Pumpkin Gingerbread w Cream Cheese Frosting

I made this on the fly yesterday while I was waiting for my husband Anthony to get home and it was fabulous.  And we're talking best-dessert-of-the-year fabulous.  I have this gingerbread recipe that I love so much but I haven't been able to make anything come close to it since going Paleo.  This finally does it some justice.  With the perfect blend of spices and some added crystallized ginger for an extra bite, this bread almost has the consistency of a brownie.  With or without the added creamy sweetness of a traditional cream cheese frosting, everyone is sure to love this little cake!

Anthony's new favorite.  Better hurry up and make it before your New Year's diet starts

Ingredients:
1c pumpkin puree (I used Trader Joe's Organic Canned Pumpkin)
1 + 3/4c almond flour
2 large eggs
1 + 1/2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp baking soda
1tsp pure vanilla extract
1tsp ground cinnamon
1 + 1/2tsp ground ginger
1/4tsp ground cloves
1/4tsp salt
1/2c pure molasses
1/4c pure maple syrup
1/4c crystalized ginger, chopped finely

For Frosting:
1/2c butter at room temperature or softened
8oz full fat cream cheese at room temperature or softened
2tsp pure vanilla extract
2tbs heavy cream or full fat coconut milk
3c confectioners sugar
1/2c toasted chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Line an 8x8" baking pan with nonstick foil or parchment and butter it.  Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, boil molasses and maple syrup.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.  Pour in molasses mixture and mix well.
4. Make sure it's not too hot (you don't want to cook the egg) then add 2 eggs and beat by hand until well incorporated.  Stir in crystallized ginger.
5. Pour evenly into the prepared pan and bake at the center of a preheated oven for about 25-35 mintues or until it looks similar to a cooked brownie... more firm on the outside and firm but softer in the center.  A toothpick should come out clean and the center shouldn't be too wet.  Cut it a bit with a knife if you have to... this doesn't cook like a cake but more like a brownie.
6. Cool completely before frosting.
7. To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer.  Add vanilla and cream and beat again.  Finally, beat in sugar until combined then turn to high and beat until smooth and creamy.
8. Spread evenly over the cake with a knife or a spatula and sprinkle with walnuts if desired.  Serve at room temp or chilled.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Soup w Sage

Ahhh fall, my favorite time of year.  When the leaves start changing and the weather is getting cooler, get into the season by making a big batch of pumpkin soup.  This is a simple, rich, creamy soup that is perfect for using up all those leftover cans of mashed pumpkin.  Or, get inspired and throw in fresh roasted pumpkin instead.  Fresh sage is the costar here... lending a subtle thanksgiving flavor that highlights the flavors of pumpkin.  I loved this soup so much that I am looking forward to making my next batch.  Enjoy!

Rich, warm, and satisfying.  The perfect soup for fall!

Ingredients:
2tbs butter
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, trimmed and diced
2c pureed pumpkin (fresh or canned)
3tbs fresh sage, chopped
4c chicken stock (I used Rachael Ray Stock in a Box)
1c coconut milk (or half and half)
1/4tsp cayenne
1tsp poultry seasoning

Directions:
1. In a large bottom soup pot, heat butter over medium high until melted.  Add onion and celery and cook until soft and starting to brown.  Add your pumpkin, sage, stock, cayenne, and poultry seasoning.  Add a bit of fresh ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes. 
2. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth (alternatively use a blender or food processor).  Stir in coconut milk.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 
3. To serve, ladle some into a soup bowl, top with sage and drizzle coconut milk or cream over the top.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Almond Cake with Slightly Sweet Cream Cheese Icing

Okay, here is that second pumpkin recipe I was talking about.  This time I used pureed pumpkin with almond butter instead of coconut oil and the result was a more cake-like texture.  Also, this cake has a stronger almond flavor than the Pumpkin Bars recipe, thanks to Trader Joe's Roasted Almond Butter with Flax-seeds (if you don't have some, I highly recommend you drop everything and go buy some now!).  I used the same cream cheese icing recipe, only this one is less sweet.  In fact, this entire dessert is less sweet than the first recipe but just as delicious.  Again, no grains, no gluten, no refined sugars.  You're welcome.

Rich cake-like crumbs without any grains:  amazing!

Pumpkin Almond Cake Ingredients:
1c almond flour
1c pureed pumpkin
1c almond butter (I used Trader Joe's Almond Butter with Roasted Flax-seeds)
1/2c honey
2tbs amber agave nectar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2tsp vanilla extract
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
1/4tsp allspice

Slightly Sweet Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:
1 stick butter, room temp (preferably organic)
8oz full fat cream cheese, room temp
1/4c honey
2tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Line an 8x8" or 9x9" pan with nonstick foil.  In a large bowl, beat all ingredients together until well combined.  Pour into pan and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool completely before frosting.
3. To make the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until well combined.  Add your honey and vanilla and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
Make Ahead Tip:  When cool, you can wrap your cake in foil and freeze it (without the frosting), dethawing it before you want to serve it and whip up the icing then.

Pumpkin Bars with Honey Infused Cream Cheese Icing

No, my obsession with pumpkin is not over yet.  Tonight, I actually was experimenting with pumpkin desserts and both of them turned out so delicious I am going to share them with everyone.  This one is more dense and "brownie-like" with a slightly sweet honey infused cream cheese icing.  I added some walnuts for texture and it reminds me a bit of carrot cake but with pumpkin instead.  Of course, amazingly, these have NO grains OR refined sugars.  Please enjoy guilt free! (Yes, I do realize the frosting has dairy but, hey, no one's perfect!)

I promise you won't miss the grains in this amazing recipe!

Pumpkin Bar Ingredients:
1/2c coconut flour
1 + 1/2c almond flour
1/3c honey
2/3c amber agave nectar
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp sea salt
2 pinches allspice
2 large eggs
1c pumpkin puree
1/4c melted coconut oil
2tsp vanilla extract
1/2c chopped walnuts

Honey Infused Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:
1 stick butter, room temp (preferably organic)
8oz full fat cream cheese, room temp
1/4c + 1tbs honey
2tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Line a 9x13" pan with nonstick foil.  In a large bowl beat honey, agave, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, allspice, eggs, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and vanilla.  Mix in coconut and almond flours.  Stir in walnuts at the end (batter is thick; almost dough like)
2. Spread across a large prepared pan and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top has firmed up.  Let cool completely before frosting.
3. To make the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until well combined.  Add your honey and vanilla and continue to beat until light and fluffy.  (Tip: Store leftovers in the refrigerator).

Halloween Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

I just had to make a festive Halloween dessert yesterday to celebrate such a fun holiday!  Besides, what else did I have to do while I was waiting for the adorable trick-or-treaters?  This fabulous dessert is half pumpkin brownie and half chocolate brownie.  It layers nicely into a black and orange treat.  Better yet, it's refined sugar and grain free so enjoy guilt free!

Gluten Free & Paleo Friendly Halloween Treat!

Ingredients:
4 large eggs, preferably omega-3 enriched
1c agave nectar
1c honey (local honey will help alleviate allergies)
1c almond meal/flour
1/2c coconut flour
1tsp fine sea salt
1/2tsp baking soda
1tbs vanilla extract

5oz dark or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2c unsweetened applesauce
1/2c cocoa powder (the higher quality the better)

1/2c + 2tbs pureed pumpkin
1/4c almond butter
1/2tsp cinnamon
1tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Done and out of the oven

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Grease a large baking pan (I used a pumpkin tin) with oil/butter.  In a large bowl, beat eggs, agave nectar, honey, and vanilla.  Add your almond flour, coconut flour, salt and baking soda and mix well.
2. In a separate but large glass bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave at 1 minute intervals.  Take 1/2 of your previous mixture and pour it in with the chocolate.  Beat well.  Add in applesauce and cocoa powder and mix until fully incorporated.  This is your brownie layer.
3. In your original bowl (with 1/2 of the original mix) add pumpkin, almond butter, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.  Mix well.  This is your pumpkin brownie layer.

Inverted brownie, ready to serve

4. In your baking pan, pour your chocolate mixture in, spreading evenly (this layer is heavier so I put it in first).  Then gently scoop your pumpkin layer over the top and, very gently, spread evenly with a spatula.  Bake in the center of a preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a few moist crumbs are visible when pierced with a toothpick in the center.
5. Let your brownie cool slightly, then using a foil lined cutting board over the top of the pan, invert your pan to reveal your dessert.
6. Cut your brownie into pie-like slices and serve warm.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Beautiful colorful layers of pumpkin and chocolate:  dig in!

Pumpkin Carrot Cake Muffins

There is nothing more wonderful than a rich, moist slice of carrot cake.  Of course, being obsessed with pumpkin, I was inspired to make a carrot cake muffin with a Halloween twist:  pumpkin!  The secret to the perfect grain and refined-sugar free muffin is in this delicious recipe.  My husband and I enjoyed these for breakfast this morning after a long bike ride.  What a wonderful way to start your Saturday morning! 

The perfect treat for a Saturday morning breakfast!

Ingredients:
2c shredded carrots, pulsed in a food processor until finely ground
1c pureed pumpkin
1c almond butter (I used Trader Joe's almond butter with roasted flax seeds but any kind will work)
1/4c honey
1/4c agave nectar
2 eggs
1 1/2tsp baking soda
2tsp vanilla extract
1/2-1 tsp cinnamon
1/2c chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Line a muffin tin with muffin cups (makes 12).
2. In a large bowl, mix carrots, pumpkin, almond butter, honey, agave and eggs.  Add in baking soda, vanilla and cinnamon and mix well.  Finally, fold in walnuts.
3. With an ice cream scooper, pour even scoops of batter into the muffin cups.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from tin and let cool.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

The Cupcake Chronicles Part 5: Paleo Friendly Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Icing

Oh cupcakes, it has been a few months since I have made you!  I knew it was time to get creative and make some grain free and paleo friendly pumpkin cupcakes.  I was inspired by all the fall pumpkin picking when I made this recipe and I promise you won't even be able to tell the difference between these and regular pumpkin cupcakes.  The frosting does have butter and cream cheese, so if you are against dairy an easy fix would be to skip the frosting and call them "pumpkin muffins."  In the words of my husband, "Damn, this shit is good!"

No one will believe these don't have grain or refined sugar in them!

Cupcake Ingredients:
1c canned pumpkin puree (not flavored)
1c almond butter (I used Trader Joe's Almond Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds)
1/2c honey

The perfect grain-free fall cupcake!

2 large omega-3 eggs
1 1/2tsp baking soda
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp cinnamon

Icing Ingredients:
1/4c butter at room temperature
4oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/8c honey
1tsp cinnamon
2tsp vanilla extract
chopped and toasted nuts (optional, for serving)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.  Mix all the cupcake ingredients together until well blended.
2. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake lingers.  Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cup 3/4 full of mix.  This recipe makes 9 or 10 cupcakes (not quite 12).
3. Bake in the oven for about 15-18 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.  Cool before frosting.
4. In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat butter and cream cheese until blended.  Add honey, cinnamon and vanilla and continue to mix until light and fluffy (this frosting is a little thin due to using honey instead of powdered sugar but it still sets and tastes fabulous!)
5. Spread a thin layer of icing on each cupcake and top with a tsp of nuts, if desired.  Serve and relish the flavors of fall!

The Best Paleo Pumpkin Pie

It definitely feels like fall and all I can think about is making some delicious pumpkin recipes.  This is my first attempt at a pumpkin pie recipe that is Paleo friendly (ie no grains, dairy or refined sugar).  I used honey in this recipe as my sweetener but agave nectar would work nicely also.  I also used butter for the crust but you could substitute coconut oil if you don't eat butter (many Paleo enthusiasts say butter and cream are acceptable).  Okay, okay I know cavemen didn't eat pumpkin pie but this is a hell of a lot healthier than eating the real thing.  This pie tastes better chilled so give it some time in the refrigerator before you dig in.  A healthy alternative for Thanksgiving dessert anyone?!?

A classic fall dessert, Paleo style!

Crust Ingredients:
1 1/2c almond flour
1/4c melted butter
1/4 tsp salt
2tbs honey

Pie Filling Ingredients:
1 1/2c pumpkin purée or one 15oz can unsweetened pumpkin
4 large omega-3 eggs
3/4c coconut milk
1/4c maple syrup
1/2c raw honey
2tsp bourbon vanilla extract
1/2tsp cinnamon
1tbs pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.  I lined a springform pan with nonstick foil.
2. To make the crust, with your clean fingers, mix the four, butter, salt and honey in a bowl.  Then press firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake 10min until golden. Remove from oven and let cool.
3. In another bowl, mix all the pie filling ingredients until well combined.  Pour into the pan.
4. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the middle of the pie is set (a knife inserted into the center makes a clean cut).  Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate before serving.