Mini Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips

Like I said last week I love pumpkin bread. Actually I love almost every baked good there is. I've been thinking about making some pumpkin bread since last week. Time just hadn't allowed me to do so, finally I got a chance today and seized it! I'm fairly confident when it comes to making cooking recipes up from scratch, baking is another story. I usually will alter a recipe but I have had my fair share of hockey puck blobs so I don't venture off to creating my own baking recipes. I googled for a vegan pumpkin bread recipe and found one that looked great at the "Happy Herbivore."  I have a thing about chocolate chips and baking, I like to add them to just about everything I make (Enjoy life makes awesome dairy free chocolate chips and chunks)  Since I was adding chocolate chips I needed to adjust the sugar down. I also like have extra of baking to freeze. I recently bought some mini loaf pans from Epicure and love them! 4 of them equal one large loaf, they  make loaves  the perfect size to freeze and look so cute! When using them I have to adjust the baking time since they are smaller.
What is your favourite baked good?

So without further ado here is the altered recipe:




 Mini Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips (Original unaltered recipe here)

• ¼ cup plant-based milk (I used coconut)
• ¼ tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp Epicure Pumpkin pie spice
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup dairy free chocolate chips
• 
  

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Grease or spray a standard bread pan. 

Whisk non-dairy milk and lemon juice together until bubbly and set aside. 

In a medium mixing bowl, cream pumpkin, sugar, syrup and extract together.

In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin pie spice, flour, baking soda, chocolate chips and baking powder together. 

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined. 

Pour into bread pans (I used silicone mini loaf pans), using a spatula to evenly distribute and smooth out the top. Grab a large piece of aluminum foil and make a tent over the pan. 

Bake for 1 hour for one large loaf or 30 minutes for 4 mini loaves, To test doneness insert a toothpick in the center, when the it comes out clean it is done. 

Once the bread has cooled but is still slightly warm, gently remove it from the pan and on to a serving plate.

Four mini loaves cooling

Crock pot pumpkin pie oat pudding

Yesterday was Samhain. We celebrate it together as a family with a special meal and family time, I had all sorts of plans to make pumpkin tarts with the pumpkin puree from the other day. I ran out of time so I thought for a minute and came up with this recipe, it is like a rice pudding but made with steel cut oats. It isn't very sweet, so if you like your desserts really sweet add some more maple syrup :) I didn't take any pictures of the steps this time as I was all about spending as much time with our family as possible.

Enjoy!

What is your favourite special dessert?

Crock pot pumpkin pie oat pudding


1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup cut steel cut oats
1 apple diced
1/4 cup organic unsweetened raisins
4 cups non dairy milk  (I used half Quiona and half coconut)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (Epicure makes a really great one)
2 tbsp maple syrup

Whisk pumpkin, spice and maple syrup into milk,
Put milk mixture into Crockpot
Place in Crockpot, Heat on high for 2 hours (If on high make sure you stir often) or low for 4-6

Alternate: For gluten free just make sure your oats and spice is gluten free :)

Pumpkin Bacon Soup

I love pumpkin, I love pumpkin granola, pumpkin spice lattes (I have been making them all season long at home with real pumpkin) I love pumpkin baked goods and especially love pumpkin seeds. Surprisingly enough I have never made a pumpkin soup. I decided to branch out and create a recipe that my family would enjoy. Orion loved his pumpkin soup, I don't think he has ever met a soup he hasn't enjoyed. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did  :)

How do you like your pumpkin?






Pumpkin Bacon Soup


1 apple (I used ambrosia) (Halved and cored)

Yes, I realize that I am missing ingredients in the
picture, I made this recipe up as I went.

1 small pie pumpkin (Mine are called sugar pie) or 3 cups of puree
1 head garlic minced
1 medium onion minced
1 cup organic baby carrots


7 slices low sodium bacon, diced
4 cups chicken broth ( I use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Chicken broth)

3 tsp Epicure Gingerbread spice
1 tsp Himalayan fine ground salt
1\2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp ground thyme

1 1/2 cups Quiona Milk (Or your favourite non dairy milk)



Roast pumpkin according to pumpkin roasting directions. Meanwhile in a glass pan, place carrots and apples roast  at 400f  for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Roasted pumpkin, apple and carrots

Remove apple, pumpkin and carrots from oven. Let cool 10 min,



Process  apples and carrots through Victorio food strainer.

Pumpkin ready for the strainer

Dice pumpkin into 2 inch squares,
 Process through Victorio food strainer, (No need to peel if using the food strainer) (If you do not have a food strainer, peel pumpkin then process in a food processor)

Pumpkin processed through the Victorio

Mmm, crispy bacon!

In your soup pot fry bacon until crispy on medium heat, remove bacon, drain most of the fat leave about 2 tbsp, fry onions and garlic until translucent.

First cup of broth added

Pour 1 cup chicken broth in  pot  over medium low heat scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the bits off.











Put apple carrot mixture with bacon in pot, stir well, add spices.
Add rest of chicken broth, pumpkin and maple syrup, Stir well.
 Simmer for 20 min stirring occasionally.

Mix in Quiona Milk and bring to simmer again for 5 min. . Serve with freshly ground pepper and salt.

Yum!

Pumpkin Bacon Soup


1 apple (I used ambrosia) (Halved and cored)
1 small pie pumpkin (Mine are called sugar pie) or 3 cups of puree
1 head garlic minced
1 medium onion minced
1 cup organic baby carrots


7 slices low sodium bacon, diced
4 cups chicken broth ( I use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Chicken broth)

3 tsp Epicure Gingerbread spice
1 tsp Himalayan fine ground salt
1\2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp ground thyme

1 1/2 cups Quiona Milk (Or your favourite non dairy milk)





1) Roast pumpkin according to pumpkin roasting directions. Meanwhile in a glass pan, place carrots and apples roast  at 400f  for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

2) Remove apple, pumpkin and carrots from oven. Let cool 10 min,

Process  apples and carrots through Victorio food strainer.

 3) Dice pumpkin into 2 inch squares, Process through victorio food strainer, (No need to peel if using the food strainer) (If you do not have a food strainer, peel pumpkin then process in a food processor)

4) In your soup pot, fry bacon until crispy on medium heat, remove bacon, drain most of the fat leaving about 2 tbsp, fry onions and garlic until translucent.

 5) Pour 1 cup chicken broth in  pot  over medium low heat scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the bits off.

6) Put apple carrot mixture with bacon in pot, stir well, add spices.

7) Add rest of chicken broth, pumpkin and maple syrup, Stir well.

8) Simmer for 20 min stirring occasionally.

9) Mix in Quiona Milk and bring to simmer again for 5 min.

10) Serve with freshly ground pepper and salt.

To make Gluten free do not use Quiona milk as it contains oats, use your favourite GF milk.

The bacon in this soup does not stay crispy, if you would like in step 4 when you remove your bacon do not add it back in in step 6. Save your bacon until just before you serve and use it as a garnish.