar-free}

1/3 cup of coconut flour
1/3 cup of potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup of rice flour
1 1/2 cup of gluten free oat flour (I grind my own out of GF rolled oats)
2 ts. of baking powder (Hain brand-corn free)
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt
2 ts. of pumpkin pie spice (or mix up cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves)
1/2 cup of coconut palm sugar

1/2 cup of date puree
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
3/4 cup of coconut milk beverage with 3 TB apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup of pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1/3 cup of melted coconut oil or avocado oil
optional addition: 1 ts. of pure vanilla extract

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Then add in the wet and whisk together well. Let the batter sit and stiffen up while the baking powder ignites. Use an oiled 1/3 or 1/2 cup measuring cup to dish out enough batter to pour onto the waffle skillet. I have used this one before...

Then I use my waffle iron according to it's instructions and then even cook for a bit longer than that to get the crispiness we desire. Because this recipe is vegan and has no eggs it can tend to be a bit soft (or soggy) if you do not cook long enough. So its about a 3-4 minute cook time on my iron- but that might be different on yours.  This recipe makes about 6-8 waffles or 12 pancakes. When I make them, we usually eat half and have the rest in the fridge ready to toast up for the rest of the week- so a great leftover!!! Make a big batch and stick them in the freezer ready to go! 

Top with a dollup of maple syrup, coconut cream whip, a pinch of spice, or dried or fresh fruit or whatever your thanksgiving-pumpkin-loving-heart desires!

I hope you give this a try and ENJOY with your people. Much love and warmth as alaways, xoxo

Peach Cardamon Coconut Ice Cream

Welllllll...Peaches have made their way into one of my vegan ice cream experiments. Have you ever tried peaches with cardamon? It's gotta be one of my most favorite ways to spice up fresh peaches and once you try it...it's hard going back to plain ol' peaches. Such a cool and spicy way to enjoy this summer treat.

See those little spicy flecks of cardamon?!? and those chunks of fresh peaches?! Such a fantastic match! This ice cream creation was my favorite of the summer thus far. It was just the perfect treat on a warm summer night, watching the glow of the sun set, and the warm giggles of the kids and love of friends. I know it's just ice cream- but when were talking about cardamon and peaches too- well that's what sets this one apart from the rest :)

I didn't let this set long enough before taking pictures so you can see how the scoops were a bit runny or messy, but that doesn't change a thing! It is so creamy, refreshing, sweet and tangy and spicy in all the right ways. Maybe the reason I love this so much is because it touches on all the taste buds and satisfies all the flavors your looking for in an after dinner treat. I love sharing my experiements and treats and this one I am so excited for you to share-in and try- totally worth the time and GO get yourself some damn peaches! Happy last days of summer...and ENJOY all the bits!

Peach Cardamon Coconut Ice Cream Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut, and seed-free}

2 cans of coconut cream (14 ounce cans, just scrap out the cream and discard/reuse water)
1 TB of tapioca starch
2 TB of coconut palm sugar
2 cups of fresh peaches
1 lemon squeezed and zested
1/3 cup of maple syrup
1 1/2 ts. of ground fresh cardamon
pinch of sea salt
pinch of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves or 1 ts. of pumpkin pie spice

PLUS an extra 1-2 cups of diced fresh peaches, stewed with a drizzle of maple syrup and lemon juice for a few minutes on the stove and then cooled and mixed into the batter when being poured into the ice cream maker.

In a saucepan, put the coconut milk cream on low heat and let it get soft and liquid. Then sprinkle in the tapioca flour and put in the rest of the ingredients. Let everything get warmed and the tapioca thickened and then dump it all into a high powered blender and blend until frothy. Then pour into a cool down bowl and fold in the extra diced peaches and cover with wrap or lid and let cool down. 

When room temp or cooled down, add to a ice cream maker and let it do it's job for 20 minutes or so and then spread into a container to sit in the freezer for 1 hour or more. Then you can pull out and use a regular ice cream scoop to serve up perfectly. Serve up and share with all your people!

If you have not invested in the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker- then you might want to in time for this summer. I got this as a birthday gift last year and have enjoyed using it. The instructions before you make the ice cream is to deep freeze the mixture container. It must be super cold! Then once you do that you can hook up the container and follow the instructions- which for this ice cream includes just pouring in the mixture while it has already started spinning. This will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes to thicken up the ice cream. It is like soft serve and ready to top or eat, but if you want a more scoop-able ice cream then let the machine run for the allotted time and then pour into a container and put in the freezer and within 60 minutes it will be a perfect scoop!

Much love and light to you, xoxo

Five Ingredient Freezer Fudge

You guys- this is one of my most favorite discoveries... freezer fudge! It was something I had in my head when I couldn't sleep a few nights ago. It was mulling around in there. I was cooking again for a bunch of beautiful and brave women for a holistic health retreat and I had some extra ingredients on hand...date paste, cacao, coconut oil and some mini chocolate chips :) and you wouldn't believe it, but this combo melted and mixed together and frozen turns into FUDGE! You don't need much...just a square really, but you end up eating 2...or 3... and they are so good I wouldn't think twice about it :)

These might even be much better because of the coming summer heat that is upon us and to have a little chilled chocolate goodness melting in your mouth just seems that much more wonderful. We have traded the warm and comforting desserts for the chilled decadent bite to savor deeply. I love little treats like this because it ain't no crazy elaborate thing. just a square of fudge that leaves you speechless.

Five Ingredient Freezer Fudge Recipe
{gluten, grain, dairy, egg, soy, nut, and seed-free, also vegan and paleo}

1 - 1 1/2 cup of date paste puree (I make this by soaking pitted dates with boiling water...equal parts and then blending them in a high powered blender to create a creamy caramelly paste or puree and you can use it in baked goods, oatmeal, and fudge. It can keep in a jar in the fridge for weeks after blending....)

date paste puree

1/2 cup of cacao or cocoa powder
1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
1/2 cup of organic virgin coconut oil
1/2 ts. of quality sea salt or sprinkle course sea salt ontop

Put all of the above ingredients in a small saucepan and melt and whisk together. Then pour into a parchment covered 9x9 pan or a 8x10 pan and spread smooth and put in the freezer for 2 hours and then cut into 2x2 squares. Keep in the fridge or freezer. If you leave out on the counter or outside it will melt again and turn into a fudge smoothie :)

I hope you give this one a try- it's too good not to. ENJOY and MUCH LOVE xoxo

Goodmorning, Blueberry Muffins

It's a good morning when you can have your day start with a cup of hot lemon water and a little muffins of blueberry goodness. These little muffins start your day off with protein, vitamins and minerals, fiber and blueberry wonderfulness. So, it IS a good morning!

I have been struggling with my little 3 year old to get her to eat in the morning and then she doesn't and then she will want to just snack the rest of the day on crunchy and sweet treats. Well, this not only discourages me but also it is exhausting to have to keep being asked for little snacks after trying so hard to just eat the main meals you are preparing.... can I get an AMEN ?!? I know I am not alone. This is the struggle of almost every momma I know- how can we keep trying to give our kids the choices and nutrients they need as they grow their amazing bodies?!?

So these little muffins are my manifesto for my little one. I was so happy when she ate two of them for breakfast. Success! I may have done a little victory dance in the pantry and tried hard to not show my excitement- because we all know that if we do that- it might be the end of the victory after all. Kids like to do their own thing so it's got be their idea to love them, amiright?! :)

Goodmorning, Blueberry Muffins Recipe 
{gluten, egg, seed, nut, soy, dairy and corn-free, VEGAN}

1/2 cup of finely ground GF oat flour
(I make my flour by grinding 1/2 cup of GF oats in high powered blender)
3/4 cup of quick cooking certified GF oats
(I used Bob Red Mill's brand for oats)
1/2 cup of quinoa flour
1/4 cup of white rice flour
1/4 cup of tapioca flour
1 TB of potato starch
1/3 cup of coconut palm sugar
1 1/2 ts. of baking powder
(I like Hain brand for it to be corn-free)
1 ts. baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt

1 cup of mashed ripened banana

1/2 cup of non-dairy milk or coconut milk beverage
(I use So Delicious brand)
mixed with 1 TB of apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup of melted coconut oil
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1 TB of pure vanilla

fold in 1 heaping cup of frozen blueberries (can you fresh if you got them!)

First, mix all of the dry ingredients in one large bowl, then in a measuring cup or glass mix the coconut milk beverage with the apple cider vinegar and let it curdle for a few minutes. Then add that and all the rest of the wet ingredients to the mixing bowl mix well and the mix may even get stiff as the coconut oil cools down. It may also look more like a thick batter with the mix of warm and cool to the batter. Fold in the frozen berries and not too much so avoid blue berry bleeding. Use an oiled 1/4-1/3 measuring cup to spoon the batter into the muffin tins in the pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 22-25 minutes until stiff and no more gooey center.  Pull from the oven, let them cool and eat warm.

Hm hmm delicious! These muffins also remind me that summer blueberry picking is coming and all those frozen berries are better now than ever. I hope these muffins will bring you some joy and nutrients to your breakfast routine. And maybe a little hope too that each day is a gift. 

Happy baking and much love as always xoxo

Valentine Heart Shortbread Cookies

Trying to get festive over here... making some valentine's treats and goodies for the kids while we decorate the house in hearts and make little notes for school friends and loved ones. Once February rolls around,  I am sooooooo ready to add some pink and red hearts to our home to add some color and 'LOVE'. It is usually pretty grey and blah outside this time of year so it helps to feel warm and cozy and full of so much love on the inside. I guess I am a lover for Valentine's Day then... I know it can be a touchy day of love or hate or something in-between. But seriously- why not embrace all of the love, chocolate and flowers you can... sometimes my hubs gets mad at me because I occasionally even buy them for myself ;) I do.... no shame or guilt!

I made this shortbread recipe just out of the flours I had a lot of in the pantry, and they turned out pretty wonderful. But you could also use one of the below Shortbread/Cut Out Cookies Recipes if you have those flours on hand as well.

Sweet Heart Almond Shortcake Cookies...

Lemon Shortbread Heart Cookies...

Coconut Cutout Shortbread Cookies...

Sugar Cut Out Cookies with Icing Recipe...

Or maybe you are looking some something a little more chocolaty and indulgent :) I get it. I do. Here are a few more chocolate goodies I made in the past for valentine's treats... and HERE is my archive of CHOCOLATE recipes.... 

Chocolate Date Donuts....

So In Love Dark Chocolate Brownies...

Chocolate Covered Cookie Dough Bites... 

Gluten-Free Vegan Cut Out Shortbread Cookie Recipe
{nut-free, seed-free, gluten-free, vegan}

1 cup of coconut flour
1 cup of sprouted brown rice flour
1 cup of millet flour
1 cup of tapioca flour
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of sea salt
1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup of avocado oil
1/2 cup of maple syrup
1/2 cup of softened coconut oil

In a large mixing bowl, mix together your dry ingredients first...then add the applesauce, maple syrup, and oils. Mix well with a fork or to be honest, your hands and fingers do the job best. Knead the lump of cookie dough in your hands for a few minutes until you get a perfectly mixed ball of cookie dough. If your dough is a touch sticky, then sprinkle some more tapioca flour to stiffen it right up.

Roll out the ball of dough on a parchment paper. Try and keep the thickness around 1/2 inch and roll out as evenly as possible. Then start cutting with heart cut out or whatever cutouts you prefer. Put the cookies in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes. I like my cookies a bit crispier, so I stay around 14 minutes baking time. This recipe should make about 2 dozen cookies but really depends on the size of your cutters and how big and small you want your cookies to be.

The icing I used was just a mixture of palm oil shortening(1/3 cup), maple syrup (1/4 cup), organic powdered sugar (1/4 cup), and a pinch of sea salt and plant based food dye. I used red for these hearts and it came out a nice pink ;) I whisk with a hand blender and pour into an icing bag and then you can write, trace or do whatever you like. You can also just spread on with a knife. I also have just melted Enjoy Life chocolate chips before and just drizzled melted chocolate over the cookies and let them cool too. So do whatever sounds good!

Well I hope you find some time to make a few treats in the kitchen so that you do not have to feel like your diet is so limited that you cannot have a little fun and enjoyment too. You deserve it!

And now I leave you with...

Love and kindness does not equal weakness...and LOVE starts within and for yourself...

"...stop acting so small...you are the universe in ecstatic motion...your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."
---wise words from Rumi---

So dear one, find the love and care you ache for within yourself. How are you to give and receive love if you are not showing it to yourself ?!

Much LOVE to YOU, as always xoxo

Buckwheat-Quinoa-Date Porridge

This is reminiscent of a childhood favorite of mine. It reminds me of eating grits and cocoa wheats and creamed wheat hot cereals while growing up. I loved them then, and I love them now- but minus the wheat and gluten part of course. My favorite porridge is made from a buckwheat/quinoa mixture and then more recently I discovered that adding some date puree to the mix adds so much flavor, texture and then you don't have to add any other sweetener, unless wanted. It was a home-run discovery for me. I can't believe it took me so long. Duh! Dates! It is so caramel-ly creamy and there is no sugar---Amazingness!

You may not be a porridge person because of the texture. Well, I challenge you to try some by adding in some of the crunchy textures you may like... added toasted nuts or seeds or even some fresh or stewed fruit. I'm a fan of adding a dollop of ghee or butter of choice, a drizzle of coconut milk or even some tart greek yogurt, and some jam. It is an all time favorite breakfast that leaves me full till the lunch hour.

Buckwheat-Quinoa-Date Porridge Recipe
{free of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, sugar and soy}

First- make a blend of the ground grains to keep in the pantry for a quick breakfast...
I put in 1/2-1 cup of both: quinoa and buckwheat groats.... put in a high powered blender {vitamix, ninja, ect...} Blend on high until you get a powdery flour mix of the mixed buckwheat and quinoa

Also, you may need to make some date puree- I have been keeping some in the fridge ready-made to use in recipes such as this... So you soak 1 cup of dates with 1 cup of boiling water and can do more or less of portions depending on how you want to store it. Soak in boiling water for 10 minutes (or could overnight as well). Then blend in a high powered blender and you get a pudding-like creamy date puree.

Now that you have your staples.... you can whip up this porridge in a jif. For one-serving or for the whole family....

for one-serving
1/4 cup of finely ground quinoa and buckwheat groats mixture
1 cup of pure water
1/2 cup of date puree
pinch of sea salt

for 2-3 servings (doubled) 
1/2 cup of finely ground quinoa and buckwheat groats mixture
2 cups of pure water
1 cup of date puree
1/2 ts. of sea salt

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and whisk continually until it comes to a boil and is bubbling and it thickens up quite nicely. It should be a thick creamy substance in about 5 minutes. You want to make sure and NOT leave this on the stove after you whisk together for the first time. This will leave it clumpy and sticking to the bottom. Just whisk together continually and fast for 5 minutes and you will have the best porridge around!

Top with some goodies:
ghee or butter of choice
berries or jam
milk or yogurt
nuts or seeds

Yes, I am a porridge-loving person so I am most likely biased....But this is a damn good way to start  a cold and dreary January day ;)

Much love and light, friends. xoxo

Immunity Boosting Berry Chia Jam

There are seemingly many days in the winter months (in Michigan at least) that are cold, dark, dreary and just make you feel like your in a hibernating hole. Then there are days when the winter sun shines bright all day from the rise to the sunset- which is only for like 8 hours- but still a glorious sight. You may be a summer-lover, and I totally understand- I am too! But I have also been falling deep in love with the winter. The season to recharge from the buzzing around and the busy energy of spring and summer. It is also still a great time to get outside (while very bundled up!) and walk in the woods or by water or in the fresh falling snow. You will then notice a very still and quiet space there as well. Such a magical and emotional world to tap into the soul.

Winters can also bring on an onslaught of emotions and energies. It is a good time to rest, recharge, stay cozy and nourish one's self in many ways. It is a time to bring inward more ways of quiet, stillness, and calm to your life. Some of these little steps I take are through... deep breathing, yoga and meditation, warm tea and journalling, outdoor walks, epsom salt baths, nourishing soups that last for days, and homemade bread and jam.

I find myself wanting to make bread in January. I look back in my recipe archives in the brain and elsewhere ;)... and that is when most of my bread recipes are inspired and created. I think it must be a reflection of the desire to be nourished during these slower days inside. Bread is a symbol, and rightly so, as a staple to life. A daily blessings and gift to fulfill the basic needs of hunger.  And like you know as being a gluten-free friend- this got super tricky after the diagnosis. Bread became the enemy and the source of mockery for your life. I felt that same way until I finally restored this belief after stumbling into the making of my bread. It brought a kind of redemption to the story for me.

And....when you have a favorite bread recipe that brings life to your being- it only gets better with jam. And this jam fits the bill this winter being packed full of nutrient dense and immune boosting ingredients. Ginger, oranges, elderberry, honey, blueberries, cranberries and strawberries...it's basically a medicinal antidote to the cold and flu season if you ask me.

In the jam, I use berries that I dug out of the deep freezer in the basement. I'm sure you remember my July and August posts of picking fresh berries and unintentional bragging of my bounty. All that work is really for occasions and recipes such as this. It's so lovely to pull out berries and have a little taste of summer in the winter. It is like a little reminder with each bite that summer is coming again and also brings a full heart of gratitude for the months past of gathering the bounty of berries.

Immunity Boosting Berry Chia Jam Recipe
2 cups of frozen blueberries
2 cups of frozen cranberries or raspberries
2 cups of frozen strawberries
1 cup of very concentrated elderberry tea*
1/2 cup of juice (I used Antioxidant Force by Smart Juice) but you could use pomegranate or other no sugar fruit juice like cherry, berry mix, or grape. Or at the least you could use water as well.
2 TB of grated fresh ginger
1 organic orange grated for zest and squeezed for juice (could easily sub a lemon)
1/3 cup of pure raw honey
drizzle of maple syrup (or add 1/4 cup more of honey)
pinch of sea salt
pinch to 1 ts. of pumpkin pie spice blend
1/2 cup of whole chia seeds

*Soak 1/2 cup of dried elderberries in 1 quart jar of boiling water and let sit for overnight or longer and then drain the berries out and you have elderberry tea. You could also sub in some already made elderberry syrup if you used up your berries already making that and have it on hand- but you would only use 1/2 cup of the elderberry syrup and add 1/2 cup water. And since the honey is in the syrup as well you may decide to not add as much honey in the rest of the recipe. 


In a medium saucepan, pour in the 6 cups of frozen berries with the tea and the juice and let cook to defrost and get soft. Then add in the ginger and orange juice and zest and bring to a soft boil and bubble and cook from any where to 10-15 minutes until the berries are very hot, juicy and mushy. Then use an immersion blender to blend in half of the mixture to be more smooth and have less chunky fruit. After this it looks like a fruit soup. Then add in the honey and syrup and stir well while it softly bubbles and boils. Turn off the heat and then add in the chia seeds. Stir in well so not to be clumpy and then let it sit in the pan and cool and let the chia seeds soak up the moisture and turn into a thick jammy substance. When it cools for 10-15 minutes you can pour into jars to continue to cool and thicken in the fridge. This recipe makes 3 pint jars. You can half it if you are looking to make less or you can also freeze and then thaw out when needed.

Hope you are staying warm and cozy and finding new levels of love for winter.
Much love and light, xoxo

Apple Blueberry Cranberry Spice Crisp

If there was a "christmas crisp recipe" this would be it in my little corner of the world. Besides or maybe instead of the cinnamon rolls this would be another great Christmas morning treat for the whole family. It is a great make ahead and bake off or warm the morning of Christmas. Not only does the smells of spice, apple, and berries fill your Christmas-filled home, but the warmth of the dish brings out all the Christmas spirit feelings. Maybe better than any "christmas spirit" candle or essential oil, because you get to eat it after :)

To be honest, I was kind of over fruit crisps for a while. It is such an easy GF dessert, so over the past decade I have had my fill of hundreds of delicious bubbling crisps. They are so easy to throw together with fresh or frozen fruit and you can make it a little special with some spice or some fresh zest or even herbs. But this one... I fell in love all over again. I didn't actually have a serving until the day after I baked it, and when I did... I just stopped and sat down and enjoyed it as breakfast with a good cup of tea. It really surprised me at it's warmth and comfort it offers on a cold winter day.

There are a few tricks to make a great crisp. One is to make sure the fruit going in if it is the same or a variety is that they are all cut in similar size, and I would say that bite-size or even smaller is best. So for this crisp I have frozen blueberries from last summer, cranberries from a few weeks ago and apples... So I cut the apples the same size of the large berries- so that all pieces are the same size and it melds and mixes well.

I also think adding the spice to the fruit is the best, and no spice to the topping. Kinda like a biscuit topping and the surprise flavor is inside. Those are just some of my favorite tips to making a great fruit crisp. If you make enough crisps, you find the little secrets that you love most to make it special every time. This one is made special with the flavors of orange, cloves, nutmeg, and the berries with the apples. A great combo that I am so glad found its way to my home this snowy Christmas season!

Apple Blueberry Cranberry Spice Crisp Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, nut, seed and soy-free, vegan options}

4 heaping cups of finely chopped fresh apple pieces without skins
3 cups of frozen blueberries
1 cup of frozen or fresh cranberries
1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1 organic orange to get 1/2 cup of fresh juice and 2 TB of fresh orange zest
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of pure honey (or more maple syrup to be vegan)
1/2 cup of water
2 TB of tapioca starch
pinch of sea salt
2 TB of pumpkin pie spice blend (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves mix)

Mix all of the above ingredients in a large 9x13 glass pyrex pan very well with a spoon or with your hands. Press down if need be to fit the crisp crumble evenly on top.

2 cups of GF rolled oats
1/3 cup of tapioca starch
1/3 cup of potato starch
1/3 cup of rice flour
1/2 ts. of sea salt
3/4 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/3 cup of organic coconut oil
1/3 cup of organic palm oil shortening

Mix the above ingredients together and you get a crumbly oat toping to sprinkle over top the fruit in the Pyrex pan. Try to evenly spread over the fruit and then put the pyrex pan on a baking sheet for extra coverage if there happens to be any juicy fruit drippage from the pan- it will not fall on your oven floor and start burning. Bake for 45-50 minutes in a 350 degree oven- or when the crust is golden brown and crispy and the fruit is bubbling and perfectly soft and sugary. Let it cool! Just for 10-15 minutes so that it is not scalding hot- it is best not scalding, but still very warm if you ask me. You can eat just as for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert, or add some coconut whip topping or ice-cream to get all fancy.

Hope you stay warm and enjoy!

Happy baking and much love, xoxo

Cranberry Orange Cake

Last week I had the honor of being invited to help cook (and bake ;) for a group of women who were on a Holistic Health Solitude Retreat. The heart behind the retreat was of women to find the space to heal, rest, grow and breathe. See at the end of the post for more info. It was set at a gorgeous location in northern Michigan looking over one of the most loved bays of Lake Michigan. It was just rejuvenating sitting at the shores of such beauty. Watching the sun rise and set  over the waters was one of my favorite parts. And more so, it was so amazing to watch women give themselves permission and grace to rest, to be nourished, all in efforts to be their most truest and best selves that God created them to be. Women are truly the force of beauty and change in the world. Such amazing respect for these strong and courageous women. And loved, LOVED, baking them yummy treats and bread to add to the amazing local and nourishing menu. On Saturday morning, the plans for a menu item was changed, and so I tried to whip up some extra autumn sweet goodness in a cranberry orange cake. That is how this recipe was born and now it is being documented for all of those that asked for such details to try and re-create.

I based most of this recipe off of one of my tried and trues, the Blueberry Lemon Cake from last summer, and then I made it a second time and added a few more additions to try and make it a little less crumbly and a little more moist. So I rested upon this final recipe as being the best to follow and give a whirl.

I'm glad to offer this recipe just in time for a little Thanksgiving treat. It would be a great addition to the spread or even for the holiday's morning as a coffee cake or maybe even the morning after for a little Christmas-shopping fuel. You know me, after Thanksgiving breakfast most definitely involves leftover pie or cake :) But cranberries and oranges with a little spice is great for any holiday gathering this time of year... The scents of the cake alone bless you with holiday cheer :)

Cranberry Orange Cake Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, nut, seed, refined-sugar, and eggs  free}

*can be easily made vegan* just don't add frosting or switch out honey with maple syrup

1 1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour (I grind my own from GF rolled oats)
1/2 cup of certified gluten-free rolled oats
3/4 cup of white rice flour or sweet sorghum flour works as sub
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1/4 cup of coconut flour
1/4 cup of potato starch
1 cup of coconut palm sugar
2 ts. of baking powder (I use Hain for corn-free)
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt

1/2 cup of applesauce
1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
1/3 cup of pumpkin puree
2/3 cup of melted coconut oil
1/2 cup of coconut milk beverage with 2 TB of apple cider vinegar
1 organic orange to get...1-3 TB of fresh orange zest and....
1/2 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
optional additional orangey-ness: 4-6 drops of food-grade sweet orange essential oil,
or 1/2 ts. of orange flavoring

2 cups (1 pint) of fresh cranberries cooked down to 1 1/2 cups. Put 2 cups of fresh cranberries in a saucepan with 1/4 or so of water. Let the cranberries start to heat and pop open, do not let them get too hot or turn into sauce, just heat them long enough to get soft and reduce to 1 1/2 cups worth.

First grind your GF flours and mix well with all the other dry ingredients. Then mix in the wet ingredients, and lastly the warmed oil. Mix well and you will start to see the orange juice and baking powder do it's work and make the batter poof up a bit. Fold down and then mix in the fresh cranberries, but making sure to not over mix and break open the berries.

Pour in a coconut-oil-lined baking pan. I baked mine in a bundt or angel food cake pan. But you could also make this in a 9x9 circle or square pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until it is no longer wet and giggling. The cake should show a clean toothpick from the middle of the cake and firm, but soft. no wetness. Pull from the oven and let it cool completely.

You can top the cake with this optional topping:

Honey Cream Frosting Recipe
1/2 cup of room temperature soft but NOT liquid coconut oil
1/3 cup of pure local honey ( or sub in maple syrup to make VEGAN)
2-3 TB of fresh orange juice plus 4-6 drops of food grade essential orange oil 
or 1/4 ts. orange flavoring
pinch of good sea salt

Whip up the ingredients with a fork in a bowl, DO NOT over mix because it will soften too much
Then you can spread/pour over a slightly warm cake and it will melt into the crust of the cake, or if it is cooled will be a frosting like topping and you can dress it up with fresh or dried cranberries on top and even some additional orange zest to add some color too. 

Serve warm with tea or coffee :) or as cooled-down or leftovers. Good both ways :)

Retreat INFO:
There will be more info coming soon- but I am working with a group of four wonderful women to start offering Michigan (local readers) one-day and three-day retreats. So much more info coming soon- just wanted to put a little bug in your ear if you are a local friend and this might be something you are looking for or interested in :)

Much love xoxo

Pumpkin Date Pudding

Have you ever accidentally mixed some ingredients and made something incredibly delicious? This has happened to me a few times in my experiments, but this one surprised me. I mixed some leftover pumpkin puree with some leftover coconut cream with some leftover date puree. It turned into a pudding and I am so excited this magic decided to make an appearance in my kitchen. It is obviously super simple and with simple ingredients You might think I was slaving over this one for hours, no. Just used a blender and viola! It turns out so rich, creamy and perfect!

It is also a type of cream that you can sub into your coffee (or tea) instead of coffee creamer. I know! Crazy, right?! Well if you are all about buying the pumpkin spice latte creamer to add to your half cup of coffee this time of year- this pudding, creamer, whatever is your healthy solution! Such a great combo- and surprising creaming, thick, and decadent in every way. Seriously- try it!

Pumpkin Date Pudding Recipe
Gluten, dairy, soy, egg, nut, seed, and sugar-free
raw, vegan, and paleo too ;)

1 cup of pumpkin puree* I used Green Valley brand this time around
1 cup of date puree**
1 can of full fat coconut milk
dash of sea salt
1 TB of pumpkin pie spice
(or you can use 2 ts. of ground cinnamon,
1 ts. of ground ginger,
1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg,
1/2 ts. of ground cloves)


*I used some organic pumpkin from the can for this experiment. I know fresh pumpkin puree would work just as well, but if you are making your own pumpkin puree, you MUST blend in a high powered blender first to make the pumpkin soft and creamy before you add. Otherwise your pudding with be stringy and not creamy just like pumpkin is after you bake it before you blend it.

**To make the date puree, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 cup of pitted dates. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and then blend in a high powered blender to make the puree. Then, add in the 1 cup of pumpkin puree, and ONLY the cream from the coconut milk from the can. Then add the dash of salt, and spice. Blend again and pour into a glass bowl that you can put a lid on and let it sit in the fridge for up to an hour.  This only helps it stiffen up if you are looking to have a thick custard like pudding. Then it is ready to serve. Serve by itself, or with these Coconut Shortbread cookies . You won't be sad!

I already mentioned, but you can also save pudding cream in the fridge in a covered container and add a scoop to your coffee in the morning too.  

So hope you enjoy this little discovery as much as I do. You could also add come cocoa/melted chocolate chips and blend and make a killer chocolate spice pudding too I bet!

Much love, ENJOY xoxo

Zucchini Mini Muffins

You can't go wrong with a good zucchini bread or muffin recipe in your back pocket. This is a egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free version. Pretty similar recipe to many of my other muffin recipes, with a good heaping cup of shredded fresh zucchini. A classic muffin recipe that turns out so moist and cakey every time and seems much more decadent. It's hard to imagine you are eating a fibrous veggie along with such a treat. 

Somehow I managed to score 4 LARGE zucchini from the farmers market last weekend for only 2 dollars! We have been eating zucchini everything. Sautéed, zoodles, brownies, and muffins. Yet, last week, I did miss posting a "Tuesday-muffin-recipe"- and that's so "ME", just as I think something will stick. I miss a week. Ha! 

And since zucchini season is long gone and won't come again for many moons, I'm trying to take advantage and put some chopped and shredded in the freezer. Yes, I am making a stockpile of winter squashes too, but these green babies are one of my favorite veggies so I'm enjoying them fresh. Lots of good fiber and just look at them.... it looks like I took home four newborn babes from the market. 

Zucchini Mini Muffin Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, egg, nut, and seed-free}
1 1/2 cup of certified GF oat flour (I grind my own out of GF rolled oats)
1/2 cup of white/brown rice flour
1/4 cup of tapioca flour
1/4 cup of potato starch
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt
2 ts. of baking powder (Hain brand corn-free)
1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
1/2 ts. of ground ginger
2/3 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/2 cup of coconut milk beverage
6-10 drop of essential lemon oil (or lemon flavor)
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 heaping cup of fresh shredded zucchini
1/2 cup of soft or melted coconut oil

optional additions:
add1 cup of fresh/frozen blueberries
or
1 cup of mini chocolate chips (enjoy life brand)

Mix all the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and then add all the dry ingredients. Pour into 24 mini muffin tins, and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 22 minutes.  Or you can make 12 large muffins. and the large will need to be baked for 25-28 minutes. The muffins need to cool for at least 10 minutes to avoid tongue burning :) 

Much love and ENJOY!