Recipe: Glutenfree Pumpkin Tart with Pecan Praline

Thanksgiving is all about celebrating the fall harvest with family and friends, and what better way than with a decadent dessert? This recipe features traditional flavors of pumpkin and warming spices but with a healthy vegan twist.  The luscious and creamy filling is lighter than the dairy version, yet equally delicious.   

When I think of Thanksgiving I think of pies, and this recipe tastes like holidays to me.  Sweet scents waft through the air when this tart is baking in the oven.  The aromatic spices have a warming effect on the body which is perfect for when there's a chill in the air.

It's a three-step process, so you'll need to do a little planning for this recipe.  Start by preparing the crust, and chill it in the freezer for a few minutes before popping it in the oven.  While it's baking, pulse together the pecan praline topping.  When the tart crust is finished baking and has cooled, pour in the pumpkin filling.  Sprinkle with the pecan praline, then pop it back into the oven to finish baking.

Watch me demonstrate how to make this recipe here. 

This is a heavenly treat that guests will not believe is vegan or gluten-free.  With only 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, it's low fat as well, but it tastes decadent nonetheless.

Add this winning dessert to your ThanksLiving menu!

Crust

1 cup almonds

1/2 cup dried shredded coconut

1/2 cup rice flour

2 Tbl coconut oil, softened

1/4 cup agave syrup

1 pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan.  Line with a circle of parchment paper and oil both sides of the parchment.  

Pulse nuts and coconut in food processor to form “flour” consistency.  Add flour, coconut oil agave syrup and a pinch of salt and pulse until a ball forms.  Transfer dough to pan and carefully spread evenly, making sure to press it into the sides.  Lightly prick holes into bottom with a fork and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.  Place pan on baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and firm.  Remove from oven and set aside while preparing filling and pecan praline topping.

Pecan Praline

1/4 cup vegan sugar

1/4 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup pecans 

2 Tbl coconut oil

1/8 tsp sea salt

Pulse together all ingredients in a food processor until pecans are roughly chopped.  

Filling

14 oz. can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup vegan sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger powder

1/4 tsp allspice

Blend filling ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Pour into prepared crust and sprinkle with pecan praline topping.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until top is firm. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack.  Chill in refrigerator several hours before serving,  To serve, slice the tart using a thin, sharp knife dipped in cold water.

Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Hemp Crisp

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and to celebrate I made this delicious and healthy dessert on WWLP-TV's Mass Appeal entertainment program. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Hemp Crisp is the perfect dessert for a summery day like today. It's refreshingly sweet and tart and packed with antioxidants, Omega-3 oil and spices that will make you feel good. 

It's also allergen-friendly since it's gluten-free.  Instead of using wheat flour, I substituted a high protein gluten-free flour made from chickpeas and also added some almond meal.  The topping is slightly crisp and toffee-like on top with just the right amount of gooey-ness underneath.

It's a delicious dessert with none of the guilt! You can get the recipe and see me demonstrate how to make it on the link below. More quick and easy recipes like this one can be found in my cookbook, Easy Peasy Vegan Eats.


From Ashley, Seth, and all of us on the set of Mass Appeal, Happy Mother's Day!!  

See me demonstrate how to make Strawberry Rhubarb Hemp Crisp here.

Strawberry Rhubarb Hemp Crisp

When strawberries and rhubarb are in season this is the dessert to make. The combination of sweet and tart will make you smile. Garnish with fresh strawberries and edible flowers to make a pretty presentation.

Filling Ingredients:
3 cups strawberries, sliced, reserving about 1/2 cup for garnish
1 cup rhubarb, diced into 1-inch pieces (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup vegan sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbl corn starch
pinch of sea salt

Topping Ingredients:
1/2 cup Erewhon Buckwheat Hemp Flakes
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup all purpose gluten-free flour
1 Tbl hemp seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup vegan sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbl sliced almonds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8″x8″ pan, toss together filling ingredients, then set aside. In a food processor, pulse buckwheat hemp flakes, almond flour, gluten-free flour, and hemp seeds several times until flakes are slightly crushed. Add cinnamon, sugar, coconut oil, and sea salt and pulse until they begin to clump together. Sprinkle topping loosely over the filling mixture, leaving spaces around the edges of the pan, then sprinkle with sliced almonds. Cover with foil and place on cookie sheet to catch any drips. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until fruit filling is bubbly, then remove cover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes to crisp the top. Remove and let cool before serving.

Vegan Valentine Recipe

I recently returned to the set of WWLP-TV's "Mass Appeal" program to demonstrate how to make a decadent gluten-free vegan dessert for Valentine's Day.  Everyone loves brownies!  This chocolatey treat is perfect any time, but it can be dressed up and made extra special for the holidays by adding raspberry coulis, maple bourbon cream and fresh berries. 

These brownies deliver that traditional ooey gooey moist texture and rich chocolate flavor that everyone expects from a decadent dessert... but without the refined flour, eggs and butter!  Dress them up with a garnish of fresh berries and raspberry coulis, layer them with fresh fruit for an elegant parfait, or top them with a big dollop of coconut milk ice cream and your guests will be impressed!

You can watch me demonstrate how to make and assemble these double chocolate brownies on the following link.  The recipe is below.

Watch me make Double Chocolate Brownies right here.   

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Brownies (makes 16)

(adapted from Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet recipe)

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips, divided

2 Tbl ground flax seed + 6 Tbl water (egg replacer)

3/4 cup vegan sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

2 Tbl cocoa powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup water (approx.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil an 8”x8” pan. In a small sauce pot over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup oil plus 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, stirring until melted.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Place flaxseed mixture in a large bowl.  Add sugar and vanilla and blend well.  Str in melted chocolate mixture.  Stir in the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and cocoa powder and enough water to form a smooth batter.  Fold in remaining chocolate chips, then pour into prepared pan.  Bake approximately 20-25 minutes, or until top is firm.  Let cool in the refrigerator before cutting into squares.  

Raspberry Coulis

1 10 oz. jar of raspberry preserves

1 Tbl maple syrup

1 Tbl water

Blend all of the above ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth and slightly foamy.  Pour into squeeze bottle and squeeze sauce onto dessert.

Easy Peasy Desserts on WTNH-TV's "CT Style"

I returned to the set of WTNH-TV's "CT Style" this morning to make a seasonal favorite, Strawberry Rhubarb Hemp Crisp.  Not only is the recipe gluten-free and vegan, but it's healthy and tastes delicious, too.  Everyone commented afterward "you'd never know this was good for you!"  Indeed.

You can get a glimpse of the dessert here before the cooking segment officially airs on Friday, May 16, at 12:30 p.m.  This recipe can be found in my new cookbook, Easy Peasy Vegan Eats, which features over 100 gluten-free vegan recipes and is available online through Amazon.

Garnish with fresh strawberries and colorful edible flowers like pansies to make the presentation beautiful for a summer picnic.

Strawberry Rhubarb Hemp Crisp

When strawberries and rhubarb are in season this is the dessert to make. The combination of sweet and tart will make you smile. Garnish with fresh strawberries and edible flowers to make a pretty presentation.


Filling Ingredients
3 cups strawberries, sliced, reserving about 1/2 cup for garnish
1 cup rhubarb, diced into 1-inch pieces (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup vegan sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbl corn starch
pinch of sea salt

Topping Ingredients
1/2 cup Erewhon Buckwheat Hemp Flakes (or substitute gluten-free oats)
1/2 cup almond flour 
1/2 cup all purpose gluten-free flour 
1 Tbl hemp seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup vegan sugar 
1/3 cup coconut oil 
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbl sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In an 8"x8" pan, toss together filling ingredients, then set aside.  In a food processor, pulse buckwheat hemp flakes, almond flour, gluten-free flour, and hemp seeds several times until flakes are slightly crushed.  Add cinnamon, sugar, coconut oil, and sea salt and pulse until they begin to clump together.  Sprinkle topping loosely over the filling mixture, leaving spaces around the edges of the pan, then sprinkle with sliced almonds. Cover with foil and place on cookie sheet to catch any drips.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until fruit filling is bubbly, then remove cover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes to crisp the top.  Remove and let cool before serving. 

Now for some more shots of me on the set. Thanks, DJ Double B for the photos!  :-)

Recipe: Gluten-free Brownies with Maple Pumpkin Butter, Chocolate Drizzle and Salted Caramel Toasted Coconut Flakes

I spent the afternoon getting ready for an appearance on southern Connecticut's public access TV program, Healing Outside the Box, by baking a batch of gluten-free chocolate brownies.  The theme for this evening will be "Entertaining Vegan Style," so I figured the best way to introduce someone to the idea is by sharing a winning dessert.

Who doesn't love a good brownie? They're moist, chocolately, and decadent, but in the vegan version, no animals had to suffer for our enjoyment!  Even better, the recipe is gluten-free, so instead of refined flour, they're made with high protein garbanzo beans!  Oh, hey now, would I steer you wrong?  Yeah, they're pretty awesome.  

You can eat them plain right out of the baking dish, of course, or you can add a little gourmet twist by garnishing with some luscious sauces and salted caramel toasted coconut flakes as I've done here.  Serve these to your guests this holiday season and they will be lining up to make a Vegan Resolution this New Year, guaranteed!

Gluten-free Chocolate Brownies (makes 16)

(adapted from Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet recipe)

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips, divided

2 Tbl ground flax seed + 6 Tbl water (egg replacer)

3/4 cup vegan sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp xantham gum

2 Tbl cocoa powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup water (approx.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil an 8”x8” pan. In a small sauce pot over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup oil plus 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, stirring until melted.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Place flaxseed mixture in a large bowl.  Add sugar and vanilla and blend well.  Str in melted chocolate mixture.  Stir in the flour, baking powder, xantham gum, salt, and cocoa powder and enough water to form a smooth batter.  Fold in remaining chocolate chips, then pour into prepared pan.  Bake approximately 20-25 minutes, or until top is firm.  Let cool before cutting into squares.  

Maple Pumpkin Butter
3 Tbl pumpkin puree
3 Tbl maple syrup
1/8 tsp sea salt
dash of cinnamon

Stir together all of the above ingredients until smooth, adding more maple syrup as necessary.  Pour into squeeze bottle and pipe onto plate for garnish.

FREE Giveaway: So Delicious!!

It's the time... of the season for... ice cream!  I'm not a huge fan of frozen desserts, but when the balmy summer weather hits, sometimes that's exactly what I need to feel satisfied.  I recently sampled a couple of products from So Delicious, makers of all sorts of delicious non-dairy treats such as yogurt, creamer, beverages, and frozen desserts made with almond milk, coconut milk, and soy milk.  I love that they have several options for those who may be sensitive to soy, and this is what I tried.  I'm really excited to give you an opportunity to try some for FREE!! (SEE BELOW!)

Butter Pecan is the flavor that I gravitated to because it reminded me most of my childhood.  The almond milk version is rich and luscious, with a creaminess you'd never know wasn't vegan.

I found this to be perfect on top of a chocolatey dessert such as cake or brownie, and it would probably be even more fabulous drizzled with hot fudge.

Just to compare, I also sampled the no-sugar-added coconut milk version of Butter Pecan.  The flavor was not sacrificed at all by the erythritol used as a low-calorie sweetener.  This had a lighter feel than the almond milk, and it was a bit more icy than creamy when scooping out of the container.  I would recommend letting it sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes to soften it up before serving.

Nonetheless, this went really well on top of my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, and I imagine it would be nice simply served on top of fresh berries.

I highly recommend So Delicious, and I'm pleased to announce that they have given me coupons for FREE products to share with my readers so you can see for yourself how amazing their ice cream is!  TWO lucky people will receive a FREE coupon for ANY product to try!  

All you have to do is LEAVE A COMMENT below letting me know how much you love vegan ice cream and your favorite way to serve it.  I will notify the lucky winners MONDAY, July 15, so hurry up and enter!  Your icecreamy summer indulgence awaits!

Cobbler in a Cup

This weekend I tested a recipe for a Gluten-free Peach Cobbler, which came out good (how can anything made with fresh, ripe peaches not be good?), but it was more slump-like and cakey than cobblery, so I've been craving something more authentic ever since.  I didn't want to bake another whole pan of cobbler (or eat that much, which I easily could), and I only had one peach, yet I still wanted to satisfy that craving.

So I decided to try a trick another food blogger used recently for making single-serve chocolate cake in a cup:  use the microwave.  This was something new, and I figured if it didn't work I could just dump out the gooey mess and at least try to salvage the peaches.  To my great joy, the entire thing was not only edible, but incredible!

I started by slicing that lovely peach into eighths, then I sprinkled it with a little bit of Florida Crystals and cinnamon.  I mixed the batter in a separate little cereal bowl.  Because I made it gluten-free, I used 1 tablespoon of rice flour and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose gluten-free flour (but you can just use 2 tablespoons of regular unbleached white flour if you don't have to worry about gluten), 1 tablespoon of Florida Crystals, 1/4 tsp baking powder, pinch of sea salt mixed together with 1 teaspoon of melted coconut oil.  Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla soy milk until thick dough forms.

Drop dough on top of peach mixture. It won't look too pretty at this point, but trust me, you will be amazed.  Microwave your mug of peaches and dough for 3-4 minutes, until peaches shrink, and the dough becomes cakey.  It will start to smell just like a peach cobbler is baking in your kitchen!

And there you have it:  fresh "baked" peach cobbler in less than ten minutes.  (And gone in under 5!)

Last night's dinner

Normally on a Thursday night I go for something simple for dinner:  pasta, rice and beans, a salad, maybe even just a bowl of oatmeal.  Yeah, that's how exciting it can be in the Well on Wheels kitchen when not cooking for clients.  But I have a class coming up next week and I wanted to test some recipes.

The portobello mushroom caps looked particularly good, so I picked up a couple with the intention of marinating them in a balsamic vinaigrette then baking them in the oven.  I would serve them with leek and baby pea risotto with ratatouille.  This seemed like a good plan, but I just felt like the "meat" portion wouldn't be substantial enough, so I decided to fill the caps with some tamari marinated tofu.  Perfect!  If only I had a handful of shredded Daiya mozzerella to melt on top, this meal would've been over the top.  It was pretty delicious, nonetheless. 

Although the meal was filling and satisfying, I was craving something sweet for dessert.  I browsed the fridge:  nothing.  Then the freezer:  the mango ice pops just weren't gonna cut it.  And then I noticed a little box of pearls on the freezer door, tapioca pearls.  Eureka!  These would work perfectly with the leftover coconut milk I had in the fridge and the fresh strawberries I had bought earlier in the day.  It was a little tedious stirring the heated mixture for about 20 minutes, but in the end, worth it.  The perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Gluten-free Toasted Coconut Almond Cookies

It's a quiet night here at Well on Wheels headquarters... chilly outside, warm and toasty inside, and that means it's the perfect storm for creating Toasted Coconut Almond Cookies.

Remember the Good Humor truck? One of my favorite ice creams (back in the days of my innocent non-vegan youth) was the Toasted Almond Bar.

It had that pleasing golden color and nutty crunch on the outside, and creamy rich vanilla ice cream on the inside. Of course, you can still get today's version, with an artificially flavored yellow center and other scary ingredients.

I like it best as a somewhat healthier vegan cookie that's thin and crisp on the outside, yet chewy in the center. [Note to self: These would be heavenly with So Delicious Coconut ice cream.]

The last time I made this recipe was for a Holiday Craft Fair two winters ago at the Unitarian Universalist Society in New Haven. I met quite a few vegans there, and several commented that they were happy to find gluten-free baked goods since they could no longer eat wheat. (oh how I can relate to that sadness, followed by the joy of discovery!) On the plus side, these cookies can also be enjoyed by those who are not vegan and haven't had to give up eating wheat.

As all my favorite recipes go, they're quick and easy to make. There are a few ingredients that are specifically for gluten-free baking (xanthan gum, rice flour, tapioca flour), but you can substitute an equal amount of regular white flour and eliminate the xanthan gum if you don't have to worry about gluten. They come out equally delicious (so I've been told!).

Gluten-free Almond Butter Coconut Chunk Cookies

1/3 cup almond butter

2 Tbl coconut oil, melted

1 organic Florida Crystals, plus 1 Tbl reserved

1/3 cup soy milk

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp vanilla
1 cup organic brown rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup ground almonds, plus 1 Tbl reserved

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp xantham gum

Start with your mise en place

Grind the almonds into a chunky powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, blend together first five ingredients and set aside.

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In a large bowl, whisk together flours, ground almonds, coconut, baking soda, sea salt and xantham gum. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir together slowly until well combined.
Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into a rounded ball onto oiled baking sheet, pressing tops down slightly. Sprinkle each with chopped almonds.

Bake 5-10 minutes, or until batter spreads and edges begin to brown. Cool on baking sheet 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Week four

This was the fourth and final week of my "Healthy Cooking in a Hurry" class, and I'm sad to say farewell. It's really starting to feel like fall (well... with the snow today, kinda like winter, actually), so this latest batch of recipes really worked well.

We started with one of my favorites: Winter Vegetable Bisque made with sweet butternut squash, garnet yam, parsnip and carrot. I could eat this all day long.

The entree was a cultural mix of comfort foods: White Bean and Fennel Cassoulet with Baked Polenta, Sauteed Broccoli Rabe and Pan-roasted Garlic. I wasn't the only one who couldn't wait to dive into those sweet and creamy garlic cloves!

For dessert we had a gluten-free Toasted Almond Coconut Macaroon Dipped in Dark Chocolate. So simple, yet elegant. Then, as an extra treat, I sliced into some ripe and juicy figs (which I must report taste even more heavenly dipped in that dark chocolate!). What a way to end!

Healthy Cooking Class

This week I was craving chocolate, so for my "Healthy Cooking in a Hurry" class I decided to do one of my favorite desserts, a Chocolate Ambrosia Tart with Coconut Macadamia Crust . . . which is relatively healthy, since there's no cholesterol. :) It was a huge hit.

The meal started with a warm Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Greens Soup, which was perfect for the recent chilly fall weather we've been having.

The entree was Oven-baked Tofu Cutlets with Harissa, a lovely Moroccan red pepper sauce, Roasted Potato Wedges and Stringbeans Amandine.

I think the entire meal was a success.

Gluten-free Blueberry Muffins with Toasted Almond and Coconut Streusel

After an inspiring gluten-free vegan baking class at the Natural Gourmet last week, I couldn't wait to try making the Blueberry Muffin recipe at home. I made a few modifications since I didn't have coconut oil in my pantry, but I still wanted that decadent coconut flavor. So I decided to make a streusel topping with shredded coconut and slivered almonds, which I happened to have in the fridge, and which resulted in an equally decadent treat (perhaps even more so, since the first taste you get when biting into the muffin is toasty coconut sweetness).

I shared a dozen of these babies with the fearless walkers at yesterday's Walk for Farm Animals. It was tough keeping our hands off them during the 45 minute car ride from New Haven!

Blueberry Muffin with Toasted Almond Coconut Streusel
(modified from Korrie Chichester's Blueberry Muffin Recipe)

yield: 12-14 muffins

Muffins:
1 1/4 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 1/4 cup Sucanat
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 Tbl ground flax seed mixed with 5 Tbl water
3/4 cup soy milk
1 Tbl vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup frozen blueberries

Streusel:
1/4 cup slivered almonds
3 Tbl Sucanat
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup shredded coconut
pinch of sea salt
1 Tbl canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine Streusel ingredients in a small bowl then set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, garbanzo flour, tapioca starch, Sucanat, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, sea salt and cinnamon. Add oil, applesauce, flax seed mixture, soy milk, vanilla and almond extracts and whisk together until combined. The batter should be thick but spoonable. Carefully fold in frozen blueberries. Line muffin tins with papers. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop batter into the papers. Sprinkle about 1 tsp of streusel topping over each muffin and lightly press down to ensure topping adheres to batter. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until tops are springy and sides of muffins are lightly browned. Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pans, then transfer to cooling rack to continue cooling completely. Sprinkle with a pinch of Florida Crystals before serving.

Raw Food Lesson

It's been the perfect weather for making raw food lately. If it stayed hot and humid with temperatures in the 80s year-round, I could probably be 100% raw. For now, I'll just experiment with recipes and share them with those who would like some delicious and healthy treats.

This week we made a green soup with cucumbers and avocado. Very cooling and refreshing. The mandolin came in handy for slicing extra thin slices of cucumber which we then marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt and fresh dill. Just like pickles, only without the bite of vinegar.

This was followed by a lovely composed salad of romaine lettuce, avocado and beefsteak tomato slices topped with a teeny drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and fresh basil. At the center of the plate was a savory olive and walnut pate.

For dessert, we restrained ourselves to just a few bites of a freeform blueberry tartlet with cashew cream and almond coconut crust. The rich sweetness was balanced by the slight tang of orange juice and orange zest. A perfect way to end this decadent meal!