It's pumpkin time, and I couldn't be happier.
So obviously I am going to go crazy with pumpkin recipes over the next few weeks, brace yourselves.
My uncle Kevin was down recently from NYC, and that was awesome. Basically tasted my recipes and gave me graphic design advice/pointers. Love you uncle Kenny!
So the first recipe I tackled was a pumpkin cheezecake. I wanted to try some different experiments and see what I wanted to make on Thanksgiving.
Crust:
1 1/4 cups of finely ground GF gingersnaps {got mine at HEB}
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon plain almond milk.
Preheat oven to 350
Crush or grind up gingersnaps and mix in sugar, coconut oil, and almond milk.
Spread across a 9" dish and smash it down.
Bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes, then set aside.
Filling:
1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup whole unroasted cashews soaked in water for about 30min-1hr (or macadamia nuts)
1/4 cup mashed banana (about half of 1 medium-sized banana)
1 12 to 14 oz package silken tofu, drained
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
3 tablespoons coconut oil, at room temperature
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Blend everything together and pour onto the crust.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then add topping and bake for another 20 minutes.
Topping:
1/3 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
Pinch of salt
Chop pecans, then mix with coconut sugar, coconut oil and salt
After the baking the filling for 20 minutes, spread across the top and put back in the oven for another 2o minutes.
After you take it out of the oven, you have the option to eat it warm, or perhaps put it in the refrigerator and eat it cold. I actually had a few people say that I should have served it cold since cheesecake is normally a cold dessert. So I'm going to try that next time!
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Because I was on a pumpkin frenzy, I didn't just stop there.
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all purpose flour {definitely the best brand}
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice {if you don't have this, just omit}
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup coconut sugar {or brown sugar}
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin puree {not pumpkin pie filling. Just plain pumpkin}
1/3 cup coconut oil {melted}
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk {other milks may be substituted including coconut, soy, hemp}
2 tablespoons applesauce
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips {I buy this brand. If it's not in the baking aisle, it's in the gluten-free section.}
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Mix the dry ingredients, and in a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
Mix in the chocolate chips.
Spoon the mixture into muffin liners {or if you don't have any, lightly oil the actual muffin tin}
Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Then go crazy and eat them all by yourself. (;
{Sorry I don't have a picture...they got inhaled by my family all too quickly. but if you click on the link in the title, you can see the pictures in the original blog.}
Let me know if you try either of these recipes.
Also for a thanksgiving blog, would y'all be interested in me tackling more unique festive recipes, or should i vegan-ify some traditional thanksgiving treats?
