Happy Holiday Season! Enjoy some Thanksgiving Recipes.

With the warmth of fall ending and preparing for the cold winters comes the end of year Holiday traditions.  In myThanksgiving Recipes family, we celebrate a traditional Thanksgiving followed by a busy Christmas and New Year’s.  This time is filled with many family and friend events that do not always allow for my healthy eating habits.

I prefer to follow a gluten-free and dairy-free diet however I am what one would call a flexitarian.  This means that one day I might be paleo and the next vegetarian.  I find that different time periods in my life I may need different healing diets.  With that said, I strive to always be gluten and dairy free because I know my stomach is appreciative of it.

So how do I survive the holidays?  Thanksgiving I organize and do most of the cooking so I can balance my diet accordingly.  Most of family do not realize that they are eating (mostly) a gluten free and dairy free meal, but everyone leaves happy and satisfied.  The rest of the holiday season I strategize and I am happy to discuss that later.  Below I am sharing my Thanksgiving menu with a few extra options.  I hope you and your family will enjoy.

Happy Cooking,
Elizabeth McMillan

Holistic Nutritionist

 

Thanksgiving Menu

  • Turkey
  • Stuffing
  • Brussel Sprouts with Grapes and Walnuts
  • Roasted Vegetables
  • Cranberry Relish
  • Sweet Potatoes – roasted or mashed
  • Cauliflower casserole
  • Green Bean Casserole
  • Potato Stuffing or Scalloped Potatoes
  • Cinnamon Raisin Bread from Panera – because it just tastes good and my family would be very upset without it

Be sure to fill your Thanksgiving table with all of Nature’s Colors

Red – Cranberry relish, pomegranate (on squash), radishes

Orange – Sweet potato

Yellow – Acorn squash

Green – Brussels, green beans,  leafy greens

Blue/ Purple – Beets, grapes (on Brussels)

White/Brown – Turkey, cauliflower

 

Recipes

Citrus and Herb Butter Roasted Turkey

(g/f, d/f options)

  • For the citrus and herb butter:
  • 1large navel orange, juiced and zested Thanksgiving Turkey
  • 1large lemon juiced and zested
  • 3cloves garlic minced
  • 4tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 3tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of pepper
  • 1stick of unsalted butter, room temperature (can substitute for ghee or vegan sticks)
  • For the turkey:
  • 14-16pound turkey, thawed if frozen)
  • 1/2large orange cut in two wedges
  • 1lemon cut in quarters
  • 1/2large granny smith apple cut in two wedges
  • 1garlic head cut in half
  • 5sprigs of sage
  • 2sprigs of rosemary
  • 5sprigs of thyme
  • Kosher Salt and fresh ground pepper

Procedure

  1. For the butter:
  2. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and stir together thoroughly. Set aside.
  3. For the turkey:
  4. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
  5. Rinse the turkey inside and out. Pat the skin dry and place in a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan. Stuff the cavity of the bird with the orange, lemon, apple, garlic and herbs.
  6. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey.
  7. Carefully loosen the skin by running your hand between the skin and the breast meat working your way down to the leg. Take 1/4 of the butter mixture and rub it, thoroughly, under the skin over the breast and leg meat being sure to coat as much of the turkey as possible. Repeat on the opposite side and then coat the remaining butter mixture over the skin being sure to cover the entire turkey.
  8. Sprinkle the breast and legs of the turkey with salt and pepper and tie the legs of the turkey together with kitchen twine.
  9. Roast the turkey on the lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees in the oven for 30 minutes and then turn the oven temperature down to 35o degrees and insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Set the alarm on the thermometer to 161 degrees. A 14-16 pound turkey takes approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting time total. (You can also use an instant read thermometer, just remember to check the turkey before the 2 hour mark to avoid overcooking.)
  10. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Let the turkey rest for approximately 30 minutes before carving

Refer to – www.thesuburbansoapbox.com

 

Cauliflower Stuffing

Serves 10 (1/2 cup each)       (g/f, d/f)

  • 1 large head Cauliflower (cut into small florets)Cauliflower Stuffing
  • 1 large Onion (sliced)
  • 1/4 cup Celery (chopped thinly)
  • 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 cup Olive oil (can also use butter or ghee)
  • 1/2 tsp Poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp Ground sage
  • 1 tsp Sea salt (or less if your poultry seasoning contains salt)
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup Pecans(chopped)

Procedure

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or line with foil and grease well.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the chopped cauliflower, onions, celery, and garlic. Toss with olive oil, poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper.
  3. Spread the mixture in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. (You may need two sheets depending on the size. You want as many of the cauliflower florets and onions in contact with the pan as possible.) Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the onions are soft and cauliflower is starting to brown a little.
  4. Add the fresh parsley and pecans to the pan, and stir everything together. Roast for 10-15 more minutes, until the pecans are lightly toasted, cauliflower is well browned, and onions are starting to caramelize.

Refer to – https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/low-carb-paleo-cauliflower-stuffing-recipe/

 

Brussel Sprouts with Grapes and Walnuts

(g/f, d/f, vegetarian)

  • 4 cups fresh Brussel sprouts, halved
  • 2 cups red seedless grades
  • ½ cup walnut pieces
  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • 2 tbs. fresh thyme
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • 2-3 tbs. balsamic vinegar

Procedure

  1. Preheat oven to 400 and line baking sheet
  2. Trim sprouts, place halved sprouts along with grapes and walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the top, sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
  3. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until sprouts are well browned, nuts are fully toasted and grapes are darker

 

Roasted Root Vegetables

(g/f, d/f, vegetarian)

Ingredients:                       Roasted Root Vegetables

  • 2 large beets
  • 2 large acorn squash with shell on
  • 1 sweet potato
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 2 tbs. olive oil
  • Sea Salt to taste

Procedure:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350◦
  2. Wash all your vegetables, peel beets, scrub carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash.
  3. Cut them into small equal chunks (helps to roast evenly)
  4. Place them in your baking pan and bake in oven for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are soft to the touch. Enjoy!

 

Citrus-Cranberry Relish

Serves: 1½ cups                     (g/f, d/f, vegetarian)

  • 1½ cups fresh cranberries
  • ¼ cup fresh mint
  • 1 orange, zest removed and juiced
  • 4 dates
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Procedure:

  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process lightly until ingredients are coarsely chopped. If you don’t own a food processor, you could finely chop all ingredients and combine in a mixing bowl.

 

Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Serves 8      (g/f, d/f, vegetarian)

Ingredients:

  • 4 small or 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 head peeled, uncut garlic cloves
  • 3 tbs. coconut oil
  • 2 sprigs of thyme, stems removed
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon powder
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 2 tbs. honey (optional)

Procedure:

  1. Preheat oven to 425◦. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with coconut oil, and spread coated sweet potatoes in an even layer.
  2. Roast until the potatoes are tender and browned, 35-45 minutes

Serve hot or warm, along with garlic cloves

  1. If you’d like to add honey, drizzle the potatoes with honey halfway through baking

Adapted by Victoria Behm, Nutrition for Vibrant Living

 

Cauliflower and Broccoli Casserole

Serves 6-8                                                                  (g/f)

(not necessarily healthy or dairy free but a family favorite!)

Healthy substitute listed next to the ingredientCauliflower Brocolli Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup uncooked white rice or ½ cup brown rice
  • 10 ounces broccoli florets
  • 10 ounces cauliflower florets
  • 1/2 cup butter (ghee or vegan butter sticks for d/f)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 pound cheddar cheese, cubed or cheese of your choice (can replace with vegan cheese)
  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup or see homemade recipe at end
  • 5 and ¼ fluid ounces milk (can substitute with a nut milk)
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed almond crackers (for g/f)

Procedure:

  1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Simmer broccoli and cauliflower florets in water for 10 minutes, or until crunchy. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  3. In a large saucepan, melt butter and sauté onion. Stir cauliflower, broccoli and rice into the saucepan. Once the vegetables and rice are coated, stir in the cheese, chicken soup and milk. Transfer the entire mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish and sprinkle the crackers on top.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes.

 

Chicken Soup (for base)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup minced onion

3 tbsp. g/f flour (almond or coconut works great)

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, boiled and reduced by half

1/2 cup almond milk

Procedure:

In a saucepan or pot, heat oil on medium. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add flour and stir for 2 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in broth, milk and optional top flavor ingredient (see sidebar at right).

Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened. Allow to cool and use as desired.

 

Healthy-ier Green Bean Casserole

Serves: 8-10                                                 (g/f, d/f options)

A healthy real-food take on the classic… without the cream of mystery ingredients soup!

Author: Wellness MamaGreen Bean Casserole

Ingredients

  • Onion Topping- optional
  • 2-3 medium onions, very thinly sliced
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or coconut milk
  • 2-3 tablespoons of coconut flour
  • ½ cup coconut oil or tallow for frying
  • Healthy Cream of Mushroom Sauce, see recipe above
  • ½ cup butter (or ghee, vegan butter sticks)
  • ½ cup cream or coconut milk
  • ⅓ of onion mix above
  • 8-10 mushrooms, finely diced
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4-5 egg yolks
  • coconut milk or water to thin
  • Other
  • 5 cans of cut or French style green beans (can also use fresh or 2-3 bags of frozen, or 2-3 pounds of fresh just heat first to remove extra liquid), not canned

Procedure

  1. Thinly slice all the onions, separate, and put in medium bowl.
  2. Add the two eggs and the heavy cream and mix well until evenly incorporated.
  3. Add coconut flour and mix by hand until evenly coated (note: may use slightly more or less depending on your brand of coconut flour.)
  4. Put tallow in large skillet and turn on medium high heat.
  5. When hot, add the coated onions and evenly brown, turning occasionally.
  6. When browned, remove from heat and set aside.
  7. In medium sauce pan, melt butter and sauté mushrooms until starting to brown, then add cream or coconut milk.
  8. Whisk in egg yolks and spices and about ⅓ of the onion topping mixture and continue stirring until the yolks begin to cook and the mixture thickens.
  9. Add extra milk or water if needed to thin (only a few tablespoons might be needed).
  10. Drain green beans and pour into a 9×13 baking dish.
  11. Pour the cream mixture over and mix well until incorporated.
  12. Top with onion mixture and heat at 325 in oven until topping starts to crisp (but not burn!) and green beans are heated.

 

Extra Vegetable Recipes for the Table (if needed)

 

Steam/Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Mustard and Caraway

Serves 5                     (g/f, d/f options)

Ingredients:

1 lbs. Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and halved

2 tbs. coconut oil

1/3 cup water

½ tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. caraway seeds

1 tbs. Dijon mustard

1 tbs. maple syrup

Freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:

Bring the Brussel Sprouts, butter, water, salt, and caraway seeds to boil in a large skillet.  Cover and steam over medium-high heat until Brussel sprouts are just tender, 5-10 minutes

Remove the lid and stir in the mustard and maple syrup, Sprinkle with black pepper.

 

Lacquered Carrots with Coriander

Serves 5                                                       (g/f, d/f)

Ingredients:

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup sherry or mirin

1 tbs. balsamic vinegar

4 cups peeled carrots, cut into 2 inch roll cut or ½ thick diagonal cuts

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground coriander

Black pepper

Procedure:

  1. Add the olive oil, maple syrup, sherry, balsamic vinegar, carrots, salt, and coriander to a large skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 12-15 minutes, just until carrots are tender.
  2. Uncover and cook, stirring constantly, until carrots caramelize, about 6 more minutes. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve hot.

Radishes with Lemon Dill Butter

Serves 4                                                          (g/f, d/f)

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced radishes (1/2 inch thick)

1-2 tbs oil

1 tbs. water

Salt

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp fresh dill

Freshly ground black pepper

 

Procedure:

  1. Add the radishes, butter, water, and a sprinkling of salt to a medium skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until just tender. Uncover and cook another minute, until all of the water is evaporated
  2. Stir in the lemon juice and dill and black pepper. Serve hot.

 

String Beans with Caramelized Shallot, Rosemary, and Garlic

Serves 6               (g/f, d/f) (Gluten Free and Vegetarian)

Ingredients:

1 tsp. sea salt

1 lb. string beans, “tails” removed

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs. diced shallots

2 tbs. minced garlic

¼ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

¼ tsp.  grated lemon zest

Spritz of fresh lemon juice

Procedure:

  1. Fill a 4-6qt pot ¾ full with water and bring to a boil
  2. Add the 1 tbs. Sea salt
  3. Add the string beans and blanch for 3 minutes, drain the string beans and place in an ice water bath, this stops the cooking process and preserves their great color
  4. In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 minutes, until the shallots are golden. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more, just until aromatic
  5. Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup of water. Add the blanched string beans and a pinch of salt. Taste the beans for doneness.  Add rosemary, lemon zest, and a spritz  lemon juice.  Serve immediately.

Adapted from Rebecca Katz’s “One Bite at a Time,” Pg 46

 

Easy Oven Roasted Vegetables with Sage and Thyme

Serves 8-10                          (g/f, d/f)

Prep Time: 10 minutes             Cook Time: 30 minutes

7 cups of assorted root vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, celeriac, beets, and parsnips

2 cups of winter squash, such as acorn squash, butternut squash, or pumpkin

1 onion, sliced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 sage leaves, chopped

4 thyme sprigs

salt and pepper, to taste

maple syrup, to taste

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut up all the root vegetables and squash into approximately equal size pieces. I cut them into roughly 1/2″ pieces (except the beets which I sliced thinner since they seem to take longer to get tender). Put root vegetables, squash and onion in a large bowl.

Add olive oil, sage, and thyme to the bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat all the vegetables.

Spread vegetables on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake 30-40 minutes until tender.

Drizzle with maple syrup, to taste.

 

Warm Beet Salad with Beet Greens and Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4-6                                           (g/f)

Prep Time: 25 minutes                   (Gluten Free)

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 pound small beets, trimmed and peeled (if large, cut into smaller pieces to cook faster)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

water

Beet greens-

Beet greens from beets (from above), washed well, stems trimmed

1 tsp. coriander seeds

1 tsp.  cumin seeds

Vinaigrette-

1/4 cup shallots or red onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted cumin-coriander mixture

salt and pepper, to taste

Yogurt sauce-

1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt  (to make d/f could use a cashew yogurt)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon toasted cumin-coriander mixture

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, scallions, or other herbs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

dash of cayenne

salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish-

fresh dill sprigs, chopped scallions, chopped cilantro

Procedure

Place beets, olive oil, white wine and thyme in a medium pot, single layer. Add enough water to just cover the beets. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 30-40 minutes until beets are tender. Remove beets from pan. Cut into bite size pieces and toss with some Vinaigrette.

Beet Greens

Cut Beet Greens into 1″ strips. Place Beet Greens in a sauté pan and add 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook 2-3 minutes until wilted and just tender. Drain well.

Toasted Cumin-Coriander mixture

Place coriander and cumin seeds in a small saucepan. Toast on medium heat until fragrant. Remove from heat. Cool and then grind in a spice grinder or in a mortar and pestle.

Vinaigrette

Mix Vinaigrette ingredients together and let sit for a few minutes for flavors to meld and mellow.

Yogurt Sauce

Mix all Yogurt Sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

To Serve

Place a portion of cooked Beet Greens on salad plate. Drizzle with some Vinaigrette. Place some Braised Beet on Top. Dollop some Yogurt Sauce on top. Garnish with dill, scallions and cilantro or any other fresh herbs you have on hand.

 

Notes

To oven braise the beets, place trimmed (unpeeled) beets in a saucepan. Cover with water and add a few splashes of extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 425 degrees until tender. This will take about 1 hour for small beets and several hours for larger beets. Radishes are also nice cooked this way. I added some in along with the beets and took them out after 1 hour.

 

http://jeanetteshealthyliving.com/2012/07/warm-braised-beet-salad-with-beet-greens-and-yogurt-dressing-power-food.html

 

Dark Leafy Greens with Caramelized Onions, Raisins, and Pine Nuts

Serves 6                   (g/f, d/f)

Ingredients

6 cups kales or Swiss chard, steamed, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion, cut into quarter moons (about 1 cup)

Pinch of Sea Salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup raisins or currents

1 tbs. pine nuts, toasted

Procedure:

  1. Cover the kale with cold water and set aside until ready to use
  2. Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet on low heat, to release their natural oils and increase their flavor

Optional: toast in the oven at 325◦ on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, these burn quickly, pay extra attention

  1. In a large, deep sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3-5 minutes,  Decrease the heat to low and cook slowly until the onions are caramelized, about 20 minutes
  2. Add the garlic and stir for about 30seconds, just until aromatic. Add the raisins and stir for about 30 seconds.  Deglaze the pan with 2 tbs. of water to loosen all of the flavorful bits from the bottom.
  3. Begin adding the greens to the pan with a pinch of salt, continue to add as many greens that will fit into the pan. The water that adheres to the greens will be enough liquid to wilt the greens. Taste the greens, and add additional water, if needed. Cover the pan and cook the greens until tender, 2-3 minutes.  Adjust seasoning if necessary
  4. Arrange the greens on a plate and sprinkle with the roasted pine nuts. Serve hot. Don’t forget to pour the cooking juices, if any remains over the greens before you add the nuts- more nutrients!

Adapted from Rebecca Katz’s “One Bite at a Time,” Pg. 36

 

Glazed Roasted Delicata Squash

Serves 12 (3-5 squash slices each)                        (g/f, d/f)

Ingredients

5 lbs. delicate or acorn squashDelicata Squash

4 shallots, quarter lengthwise

3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. fine sea salt

¼ tsp. ground pepper

½ cup honey

½ cup cider vinegar

½ cup pomegranate seeds

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped

 

Procedure:

  1. Position racks in upper and lower thirds of over, preheat oven to 400 F
  2. Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Toss the squash slices and shallots with oil, ½ tsp salt and pepper in a large bowl. Divide between 2 large baking sheets
  3. Roast, turning each piece over and rotating the pans top to bottom halfway through, until the squash is tender and caramelized in spots, 30-40 minutes. Transfer the squash and shallots to a serving platter
  4. A few minutes before serving, combine honey, vinegar and pinch of salt in a small saucepan, bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook, watching closely towards the end, until reduced to about ½ cup, 5-8 minutes. Immediately drizzle the syrup over the squash.  Serve topped with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and mint.

 

To prepare ahead- prepare through step 3 and let it stand for up to 2 hours, just before serving, reheat (if needed) then finish through step 4.

 

Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Rutabaga

Serves 6                                                 (g/f, d/f)

Ingredients

2 cups peeled and cubed rutabaga (about 1 inch cubes)

1 tsp. salt

2 lbs. peeled and cubed Yukon gold potatoes (about 1inch. Cubes)

2 tbs. organic unsalted butter (for d/f substitute with ghee or vegan butter sticks)

2-3 tbs. nut milk (unsweetened almond)

¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Procedure:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat.
  2. Add the rutabaga and salt, lower the heat slightly, and boil for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the potatoes and boil until both are tender, another 15 minutes.
  4. Drain in a colander and return to the pot over low heat.
  5. Add the butter and milk
  6. Using a potato masher or electric hand mixer, mash to the desired consistency.
  7. Add the nutmeg and taste the potatoes; you may need a pinch of salt or two
  8. Serve immediately in a colorful bowl

 Adapted from Rebecca Katz’s “One Bite at a Time,” pg 73

 

Desserts

Clean Eating Pumpkin Pie

(g/f, d/f)

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp  Ginger, ground

2 cups   Pumpkin, prepared

4 Egg whites

1/2 cup Honey

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp  Cloves, ground

1 1/2 cups of unsweetened almond or coconut milk

Procedure:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and mix thoroughly.
  2. Pour mixture into pie crusts. (I used this recipe)
  3. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 15 minutes.
  4. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake for 45 additional minutes.

Side Notes: This pie is not very sweet. If you prefer a sweeter pie, add an additional 1/4 cup of honey

Adapted from http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-pumpkin-pie/#ixzz3JMTAgpfA

 

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites Recipe

Yield: 16-20 squares        (g/f, d/f) (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup almond flour

1 tbsp. cacao powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp. almond milk

Cheesecake layer:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp pumpkin spice

 

Procedure:

  1. Soak the cashews in water for 1 hour. Discard the water. Line a loaf baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Place the crust ingredients in your blender and pulse until the mixture comes together; this should take about 1 minute. Press this mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared loaf baking pan and place it in the freezer while you prepare the cheesecake topping.
  3. Place the cheesecake ingredients in your food processor and pulse until smooth. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust in the baking pan and spread it evenly. Freeze the dessert for at least 2 hours.
  4. Cut the cheesecake into squares before serving. Keep leftovers covered in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Adapted from Nuts.com

 

Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp

(g/f, d/f)

Ingredients

the apple part:Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp

  • 6med apples peeled, and sliced to 1/4 inch thickness. I used Pink Lady
  • 1tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4tsp ginger
  • 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup optional

the “crisp” part (topping)

  • 6Tbsp organic coconut oil solid, or grass fed butter, or ghee
  • 1cup raw pecans or use nuts of choice
  • 3/4cup blanched almond flour
  • 2tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 2/3cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4tsp ground allspice
  • 1/8tsp sea salt

Procedure

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the spices and maple syrup (if using), then transfer to a 9 or 10 inch pie dish or baking dish, set aside.
  3. For the crisp topping, put all the ingredients in a food processor and process or pulse until the pecans are finely ground and a thick, crumbly paste is created – this won’t take long.
  4. If your topping isn’t thick, you can chill it for 5-10 mins in the fridge.  Drop/dollop the topping all over the apples to fully cover (or as fully as possible) and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the apples are bubbling and the topping is brown and crisp.  If the top browns too soon, you can cover with aluminum foil part of the way through.
  5. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to cool down before serving warm.  Serve with coconut vanilla ice cream if desired.
  6. There will be no leftovers, I can assure you of that! If you’re lucky enough to have some left you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days (without the ice cream!) and reheat before serving.  Enjoy!

Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp {Vegan}