Life, Gluten Free

Maple Meringues

If you've never made meringues before, you should definitely give it a try. It's a fun project to do with your kids. My daughter really enjoyed making these, it was our first time making meringues! They are tasty and store well in an air-tight container. Let us know if you try these.

Maple Meringues

Servings: 24

Ingredients:

3 egg whites

1/3 cup organic maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch fine sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees fahrenheit.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add egg whites, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt.

Beat on high with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form (this can take about 3 minutes or longer).

Once well beaten, add to a piping bag with star tip.

Pipe onto the baking sheets. 

Bake at 200 or 2 hours.

Do not open oven (this can cause the meringues to collapse).

After 2 hours, turn off oven and keep them in for another hour or so.

Enjoy and store in air tight container! 

 

Grain Free Apple Cider Donuts

Ingredients:

2 cups Organic Apple Cider

1 1/4 cups Cassava Flour

1/3 cup Organic Cane Sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoons Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 eggs

3 tablespoons Avocado Oil

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:

Measure out 2 cups of the organic apple cider and simmer in a sauce pan over medium heat for about 15 minutes. This will reduce it and concentrate the flavors. Once reduced, measure out 1 cup and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt).

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, 1 cup reduced apple cider, avocado oil and vanilla.

Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry. Add the apple cider vinegar as you do this, and mix until well combined.

Grease a donut pan with avocado oil. I use this silicone donut pan.

Use a spoon and evenly distribute the batter into each donut mold. This makes 6 donuts using the pan I have.

Bake donuts for about 15 minutes, until just golden brown and tooth pick comes out clean.

Remove the donuts and let them cool on a plate or a cooling rack.

Whisk the apple cider glaze ingredients together. Once the donuts are still just a bit warm, you can dip the tops into the glaze. 

Apple Cider Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup Powdered Sugar

2 tablespoons Organic Apple Cider

1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

We've also made these donuts and dipped them in a homemade marshmallow glaze!

Photo below. We hope you enjoy these grain free donuts.

Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Dairy-free, Nut-free)

These cookies are super quick to make and they don't last long because they're super tasty! Be sure to follow us on Instagram @heathercollins to learn about what we're baking and cooking each week. 

One of our instagram followers said about these cookies: "Made these yesterday and gone in an hour. So yummy! Probably making again today ... Thank you for sharing"

1 cup gluten free rolled oats (One Degree GF Rolled Oats)
1 cup cassava flour (we use Otto's Naturals Cassava Flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut sugar or cane sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (Parker's Maple Syrup)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pre heat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately.

Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet.

Use a small scoop to measure out cookies onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 15 minutes. Yields about 15 cookies.

Homemade Gummy Bears Without the Junk!

My daughter loves these and can pretty much make them herself now. It's fun to experiment with different flavors of juice. 

Ingredients:

1 cup organic juice

4 tablespoons grass-fed gelatin

2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)*

Silicone molds like gummy bears or ice cube trays

*I usually don't add maple syrup but certain juices need a little extra sweetness. You can use your judgement!

Directions:

Warm juice on the stove in a sauce pan. Slowly mix in the gelatin until well dissolved. Add maple syrup. If the juice we are using is really pale, sometimes we'll add a few drops of vegetable coloring just to give it a nice color pop! Once everything is mixed well and gelatin is dissolved, you can add these to your molds. I found that silicone molds work best. If you are using small molds like gummy bears, use a dropper to help you get the juice into the molds.

You can place the trays in the refrigerator or freezer until the gelatin is set. Once you remove the gummies from the molds, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy! They don't last long in my house before everyone eats them up. 

These would be perfect to snack on through the day, school lunches and more!

 

Chocolate Fudge (no dairy, no soy)

I hope you all had a peaceful Christmas and a great start to the New Year. We had a relaxing Christmas and then took a small trip for New Years.

We spent time in one of our favorite places, Breckenridge. We snowshoed and enjoyed the beauty around us. We headed to Manitou Springs to ring in 2016. I treasure time with my family and I am looking forward to what this year brings us.

When I was a child, we lived in a place that did not get much snow. It was always our tradition to make fudge whenever it did snow. My dad would make my grandpa's fudge recipe, which was the perfect fudge - rich, velvety and very chocolatey. 

The fudge I made today was so good, and my daughter loved it. The ingredients are very different from when I was a child, and I feel great that I can re-create a childhood memory for my own daughter with ingredients that work for us now.

I hope you try it and enjoy it with your loved ones.

Fudge (no dairy, no soy, paleo-friendly)

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate chips 

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

1 ripe avocado

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

4 tablespoons maple syrup

dash of sea salt

Directions:

In a double broiler, melt the coconut oil, coconut cream and dark chocolate chips. Once melted, add to a food processor with the avocado, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, maple syrup and dash of sea salt. Process ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Pour into a greased 8x8 glass baking dish. Refrigerate for a few hours until well set, then slice into squares and enjoy!

 

S'mores Pie (nut-free, dairy-free!)

This pie was such a hit that I was only able to snap one quick photo of it. Everyone loved it!

S'mores pie is perfect for Summer or Autumn. I think it would make a great treat for a Halloween party.

The dandies marshmallows (vegan) work really well and are very tasty. We took them camping this year and roasted them by the fire on many occasions.

On our trip to the Royal Gorge; we brought along dandies marshmallows, enjoy life chocolate and gluten-free ice cream cones to make a fun treat by the fire.

I'm sure I'll get asked what we made so here's a quick explanation: Stuff the ice cream cones with marshmallows and chocolate, then wrap them individually in foil. Carefully place them by the fire and let roast for a few minutes. You'll have an ooey gooey treat :)

I buy my dandies marshmallows and enjoy life chocolate chips from Thrive Market.

Okay back to the s'mores pie! Here is how I made it. Let me know if you try it :)

S'mores Pie (vegan, nut-free, gluten-free)

Crust ingredients:

1 8 ounce package of gluten-free graham crackers

1 tablespoon organic earth balance (could sub coconut oil)

7 tablespoons coconut oil 

marshmallow layer ingredients:

1  10 ounce package of vegan mini marshmallows (we use dandies)

2 tablespoons softened organic earth balance

chocolate pie layer:

1 10 ounce package of enjoy life chocolate chips

1 package of organic mori-nu silken tofu extra firm

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup coconut milk

Directions:

First make the graham cracker crust by blending the ingredients in a food processor. Add to a lightly greased pie dish and chill in the refrigerator.

Prepare a double broiler to melt the marshmallows for the s'mores layer. Melt marshmallows with earth balance, stirring as you go. Add to to the pie crust and let sit while you make the chocolate pie layer.

In a double broiler, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil and coconut milk together.

Add to food processor with the package of silken extra firm tofu. Blend well.

Once it is nice and creamy, spread the chocolate filling on top of the marshmallow layer. 

Refrigerate until firm and serve.

After we let the pie firm up some, we topped with natural white sprinkles (we used these by India Tree).

 ♥ (photo below from one of our summer trips this year to Breckenridge! Loved it).

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (dairy-free, nut-free)

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This cake is essentially my pumpkin spice cake recipe, which can be found here. Except in boxed form! I spotted a gluten free non-gmo pumpkin cake mix at the store a while back. I decided to buy it just for a time when maybe I needed to make something quickly. Well that time came sooner than later! 

My daughter needed a couple of treats to bring to her homeschool program this week since there are a few birthday celebrations. I decided to go ahead and try out the mix I bought: Sun Flour Mills Pumpkin Cake Mix. 

I have to say, this is probably the first box mix that I was pleased with. Granted, I've only ever tried maybe three or four mixes.

I would definitely buy it again to have on hand for those moments when you need something quick.

So here's what I did:

I followed the directions on the box and combined all the ingredients (including 3 organic eggs) and I used an electric hand mixer to blend everything well. One thing I did add extra was more pumpkin spice (by Spicely) because we like a lot of spice.

This makes a lot of cake! My daughter wanted cupcakes, because who doesn't? I only have one cupcake pan that makes 12 cupcakes. This mix states it makes 32 cupcakes. So I used a round cake pan for the rest of the batter.

*One thing to note about this mix is that it rises pretty high. My cupcakes almost overflowed, which resulted in some crispy edges that my daughter really enjoyed.

Frosting:

1/2 cup softened butter (I used organic earth balance)

8 oz softened cream cheese (I used daiya dairy-free cream cheese)

2 cups organic powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine and beat on low speed until light and fluffy.

Tip: Have a cute helper assist you with the icing of the cupcakes!

 

Chocolate Pie with Ginger Snap Crust

My husband loves pie and I love to make pie! It's fun and usually quite simple and quick.

My go-to pie recipe base is avocado because it is easy and makes it very creamy. You can't taste the avocado. But since you can't always get good avocados, I decided to try and make a pie without them.

This pie was more firm and much richer, like a large chocolate truffle! 

Chocolate Pie

Crust:

13 gluten-free ginger snap cookies (we use Lucy's)

2 tablespoons coconut oil

5 dates

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in the food processor until you have a fine texture that pinches and holds between you fingers.

Add to lightly greased (with coconut oil) pie dish. Set in fridge while you make the filling.

Filling:

10 ounce bag of sweetened chocolate chips (we use enjoy life)

1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk

1/2 cup coconut cream

2 tablespoons coconut oil

additional 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk (added later)

Directions:

in a double broiler, melt chocolate chips with 1/2 cup coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut oil.

Once melted, transfer to food processor and begin to blend.

Add additional 1/3 cup coconut milk and continue blending until creamy.

Add to pie dish and let chill in the refrigerator.

Decorate with strawberries for fun!

*Let the pie sit out for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Creamy Strawberry Popsicles (dairy free)

These creamy popsicles were a big hit in my house! Even though it's not really summer here at all. It's pretty much been raining for a couple months. But, my daughter loves popsicles and will eat them any time of the year. 

Strawberries are in season so this is a great recipe to make. All you need is strawberries, maple syrup and coconut milk! I used my Vitamix but you could use any blender.

Ingredients:

1 can of organic full fat coconut milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

8 big organic strawberries - plus extra to cut into chunks

Directions:

Add coconut milk, maple syrup and strawberries to blender. Blend until well mixed.

Pour into your favorite popsicle molds and add some strawberry chunks for extra flavor and fun.

Freeze overnight.

Sophie said she really liked that I put strawberry chunks in the popsicles :)

Enjoy on a rainy or sunny day!

Strawberry Pudding

Sophie isn't allergic to strawberries anymore so I knew I had to make a strawberry pudding! My family loved this pudding and it's super easy to make. It didn't last long. Organic strawberries are starting to come into the stores at a great price so we will have to come up with a strawberry popsicle recipe soon too.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dates

3 cup strawberries

2 small avocados 

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon coconut oil

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons coconut cream

Directions:

Soak the dates in hot water until soft and then discard the water.

Add all ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth and creamy!

Refrigerate until the pudding is cool and serve with strawberry slices :)