Gluten-free Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins!

These muffins are amazing, and you won't even be able to tell they're gluten-free! No graininess or crumbliness with these like you sometimes get with gluten-free baked goods. They are moist and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil or Earth Balance
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
• 2 flax eggs (1 tbsp flaxmeal + 3 tbsp water each)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 2 cups gluten-free flour (i used Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (can sub just cinnamon)
• 1/2 cup vegan buttermilk*
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (i use Enjoy Life brand!)

*Note to make your own vegan buttermilk, mix 1/2 cup of almond milk with 1/2 Tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice. Stir and let stand 10 minutes before using.



Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a mixer, beat coconut oil, sugar until smooth.
Add in flax eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin, then buttermilk slowly.
In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients: the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients slowly, mixing well.

Pour into muffin tin. Bake about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (Makes 16 muffins).

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake!

You will not be able to tell there is no actual milk in this, seriously. It's thick, creamy and delicious! Everything a good milkshake should be! AND it's healthy: no refined sugars, no dairy, no junk!

Ingredients:

1 large frozen banana
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp honey
Pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in your Vita-mix or blender and enjoy!

Amazing Gluten Free, Yeast Free Vegan Flat Bread!

This flat bread is absolutely amazing. You serious cannot even tell it's gluten free (and vegan, and yeast free and corn free!). It's super easy to make, and only takes about 10 minutes of prep work and then 20 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown rice four
1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
2/3 cup milk of choice (almond, soy, rice)
2 flax eggs (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water each)
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp italian herbs
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients together and spread on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes on one side, and then flip and do 10 minutes on the other side.

Voila! Delicious allergen-free flat bread! This can also be used as a pizza crust, "pita" chips, or if spread really thin, crackers! Pictured with a delicious sunflower seed pesto spread :)

Delicious Mexican Rice dish!

This is one of those recipes that i keep coming back to. It's so simple to make, and tastes amazing. I use it for burritos, eat it on it's own, with some guacamole with added veggies, etc etc etc! Here it is in a yummy burrito with guac, lettuce, tomato and vegan cheese!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can black beans

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice.
Sprinkle with salt and cumin.
Stir rice constantly until it is golden.
Stir in onions and cook until tender.
Stir in tomato sauce and vegetable broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
(Half way through add in can of black beans, drained and rinsed)
Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Vegan Coconut Chocolate Chip Pancakes!

Wow. That's about all i can say about these things. They taste better than the traditional white flour, eggs, etc. etc. pancakes! And they are so easy to make! You can whip up the batter in less than 5 mins! I like to have them with a bit of maple syrup and some fresh fruit. Heavenly!

RECIPE:

1 cup gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour)
1 tbsp sweetener (cane sugar/agave nectar/honey if you eat it)
2 tbsp baking powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 cup milk substitute (i used unsweetened almond milk)
2 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (i use the EnjoyLife brand)


*Before you start put a medium sized pan on the stove on medium heat to warm up*

-Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.

-Add in milk, shredded coconut, and coconut oil (you may have to warm up the coconut oil a bit as it is solid at room temp).

-Fold in chocolate chips last.
-To cook pour about 1/4 cup of pancake batter into the pan. Flip pancakes when you see bubbles in the middle of the pancake, or if the edges are looking browned/cooked.

Makes about 6-8 medium sized pancakes!

VEGAN MAC AND CHEESE!

Okay you guys...this stuff is SO GOOD. like heavenly. you can BARELY even tell that it's vegan! I gave some to my dad and asked what he thought (without telling him it was vegan) and he said it was great! When i told him he was shocked! Make this with rice pasta if you want it gluten free too

Cheese Sauce:

1.5 cups Daiya Cheddar Cheese (you can find this in most health food stores, Whole Foods, etc)
3 tbs vegan butter (Earth Balance) or Ghee if you eat it
1 cup almond/rice/soy milk
1 tsp Nutritional Yeast (you can get this stuff at health food stores or bulk barn. not like brewer's yeast so safe for people with candida problems too! and PACKED with B vitamins )
1/2 tsp Sea Salt (use garlic salt if you want!)
Pinch of black pepper


Heat vegan butter and almond milk in saucepan on medium heat until melted. Then add in Daiya cheese and salt/pepper/nutritional yeast. Stir until completely melted. Might have to turn up the heat to high for a bit but watch it closely so it doesn't burn!

Then add to your favourite pasta and voila! Vegan mac and cheese! SO YUMMY! And this is just a very simply recipe, i plan to spice things up a bit by adding some paprika, garlic, mustard (probably not all at once! haha) and seeing what i can do with this stuff!

Vegan Apple Butternut Squash Soup!

Delicious and easy. My two fave things ;)



RECIPE:

2 tsbp olive oil or other oil
1 leeks sliced
2 medium onions diced
2 garlic cloves pressed
1 butternut squash peeled and diced
4 medium carrots sliced
2 apples peeled and diced
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
6.5 cups of vegetable broth (can use chicken broth if not vegan)
Salt & pepper to taste

Sautéed leek, onion, garlic and cayenne in olive oil.
Add squash and carrots and mix.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Add apples and simmer for 25 minutes.
Blend with hand held mixer for a creamy texture.

Bon appétit!