Pumpkin Pudding Bars (gluten-free, vegan)

You may be thinking this post is a few months too late because it is MARCH today, not November. But in all honestly, it is meant for today. I was doing a little spring cleaning in my fridge and freezer (yes, I clean my fridge and freezer :) I found some frozen pumpkin puree from last fall, and I knew I had to make something with it. You can't just let that pumpkin freeze till next November, there will be fresh laying around then. So, why not enjoy some pumpkin today. It is delicious! And, such a creamy dairy-free gluten-free dessert. I would even say that I prefer this treat over ice cream. I know, that's serious!

Yet, I understand your dilemma in trying this recipe.

You don't have any fresh pumpkins left, and do you want to wait till October to try this one?

Maybe you are like me and you still have that frozen pumpkin in your freezer just waiting to use it for something tasty. Perhaps this will make you go through the freezer space and see what you have in there anyways. Or, maybe you have pumpkin canned in your basement.

Then there is always the store bought option. Canned pumpkin from the store. Hm, good, but not always REAL good. So, that is understandably the dilemma at hand.

My dilemma was whether or not to share this fabulous recipe with you now or later. I was tempted to just save it for later...but then I took another bite of this pumpkin goodness, and thought, I had to share now. I justified the thought with thinking that you too have just cleaned out your freezer and noticed you have to use up some pumpkin puree as well. You have been waiting for this post for a few days now and now that it is here, it all makes sense.

Honestly, I don't think pumpkin has to be narrowed to a few months a year. If you like to freeze seasonal veggies like me then you can also enjoy these flavors more than just for holidays. Besides, as I am sitting planning my garden this week, buying seeds and plotting out the land (in my head), I think to myself, "Need to plant pumpkin!" This is a brilliant thought. Of course I need to plant some pumpkin! This recipe of creaminess divine...it must be repeated again. Perhaps this fall with my very own planted pumpkin.

Until then,

let's just

enjoy pumpkin even if it is March and spring is in 21 days.

Pumpkin Pudding Bar Recipe

Crust:

1 1/4 cup of brown rice flour

1/4 cup of buckwheat flour

1/4 cup of tapioca flour

1/2 cup of millet flour

1 ts. of sea salt

1/2 cup of warmed coconut oil 

2-3 TB of pure water

2 TB of pure maple syrup

Mix all of the dry ingredients together first, then add the wet ingredients and make a pie crust kinda crumble substance. Start with the 2 TB of water, and if it is still a tad too dry then add another TB. Mix with mixer, or hands until you get the pea-sized bits of dough. Then crumble across a 9x13 glass pan that has been greased with organic palm oil shortening or coconut oil. Spread the crust mix all over the bottom of the pan and then press down with your fingers and hands first, then press down with a large flat-bottomed spoon or 1 cup-er. It doesn't have to be pretty, the pumpkin will cover it soon. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown.

Pumpkin Pudding Mix:

3 cups of pureed fresh pumpkin (or thawed frozen pumpkin) (or canned works too)

3 cups of So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage (or other non dairy milk, like hemp or almond)

1 ts. of pure vanilla

1/4 cup of melted coconut oil

1/2 cup of buckwheat flour

2 TB of tapioca flour

1/8 cup of chia seed meal (or flaxmeal is substitute)

1 cup of coconut palm sugar

1 TB of baking powder

1/2 ts. of sea salt

2 ts. of pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon

1 ts. of ground ginger

1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg

In a blender or food processor, blend the pumpkin and coconut milk along with the coconut oil and vanilla, basically all of the wet ingredients. Then add the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then mix the wet and dry together well with a spatula until it is smooth and creamy like pudding. This recipe could have an egg added, but then it would bake up more stiff and cake like too. I omitted the egg for personal reasons. Pour the batter on the COOLED crust from above. Smooth out the top of the batter so that it is even and pretty. Put in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for 1 hour. Bake until it is stiff and golden brown. It may still be gooey or pudding-like looking when you pull from oven, but the more you let it cool, the more it will stiffen. Also, I think this dish should be served COOL, so after cooling on the stove top, put in the fridge and cool for a few hours before you serve. Pudding should be cold, don't you think...so make sure it has cooled and stiffens up before serving. Then use a knife to cut your pieces and serve on up. It is much like pumpkin pie really, but this version has no egg and is a bit more creamy and that is why I have called this pudding bars. :)

Just look at that creamy goodness! Hmmm, so yummy! And, I always justify this dessert with lots of compliments because it is made with a vegetable, so lots of nutrients, fiber and good stuff for you! Enjoy with delight!

Hope you have a good start to your March, and clean up your freezer and find that frozen pumpkin puree you must eat before it's spring :)

Much love to you today!

Stephanie

p.s: Update on the $1000 dollar Institute of Integrative Nutrition Scholarship- both have been used by some lovely readers. They are about to start a very exciting journey learning about health, nutrition and counseling! Very happy and excited for them. If you are interested in the school I went to become a Holistic Health Counselor.... email me at stephanielaidlaw@gmail.com or check out my website...www.stephanielaidlaw.com. Contact me and then we can chat more about the program. And of course, I will let you know of any other scholarships or giveaways if I hear of them. Much Love!