Gluten Free Refined Sugar Free Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp is my go to dessert for Fall! It's so easy to throw together. I love making it after a fun day of apple picking with the family. Your house is going to smell incredible while this is baking, no need for fancy candles, this does the trick!
The downside to apple crisp is that it's not healthy! That's why we eat it only a couple times a year, right? Then again, maybe it IS healthy, I mean it has apples in it!
I created my own version of apple crisp, and it's not only gluten free but it's refined sugar free as well. That way, you don't have to feel too guilty for eating it! You can easily make this dairy free as well! Top it with some delicious coco whip and dig in! This version is as delicious, if not better than the sugar loaded version! Enjoy!

Gluten Free Refined Sugar Free Apple Crisp

Ingredients:
5-6 medium sized apples (I use granny smith or Macintosh), peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 Cup Raw Agave Nectar
3 Cups Gluten Free Oats
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Cup Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1 Tbsp. GF Apple Pie Spice
2 Sticks of salted cold butter (or dairy free alternative), cubed
Coconut Oil Spray
Coco Whip for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9x6 rectangular dish with coconut oil spray and set aside.
2. Peel, core, and slice the apples thinly- about 1/4 inch in diameter. Add the sliced apples to a large mixing bowl. On top of the apples, add the lemon juice and agave nectar and mix until fully combined.
3. In a food processor, add the oats, brown rice flour, coconut palm sugar, apple pie spice, and 1 stick of cold, cubed butter. Pulse the mix just until it resembles coarse crumbs, you don't want to totally grind up the oats.
4. Add the apples to the baking dish in a single layer. Next, add the oat mixture on top, making sure to cover all of the apples. Take the remaining stick of butter, cube it, and scatter it on top of the crisp. This will make it nice and crispy and golden brown!
5. Bake the apple crisp for 1 hour or until golden brown. Top with coco whip and enjoy!

Xo
Melanie

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

There's nothing I love more than pumpkin! It may just be the Fall season, because it's my favorite. Most people are all about pumpkin in the Fall.  Anyone who knows me, knows when I bake there will be pumpkin involved!
 I decided to throw this recipe together last night on a whim. I was craving pumpkin cake and cream cheese frosting. Now, I have to admit I have never made gluten free pumpkin cake before. This was a first for me! I usually make a lot of muffins and breads which are great, but I'm not a big cake person- unless it has PUMPKIN of course! This cake is absolutely delicious. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but seriously this cake is the BEST thing I have ever eaten! It is not only moist, but you can really taste the pumpkin which I love. The maple cream cheese frosting has no added sugar, just 100% pure maple syrup, and it pairs so well with the pumpkin! Now, usually for gluten free baking I would use zanthan gum, but I didn't have any on hand so I started researching what I could replace it with. Zanthan Gum is used mostly to help hold the gluten free ingredients together, since gluten free flours are very different from wheat flours. Since I started baking gluten free, I have always used zanthan gum. That is one of the first things you learn when you become gluten free...you have to use zanthan gum in baked goods. Well, let me just tell you that after my research and experiment with this cake, I will no longer be using zanthan gum! I read online that you can replace zanthan gum by using either flax seed, ground psyllium husk, or ground chia seeds. For this recipe, I used a combination of all 3 and it turned out amazing and so much better than zanthan gum would have. I plan to make a big bath of this combo to have for all my baking! All you have to do is use 2 teaspoons in your baked goods and voila.. You will get an amazingly moist baked good that's actually healthy for you! I think we could all use a little more health in our gut, and the flax, chia, or psyllium husk will definitely help with that!  There are also so many people now who are having bad reactions to zanthan gum, so this is the perfect solution. Here's a little tip: you may need to make 2 batches of this cake, because I can guarantee it will be gone in less than 2 days! Enjoy!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Pure Canola Oil
1 Cup Organic Sugar
4 Large Organic, Cage Free Eggs
1 Tsp. Pure GF Vanilla Extract
1 15 oz. Can 100% Pumpkin Puree
1/2 Cup of Sweet Sorghum Flour
1/2 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Millet Flour
1/2 Cup Potato Starch (could also use Tapioca Starch)
1 Tsp. GF Baking Powder
1 Tbsp. GF Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Tsp. Ground Psyllium Husk, Chia Seeds, and Flax Seed combined
Coconut Oil Spray

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9x6 pan with coconut oil spray and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, combine the canola oil and sugar and mix on medium speed until combined. Next, add in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. Add in the pumpkin and mix until fully combined, about 1 minute.
4. Add in the flours, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and psyllium husk, chia, and flax combination and mix on medium speed until fully combined, around 2 minutes.
5. Scoop the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for around 30 minutes.

Next, to make the frosting....

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. Salted Butter, softened
3 Tbsp. Organic Shortening
8 Oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 Tsp. Pure GF Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup (I use dark amber)
1/2 Cup Raw Walnuts, chopped for topping

Directions:
1. With a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter and shortening until smooth. Next, add in the cream cheese and mix on a medium speed for about 2 minutes, until fully smooth and combined.
2. Add in the vanilla extract and maple syrup and mix until fully combined. Refrigerate the frosting until the cake is cool enough to frost.

Once the cake is cooled, remove it from the pan and transfer to a serving platter. Frost the cake with the maple cream cheese frosting, and add the chopped walnuts on top. Serve immediately and place any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week.

This recipe calls for a 9x6 sheet cake, but you could also make a round, 2 layer cake using two 6 inch round cake pans. There will be plenty of frosting left to do whatever you choose! YUM!

If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know!

Xo
Melanie

Gluten Free Dairy Free Energy Bites

I'm always looking for ways to prep healthy snacks for myself and the kids. It's not so easy during the week, since we are running around like crazy with work and school! These energy bites hit the spot! They are not only healthy, but they are filling and you won't feel guilty about eating one.....or ten! They taste like cookie dough.  Who doesn't love cookie dough?
 Mine are made with a combination of natural peanut butter, flax seed, coconut flakes, oats, honey, and mini dairy free chips. I use quick cooking oats in this recipe, but you could use regular rolled oats. I just like the fine texture of the quick cook oats, they are easier to mix. So good! This batch makes around 30 bites. You may want to double the recipe, because I can guarantee they will be gone in no time! These are perfect, on the go snacks your family will love!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Energy Bites
(Makes 30 bites)

Ingredients:
2 Cups Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Cup Pure Clover Honey
3 Cups Gluten Free Quick Cook Oats
1 Cup Milled Flax Seed
1 Cup Unsweetened Toasted Coconut Flakes
1 12 oz. Bag of Gluten Free/Dairy Free Mini Chocolate Chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)
1 Tbsp. Gluten Free Ground Cinnamon
Coconut Oil Spray

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees and spray a medium sheet pan with coconut oil spray. Add the coconut flakes to the pan and bake for about 5 minutes, until the coconut flakes are golden brown.
2. Remove the coconut from the oven and set aside.
3. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the peanut butter, honey, oats. flax seed, coconut flakes, and cinnamon. Mix on low speed for about 1 minute, until fully combined. It should resemble cookie dough. If it is not sticky enough, you can add a few more tablespoons of honey.
4. Lastly, add in the mini chocolate chips and mix on low just until fully combined.
5. Using a small ice cream scoop, form the dough into small, 1 inch bites. Place in a covered bowl or container and put in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving. These keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. You can also freeze them for up to 6 months.

Enjoy!

Xo
Melanie

Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussell Sprouts with Homemade Pesto

I absolutely love Fall veggies, especially when they're roasted in the oven. They are healthy comfort food! I threw together this quick mix of Butternut Squash and Brussell Sprouts, but you could really use any veggie you like. I decided to toss the veggies in homemade pesto, and it turned out pretty amazing I must say! I love pesto on anything, so this is a winner in my book! Pesto is literally the easiest thing to make and it's so much better than store bought. I put it on everything! Simple. Easy. Delicious.

Homemade Pesto Recipe

1 Large bunch of fresh Basil, torn
1 Large Clove of Garlic
1/4 cup Walnuts (you can also use pine nuts or really any other nut you like)
About 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Place all the ingredients, except olive oil in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined. Then add in the olive oil slowly while pulsing until desired consistency is reached. You can add more olive oil until the sauce is thin enough to your liking. Scoop the pesto out of the food processor into a small bowl and set aside.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussell Sprouts with Homemade Pesto

1 Medium Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks
1 Bunch of Fresh Brussell Sprouts (about 1/2 pound), with the ends chopped off and cut in half
Salt and Pepper to taste
Homemade Pesto Sauce
Olive oil to grease the pan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a sheet pan with a little olive oil. Cut up the veggies and place onto the sheet pan. Add the pesto sauce and salt and pepper on top of the veggies and fully mix until all veggies are coated with the sauce. Once fully mixed, lay all the veggies flat on the sheet pan and bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until the veggies are tender and golden brown.

This dish makes a great side, but also is a great vegetarian meal in itself and is very filling! You can really add any veggies you want. This would be amazing with broccoli and cauliflower too!

Enjoy!

Xo
Melanie

Strawberry Agave Muffins (Gluten Free & Sugar Free)

I'm up pretty early these days since my 12 year old started back at school, so I enjoy my quiet mornings while my daughter is still sleeping. One of my favorite things to bake is homemade muffins! I love to make them with any type of fruit, and today I just happened to have some strawberries that needed to be used up. You know the kind where if you don't use them you'll lose them? Yup, those! I had to use them up or I'd have to throw them out, which I hate doing. I must say it was quite a productive morning. Not only did I manage to clean most of our downstairs, but I also mopped, ran the dishwasher, and made these beautiful muffins! For all the stay at home moms, you know what I'm talking about! I just love mornings like this.
These muffins come together in no time, and they are simply delicious! I used Raw Agave in place of sugar. I really love agave and I've been trying to use it more in place of sugar in my recipes. And honestly, you really cannot tell the difference.  And you don't even have to tell your kids or husband that! They will never know. I like to bake with it, knowing that I'm making something a little bit more healthy. My go to flour mixture for baking muffins is a combination of Brown Rice flour, Sweet Sorghum flour, and Millet flour. These together give your baked goods a delicious sweet taste and they stay super moist!

Strawberry Agave Muffins

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (solid)
1/2 Cup Raw Agave
2 Eggs
1 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Sweet Sorghum Flour
1/2 Cup Millet Flour
2 Tsp. Zanthan Gum
2 Tsp. GF Baking Powder
1 Cup Fresh Strawberries, diced into small chunks
GF Coconut Oil Baking Spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12 cup muffin pan with coconut oil spray and set aside.
2. Whisk the flours, zanthan gum, and baking powder together in a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a larger bowl (I use a stand mixer, but you can use a hand mixer if that's what you have), beat the coconut oil and agave together on medium speed until creamy- around 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time and beat until fully mixed.
4. Next, add in the almond milk and beat at medium speed until fully combined. Add in he flour mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed until fully mixed together. Once the batter is fully mixed, fold in the strawberries gently until they are fully combined.
5. Using a small ice cream scoop, divide the batter into the muffin pan, filling each about 3/4 of the way. Gently smooth the top of the muffins using the back of the ice cream scoop if needed.
6. Bake the muffins for 20 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes.
* These muffins will keep around a week if stored in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for up to 6 months.

Enjoy!

Xo
Melanie

Gluten Free Apple Pie

Nothing says Fall like homemade Apple Pie! There's just something about the combination of fresh apples and cinnamon with a buttery and deliciously flaky crust! My family loves Fall. It's our most favorite time of year! We like to go apple picking at least 3 times a year. It's a fun and inexpensive way to spend some quality time together, but also to show our kids where their food comes from. There's nothing like picking your own fruit right from the tree! These days, everything is so processed and filled with junk. We love to go to the farm market and the apple orchards and get fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. There's really nothing like it!

To make the crust, I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pie Crust mix. Honestly, it is not the easiest to work with. It is a very sticky dough and it may take you a little while to get the crust just right, but don't give up! Although it is hard to work with, it is super delicious, so that definitely makes up for it. Trust me, every bite is worth it! This pie doesn't last in my house for more than 2 days! Top it with some fresh whipped cream or Coco Whip and you're good to go! Enjoy!

Recipe for Gluten Free Apple Pie

Ingredients:
1 bag of Bob's Red Mill GF Pie Crust Mix
15 Tbsp. Cold Butter, cubed
6 Tbsp. Ice Cold Water, plus more if needed
6 Medium McIntosh Apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 1/2 an inch)
1/2 Cup Organic Cane Sugar
1 Tbsp. GF Apple Pie Spice (I get mine from our local apple orchard)
2 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Egg with 1 tbsp, water, whisked together to make an egg wash

Directions:

1. Mix and form dough according to the package. Split dough in half and form into 2 balls and flatten slightly, wrap in plastic and set aside in refrigerator for about an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch pie plate and set aside.
3. Peel, core, and slice apples and place in a large mixing bowl. Add in the lemon juice, sugar, and apple pie spice and mix to fully combine. Set aside.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out the first ball of dough onto parchment paper, to prevent sticking. Carefully place the dough in the bottom of the pie plate using the parchment paper to keep it from breaking apart.
5. Once the dough is how you want it in the pie plate, spoon in the apple mixture and evenly distribute.
6. Next, roll out the 2nd ball of dough using parchment paper again. Carefully place the dough on top of the apples and form the top crust, using your fingers to press firmly around the edges and smooth out the dough.
7. In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg together with 1 tbsp of water. Using a silicon brush, brush the egg wash all over the top of the pie crust until it's covered.
8. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and let the pie cool for about 10 minutes before serving. I like to serve mine with a dollop of coco whip or homemade whipped cream!

Xo
Melanie

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Fall is officially here! It's my absolute favorite season. The weather is getting cooler and I love it! I love the cooler weather of Fall...it brings hot chocolate, pumpkin spice lattes, hoodies, and boots. My other favorite love of Fall is Pumpkin. I love everything pumpkin! My family might turn into pumpkins because I cook and bake with it so much! One of my Fall favorites is definitely pumpkin spice muffins. I love having them for breakfast on a cool fall morning. My kids devour these ad keep asking for more. You can't go wrong with a good pumpkin muffin! It just screams comfort. My recipe for Pumpkin Spice Muffins is so easy and just adds a touch of sweetness. It doesn't have too much sugar, which I love because I'm trying to be good and cut sugar out these days. The honey adds a floral taste to it and it pairs lovely with the  pumpkin and spices. This recipe makes 6 jumbo muffins, 12 regular sized muffins, or 24 mini muffins. My kids love the mini muffins! They are perfect for after school snacking. I hope you love them!

Recipe for Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients:
1 Stick Butter, Softened (can use dairy free alternative)
1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Pure Clover Honey
1 15 oz. Can 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree
1 Tsp. Gluten Free Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
2 Cups All Purpose GF Flour Mix (I use Better Batter but you can use any mix you like)
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
2 Tsp. Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with muffin cups and set aside. Add the butter, brown sugar, and honey and beat in a stand mixer on medium high until creamy. Then, add in 2 eggs one at a time until fully combined. Lastly, add in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until mixed. Next, add in all the dry ingredients and spices and fully mix on medium . Scoop the batter into the muffin cups using a small ice cream scooper- only about 3/4 full.
Bake at at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden. You can serve these with some butter or some yummy cream cheese frosting! I prefer them just like they are, hot out of the oven.
To order Better Batter flour, visit www.betterbatter.org

Xo

Melanie

Buttermilk Biscuits

You know what I really miss since going gluten free? Biscuits! I love a good warm biscuit on a cold day. There's nothing like it. What I love even more is that they are so easy to make. I whipped these together this morning for breakfast! From start to finish, they took under 25 minutes. You can't beat that! I ate them on their own, but they would be amazing with some jam or with gluten free sausage and gravy! Can we say, comfort food!

I used a combination of White Rice Flour and Potato Flour, but you can certainly use a mix you like. The recipe makes 8 biscuits. You can also make a double batch and freeze them for later. Enjoy!

Recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
1 Cup White Rice Flour (could also use Brown Rice Flour)
1 Cup Potato Flour
1 Tsp. Zanthan Gum
3 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
2 Egg Whites, plus 1 egg
4 TBSP. Cold Butter, Chopped into small chunks
1 Cup Buttermilk


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, add the flours, zanthan gum, baking powder, and salt and pulse 3 times, until fully combined.
3. In a small bowl, add the egg whites, and buttermilk and whisk together until combined.
4. Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients in the food processor and pule 5-6 times, until the dough resembles coarse crumbles. Next, add in the wet ingredients and pulse another 4-5 times until dough forms.
5. Scoop out a handful of the dough and form into a ball (enough to fit in your palm). Gently press the dough down onto a floured surface and use a biscuit cutter or a glass cup to form the biscuits. Make them as thick or thin as you like. I like mine thicker, about 1/2 inch.
6. Crack the remaining egg into a small bowl and whisk together. Next, taking a brush, dip it in the egg and give each biscuit an egg wash coating.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Serve warm right away and freeze the remaining biscuits if desired.