I made you cause I couldn't sleep...

I couldn't sleep... so I got up with the morning. Most times I end up in the kitchen because 1. morning light looks a lot more lovely on apples than any other. And 2. I'm hungry.

I made this.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Porridge with Sauteed 

Apples (Grain,Gluten,Dairy,Egg free.) 

1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts

1/4 cup pecan meal

2 Tbs coconut butter, melted

1 tsp lemon zest

Combine these three and press into the bottom of a small tart or pie pan. 

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 Tbs unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup almond milk 

1 Tbs honey

 Combine these and spread over nut mixture in pan. If it's a little too thick you can add more almond milk. 

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile....

2 Apples

1 Tbs cinnamon 

1 tsp arrowroot flour

juice from one half of a lemon

1 Tbs almond milk 

Saute in a small sauce pan until they thicken and pour over finished porridge. 

My camera has cocoa powder all over it...

And Then I Put Fall In A Pan...

Autumn Bars

Crust:

-1 Cup Almond Flour

- 1 Cup Oats

1/4 Cup Toasted Wheat Germ

- 1 Tbs Ground Flax Seed

- 1/2 Cup Date Sugar

- 1 Cup Shredded, Unsweetened Coconut

- 1 Tbs Cinnamon 

- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

- 1 tsp Sea Salt

- 1 Stick of Butter

- 1/4 Cup Apple Cider

To make the crust, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Drizzle in the apple cider until the dough comes together but not sticky. (you may not have to use all of the cider). Pat into the bottom of a greased cookie sheet, and set aside. Reserve 1/2 Cup of the mixture to sprinkle on top. 

For the filling: 

Cut up Three large apples and simmer until slightly tender in about 3 Tbs. of apple cider. they should still be slightly crisp.

In another bowl with an electric mixer,cream 

- 1 8oz package of cream cheese 

- 1/2 cup Purred Pumpkin

- 1 tsp Vanilla  

- 1 Tbs Pumpkin Pie Spice

- 1 tsp Sea Salt

- 1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup

- 1/4 Cup Milk

-1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce

- 4 Eggs

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

When Mixture is smooth, pour into prepared crust. Layer the sliced and sauteed apples over top, and sprinkle with the reserved crust mixture. Dice a handful of dried apricots and sprinkle over top as well. 

Bake the Bars at 350 for 25 minutes and cool. They are all the good things about fall in one pan, which is why they should make you very happy. 

H A P P Y  F A L L !

Pumpkin Times

I walked out the door to work the other morning and was only the slightest bit chilly. So naturally I thought of pumpkin. Ignoring the rules about waiting till fall is officially upon us, in a grand, messy affair, I made pumpkin everything as follows.

I began with a grain free pumpkin batter this is perfectly versatile. I made little muffins and loaves dressed with either savory sage cream cheese, or lavender maple.

This is homemade Pumpkin Applesauce. I think it's better still warm.

Pumpkin Applesauce

8 Apples (any kind depending on what flavor you are going for. I used Gala because they are so sweet and I can get away with using less sugar.)

11/2 cups of water

2 Tbs Lemon juice

1/4 cup Pure maple syrup

Cinnamon

Clove

Ginger - tsp of each

1 cup Cooked, and purred pumpkin

Core and dice the apples into medium chunks. I leave the skin on because it's better for you :)

Cover with the water and add the lemon juice. Boil until all the water is absorbed and the apples are tender enough to mash, about 11/2 to 2 hours. Puree with an immersion blender. Add the spices and pumpkin. Simmer for just a few more minutes to blend the flavors. I leave mine just slightly chunky and eat it warm on bread :)

This Way and That Pumpkin Bread (grain-free)

1 Stick organic butter

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Sucanut Sugar

1tsp Vanilla

1 1/2 cup Cooked and purred pumpkin

1/2 cup Almond milk

1 1/2 cups Almond flour

1/2 Brown rice flour

1tsp Sea salt

1tsp Cinnamon

1tsp Ginger



1tsp Nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder

In an electric mixer, cream the butter, sucanut, and eggs for 5 min. Add the vanilla, pumpkin, and almond milk, mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients. Add to the mixer.

Bake at 350. The times will vary depending on what shape you make these in, the final product is dense and moist. Watch out for the tops of you cakes, they can burn pretty fast when you use almond flour.

To make the cream cheese I just whipped it with a little coconut milk and added the fresh sage or lavender.

Different Kinds of Happy... or Pie.

There was a chance of thunderstorms today and I knew what that meant.... Apple Pie.

Anyone who has ever asked me knows that it's my favorite thing in the world to make, although since the start of my grain-free/gluten-free cooking days it's been a little discouraging to never get the flaky, buttery pie crust I so adore.... until now. I think I may have 1/2 found, 1/2 figured out the perfect grain-free crust. You really can't tell it's anything out of the ordinary at all! you have to try it. Granted, it's a bit more cakey than flaky, but it's the closest thing I have found to perfection. Weep and eat.

Perfect Grain-Free Pie Crust~

1 Cup Almond Flour

3/4 Cup Tapioca Flour ( you can also use Arrowroot Flour)

1tsp Xanthum Gum

1/4 Sea Salt

1 Tbs Honey

4 Tbs Butter

1 Egg

1/4 tsp Vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, breaking up the clumps. Make a well in the center, crack the egg into it along with the honey and vanilla. Mix together with a fork. If the dough is too dry, add some ice cold water. If it is too wet, add some more almond flour. the dough will be thick and slightly sticky so here's how to handle it. put down one sheet of wax paper and spoon the dough into the middle in a ball. Put another sheet of wax paper on top of that. Now roll the dough out in between the two sheets of paper just slightly so that you have a 6 inch circle. Keep the dough in the paper and wrap that in foil, chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days. The dough is softer than most so you want it to be really cold before you work with it.

For filling I always just wing it.... one of my favorite ways though, is slicing the apples really thin and tossing them with lemon zest, lemon juice, pure maple syrup, xanthum gum, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350 before filling it, then about an hour after filled and with the top crust on. Almond flour browns very easily, and burns quickly so put foil over your pie. Take it off the last 15 minutes so it gets golden on the top, you can brush it with a little cream if you are allowed to have dairy.

With your extra pie crust (or just a new batch cause it's so easy to make!) roll little bits into balls, press down with your thumb and fill with jam... instant, lovely little cookies. They make me exceedingly happy.

We ate this pie while watching the movie Sweetland (an absolutely beautiful movie that makes me want pie every time, and you really want to watch it!), and listening to the thunder outside. There are different kinds of happy Sweetland tells us.... and I believe one of them is pie.