Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

We are in the season of all things pumpkin. I have friends who are rebelling and refuse to buy into the hype. Haters gonna hate. But as for me, I dive in headfirst! There is a reason everyone loves pumpkins! But unfortunately, it’s not for the autumnal gourds themselves, but for the spices that usually accompany them! 

Last year on NPR’s Morning Edition, they spoke with Jason Fischer, a psychological and brain sciences professor at Johns Hopkins University. His team has been researching the science behind pumpkin spice’s appeal and found that it has a lot to do with how we associate smells and flavors with fall.

“Those associations, they form year after year. They also give us this sense of familiarity,” Fischer said. “And when you start to smell the pumpkin spice things in the stores again, it gives you a little feeling of nostalgia.”

Whatever the case, the smell of these muffins baking in the oven will evoke warm fuzzies! They are gluten-free, too! I used a 1:1 Gluten Free Flour mix and had excellent results. Just be sure it has xanthan gum, which helps bind the muffins, taking the place of gluten in the flour. 

I also used brown sugar instead of white sugar and a pumpkin spice mix that I made myself. If you have ripe bananas, you can use them instead of egg substitutes. I did not have any on hand, so I used 1/2 cup of Just Egg, and it worked perfectly. You can also use 2 flax eggs if you prefer. 

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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30
  • Yield: 12 muffins 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Who doesn’t love chocolate pumpkin muffins?  These light and tasty treats are perfect for breakfast, or for an after school snack!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose flour)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar (makes them moist and less dense)
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 2 super ripe bananas, or 1/2 cup Just Egg* ( See note)
  • 2/3 cup organic canned pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dairy free vegan chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177° C)
  2. Lightly grease your muffin tins or use muffin liners.
  3. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and the oil.  Add the mashed banana or Just Egg to the sugar mixture. Add canned pumpkin, and vanilla. When mixed well, fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Finally, add the flour, and mix everything well.
  6. Evenly pour the batter into the muffin tins. Place in the oven for about 18-20 minutes if using GF flour.  If using regular all-purpose flour, test at 20 minutes.  Muffins are done when a toothpick comes out clean. If needed add more time ( 2-3 minutes at a time).

Notes

You can also use 2 flax eggs.

Keywords: Chocolate chip pumpkin muffins

Gooey Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Gooey Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

So, this recipe is coming in a little late. Christmas is over, but the demand for this recipe is high! I made these for our Christmas gathering, and they were gone within hours!   The recipe couldn’t be any easier, and the options are endless. I made them four ways, plain, half dipped in white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy, fully dipped in white chocolate and candy, and as a sandwich filled with marshmallow cream. I have to say I prefer the first three cookies. The sandwich was gorgeous, but it was a bit much for me. My kids, however, loved them.

The first time I made these, I made them without a binder, and they were fine, but just a bit on the crumbly side. If you don’t mind that, you can skip the egg replacement. You can use one flax egg if you prefer, or I used Just Egg, and it worked perfectly.

These cookies are vegan and gluten-free. I used Bob’s Redmill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. You can use regular flour if you prefer, but be sure your flour contains xanthan gum if you are going gluten-free. Xanthan gum replaces gluten, provides some elasticity, acts as the binding agent for the flour, and helps hold onto some moisture.

Be sure to tag me on Instagram if you like them!  Enjoy!

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Gooey Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 28 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 cookies 1x
  • Method: Baking
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These gluten-free, vegan chocolate cookies are super simple and delicious.  You may want to double the batch because they’ll be gone in no time.


Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
  • ½ cup refined coconut oil or other neutral-flavored oil
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg replacement* (I used 1 Tbsp Just Egg)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)

Optional:

 


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large measuring cup, mix all wet ingredients together with ¼ cup water.
  3. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well until combined.
  4. Add in the chocolate chunks and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Do NOT skip refrigeration)
  5. Remove dough from the fridge.  Using a small ice cream scoop, or approximately 2 tbsp. of dough, form into balls.
  6. Place in oven and bake for 16-18 minutes. The longer they cook, the crispier they will be.
  7. Leave on a baking tray to cool completely, about 10 minutes.

If dipping in white chocolate, add chocolate to the microwave and cook on 50% power and stir every 30 seconds until melted.   Or add to double boiler**and cook over medium-low heat until melted.  Make sure cookies are completely cooled.  Dip cookies in white chocolate or use a spoon and cover either half or the entire cookie.  Add crushed candy while white chocolate is still wet.


Notes

*Flax egg: 1 tbsp flaxseed meal to 2 1/2 tbsp water mix well and let rest for 5 minutes or until thickened. Use as a regular egg.

** If you don’t own a double boiler (who does these days?) then gather a medium saucepan and 2 medium heatproof bowls that can sit over the saucepan without dipping too far into it. Pour water into saucepan to come 1″ up the sides (there should be a gap between the water and bowl so check it before the water gets hot!) and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

 

Keywords: Gluten-free, vegan, chocolate cookies

World’s Best Cornbread

World’s Best Cornbread

I love cornbread! I loved my Grandma’s cornbread most of all. But her recipe contained eggs, buttermilk, and wheat flour. I tell ya, being gluten-free and vegan is no easy task! There are so many obstacles to overcome that you either feel like giving up or just settling for the substandard pre-made crap you can find in the grocery store. So with Grandma’s cornbread out of the question. I sat out on the arduous journey of creating my recipe. As many of you gluten-free folks may know, gluten-free can mean dry, chalky, and dense. And on the vegan side of things, no eggs and no buttermilk can mean your bread falls completely apart, or it merely refuses to rise! So, what is a girl to do? After making some delicious banana muffins and using aquafaba in my chocolate chip cookies, I decided to combine the two and make cornbread! The result was the BEST cornbread ever. Sorry, Grandma.

Anyway, this recipe pairs well with my Gumbo, Chili, Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens, and it hangs well just by itself! I love to add diced jalapeños to mine! Just be sure to let it cool for at least 5-10 minutes! I hope you enjoy it!

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World’s Best Cornbread

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 25-35
  • Total Time: 11 minute

Description

This unbelievable GF vegan cornbread uses aquafaba in place of eggs and Bob’s Red Mill GF flour blend! Simply amazing! The key to this recipe is also using fine grind cornmeal like this one. 


Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and lightly grease a standard 9-inch round cake pan or 8×8-inch baking dish and dust with gluten-free flour. Shake out excess and set aside. (I also think you could use an 9-inch cast iron skillet, but it wouldn’t come out as easily and will likely have to be served directly from the pan).
  • In a liquid measuring cup, measure out non-dairy milk and add vinegar or lemon juice. Set aside.
  • Add chickpea brine to a medium-mixing bowl and begin whipping until loose peaks form. Then add sugar in a little at a time and beat until the texture is glossy and white and semi-firm peaks form.
  • Add dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Then add non-dairy milk mixture and oil and whisk once more. Finally, add the whipped chickpea brine (with sugar) and gently whisk/fold in until a thick but pourable batter is formed.
  • The batter should be thick but pourable. Add more cornmeal or gluten-free flour if too wet or non-dairy milk if too thick. 
  • Add batter to prepared cake pan and bake on a center rack for 25-35 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out completely clean.
  • Let cool completely in the pan – set on a wire rack to speed cooling process. To remove, run a dull knife around the edge of the cake pan to loosen, then slice and serve. Alternatively, place a plate on top and quickly invert. It will be upside down so flip onto another serving platter to get it right side up.

Notes

*Any good GF flour blend will work.  Just make sure that it contains xanthin gum (used as a substitute for wheat gluten) as it is a binder for GF flour. 

Keywords: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Cornbread

Gluten-Free Gravy Mix

Gluten-Free Gravy Mix

This is a super easy and delicious gravy mix. When I first began my search for an excellent vegan gravy recipe, I was sorely disappointed. I desperately wanted to find something that even closely resembled the gravy I grew up eating. However, that gravy was made from sausage grease and whole wheat flour! Oh, and did I mention that I also needed it to be gluten-free? So for a few years, I used various time-consuming methods to achieve a mediocre gravy. After years of experimenting, I give you this! Now I can make a delicious vegan gravy with all the flavor and consistency of the gravy from my past! Vegan Slingers, here I come!

 

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Gluten-Free Gravy Mix

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x

Description

This is a super easy and delicious gravy mix. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup brown rice flour
  • 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sage
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

Add to mason jar and shake well.   Store in a dry place.

To Use: 

  1. Add 1/4 cup of dry mix to a sauce pan and add 1 1/2 cup milk of plant-based milk.   
  2. Stir well and bring to a boil. 
  3. Reduce heat and add more milk, if needed, 1/4 cup at a time. 
  4. Add additional salt, if needed. 

 


Deconstructed Burrito Bowl

Deconstructed Burrito Bowl

We love bowls! It’s one of our favorite go-to meals and makes for a quick dinner. Most times we just use various ingredients we have on hand. Be warned they are suuuuper filling! You can be super creative with your bowls or just keep them simple. The basic bowl is this: One part grain, vegetables, one part protein (we use beans, tofu, or tempeh), and top with some kind of sauce. In a pinch, I have used hummus that has been thinned out as a drizzle! Top with your choice of onions, herbs, nuts, or seeds.

Deconstructed Burrito Bowl

  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed
  • 2 medium russet potatoes washed, cubed
  • 1 medium onion sliced into ¼ ” wide slices
  • 1 red pepper sliced into ¼” thin slices
  • 1 15 oz. can pinto beans (or, bean of choice)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ c water
  • 1-2 ripe avocados, sliced, or diced
  • 1-cup brown organic basmati rice (any brown rice will do)
  • 1-cup Pico de Gallo (store bought is easiest)
  • 1-cup cashew queso, thinned (see recipe below)
  • Green onions, diced on bias (optional)
  • Cilantro, minced (optional) 
  • Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.  

Make rice.  I add two cups of water to 2 cups of basmati rice to my Instapot and cook for 15 minutes.    Otherwise, follow package directions.   (You will have leftovers.  You can freeze extra cooked rice in ziplock bag.)

Peel and dice squash into bite-size pieces.  I use pre-diced store bought and cut larger pieces into 1” cubes.   Wash potatoes and cut into 1” cubes leaving the skins on.  Wash and slice red pepper into ¼” long slices.  Peel and slice onion and in half, cut into ¼” slices.   Add potatoes, squash, red pepper, and onions to a large mixing bowl.  Add 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil and toss vegetables with salt and pepper to coat. Add vegetables to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.   Bake, turning once, for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are fork tender. 

While veggies are cooking, add one can of drained pinto beans to a small pot, add cumin, garlic powder, and salt.  Add ¼ cup water, cover, and simmer until warmed through.   Keep warm. 

Make Cashew Queso:  

  • 1 ½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
  • 8 oz of water
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo (or, cut in half if too spicy)
  • 3 TBSP Nutritional Yeast (I use Bragg’s, but you can use any)

Add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender.   Blend until smooth.  In my Vitamix it takes about 45 seconds on high speed, stopping once to scrape down the sides.   ***It is very important that queso is completely smooth.  Add more water 1 Tbsp at a time, if needed and continue to blend until smooth. 

When vegetables are done remove from oven.   Assemble Buddha bowls.  Add up to 1-cup rice per bowl.  Top bowls with the roasted vegetables, beans, Pico de Gallo, avocado, drizzle with cashew queso, and finish with cilantro and green onions, if using.  

Enjoy! 

Chocolate Cream Pie (Vegan, GF)

I have a love/hate relationship with the word vegan.  On one hand, it encompasses many fundamental aspects of who I am.  Legitimate scientific concerns about my health and the systematic destruction of our planet, topped with my love and compassion for ALL of God’s creatures, far outweigh any desire I might have for a Delmonico Ribeye.  But, on the other hand the word vegan strikes fear into the hearts of most people. And its presumed connotations immediately separate me from the flock. For many, vegans are seen as extremists. Fanatics, who are either angry animal right suffragists, or gaunt, pale hippies who live on scant amounts of lettuce and tofu.  Just Google the phrase, “Vegans are…” and see what comes next. Adjectives like crazy, stupid, weird, and extreme, popped up in my search bar.  But ya know what?  I’m kinda getting over it.

When an “Omni'” eats a meal I’ve prepared, they are intrigued. Almost beguiled by my ability to make not only a palatable, but delectable meal without using any part of an animal.   It’s as if they’ve suddenly realized eating meat and cheese isn’t the only way to be truly satiated.   And one of my favorite ways to showcase my vegan culinary prowess is with this Chocolate Cream Pie.

lorraine-squares-xlarge

CRUST:

• 2 cups raw pecans
• 1/4 cup date sugar or maple sugar (I used coconut sugar and 1 tbsp maple syrup)
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional, but highly recommended)

FILLING:

• 2 1/2 cups vegan dark chocolate chips (add half semi-sweet vegan to make pie sweeter)
• 2 packs of organic firm silken tofu  (I like Mori-Nu Organic firm)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F

To prepare the crust, combine the pecans and sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Add the coconut oil, salt and optional chipotle powder and pulse to combine well.
Transfer the mixture to an 8- or 9-inch pie pan (I use an 8″ springform pan). Press and shape the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan to make a pie shell.

Place the chocolate chips in a baking tray or shallow pan, Transfer to the preheated oven and heat for 3 to 4 minutes or just until melted. Watch carefully as the chocolate can burn quickly. Remove from the oven.

While the chocolate is melting, combine the tofu, vanilla and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the melted chocolate and blend until very smooth.

*Note: For the tofu, if you cannot find firm silken tofu, “soft” tofu can be used instead. In this case, use 600 grams total.

Pour the mixture into the reserved pie shell, smooth the top with an offset spatula and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or until firm. When firm, slice and serve.

*Modified from Original Recipe via Rouxbe Cooking School.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Vegan, GF)


IMG_7495

This is an absolute favorite in our house.  The problem is we can’t keep them in our house.  When I take them hot out of the oven they’re gone before they’ve even cooled.  They’re that good!  I’ve modified the original recipe to make it gluten free.  Gluten free cooking often requires slight modifications, including cooking time.   I have also made a few substitutions that I felt made this recipe perfect for me!   I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! 

What You Need: (Makes 16 regular or 8-9 large muffins)

  • 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose flour)
  • 1 1/2 tsp of baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar (makes them moist and less dense)
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 4 super ripe bananas
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dairy free vegan chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease your muffin tins or use muffin liners.

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and the oil.  Add the mashed banana to the sugar mixture, then add chocolate chips, and vanilla.

Finally, add the flour, and mix everything well.

Evenly pour the batter into the muffin tins. Place in the oven for about 18-20 minutes if using GF flour.  If using regular all-purpose flour, test at 20 minutes.  Add more time (three minutes at a time) as needed.

***Cool for at least 5 minutes before you remove from the pan!

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