Ginger Cranberry Sauce

This ginger cranberry sauce is delicious served with turkey and leftover turkey sandwiches during the holidays.  It can also be baked over brie cheese or a dairy-free cheese and served as a last minute appetizer with some gluten-free crackers.  Happy Holidays!

2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

2 apples or pears, peeled, cored and diced 

1/2 cup orange or apple juice

1/3 to 1/2 cup honey (depending on your taste)

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

dash of nutmeg

In a large saucepan, combine all of the above ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.  Lightly mash the cranberries and apples with a potato masher.  Refrigerate in an airtight glass container until ready to serve.

Carrot Pudding Cake with Streusel Topping

This holiday cake can either be served for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea, or as a dessert with maple rum sauce drizzled over each serving.  The cake is based on a carrot cake recipe by Kelly Brozyna from The Spunky Coconut blog.

Ingredients for the cake:

coconut oil for greasing the pan

4 large eggs at room temperature (cold eggs harden the coconut oil)

3 cups grated carrots (I use a food processor)

1/3 cup almond milk or another dairy-free milk

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and then cooled slightly

1/4 teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2/3 cup coconut flour, sifted

1/4 cup arrowroot starch/flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Ingredients for the streusel topping:

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

3 tablespoons coconut sugar

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 tablespoon coconut flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 9-inch springform pan (or I use a very large round clay dish) with coconut oil.

In a bowl, beat the four eggs.  Add the carrots, milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, stevia and sea salt.  Stir until combined.

In a smaller bowl, combine the coconut flour, arrowroot, baking soda, cinnamon and allspice.  Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Add the raisins and dried fruit.  Spread the batter into the greased pan with a spatula, and smooth out the top.  

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the streusel.  Sprinkle the streusel topping over the cake and press down gently.

Bake the cake for about 45-50 minutes.  Cool completely before slicing and serving.

Spicy Pecans

This recipe is similar to one my mother-in-law makes for the holidays.  They are so yummy that they may not make it until Christmas!  Merry Christmas!

Ingredients

4 cups raw whole pecans

1 egg white

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon red curry paste (Thai)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk the egg white.  Then whisk in maple syrup, sea salt, red pepper flakes, chili powder, cayenne pepper and red curry paste.  Add the nuts and stir so that pecans are evenly coated.

2.  Spread pecans on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Let cool.  Store in a sealed container in a cool place.

Slow Cooker Peppermint Mocha Lattes

A dairy-free coffee drink that is perfect for Christmas time!  You can also chill the leftovers and serve the drink over ice the next day.  This drink is based on a recipe from "The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook" by Carrie S. Forbes.

Ingredients

2 cans of coconut milk 

4 cups strongly brewed coffee

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/3 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

vanilla liquid stevia, to taste

Directions

1. Add coconut milk, coffee, cocoa, honey, peppermint extract and salt to slow cooker.  Use a whisk to combine ingredients thoroughly.

2. Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low for 2-3 hours, until mixture is hot and simmering.

3.  Serve in large mugs.  Stir 2-3 drops (or more to taste) of vanilla liquid stevia into each mug.

Hamburger Soup with Quinoa

This is my mom's recipe for Hamburger Soup.  It is a family favourite and a hearty soup for these cold winter days.  The original recipe comes from the "Great Food Fast: Dietitians of Canada" cookbook.  Over the years, we have changed a few ingredients and added quinoa.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

12 oz lean ground beef (try to get grass-fed beef)

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup choppped zucchini or frozen green beans

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried italian seasoning

6-7 cups vegetable or beef stock (I use a gluten-free vegetable stock from Costco)

1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes

1/2 cup quinoa (I have also substituted a quinoa and rice mixture from Costco) 

3 cups fresh chopped spinach

1 can mixed beans, drained and rinsed (or any type of beans)

1. In a large dutch oven, brown the beef over medium-high heat.  Add garlic, onions, carrots, celery and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes.  Add basil, italian seasoning, stock and tomatoes; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.

2. Add quinoa (the pre-washed type from Costco); cook for another 15 minutes.  Add spinach and beans; cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.  Season with sea salt and pepper to taste before serving.

*When I used the quinoa and brown rice mixture from Costco, I cooked it separately in a pan (following the directions on the package), and added about a cup to the soup.

*When doubling the recipe, I use 1 can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can of diced tomatoes.

Slow Cooker Surprise Butterscotch Sauce

This is the quickest and healthiest way to make a butterscotch sauce for vanilla ice cream.  It is free of sugar and dairy and has a surprise ingredient!  This sauce is based on a recipe from a cookbook called The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson.  I make my own vanilla coconut milk ice cream that is free of dairy as well.  Serve this sauce over the ice cream and top it with some honey roasted nuts or a crumbled Uber Larabar.

4 cups of butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup melted butter

pinch sea salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup maple syrup

1.  Combine squash, butter, salt, vanilla and maple syrup in the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, until the squash is very tender.

2.  Puree the mixture with a hand blender or in a high speed blender.  Spoon over vanilla ice cream and top with honey roasted nuts.