Holiday Desserts! We had such a fun time creating new recipes and adapting old recipes to better quality ingredients. Reducing the sugar “coma” feeling is huge during the holidays. Remember it’s an indulgence, not an everyday treat. When you can learn to appreciate dessert or good food, you know there be more and you don’t need to be the “starving child” and scarf down what’s in front of you. Learning how to have a healthy relationship is part of what I teach in “cooking class”. You shouldn’t be alarmed because it’s not always “cooking”, we learn preparation methods, tips on saving time and energy. Come to the next class-step out of your comfort zone and see how good you feel after realizing “cooking” isn’t so bad!
Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
Gluten Free, Vegan, Paleo
Happily serves 8
ALL ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
Crust
1/2 Cup soaked dates
2 TBSP Coconut Oil
1 Cup Ground Nut Flour
1/8 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
Soak Dates 1-4 hours. Remove seeds, discard water.
Add the nuts to the food processor and blend until they are like a rough flower then add the dates, coconut oil and sea salt.
Pulse together until it becomes a lumpy ball and then press into the bottom of a pie dish and refrigerate.
Filling
4 Cups Fresh Pumpkin (or 2 Cans Pumpkin purée)
8 oz Vegan Cream Cheese
1/3 cup Maple syrup (can sub coconut nectar) OR 1/4 tsp maple extract & 1/4 tsp stevia or Lohan Sweetener
2 TBSP Pumpkin pie spice
To make the filling
Add pumpkin and other ingredients and process until smooth.
Blend on the highest setting until It is smooth like the cooked version of pumpkin pie.
Transfer the filling to your pie crust and let refrigerate for a few hours.
Quinoa Brittle
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free
Happily Serves 10
ALL ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
3/4 Cup Tricolor uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup Pecans and/or macadamia nuts
2 TBSP Coconut sugar
1/2 tsp Pumpkin pie or Allspice
2 TBSP Coconut oil
1/4 cup Blackstrap molasses
Dash of cinnamon
Pinch of Himalayan Sea salt
Stevia if you desire it sweeter
Preheat oven to 325.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (Cover all edges)
Combine quinoa, macadamia nuts/pecans, coconut sugar, salt, and cinnamon/spices in a bowl and set aside.
Over low to medium heat, add the coconut oil and black strap molasses (and optional Stevia). Stir until there is no visible separation. Pour over the dry ingredients, combine and coat evenly, spread on a parchment lined baking sheet with a metal spoon.
Try to get it as even as possible or the edges will burn in the center won’t crisp up.
Bake for 15 minutes and turn the pan around to ensure even baking and Browning. Back 5 to 10 minutes more and watch carefully so it does not burn. The edges will get crisp and caramelized, and the color will be uniformly deep golden brown in color.
Let it cool completely before breaking it into serving pieces.
You can store leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature for a week, or in the freezer for up to one month.
Canadian Butter Tarts
Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free option
Happily Serves 24
ALL ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
Crust
1 Cup Soaked Dates
1 Cup Ground Nut Flour
1/8 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
Soak Dates for 1-4 hours. Remove seeds.
Combine Dates, Nut Flour and Sea Salt in the Food Processor and blend well. Press into mini muffin tin and refrigerate.
Filling
1⁄4 Cup soft butter, or vegan butter
1⁄4 Cup packed Coconut brown sugar
1/8 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
1⁄2 Cup maple syrup or 1/4 tsp maple extract and 1/4 tsp Powder Stevia
1 egg, lightly beaten or 1 flax/chia egg replacement
1⁄2 tsp Vanilla
Mix all ingredients together.
Add a bit of chopped marischino cherries in mini muffin tin on the crust and fill the tart with the filling.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
Optional to top with crushed pecans.
Egg substitute:
1 TBSP Ground flax or Ground Chia seed added to 3 TBSP water.
Mix and let sit/jell together about 5 minutes.