Pumpkin French Toast

So good it doesn’t need maple syrup, not that you shouldn’t feel free to top this toast with a little. There is maple syrup in the recipe, so it already has some sweetness. I found putting syrup on the toast masked the flavor of the pumpkin and spices so if you must, a little dab’ll do you as the old saying goes. Of course, you can substitute sweet potato or squash puree for the pumpkin and the spices can also be altered depending on your family’s tastes.

In a one-inch-deep bowl combine:

1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin protein
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or allspice)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Whisk together until well combined. Over medium high heat, in a large skillet heat:

2 tablespoons olive oil

Using a total of 8 slices of gluten-free bread, soak slices in the mixture (I found pressing down on the second side helps it absorb the pumpkin mixture). When the oil is hot, add the bread. Continue dipping slices until the skillet is full. Brown on the first side for about 3-4 minutes before turning and cooking on the second side for about the same time or until brown and crispy. You may want to turn them several times to get all sides browned and crispy. Add more slices as you remove those that are cooked. The last slice may need a little help absorbing the liquid since most of it will already be used. I took a spoon and scrapped the last remaining mixture onto the second side. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings of 2 slices each.

Swedish Fruit Pie

I was looking on the internet the other day for alternatives to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and found this using apples. I think it would be excellent with most fruits. It’s more like what we’d call in the United States a crumble. Easy to make and tasty, the most difficult part is peeling and cutting up the fruit. I used pears but apples, peaches, plums, figs, raspberries or blackberries, would work very well. And any combination of spices that your family likes would work as well as the three I used, cardamom, allspice, or ginger for example.

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees then peel and cut up:

about 2 pounds of fruit (4 cups, I used four large pears)

Try to make the fruit all the same size so it cooks evenly. Toss the fruit with a mixture of:

1 tablespoon date sugar (or any granulated sugar you like)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Lightly grease a 9″ pie plate then pour in the fruit. In the same bowl as you had the fruit, mix together:

3/4 cup melted vegan butter or avocado oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar (any kind)
1/4 cup brown sugar (again I used date)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk to combine until the sugar is dissolved. If you can use eggs, feel free to substitute 1 egg for the vinegar (be sure to cool the vegan butter before adding the egg). Once combined, add the following ingredients which you’ve sifted together:

1 cup all-purpose, gluten-free flour
2 teaspoons baking powder (if you used an egg reduce this to 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Stir to mix thoroughly, mixture will be thick and almost crumbly if you didn’t use the egg. Spread over the fruit and then sprinkle with another teaspoon of granulated sugar. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until crust is fully cooked. Let cool before serving for easy cutting. Can be topped with any non-dairy cream or whip.

Garlic Boneless Chicken Thighs

I apologize for not having a photograph to go with this post. These got eaten up so quickly after I made them that I didn’t manage to get a photo. Nonetheless, this is worth the read. One of the quickest and easiest ways to cook boneless chicken thighs (you could also use boneless chicken breasts if you wanted but they might take a little longer if cooked whole). Prep and cook time is about twenty minutes. And it’s very versatile – substitute the listed herbs for a different flavor or serve it with different sides (I made mine with some Thai brown rice noodles that we all love, gluten-free of course). The sauce that cooks with the chicken coated the noodles for a delightful bite. Serves 4.

First, clean and dry:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6-8 depending on size)

Next, coat the thighs with the following mixture:

1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram (or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Coat each thigh evenly on both sides. Heat a large skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs, spread flat and cook for 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip over to other side and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate (take the skillet off the heat while you do this so the oil doesn’t burn). Add:

2 tablespoons garlic puree or minced garlic

Move pan back to the heat, reduce to medium and sauté until you can smell it, about 30-45 seconds. This is a good time to put a large pot of water on to boil if you plan on serving the thighs with a type of pasta. Add to the pan:

1 cup chicken stock
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup of frozen peas
half of a medium onion, diced
3 stocks of celery, diced

Stir the contents of the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring the stock and vegetables to a boil before adding the chicken back into the pan being sure to add any liquid that’s on the plate along with the chicken. Let mixture simmer and reduce for about five minutes until it’s reduced to about half. Add:

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (or if you can have it, 1/2 cup white wine)*

Continue simmering until chicken is cooked which should only take a couple more minutes. Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove chicken to a plate and toss whatever pasta (or rice) into the sauce, top with the cooked chicken thighs and serve immediately. Sit back and watch it disappear!

*If you add wine instead of the milk, add with the stock and vegetables.