Apple Tarts-- vegan, gluten free, yummy!

Who doesn't like apple tarts? These tarts are so sweet and tart and delicate, that they were the perfect thanksgiving dessert. We got the apples from a tree in my mother's yard. The flavour is machintosh but more sour. Spectacular. A full-bodied apple flavour that reminds me of apple orchards and childhood. Because of the sourness of the apples, I used more honey than I would normally. Perfection. Please adjust according to how tart your own apples are.

dough:

ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp arrowroot flour

2 tbsp ground chia seeds

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

up to 1 cup water (start with 3/4 cup)

2 tbsp evco

directions:
1. combine the ingredients, then set aside while you make the apple filling

apple filling:

ingredients:

6 cups  apples, cubed

1/2 cup honey (our apples were holy hannah sour -- really old fashioned tree apples from my mother's yard, the kind of apple flavour that screams 'apple'. If you use sweeter apples, reduce the honey! add lemon!

2 tbsp arrowroot flour

pinch of sea salt

1 tbsp ground vanilla

1 tbsp ceylon cinnamon


directions:

1. cube or dice the apples -- they were not sprayed, so I didn't peel them. Pretty!
2. combine the ingredients and stir well. Set aside. This will coax the secrets from the apples before you use the filling.

assembling the tarts:

directions:

1. preheat the oven to 345 and then do a little dance because you are happy and thankful

2. divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Not being a savant, I just weighed mine and divided according to weight

3. prepare 24 silicone muffin cups (coconut oil is a good choice!)

4. roll out each piece of dough into a round just bigger than the muffin cup

5. put the dough into the muffin cups

6. scoop in 1/4 cup of the apple mixture into each dough-lined cup

7. spoon the remaining 'secrets' from the bottom of the bowl over each tart

8. bake at 345 for 45 minutes

Maple Pumpkin Pie! -- deep dish, vegan, gluten free

I made a very large pumpkin pie in a springform pan using roasted butternut squash. It's vegan, it's grain free, it's good for you, and it's delicious. Happy thanksgiving!

crust:

ingredients:

2 cups blanched almond meal

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp  ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

directions:

1. combine the ingredients (I used a fork). It will be crumbly looking.

2. press the mixture into a lined (I use a round of parchment) and greased springform pan -- take it up the sides (I used my hands)

3. bake at 345 for 10 minutes

pumpkin filling
ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, roasted -- 3 cups of flesh after roasting
1 can coconut milk -- 400 ml
1/2 cup water

1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground vanilla
2 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 1/2  tsp sea salt
black pepper
4 tbsp arrowroot powder


directions for filling:

1. to roast the squash, I washed the butternut squash, and then cut it into large pieces, put them on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven for 1 hour on 345, or until they were soft. I then peeled/cut off the outer skin.
2. I then pureed the cooked squash with 1 can of coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground vanilla, ceylon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, sea salt, black pepper, and arrowroot flour. I added 1/2 cup of water, because I found that baking the squash seemed to dehydrate it a little, and the whole mixture seemed too dry. If you roast yours in a closed dish, or if you use a wetter squash (such as a pie pumpkin, perhaps) you might not need the water
3. set aside your filling until you are ready for it.

pie:

1. taste the filling and adjust for seasoning

2. pour into par-baked crust

3. bake pie at 345 for 50 minutes

More fantabulous School Muffins -- nut free, gluten free, grain free etc

These days, my son eats a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, and takes a muffin in his lunch, instead of the other way around. This adjustment is due to the nut-free nature of school. These are great. But instead of calling them breakfast muffins, I call them school muffins. These ones are quite sweet, and he thinks they are delicious. I pack his lunch with a muffin, some steamed broccoli, little cubes of cheese, and a couple of nut-free superfood energy bars. Maybe a chocolate school cookie. Super yummy, and keeps him going all day.

ingredients:

2 cups warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1 cup pitted honey dates
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground vanilla
1 tbsp ceylon cinnamon
2 tbsp carob powder
black pepper

1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup ground sesame seeds
1/2 cup ground flax meal
1 cup shredded coconut, ground
1 cup pumpkin seeds, ground

4 eggs

1/2 tsp baking soda


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the dates, coconut oil, and warm water and let sit for 15 minutes
2. puree with with a hand blender
3. add the eggs, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and carob, and blend again
4. stir in the baking soda, chia seeds, sesame seeds, flax meal, shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds
5. scoop the batter into prepare muffin cups
6. bake at 345 for 45 minutes

An Autumn Dinner

Dinner tonight was a little more elaborate than usual.

We had green onion pancakes with dipping sauce, sea weed salad, and miso soup with autumn vegetables and poached egg.

I know what you are thinking. You are thinking "where does this crazy girl come up with her ideas. Man that must have been goooood". You know what? You'd be right. It was gooood.

Green Onion Pancake Dipping Sauce

ingredients:

1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp tamari
2 tsp honey
2 tsp apple cider vinegar


directions:

combine, and serve with green onion pancakes

Green Onion Pancakes V 3.0 -- bigger better faster

Version 3 of the green onion pancakes from last year. Still gluten free. Still grain free. Even more delicious, and very easy to makes

ingredients:

1 cup warm water

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

black pepper

2 tbsp chia seeds -- ground

2 tbsp ground white sesame seeds

1 cup almond flour

4 eggs

1 cup finely sliced green onion

directions:

1. mix together the warm water and the coconut oil

2. add the salt and pepper and ground seeds and almond flour

3. add the eggs

4. add green onion

5. allow the batter to sit for at least 20 minutes

6. heat up your pan/ griddle/skillet etc after liberally coating with coconut oil

7. when the pan is up to temperature, scoop 1/4 cup of batter on to it, and tilt around and around to spread batter

8. set the timer for 1 or 2 minutes

9. flip with a spatula when the pancake is ready, and set the timer again for 1 or 2 minutes

10. remove the pancake to a plate and repeat until all the batter is gone.

11. keep the finished pancakes warm in the oven as you work.

Autumn Miso Soup 'egg drop' or poached egg soup

I was inspired to make an autumn miso soup. Here's what I came up with:

mostly vegetables and poached egg for my 4 year old

and the way I enjoy it myself, egg poached

and egg dropped

with applicable garnish of course

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic

4 medium carrots -- 2 cups diced
4 medium 'daikon' -- approx 4 cups chunky
3 small sweet potatoes -- approx 3 cups chunky


directions:

1. sauté the onion and garlic in the coconut oil
2. add the carrots, daikon, and sweet potato, and cook thoroughly


-------------------------------------------------
ingredients:

1 sheet of kombu
1/4 cup dried mushrooms
2 tbsp tamari

12 cups water


directions:

1. simmer the ingredients together, then strain and reserve

makes 12 cups of broth

--------------------------------------------
To make 4 servings:

take:

2 - 4 tbsp miso
4 eggs
4 cups of broth
1/3 of cooked vegetables

 black sesame sesame seeds
green onions, finely sliced


directions:

1. bring 2 cups of broth to a boil and either poach each egg separately, or stir in the egg and cook it as 'egg drop'
2. meanwhile  heat up the other 2 cups of broth with the vegetables
3. in a bowl, combine the miso with a little broth, then add to the broth and vegetables, careful not to  boil
4. divide the egg and egg cooking broth equally into 4 bowls, then ladle the miso and vegetables on top
5. garnish with sliced green onion and black sesame seeds
enjoy!

super yummy

Dinner Pancakes -- a gluten free, delicious meal

Pancakes are always a hit around here. Not just because they are a vehicle for butter and maple syrup.

ingredients:

6 small eggs or 4 xl

1 cup water

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup flax meal

1/4 cup ground sesame seeds

pinch sea salt

black pepper

1 cup almond flour

directions:

1. combine the above ingredients

3. cook in a hot skillet 1/4 cup at a time, turning after 1 minute

makes 14 pancakes

School Superfood Energy Bars -- raw, vegan, gluten free, nut free, sinful delightful deliciousness

These are a great little lunch box addition -- or breakfast!! -- the will keep your little darling going through the whole school day. They have no nuts so they can be consumed at school. Yahoo.

ingredients:

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup organic sesame seeds

1/4 cup flax meal

1/4 cup wheat grass

1 tbsp maca powder

2 tbsp hemp flour (high fiber protein powder)

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1 tsp ceylon cinnamon (if you don't have ceylon, skip this part, because saigon or korintje won't work)

3/4 tsp sea salt

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/2 cup goji berries

1/2 cup golden berries

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup coconut butter

directions:

1. in a food processor, combine the raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, sesame seeds, flax meal, wheat grass, vanilla bean, ceylon cinnamon and sea salt

2. turn on and process until it resembles sand

3. add the dates, goji berries, and golden berries and pulse and then process until ground up

4. add the coconut oil, and pulse

5. add the coconut butter, and pulse

6. divide between 2 square silicone pans, score into pieces, and freeze

7. when fully chilled, break along the score lines, and store in airtight containers in the fridge.

Spicy spicy crunchy gluten free snack toast

ingredients:

3 cups water

6 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

4 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

4 tsp chili powder

2 tbsp mesquite powder

3 tsp granulated garlic powder

1 tbsp oregano flakes

1 tbsp marjoram

1 tbsp basil

black pepper

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

1 1/2 cup flax meal

1 1/2 cup shredded coconut, ground up

1/4 cup chia seeds, ground

6 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

3 cups almond flour

directions:

1. combine the ingredients in the order listed

2. pour into a greased 3 L baking dish

3. bake at 345 for 75 minutes

4. when fully cooled, can be sliced into quarters length-wise, then thinly sliced width-wise, laid single layer on cookie sheet, and baked at 200 for 180 minutes.

crunchy spicy savoury snackiness ...

Gluten free dinner pastry -- vegan, grain free, and full of sautéed vegetables. What's not to love???

These little dinner pastries were a fun change for us. They are pretty easy to make, although the dough is a little sticky, and must be rolled on parchment or silicone, and you can't make it too thin. They were a big hit in our household, and as far as filling goes, the sky is the limit.

dough:

1 cup water
2 tbsp evco

1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp arrowroot flour
2 tbsp ground chia seeds

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup coconut flour



filling:

2 tbsp evco
1 medium onion
1 bunch celery hearts (2 cups)
2 small yellow zucchinis
1 tiny carrot for colour

black sesame seeds

honey
soy sauce
lemon juice

500 g broccoli florets (3 cups)

1. prepare the dough and set aside
2. prepare the veggie mixture
3. divide the dough into 10 equal balls, and roll each into a flat circle about 10 cm in diameter
4. scoop a few tablespoons of the mixture into the centre of each circle and fold over carefully
5. bake on a lined baking sheet at 345 for 30 minutes

Nemesis Makes Dinner -- gluten free, vegan, vegerrific and palate pleasing

I managed to throw a bunch of stuff in a pot, throw it in the oven, and have it come out and be enjoyed by everyone. That's a bit of a win. Colin even had two helpings. Huzzah!!

ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 cups black lentils -- they are called 'beluga' lentils
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup crumbled dried mushrooms -- I don't think it matters too  much what kind you use

2 cups roughly chopped carrots

2 cups roughly chopped celery (I use celery hearts, but probably any celery will do)

3 cups halved and sliced zucchini
6 cups diced tomatoes (do not use romas or plum tomatoes -- you'll need juicy ones)

1/4 cup almond butter

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp chili powder

1 can coconut milk -- I highly recommend using organic and stay away from 'lite'

1/4 cup roasted buckwheat groats -- aka kasha
2 tbsp nutritional yeast


directions:

in a large casserole (or cast iron dutch oven such as Nemesis)
1. layer the ingredients in the order listed and do not stir
2. finish it off with the sprinkled kasha and nutritional yeast and bake for at least 90 minutes
3. stir well then serve with whatever turns your crank -- we had raw spinach leaves

Because only the liquid from the tomatoes and other vegetables, as well as the coconut milk, will be used in this, it will be extra flavourful.

More Chocolate Cookies for School -- nut free, grain free, gluten free, sugar free ... Yahoo!!!

I like to pack a variety of stuff in my son's lunch for school -- broccoli, spinach, carrots, cubes of cheese, a couple of these healthy cookies, a muffin -- to keep him fuelled all day, and also give him stuff he'll enjoy. These are actually a reasonable snack as well as a tasty little treat. They are a big hit with our friend the cookie monster up the street. His mom might even have added a little peppermint flavour to them for that traditional delicious chocolate mint cookie sensation. Gotta try that myself!!!

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil (organic and unrefined)

1 cup pitted honey dates

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

1/2 cup raw cacao

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup shredded coconut, ground

1/4 cup ground flax

1/4 cup black sesame seeds, ground

1/4 cup white sesame seeds, ground

1/2 cup ground raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup ground chia seeds

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup finely ground pumpkin seeds

directions:

1. combine the hot water and dates, then puree with an immersion blender. Add the coconut oil and puree again. Finally, add the eggs, and process with the immersion blender until smooth. 

2. stir in the raw cacao, vanilla bean, and sea salt. If you are nuts like me, you can add a little black pepper. This is a good time to stir in the baking soda.

3. I put all the pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, and sunflower seeds into a food processor to grind it up. I ground the chia seeds, flax seeds, and sesame seeds in a coffee grinder, and stirred them all into the date, egg, and cacao mixture.

4. when all the ingredients are fully incorporated, chill the dough thoroughly

5. roll small spoonfuls and place onto lined baking sheets

6. flatten with a wet fork and bake at 345 for 16 minutes

7. cool on a wire rack

8. store in an airtight container when cool

makes 4 dozen 

These cookies will keep well for a couple weeks in the fridge

Ginger Bread People -- School Cookies -- gluten free, nut free, grain free etc

My son wanted to make gingerbread people. He also wanted to be able to bring one to school for a snack. So, here goes!!! He sometimes helped by stuffing his face with raw pumpkin seeds, but mostly he's great at adding and stirring ingredients. These cookies are nice and spicy, and my son had a lot of fun choosing the shapes and cutting them out. The chilled dough is a little firm, so unfortunately I had to do the rolling. Such is the way of gluten free dough ...  But he had a great time. Can you tell?

ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil -- unrefined
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 eggs

1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper
2 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tbsp ceylon cinnamon
2 tbsp carob powder

1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup ground flax
1/4 cup ground chia
1/4 cup ground black sesame
1/2 cup ground pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup coconut flour


directions:

before baking, preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the ingredients and chill the dough
2. roll out the dough in batches between 2 sheets of parchment
3. cut out as desired
4. bake on lined baking sheets for 14 minutes at 345
5. enjoy!

Banana and Date School Muffins -- nut free, gluten free, grain free muffins

We had some overripe bananas in our house. You know what that means? That means banana muffins.  I prefer to use mashed bananas -- not pureed -- for a lighter texture. In keeping with the nut-free spirit of elementary schools everywhere, these are nut free. Full of seeds and coconut, they pack a protein punch and are a great little lunch addition.

Nut free. See, I abide by their rules. Even if they have stuck my 4 year old in a 20x20 foot room (that's painted puke green) with almost 40 other 3 and 4 year olds for full day kindergarten. But I'm not bitter. Okay, maybe I am a little. But on the plus side, my MPP now knows my name :).

2 very ripe medium bananas -- lightly mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
2 cups warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt


1 cup pumpkin seeds, ground
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup whole white chia seeds
1/4 cup ground white sesame seeds
1/2 cup ground flax meal

4 eggs

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup coconut flour


1 cup chopped dates


directions:

1. combine the ingredients in the order listed
2. scoop the batter into prepared muffin cups
3. bake at 345 for 50 minutes

vegan crepes take trois -- gluten free, grain free, and free of vegans ;)

All your base are belong to us.

I've been trying to come up with a vegan crepe recipe that is gluten free and grain free to boot. This one is made with almond flour and chia seeds. Like what you see? Not perfect yet, but on the right track. Delicate, crispy, interesting. 

1 cup warm water
1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut butter
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp arrowroot flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tbsp ground chia seeds
2 tsp egg replacer

pinch sea salt
black pepper


directions:

1. combine and whisk
2. cook 1/4 cup at a time on a cast iron pan