Spiced Pumpkin Mousse

Spiced Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 15 ounce can pumpkin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Preparation

Add the whipping cream into a mixing bowl and beat until the consistency of whipped cream. (We use our Kitchen-aid mixer with the whisk on high.) Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Chill mousse in a bowl in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

We served the mousse as a "dip" with some gingersnaps or cinnamon graham crackers. You could fill a graham cracker pie shell for a quick and easy pumpkin mousse pie. You can even dish it into bowls and eat it "as-is". Whatever way you choose... it's a perfect addition to the snacks of the holiday season!

Deliciously Simple Pear Crumble

Dessert. That's the first word to leave the vocabulary when you decide to "watch what you eat". Dessert doesn't have to be laden with sugars, fats and complete unhealthiness to make it taste good. We don't keep sugars or "dessert-type" ingredients on hand. In a pinch I whipped this together, not sure how the family would respond. Everyone loved it ... and even the kiddos were asking for seconds!

Deliciously Simple Pear Crumble

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon stevia powder 
• dash of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 very large pears, diced (approximately 3-4 cups)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Add the oats, cinnamon, stevia and salt to a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix again. Add the coconut oil, mixing as you go, until the mixture is crumb-like. Spread the pears evenly in an 8x8 baking dish. Gently stir the oats into the pear mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Try this recipe with some different fruits -- apples, peaches, berries, etc.!

Simple Crockpot Applesause

Tis the season... for crockpots and apples! 

We picked about 25 pounds of apples today from some of our local growers. They're very inexpensive and taste so much better than the store-bought ones! Last batch of apples we picked, I made batches and batches of Crockpot Apple Butter and froze it in freezer containers so it's ready when we are. This time we decided to make applesauce (in addition to eating some of the apples, of course). School has started and applesauce is always a great "side dish" for the lunch box.

We just randomly picked a variety of apples. You can use whatever your favorite apples are to create a flavor for your own liking.  Enjoy!

Simple Crockpot Applesauce

Ingredients

• 5 pounds apples (cored, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice *

Preparation

Add all ingredients to the crockpot. Cook on high for approximately 4 hours (or low for 6-8 hours). Stir apples half-way through. Cook until apples are very soft and mash when stirring. Mash the applesauce to your desired texture. I used a wooden spoon for this batch. You can use a potato masher or a blender as well.

* You may need to adjust this measurement depending on the type(s) of apples you use... flavor, sweetness, tartness, etc.

Pumpkin Bread

Today's rainy fall weather is perfect for baking up a batch of this bread. Bon Appetit! 

Pumpkin Bread 

(Our "healthier" option)

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
• 1 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 1 - 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
• 2 1/2 cups 100% whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax meal
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 loaf pans with non-stick spray.

Combine all wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Combine all dry ingredients in another mixing bowl and mix well. Combine the wet and dry mixtures together and stir until lumps are pretty much gone.

Evenly divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Makes 2 loaves.

Easy Crockpot Apple Butter

Easy Crockpot Apple Butter

Ingredients:

• 12 "good sized" apples (approx. 5-6 pounds) - variety(s) of your choice
• 1 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• dash of salt, to taste

Preparation

Wash, peel, core and cut all of the apples into 1 inch x 1 inch chunks. Place the apples in the crock-pot. Add the honey and pumpkin pie spice to the crockpot. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until reduced to almost half. You can stir every few hours, as the apples cook down, to mix the honey and spices in.

Stir the apple mixture well to combine. Use a potato masher to mash the mixture until desired consistency. You can also use an immersion blender or blender as well. 

Be careful if using a blender!! Putting the steaming hot apple mix in there may cause it to blow the lid off the blender! Wait until the mixture cools a bit, then blend in small batches until desired consistency.

Enjoy on toast, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, scones, biscuits.... possibilities are endless! 


Try this recipe with a variety of apples. Each apple has it's own texture, sweetness or tartness, and flavor. Use all one kind, or mix and match! 

Vegan Peach Cobbler

Vegan Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

• Filling
• 8 peaches, sliced and pit removed
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored liquid stevia
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon water
• Topping
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon stevia powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick spray. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Evenly spread in the bottom of the baking pan.In a separate bowl, combine all crust ingredients except the maple syrup. Mix well until it  reaches a crumbly consistency. Crumble the topping mix onto the filling mix in the baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes. Uncover and drizzle the maple syrup over the top. Continue baking for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Mimi's Pumpkin Bran Muffins

Mimi's Pumpkin Bran Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup wheat bran
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup raisins (or dried fruit of choice - cranberry, chopped prunes, etc.)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup honey (or molasses)
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup pumpkin (canned, no additives)
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine wheat bran, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground flax, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins. In a separate bowl, blend milk, molasses (or honey), pumpkin, oil, and eggs. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Spoon into greased muffin tin (or paper muffin cups). Bake 15-20 minutes.

Makes 12 marvelous muffins!