VEGAN PUMPKIN GINGERSNAPS

I made pumpkin gingersnaps for our annual Thanksgiving weekend reunion.  Everyone LOVED them!  I reduced the sugar, changed a few things and veganized this recipe:

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-gingersnap-cookies/

If you would like to try my vegan version here it is! 

Vegan Pumpkin Gingersnaps

Ingredients:

1 flax egg
2 1/2 c flour
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt  
1/2 c organic coconut oil (or Earth Balance)
3/4 c coconut sugar
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1/4 c molasses
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp fresh finely grated ginger

Directions:
1.  Preheat your oven to 350 F. 
2.  Make a flax egg.  Put 1 heapingTbsp ground flax and 3 Tbsp warm water in a small bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes.  Whisk it before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.  
3.  In a medium sized bowl, measure your flour (I used 1 1/2 c organic whole red fife plus 1 c organic white but you could experiment), pumpkin pie spice (buy or make your own-see another post) and sea salt.  Stir everything together and set aside.  
4.  In a blender, add your sugar and coconut oil and blend until smooth.  Add the pumpkin, molasses, whisked flax egg, fresh grated ginger and vanilla and blend until everything is incorporated.  
5.  Pour the wet ingredients into a large bowl and gently mix until just combined.  
6.  Refrigerate for 1 or more hours.  
7.  Roll small balls and put onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.  (Roll in extra sugar if you want!)














8.  Bake for 12-13 minutes or until they start to look dry on top and brown on the edges.

HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

Yesterday I decided that since I'm doing so much pumpkin baking I would make a batch of HOMEMADE PUMPKIN SPICE MIX!  It was really easy.  All I did was put all the spices in my coffee grinder (that I actually only use for grinding flax and spices!) and grind away! 

Here is the mix I made:  2 small cinnamon sticks broken up into pieces or 5 teaspoons (tsp) ground cinnamon
2 small nutmeg seeds or 2 tsp ground nutmeg 
2 tsp ground ginger (or omit ginger if you prefer to use fresh ginger)
1 level tsp ground cloves or 1 rounded tsp cloves
4-5 allspice seeds or 1 tsp ground allspice
Hmmm....perhaps this would smell nice in a bar of homemade soap or a homemade candle?!  I think I may do some testing!  
I think I may sprinkle some of this on a batch of pumpkin seeds before I stick it in the dehydrator! 

PUMPKIN COCONUT CHIA PUDDING

#Pumpkin #Coconut #Chia #Pudding
I've been experimenting with pumpkin a lot in the past few weeks.  Over the next week, I'll try to add a few of the recipes.  This one I created a couple of weeks ago.  I made the mistake of writing the recipe on a scrap piece of paper and then I promptly lost it.  Today I found it in the recycling!  Yahoo!  

I love chia pudding because it is nutritious, gluten-free, vegan and could be served for everything from breakfast to dessert.  If you have an almond allergy you could substitute some other non-dairy milk such as brown rice milk.  

INGREDIENTS:
5 T chia seeds
1 c raw almond milk
1 c coconut milk, preferable fresh
1 c pumpkin puree
3-5 T pure maple syrup (depending on how sweet you'd it!)
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t each nutmeg and allspice
1 T fresh grated ginger (or 1/4-1/2 t dried)
1 t vanilla
pinch of cloves and sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
Put everything except the chia seeds in your blender.  Blend until smooth.  Add the chia seeds.  Pulse for a few seconds if you like a "tapioca' type consistency and blend if you prefer a smooth pudding.  Pour into a container with a lid (I like to use a large canning jar) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  I have to hide it behind the kale or it is gone before it has set!  Drizzle a little extra maple syrup on top of each individual serving before eating!

CARDAMON PLUM CAKE

I came up with this cake late last night when I was trying to figure out what to do with all the plums we have left to eat.  We've already frozen about 30 lbs and made plum sauce and plum conserve.  It was gone just shortly after noon today so I know without asking that it passed the blog test.  SOME people were even arguing about the size of pieces that others were cutting for themselves!  

INGREDIENTS:
15 large prune plums
2c flour (I used 1c organic white and 1c organic whole grain red fife)
1tsp each baking soda and ground cardamon (~5 cardamon pods)
1c raw unsweetened almond milk (or any other milk)
1tsp balsamic vinegar
1c organic cane sugar
1/2c earth balance
1 1/2 tsp ground flax seed
2 Tbsp warm water
3/4 tsp pure almond extract

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Grease a 8 x 11 pan and set your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2.  Wash, half and pit the plums.
3.  Put sifted flour, baking soda and cardamon in a small bowl and set aside.  
4.  Put the milk and vinegar and another small bowl and set that aside.  
5.  In a medium sized bowl beat the earth balance and sugar until light and fluffy!  
6.  Add the ground flax, water and almond extract and beat for another minute or so. 
7.  Add the milk and vinegar mixture and mix together.  Don't worry about how it looks...
8.  Gently fold in the flour mixture and then spread evenly into the pan.  Dot the top of the cake with your plums leaving the skin side up.  

9.  Bake for 50-55 minutes.  When a toothpick comes out clean it is ready!  ENJOY! 

P.S.  I'm making this AGAIN tonight but I'm going to fold in 3/4 c of chopped walnuts.  

VEGAN VANILLA CAKE ICING (and variations)

Ingredients:
1/2 c Earth Balance 
1/2 c organic virgin coconut oil
2-3 cups powdered coconut, date or organic cane sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-3 tsp nut or coconut milk

~Optional ingredients~
1/4 c mashed berries and 1/4-1/2 cup fresh berries OR
3 T sifted cocoa powder OR
1/4 c shredded organic coconut OR
1/4 c organic vegan chocolate grated

Directions: 
1.  In a medium-sized bowl, add the Earth balance and coconut oil.  Using an electric blender, beat until smooth and creamy.  
2.  Powder the sugar in a high speed blender. 
3.  Add the vanilla and 1 c of sugar to the Earth balance/coconut oil mixture.  Beat well.  Add another cup of sugar and beat again.  Add more sugar to taste. 
4.  If needed, add nut or coconut milk 1 tsp at a time until desired consistency is reached. 

~Variations~
BERRY ICING:  Blend in 1/4 c fresh or thawed and drained berries that have been mashed well.  After icing, decorate with the reserved berries.  

COCOA ICING: Add sifted cocoa and blend well.

Coconut Icing: After icing your cake, sprinkle with coconut. 

Chocolate Vanilla Icing:  After icing your cake with the vanilla icing, sprinkle with grated dark/vegan chocolate.  

BERRY COCONUT un-ICE CREAM (for 4)

Summertime is a time for frosty desserts! This is my favourite un-ice cream so far!  My son says this dessert is "berry nice"!

Ingredients:

2 c blueberries

2 c raspberries

2 T maple syrup

Coconut milk
Optional: 1T chia seeds

Directions:

Put berries in a high speed blender or food processor. Add maple syrup and chia seeds (if using). Turn on your machine and drizzle in coconut milk until a desired consistency is reached.  Enjoy immediately!
Note: substitute blackberries or strawberries 

VEGAN ICE UN-CREAM

Ice Un-Cream is a dessert favourite around our home!  Ice un-cream takes less than five minutes to make, you could eat it for breakfast, it is healthy AND it tastes delicious!  

Ingredients:  
FROZEN fruit of your choice
A drizzle of nut milk or coconut milk
Optional ingredients such as ground cacao nibs, finely chopped nuts, unsweetened coconut shreds, nut butter, dried fruit bits...

Directions: 
1. Take out your food processor or high speed blender (eg Vitamix).  I find the vitamix works best.  
2.  Add your fruit to the blender.  I usually add banana because it make the ice un-cream smoother!  
3.  While drizzling in as little nut milk as possible, blend the frozen fruit on med-hi only until blended.  If you are using a vitamix, use the tamper to help push the fruit down. Don't overmix or your un-ice cream will get too melty!  
4.  Add optional ingredients and pulse a couple times.  Enjoy!  

Some favourite combos around our house: 
1 Banana, 3 handfuls of raspberries, 3 handfuls of blueberries and drizzle of raw almond milk.
1 Banana, 1 mango and a drizzle of coconut milk.
1 Banana, 1 cup of pineapple, 2 handfuls of strawberries and a drizzle of coconut milk.
2 or more bananas, 1/4 c nut butter, 1 T roughly ground cacao nibs.

If you have extra, add a bit more nut milk, blend and pour into popsicle molds for another day!  

DELISH RASPBERRY CHIA PUDDING

I made a few different chia puddings a few weeks ago and my family voted this one as #1!  

Ingredients: 
1/2 c almond milk or other plant milk
1/2 c coconut milk
2 T maple syrup or 4 dates
1/4 t pure vanilla extract
1/3 - 1/2 c frozen or fresh raspberries (or other fruit)
4 T chia seeds
lemon rind from half a lemon
Optional: coconut shreds 

Directions: 
Put the ingredients in a bowl in the order given.  Mix well.  Put in a serving bowl or individual ramekins. Put in the fridge for at least two hours.   Before serving sprinkle coconut on top if desired.  This makes 4 small servings.  (We have to double it!)