** Apple and (Honey) Cake -- Apple Upside Down Cake -- gluten free, grain free

So, this cake was dubbed 'not bad' and also 'yummy'. As in: "Give me some more of that yummy." It's  a perfect holiday dinner cake -- we've used it for Rosh ha Shannah as well as for Thanksgiving. I know it's not vegan, and I think it would work beautifully with maple syrup.  For the love of all that is sacred and delicious though, please don't use corn syrup. I use royal gala apples because those are the little cuties we have on hand. If you've never made cake batter using chickpea flour and tapioca starch, it is a beautiful thing.

a)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup chickpea flour
1/4 finely ground chia seed
1 cup finely ground sunflower seed flour


b)
1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

c)
1 cup hot water
1 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil


d)
3 small apples --cut into chunks


e)
 3 small apples, sliced
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt


1. grease a springform pan well with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment
2. put 1/4 cup of coconut sugar and 1/4 tsp sea salt into the bottom, and distribute evenly
3. cover the bottom of the pan with the apple slices in a beautiful pattern (circles)
3. preheat the oven to 345
4. combine the dry ingredients and set aside (a and b)
5. combine the wet ingredients and set aside (c)
6. cut an apple or two into chunks to make around 2 cups
7. mix part a and b
8. add in part c until well combine
9. fold in part d
10. gently fill the springform pan
11. bake for 60-65 minutes or until 'firm'
12. let cool
13. slide a knife around the edge before removing sides, and allow to cool completely
14. cover with a plate and invert
15. remove the bottom of the pan
16. remove the parchment

Honey Vanilla Ice Cream

4 cups raw whole milk
1 cup raw honey
2 tbsp organic vanilla extract
generous pinch of salt

Dipping sauce for giant green onion pancake

2 tbsp almond butter
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp tamari
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey

Delectable chocolate ice cream -- dairy-free, raw and full of superfoods. Dessert rocks.

400 ml coconut milk -- not lite, absolutely organic
1/2 cup honey -- unpasteurized
2 tbsp organic vanilla extract
1 pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup raw cacao

1. mix together with a hand blender then chill
2. freeze in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturers directions

Blueberry baby cakes -- grain free, gluten free, etc etc

Breakfast on December 25th is looming large, and in preparation I am making baby cakes and baked apple. Other goodies have already been made. Yet more are still to follow. These are light and moist, delicate and sweet, wholesome enough for breakfast, but not stodgy. Perfect with tea. Try 'em. You'll like 'em.

 ingredients:

 2 cups warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup unpasteurized local honey
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
ground black pepper (just a little)
1/4 cup hemp hearts, ground
1/2 cup raw cashews, ground
1/2 cup white sesame seeds, ground
1/4 cup white chia seeds, ground
1 cup shredded coconut, ground

 4 eggs

1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups blanched almond flour

 2 cups of frozen blueberries (still frozen) or fresh if you have

 coconut sugar to sprinkle on top


 directions:

 preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the honey, coconut oil, and water
2. add the vanilla bean, cinnamon, sea salt, and black pepper
3. stir in the ground hemp, cashews, sesame seeds, chia seeds, and coconut
4. mix in the eggs and the baking soda
5. stir in the almond flour
6. quickly fold in the blueberries and scoop into 24 prepared muffin cups
7. sprinkle the top of each generously with coconut sugar
8. bake at 345 for 50 minutes

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

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

Peanut Butter and Honey Coconut Milk Ice Cream -- vegan treats!

I have an childish delight in peanut butter. Bulk Barn sells the most delectable smooth organic peanut butter, and we purchase it by the litre. Should I be blushing? It's great on not-bread, on apples, by the spoonful, in energy bars, and in ice cream. Huzzah!

ingredients:

1 can (400 ml) organic coconut milk

1/2 cup peanut butter -- smooth, organic, all natural etc etc

1/4 cup unpasteurized honey

pinch sea salt

1 tsp ground vanilla bean


directions:

1. combine the ingredients (I use an immersion blender), and chill
2. freeze in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions

fudgesicles -- dairy free, gluten free, sans sugar (only honey, yo)

I'm not sure which is more delicious, the boy or the fudgesicle ...




directions:

1 can organic coconut milk 400 ml

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp raw cacao

pinch sea salt

1 tsp ground vanilla

black pepper

directions:

1. combine

2. pour into popsicle molds

3. freeze

4. enjoy ...

This recipe makes about 500 ml, so depending on the size of your popsicle molds, you'll get as many as you get. 

Blueberry Cake for Breakfast -- a gluten free, light, delicate monstrosity

My people call it cake. I call it breakfast. I made this little concoction when I had people coming over for a morning tea party. Blueberry cake and seasonal fruit, and a cup of tea. Need I say more? I used my coffee grinder to reduce the cashews, chia seeds, shredded coconut, hemp hearts, and sesame seeds to a fine powder.

 ingredients:

 2 cups warm water
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil (unrefined and organic -- I prefer Nutiva)
1/2 cup unpasteurized local honey
 1 tbsp ground vanilla bean (thank you vanillafoodcompany.com)
1 tsp ground ceylon cinnamon (ditto)
1 tsp sea salt
ground black pepper (just a little)
1/4 cup hemp hearts, ground
1/2 cup raw cashews, ground
1/2 cup white sesame seeds, ground
1/4 cup white chia seeds, ground
1 cup shredded coconut, ground (organic)

 4 eggs

1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups blanched almond flour (thank you nuts.com)

 2 cups of frozen blueberries (still frozen) or fresh if you have

 coconut sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)


 directions:

 preheat the oven to 345
grease a large rectangular glass baking dish

1. combine the honey, coconut oil, and water
2. add the vanilla bean, cinnamon, sea salt, and black pepper
3. stir in the ground hemp, cashews, sesame seeds, chia seeds, and coconut
4. mix in the eggs and the baking soda
5. stir in the almond flour
6. quickly fold in the blueberries and pour into the pan
7. sprinkle with coconut sugar
8. bake at 345 for 60 minutes



This cake bakes up light and moist and sweet and delicious. It was a perfect brunchy treat, and seconds were had by most, thirds by some.

Trail Mix Cookies -- a gluten free, hit the trail kind of treat

It has been ages since I really posted, and ages since I made cookies. After making cookies every week for my son's preschool, I have sort of taken a break. We occasionally make cookies, but not very often. And then we just riff on a few of our faces: peanut butter and honey cookies, and chocolate cookies.

These are great! I like them chilled because of the chewiness they have when straight from the fridge. I love the combination of crunchy sunflower seeds and raisins. I like what happens when honey, sea salt, and sesame seeds do a little dance together. Then again, I'm definitely a granola hippie kind of gal. If you are more truffle ganache, these may not be your cup of tea.


ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup honey

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

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

2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup raisins


directions:

1. mix the eggs, coconut oil, and honey
2. add the vanilla bean, sea salt, and cinnamon
3. mix in the sesame seeds, flax meal, chia seeds, and shredded coconut
4. stir in the almond flour and baking soda
5. mix in the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and raisins
6. drop by spoonful onto baking sheets and flatten with a wet fork
7. bake at 345 for 16-18 minutes

makes 4 dozen cookies

They will be soft when cooked and cool. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

bake at 345 for 16-18 minutes

Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Beyond awesome. I have no words. It's great. Eat it.

ingredients:

2 cans organic coconut milk (total 800 ml)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup raw cacao

generous pinch sea salt
1 tsp ground vanilla
black pepper


directions:

1. combine and chill
2. freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers suggestions.

lemon coconut milk ice cream -- dairy free and delicious

There are two advantages to making a lemon ice cream with coconut milk. One is that those who are intolerant of dairy can still enjoy it. the other is that the lemon juice won't make the coconut milk curdle. Win win!! And this ice cream was definitely a win.

ingredients

2 cans coconut milk (total 800 ml)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup honey
generous pinch of salt
black pepper

lemon zest from one lemon

this will make just over 1 L of ice cream


directions:

1. combine the above ingredients. I use an immersion blender
2. chill
3. freeze in your ice cream freezer according to the manufacturers

Honey Vanilla Coconut Milk Ice Cream -- dairy free, gluten free, fabulous vanilla

Delicious, creamy, honey vanilla. Dairy free, gluten-free, full of goodness and yumminess. Dig in and enjoy. Serve with apple pie!

ingredients:

2 can organic coconut milk
1/2 cup  honey
1 tbsp ground vanilla bean
2 tbsp organic vanilla extract
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon

pinch sea salt -- or more


directions:

1. combine the ingredients (I like to use my immersion blender for a thorough mix)
2. freeze in an ice cream freezer according to the manufacturers directions

Peanut Butter, Honey, and Ginger Ice cream -- wholesome treats

ingredients:

2 cups milk
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp ground vanilla bean
1/4 tsp sea salt


directions:

1. combine the ingredients and chill
2. process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers specifications

Honey Cookies with hemp flour and lotsa seeds

Mama got a brand new batch of hemp flour. It's good stuff. Be prepared, I warn you, for some recipes featuring this quite fabulous ingredient.

For cookies that are gluten free and high in protein, you can give these a whirl.

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil
1/2  cup unpasteurized honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 eggs

1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground vanilla bean
1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup flax meal
1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup hemp flour
1 1/2 cups almond flour


directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1.  combine the ingredients in the order listed
2. drop by spoonful on a lined baking sheet
3. flatten with a wet fork
4. bake at 345 for 14-16 minutes
5. store when fully cool in an airtight container

These might disappear from the cooling rack when your back is turned.

PB and H Ginger Cookie People -- gluten free, vegan, and cute

Yes, okay, I'll confess to having a few screws loose. But my brain really needed to know what would happen if I made ginger bread men using peanut butter. I NEEDED to know. And now I do.

If you are not as much of a peanut butter lover as am I, please check out my gingerbread man recipe from last year:

Gingerbread People 2010

ingredients:

1/2 cup smooth organic peanut butter

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp egg replacer + 1/2 cup water, combined

1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

2 tsp ceylon cinnamon

1 tsp saigon cinnamon

1 tsp korintje cinnamon

2 tsp ground vanilla bean

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp ground ginger

1/4 cup ground chia seed

1/2 cup flax meal

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 cups almond flour

4 tbsp coconut flour

directions:

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the honey, peanut butter, and water/egg replacer mixture

2. add the apple cider vinegar and coconut sugar

3. add the ginger, cinnamon, sea salt, and vanilla bean

4. mix in the ground flax seed and the ground chia seed and look out your window and feel grateful that you live somewhere you have the freedom to bake cookies and enough food to feed your family and friends

5. add the baking soda

6. stir in the almond flour

7. add the coconut flour

8. stir it all together. If you do it right, you should be cursing me by the time you manage to mix in all the coconut flour.

9. bake at 345 for 15-16 minutes

10. store in an airtight container when cool

11. share with all your friends