cashew pumpkin cream {date sweetened}

Fear not.  This blog will not turn into a pumpkin patch for all of fall.  I will infuse this page with pumpkin minimally + creatively.  I just can’t help myself.

Pumpkin has been a favorite of mine ever since I can remember.  My mom hates it.  My dad loves it.  Chris hates it.  I love it.  So I get it.  It’s a love it or hate it kind of thing.

Today, I took a stab at a recipe idea that popped in my head a few weeks ago.  It all came about when I was making cherry cashew cream frosting for the almond meal muffins.  Adding pumpkin to the mix could only make things creamier.  I thought the mild cashew flavor and pumpkin spices would work well together. 

And boy did they ever.

Lately, I’ve really enjoyed using cashews as a base for sauces and frostings.  Soaked cashews offer a luxuriously rich texture full of healthy fats + nutrients.  They can be utilized in soups, sauces, frostings, nut butters, and more.  It’s still amazing to me how versatile nuts are. 

My purpose with this recipe was to see if I could come up with a comparable version of the standard pumpkin cream cheese dip you’ve all seen before.  My goal was not to replicate that recipe but to create something that was just as enticing + sinful.

While the cream cheese dip is delicious, I have to admit this one wins in my book.  It tastes like straight-up pumpkin pie filling.  And personally, I would much rather scarf down pumpkin pie filling than pumpkin cheesecake filling.

Smooth, thick, spiced, and so very creamy.

Pumpkin pie in a bowl.

Dip, slather, spread, or scoop.

I’ll let you decide.

Print this!

Cashew Pumpkin Cream – Date Sweetened

vegan, gluten-free // yields 1 1/4 cup

• 1/2 cup raw/unsalted cashews, soaked
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 6-8 large medjool dates, soaked
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup unsweetened almond/hemp/soy milk
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Soak cashews in a bowl and leave on the counter overnight [or for at least 5 hours].
2. Soak dates in a bowl of warm water until tender. About 30 minutes – 1 hour.  Remove the pits.
3. Drain the cashews and add them to your high speed blender with 6 of the drained soaked dates, 1/4 cup milk, vanilla extract, all of the spices, and salt.
4. Blend the ingredients from low to high while using your blender stir stick to keep the mixture moving.  Add more milk [slowly] if needed to thin out.  I used a total of 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.
5. Blend until completely smooth.
6. Add more soaked dates and blend if a sweeter taste is desired.
7. Store in the fridge in a covered container for 4-5 days.

notes:  If you’re having a hard time getting things moving in your blender you may want to add a bit more pumpkin puree and/or milk.  Taste and add more spices if needed.  Using the stir stick is key!  This may work with a small or large food processor, but I’m not sure that it will get to the same smooth texture.

First book deadline is Monday.

Back to doughnut-land.

Have a great weekend!

Ashley

gluten free banana bread

I’m finally feeling human again and figured I should celebrate by getting my rear end back into the kitchen.

Banana bread has been on my must make list since oh, I don’t know, the day I went gluten free?  You know, one + a half years ago…

This has been a long time coming.

If you’ve been around here for awhile then you’ve come to know my typical process when it comes to baking. 

Trial after trial after trial.  But not today!  One and done!

You may remember last summer I successfully made GF zucchini bread, GF zucchini snack cake, and GF + vegan zucchini bread after a few major flops.

My goal with gluten free baking is to create recipes that are simple in process, use only a few types of flour, and don’t include starches or gums.  At the same time I strive for a texture that would please anyone’s palette.  I try to make the gluten-free aspect undetectable.

I haven’t tried making any type of yeast bread, but I’m sure in that case the starches and gums may be necessary.

However, with muffins, doughnuts, cakes, and quick-breads they’re really not.

When I caught a glimpse of the bread as the oven door squeaked open I could not believe my eyes.

It rose and cracked perfectly.  Possibly better than any bread I’ve never made.

Without hesitation, the only words to come out of my mouth were, “holy sh…”

Then, the agonizing cooling period. 

Wait 10 minutes.

Don’t eat it.

Take it out of the pan.

Triple cross your fingers it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Cool it again.

Slice it.

Don’t eat it!!!

Prepare for photographs.

Don’t eat it.

Hope that it’s delicious because the minutes you spend photographing keep passing by.

Obsess over the thick crust that formed.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

Cover it with banana nut butter spread.

Don’t eat it.

Aaaand done.

Eat!

Holy sh…

Print this!

Gluten Free Banana Bread

gluten-free, dairy-free // yields one 8x4 loaf

• 1 cup gluten free oat flour
• 3/4 cup raw buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 2 tablespoons flax meal
• 1/2 + 1/3 cup mashed banana [2 overripe large bananas]
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons safflower oil
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts [optional]

1. Preheat your oven to 350*.
2. Grease and flour your 8x4 bread pan or line it with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl stir all dry ingredients—excluding the nuts—together until well combined.
4. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs together and whisk in all of the wet ingredients including the mashed banana.  Whisk until thoroughly combined.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir with a large wooden spoon until just combined.  Avoid over stirring.
6. Fold in the nuts and let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
7. Pour into the bread pan and evenly spread to the edges.
8. Place on the center rack and bake for 48-58 minutes.  Toothpick test for doneness.  You want a toothpick that is moist but not gooey or bone dry.
9. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan then slide a butter knife around the edges to release the bread, turn upside down, and gently shake out.
10. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

notes: For altitude around 5,000’ increase your oven to 370* and use 3/4 tsp baking powder.  You can easily make oat flour at home by grinding gluten free rolled oats or gluten free steal cut oats in your high speed blender, coffee grinder, or flour mill until it reaches the consistency of flour.  You can do the same with raw buckwheat groats and raw almonds.  To grease + flour your pan [refer to photo 3]: Spread butter using a small piece of parchment paper onto the bottom and sides of the pan. Cover thoroughly. Sprinkle in about 1 Tbsp oat flour into the pan lightly tap on the sides to move the flour around until fully covered. Tap on all sides upside down over the sink to release excess flour.  Feel free to use a 9x5, 8x8, or 9x9 pan but note that the baking times will decrease.

Banana Nut Butter Spread

• 1 banana
• 3 Tbsp nut/seed butter [peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower, etc.]
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt

1. In a small food processor, a hand immersion blender, or even mashing together with a fork add all the ingredients and process until creamy and smooth.
2. Scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.
3. Best if used immediately but can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for 1-2 days.  The top layer will brown in the fridge.  Stir before using.

notes: Best if using a firm but ripe banana.

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One of my proudest baking moments to date.

I’m back!

Ashley