Simple {Paleofied} Pumpkin Bread

Ugh.  I don't feel too good.  But this virus-nasty-cough-thing didn't stop me from making pumpkin bread Saturday afternoon.

I'm new at playing around with grain-free ingredients to come up with baked goods.  Up until now I've basically picked a gluten-free recipe and substituted the GF flour with almond meal.  But for this recipe I browsed four or five different versions of the recipe I was looking for and got a general idea of how many eggs, how much flour, how much leavening, etc. should go in it.  I ended up finding this WONDERFUL series on the science and art of Paleofying.

Up until reading that lady's very helpful series of posts I had never heard the term Paleofy and I didn't know it was a derogatory term at that.  Apparently the real "righteous" Paleo-eaters don't qualify grainlessly baked goods as Paleo.  In their eye those goodies are just glorified, or Paleofied junk food.  Maybe so, but until eating pumpkin bread with almond meal, real pumpkin, coconut milk, eggs, spices and honey makes me sick, I'm still going to call it a real good treat that isn't a cheat.  As far as I know, there are masses of evidence that conventional wheat, sugar and other things whipped together to make the cookies, cakes and quick bread we all crave are bad for us.  But there are no such bodies of evidence for cookies, cakes and quick breads made with grainless, real food ingredients. I'm not really big on the paleofied label, but if you want to call it paleofied pumpkin bread that's fine with me.  I'm still calling it good and real.

Ok.  So this recipe is thanks to looking at this, this, this and this (all look delish!) and guessing at what was best to substitute with.

Wet Ingredients:

1- 15 oz. can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/2 c. coconut milk

Dry Ingredients:

1 c. almond meal
1 c. coconut flour
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 t. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.  Mix wet ingredients in another bowl.  Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until well blended.  The texture will be a thick batter you will spread more than pour into two bread pans which have been greased with coconut oil.  Pans should be about 1/3 full.  Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

This is a very moist, simple, feel-good bread.  I love it for breakfast along side my frittata.  I love it for lunch after my left over pulled pork and cole slaw.  I love it for an after work snack.  I think you get the picture. I love this simple, moist pumpkin bread.  I'm sure you could take it up a notch or 5 from simple to decadent if you added in some of your favorite chocolate, coconut flakes, nuts, fruits, etc.

Love.

My try at the Diva {Ding} Dongs

I'm not a Diva.  Not in any way, shape or form.  Once, at the school where I work, a woman registering her kids for school put on the employment line of a required form: Domestic Diva.

I believe in homemaking!  I think women have a God-given ability to make a home like no man.  But I am noooooo domestic diva.  I strive to perform the domestic arts with some level of skill.  I'm a domestic wannabe.  I can cook, but even there I'm no diva.  The lady over at Diva Dish... that girl can at least take some amazing pictures and if her comments speak for her recipe quality, the girl can bake too.  I did not make out so well with her recipe, but I don't believe for one second it has anything to do with her recipe.  It's all on me.

First problem was when I went shopping last week and bought canned coconut milk I bought Sprouts' brand which has guar gum in it.  The last canned milk I bought was strictly coconut milk and water.  They probably stopped carrying the other kind because it separates in the can and is kind of a pain if you were hoping for creamy out-of-the-can coconut milk.  But separated is exactly what's needed for this recipe.

So if you're gonna make this one, make sure the coconut milk doesn't have any guar gum or other weird ingredients in it. 

 (My dry ingredients.  Unlike the Diva, I used coconut flour and almond meal.)

 (For my chocolate coating I used a Ghirardelli 100% cocoa bar... dark and delicious!)

(I didn't let the cake cool for long enough.  It's really moist and scrumptious and falls apart too easy when warm, hence the not-so-circular shape)

 

(The mountain of chocolate cake deliciousness that was left after cutting the Ding Dong circles out.  Uh... it didn't remain a mountain for long.)

(Taste test by Ryland shortly after dipping in chocolate coating, before it hardened.  After tasting the ones that sat in the fridge overnight with a hardened chocolate coating he said, "It's good.  But it's better when it's cold.")

 

They definitely don't look like the Diva's Ding Dongs.  But if you need chocolate.  And you need grain-free.  And you need desert.  This will hit the spot. What should I call it?  Chocolate Mess Cakes?

Ok.  So the recipe from the Diva is here.  Below are my grain-free, sugar-free substitutes in bold:

For the cake part:

1/2 c. coconut flour

1/2 c. almond meal

1/4 c. Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder

3/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

dash of salt

1 1/2 TB. tapioca starch

1/4 c. melted coconut oil

1/4 c. applesauce (room temperature)

1/2 c. coconut milk(room temperature)

1/4 c. honey (room temperature)

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. dates + 1/4 c. water pureed together to form a paste. (you can do this with a blender or food processor)

For the filling:

I flopped here trying to use my un-separated coconut milk.  Didn't work. At. All.  Stick with the Diva's recipe!

For the coating:

1 -100% cocoa chocolate bar (4 oz. Ghirardelli)

1/8 c. coconut oil

3 TB. honey

My Almond {Joy} Cookies

Yesterday was kind of a bummer of a Valentine's day for a 3rd grade boy with pink eye who had to stay home while all his friends were at school passing out candy and cards to each other.  He missed out on bringing home all that chocolate candy booty.  So when he saw me looking at thesee Diva {Ding} Dongs he asked if I would make them.  I can't say no to making a real good chocolate treat.  So today after work I set out to make those Diva Dongs, and while I was working on them, a fail of an attempt at making the cream filling lead to a spontaneous recipe:  My Almond {Joy} Cookies.

It was a fail turned success.  Ryland says they are even better than the creamless Ding Dongs (so basically chocolate covered cakes... still real chocolate goodness) I made.  

Two kids, two votes: 1 says the Almond Joy Cookies are the best, the other votes for the chocolate covered cakes.  My husband stood strong against the honey they contained... the only ingredient that violates his Whole30 commitment.

Cookie:

Wet ingredients:

2/3 c. coconut oil at room temp
1/4 c. coconut milk
1 egg white
1 whole egg
1 t. vanilla
3 T. honey
dash of salt

Dry ingredients:

1 3/4 c. almond meal
1 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda
1 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

Chocolate coating:
1 4oz. Ghirardelli 100% cocoa chocolate bar
1/8 c. coconut oil
3 T. honey

Blend wet ingredients in one bowl.  Set aside.  Mix all dry ingredients except coconut in another bowl.  Mix dry ingredient mixture into wet ingredient mixture until just blended.  Incorporate unsweetened coconut until just mixed.  Use large spoon to scoop mounds onto cookie sheet approx 1 inch apart.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Allow to cool on wire rack.

In a glass bowl place broken up 4 oz.  cocoa bar, coconut oil and honey.  Place in microwave and heat for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

When coconut cookies are cooled, dip into chocolate coating, place on a plate, cover and cool in fridge until coating is hardened.

Then sink your teeth in and enjoy!

My Whole 30 Pumpkin Bread

When you cut out the white cocaine in a 5 lb bag they sell legally and call sugar, you'll be amazed at the ways you can make something sweet without the white stuff.  Unlike the Whole 30 philosophy, I have nothing against honey.  I say it's God's sugar and was meant for us to enjoy and eat in proper proportion.  But this recipe won't even "cheat" on the Whole30 anti-honey rule.  And it definitely won't cheat on sweet pumpkin breadness!

My Whole 30 Pumkin Bread

1 cup smashed pumpkin
8 pitted medjool dates
1 ripe banana
3 T. coconut oil
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 c. coconut flour
1/2 c. almond meal
1 T. cinamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder

Coconut whipped cream topping

In food processor blend 5 pitted medjool dates,  1/2 can of coconut milk,  2 T. coconut oil and 1 t. vanilla extract.  Blend until well blended.  Flecks of dates will remain.  Allow to thicken and cool in fridge before serving.   Makes a good fruit dip too!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease bread pan with coconut oil.  In food processor blend pumpkin, dates, banana, coconut oil, eggs and vanilla.  In separate bowl mix together coconut flour, almond meal, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking soda, salt and baking powder.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir until well blended.  Pour batter into bread pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until knife comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 30 minutes before cutting or removing from pan.  Serve with coconut whipped cream topping.

Enjoy!