Pumpkin Hummus and Paleo Pumpkin Bread

Sunday, October 21 and it is unseasonably frigid due to blustery winds and a high temperature of 40 degrees.  It took less than a minute outside to decide today would be an indoor day.  I ran back inside and decided it was good day to use up vegetables I had previously frozen, especially the bag of frozen  cooked mashed winter quash in 1 cup scoops from last winter.  It was either pie pumpkin or hubbard squash - one of the sweeter types of winter squash.

My first idea was to make pumpkin soup, but that is too easy and not very imaginative.  Instead, I made a paleo pumpkin bread and pumpkin hummus (no chickpeas).  As I type this post, I am eating the hummus with celery and the last orange pepper from the garden (with an apple cider and selzer drink).   The hummus is amazingly good.  If Phil doesn't get home soon, there will be none left for him.  The pumpkin bread will be paired with the jar of homemade pumpkin maple butter that Michelle brought last weekend.  I'll try to wait until tomorrow to try the pumpkin bread.  We'll see how that works out.

Pumpkin Hummus

• 3/4 cup cooked mashed pumpkin 
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 TBSP tahini
• 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt

Whirl all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Chill in fridge for about an hour for flavors to develop.  Serve with colored peppers, celery, and other crunchy vegetables, such as radishes and kohlrabi.  I ate it with celery and the last of an orange pepper. I think Phil will enjoy it with cauliflower florets and kohlrabi.

Paleo Pumpkin Bread

I looked at quite a few recipes on line and decided Dr. Axe's recipe made the most sense, although I added more baking soda and spices and also added chopped walnuts and raised oven temp to 350.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use coconut oil to prepare loaf pan.

• 1 cup almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda (I raised to 1 tsp)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (did not use, instead added 1/4 to 1/2  tsp each of ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg)
• 3–4 eggs (I used 3 jumbo eggs)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¾ cup pumpkin (mashed)
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Combine first 6 dry ingredients in a small bowl.  (I sifted to get lumps out of almond flour)
2. In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs, then the maple syrup, then the pumpkin, and last the melted coconut oil.
3. Stir the dry mix into the wet mixture. Stir in walnuts.  Will look too wet but in a minute it will dry up.
4. Put mixture into loaf pan and bake 45-55 minutes. (At 45 minutes, it seemed cooked, but dented in the middle when pressed, so baked it another 7 minutes)

Inspiration: https://draxe.com/recipe/gluten-free-pumpkin-bread/

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cake

You don’t need to be very precise with the measurements in this recipe - I certainly wasn’t and it came out good.

Line 8 or 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Crust:  

• 1 cup dates
• 2 cup walnuts (or almonds, cashews, whatever nut(s) you like- I used walnuts)

1. Process in food processor until sticky.
2. Add and process 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil to make it really stick together.
3. Press crust into pan. 

Strawberry Mixture

• 1 TBSP gelatin 
• 2 TBSPs cold water 
1. Mix together and let set for at 1-2 minutes (or longer, it doesn’t matter). Set aside.
• 1 pound strawberries (mine were frozen)
• 1/4 cup sugar

1. Heat strawberries and sugar on stovetop until berries are very soft.
2. Use immersion blender until smooth.
3. Stir gelatin mix into hot strawberry mixture until dissolved.
4. Set aside about 3/4 cup for top of cake. 

Cream Cheese Mixture

• 1 pound cream cheese (softened a little)
• 1/2 cup sugar (regular or confectioners - I used regular)
• 2 TBSP lemon juice (to taste)
• Strawberry mixture (minus the 3/4 cup set aside for top of cake)

1. Using paddle attachment if you have it, beat cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth.
2. Beat in rest of strawberry mixture. 

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream (I used closer to 1.5 cups)

1. Beat  heavy cream until peaks form.
2. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
3. Pour into pan and smooth. 
4. Chill for about 2 hours.
5. Pour the 3/4 cup strawberry mixture on top.
6. Chill.
7. Decorate as you wish with fresh strawberries or not.

Easiest Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding Ever

This was so good, I made variations twice in a week.  First time, I made a pumpkin spice version for the bottom layer of large wineglasses, and then topped that with a chocolate layer using pumpkin, raw cacao and melted dark chocolate chips.     The second time, I just used cinnamon and raw cocoa - no chocolate chips and thought it was even better, so am posted the second, even easier version.

1.5 cups cooked pumpkin (i used roasted pie pumpkin, but can use canned pumpkin)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or raw dairy milk or almond milk or whatever milk-like substance)
2 T maple syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla

Pulse in a food processor for a few minutes until smooth.  Chill.

Green Bean and Walnut Pate

Great use for pole beans that are a little past tender.  http://mindfultable.blogspot.com/2009/07/transforming-green-beans-into-pate.html
Vegetable Walnut Pâté
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups green beans, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs mayonnaise
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions until they begin to brown (about 10 minutes). Add the chopped green beans and saute until tender and very slightly browned(another 10 minutes or so). Remove from heat.

When the beans and onions are cooled, combine them in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and grind them into a paste. Chill and serve.

When I serve this as a pâté, I like to top it with fresh fried onions. Basically, slice up half an onion and fry the slices over medium-high heat until they're brown and crispy.

If you don't ahve nutritional yeast, you can skip it. It's harder to skip the parsley. Also don't overdo the mayonnaise or lemon juice.


Left out the mayonnaise and it was very good.  A little cayenne pepper is good too.

The original Moosewood recipe had fewer ingredients, just cooked green beans, walnuts, sautéed onion, hard-boiled eggs, 1-2 T mayonnaise, 1-2 T dry white wine, salt and pepper.

Mint Avocado, Coconut, Chocolate Layer Squares

During the winter, I made this frequently, stored it in the freezer, and would eat a couple squares as a very satisfying snack.  While I had an idea about creating a coconut/avocado chocolate bar, google helped me find Raia's recipe (see link below), which I used as a model for mine. I like mine much more minty that Rais's and I often add mint to the chocolate layer as well.

MINT LAYER INGREDIENTS

1. 1 avocado
2. 1/4 c. + 2 T.  honey (frozen treats taste less sweet so sweeten to taste)
3. 1/4 c. coconut oil, melted
4. 1 1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
5. 2 T coconut flour (optional, but I always use it)
6. 1 t. (or more) mint extract, (I think I have used up to 1 T. );  fresh mint leaves; or a drop or two of food-grade peppermint essential oil.  My personal favorite is a bunch of fresh mint leaves.
7. dash of salt

CHOCOLATE LAYER INGREDIENTS

1. 1/4 c. coconut oil
2. 3 T. honey
3. 1/4 c. cocoa powder
4. 1/4 t. vanilla extract
5. dash of salt
6. 1 tsp mint extract (or to taste) Optional.  

MINT LAYER INSTRUCTIONS

1. Process all mint layer ingredients (except coconut flour) in a food processor until smooth (may have some coconut flake texture).  If it seems oily, add 2 T coconut flour.  Smooth mixture into foiled-lined 8x8 or 9x9 square backing dish and place in the freezer.

CHOCOLATE LAYER INSTRUCTIONS

1. In small saucepan, melt coconut oil and honey over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Pour over chilled bottom layer and return to the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until the chocolate layer is hardened. Remove from foil and cut into small  (1") squares. Store covered in the freezer, with  layers between parchment paper.

Note: If I don't put mint in chocolate layer, I often add sea salt to top once chocolate is almost hard.

Thanks to original recipe creator - Raia: http://raiasrecipes.com/2014/03/avocadograsshoppers.html

Coconut Macaroons

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. line baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Combine in bowl:

• 1 cup fine macaroon coconut (Bob's red mill)
• 1 TBSP red macs powder (pus a little more for consistency)
• 1 TBSP melted coconut oil
• 2 TBSP maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

3. In separate bowl, beat until stiff

• 2 egg whites with pinch of salt

4. Fold stiffened egg whites into coconut mixture.
5. Drop tablespoon size balls onto baking sheet.
6. Bake about 15 minutes.

(mine stuck to parchment paper, so may put some coconut oil on paper next time)

Thai Basi "Pesto"

The perfect use for an overabundance of Thai Basil.  After much searching, I finally found someone who had the same idea.   Mine is the same as the vintage mixer, except she only used 2 cups Thai Basil and 2 TBSP of peanuts and I used at least 3 cups or tbsps of them.  I used brown sugar while she did not specify, and I used sightly less crushed dried red pepper. 

3 cups fresh Thai basil leaves
3 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves

Place all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon into 1 cup glass jar or 2 1/2 cup glass jars.   Freeze or refrigerate for use within two weeks.  

It should go really well with the overabundance of eggplant.   Awesome! 

http://www.thevintagemixer.com/2012/10/thai-basil-pesto-recipe/