Pumpkin Apple Crisp and the Balance of Autumn

Gluten Free Pumpkin Apple Crisp is the perfect fall treat. It is sweet and crispy and has all the warm flavours of fall. The apples and pumpkin balance out to create a smooth and crunchy dessert that can be enjoyed warm or cold with ice cream or fresh whipped cream. 

Autumn; the season between summer and winter when temperatures begin to drop, the trees begin to change colour and lose their leaves for the winter, and the animals finish gathering food for their long winter hibernation. The Autumn Equinox is a time when the length of day and night are equal. There is balance between light and dark. I spend my life searching for balance; between sickness and health, work and fun, and various other aspects of my life. Autumn marks a time of transition where everything is in harmony. This can be a time of reflection and change for many people as they think about the upcoming holidays or develop new routines. I love fall. It gives me a deep feeling of joy and happiness. The bold colours make me feel reflective of the past and present, the cool weather makes me feel refreshed as the breeze grazes my cheeks, and the promise of a restful winter is rejuvenating as I look forward to the start of a new year. It is the perfect time to let the past go and think about the future. The season of Autumn feels inspiring and hopeful. The trees drop all their hard summer work onto the ground for us to enjoy, we get to enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit from the garden after a summer of hard work, and the animals get to enjoy the benefits of their summer gatherings. There are many other amazing things that come with the Autumn season. Warm sweaters, tall boots, blanket scarves, and pumpkin have all become staples of fall.

Pumpkin has become one of my favourite things. I have never met one that I haven't eaten or wanted to take home to decorate my house with. I will occasionally indulge in a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, however I prefer pumpkin in everything I bake! When mixed with the warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg it offers a comforting and warm taste that is almost the same as sleeping in on a Sunday with a cloud bed and a heated blanket. October in British Columbia is often marked with bags of apples and crates of pumpkins at every fruit stand. You can go to the orchards to pick apples, and find your perfect pumpkin at any local pumpkin patch. This Pumpkin Apple Crisp filled all my Autumn food dreams, and it came out of the oven as everything I thought it would be! It was crispy and sweet, combined all the warm flavours of fall and was perfect warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin Apple Crumble

(Printable Recipe Here)

Crumble

1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Cups GF Oats

1 Cup Margarine

1 Cup GF Flour

2 Tsp Cinnamon

2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 Tsp Nutmeg

Apple Layer

3 Apples

1 Tbsp Margarine

1 Tsp Honey

1 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Pumpkin Filling

1 Cup Pumpkin

1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Egg

1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

-Peel and slice apples and place in a frying pan with Margarine, Honey, and Brown Sugar. Cook until soft and slightly caramelized.

-While apples are cooling prepare Crumble and Pumpkin Filling.

- Combine all Crumble ingredients in a bowl - mix with hands until everything is evenly combined. It will be crumbly. Place half of the mixture at the bottom of a greased 9-inch round pan.

- To prepare the Pumpkin Filling simply mix all the ingredients together.

-Place the cooled apples over the bottom layer of crumble, then cover apples with pumpkin filling. Cover with the remaining crumble.

- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Halloween Inspired Gluten-Free Pumpkin Banana Chip Muffins

These Halloween inspired Pumpkin Banana Chip muffins are perfect for people with allergies.  They are gluten, egg, dairy, and peanut free. They are perfectly spiced, with a soft and moist texture that can be hard to find in Gluten Free baking. They are a great option for snacks, and breakfasts on the go. They fill the fall season with a comforting warmth!

Halloween is just a short day away, and this means candy, treats, and dressing up as your favorite character, person, or thing. The options are endless! My favorite part of Halloween has always been making my costume! It is always fun looking for bits and pieces to make yourself into whoever you want to be. As a child I was always wrapped up in the warmest snowsuit I had, and was shoved into an oversized costume to stay warm for a prairie Halloween. It was usually difficult to move, but I always managed to get the biggest bag of loot. Back then I did not have Celiac disease and could eat whatever goodies I received, after my parents inspected them of course! However, things are not the same now. I can no longer enjoy my favorite treats, such as Twix bars, Coffee Crisps, and Kit Kats.

I could not imagine being a child with allergies. Halloween would lose a bit of its enjoyment when you have to give away most of your candy to friends, and family. However, children with allergies enjoy the tradition of trick-or-treating just as much as any other child. Thankfully the Teal Pumpkin Project has been developed to raise awareness for allergies, and gives children with with allergies the opportunity to find some enjoyment in their candy bags. People paint a pumpkin, which is typically orange, teal and place it outside their home. This alerts trick-or-treaters with allergies that they can go to that house and receive an allergen free treat, such as stickers, pencils, or erasers. Children can still dress up and participate in traditional trick-or-treating without having to worry about becoming ill, or not being able to enjoy any of their goodies. The Teal Pumpkin Project promotes inclusion of all individuals and promotes safety for those who struggle with various allergies. To find out more about the Teal Pumpkin Project click HERE.

Lately I have been finding the same problem that trick-or-treaters with allergies face on Halloween. While I always pack my own food and snacks for a day at school, sometimes it would be nice to be able to grab a gluten-free treat when I get myself a coffee. The psychology club on campus is having a bake sale and I offered to make muffins. When deciding what kind of muffins to bake I thought it would be great to make something that everyone can enjoy. There are always bake sales on campus that I find myself walking by without supporting, as I cannot usually enjoy any of the delicious treats. These Halloween inspired muffins are gluten, egg, and peanut free. They have the option of being dairy free, but the pumpkin marshmallow on top may contain milk. I did not place the marshmallow on all of the muffins, just in case.

Pumpkin Banana Chip Muffins

 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree

1/3 Cup Coconut Oil

2 Bananas

½ Cup Brown Sugar

½ Cup White Sugar

1 ½ Cups Gluten Free Flour

½ Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Xantham Gum

½ Cup Chocolate Chips

1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Cream Cheese Glaze

4 Oz Tofu Cream Cheese 

1/3 Cup Icing Sugar

Almond Milk

Cream together Pumpkin Puree, Oil, Bananas, and Sugar. Add try ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in Chocolate Chips. Fill Muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 350 Degrees for 25 Minutes. While the muffins are baking, beat the cream cheese and add Icing Sugar. Beat in Almond Milk, adding small amounts until you reach desired consistency. Once the muffins are cooled, cover with cream cheese glaze and enjoy!

I hope everyone can safely enjoy Halloween and have a few treats. If you are looking for a safe way to trick-or-treat, or want to provide a safe place for children with allergies please consider joining the Teal Pumpkin Project. I do not get trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood, but am going to keep some pencils and spider rings on hand just in case. I am still piecing together my costume, but it is going to be difficult to top last year’s homemade batman and robin costumes! After Halloween it will be time to start getting ready for final exams and Christmas! I have been making slow changes in my routine after my stomach attack, and am ready to share them with you all! Stay tuned for tips and recipes for getting back into healthy eating, weight watchers, and regular work outs after being knocked down for many weeks! It feels great to slowly be getting back to myself!   

Happy Halloween!

K.         

2013 Homemade Batman & Robin Costumes

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Getting Lost in A Corn Maze

These gluten free mini donuts have the texture of a cake donut and are perfectly spiced for the holiday season! They are quick to make and even quicker to eat!

October is finally here! Summer may be over, but fall is in full swing. This means apple ciders, pumpkin spice lattes, searching the pumpkin patch for the best jack-o-lantern, corn mazes, cozy scarves, jumping in leaves, and a Thanksgiving feast. October starts with a bang, and ends with a great Halloween bash. It is my favourite month for so many reasons. It is a time to reflect on the past summer months, and start planning how to reach the goals that have been put on hold. It is a time to remember that the small daily successes are just as important as the bigger ones. Every time I see the leaves change colour, or the fog roll out of the valley, I am reminded of the beauty of life and I am inspired to live life to its fullest.


The newest craze is pumpkin spice everything! Thanks to Starbucks and their pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice is appearing everywhere - and it is a bandwagon I am jumping onto. I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, and everything pumpkin! Todays baking was inspired by a bottle of  the Blackberry Patch Pumpkin Spice Syrup I found at Winners! It has great flavour, and is a wonderful change from the usual maple syrup. I want to put it in, and on everything possible this season!

Thanksgiving is coming up very quickly, and I thought mini donuts would be a great change from the traditional pumpkin pie! I love donuts, my Grandma used to make the best fried donuts that were perfect when warmed up and covered in endless amounts of powdered sugar. Sadly, since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, my days of Grandmas donuts are long gone. Lately I have been craving donuts, and every moment spent in the Tim Hortons line at school makes it a little worse. I decided to try making gluten free donuts. Since I always take a task head on I decided to start BIG and make gluten free pumpkin donuts with a chocolate pumpkin spice glaze, and a pumpkin spice honey glaze. These mini donuts are the perfect alternative for people want a change from tradition, they also make a great breakfast, or snack. The batter can be used to make waffles and pancakes as well.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Donuts

1 Cup Pumpkin Puree

2 Eggs

1 ½ Cup All Purpose Gluten Free Flour

¼ Cup Coconut Flour

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

2 Tsp Pumpkin Spice

1 Tsp Xantham Gum

2 Tsp Baking Powder

½ Cup Brown Sugar

½ Cup Almond Milk

- Combine Pumpkin Puree, Eggs, Coconut Oil, and Almond Milk until smooth. 

- In another bowl combine all dry ingredients.

- Slowly add dry ingredients into mixer, and mix until smooth.

- Pipe into donut moulds so they are full. The donuts do not rise very much.

- I used a Donut Maker and let them bake for 3 Minutes. If you do not have a donut maker bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 Minutes.

-Place on wire racks to let cool. Once cooled, trim excess dough off the sides and glaze with your choice of glaze. I used Maple Glaze, and a Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Glaze.

                    Makes 18 Mini Donuts

Maple Glaze

1/8 Cup Icing Sugar

1 Tbsp Pumpkin Spice Syrup

1 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Almond Milk

-Combine all ingredients together until smooth and fully dip donuts. Place on wire racks to allow excess to drip off.

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Glaze

1 Tbsp Margarine

1/3 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

2 Tbsp Pumpkin Spice Syrup

- melt margarine in a sauce pan and add chocolate chips, stirring constantly until melted. Add syrup and stir until mixed. Dip donuts in on one side, and place on wire racks to cool. 

Thanksgiving offers a time to catch up with family and friends, and enjoy each others company. It is a time to give thanks for all of life's blessings. Thanksgiving is a reminder that nothing in life should be taken for granted.  This year I have so much to the thankful for and am so grateful for everyone in my life. I hope the next weeks bring everyone health and happiness. I hope those goals are within reach, and that life's possibilities are at your fingertips. 

K.