Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I remember my mother making chocolate bread pudding, my father’s favorite, when she had stale bread. That usually happened in the fall and winter months since bread pudding really is a heavy dessert that wouldn’t go well during warmer months. Yet this gluten-free bread pudding I found to be much lighter than what I remember. I haven’t had or made bread pudding in years although it’s come to my attention a lot in recent months watching bakers make a variety of bread puddings on the Food Network. And of course, there was a long stretch when bread just wasn’t a part of my diet since I wasn’t particularly fond of those bricks of rice bread that crumbled if you tried to eat them and weren’t really that tasty. But gluten-free breads have come a long way in the last several years. I hope you enjoy this as much as my family did! Feel free to change up whatever you need to for your family’s tastes. For example, if nuts are in your diet, chopped walnuts or pecans would work instead of the pumpkin seeds. And raisins or currants can be substituted for the dried cranberries. Serves 8-12 depending on serving size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×15″ baking pan. In a large bowl whisk to combine:

1 cup date sugar (or coconut; syrups would work as well)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or allspice)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 15ounce can pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon baking powder (because we’re not adding any eggs)
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup pumpkin protein powder

Add:

3 cups non-dairy milk (anything except soy)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk until smooth before adding:

6 cups diced stale bread (I used an entire 8 ounce loaf, 12 slices)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Stir to combine and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. I let mine sit in the fridge for almost 2 hours before I got around to baking it. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand at least ten minutes before serving. Serve warm with your family’s favorite “nice” cream or non-dairy creamer if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

I’ve posted other wings recipes. This one is slightly different because it mixes a little tomato paste into the soy sauce substitute base along with some pureed garlic (find it in grocery store next to minced garlic in the Ethnic Foods aisle; Emperor’s Kitchen has an organic one). It also omits any coating, other than spices, on the wings themselves so no extra carbs from flour or breadcrumbs. Added to the delicious flavor and the fact that they take only a couple of minutes to prepare and a half hour to 40 minutes to bake, they can’t be beat!

In a gallon food storage bag combine:

up to 3 pounds split chicken wings

1 teaspoon paprika (sweet or smoked, whichever your family prefers)

1 teaspoon onion powder (NOT salt)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper)

Press the air from the bag before sealing, seal the bag and then massage the spices into the wings. In a small bowl mix together:

1/4 cup soy sauce substitute (see recipe under sauces)

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil*

1 teaspoon pureed garlic

1/8 teaspoon Garlic Chili Sauce (OPTIONAL)

Add half to two-thirds of the sauce to the bag and shake to coat all the wings. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (be sure there’s room between each wing) and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove and brush with the remaining sauce and turn the wings over so that they brown on both sides. Bake for another 15-20 minutes (depending on size, larger may need a few more minutes) and serve. Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced scallions or chopped parsley.

*TIP: This can be omitted for totally oil free wings. Pour your 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil into the tablespoon (or quarter cup measure) that you’ll use for the honey and swish it around to coat. This will let the honey slip right out.

You can find the recipe for my Cole slaw under Soups and Salads.

Spiced Pumpkin Latte Syrup

I’ve never been a fan of flavored coffee. When I drink a cup of coffee, I want to taste coffee. But the other day I saw spiced pumpkin latte on a menu and was fascinated. I looked up a recipe and found a version of this one on-line. It’s converted my thinking. I’m thinking I’ll try some other flavored coffees now. This one is so delicious, rich and creamy. But the best part is that now I can have 19 more mugs of spiced pumpkin latte without making flavoring. This recipe actually makes about 4 cups of syrup. If, like me, you use 1/4 cup of the syrup in each 2-cup mug, you’ll get 20 cups of rich and creamy latte. And like most of my recipes, feel free to adapt it to your taste by adding more or less instant coffee (or espresso) as well as adjusting the sweetener to your liking.

In a 2-quart saucepan combine:

1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree

2 1/2 cups water

1/3 cup date syrup*

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (adjust this to your taste as well)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons instant coffee (or espresso)

Whisk to combine all ingredients and cook over medium high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium to medium low and cook until the syrup mixture coats the back of a spoon. I cooked it over medium low (I was afraid of burning it) so it took about 40 minutes to reduce. Makes 4 cups of syrup (more or less).

*Feel free to use your favored sweetener. If I make this for my son, I’ll probably use stevia.

Using the syrup to make a spiced pumpkin latte:

In a small saucepan (or if you want it faster, in a microwaveable large mug) heat:

2 cups non-dairy milk (oatmilk froths very well)

When hot combine with:

1/4 cup spiced pumpkin latte syrup (more if you want it stronger)

Heat until desired temperature. If you want the milk frothy, use a milk froth device or I used my immersion blender (don’t do this in the mug! you’ll have a mess of oatmilk all over your counter!). If desired top with a whipped non-dairy cream.

Using this syrup to make spiced pumpkin latte pudding (or creme brulee):

In a 2-quart saucepan combine:

1 cup spiced pumpkin latte syrup

2 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (DO NOT USE SOYMILK)

1/2 to 2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso

In a small bowl combine:

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

3 tablespoons arrowroot

Whisk to combine and make a slurry before adding to the saucepan. Heat over medium high heat, whisking every few minutes (I usually whisk it almost constantly) until the mixture comes to a boil at which point it should also be thickening. Remove from the heat and pour into serving dishes. If creme brulee is desired, after the pudding cools, top with 1 teaspoon sugar in each dish and brulee. Makes approximately 6, 6-ounce servings.

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Here’s another take on those Sweet Potato pie squares I blogged a couple years ago. This one is lower in sugar and is fat-free as well. But, just as tasty! Makes 9 servings and will keep in the frig for about 5 days (if it lasts that long!).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×9″ square baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside. In a small bowl combine:

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

5 tablespoons warm water

Set aside for a few minutes to form a flax gel. In a food processor bowl, combine:

1 cup pumpkin seeds (or any seed your family likes, even walnuts or pecans if you can have them)

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, etc., whichever you prefer

1 teaspoon date sugar

Process until the mixture forms a fine crumb. Add the flax gel and blend until the mixture forms a dough, about 30 seconds. Pour into the prepared baking dish and using your fingers, a spatula, or the bottom of a measuring cup, press firmly into the pan and up the sides. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

4 cups pureed pumpkin (2 15-ounce cans of pumpkin puree)

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

3 tablespoons arrowroot

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

dash of salt

Whisk until combined. Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan for at least one hour before cutting. I like mine really cold so I cool on the counter for an hour and then in the refrigerator for several hours before I cut into squares. But as you see in the photo, I couldn’t wait that long this time and cut it before it was fully cooled. Once cooled it does stand up like it should! Can be topped with any non-dairy topping or frozen “nice” cream.

Honey Barbeque Sauce

I gave you a recipe for barbeque sauce when I made the Barbeque Beans side dish a while ago (see recipe under side dishes). That one included some oil so here’s an oil free, spicy recipe that I just love and I hope you will too. I’m making some pork Ribbletts tomorrow and since my usual Organicville Barbeque Sauce isn’t available at my local store at the moment, I decided to try making my own. I’ll pass on the recipe for the ribbletts tomorrow.

In a small saucepan combine:

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup honey (maple or date syrup, coconut or agave nectar)

1/4 cup white vinegar (or apple cider)

2 tablespoons molasses

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon chili sauce (in the Asian section of your market just be sure to purchase one without any sugar) (Optional)

1/2 teaspoon sriracha (Optional)

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Stir or whisk together and taste. Just remember that all these flavors will be accentuated as the sauce reduces. Heat over medium heat until it just starts to bubble then reduce to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until thickened. Add additional salt, etc., if needed per your taste. Makes about 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups of sauce.

6-Minute Sweet Potato Crumpets

What is a crumpet you ask? Well, I’ve seen it described as a spongier English muffin that is made on the griddle rather than in the oven. But English muffins are also made on the griddle. Another description says that crumpets are spongy whereas English muffins are bready. I think that’s probably the best description. So I decided to refer to these as crumpets even though they are not cooked on the stovetop but are cooked in the microwave, therefore making them very quick and easy to make. They could also be baked in a 350 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes. The recipe makes 1 crumpet although while one was cooking, I began another thereby using the entire can of pureed sweet potato to make a total of 8. For a sweeter crumpet, see variations below.

In a small bowl, about 3-4 cups, mix together:

1 tablespoon ground flax

3 tablespoons warm water

Whisk together and let sit for about 3 minutes until it becomes flax gel (egg substitute). At that point, add:

2 tablespoons pureed sweet potato

Whisk to combine before adding:

2 tablespoons sorghum flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

about 1/16 teaspoon sea salt (a generous pinch)

1 tablespoon oat milk

Whisk again to combine before pouring the batter into a 2-cup glass bowl (I used Pyrex storage bowls) sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes (the 2-cup Pyrex storage bowl took 3 minutes; 1 tried 2 1/2 minutes but the bottom wasn’t cooked). Remove from microwave and flip onto a cooling rack. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before dusting the bottom with a little sorghum flour. Let sit for several hours before toasting or place in small baggies. Can be frozen for several weeks, that is if you have any leftover.

With a little of the sugar-free blackberry jelly I made last week. Delicious!

VARIATIONS:

Use pumpkin puree instead of sweet potato

Use tahini instead of sweet potato (or other seed or nut butter); more milk may be needed if using a thicker butter

Add a pinch of cinnamon or allspice

Add 1 teaspoon of date syrup, maple syrup, agave or coconut nectar for a little sweeter crumpet

Use 2 tablespoons of jelly or jam in place of the sweet potato – you may need to adjust the milk and/or flour depending on the consistency of your jelly or jam

Easy No Bake Tiramisu Cookies

I remember as a child my mother would give us mocha in place of cocoa or coffee. Of course, back then, decaffeinated coffee didn’t exist and parents were told caffeine was bad for growing children. Thankfully, it didn’t occur to her that chocolate has as much caffeine as coffee! So she would put a little instant coffee into our cocoa. I must admit to this day, I much prefer mocha to plain cocoa. Now that chocolate is no longer on my menu, I’ve substituted carob in it’s place and I think it works just fine. These are more like a flat fudgy truffle than a cookie. Very quick and easy to make using a food processor. These are the perfect “cookies” to make during the summer when no one wants to turn on their oven.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine:

1 generous cup gluten-free rolled oats

1 tablespoon carob powder (of course you could also use cocoa powder)

1 tablespoon instant coffee or expresso

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup protein powder

2 tablespoons date sugar

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds*

1/4 cup seed or nut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder

Blend until the mixture is slightly crumbly and most of the oats are ground along with the whole pumpkin seeds. Slowly pour in the non-dairy milk, about 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until the mixture forms a dough. It should be a little sticky but mostly dry. Scoop out about 1 to 2 tablespoons, depending on how large you’d like the “cookies”, roll into a ball and then flatten in your palm. Place on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper after coating each cookie with a mixture of:

1 tablespoon carob powder

1 tablespoon crushed instant coffee or expresso powder

1 tablespoon date sugar

I mixed the above in a small bowl and then coated each side with the carob mixture by putting the cookie flat into the bowl and then turning it over. The mixture stuck just fine without any pressure. Makes 10-12 depending on size. Remove to a large plate or small baking dish and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Store in zip-lock bags in the refrigerator.

*I used pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed butter but any type of seed or nut will work – sunflower seed butter and sunflower seeds would be just as good.

Easy Summer Pickles

My husband loved these pickles. It was the only way I could get him to eat cucumbers so I made them often. It’s a quick and easy thing to do. The longest part of the process is peeling the cucumbers so feel free if the peels don’t bother you to leave them on. And it’s so variable – by simply changing the type of vinegar and herbs/spices used, the taste changes completely. I’ll give you some variations at the end of the basic recipe.

In a 3-cup bowl combine:

1/2 to 1 cup water, depending on how strong you want the pickle

1 cup vinegar (I use a blend of white and rice – a strong and a mild vinegar)

2 teaspoons date sugar

1/4 teaspoon alum (keeps the cucumbers crunchy)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Add:

6 mini cucumbers, sliced

That’s the basic recipe and they are very good just this way. I like to change it up though so think about adding the following, remembering that spices are always better once they’re a little roasted.

Variations:

1/2 teaspoon of: mustard seed, cumin seed, celery seed, coriander seed or just one of these

2 bay leaves

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced or several scallions, sliced

1 tablespoon of: fresh dill weed or 1 teaspoon of dried dill weed

1 tablespoon of: fresh tarragon or fresh rosemary or fresh thyme or fresh basil or parsley

Using all white vinegar makes for a very pungent pickle where you may want to increase the date sugar or even use a couple of tablespoons of honey or agave nectar

Using all rice vinegar will make a very mild pickle where the date sugar can be totally eliminated

As I said at the top, changing the vinegar, and there are plenty of them out there these days, will totally change the taste of these pickles so use the vinegars your family likes best

Sweet and Sour Cole Slaw

Quick and easy, especially with pre-mixed cole slaw mix, this is a delicious, fat-free side dish that won’t spoil if left out because it has no mayonnaise.

I find it hard to believe that this is my 300th blog! How time flies and how the recipes just keep adding up. Hope you’re enjoying this adventure in cooking as much as I.

In a medium size bowl, whisk:

1/4 cup date sugar

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1/4 cup white vinegar

Whisk until the date sugar dissolves. Stir into the dressing:

1 1/2 cups pre-mixed cole slaw mix (green and red cabbage and carrot)

1/4 cup sliced scallion greens

Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes before serving. Serves 2-3.

Plum Salsa

Here’s a quick and easy way to kick up your grilled pork chop or chicken breast. Takes a couple of minutes to put together and will liven up your grilled meat.

In a medium, 3 cup bowl, combine:

1 large plum (or 2 smaller ones), diced

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (or 1 teaspoon dried)*

juice from 1 lime

dash of hot sauce (to taste)

dash of sea salt

Makes 2 servings. Feel free to substitute other fruits such as nectarines, peaches, or pears.

*I hate cilantro. When I hear chefs on TV say, “Who doesn’t like cilantro?” I always want to scream, “Me, Me, I hate cilantro.” So I used dried parsley instead.