Banana Bread Tea Cake

When it's February in Michigan, the snow isn't as magical as it once was. It tends to feel very cold and possibly an inconvenience with the unending shovelling and driving slow and careful. And, you start to hear more and more complaining ;) and more and more cases of seasonal sadness taking over lives, begging for sunshine and warm to come just a bit early this year. I think maybe our dreams were dashed when that silly groundhog saw his shadow... I guess saying we have 6 more weeks of winter??  I could have told you that ;) Or at least here in Michigan we have [at least] another 6-10 weeks of winter conditions!

Or is it because we are trying to rush through to the next thing...ALWAYS! It is hard to sit and be in the place where you are. Just being means you have to slow down and pay attention. Being. Mindful. Take it all in. The smells, tastes, feelings, and sounds... And it doesn't hurt to have a few winter activities to find cozy comfort and stay grounded in the present.

Like, have you gone out on a winter hike? Yes you have to get bundled up, but I swear to you that it will change your whole heart when it comes to winter. It is quiet...sacred...simple.. and magical. It will remind you of the present beauty that is all around you and begging you to see and be.

Or the winter sunrises and sunsets. They are what get me up each day and keep me going. The pinks, reds and orangey-peach that fills the sky is breathtaking! Like witnessing a miracle each day!

Baking bread is another one of those activities that brings me warmth and joy in the winter months. I don't care as much about getting warm next to the oven in the summer months. In fact I would likely LOVE to not put the oven on and stay outside in the sun at the beach! But in the winter months you can truly enjoy and savor the space to enjoy baking. And that's why this bread came into creation. One of those days sitting and taking in all the winter-goodness and sacred space. If you are looking to bring a little more warmth and joy to your life these last few weeks [months!] of winter I suggest finding a few activities that bring you life, hope, joy and soaking in them. Happy baking, friends xoxo

 Banana Bread Tea Cake Recipe

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

3/4 cup of fresh ground buckwheat flour
3/4 cup of fresh ground GF oat flour
3/4 cup of rice flour
1/4 cup of tapioca flour
1/4 cup of potato starch
1/4 cup of coconut flour
2 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt

1/2 cup of oil [avocado, light olive, or softened coconut]
3 mashed bananas [1 cup]
2/3 cup of coconut milk beverage or other plant-milk
1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/4 cup of applesauce
3/4 cup of date puree paste

In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together first. Then add in the wet and oil and mix together well.  Then oil a baking 9x13 pan or a cake pan or a bundt. Pour in the batter and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes for the bundt, or 30ish for the 9x13 sheet cake pan. Check with toothpick to see if middle is set and not gooey. Let cool and serve up with warm butter or jams of choice. 

I hope you find the sacred in the every day, everything is connected and spiritual and as it should be. Soak it in, enjoy it's season and the parts that are painful or challenging- hold onto them and move through them- they can be your teacher and make you who you need to be!

Sending much love and hope for you today, xoxo

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Rolls

Saturday morning sweetness. This time with cinnamon rolls incredibly without any sweetness except from fruit. I know! The cinnamon filling is made with a raisin paste and cinnamon and the dough is my easy no-yeast- no-rise bread recipe that I morph into dough for these sweet swirl rolls. I promise you that if you have been deprived from sweets, sugar, or anything decadent for a while because of health and digestive issues that you will have a shouted "hallelujah" with these sweeties :) They are such a gift of love and sweetness for any weary soul. And then I topped one with some only-fruit berry chia jam and that's when I heard the magic glitter sparkles snap.

I was recently told by a friend of another friend making something like these rolls from my recipe because of her own journey with leaving regular table sugar behind and even all of the other typical sweet alternatives. So of course I had to try it myself! Fruit is nature's best way to share sweetness in our lives. If you are one of my recipe followers, then you already know I only use sugar alternatives like honey, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar...but even still it is incredible how our bodies get addicted to even these sugars. It has been kinda of a reset for me over the past few weeks to try and eat only fruit for sweetness in my life. This is definitely a challenge for me.

I will be honest with you. I hate restrictions and rules. I basically see a rule and think how on earth can I avoid that one. I used to think that I don't intentionally try to break rules, but really I see myself now as being one of those people that just HATES having restricted boundaries...mostly because I feel trapped. Trapped by feelings that make me feel like I am stuck in a certain way of living or thinking or fill-in-the-blank... This is why I started this blog and baking GF and sharing my recipes. Because I wanted to say that if you have to eat a certain way that sometimes feels small, deprived and trapped that there are people like me out there trying to make things that can give you life, nourish you inside and out, AND will break through the boundaries of what it looks like to have to eat a certain way. Thinking bigger and outside-of-the-lines inspires me and keeps me going. So that was a little of a rant, but basically these little rolls remind me that having restrictions for the diet [for a small or forever time] doesn't have to be a sentence of misery. It can actually bring hope, joy and so much love. Happy baking friends and may you find doses of sweetness in your life that don't involve addicting qualities ;)

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Rolls Recipe

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

3 TB of psyllium husk powder

1 cup of coconut milk beverage (I use So Delicious unsweetened)

1 cup of water

1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce

2 TB of olive oil

Whisk all the above ingredients together very well in a large mixing bowl. It will turn into a pudding-like substance. Then you can add the dry ingredients...

1 1/2 cups of certified GF oat flour *I grind my own from GF rolled oats*

1 1/4 cup of rice flour

1/2 cup of tapioca flour

1/4 cup of potato starch

1 TB of corn-free baking powder

1 ts of baking soda

1 ts. of sea salt

*1/2 cup of extra flour (oat or rice/tapioca or a mix) for rolling out and kneading if need be

After you add in all the dry ingredients you will roll together, knead together and start to form a log or bad and you may need to extra flour (oat, rice, tapioca) in the kneading or rolling out process if your dough is extra sticky. So form a lump or log and start to roll out a flat dough piece on parchment paper. You want to roll out a 12-15 x 15x18 inch dough rectangle. Let it sit while you mix up the filling...

Raisin Cinnamon Paste Filling

1 cup of soft organic raisins

2 TB of ground cinnamon

1-2 TB of coconut oil

1-2 TB of hot water

In a food processor or blender put all of the above ingredients in and blend until a creamy cinnamon paste. Then spread all over the 12x18 inch rolled out piece of dough. You can leave 1-2 inches without the filling at the end closest to your body. Then, at the end farthest from your body start to pinch the first few inches of the dough pieces into a roll. You want to evenly roll the whole 18 inches of dough into a roll towards you. There is a lot of technique here, but basically you want to stretch-then roll-stretch-then roll, and you will eventually get a TIGHT roll of dough swirled with cinnamon filling. Pinch the endings of dough on each side and at the end of the dough roll. This will help the dough stick together. Then take a bread knife and cut 1 inch cuts along the roll and separate each inched roll and place it on a parchment papered baking sheet. A 15x18 baking sheet works best, or 2 12x9 baking sheets would work too. Spread out 1/2 inch apart so they bake together but they will expand a little. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Let the rolls sit and cool for 15 minutes and they are ready to eat!

This recipe can make 24 mini rolls or about 18 larger rolls. It just depends on how long you roll out your cinnamon log and how large you slice off the rolls from the log. If you have ever made homemade cinnamon rolls before you can use all the same techniques here with this recipe, but this dough is free of  sugar, yeast, so no rising time, and free of the pesky allergens. They turn out fabulous though!

These could be wonderfully topped with the jam I mentioned, or you could top with ghee, nut/seed apple or any other "butters", bananas, seeds, nuts, or whatever to add more flavor. You could toast them or dunk them, or even un-swirl them and eat them like a spaghetti noodle (that is done by one of my littles LOL). The options are endless ;) Or at least it is fun to think that way and imagine all the possibilites out there in the world to ENJOY food and life that you CAN enjoy!

Hope you find hope and peace today, friends! Much love xoxo

Banana Cream Panna Cotta

After eating no sweet treats for the last week, I was getting desperate for a little something and my kids were begging for banana pudding. So then this little treat was created. I wasn't sure what to call it but here it is... A thick creamy custard-type gelatin treat, BUT no sugar and sweetened only with fruit. So my friends, this is ONE special dessert ;)

 

I just love a thick, have to use your spoon, kinda dessert. It's one you might want to lick the jar clean but won't, so you pretend your spoon is your tongue and you try and get every last bit. The cute jars help with savoring each lovely bite too, and you can't help but wish there was another secret compartment on the bottom somewhere. 

But what makes this dessert sweet and worth every bite, is the date puree and the fresh vanilla bean- both with such rich deep flavor- oh and the banana. Which I have found is one of those foods and flavors that people either LOVE or HATE- there is no middle ground on it. I happen to love banana, but some can only imagine baby food. So maybe this recipe is not for you, but if you are a banana pudding or everything LOVER- then this is a must try! Hope you ENJOY!

Banana Cream Panna Cotta Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, nut, seed, soy and sugar-free}

2 ripe bananas smashed and pureed
1/2 cup of date paste puree 
1 can of full-fat coconut milk
1/2 vanilla bean scraped for the beans (or use 1 TB of vanilla extract)
1/2 lime squeezed or 1 TB of juice
a pinch of finely grated fresh ginger
pinch of sea salt
pinch of ground turmeric

Put all of the above ingredients in a small saucepan to get warm on low heat. Warm till it is steaming but not boiling or bubbling. Then, in a separate small bowl, mix up the following to let the gelatin bloom...

1/2 cup of coconut milk beverage
1 1/2 TB of pure gelatin 

When the gelatin stiffens, scrap into the saucepan with the rest of the ingredients and turn off heat completely. Then whisk in the gelatin so it is one mixture and pour into a blender and blend until frothy and mixed well and then slowly pour into 1/2 pint glass jars, or even in the smaller size meant for small jams (the 1/2 cup size... called 1/4 pint maybe?). Then put on lids and slide into the fridge for 3-4 hours and then you are ready to eat and ENJOY!

If you are not a banana fan you can add in 1 cup of pumpkin puree in it's place or just leave it as vanilla coconut. I will save those recipes for another post ;)

I hope you give this ONLY fruit sweetened dessert a try! It totally hits the spot when you haven't been enjoying many deserts ;) It is a new favorite around my house and I know Ill be making many more varieties as the month goes on...

Much love and light! xoxo

Raisin Bread with Berry-Chia Jam

January is for snuggling, hygge-ing, and bread making :) It is for me at least. I told you I have challenged myself to a plant-based diet for a few weeks and no sweets except those in fruit. Well for breakfast I have been enjoying Buckwheat-Date Porridge or some GF quick cooking oatmeal topped with blueberries, pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes and chia seeds...BUT when it comes to breakfast, I still love a piece of whole grain toast smothered in a seed butter and jam ;)

This bread recipe is a combination of [this oat and this buckwheat-quinoa-millet] beloved bread favorites and my favorite homemade jam [from all those frozen blueberries] that I make weekly, but this time I threw in a few new twists so as to avoid sweeteners other than fruit and add in a few other parts to get the most I could out a having bread and jam for breakfast. The raisins were added in to help bring out some natural sweetness and honestly I LOVE a breakfast bread with a little dried fruit. I am already thinking up some future bread recipes... ones with cranberry, orange and seeds, or a molasses and raisin one. I cracked open a multitude of ideas... some of those have been tucked back there for a while. But for now- it is raisins, lightly sweetened with applesauce and cinnamon, and the love is ever great and nourishing.

Raisin Bread Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, yeast, nut, seed, and sugar-free}

3 TB of psyllium husk powder (must be powder, not seed or husk)

2 cups of pure water or non-dairy milk (or a combination of both)

3 TB of apple cider vinegar

3 TB of unsweetened apple sauce

2 TB of olive oil
1/2-1 cup of organic raisins

1 TB of cinnamon

1 cup of finely ground fresh GF oat flour

(grind 1 cup GF rolled oats in high powered blender)
1/2 cup of quinoa flour
1/2 cup of buckwheat flour
1/2 cup of millet flour
1/2 cup of rice flour

1 ts. of sea salt

2 ts. aluminum free baking powder

1 ts. of baking soda

sprinkle up to 1/2 cup extra oat flour for kneading 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the psyllium husk powder, water, milk and apple cider vinegar together. It will turn into a thickened blob in a few minutes, then whisk in the oil and applesauce in together. Lastly mix in the raisins and let them get wet before mixing in the dry...

Then, add all of the dry ingredients, flours, cinnamon and salts, and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until all of the flour is blended, but be careful to not over mix and make it too sticky. Then use your hands with a sprinkle of extra flour if needed to knead and roll our the dough until it starts to get a skin and no longer sticky. Once you got a nice skin on the dough and have rolled around you will have less cracks and stickiness. This is where I roll out to a long oval-shaped loaf and tuck all the spots under the loaf that have cracks or whatever. It doesn't have to look perfect because the skin will turn into a thick crunchy crust after baking. 

No need to proof or prove or whatever you normally do with bread because there is NO YEAST!! So just after rolling out a loaf, put on a parchment papered baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Let cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting into. Serve warm, which is my favorite! But also let it cool and slice out the loaf and save in a bread container for the rest of the week. It does a great job at keep at room temperature but you may find that you still like to toast it to warm it up a bit. 

Berry Chia Jam Recipe
2 cups of frozen blueberries or a mix of whatever berries you have
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
1/2 cup of pear or apple juices for sweetness too
also, you can use elderberry tea as in sub from the juice (as in my other chia-jam recipe)
1 TB of grated fresh ginger
1 organic orange grated for zest and squeezed for juice
pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup of whole chia seeds

In a medium saucepan, pour in the 2 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. You can use an immersion blender to blend in half of the mixture to be more smooth and have less chunky fruit if you want a smoother jam. After this it looks like a fruit soup. 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 a pint jar to continue to cool and thicken in the fridge. It will be best after at least 4 hours in the fridge. This recipe makes 1 pint jar and will keep up to 2 weeks. 

There you have it, my most favorite recipes adapted to have NO sweetener but fruit. I hope you give them a try regardless and ENJOY! It is a great way to start off the new year trying to love and nourish the body with ways that it cannot hide behind sugar, caffeine and crappy processed foods to feel numb and yucky. Feed your body LOVE, friends!

Much love as always, xoxo

Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry

HAPPY NEW YEAR, friends! I hope you had only positive affirmations, dreams and goals as you process the past and look forward to the next year. I am challenging myself to a "January reset" after a few months of feasting and indulging throughout the holidays. This reset includes two things... to eat a plant based diet and to only eat fruit for sweetness, so no honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar... just fruit and veggies to get sweetness in my life. So this is my way of showing myself some self-love this month. It isn't about restrictions or rules, just a way to say to my body, "I love you and you are worth it!" I want to help my body clean out whatever needs to go and reduce inflammation, anxiety and imbalances. It is about nourishing, loving and bringing more goodness and simplicity to my diet. I am NO fan of January juice, raw, or rules diets- these to me can cause so much confusion and stress on the body when all it wants this time of year is to be WARM, nourished and replenished.

Another great thing about this recipe is how cost effective it is. I bought all of the above at my local health grocery store for around 10 dollars and add in the extra rice it is a huge meal for around $12 dollars. This recipe will be my lunches for the whole week, but it could easily feed a family of four twice! So is it nourishing...AND cheap! And did I say it's packed with fresh ginger and turmeric too?!? This means that is is perfect for warming the bones too...our temperature here this week is in the single and negative digits as is many part of the country, so I know we are all looking for a meal to warm us from the inside out!

Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, and sugar-free, vegan if you use vegetable stock}

2 TB of avocado oil for sauteing
1 large onion finely chopped
4-5 garlic cloves finely minced
1-2 TB of finely grated fresh ginger*
1-2 TB of finely grated fresh turmeric*

2 cups of raw washed, cut into bite sized pieces, cauliflower
2 cups of pealed and cut and cubed pieces of sweet potato

1 14 ounce can of diced organic tomatoes
1 can of full-fat coconut milk
2-3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
1 14 ounce can of organic pre-cooked garbanzo beans
1 ts. of curry powder
1 ts. of ground paprika
1 ts. of ground cumin
1 ts. of ground coriander
1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
pinch of cayenne
pinch of cloves
1 ts. of sea salt
hearty pinch of fresh ground black pepper
optional: 1-2 TB of tahini, or a nut butter like almond or peanut for extra thickness and flavor

2 cups of fresh finely chopped greens (spinach, kale or chard)
handful of fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 cup of raisins (I like a mix with golden raisins included ;)

for serving:
serve over prepared basmati or jasmine rice (or quinoa)
limes juice and wedges
sprinkle of fresh cilantro or parsley

In a large pot, saute the onion, garlic, tumeric, ginger with the oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, when it cooks down, add in the bite-sized cauliflower, sweet potato and spices and cook for another 5 minutes, then add in the coconut milk, tomatoes, beans and broth. Let cook, bubbling and covered for 15- 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft and the broth reduced. Then add in the raisins, fresh greens and herbs and let those get soft. It is ready for serving now, or you can turn off the heat and let it sit and cool a bit and thicken up. Then serve with prepared basmati or jasmine rice. With a slice of lime and a sprinkle of some fresh herbs too. 

*If you do not have access to fresh ginger or turmeric root, then you can for sure used dried spices. I would start at 1 ts. each and add in more if you desire a little more punch...

This curry recipe is an easy base recipe for a vegan curry. You could easily swap out the sweet potatoes for carrots or add in other favorite blend of veggies. I love the sweet potatoes for a little extra sweet in my life while fasting from sugar and also the cauliflower holds up so nicely and pairs so well with the spices. The raisins add just the right touch of sweetness to the spice and then get soft and plump up on the sauce so they are a must of you ask me. BUT if for some reason you don't have raisins on hand or dislike them then they can easily be nixed. This is thick, creamy, hearty, nourishing bowl of goodness that I hope you find yourself making again and again before it gets warm. Maybe a weekly occurrence until we get above the freezing point.

What new ways are you showing yourself some love and nourishment this new year? What hopes to you have to learn and challenge yourself in 2018? I know my little way of showing some love this January will come with it's ups and downs, and I hope to share a few more of my no-sugar-no meat experiments with you :) Stay warm and cozy friends!

Much love and HOPE xoxo

Pineapple Kale Lime Smoothie

Well it's been about a month now since I got a Vitamix and it's been a pretty great month of smoothies. My quote for this one off of my instagram was "those that 'green' together stay together" and me and my hubs have been enjoying the green together and I would have to say from personal experience that our love goes strong...:)

My favorite one is continually this green smoothie combo of frozen pineapple, kale, cilantro, and LIME. It makes it so fresh and sweet and great every damn time! So in effort to share with you my most favorite combo {for now ;)} I tried to write down estimates so that you can create it for yourself. And here's what I got...

Pineapple Kale Lime Smoothie Recipe

{gluten, dairy, nut, seed, egg, sugar-free, vegan}

1-2 cups of frozen pineapple

1-2 frozen bananas 

1 small organic lime, washed and diced (or you can use 1/4 cup pure lime juice)

1-2 cups of pineapple juice

1-2 cups of coconut milk beverage

2-3 cups of washed and roughly chopped FRESH kale leaves and stalks

1 cup of FRESH cilantro leaves and stalks

optional addition: protein powder of choice 

(my go-to's are vital protein collagen powder or rice protein powder)

Blend in a high powered blender... this serves our family of four actually, but could be for 2 grown adults with big kid cups too :)

I have been enjoying this combo for breakfast this week and I've been waiting for it to get old and it hasn't yet- so until that happens I will be enjoying this combo on the back deck in the sunshine... :)

Hope you are well and finding balance this week.
Much love as always, xoxo

Coconut Applesauce Shortbread Cookies

Hello lovely gluten-free foodie friends. It has been a long while.
A, LONG. while :)

Last summer when I took a hiatus, I moved from our home with two small kids to a temporary {more rural} location for 8 weeks, then finally to our new home in new part of town. It was a long summer and fall and we are still trying to make sense and the craziness and get settled in 2015. I gave myself the space to put a halt to blogging and creating new recipes and just live in the moment and the convenience of the present. And for those friends that I was living with over the summer, they know I can't stay away from the oven for long. They found me baking goodies late into the night as my kids finally went to sleep.

I can't stay away. Not from gluten-free baking. Not from you.

No matter how hard I sometimes want to or need to. I can't stop baking and enjoying the attempt at new recipes and ideas in the kitchen. So I will start again. I have been making a few new recipes that I love over the past year that haven't made it to the blog yet. So that is where I will start. I hope this year will bring many new creative ventures in the kitchen and a continual pursuit of health and healing in the home. Thanks for following along and giving me another reason to put my recipes and thoughts to pen, I mean blog :)

This cookie recipe was born over the holidays when trying to make a simple cookie to serve with Against All Grain's Pumpkin Pudding Recipe. I LOVE this pumpkin pudding recipe because it is so simple and can be eaten as a treat while still sticking to a very simple and healing diet. A friend of mine posted it on facebook around December and I pulled up the link and was like whoa, I have all those ingredients already to go! Yum.

But when I was going to bring this pudding dish to a party I felt like it needed something more with it to look more than just a bowl of orangy pumpkiny poo. I wanted it to be served with a some-thing special dipping treat. So to avoid nuts, and grains, I made a simple shortbread cookie that only required a few ingredients as well. Another way I added these cookies to a holiday treat was a chocolate fondue. I made my chocolate sauce or an easy chocolate dip made from 1 can full fat coconut milk and 1 bag of Enjoy Life chocolate chips both melted together to create a creamy chocolate ganache dip. I made the chocolate dip and centered it in a bowl on a large serving platter then added these cookies, homemade marshmellows (recipe soon!), fresh fruit (clementines, strawberries, bananas, ect) and you have a pretty easy platter of simple deliciousness. These cookies are so simple with simple ingredients that I am sure you could find dozens of ways to enjoy them.

Coconut Applesauce Shortbread Cookie Recipe
{gluten, grain, dairy, egg, refined sugar, soy and nut-free}
1 cup of organic coconut flour
1 cup of soft or melted organic coconut oil
1/3 cup of homemade or unsweetened applesauce
1 TB to 1/4 cup of sweetener of choice: pure honey or maple syrup
1 ts. of ground ginger
pinch to sprinkle of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If your coconut oil is not soft, then melt it in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Pour the flour and ginger and salt in a pour, add the wet ingredients and then stir quickly by hand with a spatula while wet and sticky. Let batter sit for 5 minutes to let the dough get tough. It should be a soft but pliable consistency. If it is still too sticky then add a dash of flour until it more stiff and pliable. If it is too stiff then add a spoonful of applesauce or sweetener to make it more pliable. Use your hands to press and roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out a 1/4 inch thick piece or dough. It is best to use small cookie cutters. No bigger than 2-3 inches in diameter. This will help the final cookie product to not be so easily broken. Coconut flour is very fiberous and it easily broken when baked and dried out. So it really works best to make a small half dollar or smaller sized cookie. 

This recipe will make 3-4 dozen small cookies. Place on baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Watch closely. They bake very fast you can bake a little lighter or longer depending on your preference. I a happen to like them a bit crispy and browned so I bake closer to the 12 minute mark. 

I hope you try these lovely simple treats out and the AAG Pumpkin Pudding as well. A perfect treat even if you are trying to cleanse and heal your body this new year.

Lots of love to you!
Stephanie

Maple-Date-Banana Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are a great treat, snack, and could even serve as a breakfast bar on the go. I have been trying to sub dates and iron rich foods into my diet as much as possible to get ready for labor and baby coming. Eating whole grains especially wheat germ is a great way to get in iron and also assimilate iron into your system, but yes, because of being gluten-free, wheat germ is not an option for me. So certified gluten-free oats have been an option, along with common other veggies and seeds that contain vitamins and iron that promote better hemoglobin levels in the body.

Some other foods to consider for iron intake are lots of fresh and steamed greens, pumpkin seeds and nuts, and dried apricots and dates also have a nice amount as well. Then there are the usual suspects of iron-rich foods like red meat, legumes and spinach, so those have been a more common staple for me as well. Oh, and did I mention raw cocoa also has a nice amount of iron to offer the body (no problem consuming more of that, thank you!) Whether you are pregnant or want to be pregnant, the truth is that people who have food sensitivities often have a hard time  assimilating nutrients in their small intestines, so those may be found to be anemic or even "malnourished" for a long time even after going gluten-free. So it is even more important to sensitive people to try and eat a nutrient dense diet as much as you can. Whole foods, no chemicals or additives, and as much plants as possible. Gaining as much nutrients from your real food over popping over the counter vitamins is a better way for the body to gain the benefit of nourishment as well.

Interesting enough, I found out that pure maple syrup actually has a nice amount of natural occurring iron as well. Which is an added bonus since I just bought a ton of local syrup to store for the year. Michigan maple syrup is the best! I'm sure other people may think their local syrup is better, so I won't argue my point, but I am pretty proud to live in a place that produces such sweet gold this time of year.

So these cookies are sweetened with my 3 favorite sugar subs of maple syrup, dates and banana. They are not too complicated and turned out fabulous for storing, freezing or devouring of course. I plan to make a few more batches to freeze for after baby comes as well. I think these cookies would make a wonderful treat for new breast feeding moms.

Maple-Date-Banana Oatmeal Cookie Recipe 

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

3 cups of gluten-free rolled oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)

3/4 cup of sweet sorghum flour

3/4 cup of brown rice flour (can sub white rice flour here)

2 TB of ground flaxmeal (I used golden flax)

1 ts. of baking powder

1 ts. of baking soda

1 ts. of sea salt

2 ts. of ground cinnamon

1/4 cup of light olive oil or grapeseed oil, or melted coconut oil works too
(oil can be omitted if you desire)

1/2 cup of dates (16 dates)

2 ripe bananas

1 cup of pure maple syrup

1 TB of lemon juice (1 small fresh lemon squeezed)

2 ts. of pure vanilla 

additions:

1/4 cup of raisins or currants

1/4 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips

or pick 1/2 cup of one or the other

other dried fruit or carob nibs could also sub just fine here as well

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together and leave the oil out and ready to dump in with the rest of the wet ingredients. Then in a large magic bullet blender or other high powered blender, blend the extra ripe bananas, dates and maple syrup along with the vanilla and lemon. Blend until smooth, or if you want a few date pieces you can blend until mostly smooth. Then pour in the blender mix with the dry mix, add the oil and mix well together. You may want to mix well and then leave the batter to soak up the moisture for a few minutes and it will become a sticky cookie batter then. Lastly add the extra fillings you desire. 1/2 of fillings should be about enough. 1/2 of raisins, or chocolate chips, or a mix of both. 

Roll out Tablespoon-sized balls and then press them down on a baking cookie sheet. Then bake in a 375 degree oven for 12-14 minutes. This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

We ate about half of these and then stuck half in the freezer. I am going to make another batch or two to put in the freezer because they freeze so well. Which will come in handy in a few weeks when we are looking for a quick snack or treat.

I hope you enjoy and find that gluten-free baking can be fun and nutritious too!

Much love as always!

Banana Oat Flax Muffins

This is one of those recipes that is a staple in my kitchen. If there was one thing I learned quickly when I first went gluten-free, it was to not give up on baking from scratch. Even if this meant I had to buy a bunch of new flours to work with and many other tricks to learn along the way. And, after almost 6 years of eating this way I still value a home baked gluten-free goodie more than any mix on the market. If you make it right, it cannot be beat. And you may just surprise yourself at being an amazing baker along the way. 

And when you find a recipe that you and your family love, it becomes the stand-in. The classic fall-back-on. It will be the one you make when you need a last minute treat for that trip, party or packed picnic or lunch sack. This recipe is that for me. It involves ingredients that I always have in my kitchen and full of protein, nutrition and whole grains of course. Yes, I may sometimes show-off my baking skills with cupcakes, cakes or whatever other crazy idea comes in my head....but at the end of the day I am just like you...trying to make healthy gluten-free baked alternatives for my family. 

Some thoughts or advice I have for those starting on the gluten-free baking journey...

1. Don't give up if you have a baking flop! Even after 1, 2, or more than 3 times. Try, try again!

2. Be brave. Don't be afraid to buy, try and eat new ingredients. You may just be surprised with what you find.

3. Start simple...start with a recipe you know you and your family will like...and keep those favorite recipes close by for further use.

4. Bake lots and then freeze and store the extras for last minute breakfasts and in the meantime saving time and money as well!

Banana Oat Flax Muffin Recipe
(gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut and sugar-free)

1 1/4 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour ( 1 cup of groats ground)
1 cup of freshly ground gluten-free oat flour ( 1 cup of oats ground)
1/2 cup of gluten-free rolled oats
1/3 cup of flax meal (ground flax seeds)
1 1/2 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
dash-1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg, cloves and ginger
1 heaping cup of mashed ripened bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
1/4 cup of apple butter (or homemade apple sauce)
1/2 cup of baking oil (soft coconut or light olive oil)
1/3 cup of non-dairy milk (So Delicious coconut milk is my favorite)
juice from 1 lemon (about 2 TB's of juice)
1/3- 1/2 cup of local honey, maple syrup or agave nectar
optional additions: handful of raisins, craisins, blueberries, chocolate chips, or any other favorites.

First, grind your buckwheat groats and gluten-free rolled oats separately in a food processor or high powered blender. Make just over 1 cup of flours of each and then pour into a large mixing bowl. Then add in the rest of the dry ingredients and whisk well together. Then add the wet ingredients and mix well and let the batter sit for 5 minutes to soak up the moisture. Then use a 1/3 cup measuring cup and pour the batter into muffin tins or a greased muffin pan. This recipe will make 9 large muffins, or 12 medium to small muffins.

I kept this recipe simple today and just topped the unbaked muffins with a sprinkle of gluten-free rolled oats for baking. Then bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown and no gooey middles.

This muffin is perfectly moist, fluffy, chewy and hearty as well. It is a perfect healthy whole grain gluten-free treat made without gums, starches, or any extras. It is very basic and simple and it will surprise you on how great it is every time it pops from the oven. I have made this recipe over a dozen times and I am always impressed with it's simplicity and great results. I thought it was about time I shared one of my kitchen's favorites with yours! ENJOY!

Hope you are well and getting into the swing of the new fall season.

Much love and light to you today!

Date Sweetened Zucchini Fudge Cake

Yes, you read that right....zucchini fudge cake. Sweetened not with sugar, but with dates to boot!

I was surprised to pick yet another zucchini from the garden yesterday. It was gorgeous as ever and it looks like we will be getting another few before you know it. I guess the cooler tempts the past few weeks have kept the plant alive instead of drying up. I am surprised it's still giving us zucchini. I think we must have gotten over a dozen from this one plant alone. It must be getting tired. And to be honest, I'm looking forward to fall and harder shelled squash like buttercup, butternut and pumpkins, oh my! But, let's not get ahead of ourselves, and may we savor one of the last few zucchini and a long 4 day weekend with CAKE!

But, I do love getting a new zucchini. I get all excited when I see it starting to grow on the plant's base. I just can't wait to use it! Either in a dinner dish or yes a lovely baked good. I have been hoping to make another great zucchini chocolate cake this year, and what better way to finish up some summer squash with a chocolate cake. I was excited to discover that zucchini goes so well with dates and together they make the cake moist, chewy and stick together perfectly. I added a few more tablespoons of maple syrup to sweeten it a touch more, but you do not have to if you are trying to stick to just fruits for sweets.

Date Sweetened Zucchini Fudge Cake Recipe
(gluten, dairy, egg, nut and refined sugar-free)
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup of millet flour
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
2 Tb of ground flax meal
1 heaping cup of pitted dates
1 cup of boiling water
2-3 ounces of dark chocolate bar (72% cacao or higher)
1 1/2 cup of freshly grated zucchini
3 TB of softened coconut oil (or light olive oil)
1 ts. of pure vanilla

optional:
3 TB of pure maple syrup (or honey, or agave)
1/4 cup of allergen-free chocolate chips sprinkled on top

First of all, boil 1 cup of water to pour over a heaping cup of chopped pitted dates. Let the dates, boiling water and the broken dark chocolate bar soak for at least 10 minutes, or you can until it is cooled. Then pour the date, water chocolate mixture into a magic bullet or high powered blender and whip up until creamy and thick. This mixture should look almost like a chocolate pudding mixture.

Then, blend the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the wet and the date mixture. Mix well and pour into a oiled 9x9 Pyrex pan for a thick and chewy cake. It would also work to pour into a 9x13 pan to be a thinner cake, or more like brownies. If you like, sprinkle some allergen-free chocolate chips on top of cake before baking.

Bake the cake in a 9x9 pan for 50-55 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven, or the 9x13 pan for 40-45 minutes. Make sure to bake until the middle it baked and doesn't come up gooey with a tooth pic. 

Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting and serving. This cake will serve between 9-12 people. Serve just is, or with your favorite vegan ice cream. But to be honest, it is pretty wonderful on it's own. It is a perfect treat for an end of summer celebration. ENJOY!

Well friends, I hope you have some relaxing Labor Day weekend plans. I am excited to spend time with my family and soak up every last bit of summer before schedules, routines and cooler air set in.

Here is a link to some of my other favorite Labor Day weekend recipe ideas. 

Much love as always to you and yours!

Strawberry Jamberry Crumble Bars

I think I can call it quits. I have been picking strawberries all week long with a very busy and friendly 20 month old. We have been making our rounds to a few farms in the area and have picked around 75 pounds of berries all together. I froze about 40 pounds and made jam with about 20 and we ate the rest fresh in pies, smoothies and treats (I will share some of those recipes very soon). 

I am so glad that my son and I have been able to have fun and enjoy the process too.  There is something really healing about picking your own food. You have more ownership over each piece and you can find more appreciation for God's gift of good food from the earth. I would encourage you to do the same for your health...physically and emotionally as well. It is good for the mind, body and soul to connect with the Creator, earth and the food you eat. 

So, you see, after so many strawberries, I think I can call it quits as the 2012 strawberry season winds down this weekend. We can take a little break and wait until blueberry and raspberry season start up in a few weeks. Because Michigan has so many local farms to pick and buy your own berries I just can't sit around and watch the season slip by. It is what summer is all about at our home...

Eating your local produce has more vitamins and fresh quality because you don't have to wonder how long it has been sitting in a truck or refrigerated box in transit. I think anyone would agree that fresh from the plant just tastes better too. It must be all those fresh vitamins and antioxidants!  I am so thankful to live in a place where lots of fresh healthy farm produce is available. What a gift!

And what am I going to do with all these berries you ask?! Well, the frozen ones are reserved for mostly smoothies and other baked treats, and the jam is reserved for topping oatmeal, muffins, and other treats, and the fresh ones are just cute to have around for a few weeks and add to everything...like this yummy crumble dish. Super easy, only a few ingredients and its absolutely delish! Enjoy!

Strawberry Jamberry Crumble Bar Recipe 

(gluten, dairy, soy and nut-free)

Crust Crumble:

2 cups of freshly ground gluten-free oat flour

    *grind 2 cups of certified gluten-free rolled oats in a grinder or food processor to make flour*

1 cup of certified gluten-free rolled oats

1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut

dash - 1/2 ts. of sea salt

3 TB of local raw honey or maple syrup

2/3 cup of organic extra virgin coconut oil

Put all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well together with a rubber spatula or your hands. Then cut the batter in half and spread half of the dough in a 9x13 pyrex glass pan. Spread thin and press firm with a spoon or cup to evenly spread the crust over the whole pan. Then put the crust in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until golden. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before adding the strawberries...

Strawberry Filling:

1 cup of homemade strawberry honey jam (I'll share my recipe version soon)

2 cups of thinly slices fresh strawberries

drizzle of honey and lime juice over the strawberries to give them a sweet juice

When the crust is cooled a bit then you can spread 1 cup of strawberry jam over the crust. I used homemade because I had it and it didn't contain cane sugar but honey. But you could use any of your favorite fruit jams if you prefer. Then after spreading jam, spread 2 cups of thinly sliced strawberries that had been sprinkled with lime juice and a drizzle of honey. 

Spread the berries over all the jam and then finally top the whole pan off with the remaining crust/crumble dough. You do not need to spread thin the crust on top, just crumble the topping with your fingers over the top.

Then bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely if you want to cut into neat bars. Or scoop out the bars warm with some coconut ice cream or coconut whipped topping.

Enjoy with some iced sun-tea, outdoors or with friends! Delish!

These can be a bit messy and crumbly so you may take that into consideration. But every crumb is perfectly delicious and I hope you try out this super simple recipe before strawberry season escapes us!

Much love to you as always!

Date Sweetened Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

April is here, and it's one of my most favorite months of the year. Mainly because it is my birthday month and I always like to make a big deal about my birthday (been dreaming about my cake for months now....stay tuned). But it is also a month of many birthdays of friends and family. So April for me is a month of life, birth and celebrating. What better way to celebrate with a special treat? This treat may fool you if you ate it on the first of the month (eh hem). Mostly because it is so tricky with it's sweet, moist and delicious quality without a pinch of sugar. Surprise! Dates are the main sweetness and bananas fill in the blanks. And with a touch of pure vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg you have a cute little cupcake made to perfection. Of course the vegan chocolate chips help out a bunch too...

The funny thing about dates is that they are tiny sweet-filled antioxidant-packed 'candies' of nature. They are packed full of vitamins, iron and minerals, and have many health-boosting qualities. They even help your digestion improve and fight off cancer building cells. Amazing! So why not add them instead of sugar, right? I have also found that I have acquired a taste for dates. They are a nice treat just by themselves or with a scoop of seed butter or I have heard that goat or nut cheeses are a nice pair to dates as well. I think dates help baked goods rise better in the oven and also serve as a nice gel when used in gluten-free baking. I have lots of love for dates in cookies, biscuits, breads and now a special cupcake as well.

Date Sweetened Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcake Recipe

Date Cream Mixture:
1 cup of chopped pitted dates
1 cup of coconut milk or other non-dairy milk (I love So Delicious for best results)
1 cup of pure water
3 TB of chia seed meal

Soak the above ingredients together overnight or for at least 4 hours and then blend in high powered blender to make a pudding-like cream to add to the rest of the cupcake batter. Then, in a large mixing bowl blend the following ingredients to make your base batter.


Recipe:
dry:
1 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour
1/2 cup of organic millet flour
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1 ts. of baking powder
1/2 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg
1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
wet:
*Date Cream Mixture*
3 TB of light olive oil or grape seed oil
1 cup of mashed banana (about 2-3 small ripe banana)
1/2- 1 cup of chocolate chips (I always use Enjoy Life's brand for no dairy, no soy and best quality!)

Mix all of the dry ingredients together first. I recommend you grind your own buckwheat groats in a high powered blender to get 1 cup of the best buckwheat flour to use. Then after the dry ingredients are mixed add in the date cream mixture and the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix well and then add the chocolate chips last. You can sub dry fruit for the chocolate if you want and can make this cupcake more of a tasty muffin. Pour the batter into a muffin tin and top with more chocolate chips if you are not going to frost with frosting. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

Notes:
*The cupcakes are moist and fluffy. They will not disappoint. To keep best you must eat within 2-3 days and leave them on the counter in an airtight container. If you want to freeze, then I suggest you make sure then cupcakes are wrapped tight or in an airtight container. 


* I started out making this recipe with a muffin recipe in mind, but then I added the chocolate. I have also make this kind of muffin without the chocolate and with some oats and cranberries to make a nice fruity and crunchy muffin. You can sub out the banana for applesauce and you can add other flavors if you want to experiment. 


*If I didn't add the chocolate chips, I would have frosted these cakes with this frosting recipe. You could slice a fresh banana on top of the frosting for decor to :)


*You could easily make this recipe into a cake. I would suggest pouring the whole batter into a bundt cake tin or 9x13 pyrex pan. You would need to bake those cakes between 45-55 minutes. Check on the best baking time for your oven.

This is one of those recipes that you can sub a lot of the ingredients for to make your own variety of muffin or cupcake. I would suggest if you are looking for a sugar-free alternative that you try dates. Really! Add them into your hot cereals and baked goods and I know it make take some time to get off the true sugar taste and addiction, but in the end switching to dates will make you a healthier and happier person!

Much love to you!

Chocolate 'Peanut Butter' Chia Mousse

I'll share another way I use and eat up that amazing chia seed. This time it is more of a dessert. Or a snack or whatever you want to make up of. It is a simple 5 ingredient treat- nothing too crazy- Just a few simple ingredients to whip up and enjoy! There is nothing real inventive with this recipe. Just pairing together a few great flavors to enjoy together. Who doesn't like a little peanut butter (or sunbutter) and cocoa? Some call it the perfect couple. Addicting. Satisfying. And divine. 

Chocolate Chia Mousse Recipe
1 1/2 cup of So Delicious coconut milk beverage (or other non-dairy milk beverage)
1/3 cup of chia seed gel*
1/4-1/3 cup of natural sunflower seed butter (or natural peanut butter)
12-15 drops of vanilla stevia (NuNaturals)
2 TB of raw cacao powder (or baking cocoa works too)

*chia-gel 'recipe'

1. Grind 1 cup of chia seeds in a magic bullet, Vitamix, or smaller food processor (using a blade you would normally use to grind other seeds or whole grains).

2. Pour the chia seed meal into a quart-sized mason jar that you have a secure top for.

3. Fill the rest of the quart jar with pure water (about 2 cups).

4. Shake up the jar and let sit in the fridge ready for use.

In a high powered blender, blend all of the ingredients and then pour into 1 large or 2 smaller glasses to serve up. Super simple and super healthy and delicious. Maybe even better for you than a sugar filled yogurt pick-me-up. This is packed full of greatness to keep you mind and body moving. 

toppings:
fresh or frozen berries
shredded coconut
mini chocolate chips

This recipe picture is a little bit more 'grainy' than when I have made it again and again. If you whip up all of the ingredients in a high powered blender then you will have more of a creamy and whipped up mousse-like texture. Or, just whip it by hand with a whisk if you like it a little more crunchy. A little bit more domesticated and rustic. This is power food. Lots of protein, energy, and yes, it could be called dessert :)

Much love and light to you today! I hope you have a relaxing weekend ahead of you...