Pumpkin Roll with Goat Cheese Filling

It's officially Fall. How do I know this? I know this because Starbucks started offering Pumpkin Spice Latte. Yummo. You can find my adaptation of SB Frappacino here. Pumpkins are in abundance here in Indiana this fall. Here is my blog entry for processing a pie pumpkin. Putting a few bags of pumpkin pulp in the freezer is easy and so much more economical then purchasing canned. This recipe is easy and can be made without causing chaos in the kitchen. It is full of good nutrition and real food. No grains, nut free and no refined sugars.

It gets the taste test of approval from all who have tasted it. I cant forget to give credit to the original recipe source. You can see that here at Primally Inspired. Check out Kelly's blog.

Pumpkin Roll with Goat Cheese Filling

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin pulp
• 1/2 scant, cup maple syrup, agave or coconut nectar
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut oil/ghee or coconut oil or ghee
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 Tbls pumpkin pie spice

Goat Cheese filling

• 8 oz whipped chevre goat cheese
• 1/4 cup ghee or softened butter
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tbls vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line 10X15 jelly roll pan with parchment paper making sure parchment paper overlaps the end of pan.
3. In large bowl mix pumpkin, maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil/ghee, and vanilla using hand mixer.
4. In small bowl mix flour, soda, salt and spice.
5. Pour dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. 
6. Incorporate completely.
7. Pour over parchment paper using a spatula to spread evenly.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. While cake is baking make filling.
10. In small bowl add goat cheese, ghee, maple syrup, vanilla and spice and mix until well blended, set aside until cake is cooled.
11. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes.
12. Using parchment paper roll the cake from the short end and let cool for about an hour.
13. Once cake is cooled, unroll and spread goat cheese filling and roll.
14. Don't worry about cracks in the cake as it will all come together when you roll it up with the filling inside.
15. Cover and store in refrigerator.

This slices beautifully.
ENJOY!
This will be a regular treat for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
What's your favorite fall dessert?

Piña Colada Cupcakes with Pineapple Trehalose Frosting

Who doesn't love coconut cake. At least I love coconut cake. I grew up hearing my dad talk about his mom making a most excellent coconut cake. It was one of his favorites. 

I adapted these pina colada cupcake recipe from the coconut cake recipe here which was adapted from a recipe at Make it Paleo . 

I made this coconut cake and took it to work to share. BTW, if you are ever near my office on Tuesday or Wednesday, you could possibly taste test whatever I am currently test baking. My sister tasted the cake and suggested the addition of pineapple might add a new dimension to the already delicious cake. This was all I needed to try something different. According to the taste testers, it is a WINNER! Here is my adaptation.

Piña Colada Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted but not hot
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 10 eggs
• 1 Tbls vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2/3 cup crushed unsweetened*pineapple, well drained (place in sieve and press juice out of the pineapple)
• 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees.
2. Line cupcake tins with silicone cupcake cups or papers
3. In small bowl combine all the dry ingredients and set aside
4. In medium bowl combine the eggs, maple syrup vanilla. Fully incorporate.
5. While blending slowly add the coconut oil.
6. Add the dry ingredients, incorporating completely.
7. Stir in drained pineapple and shredded coconut
8. Let batter set for about 5 minutes to thicken.
9. Stir again and fill cupcake papers about 2/3rd full.
10. Bake 18 to 23 minutes.
11. Let cool completely the frost with pineapple trehalose frosting (recipe below)

*I used frozen pineapple chunks from Costco. I tossed a couple handfuls into a food processor to crush.

Pineapple Trehalose Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 cups Trehalose
• 1/4 cup freeze dried pineapple
• 1/2 cup unsalted Kerry Gold Butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp orange extract
• 1 to 4 Tbls hot water

Instructions

1. Measure trehalose and freeze dried pineapple into blender and blend for 20 seconds to 90 seconds, depending on the power level of your blender. I use a Vitamix which takes about 20 seconds.
2. Dump trehalose and pineapple into bowl.
3. Using a hand mixer, add butter and extracts.
4. Slowly add hot water 1 Tbls at a time while blending with hand mixer.
5. Add enough water to desired frosting consistency.
6. Frost cooled Piña Colada Cupcakes with Pineapple Trehalose Frosting.

The pineapple was just what this recipe needed to pop on the tastebuds!

What is your cupcake recipe?

ENJOY!!

Best Brownie Recipe Barr None!

Love this recipe and let me state this right up front, "This recipe is NOT my recipe!" Nor are alot of these recipes I post. I just love to try new recipes that are nutritious and super yummy and then pass my findings on to you. I have been making this brownie recipe for a couple years now and every time I do someone asks me for the recipe and I ALWAYS send them to www.Elanaspantry.com/brownies . It is a never fail brownie and if you have a nut allergy you can sub in Sunbutter for the almond butter.

This is my "go to" recipe for potlucks and carry ins or whatever you call it in your neck of the woods. 

These brownies fits all my criteria for ease of preparation, ingredients availability and. of course, deliciousness! I made a couple adjustments based on the ingredients I had in my kitchen.

Elana's Pantry Brownies

 Ingredients:

• 1-16 oz jar of Almond Butter (I used Trader Joes brand) Or for nut allergy use SunButter
• 2 Eggs
• 1 1/4 cups maple syrup, or honey, coconut nectar, agave
• 1 Tbls Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life) I have also tossed in a few chopped walnut, pecans or almond slivers to add a little more excitement.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease 9 X 13 glass baking dish with coconut oil. 
3. Using hand mixer blend the almond butter until smooth.
4. Add eggs and blend, then add sweetener of choice and vanilla and blend.
5. Mix in cocoa, salt and soda until fully incorporated.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Pour into prepared glass baking dish and bake for approx 30 to 40 minutes. Do NOT over bake. Remove from oven as soon as your toothpick test is good. You know the toothpick test. Insert it in the middle and when it comes out clean the brownies are done. Finished. 

These have a fudgey texture so remember No Over Baking!! I can't emphasize that enough.

Don't be tempted to dig in before they are completely cooled.

Let the brownies cool completely before cutting and removing from the pan. 

I highly encourage you to visit Elana's blog. There are literally hundreds of delicious recipes that are for specific food sensitivities. She has an incredible story. Take the time to read it. You will be impressed. I AM. Elana Armstrong is my hero! Besides her blog she has several awesome cookbooks. 

All roads lead to her when it comes to gluten-free/paleo and almond flour cooking and baking. 

Tell me what your favorite brownie recipe is.

ENJOY!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes, Paleo

So I brought a couple beets home. Of course I needed to use them for this recipe. I heard that the original Red Velvet Cake recipe was colored with beets. Beets IMHO is a super food. Good for your liver. I have read a little about how important it is to eat foods from all color spectrums.
Hey Google it!

Anyway, I searched for an easy Paleo Red Velvet Cake recipe and I found this one Dana shared on the Paleo Palate.

This is my adaptation of the recipe. I was a little disappointed the red baked out of the cupcakes but the rich flavor remained. I made mini cupcakes as a way of exercising portion control. NO power loading please!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup maple syrup or other liquid sweetener such as agave, coconut nectar or honey
• 1/2 cup softened butter or ghee or coconut oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cps almond flour
• 2 pureed beets(approx 1 cup)
• 2 Tbls Cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Peel the beets and cut into small pieces and covered with water in small saucepan and boiled for approx 45 minutes until fork slips into it easily. Drain and set aside and let cool slightly.
3. Place cooked beets in a food processor and puree.
4. Measure out one cup of pureed beets into a bowl and mix softened butter in.
5. Add sweetener, eggs and vanilla into the beet mixture.
6. In a separate small bowl whisk together the dry ingredients(flour, cocoa, soda and salt).
7. Dump the dry ingredients into the beet mixture. Beat with a hand mixer until well blended.
8. Grease mini-cupcake pan and fill to just below the rim.
9. Place on middle rack of oven and bake for 15 minutes.
10. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes and remove from pan.
11. Let cool completely and frost with your favorite paleo frosting.

My favorite frosting recipe is Goat Cheese Trehalose Frosting here

Enjoy!!

These cupcakes are full of good wholesome ingredients and satisfies. When your nutritional needs are met you are less likely to over eat.