Refined Sugar Free Pumpkin Bread

First of all...thank you to all of you that have voted for my blog. It is in the running for the Top 25 Food Allergy Moms. If you enjoy my blog, would you take just a few seconds and click the link below and go and vote for Live Free, Gluten Free? There is only today and tomorrow left to vote! You can vote every 24 hours, so please do! Thanks!

Also, for those of you that live in our around Cache Valley Utah.  I am doing a cooking show at the Providence Macey's on tonight at 7:00pm.  I'm making apple fritters and pumpkin bars, so please come! It's free and you get treats, it can't get better than that!

I have been modifying my recipes to be refined sugar-free, most of the time I forget to write down what I did...this time I actually remembered, so I have it for you, too.  This is based off my pumpkin bread, and it still tastes fantastic. This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Whole Food Fridays, and Allergy Friendly Friday.

Refined Sugar-Free Pumpkin Bread
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can pumpkin
2 cups gluten free flour blend
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (optional)

Directions1. Preheat oven to 325F, and lightly grease a bread pan or muffin tins.

2. Cream coconut oil, sugar, and honey together.  Add eggs, mixing well after each one.  Add vanilla and pumpkin and mix until well blended.

3. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips, if using).  Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips, if using.

4. Pour into prepared bread pan or scoop into muffin tins, and bake ~1 hour for bread or 30 minutes for muffins.

Weekly Menu (10/14/12-10/20/12)

First of all...thank you to all of you that have voted for my blog. It is in the running for the Top 25 Food Allergy Moms. If you enjoy my blog, would you take just a few seconds and click the link below and go and vote for Live Free, Gluten Free? There is less than a week left! You can vote every 24 hours, so please do! Thanks!

Also, for those of you that live in our around Cache Valley Utah.  I am doing a cooking show at the Providence Macey's on Tuesday at 7:00pm.  I'm making apple fritters and pumpkin bars, so please come! It's free and you get treats, it can't get better than that!

This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:

• acorn squash
• lemons
• grapes
• lettuce
• asian pears
• bananas
• potatoes

We also got the Asian add-on pack which had:

• Celery
• Snow Peas
• Basil
• Green Onions
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Onion
• Water Chestnuts
• Napa Cabbage

I also have lemons, carrots, beets, and bananas to supplement the basket.


This week for breakfast:
For the Kids:

• Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• scrambled eggs
• one-eyed sandwiches
• fresh fruit
• cereal for the kids

For me: (I get up 2-3 hours before anyone in my house, hence why I have a separate breakfast)

• homemade yogurt
• scrambled eggs
• fresh fruit
• baked oatmeal
• granola

This week for school lunches:  (we have fall break starting on Wednesday, so this is just for Monday and Tuesday)

• PB&J on Udi's bread or Schar crispbread with pepperoni and cheese
• fresh fruit, applesauce, or mandarin oranges
• chips or crackers
• milk

This week for lunches at home:

Wednesday:

• Chicken Nuggets
• fruit
• oven fries

Thursday:

• Hot Dogs
• chips
• fruit

Friday:

• Corn Dogs (I'll eat leftovers from dinner)
• carrot sticks

Saturday:

• Sandwiches
• chips
• fruit

This week for dinner:

Sunday:

• Meatloaf
• Green Salad (adding in napa cabbage with my lettuce)
• Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Acorn Squash
• Grapes

Monday:

• Chicken Red Curry Soup (I'm experimenting)
• Fresh Spring Rolls using the napa cabbage, carrots, celery, and basil
• sliced asian pears 

Tuesday: Cooking Show night! See above for details.

• Tacos (I'll eat left over soup)
• green salad and carrot sticks
• grapes

Wednesday:

• Spaghetti 
• Breadsticks
• steamed snow peas
• Carrot and celery sticks

Thursday:

• French Toast
• bacon
• bananas

Friday:

• Pizza 
• Green Salad

Saturday:

• Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• Baked Potatoes
• carrot and celery sticks

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes or Waffles

So, I really love pancakes and waffles.  We have one or the other at least weekly.  It's fast, easy, and filling.

Now, this recipe is indulgent enough it could be your dessert. 

Or, you could use it for breakfast and make your kids feel spoiled.  These honestly taste just like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, they are just way faster to make. :) 

They are fantastic both as waffles and as pancakes, without having to modify the recipe at all.  So, whatever mood you are in, you can enjoy these.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Tuesdays.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes
3/4 cup non-dairy yogurt (I use my homemade yogurt)*
1/4 cup non-dairy milk*
1 egg
1 1/4 cup GF oat flour
3/4 cup GF quick cooking oats
2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened (optional...I forgot to put it in one time and they still turned out fantastic)
1/2 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
In a small bowl mix together yogurt, milk, and egg.

In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Whisk together to remove any lumps. Mix in the coconut oil (if using) until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour about 1/4 cup scoops of the batter onto a heated griddle. (I have an electric griddle that I heat to 325-350F). Once the bubbles form and start popping on the top of the pancake, flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Makes 8-10 pancakes depending on their size.

For waffles: Cook in a preheated waffle maker, until browned and crisp.  (Follow the manafacturers directions).

*You could also use 1 cup non-dairy milk that has been soured with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, in place of the yogurt/milk above.

Weekly Menu (10/7/12-10/13/12)

First of all...thank you to all of you that have voted for my blog.  It is in the running for the Top 25 Food Allergy Moms. If you enjoy my blog, would you take just a few seconds and click the link below and go and vote for Live Free, Gluten Free? You can vote every 24 hours, so please do! Thanks!

This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:

• red bell pepper
• summer squash
• green leafy lettuce
• tomatoes
• potatoes
• red grapes
• strawberries
• apples
• plums

We also got the Mexican add-on pack which had:

• Avocados
• Limes
• Tomatillos
• Jalapenos
• Cilantro
• Onions
• Garlic
• Grey Squash

I also have lemons, carrots, beets, celery, and raspberries (from our bushes) to supplement the basket.


This week for breakfast:
For the Kids:

• Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• scrambled eggs
• fresh fruit
• cereal for the kids

For me:

• homemade yogurt
• water kefir with fruit puree
• hardboiled eggs
• fresh fruit
• baked oatmeal
• granola

This week for school lunches:

• PB&J on Udi's bread, ham sandwiches, beef jerky, or Schar crispbread with pepperoni and cheese
• fresh fruit, applesauce, or mandarin oranges 
• chips or crackers
• milk

This week for dinner:

Sunday:

• Teriyaki Beef Shortribs (I use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce)
• Green Salad
• Basmati Rice
• Sauteed zucchini/grey squash
• sliced strawberries 

Monday:

• Navajo Tacos
• Topped with refried beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, Salsa Verde and Guacamole
• Grapes and Raspberries

Tuesday:

• Hamburgers/Hot Dogs with Udi's Buns
• Oven Fries 
• green salad and carrot sticks
• grapes

Wednesday: (I have a GF planning meeting, and I'll be eating dinner there, so this is for my family)

• Tacos 
• apple slices
• Carrot sticks

Thursday:

• Waffles
• bacon
• raspberries and sliced plums

Friday:

• Chili (I thicken mine with a roux made from millet flour)
• Baked Potatoes
• Carrot sticks and apple slices

Saturday: The kids and I are heading down bright and early to the GF Expo in Salt Lake.  After our fill of the expo, we'll spend the rest of the day playing in Salt Lake...which means we'll be finding food there, as well (probably Chick-fil-a and/or Red Robin).

Honey Oat Pancakes

First of all, if you read my blog and enjoy it, would you take a minute and go and vote for it?  Thanks!

My family loves pancakes, really who doesn't?  We eat them weekly, I would say, and lately I've been trying to make them a bit healthier.  I've been replacing my gluten-free flour blend with different mixtures of whole grain flours...and I'll post some of those recipes later.  But by far the biggest hit has been this one.  This one is pure comfort food, mainly because oats are such a familar taste.  When my husband tried these, he asked if they were wheat pancakes...of course, I gave him the look of 'are you insane, why would their be wheat in our house!?!' and then told them they were oat pancakes...I think he just knew it was a normal tasting flour.

I actually really love these with fresh raspberries mixed in...the raspberries are so juicy when you cook them, you don't need any syrup or toppings at all. So, these pancakes are great plain or with whatever mixins you can come up with.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Wednesdays.

Honey Oat Pancakes
3/4 cup non-dairy yogurt (I use my homemade yogurt)*
1/4 cup non-dairy milk*
1 egg
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups GF oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened.

Directions
In a small bowl mix together yogurt, milk, egg and honey.

In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients.  Whisk together to remove any lumps. Mix in the coconut oil until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 cup scoops of the batter onto a heated griddle.  (I have an electric griddle that I heat to 325-350F).  Once the bubbles form and start popping on the top of the pancake, flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Makes 8-10 pancakes depending on their size.

*You could also use 1 cup non-dairy milk that has been soured with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, in place of the yogurt/milk above.