Pumpkin Pie Chia Seed Pudding Oats

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, Lunch, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Pumpkin season is in full swing, and I am holding onto the few remaining weeks that I can go gaga over all things pumpkin spice without receiving excessive eye rolls. This chia seed pudding with gluten-free rolled oats is no exception! It’s super quick recipe that you can adapt to your dietary needs, and can be enjoyed as a breakfast on-the-go, post-workout meal or a healthy dessert. It’s ready in 5 minutes to throw in the fridge to sit for a few hours or overnight to enjoy at a moment’s notice.
This pudding is a delicious balance of high-fiber from the chia seeds, oats and pumpkin puree and is loaded with over 22 grams of protein (if you choose to add a scoop of powdered collagen or 1/2 scoop of your favorite protein powder, without that addition you still get a whopping 12 grams).

It’s thick and pudding-like, but that’s adaptable too if you prefer a more runny version. If you are grain-free, keto or paleo, eliminate the oats and add shredded coconut to keep you on track. The addition of ground cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg and ground ginger adds sweetness and helps balance out your blood sugar too.
This recipe is for one serving, but can easily be doubled or quadrupled if desired for easy meal prep. It will last in the fridge for several days after you make it too, so go ahead and prep a few ahead of time.

Pumpkin Pie Chia Seed Pudding Oats
Gluten-free, Grain-free/Paleo/Keto option, Vegan Option, High-Protein, Quick, No-Cook
Serves 1

Ingredients
1/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy yogurt (I used unsweetened vanilla coconut)
1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice*
2 Tbsp chia seeds (*see below for keto/paleo/grain-free)
1/3 cup uncooked gluten-free rolled oats (**see below for keto/paleo/grain-free)
1 scoop collagen powder (I used Primal Kitchen vanilla coconut) or 1/2 scoop of your favorite unflavored or vanilla protein, optional***
3 shakes of ground cinnamon
dash each of ground ginger and ground nutmeg
natural sweetener of choice to taste (***I used 4-5 drops of liquid monk fruit since the collagen powder was slightly sweetened but you can use maple syrup, erythritol, honey, agave, coconut sugar, date syrup or stevia)

Toppings (optional for serving)
chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans (eliminate for nut-free)
additional non-dairy yogurt

Directions
1. In a jar or small container with a lid, add all of the ingredients from pumpkin puree to sweetener. Stir with a spoon until mixed thoroughly (it will be thick).
2. Cover with a lid and set in the fridge to sit for 4 hours or overnight. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes
* If you prefer a more runny pudding (I like mine really thick), add an additional 1/4 -1/2 cup non-dairy milk
**For Keto/Paleo and/or grain-free, eliminate the oats and add 1 additional tablespoon of chia seeds and 2 Tbsp shredded coconut
***If you use a sweetened protein powder, you may not need to add sweetener or atleast use a lot less. Taste the mix and adjust to taste. If you follow a low carb, no sugar or keto diet, use stevia, monk fruit or erythritol

For more pumpkin-y recipes to squelch your craving, check out my Grain-free Pumpkin Pancakes , Creamy Spiced Pumpkin Dip, Pumpkin Pie Smoothie and my Pumpkin-Bluberry Breakfast Crisp for One!

20Nov2016

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler (SRC)

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Pies, cobblers, crisps…talk about comfort food! A sweet and cake-y or crumbly topping paired with a warm fruit filling make for the ideal combination of a flavors and textures that scream EAT ME NOW. Cobbler transports me back to vacation days at my grandparent’s in South Carolina…and my cousins, brother and I couldn’t wait to taste grandma’s homemade treat. Topped with her homemade peach ice cream, we all reached food nirvana (and a blissful sugar-induced coma)!

I was thrilled to be assigned Margaret’s Tea and Scones blog for the last hurrah for the Secret Recipe Club! It’s the final reveal for the club, and I want to all the hosts and members for making so many wonderful memories and fantastic recipes 🙂 For the finale, I couldn’t help but choose a “sweet ending” and a dish that evokes a huge heartfelt smile…so when I saw Margaret’s recipe for Peach Cobbler, I was sold.
Originally, I was deciding between Margaret’s Coconut and Salmon Laska Soup or her Chai Spice Scones yet a dessert seemed appropriate for this occasion, and I was not disappointed! I can’t wait to try other fruits and combos as well! A few other recipes that had me still loving fall flavors are her Sweet Potato Praline Brownies, Pumpkin Beer Bread and Sweet Potato Curry Puffs — there’s no denying winter squash and sweet taters are some of my favorite foods. They are most definitely on my list of dishes to try!

peach-blueberry-cobbler1

To make it allergen-friendly, I swapped out the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flours for a combo of oat flour and coconut flour to make it gluten-free. Margaret mentioned the cobbler needed to be a little sweeter so I opted for coconut sugar for the granulated sweetener and added some stevia to bump up the sweetness without a ton of added sugar. I also swapped non-dairy milk and butter-flavored coconut oil for the butter (and canola) to make it dairy-free. I had a few blueberries in the freezer and some leftover ground chia seeds so I tossed them in along with the frozen peaches for some added color, fiber and omega-3s. What a lovely recipe, the blueberry-peach reminded me so much of my sweet grandma! With these ingredients – oats, peaches, berries, coconut oil and chia…this made for a guilt-free yet decadent-tasting breakfast and a sweet AND satisfying dessert.

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler (adapted from Tea and Scones)
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Soy-free, Corn-free, Refined Sugar-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nut-free, Seed-free

Filling
3 large ripe peaches or 3 cups unsweetened frozen sliced peaches, diced into 1 inch cubes
2/3 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (or berries of choice or more peaches)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
4 tsp chia meal/ground chia seeds (or 2 tsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch)
1/8 tsp pure stevia and/or 3-4 tbsp granulated sweetener of choice

Topping
3/4 cup oat flour (I ground gluten-free rolled oats in a magic bullet)
2 Tbsp coconut flour (or 4 more Tbsp oat flour)
¼ cup coconut palm sugar or granulated sweetener of choice
15 drops vanilla-flavored liquid stevia or to taste (can use1/16 tsp powdered stevia or 3 more Tbsp granulated sweetener)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
1/2 cup non-dairy milk of choice
3 Tbsp coconut oil (I used butter-infused) or earth balance, ghee (if you can tolerate dairy), melted
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. To make the filling, if using fresh peaches, bring a 4-quart pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. With a paring knife, slice through each peach skin from end to end, but leave the peach intact. Place the peaches in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water for 30 seconds. Remove the skin from the peaches. Split the peaches in half, remove the pits, and slice each peach into 8 slices.

3. In a large bowl, toss together the sliced peaches, berries, lemon juice, cinnamon, and starch. Add the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, to taste depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Pour the peach mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish.

4. To make the topping, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk, butter, and oil and stir to combine. Distribute spoonfuls of the batter over the peaches, leaving some patches uncovered. Sprinkle with the cinnamon. Bake until golden brown, 25-28 minutes.

Yields 4 large or 6 medium servings
peach-blueberry-cobbler-pan

To view other recipes from this month’s reveal, click the link below!

8Sep2016

No-Bake Oat Fudge Bites or Bars (vegan)

Posted in Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Oatmeal has become my thing – savory, sweet, baked, raw, overnight oats, energy bites – I mean really, ALL things oatmeal are my current jam. I can’t get enough!

These no-bake oat fudge bites are no exception…and it combines two of my all-time favorites — chocolate and peanut butter — along with my new oat obsession for an easy, quick and satisfying treat that’s healthy enough to eat for breakfast! Yes, chocolate for breakfast is way-ok in my book 🙂

You can make bars instead of the individual cups if you’d prefer to slice and serve. I tend to lean towards mini versions of everything – if you can’t tell from my Chunky Monkey Frozen “Cupcakes”, No Bake Mini Chocolate Pudding Tarts and Blackberry Banana Coconut Muffin Bites . The bar version is even quicker since you don’t have to divide up the crust/topping and chocolate layer into individual portions.
Funny story when I was making these…it was late…like real late at night. (Quick disclaimer: when it’s past midnight, I go on auto-pilot and I don’t always pay attention to little things.) I reached into the cabinet to get my vanilla bean sea salt flakes to crumble and sprinkle over these fudge bites…but I was only paying half attention to what I grabbed. It was a small bag, dark in color and I thought I read “vanilla bean salt” on the bag. Nope. it was Mexican dried oregano…hmmm, so a couple of these little dudes got a savory sprinkle, oopsi! I even tried to use my tweezers to remove the oregano, ha!

The sea salt isn’t required but it certainly adds that “wow factor” in my mind! Just don’t use oregano and I think you’ll love these filling and fudge oat treats! 🙂 If you can’t tolerate nuts, feel free to substitute coconut butter for an equally delicious option!

oat fudge bites bite

No-Bake Two-Bite Oat Fudge Bars
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Egg-free, No-Bake, Vegan, Vegetarian, Nut-free option, Refined sugar-free

Ingredients
For the “Crust and Topping”
1 1/4 cup pitted dates
2 cups + 1/2 cup gluten-free quick oats
1/8 tsp vanilla bean powder
3 Tbsp (or more) non-dairy milk (or coconut oil for richer option)

For the Fudge layer
3 1/2 oz allergen-friendly dark chocolate chips or chopped bar (Enjoy life chips, homemade chocolate, Lily’s for sugar-free etc)*
3 Tbsp chunky or creamy peanut butter, nut butter or seed butter (for nut free, use coconut butter)
1 tsp coconut oil
1/8 tsp sea salt (I used vanilla bean sea salt flakes)

Directions

In a food processor, add dates and process until a ball is formed.
Add in 2 cups of oats and vanilla and process until powdery and combined. It will look dry. Drizzle in milk or oil and process until mixture forms a dough.
Add in remaining 1/2 cup oats and pulse a few times (this will make the dough have a nice texture with the pulverized and whole rolled oats). Remove from food processor and refrigerate for atleast 30 minutes to firm up.
Remove from fridge and either press all but heaping 1/2 cup of dough into a parchment lined loaf pan OR press roughly 1 1/2 Tbsp (large spoon) of dough into silicone mini muffin pans until forms a little flattened disc or crust.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate chips/chopped chocolate bar and coconut oil. Stir often until almost melted then add in peanut/nut/seed butter or coconut butter and stir until completely melted.
For loaf pan/bar preparation, pour chocolate over date mixture. For mini-muffin pan preparation, pour about 1 1/2 Tbsp of chocolate mixture over each crust.
Crumble the remaining 1/2 cup dough over the chocolate mixture evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt (if desired but I love how it brings out the chocolate flavor). Refrigerate until chocolate firms up, slice into bars (with loaf pan variation) or pop out the fudge bites and enjoy!!!

Makes 15-17 bites

If you cannot tolerate chocolate, carob chips or a chopped carob bar can be used as well! Just watch out for added dairy…so homemade carob bark is always a good allergen-friendly option (just omit the mint in my recipe)!

21Sep2014

Spooky No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (SRC)

Posted in Dessert, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Fall is hands-down my favorite time of year — the smells, the flavors, the colors, the cooler weather…all of it makes me a happy camper! I want to snuggle up in a big sweater (or sweatpants) and spend time in the kitchen creating comfort food. Let’s kick off Fall with a holiday-geared post for Halloween that’s not only quick, easy, health(ier) and fun. Oh yeah, and it has chocolate 🙂

I’m sold! These no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies are the perfect addition to a holiday party, a potluck, a kid’s school event, a bake-sale, or even a tailgate. Not only are they portable but they are allergen-friendly and a healthier version of no-bake cookies. I’d say that’s a win in my book…you CAN have your cookie and eat it too 🙂

I was thrilled to be assigned Wendy’s blog A Day in the Life on the Farm for September’s Secret Recipe Club reveal. I had my sight set on her Morel Mushroom and Wild Rice Bisque (doesn’t that sound heavenly?!) but had a small hiccup. True story – I went to the natural foods grocery store and found dried morels, yet I opted out when 1.2 ounces rang up for $56. Yikes. Wendy wasn’t kidding when she said morels are like gold, I tabled that recipe for a night when I really want to “treat” myself or for a special occasion!

I happily chose her No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies for this month’s reveal. Not only did I have a hankering for something sweet, but wanted something easy without much hassle (or maybe I didn’t want to wait on dessert). Once I was mid-recipe, ambition and creativity hit so I couldn’t help but whip out my cookie cutters for a little Halloween fun!

I made a few swaps to make these cookies allergy-friendly: I substituted coconut oil for the butter, sunflower butter for the peanut butter, and coconut palm sugar for the granulated white sugar. I amped up the fiber with a few tablespoons of flaxseed meal and I used non-dairy almond milk in lieu of regular cow’s milk. I made sure to use gluten-free oats and added a pinch of sea salt to the mixture. Voila…Now that’s comfort in a cookie WITHOUT sacrificing the taste 🙂

Spooky No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from Wendy’s recipe)
Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free, Dairy-free Vegetarian, Vegan, No-Bake, Egg-free, Nut-free Option

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil or Earth Balance Vegan Spread (could use butter but it won’t be dairy free or vegan)
1 1/2 – 2 cup granulated coconut palm sugar (or other granulated sweetener)*
1/2 cup dairy free milk (I used unsweetened vanilla Almond milk)
4 Tbsp cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (or peanut butter or other nut butter)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
generous pinch of sea salt, optional
3-3 1/2 cup gluten free oats** (I used about 3 1/4 cups)
2 Tbsp flaxseed meal, optional for added nutrition

For decorating and shaping (optional)
cookie cutters of your choice lightly greased with coconut oil
coconut butter (or your favorite recipe for a glaze) – I used about 3 Tbsp
black sesame seeds (for the eyes)

Directions

Add first 4 ingredients into a 4 qt. saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high and hold one minute stirring often.
Remove from heat. Add sunflower seed butter (or other nut or peanut butter) to hot mixture and stir until melted.
Add vanilla and sea salt and stir well.
Mix in the oats and flaxseed meal, then stir well.
Place cookie cutters on parchment paper and press mixture evenly into cookie cutters (make sure to press down to get into small creases) OR drop by tablespoons onto parchment paper. Let cool until set.
Carefully remove cookies from cookie cutters after completely cool. If decorating, melt coconut butter until it reaches a liquid state. I put the whole jar in simmering water for a while and stirred occasionally and then scooped about 3 Tbsp out. Spoon liquid coconut butter into a small plastic sandwich bag and cut a small corner off to create a tip. Pipe over cookies to decorate and use tweezers (or tiny fingers) to place sesame seed “eyes” or sprinkle over the cut-outs.

*I used less because I didn’t want these cookies as sweet, it’s up to you! You could probably use agave, maple syrup or honey but I haven’t tried it with this recipe.

**If you want a less chewy consistency for the oats, feel free to pulse the oats in a food processor several times since they aren’t quick cooking oats