Category: cranberries

Quick Pumpkin Bread

Quick breads are so easy to make and so delicious to eat. Flavorful with warm spices, they take minutes to mix together and, when gluten-free, can take almost an hour to bake. But definitely worth it. Here’s a pumpkin quick bread recipe that will delight your whole family. I used allspice and ground cloves but feel free to use cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or ginger (pumpkin pie spices) instead. Various flours can also be used including all-purpose (I use the 1 to 1) but whatever one you choose will work. For a lighter bread, eliminate the protein powder and use an additional half cup of one of the other flours.

First make some flax gel by combining in a small dish:

2 tablespoons ground flax meal

1/4 cup warm water

Whisk to combine and set aside to gel. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bread pan (9×5″) with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Into your mixer’s bowl or a medium bowl (if using a hand mixer), add:

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup maple syrup (date or agave syrup, honey)

1/4 cup avocado oil

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Mix until combined before adding:

1 cup oat flour

1/2 cup millet flour

1/2 cup quinoa flour

1/2 cup pumpkin protein powder (or another 1/2 cup of any of the flours)

2 teaspoons allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/4 to 1/2 cup date sugar (depending on your taste)

the flax gel

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional, you could use chocolate or carob chips instead)

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (optional to sprinkle on top in the pan)

Mix until all ingredients are well combined. This is a thick dough. Spoon into the prepared bread pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds if desired. Bake for 50-60 minutes. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean cook for another 5 minutes. Cool on a rack. Great warm or toasted the next day. Will keep for several days in an airtight container.

Oatmeal Cookies

My husband’s favorite cookie was oatmeal with raisins. I’m allergic to grapes so raisins are out for me. Instead I rehydrated some dried cranberries and used those instead. But chocolate or carob chips would work just as well. Easy to make, this is a very thick batter which doesn’t spread and has just a slight rise in the oven so don’t worry about spreading them too far apart on the cookie sheet. Depending on how large you make them, I got 16 from the mixture, you’ll make 15-24 cookies. I also shaped them into disks so they started out flat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two medium cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together:

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

3 tablespoons warm water

Whisk to combine and let sit for approximately 5 minutes to form a flax gel. In a medium mixing bowl combine:

1/2 cup avocado oil (or other mild flavored oil)

3/4 cup fine date sugar

Whisk to combine before adding:

flax gel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup non-dairy milk (any kind)

Mix until smooth. Add:

3/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

1/4 cup protein powder

1/2 teaspoon allspice*

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 cup rehydrated raisins, cranberries or chips (chocolate or carob)

Mix until combined. Dough is very thick and shapeable but still a little sticky. Scoop into balls, approximately 2 tablespoons each, flatten and place on prepared sheets. Bake for about 12-14 minutes until firm. Let cool on sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in air-tight bags or containers for about 4 days or freeze for up to three months. If freezing, place wax or parchment paper between layers of cookies.

*Or of course cinnamon if you can use it.

Chicken and Rice with Caramelized Onions and Cranberries

This recipe is quite involved and takes some time but it’s not a difficult dish to make. And to be sure, every minute spent on this is well worth the effort! The herbs and spices used amp up the flavor profile and adding some freshly grated lemon zest and lemon juice at the end takes it over the edge! Rather than adding the lemon juice at the end, some sliced lemons on the side would also work.

First, peel, cut in half and then thinly slice:

2-3 medium-sized sweet onions

If you don’t have sweet onions, add 1 teaspoon date sugar when you cook them. Let them sit while heating a medium-sized Dutch oven over medium heat with:

2 tablespoons olive oil

When the oil is shimmering add:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken breasts

that are seasoned with:

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

If using skin-on, bone-in thighs, cook skin side down. Loosely arrange chicken in pan (may take more than one batch). Brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove to a plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the pan before adding the onion slices. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently until well caramelized (browned). If not using sweet onions, here’s where to add the:

1 teaspoon date sugar

It can take 25-30 minutes to caramelize the onions because they need to cook slowly so that they don’t burn, we want them browned – caramelized, not burned. Once the onions are ready, add to the pot:

4 garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons minced garlic)

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (or cardamom, nutmeg, or allspice)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

Sauté for about 30 seconds until the herbs and spices are fragrant before adding:

6 ounces sliced mushrooms (Optional, peas would also work)

2 cups chicken stock or bone broth

the browned chicken pieces and any juices on the plate

If using skin-on thighs, be sure the browned side is up. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add to the pot:

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice*

1/3 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries but raisins or dried cherries would also work)

Stir in the rice and fruit, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for another 30 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked. Most of the liquid should be gone from the pot so be careful not to burn the dish. Remove the chicken from the pot, moving the pot off the heat and re-cover so that it stays hot. Remove skin if using skin-on chicken and let sit for 8-10 minutes before slicing the meat (and removing the bones if using bone-in chicken). Add the chicken back into the pot along with:

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon juice

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley (Optional)

Stir to combine. Reheat until the chicken is heated through and serve. Serves 4-6.

*I used pre-cooked brown rice in my dish so I cooked the chicken 30 minutes before adding the frozen rice and then cooked it only an additional 10 minutes.

Since I don’t care for cilantro and don’t think much of parsley either, I sprinkled some green onions on top of my dish.

Raspberry Chicken

I do love raspberries but it never occurred to me to use them in savory dishes. This one takes some time to make the sauce but it’s so succulent and rich, the time is worth it. The sauce can be made ahead and frozen. In fact, with the chicken I used, I had an extra 2 cups of sauce when I was finished so I put it in the freezer for another time. The recipe may not be a fast one to complete, but it is fairly easy to make. And very easy to enjoy! I used a little vinegar and honey but if you can have white wine, feel free to substitute one cup of white wine for the vinegar and honey. Makes 4-6 servings.

In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil:

32 ounces of chicken stock

2 teaspoons minced garlic

Boil for about 15-20 minutes until the stock is reduced by half. Add:

1 cup cranberry juice

3 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)

2 tablespoons seasoned vinegar (this is a vinegar which has a small amount of sugar and seasonings added)

2 tablespoons honey

Boil until reduced by half, about 30-45 minutes. Strain the sauce to remove most of the raspberry seeds. Return to saucepan and return to heat, low heat. Make a slurry with:

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot

Add the slurry to the sauce, increasing the heat to medium, and stir until the sauce thickens, about 2 or 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, simmer. While the sauce is reducing, cut into chunks:

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs and/or breasts

In a ziplock gallon storage bag combine:

1/2 cup all purpose gluten free flour

1/4 cup tapioca or casaba flour

1/2 teaspoon herbamare (or sea salt)

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

When the sauce is ready, add the chicken to the mixed flour and shake to coat all the chicken chunks. Heat in a large skillet:

1/2 cup olive oil

When the oil is hot (shimmering in the pan), add the chicken chunks individually, shaking off any excess flour, and cook, turning once, for 2-5 minutes depending on the size of the chunks or until cooked. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the oil and add to the sauce.

Serve over brown rice or mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh raspberries and scallions.

Pumpkin Spice Stuffed French Toast (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, vegan)

I’ve always wanted to try stuffed French toast but how to make French toast without eggs was the dilemma.  Here’s the solution.  It takes a bit of forethought but its well worth the effort.  Makes four servings.

You’ll need:

  • 8 slices of gluten-free bread, the thicker the better
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon date sugar
  • 6 ounces of non-dairy cream cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Dash of salt
  • 1 cup cranberry compote (see separate recipe)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Spray a 8×10 inch baking dish.  Mix:

  • 6 ounces of cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon date sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Using a fork, mix until well blended.  Spread on all 8 slices of bread.  Heat the milk and add the ground flax.  Let cool until just warm.  Add the baking powder, salt and vanilla and whisk to combine.  Spread some of the cream cheese mixture on each of the bread slices.  Add a tablespoon of cranberry compote to 4 slices.  Top those slices with the other 4 slices of bread.  Place in the baking dish.  Top with the milk mixture.  Let sit 15 minutes and then turn the bread over so that the other side can absorb milk mixture.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Turn the bread over again.  

In a 10-12″ skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or your oil of choice).  Add the 4 bread pieces and cook over medium low heat for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn over and repeat.  The slices may slip slightly from the cream cheese stuffing getting warm so be careful in turning.  Here we want to allow the milk mixture to cook along with the bread but not overheat the middle cream cheese mixture which will then run out of the bread thereby taking away the “stuffed” part of the French toast.  So keep the heat fairly low even it takes slightly longer to cook.  When done, slice each diagonally and top with more cranberry compote or maple syrup if preferred.

Alternatives:  If you don’t like pumpkin and cranberries here are some alternatives.  Use instead of the pumpkin, apple or pear sauce (preferably chunky) along with a berry jam or apple butter.  OR delete the pumpkin from the cream cheese mixture and use strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, or cherry jam instead of the cranberry compote.

Chicken and Cranberry Salad with Green Goddess Dressing (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free)

As all my allergies progressed, one of the things that most bothered me was a sensitivity to leafy green vegetables.  No more salad, what was I going to do!  Then I discovered that I could eat red leaf lettuces, what a relief.  Now I have a salad almost daily and here’s one of my favorites.  I really like various textures in my salads so I add crunchy ingredients as well as softer ones.  Green Goddess dressing usually has walnuts in it but since I’m allergic to nuts, I used pumpkin seeds instead.  You could substitute sunflower seeds.

You’ll need for the salad (for 2 entries or 4-6 side salads):

  • 1 head of red Romaine, cleaned and broken into bite-size pieces
  • 1 cucumber sliced
  • 2-3 small tomatoes
  • 2 wedges of jicama, diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • several scallions or some red onion diced, optional
  • 8 ounces of cooked chicken, diced
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup of dried cranberries (I used the kind sweetened with fruit juice and unsulphered)

For the dressing, in a food processor put:

  • 1 ripe avocado, skinned and pitted
  • 1/4 cup dried parsley, or 1/2 cup fresh parsley (you can add more if you like parsley; not one of my favorite herbs so I didn’t use much)
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (or lemon juice if you prefer)
  • 2 tablespoons ground pumpkin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Water to get to dressing consistency, 1/4-1 cup (my dressing came out fairly thick and I used 1/2 cup of water)

Blend until creamy and all ingredients are combined.  Here, again, I used some roasted whole coriander seeds that I pulsed in my spice grinder so they were not fully ground and the pumpkin seeds were also only partially ground.  This added some crunchy texture to the dressing.