Pumpkin Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

I know the name of this recipe is a mouthful, but I couldn't choose which key ingredient to leave out. The pumpkin makes this pudding so moist and the subtle spice of cinnamon and the chewiness of the raisins are in every mouthful. This bread pudding is healthy enough for breakfast (at least in the VanderMolen household) and was perfect for brunch on Brett's Birthday. We absolutely looooved my Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls so I thought this would be a fun twist on similar ingredients.

I've mentioned a few times that Brett and I are moving to NYC soon, so I've slowly been trying to clean out our freezer. I don't even know who put all that food in our freezer, but it needs to be eaten. One large item in there was a loaf of Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread. We love that stuff, but go through it slowly, so I still had a good chunk frozen. 

I saw a recipe for a pumpkin bread pudding that included cinnamon and raisins and I thought it would be perfect to use our cinnamon raisin bread for a similar dish. I've never made bread pudding before, but it's really simple. If you've ever baked anything, you can make bread pudding. It's mainly just dry and wet ingredients mixed together and baked to perfection. Simple and delicious.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 6 cups (about 10 slices) Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread (or other brand)
• 1 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For the Cinnamon Pecans:

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
• 2-3 shakes of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray 6 ramekins with cooking spray and set aside. 
2. Rip up the bread into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl
3. Place all the ingredients from almond milk to nutmeg in a blender and blend until smooth.
4. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread slices and stir well to combine. Let it sit for about ten minutes to allow the bread to soak up the liquid.
5. Give the bread mixture one last mix and then evenly divide it among the 6 ramekins. 
6. Bake the bread pudding for 40 minutes until the top of the bread is starting to get firm.
7. About 5 minutes before the bread pudding is done prepare the cinnamon pecans by stirring the pecans, sweetener and cinnamon together in a bowl. Spread evenly across a lightly sprayed baking dish and place in the oven for 5 minutes to toast. 
8. To serve, sprinkle the cinnamon pecans evenly on top of the individual bread puddings and dig in!

Notes: This is perfectly sweet for me, but if you want it sweeter for a dessert you can increase the agave nectar in the pumpkin mixture to 1/2 cup.

Adapted from Fat Free Vegan.

Rip up the slices of bread into bite size pieces and place them in a large bowl.

Blend up all the wet ingredients, from almond milk to nutmeg, until smooth.

Pour the pumpkin mixture over the bread, stir to combine, and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Divide among the 6 ramekins.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes and then top with the cinnamon pecans.

Dig in!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans...A New Family Tradition!

These cinnamon rolls are finger lickin' good. I made them for Brett and my one year anniversary last weekend and we were both in heaven as we ate them. It's not everyday that Brett gives me a high five after something I've created myself! Don't let the name fool you either. They may sound complicated, but they really aren't hard to make. I hope you try them and if you do, I'd love to hear how they turn out!

To be honest, experimenting with cooking and baking when I first went vegan wasn't easy. I didn't have enough basic knowledge of the science behind cooking and baking in general, so trying to create my own recipes without using any meat, eggs or milk wasn't easy! There were definitely nights of cooking that left me discouraged and wanting to give up on my new dairy and meat free life. 

I'm so glad I stuck with it and kept researching and practicing, because it's starting to pay off. I don't botch as many meals as I used to and lately the recipes I've created myself have turned out pretty good. "Pretty good" being the key phrase. I still have a lot of learning to do, but I must say that these cinnamon rolls turned out better than pretty good. They are now officially going to show up at special VanderMolen events, holidays and celebrations. 

Well, enough talking. Let's get to the recipe!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans

(Makes 8 rolls)

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons earth balance
• 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (scoop and sweep)
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• 1 tablespoon earth balance
• 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

For the Candied Pecans:

• 1/4 heaping cup pecans, chopped
• 1 teaspoon earth balance
• 1 tablespoon sugar

For the Sugar Glaze:

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2-4 teaspoons almond milk

Instructions:

1. To form the dough, start by combining the 1/4 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of butter in a heat-safe bowl and microwave it for about 40 seconds until the butter is completely melted. Set aside to cool a little.
2. While the milk/butter mixture is cooling, combine 2 tablespoons of milk with 1/2 tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and mix. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir. Set it aside until the mixture is foamy (about 10-15 minutes).
3. After the yeast mixture has gotten foamy, stir in the milk/butter mixture, followed by the applesauce, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and salt. Then add in the pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour into the wet ingredients and stir until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Use your hands to knead everything together into a moist dough.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding up to 1/4 of the remaining all-purpose flour as needed. Only add in as much as is needed to keep the dough from sticking to the kneading surface anymore.
6. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large, greased bowl. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until doubled in size. (I turned my oven on to 200 degrees for a couple minutes and then turned it off. I covered my bowl with aluminum foil and placed it in the turned-off oven.
7. As the dough rises make your cinnamon and brown sugar filling by stirring together the 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon with the 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Set aside.
8. Prepare a 8" x 8" baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside
9. After the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it. Lightly flour a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Have the long edge be parallel to you.
10. After you've rolled out the dough, rub 1 tablespoon of earth balance across the surface and then sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture all over the earth balance spread.
11. Roll up the dough starting at the long end nearest you until you get a log. Seal the long edges together by pinching the dough. 
12. Use a serrated knife to cut the log into 8 sections. Place the rolls into your prepared baking dish.
13. At this point you can over the pan with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until ready to bake. If you do this, let the dough sit out for about 1/2 hour until the dough is at room temperature and the rolls have risen some.
14. If you are baking your rolls right away, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and as your oven heats, allow your rolls to rise a little by placing them in a warm place.
15. Bake the rolls uncovered for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 
16. Prepare the sugar glaze and candied pecans as they bake.
17. For the sugar glaze, start by mixing 1/4 cups of powdered sugar with 2 teaspoons of almond milk. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you get the right consistency.
18. For the candied pecans, heat the teaspoon of butter in a small skillet. Once it melts add in the sugar and nuts and stir continuously for about 3-5 minutes. You don't want them to burn! Pour the nuts out onto a plate with parchment paper and allow the carmel coating the harden.
19. Remove the rolls from the oven after they have finished baking and drizzle the sugar glaze on top. Sprinkle with candied nuts.
20. Serve warm!

Notes: You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for a few days. Reheat the rolls for about 20 seconds in the microwave.

Adapted from The Bright-Eyed Baker.

Let your dough rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours in a warm place.

Roll the dough into a rectangle on a floured surface.

Cover with earth balance and sprinkle with the cinnamon and brown sugar filling.

Roll it up into a log and seal.

Cut the dough into 8 sections and place in a greased baking dish.

Let the rolls sit for a few minutes while you pre-heat your oven.

Prepare the sugar glaze and the candied pecans while the rolls are baking to perfection.

Remove the rolls from the oven and drizzle with the sugar glaze.

Top with the candied pecans and dig in!

I promise they won't last long.

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Experimenting with Breakfast Foods!

I'm one of those weird people that absolutely loves mornings. Sometimes I'll go to bed super early, just so I can wake up before the sun and the rest of humanity. If I could, I would wake up at 5 or 5:30 every morning. Mornings are when I'm most productive and my mind is most alert. I can crank out a ton of work before Brett even wakes up. 

Another major reason I love mornings is because I love breakfast. I could easily eat breakfast food three times a day. Lately I've been cooking and baking up a storm and so sometimes, due to the overflow of breakfast-like foods in our house, I just have to eat breakfast for lunch...or dinner. It's rough. Like these Lemon Poppy Seed and Yogurt Pancakes. Brett and I were working from home the other day and around lunchtime I began craving something lemon and poppy seed flavored. So...

...these pancakes made with Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt were created. Brett and I loved them!

One of the main reasons I've been cooking and baking a ton is because I've decided that, when I have time, I want to get to the point where I can make most of our staple foods at home from scratch. Brett and I are planning to move overseas next year and I feel like I should get the basics down pat now so that if we don't have access to certain foods overseas I can just make them myself! Mainly, non-dairy foods like yogurt and almond milk have been on the top of my list to learn how to make. Other things are Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, wheat thin crackers, tortillas and granola. 

Homemade Almond Milk

It's been so fun to learn more about the science behind the foods I love to eat and experiment making them myself...especially when those foods are breakfast foods!

So today I'm going to share with you "What-I-Made-And-Ate-For-Breakfast" and also some of the staple foods that I hope I can still make for Brett and me when we live overseas.

One of those staple foods just happens to be yogurt! I never knew making yogurt was possible a couple of weeks ago. I just thought it fell from the sky into our groceries stores. But seriously, I love yogurt, but non-dairy yogurt is so expensive and probably not as accessible overseas so I've been determined to learn to make it myself. And guess what? It's not hard!

I can make this whole quart of almond milk yogurt using a crockpot and it cost about two bucks! I'm going to keep experimenting with it until I can get a thicker consistency, but I still love it and have been eating it everyday and even using it to bake with.

Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt with grapes, banana, strawberries and homemade granola!

Homemade granola sweetened with applesauce, agave nectar and cinnamon.

Still working on perfecting this!

Overnight oats with 1/2 cup Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt, 1 mashed, overripe banana, 

1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons chia seeds and a splash of almond milk

I even used used my homemade yogurt in these fiberlicious Pumpkin Bran Muffins! Brett and I loved these and have been eating them daily for the past week.

 For our one year anniversary I made these amazing Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans (Recipe coming soon!). I usually don't call recipes I create myself amazing, but these really were to die for. Brett gave me a high five after the first bite. Success! It's definitely going to be a new family tradition to make these on special occasions.

And of course coffee. I've been trying to find the perfect ratio for making iced coffee concentrate and I just came across this recipe yesterday. Pour 1 cup of coffee grounds into a pitcher and then pour in 4 cups of water. Stir and let it sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, pour the mixture through a coffee filter into a clean container (I filtered mine right into our coffee pot!) Now you have the perfect iced coffee concentrate! Mix 1 parts concentrate with equal parts water and there you have it!

This is the coffee grounds and water mixture before I strained it.

Don't worry, it doesn't turn out gritty like that!

Well there you have it: my experiments and breakfast foods from the past week! 

What foods do you try to make at home from scratch?

Do you have a recipe for making homemade yogurt?

Also check out Jenn's blog to see what other people are creating!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

Fiberlicious Pumpkin Bran Muffins

Toasted wheat bran.

Plump raisins.

Pureed pumpkin.

Whole wheat flour.

With ingredients like these, you know you're gonna have some delicious and healthy muffins. 

I've always loved "bran" flavored foods and I'm one of those weird people that prefers plain cereal like All-bran and cheerios over lucky charms and captain crunch. A few weeks ago when Brett and I were in Arkansas for work we went to Cracker Barrel (Oh Cracker Barrel. So many childhood memories!) with my cousin and her boyfriend. Brett got a bran muffin to take with him as a snack for later and ever since then bran muffins have been on my mind. I just haven't been home long enough to make a batch.

Thankfully, Brett and I are home for a whole month so I've been able to cook and bake my heart out! Obviously one of the first things I made were these muffins. I had no idea wheat bran was so dang cheap! Bonus. The rest of the ingredients I already had on hand which made these really easy to whip up.

They're sweetened with pureed raisins, molasses and brown sugar and I used applesauce instead of oil which made them really moist. The pumpkin flavor is subtle, but delicious. 

If you're a fan of nuts, walnuts would be great in these.

I stored them in a zip-lock bag in the fridge and we've been enjoying them for breakfast and as a quick snack all week! If you're a meal planner, you should definitely add these muffins to your weekly menu.

Pumpkin Bran Muffins

(Makes 16 muffins)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat bran, toasted
• 1 1/4 cups raisins, divided
• 3/4 cup water, divided
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup dairy-free, plain yogurt
• Zest of one orange
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease 2 muffin tins and set them aside.
2. Spread the wheat bran on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes. Stir once to help it toast evenly.
3. While the bran is cooking make your flax egg by whisking the flaxseed and water together in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. In a small sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup of raisins with 1/4 cup of water. Let the raisins simmer until all of the water is absorbed. 
5. Puree the raisins in a food processor with the molasses and pumpkin puree until smooth.
6. In a large bowl mix together the toasted wheat bran, plain yogurt and 1/2 cup water. 
7. Add in the raisin/pumpkin puree, orange zest and brown sugar and mix. 
8. Stir in the applesauce and flax egg.
9. In a separate bowl whisk the flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then pour these dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
10. Fold in the remaining 3/4 cup raisins.
11. Spoon the batter into the greased muffin tins and bake for 22-25 minutes or until the centers have set. 
12. Let cool in the pans for a few minutes before removing to a plate or wired rack to cool. 
13. Store in a zip-lock bag in the fridge or freeze.

Notes: "Veganized" from According to Elle.

1/16th of this recipe gives you almost 6 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not bad for 130 calories of goodness!

Eat Consciously,

Faith

A Should-Be Lazy Morning and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones

Home again!! At least for five days. Brett and I got home late last night after our flight from Nashville was delayed an hour. Our good friend Garret who was with us in Louisville and Nashville stayed the night at our place too. We were all looking forward to sleeping in and having a lazy morning so we went straight to bed as soon as we got home. The boys did great at sleeping in, but. I on the other hand woke up at 4:45. Story of my life. It's as if my body doesn't want me to get a good nights sleep when I'm in my own bed. 

By the time the boys woke up I had read for an hour, done a short ab workout, gone grocery shopping and was starting to make scones. I always love the rare occasions when Brett and I have someone stay over at our house. I love being able to cook for people and make them feel at home!

I know the boys never turn down food so I figured I'd make a hearty breakfast for us (well, a second breakfast for me). I'm excited to say that this scone recipe is my own! I love how my confidence in baking and cooking is beginning to increase since I've gotten married and started this blog. I feel like I've learned a lot of basic recipes so now I'm able to experiment a little. I love it!

While I know we've left "pumpkin season", I was really craving some pumpkin chocolate chip scones and I'm happy to announce that my first scone recipe turned out pretty darn good. These scones are dense and moist and oh, so chocolaty. The best part really is the large chocolate chips that I used from Trader Joe's. We don't have a Trader Joe's near our house yet, but Brett let me stock up at one on our way home from Christmas vacation in Destin, Florida. 

Another beautiful thing about these scones is that you probably have all the ingredients in your house and you can make the entire recipe in one bowl...well except for a small liquid measuring cup:) I hope you try these out! The boys gave a giant stamp of approval. Score!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones

(Makes 8 Scones)

 Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

· 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 1 cup all-purpose flour

· 1 cup whole wheat flour

· 1 cup quick oats
· 1/2 cup natural cane sugar
· 2 tablespoons brown sugar 

· 1 tablespoon baking powder

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

· 1 teaspoon cinnamon

· 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

· 5 tablespoons earth balance

· 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

· 1/2 cup chocolate chips (the bigger the better!)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the almond milk and apple cider vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. If it begins to curdle that’s good! (you can also omit the apple cider vinegar if need be.)

3. Add the vanilla extract to the milk and vinegar after it has sat for a few minutes.

4. In a large  bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

5. Add the earth balance and pumpkin puree into the dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter to cut in the “butter” and pumpkin until course, pea-like pebbles form. Don’t over mix! (If you don’t have a pastry cutter, just use two knives to cut in the wet ingredients.)

6. Pour in the milk and vanilla mixture and mix until just incorporated. Again, don’t over mix.

7. Fold in the chocolate chips.

8. Take the dough (it will probably be sticky) and place it on the parchment paper in the middle of the baking pan. Use your hands to pat it down until you get a circle that is about 1.5 inches high.

9. Cut the circle into 8 wedges, but don’t separate them.

10. Bake for 25-27 minutes until cooked through and golden.

Make sure you eat one warm right out of the oven while the chocolate is still warm and gooey. 

  

What's your favorite type of scone?

I need ideas for what to try next!

Eat Consciously,

     Faith

Homemade Vegan Pumpkin Pie

It's hard to remember that it's actually fall when you live in Florida. Thank goodness I've been traveling up North recently so I can be reminded of that beautiful fact. Cold weather = fall. And it's definitely getting cold up North. My husband and I were just in Chicago and I wore my winter coat everyday. I almost didn't bring it! That would have been bad. But, while cold weather and I don't always get along, I've really enjoyed all of our travels this fall. And obviously the fall weather has been giving me lots of creative juices in the kitchen. Seriously though. Pumpkin has been making its way into everything I make lately--from breakfast to dessert--like this pie!

This pie is not my own creation by any means. But it's going to become a fall staple and I'll definitely be making it for my family over Thanksgiving. (Check out those edges. The pie kind of forms its own crust!)

Homemade Vegan Pumpkin Pie

(Makes 8 servings)

 Ingredients:

· 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk

· 2 flax eggs*

· 1 tablespoon cornstarch

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 2 cups pureed pumpkin

· 1/2 cups rice flour**

· 2 teaspoons baking powder

· 3/4 cups sugar

· 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

· 1 teaspoon cinnamon

· 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

* Combine two tablespoons of ground flaxseed  with six tablespoons of water. Whisk vigorously and let sit for five minutes until it becomes yolky in texture.

**Apparently rice flour is the best .

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a deep dish 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

2. If you have time, let your pumpkin puree drain over cheesecloth so extra liquid can be removed. I ended up wrapping cheesecloth around my pumpkin and squeezing it to remove some of the liquid.

3. Put the milk, flax egg, cornstarch and vanilla into a blender and blend until well incorporated.

4. Add in the pureed pumpkin and blend again until combined.

5. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend on high, scraping down the sides of the blender if needed, for about two minutes.

6. Pour the batter into your prepared pie dish and smooth the batter out.

7. Bake for 60+ minutes, depending on your oven, until the top and edges are brown, but not burnt. Sticking a toothpick in the center won't let you know if it's done because this is a more "custardy" pie.*

8. Remove from the oven and let cool. Place in the refrigerator to chill until serving!

*I cooked mine for 60 minutes and I think it should have gone 5-10 minutes longer. It still tasted amazing, but was a little gooey in the center.

 Notes: Adapted from fatfreevegan.

Nutrition: Cals: 153; Fat: 1g; Carbs: 34g; Fiber: 3g; Protein: 3g

Eat Consciously,

     Faith