Chocolate Muffins

It's a Monday. Sometimes Monday's call for muffins, and even more so, some Mondays call for chocolate muffins. Yes!  These are the kind of muffins that will get you out of bed and on your way. They won't let you linger, or press snooze ONE.MORE.TIME. or even have you wish this day never came. It won't be just another manic Monday if you can start it with one of these babies. They will have you ready to face the hard stuff, one step at a time.

And not to mention with a serving of pumpkin, dates and banana hidden in there beneath the energizing cocoa these really are FULL of GOODNESS too. You can nourish yourself with the good stuff and also have fun doing it! Some days call for the big guys to come out and help you through, and if you got some of these sweet muffins on your side I know you can do this. You were born for this. Don't give up on being you and doing what you know best. We all need you and you are the best person for the job. Happy baking and happy Monday, friends!!!

Chocolate Muffin Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, nut, seed, soy and refined-sugars-free}

1 1/2 cup of freshly ground certified gluten-free oat flour
(or use buckwheat flour as a replacement)
3/4 cup of white rice flour
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 cup of coconut sugar
2 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt
optional: add in a drizzle of vanilla
1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of date puree
heaping 1/2 cup of mashed banana
1/2 cup of coconut milk beverage
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of avocado oil
1/4 cup of coconut oil

1/2 cup of dairy-free choclate chips to sprinkle on top before baking

In a large mixing bowl, mix in all the dry ingredients together first, then add in the wet and mix together well. Until you get a smooth and creamy chocolately mixture. Then use a 1/3 measuring cup already greased with avocado/coconut oil and measure out heaping 1/3 cup muffins into muffin parchments. This recipe should make about 12-16 muffins depending on your heaps. Top muffins with extra dairy-free chocolate chips to make it real special and then bake in a 350 degree oven for 22-25 minutes or until they are stiff and no gooey middles. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before you serve. 

Then grab your favorite cupa-hot-something and ENJOY your morning...your day... and all of it...because these will get you on the right step in all the right!

Much love, xoxo

Creamy Cauliflower Kale Curry Soup

It's been a doozey of a month. February always seems one of the hardest here in Michigan. It's when the depths of winter seem darker, colder, and never-ending. It's the dark depths before the turning over into spring. Today the wind blows and the winter blues seem like they need to be swept out and blown away. I can feel the spring new air trying to be ushered in, and I can feel our selves waiting so very patiently to get beyond this old and ready for the new.  And we still have a few more weeks yet...

We have never really planned a vacation away from the cold north before, but for some reason this year my hubs and I have been talking about next year at this time going away to a warm beach some where. This is big for us, in all our 13 years of marriage we have not had the ability to even dream this big. We are growing up I guess ;) and also knowing more and more what the rhythms of life bring and how to best love and take care of our selves. But in the meantime while we dream of beaches and sunshine, I made some soup to bring a little warmth and yellow rays into our life. This one's packed full of so much good stuff starting with the turmeric, garlic, ginger and then the cauliflower. So take deep breaths, and eat good warm soup- we can do hard things together!

Creamy Cauliflower Kale Curry Soup Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, nut, seed, sugar and soy-free}
2 TB of avocado or olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
1 TB of fresh grated ginger
1 TB of fresh grated turmeric
4-5 garlic cloves grated or minced
1 cup of finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup of finely chopped celery
1 cup of finely chopped carrots

4 cups of riced cauliflower (fresh or frozen)

1 head of cauliflower chopped into florets

4 cups of stock (vegetable, chicken, or bone broth)
2 cups of pure water (may need to add in 2 cups more if you want more brothy)
1 can of full-fat coconut milk
1 ts. of ground cumin
2 ts. of ground curry seasoning
1 ts. of sea salt
1/4-1/2 ts. of fresh ground black pepper

2 cups of fresh kale finely chopped
1/2 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro

15 ounce can of pre-cooked garbanzo beans (add more or less depending on your preferences)

add in more sea salt or black pepper to your taste...

In a large soup pot (6-8 quart), saute your onions, garlic, tumeric, ginger first and then add in the rest of the veg. Saute and sprinkle salt and pepper to sweat them out and cook down and then add in the cauliflower, spices and the rest of the liquids. Let cook and boil and everything get soft and cooked for 30 minutes or so and then add in the greens last. Add the kale and cilantro and let them cook for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and a dollup of yoghurt of choice. 

This could be served well with some bread or just slurp and ENJOY!

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

Balsamic Butternut Squash with Sage & Thyme

Another SUPER SIMPLE,  4-ingredient, vegetable, colorful, tasty, savory and sweet, side to add to the list of Thanksgiving side dish ideas. This one is so simple it doesn't really need a recipe, and maybe you have tried this combo before, so this is just rocket science to me...BUT it deserves a recipe post of it's own! 

I love every part of this one. The easy prep, roast and serve part, but also the very fresh herb, sweet and savory part too. It checks off all the boxes for a side that many people will love and ask, what did you do?!? And then you mention to your allergy- or healthy friends and family that NO BUTTER or dairy, or sugar was involved??? WHAT!? Yes, ma'am it's true!

Don't be afraid of taking all the credit for the chopping and the roasting ;) This is a delicacy-dish! Don't reveal the secrets of how crazy simple and wonderful it is, well, until you can't help it and you love to share like I do :) You can't go wrong with squash and herbs in this season and when you are looking to add some to the feast... THIS. IS. IT!

Balsamic Butternut Squash with Fresh Sage and Thyme
{gluten, dairy, egg, seed, nut, soy and sugar-free}

1 large butternut squash peeled, and cubed into bite-sized pieces
(about 4 cups worth of cubed squash)
1/4 cup of avocado oil*
1/4 cup of NAPA VALLEY Raspberry Balsamic**
1/2 cup of FRESH finely chopped fresh herbs: sage and thyme
pinch of sea salt and sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper

*You can find the CHOSEN brand Avocado oil 32 ounce at Costco right now for under $10! A steal!

**You can use a regular balsamic as well, but Napa Valley has the BEST balsamic around and when it is infused with raspberry, fig or pomegranate it has the best results in salad dressings, or in this case, roasting butternut squash ;)

Toss all of the above together in a mixing bowl. Then spread out in a 9x13 Pyrex baking dish to bake, or use a 12x15 parchment covered baking sheet to get a more crispier results. Bake in a 375-400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. And toss with a spoon and serve warm. You can easily DOUBLE and TRIPLE this recipe if you are cooking for a crowd too!

This is a melt-in-your-mouth kinda deliciousness! Try it out and you will want to have this more in your life than just for a Thanksgiving Feast :)

I hope you give this a try and ENJOY!

Much love and happy cooking xoxo

Caramelized Onion and Brussel Sprout Qunioa

This one is my newest favorite combo of fall herbs, vegetables, greens and quinoa. I add in the Dijon mustard and maple syrup for the perfect kind of sweet and tangy and it's just about perfect as a side dish to any side of roast, or make it the main event and add in a few other sides of vegetables or plant proteins and it's a feast better than the any epic feast from the history books. 

I just recently had this discussion with my first grader. He was informing me of all the foods they had at the first thanksgiving feast. And he saw a video about it at school- so he says- so he really knows what he is talking about over here! LOL So I guess according to him a feast should involve popcorn, turkey from a can, and pie with whipped cream?!? I'M SO CONFUSED!!!

Well, I am not sure of whatever they had at 'the first feast'. But I do know what I love to have this time of year to celebrate family time together...a warm, comforting, nourishing, from-the-earth (or backyard or farmer's market) kind of feast. And brussel sprouts and kale are the first on my lists of things to enjoy and have a part of an epic feast :) I'm going to share a few of my favorite VERY SIMPLE sides (or main dishes ;) in my next few recipe posts. It may be too late to add into the Thanksgiving planning but hopefully something to enjoy this time of year as we gather and give thanks and gratitude for all the gifts in our lives.

 Caramelized Onion and Brussel Sprout Quinoa Dish Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, nut, seed, soy, and refined-sugars-free}

Veggie Part
1 large stalk of fresh brussel sprouts, trimmed and cleaned from the stalk
(or use 16 ounces of fresh, washed, cut and cleaned brussel sprouts)

1 medium halved onion thinly sliced, not chopped (about 1/2 cups worth)

2 cups of finely chopped lacinato kale that has already been washed and dried

2-3 fresh garlic cloves, finely minced or use 1-2 ts. of ground garlic powder

1/3 cup of avocado oil
1/3 cup of Dijon mustard
1/3 cup of maple syrup

1/2 cup of fresh cut herb combo: thyme, sage, rosemary
healthy pinch of sea salt and black pepper

On a large 15x20 baking sheet, cover with parchment and spread out the kale, sprouts, and onion all over. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, mustard, and maple syrup, and when all combined, drizzle over the whole tray of veggies. Spread all over and then sprinkle over the fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. Then use a spoon combo or just use your hands and rub and mix the dressing into the veggies. It should soak in and spread out all evenly! Then cook in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes until everything is crispy, bubbling and caramlized. In the meantime while waiting for it to cook make the following quinoa part...

Quinoa Part
2 TB of avocado or olive oil
1/2 cup of red onion
1/4 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/2 ts. of sea salt

2 cups of dry quinoa
4 cups of water

In a medium pot, saute the onion in the oil and sugar until it gets all caramelly. Then add in the dry quinoa without the water and let it soak up the oil and juices. Then, add in the water and let it come up to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and cook on low until the water is gone and the quinoa starts to poof. Then turn off the heat completely and cover with a secure lid and let it cook the rest of it's time until its ready to fluff and mix with the roasted green part. 

Lastly, In a large bowl add in the cooked quinoa and the roasted veggies and mix together well. Add in a pinch more of salt and pepper and some fresh plucked thyme in the finished product. Serve warm, cooled, or even it is better the next day as leftovers. Isn't the the truth for all thanksgiving sides ;) 

My hope for you is that you find a few simple ways this season to enjoy the fruits and plants from the ground, let it nourish and center you into what matters most. May you be surrounded by those you love most and may you find ways to share and be kind with all of those around you!

Much love and ENJOY! xoxo

Coffee Cookie Chocolate Birthday Cake

It was the husband's birthday this week :) So we had lots of treats and goodies and celebrating and of course it involved cake :) My hubs always asks for a coffee- chocolate- raspberry combo and this year I added in some Glutino Chocolate Cream Sandwich Cookies (think oreos) as a topping and it added the right crunch and finished touch. 

It was hard to get a decent photo of this cake because of all the excitement, but I did get a few shots because I wanted to share it with you too ;) Just in case your looking for a birthday cake for that special somebody in your life, or perhaps that somebody is you :)

It's dates again that make this cake so moist, decadent and creamy textured. I swear dates are revolutionary to GF/vegan baking and once you start- you just can't go back! I buy my dates from Costco (Made In Nature is the brand)- You can get a 2 pound bag for around 7-8 dollars and you can use them for just about everything you would use sweeteners for... in smoothies, baking and snacks. If your a follower here you know how much I love and use dates ;) But enough blabbering... let's get to the recipe and sharing and celebrating LIFE with all of your loved and dear ones...
HAPPY BAKING!

Coffee Cookie Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe
{free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, nuts and seeds}

1 1/4 cup of gluten free oat flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1/4 cup of potato starch
1/4 cup of coconut flour
3/4 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
2 ts. of baking powder (I use Hain brand)
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of sea salt

1/3 cup of maple syrup
1 1/4 cup of date puree ***This involves pouring 1 cup boiling water over a heaping cup (1 cup) of pitted dates and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes and then blending in a high powered blender to whip up a creamy date-pudding like substance.

1 ts. of pure vanilla
1 cup of warmed coconut oil (or avocado oil works here too)
1 cup of coconut milk beverage (I use So Delicious)
1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar

***1 1/4 cup of chocolate chips morsels (Enjoy life brand)

melted in a saucepan with 2-3 TB coconut oil and 2 TB of finely ground decaf coffee

First grind your GF oat flour and mix well with all the other dry ingredients. Then mix in the wet ingredients, and date puree. You can add in the warmed oil as well and then lastly add in the melted chocolate and coffee...

Lastly, melt together the chocolate chips with some coconut oil and the ground coffee. Do not let the heat up above low and once it starts to melt you can almost turn off the heat and just keep stirring and it will continue to melt as you stir. Use about 1 cup of the melted chocolate mixture for the cake batter and save 1/2 cup or so of the mixture for the frosting later on...

Mix well and you will start to see the vinegar and baking powder do it's work and make the batter poof up a bit. split batter in half and pour evenly into a coconut-oil-lined baking pans. 

I bake mine in (2) 9x9 circle pans in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 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.

When it is cool completely, it will be ready to frost. 

Coffee Chocolate Frosting Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut, and seed-free}

1 1/2 cup of Spectrum Organic Palm Oil Shortening
1/2 cup of organic powdered sugar (with tapioca starch)
1-2 TB of maple syrup drizzle
1-2 TB of honey drizzle
1-2 TB of cocoa powder
pinch of sea salt

***1/2 cup of the warmed chocolate chips (Enjoy life brand), coconut oil and coffee mixture

In a large mixing bowl, put in all of the ingredients and then use a hand held whisk mixer and whip of the frosting on HIGH for 1 minutes until soft and creamy. Then frost the cooled cake. I transfer a cake to a plate and then cover with frosting on the top and spread thin and then place the second cake on top and spread on more frosting on top of that. You can spread frosting around the edges too and then sprinkle and decorate with the following...

1 cup of cookie crumbles (Glutino Chocolate Cream Sandwich Cookies)
1-2 TB of finely ground decaf coffee grounds 
1 pint of fresh, washed and dried raspberries 

Hope you ENJOY! Happy Baking :)

Much love and light to you, xoxo,
Stephanie

Spiced Banana Sharing Bread

I made two. One for enjoying and one for sharing. What if I looked at all my life like this?!? There is always someone who needs. A neighbor... a dear one...you notice it more once you take a moment. Whether it comes to the extreme of those who lost everything in a recent storm or hurricane, fire or flood. Or maybe it is someone you know that is going without. Without health care, medicine, food, or daily needs. Or maybe it is someone you know who lost someone close to them, or a baby, or the list can go on and on when it comes to loss and grief. The moment I had today thinking of all those in my own arms length going through hard things- and thinking of my own anxious heart- we are all in this together. We can do these hard things together. And sometimes it starts with sharing a loaf of bread.

So this bread officially is being called 'sharing bread' :) Because you can make this recipe and easily pour it into 2 pans. One for you... And one for your neighbor...Or a friend. It is an easy loaf to whip up on the whim if you got a mountain of ripened bananas that need either to get frozen or baked. It is spiced and topped with love and shared with even more love. You can't go wrong with a warm banana bread in my opinion ;)

We're all going through hard things, so let's do this together. It is always so easy to focus on your own hard things, but if we practice sharing you can start to see beyond your own weary heart and share in an other's weary heart. And why not share with some bread to, amiright?!? Happy baking friends and also...happy sharing! xoxo

Spiced Banana Sharing Bread Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, seed, nut and soy-free}

1 cup of mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup of date paste puree
2/3 cup of plant based milk (I used coconut milk beverage)
1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup of maple syrup
1/3 cup of avocado oil
2 TB of molasses
2/3 cup of coconut palm sugar
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
1 ts. of ground nutmeg
1 ts. of ground ginger
1 1/4 cup of finely ground certified GF oat flour
1/2 cup of white rice flour
1/3 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 my Cinnamon Crunch Granola Cereal

In a large mixing bowl, mashed up the ripened bananas and then add all the rest of the wet ingredients. Then fold in the dry ingredients and whisk together well. Pour half the batter into a parchment lined bread pan, and then pour the rest into pan #2. Cheap foil baking pans are a great one to use with this recipe because you can easily wrap up and share. You can even wash out these pans and reuse again too. I topped my loaves with some of my Cinnamon Crunch Granola Cereal as a topping and then baked in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes on a middle shelf. 

Let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into or wrapping up for best results. This loaf is a warming and comforting treat or gift as we transition into the fall months. 

And now I get to share ;) this recipe with you :) Hope you enjoy, bake, and share...
Much love and light to you as always, xoxo

Fresh Peach Pie

Ok, one last sweet peach recipe to say farwell to summer and hello to Labor Day weekend and the kickoff to the new school year and fall schedules. This one feels a bit over the top because it is so fresh and fabulous but let me tell you- it is actual a quite simple recipe.

Yep, the star of the show is peaches again. So using fresh, juicy and full of flavor peaches is a must! I don't think I would even attempt this recipe if I couldn't get my hands on the best local fresh peaches. I like to make recipes liek this as a celebration for the season. Its like like I would make this in the winter- it is truly an end-of-summer-kind of deliciousness.

It's also the best kind of dessert to make for a crowd. I don't think you could eat this pie alone ;) well maybe you could, but that's another story all together. Truly though- this pie is a beaut and deserves to be shared and loved by all. I love to top it with some fresh coconut cream whip and it's a party! I hope you have plans to savor these last few gifts to this summer season. I hope you take deep long breaths and enjoy the slowness of this weekend. I hope you don't feel the anxiety of what's next creeping in and I hope you can find joy in the simple rooting of good food with those you love. Happy baking and happy weekend!!!

Fresh Peach Pie Recipe 

(gluten, dairy, soy, seed, egg and nut-free)

This recipe is very similar and inspired by my My Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe

Crust:

1/2 cup gluten-free oats

1/2 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut

1 1/4 cup of gluten-free oat flour ground 

(1 cup of oats in ground in high power blender to make 1 1/4 cup of flour)

2 TB of maple syrup

dash of sea salt

1/3 cup of organic extra virgin coconut oil

In a mixing bowl, mix the oats, coconut, salt and flour all together well and then add the syrup and coconut oil and mix with a fork. You should get a sticking pie crust batter that you will use your hands to press into a 9 inch glass pie pan. You will have to pressed firmly up to the tops of the pan and press firmly along the bottom. It doesn't have to be perfect looking, but do try and make the crust spread evenly over the pan. Then bake the crust in a preheated 350 degree oven for 16-18 minutes until golden brown. You may need to press a fork up to the sides again after you pull from the oven while it is still hot if the crust slide down a touch while baking. Then, let the crust cool on the counter until it is cold.

Fresh Peach Filling:

6 large fresh juicy ripe peaches (about 5-6 cups of slices), boil, blanch, to remove skins, and then slice up and mix in a bowl with 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice and 1 TB of maple syrup, then spread out in an arranged fashion in the cooled pie crust from above...

Then in a small saucepan, finely chop up 2 MORE cups of fresh peaches with lemon juice, maple syrup, honey and pinch of sea salt and spice ...

2 cup of chopped fresh peaches

2 TB of water

2 TB of fresh squeezed lemon juice

pinch of lemon zest

1/3-1/2 cup of local honey or maple syrup or a mix of both

pinch of sea salt

1 ts. of cinnamon

1 ts. of nutmeg

pinch of cloves

pinch of ginger

pinch of cardamon 

In a separate bowl...

1/3 cup of water

1 1/2 TB of gmo-free plain gelitan (Great Lakes Brand)

When you crust is cooled, the you can place the 6 sliced peaches in the crust. Then set aside in the fridge or freezer to make the liquid sauce to pour over the peach slices...

First, put your chopped peaches and lemon juice in the pan and let cook down for a few minutes on low heat, then add your sweetener and water and keep simmering. Lastly add in the bloomed gelatin  and stir quickly to keep from clumping. Turn off the heat and let it cool down just a bit before you pour over the sliced peaches in the pie crust. 

Lastly pour the warm peach sauce over the fresh sliced peaches already in the pie crust. Use a spoon or brush to coat all the tops of the peaches and makes ure it is evening distributed. Then place in the fridge and chill for 3 hours before serving. 

When set, cut out pie slices, and then top with some whipped cream topping. A favorite easy option is using So Delicious's CocoWhip kinda like a cool-whip option. And then there is the homemade coconut cream whipping from a can ....

Homemade Coconut Whipped Topping:

1 can of full fat coconut milk (use the cream only)

2-3 TB of pure maple syrup

Chill the can of coconut milk for at least a few hours or speed up the process in the freezer. Then right before serving, open the can and scoop out the separated coconut cream on the top and pour all of the remaining coconut water in a separate container to keep and use for other baked goods or smoothies. After putting the coconut cream in a bowl with syrup, use an electric mixer and whip up the cream for at least 3 minutes until you get peaks and a thicker cream. Then you can top the pie with this cream however you like. I scooped the cream into a Wilton's pipping bag with a star tip and squeezed out some cream stars over the pie. But you can top however you like- it will taste superb no matter how you top it :)

You can sub 1-2 TB of honey for the maple syrup. And if you want, prefer or like dairy you can use just regular whipping cream whipped up to perfection. 

Well, that's a wrap on fresh peach pie! Much love and light to you as always, 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

Summer Peach Crisp

The key to this peach crisp is simplicity. But that's usually what I say when it comes to any fruit crisps. I love the flavor of the fruit to shine and the crispy bits to be a little like a cookie topping. And that's just how this one was... well is...? Well not anymore... I took a few pictures and by the end of the day it was gone ;) Yep, that's usually how these babies go...very quickly.

I picked up a bushel of these gorgeous gems last week from a local farmer. I go to him every year when it's peach season. These are Red Havens, one of my favs, because they are not horribly sweet and just the right texture and color for baked goodies and basically just to gawk at.

They kinda look like a gorgeous sunset this time of year, appropriate since we have been talking so much about the sun this month with the solar eclipse tomorrow and all the gorgeous August sunsets that I have witnessed this month. So much beauty and little reflections of summer.

The day I pick up a bushel is celebration crisp day! I also plan to try and make some peach butter and store some in a honey based syrup as well. We'll see how that goes :) But for now... let's make crisp and watch another fleeting summer sunset, shall we?!? 

Summer Peach Crisp Recipe
{gluten, dairy, nut, seed, soy, egg and refined-sugars-free}

6 cups of fresh pealed and sliced fresh and juicy peaches
1 lemon squeezed and zested
1 TB of sprinkled tapioca flour
3 TB of maple syrup (or a mix of honey)
pinch to 1 ts. of ground cinnamon
pinch to 1 ts. of ground nutmeg
pinch of cardamon
pinch of cloves

Put all of the above ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat and let the peach juices break down and the tapioca thicken the juice. Leave on medium to low heat for 7-10 minutes and then it is ready to pour into a 9x9 Pyrex pie pan or square dish.

In a small bowl mix together...

1/2 cup of quick cooking GF oats

1/2 cup of finely ground certified GF oat flour

1/2 cup of coconut palm sugar

2 TB of potato starch

2 TB of tapioca flour

pinch of sea salt

1/3 cup of Spectrum's palm oil shortening or extra virgin coconut oil 

drizzle of pure maple syrup

The above mixture will turn into a sticky cookie-like-batter and will be easy to sprinkle over the peaches. Then bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until there is bubbling peach juices coming from the sides.  Pull from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving up warm. Which is the best way to serve in my opinion. 

This is the kind of recipe that is completely inspired and made possible by gorgeous fresh peaches. SO if you have fresh peaches available to you-then this little summer delight is a MUST! It is fabulous with a dollop of your favorite vanilla ice cream or whipped topping. But is also just fabulous as is :)

Hope you are hanging on to the best of what's left of summer and enjoying your people, nature and some gorgrous delicious food! Much love and happy baking, friends! xoxo

Trailmix Cookies

These little cuties are another one of those cookies I have made for years but haven't actually posted or shared. They are based off of the same oatmeal cookie base that I make for all my favorite cookies... It's pretty simple, but can be made with a whatever fillings you got or want. These specific trail mix cookies can be easily made with your already pre-made or bought trail mix, or you can whip up a little mix of your own to add in. They are perfect this time of year for all those end of summer trips and adventures. They are good for breakfast lunch and dinner (and dessert ;) But the key factor is that you MUST make them to enjoy them :)

Make a big batch and freeze them. They are super easy to pull out and take on the go. When I make these I feel like you can pack in so many flavors and nutrients that you forget it started out as a cookie base- but I like to think of all my cookies as a little love from heaven. So just sharing that love with you xoxo Much love and HAPPY baking!

 Trail Mix Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg and soy-free, VEGAN}

1 cup certified GF rolled oats
1 cup of certified GF oat flour
1/3 cup of tapioca flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup of potato starch
1 ts. of sea salt
1/4 ts. of baking powder
1 1/2 ts. of baking soda
1 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/3 cup of date puree paste (or applesauce)
1-2 TB  of maple syrup
1/2 cup room temperature or very soft/warm coconut oil OR you can sub in
Organic Palm Oil Shortening or use a mix of both to make 1/2 cup

add last: 1 heaping cup of your favorite trail mix combo or....
1/4 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup of raisins, dried cranberries or dried chopped dates
1/2 cup of mixed pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, possible nuts
optional....add in a sprinkle of some dark chooclate chips ;)

Mix all the dry ingredients together first, then add the wet and mix well and add the oil and mix into a sticky dough. Use a TB to spoon the dough into balls onto a baking sheet. For best results one your baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until your desired crispy cookie liking. Let the cookies cool for at least 15 minutes before moving to platter because they will start to crumble if they are still warm. Store in a dry place or in the fridge for an extended period of time. ENJOY!

Much love as always xoxo

Peach Crumble Muffins

You guys- the Great British Baking Show on Netflix has taken over my life recently. Have you seen this show?! It might bring up some sorrow because there is so much to be missed from glutinous baking. Like pastry. Oh my! But the other night I found myself crying through the season 3 finally because of some of the words the winner said about herself. Ones that she would not set up boundaries for herself anymore. Ones that she would believe that anything is possible for herself. I love this show for so many reasons. First one starting with all the UK accents (I LOVE THEM!) but also all of the creative, art, science, beauty, determination, and perfection that can come out of baking. It is something I can resonate with, and even enjoy, though there is past grief that there is so much because of Celiacs Disease I cannot enjoy anymore. But in the same vein- we can not limit ourselves and loose heart- we must have determination to keep going and not give up on finding joy out of all areas of life. For life is a gift!

And I think we know this even more than the next guy because of the art and science and experience it takes to actually produce and love GF baked goods. I had that on my mind as I whipped up these muffins this morning. It was a perfect morning to bake as it is raining here and staying inside in a cozy kitchen was just the right thing for today. I felt like maybe speaking with my own British accent and making comments about my bake would almost have me imagining I was in the white tent myself ;)

The fresh amazingly sweet peaches were my subject of creativity today. I was hoping to make a slightly spicy, but sweet tart muffin. Trying to get a crumble topping as if you were biting into a warm piece of peach crumble or pie. If you've got peaches- give this a try and happy baking, friends!

Peach Crumble Muffin Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, egg, nut, seed, and refined-sugars-free}

1 1/4 cup of finely ground certified GF oat flour
1/2 cup of white rice flour
1/3 cup of tapioca flour
1/4 cup of potato flour
1/4 cup of coconut flour
2/3 cup of coconut palm sugar
2 ts. of baking powder (I use corn-free Hain brand)
1 ts. of sea salt
1 ts. of baking soda
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
1 ts. of ground nutmeg
1 ts. of ground cardamon

3/4 cup of date puree paste
1/3 cup of maple syrup
1/3 cup of coconut milk
2 TB of apple cider vinegar
1 fresh organic lemon zested and juiced
1/2 cup of softened coconut oil or avocado oil

1 1/2 cup of cubed and slightly stewed peaches*
I cut up 3 peaches and warmed them on the stove and cooked them down for 5 minutes with a drizzle of maple syrup and lemon juice, then cooled them down and added them to the recipe last to fold in- there may be a little liquid with cooked down peaches, and that is ok.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together first and then add in the wet and fold in together well, you will notice the baking soda/powders doing their job with the apple cider vinegar right away. Fold in the stewed peaches last and then scoop 1/3 cup of the batter into each muffin tin. This recipe should make 12-15 muffins. Then before you bake off sprinkle with the following crumble topping...

Crumble Topping:
1 TB of coconut oil
1 TB of rice flour
1 TB of potato starch
1/4 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup of quick cooking GF oats
1 TB of cinnamon or 1 ts of each:cinnamon, cardamon, nutmeg
pinch of sea salt

Mix all of the above in a small bowl and sprinkle over each pre-baked muffin in the tins right before you put in the oven. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Let cool for another 15-20 minutes before serving or moving for best results.

 I hope you give these little sweet and spicy treats a try. The peaches are just about perfect right now. I am hoping to have a few more peach recipes in the next few days as I am finding so much love and inspiration for them this season. Much love as always and happy baking, xoxo