guest blogger: yummy banana turons

Guest Blogger: ChefBliss.com

Wonderfully simple: cut banana, place on loompia or won ton wrapper.

Add sweetener: top picture is agave, above is caramel sauce.

Fry on both sides until crispy and golden brown. I used coconut oil.

Let cool just enough so you don't burn your tongue and Enjoy!

Thank you Tangled Noodle. It was fun and delicious!

Recently Tangled Noodle showed us how to make these, and since they reminded me of a sweet treat I used to eat as a kid in Brazil, I had to try them! I made small ones because we had just finished a big dinner. I made them three ways: 3 with agave (1 had cinnamon), 2 with caramel sauce, 1 with maple syrup. They were very tasty and I would definitely make these again! Maybe next time I will roll them in cinnamon and sugar. So I am thrilled to present this weeks FABULOUS RECIPE award to Tangled Noodle! Thank you for sharing with us!

Enjoy!

chefbliss's fabulous pumpkin pie

A pumpkin pie even I love! I love pumpkin, in almost any form. I just have never liked pumpkin pie. The challenge this year was to make a food-challenge compliant pie, and if I could enjoy it too, well that would just be bonus points!

Here is the recipe I used for the filling:

• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 cup rice milk
• 1/2 cup agave or honey (I used agave)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 TB dark molasses, more to taste if needed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

Preheat oven to 425.

In large bowl, mix all ingredients until smooth and blended. Pour into prepared crust and smooth top. Bake for 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350. Bake until filling is set, about 50 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool, then refrigerate overnight.

You will note in the picture that the pie is pulling away a bit from the crust. That may be from the pie or the crust, but it was delicious all the same! Enjoy!

chefbliss's fabulous pie crust & apple pie

Lepkugen's Pie Crust:

• 2-1/4 cup flour (I used a combination of 1 3/4 c unbleached white flower and 1/2 cup oat flour)
• 1 cup coconut oil, chilled for 15 minutes
• 1/2 tsp salt, optional
• 1 TB agave (optional: honey)
  
• Ice cold water
• Rice milk (or other milk), optional but highly recommended. It can make all the difference in the texture and workability of the crust.
  

The easiest way to measure coconut oil is to melt it or soften it well, pour into a 1 cup measuring cup and allow to harden. Chill for 15 minutes tops. Using a knife (butter knife should be fine) chop into chunks. Add to flour and salt mixture in a food processor. Pulse to combine. You will see the coconut oil start to break down, but it will not form pea size balls like butter does.

Add ice cold water by tablespoons into the food processor, pulsing after each addition or two. I used a total of 8 TB and 2 TB rice milk, but 10 TB water is fine. For ice cold water: place a few ice cubes in a cup, add cold water. Spoon out the chilled water with a tablespoon measuring spoon. In the middle of adding the water, add 1 tablespoon agave or honey. As soon as your dough forms you are ready. The dough should be moist and pliable.

No refrigeration is necessary. Roll out and use for your pie!

The dough:

The bottom shell:

Apple filling:

Peel, core and chop approximately 10 medium size apples into bite size chunks. Mix with:

• 1 TB orange zest (optional)
• 1/4 cup orange juice (approx. 1/2 orange) (optional)
• 1/4 cup agave
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp all spice

You may leave out the orange zest, juice or both. Place the top crust on. I like to roll the bottom crust up and pinch them together to give it a rolled/braided look. It's a pie, make it fun. With a knife make roughly four slits in the top crust. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet to catch any drippings (this pie had none). Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Pile them high:

Ready for the oven:

The finished pie:

Notice how the crust is golden brown. With coconut oil you will not experience the burning with the crust as quickly as you would with a butter crust. Also, in my first attempt this day I only used 4 tablespoons of ice cold water, then I put the "finished" dough into the fridge for two hours. I removed it from the fridge but three hours later it was still rather solid from the coconut oil. That is why I don't recommend refrigerating it unless you need to. It's not a necessary step. I went back to the drawing board and came up with the above recipe. The crust was smooth, doughy, pliable, moist and incredibly easy to work with. I used all organic ingredients in this recipe and it's dairy free. And delicious. Enjoy!

decadent brownies with chocolate glaze

Lepkugen's Brownies:

1 cup maple syrup (or other natural sweetener, agave, honey, etc.)

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (peel and chop apples, cook on low until soft, then mash)

2 to 4 TB flax seeds (optional)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 and 1/3 cup oat flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of sea salt

Rice milk (can use soy or other milk)

Mix all the ingredients together except the rice milk. Add the rice milk until it is the consistency that you like. I use about 3/4 cup. You can also add in grain sweetened chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
Cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Check before removing from oven. It tends to cook slowly in the middle so I recommend using a square or round pan, greased with a little coconut or olive oil.

Lepkugen's Decadent Chocolate Glaze:

3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped (use chips or roughly chop up a bar) (This is acompletely unsweetened, bitter chocolate)

In a sauce pan combine:

1/2 cup rice milk

1/3 cup maple syrup, agave, honey or other sweetener

Cook until comes to a light boil then pour over the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the glaze looks like a heavy chocolate sauce.

Glaze the brownies and enjoy!

How this recipe came to be:

Who would have believed that non-dairy, non-cane-sugar brownies would make me crave them? I have to admit the first attempt left me a little sad. The second batch, much altered and more educated, was a success with a little room for improvement: the center was a bit gooier than the outer edge. I am sure round three will be a supreme winner!
Round one was a vegan recipe that called for whole wheat pastry flour (1 cup) and a half cup of semolina. The brownies were more cake like and very heavy.
Round two I used lighter ingredients, changed a few things around and loved every bite!! I don't usually frost my brownies but several recipes suggested a glaze so I improvised and came up with the best dark chocolate frosting. If you have ever had a sour cream chocolate frosting, it was very reminiscent of that, but no dairy! How wonderful!