Gluten-Free, Pumpkin Tart

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup raw pecans
• 3 dates, pitted*
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil**

Filling:

• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk cream (the hardened cream that forms at the top once it’s been refrigerated)***
• 1/3 cup coconut oil**
• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or more coconut oil
• 1/2–3/4 cup sugar
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 heaping teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 heaping teaspoon cloves
• dash of salt

Directions:

Crust:

Add the nuts and dates to a food processor and combine until the mixture looks like rough sand.

Add in the syrup and oil and pulse until dough forms.

Press dough evenly into 9-inch tart pan covering the bottom and sides. Place in the freezer while you make the filling so it can set.

Filling:

In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, oil, butter, and sugar and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and add the pumpkin, syrup, and seasonings. Stir well.

Add the mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.

Poor filling into the crust and place the tart into the freezer to set up, about 30 minutes.

Remove from freezer and place in the refrigerator. Store there until right before you are ready to serve it.

Quick notes:

*I used Deglet dates which are smaller than Medjools, so you may only need 2 Medjools.

**I prefer Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil so there is not a coconut taste to the filling or crust.

***For the freshest coconut milk, make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Recipe and photo submitted by Kate, Highlands Ranch, CO.

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Pumpkin, Butter Truffles

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup almond butter*
• 2–3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (optional, add 1/4 cup more flour to replace)
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 tablespoon lucuma powder (optional, adds maple flavor)
• 3/4–1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash or two of salt (omit if using salted nut butter)

Chocolate:

• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon cacao butter or coconut oil

Directions:

Combine the pumpkin, almond butter, syrup, and oil in a bowl.

In a different mixing bowl, combine the flour, protein powder, lucuma, spices, and salt.

Add the wet to the dry and mix well. Place the mixture in the freezer for a couple hours until it has hardened a bit and can be formed into balls.

Once mixture is hard enough to handle, form inch in diameter size balls, place them on a cookie sheet or plate lined with parchment, and place back in the freezer for 30 minutes.

While those are in the freezer, add the chocolate chips and cacao butter/oil to a small mixing bowl that has been placed over a small pan of boiling water. This is to get the chocolate to melt without burning it. Once water is boiling, turn down to a simmer.

With a spoon or a toothpick, place each ball into the chocolate and coat. Return each truffle back to the parchment paper and put back in the freezer to let the chocolate set, about 15 minutes.

Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Quick notes:

*Any nut or seed butter would work here. Coconut Cream Concentrate would be an option as well.

Recipe and photo submitted by Kate, Highlands Ranch, CO.

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We have a new recipe and video for you all today, and it’s perfect for this time of the year, being pumpkin and all.

It’s pretty easy too, if you know what you’re doing. Cheesecakes can be tricky. They’ll crack if too much air is whipped into the batter, won’t mix well if the ingredients are too cold, refuse to be creamy if a certain ratio is off, and just be generally irritating among other things. But all that can be avoided, if you:

1. Follow the recipe as written. If you decide to substitute this for that and use that thing instead of the original thing and it explodes, you alone will be responsible for that. Just saying…

2. Have all filling ingredients at room temperature, especially the cream cheese, sour cream, eggs and pumpkin. The warmer those ingredients are, the easier the batter will mix and become silky smooth.

3. Use a paddle attachment if you have one. It won’t whip air into the batter as much and thus avoid over mixing.

4. Mix just until combined. Don’t let the mixer keep running if everything is already well blended, and try to keep it on a low setting because high speed = air and air = tiny little bubbles that will cause the cake to crack during baking. Basically, air + cheesecake = not good.

This dessert should be a hit with both those who like and dislike pumpkin. It has just enough pumpkin to keep the fans happy but not enough for it to be overwhelmingly pumpkin-y. When you bite into it, you get just a hint of spice and subtle pumpkin laced throughout the silky, creamy, dense cheesecake.

If you’re still a little lost or uncertain about making this, the video will take you through it in a step-by-step process, and you’ll also get to see all the guidelines in use.

Have fun!

Creamy, Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Servings: 20
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 scant cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree

Gluten-Free Shortbread Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan with coconut oil.

For the shortbread, cream the butter and sugar until well blended. Add flours and mix well. Dust fingers with cornstarch and press into prepared pan evenly.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in the bowl of an electric mixer just until well blended and creamy. Add sour cream and vanilla and blend well. Mix in eggs and add pumpkin. Do not overbeat and try not to whip air into the batter.

Pour filling into pan and bake for 40–45 minutes. Top should still jiggle slightly when you shake the pan.

Note – For a nongluten-free crust, use:

• 1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cups einkorn flour

Proceed with crust instructions.

Recipe courtesy of Sarah Shilhavy.

Recipe prepared by Sarah Shilhavy and photographed by Jeremiah Shilhavy.

Submit your recipe here!