Delicious Vegan & Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie!

This is the most delicious vegan pumpkin pie I've ever had! The filling is from Elana's Pantry! You don't have to bake the filling, which makes it the easiest pumpkin pie to make! 

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin           *I use this Organic Pumpkin Pie

1 cup coconut milk fat, from 2 cans  *I use this Coconut Milk

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 Tbsp. maple syrup    *I did 3T and 1/2T Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla stevia   *I didn’t do stevia, just plain vanilla

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice   *Made my own

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1 Nut-Free Egg Free Pie Crust, baked & cooled  *I made a Paleo crust

Instructions

1. Place pumpkin on a plate and set aside
2. Get two cans of coconut milk and turn heavy side on the bottom, you want all the coconut fat at the bottom. Open the top and pour/save the coconut water into another cup. Then scrape the coconut fat out of the can. 
3. In a medium pot, melt coconut milk fat and coconut oil until liquefied
4. Stir in pumpkin and maple syrup until mixture is very warm
5. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree on high speed until very smooth. *I don't think you have to use a blender if you are using canned pumpkin, it's already smooth. 
6. Blend in vanilla stevia, pumpkin pie spice, and salt
7. Transfer mixture into nut-free egg-free pie crust
8. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set

This pie crust was NOT a nut-free, egg-free crust. It was Against all Grains' paleo "Honey Graham Cracker Crust." So, this pie crust isn't vegan because of the egg. 

But it's really good!

With a few changes to the recipe, I replaced the honey with maple syrup and the almond meal with hazelnut meal because that's what I had. 

It's so so good!

If you have food allergies or sensitivities, this is the perfect pumpkin pie for you. Or if you just want to make an extra healthy pumpkin pie that is gluten free, egg free, dairy free, and is Paleo, Keto and Low-Carb friendly!

Last but not least serve with some coconut whip cream on top...soooo good!

Coconut Whip Cream

1. The most important thing to do is put a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. To let all the fat solidify at the top of the can.

3. To open the can turn it upside down, so the cream is on the bottom end and then open it up with a can opener.

4. Pour out coconut water into another container and save if you want.

5. Scrape out the cream into a mixing bowl.

6. Add some kind of sweetener...white sugar, powdered sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave, etc.

7. Beat/whip it together with a mixer.

8. Taste test and sweeten to your liking.

Enjoy!

Coconut Banana Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups organic flour (white and/or wheat)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 salt

1/2 cup coconut oil (softened)

1/2-3/4 cup coconut sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
1/4 water

*Add ins: 1/4-1/3 cup Chocolate Chips (I like Enjoy Life dairy, nut, & soy free), 1/2-1 cup Chopped walnuts or pecans.

*Sometimes I add in a little bit of brown sugar with the coconut sugar.

*When using coconut oil it needs to be softened. It's melting point is 76 deg. If it's solid I spoon it out the into a bowl and mash it to soften it and then measure desired amount. 

*The water makes them more moist.

Directions

1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. and if using a loaf pan, lightly oil and dust with flour. If using a muffin pan I love these "If You Care" baking cups. 

2- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl cream together coconut oil and coconut sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture. Add in your chocolate chips and/or nuts if wanted. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan or scoop into muffin cups. If baking with wheat let it rest for 10mins. 

3- Bake for 60-65mins for 9x5 loaf pan or 18-20mins for muffin pans.

*A good tip when baking with wheat is to let the batter sit and hydrate for 10 mins. The wheat is more course and this give it some time to absorb the liquid and soften the bran and germ of the wheat. Also, it may need more cooking time. 

For muffins I highly suggest getting this Vollrath Disher!! I love these scoopers. They make it so much easier to dish out the right and consistant amount of batter for muffins, cookies, meat balls, etc. For the pictured muffin I used a yellow size 20 disher (1 5/8oz or 3.25Tbs). If you want them a little bigger I'd suggest going with the blue size 16 disher (2oz or 4Tbs). If I want a higher rounded muffin I will do a heaping scoop of batter with my yellow #20 disher. 

Enjoy!

Instant Pot: Creamy Coconut Rice Pudding

This is so so good! Incredibly good and easy to make.

I use This Old Gal's recipe here.

I don't always have coconut creme and just omit it. 

Here is another great Instant Pot rice pudding.

Enjoy!

Awesome Pineapple Cake!

Amy from She Wears Many Hats has a really great Pineapple Cake! We love pineapple everything over here and my kids loved this cake. Get the recipe here. 

This time I did use a boxed cake mix "Pineapple Supreme Moist Cake Mix." I added some vanilla pudding mix and instead of butter I used coconut oil. 

And I whipped up this yummy 7 Minute Frosting.

It smelled super good and tasted even better!

Coconut Sugar Banana Muffins

These Banana Muffins are now our favorite go to muffins. I've made them organic and am so glad they are fast and easy to whip up! I use this recipe from All Recipes, but have altered a few ingredients, so you can make to your liking :) I replaced the sugar with organic coconut sugar (and reduced it), I replaced the butter with organic coconut oil, and the flour with organic stone ground wheat. I also occasionally add nuts, coconut flakes, or healthy organic dark chocolate.

My family and friends have absolutely loved them!

Organic Coconut Sugar Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups    organic stone ground wheat
• 1 tsp              baking powder (Rumford Aluminum Free Non-gmo)
• 1 tsp              baking soda
• 1 tsp              sea salt (Redmond Real Salt)
• 1 cup             bananas, mashed (use this conversion calculator for bananas)
• 1/2 cup         organic coconut palm sugar
• 1 egg              preferably pasture raised
• 1/3 cup          melted organic coconut oil

Directions 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put muffins liners into the muffin pan. (I used these unbleached/non-toxic muffin liners). Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 
2. Mix together the banana, coconut sugar, egg, and melted coconut oil in a large bowl. Pour in the dry ingredients until mixed smoothly. Add in your nuts and/or chocolate, coconut flakes if wanted. Then scoop batter into your muffin pan. (I love this disher/scooper that I have, find it here on amazon). 
3. Bake in oven for 25-30 mins. Bake mini muffins for 10-15 mins.

Mix it all together, fill your muffin pans, put it in the oven, and enjoy the smell of baking banana bread. Yum!!

Enjoy it with a cup of milk or in our case a diary free coconut/rice milk combo!!!

They are perfect snacks to enjoy :)

Coconut Blueberry Chia Muffins

These gluten/dairy free Coconut Blueberry Chia Muffins are filled with lots of fiber and are very yummy!

My husband said, "These are definitely muffins to have around all the time!"

I love the taste of anything coconut and Nutiva has the best organic coconut flour...

Here's the recipe...

Coconut Blueberry Chia Muffins

by Nutiva

Gluten and Dairy Free

Makes 12 Muffins

1 cup Nutiva Organic Coconut Flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. raw honey (I subbed maple syrup)

1 cup coconut milk

6 eggs

4 Tbsp. Nutiva organic coconut oil, melted

4 tsp. vanilla extract

4 Tbsp. Nutiva organic chia seeds

1 cup organic blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Sift the coconut flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In a separate bowl or blender, whisk honey, coconut milk, eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla. Gently stir wet mixture into dry ingredients and mis in chia seeds. Fold in the blueberries and pour batter into greased or lined muffin tins, until 3/4 full. Bake for 25 mins until muffins begin to turn golden brown and are cooked through. Immediately remove from tins and cool on rack.

*When baking with coconut flour you'll notice that it requires lots of eggs and that's because coconut flour recipes don't call for xantham gum like most other gluten free recipes. The eggs do the binding. 

Preheat your oven and mix it all together in a big bowl and drop them into the baking cups.

Which I love using large unbleached baking cups by If You Care and my Vollrath 1-1/3oz stainless steel disher. Click on the links. 

Pop them in the oven for 25mins.

Let them cool down.

And enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake w/ Coconut Whip Cream

While out grocery shopping I've noticed all the strawberries coming out on the shelves. And since the weather has dramatically warmed up I couldn't resist wanting to make this!

We had some guests over and after our meal enjoyed this awesome treat outside while the kids played and everyone (but me I enjoyed my Maple Pie Cocoroon) enjoyed the weather and delicious dessert that was on the back of my Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar bag. One of my kids requested these for their birthday cake. I make my own Coconut Whip Cream to top it off!

Frontera's Famous Strawberry Shortcakes 

By Chef Rick Bayless

Ingredients

For the shortcakes:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Sugar (divided use)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large cage-free organic egg

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp buttermilk (divided use)

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican

1/4 cup grated semi-sweet or Mexican chocolate

For the topping:

1 qt strawberries, hulled

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Sugar, divided use

1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Wholesome Sweeteners Fairtrade Organic Powdered Sugar, for garnish

Directions

To make the shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Measure the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder and the salt into a food processor. Scatter the chilled butter evenly over dry ingredients. Pulse the processor 10 to 12 times (1-second pulses) until the butter is in tiny bits. Add the egg, 1⁄3 cup buttermilk, vanilla and grated chocolate. Pulse the processor 7 to 8 times until the soft dough just comes together. 

Turn out the dough onto a well-floured board and press together to form a disk that is ¾ inch thick. The dough will be very moist. With a floured 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 4 biscuits. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently bring the scraps back together and pat out the dough again. Cut two more disks and transfer to the baking sheet. Brush tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of buttermilk, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake for about 18 minutes, until the biscuits are lightly browned. Cool.

To fill and serve: Thinly slice the strawberries and scoop into a medium bowl. Gently mix in 1/4 cup of the sugar. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar (using the whisk attachment if available) until the cream holds soft peaks. 

Just before serving, split each biscuit as you would a bagel. Top the bottom layer with a generous dollop of whipped cream, spoon on a portion of the strawberries (and any of their juices), then set the top in place (or off slightly off to the side, to show off the strawberries more). Sprinkle with powdered sugar and you’re ready to serve.

Recipe source

Chef Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, Chicago, IL

*We don't drink cows milk (just occasionally), so no buttermilk for us. Luckily, I've discovered how to substitute with a diary free option. In a bigger measuring cup put one tablespoon of white vinegar and then add your dairy free milk (I usually use coconut milk) until it reaches 1 cup. Mix and let it sit for five minutes and then it out "Buttermilk" is ready to use!

*Next time I'm going to sub coconut oil for the butter. Yum. 

Enjoy :)

Valentine Sweets & Treats < 3

There was plenty of Valentines baking and treat making over the week!

I'm pretty wiped out from all the Love Day Week events going on with my little ones.

Nonetheless, we made some yummy sweets and treats!

I make two different kinds of sugar cookies with butter or switch it for coconut oil.

The Fish Fam prefers the coconut sugar cookies.

Recipe for Coconut Sugar Cookies here and for the butter sugar cookies this recipe.

I made these heart shaped fruit pizzas for my youngest's Vday Party.

Yummy! Just make your sugar cookie, spread cool whip over the top, and then add your favorite sliced fruits. <3

These were for the older kids school teachers.

I used heart shaped silicone cupcake molders.

Then I put the Vday sprinkles and M&M's at the bottom. Then poured the melted chocolate on top. Which, I had to do some research on it is important to use the right type of chocolate to melt and use. There is a big difference that will give you very different results. Read here!

Homemade Fruit Snacks!

By Wellness Mama

Recipe here.

My kids sure loved these. Once you have all the right ingredients they are easy to make, but let me tell you it does take some practice to get it right. Mine failed the first time because come to find out I used fresh pineapple juice and just like she said it won't thicken. So I made them into popsicles. But, the second time they formed using pineapple juice from a can. Finally, but I still have much room for improvement.

We got some pretty sweet molds at amazon...heart shaped, dinos, and legos.

(I'll make a more detail post about this sometime soon.)

Macadamia Waffles

Macadamia Waffles

AUTHOR: Danielle Walker - AgainstAllGrain.com

SERVES: 6

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup raw macadamia nuts
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon coconut flour
• ¾ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Syrup

• 2 peaches, pitted and sliced
• 2 plums, pitted and sliced
• ½ cup cherries, pitted (frozen or fresh)
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Place all of the syrup ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat while you prepare the waffles, or about 15 minutes. Keep it at a low but constant boil to bring out the juices from the fruit and reduce the syrup.
2. Preheat a waffle iron to the lowest setting.
3. Add all of the ingredients to a blender, making sure to put the liquids at the bottom for easier blending.
4. Blend on low for 30 seconds, then increase the strength to high and continue blending until completely smooth, about another 30 seconds. If you do not have a high-speed blender, it may take a bit longer and a couple of times of pushing the batter down the side of the jar with a spatula.
5. Spoon the batter into the waffle iron, filling half way full and spreading evenly over the mold.
6. Cook on the low setting for 45 seconds to a minute, until the steam stops rising from the machine and the waffles easily release with a fork. Keep the waffles in a warm oven while you finish the batter.
7. Allow the syrup to cool and thicken for 15 minutes before serving.

URL to article: http://againstallgrain.com/2013/02/04/macadamia-waffles-with-fruit-syrup/

I change up this recipe a little bit by adding ghee instead of coconut oil and I don't melt it. And I can't do honey, so I add 1 1/2 tablespoon of organic maple syrup. And I don't add the vanilla extract, just to take out unneeded things for myself. I also don't do the fruit syrup. I just "butter" it with some ghee, which is clarified butter. Soon, enough I'll try some blueberries.

They are a bit more delicate and fall apart easier than regular glutenous flours for breads.

These are seriously my favorite. Enjoy!

I also highly recommend Danielle Walker's Cookbooks they are excellent...

Found here and here at Amazon. :)