Vegan Asparagus Risotto

Farmer’s Markets will be beginning soon, and the first locally grown vegetable that’s available is asparagus, and it makes a wonderful risotto!

Ingredients:

1 small yellow or sweet onion (or 2 small shallots), diced finely

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound (about 2 ½ cups) arborio rice*

1 tsp dried Italian herbs blend

½ cup white wine or broth

5-6 cups vegan chicken broth*

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into ½” or 1” pieces

Half batch vegan parmesan or ½ cup store-bought vegan parmesan (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of 1 large or two small lemons

*Note: We have vegetarian chicken broth mix and arborio rice at the store :)

See the entire recipe and directions at Zardy Plants.

Vegan Baking Contest 2024 – First Place – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

Our First Place award for our 2024 Vegan Baking Contest went to Barb Weber for her Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake- it was absolutely delicious, and looked amazing too.  It’s a pretty involved recipe, but the taste is definitely worth it for a special occasion.  Everyone loved it!

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoon Baking Powder

¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Cup Brown Sugar

¾ Cup Non-Dairy Milk

8 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled

2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

⅓ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

For the Cookie Dough

4 tablespoon Vegan Butter

½ Cup Light Brown Sugar

3 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Heat Treated All-Purpose Flour see note

¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

For the Frosting

1 Cup Vegan Butter

4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted

2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk

To Decorate

½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease 3 6-inch cake pans OR 2 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment circles to prevent sticking.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, non-dairymilk, melted vegan butter and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk to form a batter.

Divide the batter equally between pans. See note for weights.

Sprinkle the tops of the batter with the chocolate chips and using a knife, swirl the chocolate into the batter while also spreading the batter out evenly across the pan.

Bake the cakes in a 350* oven for 21-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before decorating.

Make the Cookie Dough:

In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer or a wooden spoon, cream the butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add the non-dairy milk and vanilla and mix well.

Add the heat-treated flour and salt and mix to form the dough. Then, add chocolate chips and mix to distribute. Set aside at room temperature until the cake is cool. If you put it into the refrigerator it will be too hard to spread!

Make the Frosting:

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter until no lumps remain. Then add the powdered sugar and mix to combine. Then add the vanilla and non dairy milk and mix until light and fluffy.

To Build the Cake:

Place one layer of cake upside down on a cake stand or cake board. Then dollop a scant ½ cup of cookie dough across the cake. Use a knife to spread the cookie dough out, then top with another cake layer.

Repeat. And be sure to reserve about ¼ cup of cookie dough for decorating.

Frost the outside of the cake with vanilla buttercream and decorate with more cookie dough pieces and mini chocolate chips.

Notes:

To heat treat the flour for the cookie dough, preheat the oven to 350, then add the flour to a baking sheet and bake it for 5 minutes. Allow it to cool, then proceed.

If using 3 6-inch pans, 8oz of batter per pan.

If using 2 8-inch pans 12.75 oz of batter per pan.

There are a lot of elements to this cake so feel free to use store-bought vegan cookie dough and or frosting!

Vegan Baking Contest 2024 – Second Place - Madelines

Our Second Place award for our 2024 Vegan Baking Contest went to Mariah Michel with her delicious Madeline recipe! They were wonderful, and our guest judge thought they were identical to those you could find at an upscale bakery or coffee shop!

 Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons water
1/teaspoon almond extract
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegan butter, melted and cooled

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tbsp almond milk

1 tsp raspberry extract 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the Madeleine cookie mold pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.

Stir in the vanilla and almond extract, and the sugar.

Stir in the flour and baking powder until well combined.

Add the vegan butter and mix until smooth.

Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter into each mold. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

When cooled, remove from molds and place on a plate shell side up.

Vegan Baking Contest 2024 - Staff Choice Award - Strawberry Lemon Cake

Our staff choice award for our 2024 Vegan Baking Contest went to Amirh Miles for her wonderful Strawberry Lemon Cake! It’s a soft and moist strawberry lemon cake layered with strawberry lemon buttercream; it was absolutely delicious!

Cake Ingredients

2 2/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cup cane sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

11/4 cup plant milk

3/4 cup avocado oil

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup lemon juice

I lemon zest

1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 cup strawberries

Buttercream Ingredients:

1 cup plant butter

8 cup powdered sugar

pinch salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

I lemon zest

1/4 cup strawberries

Directions:

Cake Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Oil and flour (dump any

Excess flour) two 9" cake pans.

In a big bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.

3. In another bowl whisk together all the wet"

ingredients, adding vinegar last.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture.

Once combined, mix well, making sure there are

no lumps.

5. Chop strawberries into small chunks and fold into

the batter.

6. Pour the batter evenly between the two 9" cake

pans.

7. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick

inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Let the cakes cool completely in the pan. Once

cakes are cooled, cover and place in the

refrigerator overnight.

9. Frost and layer the cakes.

Buttercream Instructions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the

paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy.

2. In a bowl add powdered sugar, lemon zest, and

salt. In another bowl add the lemon juice.

3. Once butter is creamy, alternate adding the

powdered sugar and lemon juice (begin and end

with powdered sugar). Scrape bowl and mix well

after each addition.

4. Beat until smooth. Fold in strawberries.

Amirh’s website and contact info are below:

Website: www.myveganpleasure.com Email: bakeryamirh@gmail.com IG: @amirhthebaker

Download a printable version of the recipe here.

Vegan Baking Substitutions

I wanted to post some simple vegan baking substitutions in advance of our Vegan Baking Contest on March 9th to make it easier for people to enter!

Vegan baking is easy, and almost all recipes can easily be made vegan with simple substitutions. To be vegan means using no animal products, including milk, butter, and eggs.

Milk is the easiest to substitute with a non dairy milk like almond milk or any other plant based milk. In truth, milk can be substituted for just about any liquid in a one-to-one ratio, so depending on the recipe you could even use fruit juice. You could probably even use water, but the point of using a flavored liquid, whatever that might be, is to give extra flavor to the recipe. If you substitute water for milk, you will probably not be pleased with the result.

Coconut milk Is a better substitute for condensed milk or cream in recipes.

Eggs in baked goods are generally used as a binder to hold ingredients together and to add moisture, as well as helping to lighten baked goods. You can purchase ready-made egg replacers, but they can also be substituted with a "flax egg" (mixing 1 tbs of flaxseed meal + 3 tbs. water, then let sit for a few minutes before adding to a recipe). You can also try adding more oil or some applesauce to replace an egg in most baked goods.

Butter can be replaced with dairy free margarine, but I often just replace the amount of butter in a recipe with vegetable oil or canola oil, which I feel works well for most recipes. Vegan frosting can be tricky (at least for me), so I often use a simple powdered sugar glaze instead.

I hope that helps, and please be sure to register for our Vegan Baking Contest on Saturday, March 9th by emailing us at passhealthfoods@gmail.com or calling us at 708-448-9114.

Simple 13 Bean and Kale Soup

This makes a delicious, easily customizable soup that’s full of plant-based protein and fiber! It uses our Bob’s Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix which is available at the store.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil (15 mL)

1 cup Chopped Onion (150 g)

2 cups 13 Bean Soup Mix (440 g)

28 oz can Diced Tomatoes (794 g)

4-5 cloves Garlic, minced

5 medium Carrots, sliced about ¼ inch thick (400 g)

5 medium Potatoes, medium diced (750 g)

1 Tbsp Paprika

1 Tbsp Onion Powder

Freshly Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

2-3 Bay Leaves

2 qt Water (2 L)

1 Tbsp Salt (or less according to your preference)

4 cups chopped Kale (200 g)

Carolyn’s soup notes:

I add celery to this too. If you use thin-skinned potatoes like red potatoes or Yukon Golds you don’t need to peel the potatoes (because who has time to peel potatoes).  I’d also suggest using broth instead of water, or using a generous spoonful of Better Than Boullion to the soup as it cooks for a better flavor.  Also, feel free to add whatever additional spices sound good, I like adding some sage and rosemary to this soup too. I also feel like the onion powder is unnecessary, though I usually add two onions to a soup like this. It makes a great, hearty soup, just make sure you simmer the beans long enough!

See the entire recipe and directions at Bob’s Red Mill.

GF Baking Contest - Second Place - Oatmilk Chocolate Chip Cookies with Peanut Butter Morsels

This was the Second Place Winning Recipe at our Gluten Free Baking Contest, made by Olivia D’Amico, Age 10. They were absolutely delicious and we were so happy when our guest judge, Mayor Straz, chose her recipe as our second place winner!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 bag peanut butter morsels

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup oatmilk powder

2 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 bag milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Set out two cookie pans and line them with parchment paper; set aside.

In your large mixing bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and check for shells. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.

In a medium bowl, combine the oatmilk powder, gluten free flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk them together. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on medium speed until just combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips and peanut butter morsels using a spatula. Use a tablespoon to measure and drop balls of cookie dough 3 inches apart on your prepared cookie pans.

Bake for 6 to 9 minutes, the cookies will be thin. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Adapted from the Ultimate Kids Baking Book by Olivia D’Amico, Age 10

GF Baking Contest - First Place - Smookies

This was the Grand Prize Winner at our Gluten Free Baking Contest, a recipe developed by Maureen and Jimmy Moloney.  They were inspired to develop the recipe for a gluten-free school friend of Jimmy’s.  We really loved them!

 A graham cracker-inspired cookie with a zest of holiday magic.

By Maureen and Jimmy Moloney

 Ingredients:

½ cup of butter

1 cup of brown sugar (or sugar substitute)

1 large egg (applesauce can be used too)

1 ½ cup graham crackers crumbs* and about 4 tablespoons for dusting

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons of vanilla***

¾ cup Almond Flour – extra fine

¼ salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips**

½ cup chopped marshmallows****

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In bowl cream together, butter and sugar until creamy.

Beat in vanilla and egg.

In medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add butter mixture until it’s combined.

Stir in choc chips and marshmallows.

Using a cookie scoop, form into balls.

Roll ball in cookie crumb crust.

Place balls on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake from 8-12 minutes.

Cookies will look slightly underdone, but will set once they are cool.

Eat & Enjoy!!

Notes: *I used Pamela’s Gluten Free Cinnamon Graham Style Crackers – just place in blender to crush into crumbs. If you are not a fan of cinnamon, honey is a nice flavor too :)

**I used Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips – mini chip, big flavor

***I used Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

****Most marshmallows are gluten free, but produced in factories that may be exposed to gluten contamination. I have used dehydrated marshmallows (which work great) but I haven’t found ones that are certified. I used Dandies, which are certified gluten free so you know they are safe. I cut up the marshmallows into little squares with scissors and let them harden so they bake better.

Gluten Free Stuffing Recipe

This is an easy gluten free stuffing recipe that’s easily customizable. We recommend using our Canyon Bakehouse gluten free bread for this recipe- we’ve had a lot of customers use it for their stuffing recipes that have turned out great.

1 loaf gluten free bread I used an 18 ounce loaf

¾ cup vegan buttery spread

1 medium onion chopped

3 stalks celery chopped

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground sage

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 ¼ cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

⅓ cup parsley

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

See the entire recipe and directions at The Pretty Bee!

Heirloom Refrigerator Pickles

This is a great, heirloom refrigerator pickle recipe. It's easy and worry-free because you're not actually canning them but you're making the recipe to stay in the fridge. I know there are a lot of people who do canning, but I've always been afraid of doing it myself because of an unreasonable fear of botulism. This recipe is simple and customizable with what you like and even what vegetables you have available. You can basically pickle anything, and since it's pretty inexpensive to do, why not try? Of course, it's going to be the best with freshly grown cucumbers or whatever, but feel free to pick some cucumbers up from the grocery store or the Palos Heights farmers market on Wednesday mornings, it should still be great.

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water

• 1 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup salt

Bring the water, sugar, and salt to a boil, making sure the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Let cool before adding vinegar.

Pour over sliced cucumbers or other vegetables in jars or a glass container, making sure to entirely cover in liquid. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before sampling. Sliced vegetables will pick up the brine quicker than whole vegetables.

Great additions to add:

• Fresh dill

• Dill seeds

• Garlic cloves

• Red pepper flakes

• Mustard seeds

Frozen Fruit Sorbet with just 3 Ingredients

This delicious sorbet uses just three ingredients, including our organic frozen fruit bags we have at the store. It’s simple to make and could be a fun family activity.

INGREDIENTS:

1 10 oz bag organic frozen strawberries

1/3 c. sugar

1 1/2 tbs. lemon juice

 DIRECTIONS:

If you don’t have an amazing blender, leave the frozen fruit out on the counter for a few minutes for large fruit like strawberries to slightly soften.

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly, scraping sides as necessary to incorporate all ingredients.

Pour the combined mixture into a container with a lid and freeze for 2 hours before serving.

Serve and enjoy!

Note: If you’re using the homemade sorbet that’s been in the freezer longer than two hours it may need to sit on the counter for 10 minutes or so to get to the right consistency.

Try making this sorbet with other fruits as desired- we have organic frozen raspberries, blueberries, cherries, and peaches at the store!

Stop by and see us at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights!

Dandelion Flower Quick Bread

This is an amazing recipe using the dandelions in our yards. It’s important to only collect dandelion flowers from places you are certain have not been treated with pesticides or herbicides. Note: to make this recipe dairy free, substitute the milk in the recipe for coconut milk. This bread is also especially delicious when made with the local honey that we have at the store.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup freshly-picked dandelion flowers

• 1 and 1/4 cups whole milk at room temperature

• 1/2 cup good honey

• 3 TBS neutral vegetable oil canola, avocado, or sunflower

• 1 large whole egg at room temperature

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

See the full recipe and directions at the Cook Gem recipe blog.

4 Ingredient, No-Knead Bran Bread (Vegan)

This fantastic, no-knead bread recipe is full of healthy fiber and is a great hearty bread to enjoy with a bowl of soup.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

• 3/4 cup wheat bran

• 1/4 tsp quick-rise instant yeast

• 1 1/4 tsp salt
  

See the entire recipe and directions at the Chatelaine recipe blog.

Vegan Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread is amazing, but it's usually full of dairy products. This recipe is a great option if you or your friends are dairy free or vegan! Erin go Bragh!

1 cup unsweetened plain oat milk or other non-dairy milk + 1 tablespoons white vinegar*

1/2 cup dried currants (or raisins)

2 cups all-purpose flour (plus another 1/2 cup or so for the light kneading and another 1 teaspoon for the currants/raisins)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine-grain salt

1/4 cup 1/2 stick vegan butter, cut into squares

See the entire recipe and directions at Kitchen Treaty.

Vegan Hemp Seed Alfredo

Hemp seeds are delicious and are full of healthy fats. This is a great dairy free sauce to use on your favorite pasta (or on homemade zucchini “zoodles”) that’s much lighter than traditional Alfredo sauce! It’s also perfect for your vegan friends!

ingredients:

• ½ cup raw cashews*

• ½ cup shelled hemp seeds

• ½ cup plain unsweetened almond milk*

• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

• ½-1 teaspoon sea salt (I recommend using a full teaspoon if you are not going to salt your pasta!)

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Small pinch of nutmeg (optional)

See the entire recipe and directions at the Blissful Basil Recipe Blog.

If you like this sauce, also check out their Raw Vegan Power Zucchini Pasta with Hemp Seed Alfredo recipe!

Detox Green Smoothie

January is a great time to get back on track after the indulgences of the holiday season. Smoothies, especially green smoothies, are a simple way to get more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet (including superfoods like spinach and matcha powder). They’re also a fantastic way to start the day! We especially love this smoothie recipe, but keep in mind that smoothies are infinitely customizable according to taste and the ingredients you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups frozen diced pineapple

• 3 cups fresh baby spinach

• 1 cup frozen diced banana

• 1 celery rib (optional)

• 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (start with less and add more if desired)

• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds

• juice from half a lime

See the entire recipe and directions at the Gimme Some Oven recipe blog.

Gluten Free Baking Contest- 1st Place: Gluten Free Sea Salt Caramel Biscotti

Our 1st Place winner for our Gluten Free Baking Contest was Gloria Patitucci with her Gluten-Free Sea Salt Caramel Biscotti! She said that she started gluten free baking because of close friends who were gluten free. She's been perfecting her biscotti recipe for a long time and makes plenty of other flavors. The mayor said they were really crisp on the outside and had great flavor.

Ingredients –

·         1¾ cup of gluten free all-purpose flour

·         ¼ cup of gluten free corn starch

·         1 teaspoon of baking powder

·         ¼ teaspoon of salt

·         ¾ stick of butter

·         Heaping cup of baking chips or nuts of your choice

·         2 eggs

·         1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions –

1.       Preheat oven to 350o F.

2.       Whisk together flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt.

3.       Once combined, cut in the butter using a pastry blender, forks, or two knives.

4.       Mix in eggs and vanilla and then let the dough sit or about ten minutes before mixing with your hands.

5.       Form into three even logs about two inches thick and eight inches long.

6.       Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

7.       Place on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 30 minutes.

8.       Let cool for ten minutes and then cut into pieces, spread out over baking sheet and bake for another ten minutes.

9.       Once fully cool, melt chocolate and drizzle over the cookies.

10.   Store in an ar tight container for up to three weeks.

Gluten Free Baking Contest- 2nd Place: GF Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

Our 2nd Place winner for our Gluten Free Baking Contest was Anne-Marie Niziolek with her gorgeous Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake! She said that she started gluten free baking because her father in law has celiac. She’s definitely a talented baker!

Ingredients:

·         Crust:

o   2 Cups gluten free graham cracker crumbs

o   6 tablespoons butter- melted

·         Cinnamon Crumble:

o   1 cup brown sugar- lightly packed

o   1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

o   6 Tablespoons all-purpose gluten free flour

o   6 Tablespoons butter- melted

·         Cheesecake filling:

o   4 packages cream cheese- softened

o   ¾ cup granulated sugar

o   3 Tablespoons flour

o   2 teaspoon vanilla extract

o   ¾ cup heavy whipping cream

o   3 eggs

·         Topping:

o   2 Tablespoons butter- softened

o   2oz cream cheese- softened

o   ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

o   1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions:

Crust:

·         Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9” springform pan, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.

·         Prepare the crust by adding about 2 packages of gluten free graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until you get about 2 cups of crumbs. Add in melted butter and pulse until well combined. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan and gently press using the back of a spoon to form the crust. Be sure to bring the crumbs about 1” up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Crumble:

·         In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with a fork until the ingredients come together and you have a wet sand-like texture. Set aside.

Filling:

·         To prepare the cheesecake filling, add the softened cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment. Cream for 5-6 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

·         With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sugar and gluten free flour. Once the sugar is combined, increase to medium speed, and mix for an additional 1-2 minutes.

·         Add the vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

·         Slowly pour in heavy whipping cream and mix on low speed until combined.

·         With the mixer to low speed add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix after adding the eggs!

·         Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and top with 1/3 of the cinnamon crumble. Gently press the crumble into the filling. Top with half of the remaining cheesecake batter and smooth. Continue with another layer, ending with cinnamon crumble on top.

·         Bake at 350 for 15 minutes then, without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 200 and bake for an additional 50-55 minutes until the center slightly jiggles and edges are set. (You are looking for a Jell-o consistency, not a runny/watery consistency. If the center still looks too watery, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes checking often. However, the cheesecake will set up more while cooling, so keep that in mind.)

·         Turn off the oven and slightly crack the oven door to allow the cheesecake to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing.

·         Allow cooling on a wire rack until completely cooled and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours but overnight is recommended.

Topping:

·         Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese on high speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix slowly until combined. Slowly pour in the vanilla and mix until just combined.

·         Add the frosting into a piping bag with a small round tip or into a Ziplock bag with a corner cut-off and drizzle the frosting over the top of the cheesecake.

Serve and enjoy!

Gluten Free Baking Contest "Kid's Choice Award": GF Pumpkin Bars

Our Kid’s Choice winner for our Gluten Free Baking Contest was Morgan Cutrone with her amazing Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars! They were absolutely delicious!

Ingredients –

·         2 cups of Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour

·         1 teaspoon of baking soda

·         1 teaspoon of baking powder

·         ¾ teaspoon of salt

·         1½ teaspoon cinnamon

·         ½ teaspoon of allspice

·         ¼ teaspoon ginger

·         ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

·         3 eggs

·         ¼ cup of milk

·         1 cup of brown sugar

·         ¼ cup of white sugar

·         ¼ cup of milk

·         15 oz can of pumpkin puree

·          can vegetable oil

·         

For the Frosting

·         1 stick of unsalted butter

·         8 ounces of cream cheese

·         3 cups of powder sugar

·         1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

·         ¼ teaspoon of salt

Directions –

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.      Grease and line an 11x17 cookie sheet.

3.      Place all dry ingredients in a bowl, whisk, and set aside.

4.      In a smaller bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until smooth.

5.      Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and mix until combined.

6.      Pour atter into cookie sheet and spread-out batter evenly using an offset spatula or back of a spoon.

7.      Bake for 16-18 minutes, remove and place on a cooling rack.

Gluten Free Stuffing (with a Vegan Option)

This is a great gluten-free stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving that uses our Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White Bread (a big customer favorite)! See below the recipe for information on adapting it for vegan diets.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White bread, chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 4 stalks celery, diced

• ½ medium onion, diced

• 1 cup mushrooms, diced

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

• 1 teaspoon dried sage

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 egg, beaten slightly

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

For vegan or egg free diets, you can replace the egg with 1/4 cup olive oil, which will help with increasing moisture. For a vegan stuffing, you can also replace the chicken broth for vegetable broth. 

For mushroom haters: you can substitute the mushrooms for a bit more celery and onion.

See the entire recipe and directions at Gluten Free Living.