Pumpkin Muffins (Gluten + Dairy + Refined Sugar Free + Vegan Option)

I seriously looooovvvvveeee pumpkin. Anything pumpkin, especially once the weather changes, is the best. thing. ever. Hot cup of coffee & a pumpkin muffin? Yes please!
These totally hit the spot & have become my families favorite treat. My husband loves his packed with chocolate chips. They're gluten + dairy free and have refined sugar free + vegan options, so they please everyone in my house! Enjoy!

PUMPKIN MUFFINS (Gluten & Dairy free with Refined sugar free and Vegan options)

• 1 Cup Gluten Free Flour Blend (I use and love Sarah's G/F flour blend recipe) 
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 eggs* (vegan notes below)
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 cup coconut sugar (substitute up to half with honey or maple syrup)
• 1/3 cup applesauce or apple butter
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips or carob chips (optional) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl mix the gluten free flour blend, baking soda & salt. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl combine eggs, pumpkin, sugars, applesauce, coconut oil & cinnamon. Mix together until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet & stir until combined. Don't over mix.

Place 12 paper liners into a standard size muffin tin. Use an ice cream scoop to fill each cup & then bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Muffins are done when the center is pushed on and is firm and doesn't sink but springs back.

*To make vegan, replace eggs with 4 1/2 teaspoons of ener-g egg replacer blended with 6 Tbs water until frothy. I also added 1 tsp baking powder to the dry ingredients to give the muffins a little more rise.

Ginger Cookies (Gluten free/Vegan/Refined sugar free)

So I'm on my iphone right now doing about 10 things at once, but one of those 10 things is making cookies, and I just had to post the recipe ASAP. I recently discovered I can't have chocolate (I know. Don't even get me started.) so I've been doing a lot of self discovery through finding non-chocolate recipes I like. First thing I've discovered along my journey? Everything needs chocolate. BUT these ginger cookies are pretty darn good, they're SUPER simple, and they make me feel like the holidays are coming, even if it is 86 degrees out.

Hope you enjoy!

Ginger Cookies (Gluten Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free)

1 Cup Honeyville almond flour
1/2 Cup oat flour (or 1/2 cup old fashioned oats) *you can use all almond flour if you want. Cookies will be much softer and chewier instead of crisp and chewy.
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup Spectrum shortening
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon molasses
Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Put everything in the bowl of your food processor and process until the dough comes together. If you're using oats instead of oat flour put your oats in first and pulse a few times until they're ground up, then continue adding everything else.
• Roll into Tablespoon size balls and press down with a fork, or if you want a thicker cookie just leave them.
• Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes. Let cool on pan for a few minutes before transferring to baking rack.

These would taste really yummy frosted. Just saying.

The Absolute Best Ever Gluten Free, Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan Option)

It's been far too long between posts lately! Such is life I suppose. I'm working really hard to get my health back in order, and hopefully I'll be able to share bits of my journey with you all at some point. So much to do, so little time & energy. I ALWAYS have time for chocolate chip cookies though! These are especially tasty, probably my favorite treat at the moment!

I was at Trader Joe's and saw they had these gluten free chocolate chip cookies & got really excited. Then I read the ingredients and got really un-excited. Of course they're filled with lots of unhealthy things as well as dairy, which I cannot have at all.  So, I had to make up my own for when I'm not being extraordinarily good and eating my OMG chocolate chip cookies (which have no refined sugar in addition to being g/f & vegan). I took them to one of my best friends who is my foodie friend and critic. She LOVED them, as did my husband, and her husband, and my brother, and sister-in-law….you get the point. Everyone loved them. These are my most requested treat I make, and I make them too much. Now I'm sharing them with you so YOU can make them too much. It's always more fun to eat a sweet treat when someone else is joining you, isn't it? 

If you're vegan, I used egg replacer with fabulous results! My friend who has been a vegan for years raved about them! YAY! win win. (You'll find notes below how to make them vegan).

I apologize for the lame pictures, they don't do these bad boys justice! This was a 'running out the door snap some iphone pictures' kind of day.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST EVER GLUTEN FREE/DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (VEGAN OPTION)

3/4 cup spectrum organic shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs white sugar

1 egg, room temperature (for vegan cookies use 4 1.2 tsp ener-g egg replacer blended with 6 Tbs water. you MUST put egg replacer in blender or processor & mix until frothy & thick!)

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix (I use Sarah's g/f flour blend. If your mix doesn't have xantahn gum, add 1/4 tsp.)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 - 2 cups chocolate chips (I pretty much use the whole bag!) 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In the bowl of your mixer, cream together shortening & sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low & add the egg and vanilla beating for another minute or so working up to medium-high.

3. In a separate bowl combine gluten free flour mix, baking soda & salt, mixing well. with your mixer on stir, slowly add the flour mix until it just comes together. Turn off the mixer and take the bowl out. Gently fold chocolate chips in by hand.

4. Place Tablespoon size dollops of dough onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes or just until cookies are a light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven letting cool for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack.


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Fancy Food Thoughts Presents - Eating to Health - Week Two

Last week was my first meal plan and Week One to my "Eating to Health"  post. You can always message me or comment below to let me know what types of meals you would like to see or what has looked good to you! 

Menu - Week 2

Day One

BREAKFAST - Easy Bacon + Eggs 

LUNCH - Peanut Butter + Jelly on Gluten Free Bread (I love Canyon Bakehouse! If you can't do eggs, Trader Joe's makes a brown rice bread that is gluten free & vegan.) 

SNACK - Frozen Grapes

DINNER - Homemade Chicken Soup 


Day Two

BREAKFAST - Oatmeal with "Fried" Honey Bananas 

LUNCH - Leftovers

SNACK - Endurance Crackers

DINNER - Protein Style Hamburgers, sweet potato wedges and grilled onions + mushrooms


Day Three

BREAKFAST - Strawberry Coconut Smoothie or any of These Shakes or Smoothies (just make sure if you pick a different smoothie to adjust your shopping list by adding the ingredients!) 

LUNCH - Leftovers

SNACK - Mixed nuts or your favorite trail mix

DINNER -  Lasagna 


Day Four

BREAKFAST -Silver Dollar Pancakes 

LUNCH - Leftovers

SNACK - Coconut Cranberry Bars  or buy Organic Green Food Bars

DINNER - Chicken + Veggie Skewers, with Classic Green Salad + Amazing House Dressing


Day Five

BREAKFAST - Granola

LUNCH - Leftovers

SNACK - Baked Kale Chips

DINNER - Pot Roast + Garlic Roasted Potatoes


Day Six

BREAKFAST - Loaded Paleo Breakfast Hash

LUNCH - Leftovers

SNACK - Almond or Peanut Butter + Green Apple Slices

DINNER - Green Bean Chicken + Rice


Day Seven 

BREAKFAST - Banana Flax Scones

LUNCH - Leftovers

SNACK - Carrot, cucumber and bell pepper spears

DINNER -  Roasted Pork Loin + Spicy Green Beans + Baked Sweet Potatoes


SHOPPING LIST

Produce

Grapes
2 green apples
2 lb fresh green beans
Carrots
Celery
2 bunches kale
4 packs of mushrooms (white or crimini)
1 bag yellow or brown onions
5 zucchini squash
1 bunch ripe bananas
2-3 heads of garlic
Head of lettuce
1 bag of sweet potatoes
1 package strawberries
2 red bell peppers
1 orange or yellow bell pepper
1 bag of baby spinach
Fresh basil
Fresh parley 
Bag of lemons
Bg of lettuce (baby spring mix or dark greens are great!) 
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary 
3 pounds small red or white potatoes
1 shallot
Persian cucumbers or 1 english cucumber

Meat/Eggs

1 pack of bacon
2 dozen Eggs 
1 lb ground beef
1 Whole chicken, cut up (or your choice of chicken for soup)
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 whole 4-5 pound chuck roast
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 pounds boneless pork loin roast

Pantry Items

Gluten free bread (Canyon Bakehouse is my favorite!)
Peanut butter
Jelly 
Dried oregano
Coconut oil
Dried basil
Salt
Pepper
Bay leaf
Oatmeal
Chia seeds
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds/pepitas
Sesame seeds
Vanilla
Coconut milk (canned, light or full fat)
Unsweetened shredded coconut
Mixed nuts or trail mix
Gluten free lasagna noodles
1 lb jar of marinara or your favorite pasta sauce (watch for added sugar!)
1 28 oz can tomato sauce
Bag of raw cashews
Bag of almonds
1 cup macadamia nuts
Olive oil
Dijon Mustard
Honey
Almond flour
Baking soda
Dates
Dried cranberries
White wine
Red pepper flakes
Red wine vinegar
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Raisins
Cinnamon
Beef stock
Red wine (optional, you can use beef stock)
Dried dillweed 
Basamati rice (if you want brown rice, try Trader Joe's quick cook brown basamati!)
Chicken stock
Oat flour
Brown rice flour
Arrowroot/tapioca or non GMO cornstarch
Golden flax meal
Spectrum organic shortening
Liquid stevia
Dried rosemary

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Banana Flax Scones

I absolutely adore scones. For as long as I can remember they've been one of my favorite indulgences. We have always been big tea drinkers in my family, and I cannot think of a more complimentary treat to eat with a cup of tea than a nice warm scone with lemon curd or jam. I lived in England for a few months for school during my college years, and there were eight girls living in my flat! I made scones once a week EVERY week we lived there. It was our special tradition and I will treasure those memories always. I haven't had scones for so very long, and I figured it was high time I figured out a way I could still enjoy this delightfully delicious treat.

Banana Flax Scones

• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup arrowroot/tapioca/cornstarch (non GMO)
• 2 Tablespoons golden flax meal 
• 1/4 teaspoon pink salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening
• 1/4 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 rip banana, mashed
• 1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 20 drops liquid stevia

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a medium bowl, mix oat flour, brown rice flour, starch of choice, golden flax meal, salt & baking soda. When flours are completely combined, cut in shortening and work it in with a fork until flour mix is coarse and crumbly. 

3. In another medium sized bowl mash your banana. Add the non dairy milk, cinnamon, vanilla, honey & stevia, mixing well. 

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring well to combine. 

5. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop onto a cookie sheet lined with a silpat liner or parchment paper. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes.



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OMG Chocolate Chip Cookies! (Gluten Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free)

The thing I have missed most since eating differently are chocolate chip cookies. Is there really anything better than a moist, chewy, chocolatey cookie fresh from the oven? Here is the problem; My taste-buds wants Toll House. As you can imagine, I'm ALWAYS disappointed with the gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free options. I mean, is it even possible to have chocolate chip cookies that don't taste like sawdust with those kind of restrictions? Until recently, the answer would have been NO, but this recipe puts the option of chocolate chip cookies back on the table. Preferably with a glass of ice cold homemade almond milk.

You may not believe what's NOT in them, but you also won't believe what IS in them!

It was quite the feat coming up with a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie that was gluten free, vegan, refined sugar free, xanthan & guar gum free, and didn't use any processed egg replacer!
Seriously? It took me five gazillion tries. All fails in my book because they just didn't have that quality I was looking for. UNTIL, I finally said "OH MY GOSH! These are the ones." Then I shoved them down my husbands throat (ok, maybe he willingly ate them) and stared intensely at him as I waited for his every critique. He's not very critique-y, but I forced him to tell me EVERYTHING he thought of them. (I sound really pushy.) He chewed slowly, shook his head amicably and said "Mmmm. Yum. Good." My husband is not a caveman, I promise. But this was all I needed, because my husband looooovvvveeeesssss chocolate chip cookies more than any other dessert in the world. Mission accomplished.

OMG Chocolate Chip Cookies 

• 1/2 Cup oat flour (I like THIS one! Sign up through my referral link & get $10 off!) 
• 1/4 Cup brown rice flour (I've been using THIS brand & love the texture)
• 1 Tablespoon coconut flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 Cup white navy beans, drained ( Crock Pot Beans Recipe, use water and leave out the salt & garlic!)
• 3/4 Cup Spectrum Organic Shortening, melted
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 2 Tablespoons honey (or two more Tablespoons coconut sugar) 
• 15 drops liquid stevia
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon golden flax meal + 2 Tablespoons water (make sure to use golden flax!!) 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup favorite chocolate chips/chunks, homemade or store bought
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a very small bowl mix golden flax meal with 2 Tablespoons water & let set for a few minutes while preparing other ingredients

3. In a separate small bowl, mix oat flour, brown rice flour, coconut flour & baking soda

4. In the bowl of a food processor, add drained navy beans, melted shortening, coconut sugar, honey, stevia, vanilla, salt & prepared flax meal. Process until very smooth, letting the processor run for about 30-60 seconds. Scrape down sides and process again for a few seconds if needed

5. Add the dry ingredients to the food processor and process for another 30 seconds, scraping down sides as needed. 

6. By hand, stir in chocolate of choice & walnuts if desired. Scoop the dough into tablespoon size dollops and place on a silpat liner or parchment paper 3 inches apart. You can also put the dough in the refrigerator for an hour and roll it into balls once it's chilled. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges of cookies are pale golden brown. Let sit on pan for 5 minutes after taking out of oven. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.

I personally think these cookies taste the best once they've been out of the oven for about 15-20 minutes. They're still warm and so soft and gooey.

*I've made these a few times trying different things to see how they hold up, and they seem pretty versatile! I didn't have any navy beans on hand, so I used canned garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed) & they worked great! I'm pretty confident any white bean would work, they will just vary in taste slightly. I also tried them using 100% pure dextrose instead of coconut sugar & that also worked great!

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Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

This is the easiest recipe you will ever make! It's my go-to meal and a sure crowd pleaser. A much healthier version of the classic, but nobody complains when I make this dish. It's also a most requested meal when either of my brother's come to visit, which isn't that high of an honor because they'll eat almost anything, but it makes me feel special. I make this in large quantities because the entire family loves it, but also because it makes fantastic leftovers! Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Shepherds Pie

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound carrots, chopped into rounds
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 1 bag frozen mixed veggies
• 5-6 sweet potatoes (or more! yum!)

Peel and chop sweet potatoes & then boil until fork tender. Drain off water & mash.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While potatoes are boiling, brown the ground beef in a dutch oven or large stainless steel pan that is oven safe. When the meat is almost done, add chopped onions and carrots and cook for a few minutes more. Salt & pepper to taste. Once onions are translucent and carrots are starting to soften, add the bag of mixed veggies and cook for two minutes longer.

Spoon mashed sweet potatoes over the top of meat and veggie mix and flatten down with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve & enjoy!

I just found this random picture of me that my sister took a while back. This is what my life looks like on a daily basis.

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Meatloaf (Egg free, gluten free option)

I've been married for almost six and a half years and would you believe just a few weeks ago was the FIRST time I've EVER made meatloaf?! Isn't that like housewife fraud? Both my husband and I were scarred as children by meatloaf. Him by his mother's and me by mine. (Sorry if you're reading this, mom.) We both have these pictures in our mind of saltine cracker, heinz ketchup, eggs and hamburger in a mashed up nasty mess. I think it was only a couple months ago I said that I "hated" meatloaf. Those are strong words, so I'm assuming mom's meatloaf was psychologically damaging. I probably should have gotten therapy. But alas, I overcame the fear & took the plunge. I can now be truly initiated into housewife-dom. Meatloaf. Siggghhhh.  It's become something both the hubby and I dream about now. We've seen the light & realized how delicious & comforting this iconic food can be. I found the original recipe here if you want to see it, but have tweaked mine a bit to suite our personal tastes.

I did not take pictures of the raw meatloaf. You're welcome. No matter how good it tastes, it's just ugly.

I used homemade breadcrumbs from my einkorn sourdough bread that I made, but feel free to use gluten free! Croutons and breadcrumbs are so simple to make, once you do you will never buy them again! Check out my crouton/breadcrumb recipe HERE!


Meatloaf

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs (My Crouton/Breadcrumb Recipe) 
• 1/3 cup ketchup (MUST use homemade! It's super easy! Recipe HERE!)
• 1/3-1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (I liked less so it wasn't as sweet)
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning (optional)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 large onion, grated or finely chopped
• 1-2 carrots, finely grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients mixing with your hands until well blended.

Place in a lightly greased loaf pan and brush top of meatloaf with a bit of ketchup.

3. Bake meatloaf approximately 60 minutes. Should be firm to the touch and a thermometer inserted should read 160 degrees F. 

4. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*A friend who's family can eat eggs told me she replaced the applesauce with one egg & everyone loved it! 

Fancy Food Thoughts contains some contextual affiliate links which advertisers have agreed to pay a commission if a purchase is made from that click-through. Everything I recommend are products I use & love!