Pumpkin

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don't miss dairy

Emily Stokes
I'm a lady who loves cheese, sour cream, & ice cream, but I recently became lactose intolerant. My key focus in recreating dairy recipes is taste, but I try to be as health conscious as possible. Some of my recipes are low lactose rather than dairy free. I'm also a writer, teacher, nanny, dog mom, housewife, native Yinzer, current Californian, and social organizer extraordinaire.

Pumpkin

Dairy Free, Egg Free Pumpkin Ice Cream

Desserts, , , , , , ,

It’s that time again! Fall is here, and I’m super excited about pumpkin everything! I’ve already had my pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, and the annual Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival is in two weeks. There we will get big pumpkins from the pumpkin patch and enjoy pumpkin pancakes, smoothies, curry, pie, bread, and even pumpkin ale!

I had a go at some dairy free pumpkin ice cream and it is so delicious. It tastes just like pumpkin pie without the crust. My recipe is completely vegan and low in sugar. Add an extra half cup of soy milk to make it creamier and less pumpkiny, if you like it like that. I hope you have an ice cream maker!

Ingredients:
1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk, chilled
1 15 oz can pureed pumpkin, chilled
1/2 cup Very Vanilla Silk Soymilk (optional)
1/3 cup agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:
1. Stir all ingredients together until smooth. I used an electric mixer but it’s not necessary.

2. Pour into your completely frozen electric ice cream maker and it should be soft serve ready in 15-20 minutes! Put it in the freezer for an hour to harden it up if you prefer. If storing in the freezer, let it soften for a half hour before eating.

                                                

Missing Fall-Not Fat Pumpkin Bread

Bread, Desserts, More, , , , ,

Here is a deliciously healthy pumpkin bread recipe that is more like a true bread rather than the super sweet cake-like version that is served in coffee shops. The 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour gives it some substance, while the 1/2 cup of Splenda (you can use any other sugar substitute) replaces half of the sugar, and the extra pumpkin eliminates the need for a cup of oil. By the way, you may gasp when you see that I’ve used olive oil in this recipe, but it really tastes great! If you are a skeptic, use vegetable oil or coconut oil instead.

Though I don’t recommend using all whole wheat flour because of the taste, go all out and use all whole wheat flour, no sugar, more pumpkin, and all egg whites if you want! However, my combination is a good one. It remains moist and flavorful–try for yourself! There’s that awesome secret ingredient of apple cider in there. Why add water when you can add apple cider? After many attempts at creating the perfect healthy pumpkin bread, I have come up with a recipe I will use year after year. The best part about this recipe? No butter or milk!

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Splenda or other healthier sugar substitute
1 tsp baking soda
1 can of pumpkin puree (15 oz)
1/8 cup olive oil
1 egg, 2 egg whites, beaten
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl mix together flour, salt, sugar, Splenda, baking soda, and spices until well blended.

spice and sugar mixture in bowl.

2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, eggs, and apple cider. Add dry ingredients into this mixture, and stir until combined and completely moistened but do not over mix. It needs to stay spongy.

pumpkin, egg, and apple cider mixture.Wet ingredients mixed.

3. Carefully fold in raisins and nuts.

4. Pour into greased loaf pan–even if it is non-stick you need to oil it. Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Once finished, let cool for up to an hour before removing from pan. Enjoy at your holiday event!

This bread is best stored in the refrigerator.

Finished pumpkin bread

Sweet and "Creamy" Pumpkin Soup

Soups & Crock Pot, Veggies & Sides, , , , , , ,

Pumpkin soup with sage sprinkled on top.

I’m always disappointed by ready to serve butternut squash soups when I read the label and find out they are made with milk or cream. Recently I found one at Whole Foods that was made with soy milk, but I have to say it was a little bland. The taste of soy took away from the delicious sweetness of the butternut squash. So I had a go at creating my own “creamy” soup, and I used canned pumpkin since it was so readily available. The vanilla soy milk I used made it so thick and sweet that my husband and I devoured it! The sage and black pepper balances out the sweetness so it doesn’t taste like you are slurping pumpkin pie. It makes a great compliment to an entree of chicken or turkey. I will probably make this again for our Thanksgiving dinner feast!

Ingredients:

1 15oz can pumpkin
5 cups Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk (I measured using pumpkin can: 2 1/2 cans of milk)
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Empty pumpkin into a 2 quart saucepan and place burner on medium heat.

Pureed pumpkin in pot.

2. Measure the soy milk in the empty pumpkin can. Slowly stir in Very Vanilla Soymilk until evenly blended.

Soy milk added to pumpkin puree.

3. Add sage, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and sea salt and heat until almost boiling, stirring often.

4. Ladle in a bowl, sprinkle with ground sage, and serve with buttery crackers. We like Social Snackers from Trader Joes; they are dairy free and contain no hydrogenated oils, yet still maintain that buttery taste that is so addicting.