Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread (Paleo, Vegan)

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PUmpkin Bread2

This is your obligatory fall pumpkin post.

And it’s freaking amazing.

Now, I have to be very honest with you. (What, like I would lie to you otherwise?! Being (too) honest is part of the fun.) I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin.  I’m really not a huge fan of pumpkin spice.  I find that I’m really happy with one gluten-free pumpkin treat a year.  I’ll eat the pumpkin pie if that’s my only option at Thanksgiving.  I’ll throw pumpkin cheesecake a bone, too, because that is legitimately the best thing about Fall.

But pumpkin flavored soda or pumpkin spice toothpaste or any other number of Things That Should Never Be Pumpkin are just not doing any of us any favors. Even so, I get it.  It’s a craze. It’s fun. And people enjoy the feelings of Fall, and all things associated with this beautiful season. Even if it’s still 90 degrees most days, I GET IT.

So, I want you to have as much fall as you can handle.  Baby Zeus knows we will all struggle with sad winter feelings come January, which is why I’ve created lots of pumpkin-y things in my kitchen this month.  Even though it’s been 90 degrees here in the PNW all September and in the 80’s in October, and we don’t have central air conditioning and I don’t like pumpkin much.  It’s okay. That run-on sentence made me feel better, just like pumpkin treats make you feel better.

PumpkinBread

Also, I’m pretty lazy when it comes to tasty desserts so I endeavor to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible.  This only means GOOD THINGS for you, my friends.  Easy, mind-blowingly good things.

Ingredients:

  • 1 16 oz jar unsalted almond butter (Raw is best, but roasted works, too.)
  • 3 large eggs, or 3 Tbsp flax meal mixed with 6 Tbsp water
  • 2 Tbsp raw honey
  • 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp natural sea salt (I prefer kosher style)

Directions:

  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs (or flax mixture), almond butter, pumpkin, vanilla extract and honey.  Stir well.
  2. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Combine thoroughly. (You can use a mixer, but I prefer using a sturdy spatula.)
  3. Fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Spoon batter into a greased bread pan. (I prefer to split it up between 2-3 small loaf pans.)
  5. Bake at 325 degrees for 45-65 minutes, depending on your oven and size of pans.
  6. Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack to cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan.  The cooler the bread, the better removal will go.  Because there is no gluten, it might crumble if removed too soon.

Pumpkin Bread

So, let’s have fun with this, okay? Mix it up.  Change out the chocolate chips.

Try butterscotch chips.

Try nuts.

Try maple glaze.

Try bacon.

Try Junior Mints.

Just kidding,  Junior Mints would be freaking disgusting.Make your pumpkin dreams come true.

PSL Forevah,
Carrie

Apple Quinoa Mini-Muffins

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2AppleQMinimuffinsI love January.  I love new beginnings and how ready we all are for a change.  My husband woke up on January 2nd and thought it was the perfect day to start cleaning closets. I am a really great wife because I let him.  I didn’t get in his way or anything!  I just left him to it while I took a bath and watched old episodes of The Mindy Project on Hulu as our son napped for three hours.

I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions this year.  I feel like being a human is enough for now. So, stop trying to make me feel bad with all of your “I’m going to eat food regularly” and “I’m going to walk up the stairs instead of take the elevator more often” and “I’m going to learn how to knit” and “I’m going to shower at least four times a week” resolutions, okay?  I get it.  YOU HAVE AMBITION. And me?  I’ll have these vegan mini-muffins.  Because I’m fancy. And it’s also one of the few foods I can share with my FPIES toddler, who I try to include in meals and create balanced meals for, even though it’s stupid challenging. (For more on that, see my post on The Leaky Boob.)

Apple Quinoa Mini-Muffins*

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa flakes or quinoa flour
  • 1/2 cup milk of your choice (I use goat’s milk for E)
  • 1/2 cup organic apple sauce
  • 2 Tbsp organic dried apple, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp organic coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon or cardimon (0ptional)
  • pinch of salt

Directions

  1. Put quinoa flakes in food processor or magic bullet and grind into flour. (Omit this step if you are using quinoa flour.)
  2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.
  4. Spoon batter into greased mini muffin tin. (You can also line with paper baking cups instead of greasing the muffin tin.)
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until spongy to the touch.
  6. Let stand for five minutes, then remove muffins and allow to cool on a wire baking rack.

{Recipe yields 18 mini-muffins}

*You can make these in non-mini form but they’re tastier and seem to stretch farther in mini form.