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Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free)

3/29/2020

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Picture
​from the Minimalist Baker
​CRUST
  • 6 Tbsp cold vegan butter (or chilled coconut oil with varied results)
  • 1 1/4 cup Gluten Free Flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4-6 Tbsp ice cold water

FILLING
  • 2 3/4 cups pumpkin puree (1 1/2 15-ounce cans yield 2 3/4 cups)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
  • 1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or sub mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
​
Instructions
  1. To prepare crust, add gluten-free flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Slice or dollop the cold butter in and work gently with a fork or pastry cutter to cut it in. Don’t overwork, just get it incorporated.
  2. Next add ice cold water a little at a time and use a wooden spoon to stir. Only add as much water as you need to help it come together.
  3. Once a loose dough is formed, transfer to a piece of plastic wrap and work gently with your hands to form a 1/2 inch thick disc. Wrap firmly and refrigerate for a minimum 30 minutes, up to 2 days. Just let it warm back up a little before using. You don’t want it too warm or it can get too soft to handle.
  4. Once your dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and prepare pie filling.
  5. Add all pie ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.
  6. To roll out the crust, unwrap the disc and place it between two sizable layers of wax paper (plastic wrap will work OK, but is a little more difficult to work with). Use a rolling pin to gently roll it into the shape of your pie pan. If it cracks, don’t stress - you can reform it with your hands once you get it in the pan. But try and be gentle.
  7. To transfer the crust, remove the top layer of wax paper and gently lay the pie dish face down on top of the crust and use the support of the wax paper to quickly but carefully invert it. Don’t overthink it - just do it.
  8. Once you get the crust inverted, gently use your hands to form it into the pan, working the crust up along the sides. It can be a little tricky but it bakes beautifully, so it’s worth the effort! Just try not to overwork the dough in the process - it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to perfect the shape. Any holes or cracks can be mended with a little excess dough and the heat of your hand.
  9. TIP: I would advise against trying to be fancy and do any elaborate design with the crust, so just get the crust in, get a flat edge and go.
  10. Pour filling into pie crust and bake for 58-65 minutes. The crust should be light golden brown and the filling will still be just a bit jiggly and have some cracks on the top. Remove from oven and let cool completely before loosely covering and transferring to the refrigerator to fully set for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
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Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread

3/29/2020

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Picture
​You would never know this is gluten-free.  One of the most popular breads to come out of the organic kitchen I was in charge of.

1 cup (250 mL) tapioca starch
1 cup (250 mL) brown rice flour
3/4 cup (175 ml) potato starch
3 Tbsp. (45 ml) ground flaxseeds
2 tsp (10 ml) quick rising dry yeast, (instant)
2 tsp (10 ml) xanthan gum
3/4 tsp (4 ml) salt
1-1/3 cups (325 ml) milk, warmed
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) liquid honey
2 tsp (10 ml) light-tasting olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) cider vinegar

​In large bowl, whisk together tapioca starch, brown rice flour, potato starch, flaxseeds, yeast, xanthan gum and salt.

Whisk together milk, eggs, honey, oil and vinegar. Pour over tapioca starch mixture; stir until well combined. Scrape into parchment paper–lined 8- x 4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pan; smooth top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or clean dish towel; let stand in warm draft-free place until loaf rises just above rim of pan, about 20 minutes.  
Bake in 350ºF (180ºC) oven until light golden and cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack; serve warm or let cool. 

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

I found the bread rose better in the warm oven.  I turn it on to 200 F while I make the bread and then turn the oven off when I am placing the bread in the pan...if it doesn't rise above the rim of the pan...don't panic as it seems temperature of kitchen while mixing affects as well. 

Cutting the bread in to slices and freezing the portions to use when you want is a great way to preserve a bread that does not contain preservatives for long shelf life.

Requested Substitutes for Xanthan Gum

Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are an excellent binding agent and can absorb up to 12 times their own weight in water. They form a gel-like substance which improves the consistency of dough and locks in moisture when baking breads, pastries and cakes.
They can be ground, although this is not necessary for the binding effect to take place. Chia seeds are also extremely high in fiber and can have a laxative effect. They are popular replacements for xanthan gum because while they have a nutty flavor, it’s mild and tends not to interfere with the flavor of the baked goods they are added to.
Substituting xanthan for these is simple as you use a 1:1 ratio. Just use the same amount of chia (in weight) as you would xanthan and you’re all set!
Psyllium Husk
Psyllium husk or psyllium fibre is a relatively new binding agent which is typically used as a xanthan substitute in breads. It has been scientifically proven to improve the structure of gluten-free dough and improve the texture, volume and rising of gluten free baked bread.
It is typically found as a dietary fibre supplement in most health stores and is used by athletes to lower cholesterol. A 5% psyllium fibre flour mix is best for baking breads (1 part psyllium to 19 parts of flour).
Konjac Powder
Also known as Glucomannan powder, Konjac powder is ground up konjac root which has been used in Asia as a dietary fiber for several hundreds of years. Like Psyllium fiber, it is used as a supplementary source of fiber as well as a thickener.
Its high fiber content lends it numerous health benefits which include the reduction of blood cholesterol and a lower bowel cancer risk. It also helps control blood sugar levels but its binding properties are most relevant for our purposes.
When used in baking, you can use the same amount of Konjac powder as you would xanthan gum (1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour for cakes and breads). For other baked goods like flatbreads or tortillas, you can increase the amount of Konjac you use to ¾ teaspoon per cup of four to get the desired consistency.
Flax Seeds
Flax seeds are extremely popular in baking and also as a health supplement (flax seed oil). They are a great binding agent and are easily found (because of their popularity). On top of all this, they are cheap to buy!
In their natural form, flax seeds are not very useful as a binding agent. They have to be ground first and then mixed with hot water. The water has to be boiled first and then mixed with the flax to form a gel like paste known as ‘slurry’ which is then added to gluten free flour for baking breads and cakes.
For substitution, use the same weight of ground flax as you would xanthan gum. Then mix it in twice the amount of water (2 tbsp of ground flax mixed with 4 tbsp of hot boiling water).
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Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins

3/29/2020

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Picture
from Well Plated
  1. ​1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
  2.  ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  3.  3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  4.  2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  5.  1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  6.  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  7.  4 large eggs
  8.  3/4 cup canned pumpkin — not pumpkin pie filling
  9.  1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  10.  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  11.  Up to 1/2 cup mix-ins: chocolate chips cranberries, toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans or a mixture of the above.

Instructions
  1. Place a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, kosher salt, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet. Gently stir, just until combined and the flour disappears. Fold in any desired mix-ins.
  3. Divide the batter evenly between the cups, filling them nearly all the way to the top. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the muffin pan on a wire rack, and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently lift the muffins out of the pan, and place on the rack to finish cooling for as long as you can stand the suspense. Enjoy!
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Paleo Bread (Gluten-Free)

2/27/2020

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Picture
​1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
¼ cup golden flaxseed meal
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
5 eggs
¼ cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon raw honey 
(or pure maple syrup)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

​Place almond flour, coconut flour, flax, salt and baking soda in a food processor and pulse ingredients together. Pulse in eggs, oil, honey and vinegar Pour batter into a parchment lined bread pan
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool and serve

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED
 
Whenever given a recipe, I like playing with the ingredients and the process to ensure a great end result. 
 
Not everyone has the electrical kitchen gadgets.... when I can, I like to conquer certain recipes by hand to test if there is any difference in the end product.  With this recipe there is no difference.  Just ensure you thoroughly mix the dry ingredients before adding the wet.  I like using a fork but a whisk is also an excellent choice.
 
This bread can sliced and frozen, taking out what you need each time.
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long before it was cool to be a minimalist, live a sustainable life, become a zero waste warrior we just called it simple living  or what  some could not resist calling us....'those damn hippies....not much has changed in the years since, except the wording...now some can not resist calling us.... 'those damn natural nuts'...hence the name.
​Just Another Natural Nut
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  • Welcome
    • Contact
  • Cleaning Products
    • Why I do What I do
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    • From My Kitchen
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  • Green Goddess Campaign
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  • Stand Out & Get Noticed
    • COVID-19 & Your Business