The DH just got back from a two week trip to Israel and I want to spend time with my honey, so I’ll make this quick. I had this recipe at some of my favorite adopted “parents’” house. You know how sometime you have parents and siblings etc. that you are born with, and then people that you meet that end up filling that role for you in your life without being related by blood? Well, Vic and Hallie take the role of gluten-free “Mom and Dad” at our local gluten-free potluck events. This is one of my favorite recipes that they made for us “kids” (although their pizza is also spectacular). Hallie is vegetarian, and a wonderful mom to her own daughters and us local kids too. I hope you enjoy it!

Here’s some more gluten-free dessert recipes:
Dairy-free Soy-free Pumpkin Pie (use GF crust)
Grain-free Pumpkin Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Gluten-free Banana Blueberry Buckle
Raw Truffle Recipe
Blueberry Pie with Honey Whipped Cream
Cinnamon Apple Cake Recipe- no processed sugar, grain-free

Vic and Hallie’s Surprise Cranberry Pie Recipe Dessert  American

Ingredients 1 bag fresh cranberries 1/2 cup Sliced almonds (optional) 1/3 cup Sugar to sprinkle the fruit 3/4 cup Sugar for the crust 2 Eggs 3/4 cup {1-1/2 stick) Butter or margarine (I used 1/4 cup margarine with 1/2 cup butter) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan gum (or xanthan gum mixed with guar gum) 1 cup of your favorite mild GF flour blend. Directions This recipe makes one large pie or large cake, or two smaller pies or two smaller cakes. I used one large pie pan and one small gratin type dish. * Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease the pie plates. * Wash the cranberries or other fruit, leaving a little water on them. * Place the fruit on the bottom of the pie plate. If you use nuts, put them on top of the fruit. Next sprinkle sugar over the top. * In a mixing bowl, cream the remaining sugar with the eggs and butter. Stir in the vanilla extract and then finally fold in the flour and xanthan gum. * Pour or spread the batter over the fruit. * Bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the center of the crust comes out clean. * Important step: Cool for 10 minutes and gently loosen the edges. If you are using a springform, it is particularly important to loosen the edges at this point. Wait until the pie cools completely before taking off the springform sides. Notes I used 1/2 tsp xanthan gum and think I would try 1/4 tsp. next time. For the GF flour blend, Carol Fenster’s or Bette Hagman’s work well- I used a Brown rice version of Bette Hagman’s featherlight blend, but anything will work. Make sure it has a delicate flavor that won’t overwhelm the fruit. You can use different fruits in this recipe, and adapt the flavorings as desired. I think the pie tastes best cool, but it’s good either way. If you want to be really crazy you can add whipped cream or ice cream on top.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  Printed with permission from Vic and Hallie. Recipe found at http://home.comcast.net/~vhdolcourt/gfbaking/desserts/fruit_surprise_pie.html Recipe ID:  1150 Added:  October 25, 2007 Last Modified:  November 20, 2011

This recipe reminds me of my friend Ali’s latest recipe for a refined-sugar-free cranberry pear sauce. I bet even a curmudgeon like me wouldn’t mind the pear mixed in with cranberries!
Since we had a recipe that would be difficult to veganize, I thought I’d share a recipe I developed for a gluten-free vegan cheesecake. Actually looking at this recipe inspires me to make a new raw-foods based version. I know Toddler Yum would enjoy something made with her favorite raw-foods cashew-based cheesecake base. But, this recipe is certainly easy and delicious too. You could always make two vegan cheesecakes for Thanksgiving! I’m sure no one would object. What are your favorite gluten-free vegan dessert recipes? Share in the comments!

I hope you are enjoying my Gluten-free Vegetarian Thanksgiving Series. I’d love to hear what your favorite recipes have been so far.

Gluten Free Vegan Double-layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Dessert  Tofu  American

Ingredients Crust: 1 Nana’s No Gluten Ginger Cookie OR 3/4 cup gluten-free gingersnap cookie like Trader Joes or Midel(not vegan) 3/8 cup finely ground pecans 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/6 cup olive oil or other oil of your choice Filling Base: 8 oz. Tofutti Better than cream cheese 1 pkg firm silken tofu (just over 14 oz.) 1/2 cup agave nectar (or try maple syrup) 2 tbsp corn starch 1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla pinch salt Part Two Filling: 1/2 cup pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie mix filling 2 tsp rum (if desired) 3 tbsp. brown sugar 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie seasoning 1/8 tsp ginger 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg pinch salt (if needed, taste) 6 ceramic ramekins Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine crust ingredients in a food processor and blend together. Press into the bottoms of your ramikins, forming a thin crust. Clean food processor. Combine all the ingredients of your filling base in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Remove 1 cup of the combined filling base and reserve. Now add the part two of the filling to the remaining filling base left in your food processor. (Pumpkin puree through the nutmeg and salt.) Process everything together. Taste and add a little more vanilla and/or salt if you think it needs it. Now, take a clean spatula and carefully smooth the white, reserved filling base as the first cheesecake layer in all of your ramikins. Cover with pumpkin filling as the second cheesecake layer. You can leave a little mound in the center that is higher, but I’m not sure if it is necessary. Place your ramikins in a baking dish with medium-steep sides. Fill the baking dish with hot water halfway up the sides of your ramikins, making sure not to get any water IN the ramikins. Bake for 45- 50 minutes, cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for as long as possible- at least three hours. *sigh* Carefully remove from container or serve in ramikin. Enjoy!

Rating:  9 Original Source:  Filling heavily based on Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, Crust adapted from La Dolce Vegan Recipe ID:  1226 Added:  May 3, 2008 Last Modified:  May 29, 2008

This recipe shared with Diane’s Real Food Weekly Roundup

Coconut Sugar Sweetened Apricot Cobbler Dessert  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients 1/2 C coconut sugar or regular white sugar (add more if your apricots are under-ripe) 6 C fresh apricots 3 tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot starch 1 tbsp. butter or vegan margarine (optional) 1 tsp. almond flavoring 1/2 tsp. vanilla 3/4 C sorghum flour 1/4 C potato starch, arrowroot or corn starch 1/2 C tapioca starch 1 1/2 tbs coconut sugar or regular white sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2 1/4 tsp baking powder 5 tbsp. palm oil shortening 1/2 C milk (dairy-free milk is fine) coconut sugar or raw sugar for garnish Directions Get a deep, ceramic pie pan out of the cupboard and preheat oven to 350F. Pit your apricots and cut into bit sized wedges and place into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, flavoring and sugar and fold in so they are evenly distributed. Melt your butter or margarine and gently fold into the apricot mixture. Reserve. If you like you can pour this apricot mixture into your pie pan and use the bowl for the cobbler. Combine your flours, starches, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Cut in your palm oil shortening with a fork, pastry cutter, or (my personal favorite) your fingers. When the shortening has been worked into the flour and you have a crumbly texture of dough, fold in your milk. Spoon your biscuit mixture on top of the apricots in your pie pan, sprinkle the top with coconut sugar or raw sugar for sparkle, and bake at 350f for around 35 minutes or until cobbler turns a light golden brown and seems firm on top. Enjoy with a dairy-free vanilla ice cream or plain. Delicious! Notes Cobbler runnier than you like? Store it in the refrigerator and the filling will set up.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, please do not replicate without permission. Recipe ID:  1561 Added:  July 14, 2011 Last Modified:  July 20, 2011

I was inspired to make these cobblers because for the first time, we are living in our own home with a proper yard that came with proper fruit trees. To be specific, we have productive avocado, apple, cherry, plum, and apricot trees, with a persimmon tree dipping in over the neighbor’s fence for good measure. Right now the apricot and plum trees are covered in fruit, and we are scrambling to find ways to eat them up before time re-claims them for the compost. I’d never had plum cobbler before, but when my Mother mentioned that she’d once had some, I was intrigued. The resulting recipe made my mouth very happy, especially paired with some vanilla ice cream. One note, though. No matter how much you want cobbler, you definitely want to wait until the fruit is fully ripe. I like a tart plum for snacking, especially in preference to a mushy, over-ripe one, but for cobbler, you really want to harness the natural sweetness of the fruit so you don’t have to dip too heavily into the sugar jar to compensate. My plums were a tad under-ripe. I’ve learned my lesson, and next time I’ll use only ripe, sweet, toothsome fruits.

Baby Yum and I recently celebrated our birthdays in a joint, gluten-free birthday party ladybug-themed feast with a ladybug pinata, butterfly and black and red polka dotted balloons and of course, more food than you would think could fit on one (ok, two) tables. It was lovely and I hope to share pictures soon. I got a new camera for said birthday (the Nikon D5000). Thanks, kisses and loves to all of you for your patience while I befriend my new camera. Who knew light could be so much fun (and so challenging!)

Gluten-Free Plum Cobbler with Pamela’s Baking Mix Dessert  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients 3/4 cup white sugar* 4 cups fresh plums, pitted and sliced into wedges 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 Tbsp corn starch 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, cloves, and allspice 1 1/2 C Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix 1/3 cup milk 1/4 C granulated sugar 1/4 C melted butter or margarine 1 tbsp. raw sugar Directions Take a deep pie pan or 2 Q. casserole dish and preheat oven to 350F. Combine your plums, sugar, vanilla, corn starch and spices in a large bowl. If you like you can then fill your pie pan or casserole dish and use it for your biscuit topping. Combine your Baking mix, sugar, and melted butter or margarine in a bowl and stir together. Fold your milk in gently. Use a large serving spoon to drop the dough on top of your plum mixture. Cover the surface but leave a little space around the edges. Sprinkle with your raw sugar for some pretty baking sparkle and bake at 350f for around 35 minutes or until lightly browned and firm on top. Serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream or enjoy plain. Yum! Notes *I actually used 1/2 cup sugar, but the DH said it was too tart. Our plums were a little under-ripe, so we needed the 3/4 cup. Your mileage may vary.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, please do not replicate without permission. Recipe ID:  1562 Added:  July 14, 2011 Last Modified:  July 14, 2011

This monthly themed food-blogger event was started by Naomi of Straight Into Bed Cakefree & Dried, and celebrates glorious gluten-free food.
Looking for info on future editions? Here is the list of past and present hosts of Go Ahead, Honey.

I mentioned in this post on Amaranth Sorghum Persimmon Muffins that we had a persimmon tree in our back yard. They are delightful for snacking on, but one can only eat so many, and the idea of using them in baking appealed to me. I scoured the internet looking for creative ideas and came across a very interesting recipe for a (gluten) persimmon pudding. I adapted it to be gluten-free and suit our tastes for a Thanksgiving dessert and found it delightful. I’m very in favor of any dessert you can light on fire. It is so festive, and satisfies any latent tendencies for pyromania in a socially acceptable way. This would be lovely for a Christmas dinner, in my opinion. I stored it in the refrigerator so it would keep as long as possible. To refresh it after a day or so in the refrigerator, just microwave a single serving briefly. It is very, very tasty with vanilla ice cream. No dairy? No problem. Soy, rice, or coconut milk offers some beautifully decadent and dairy-free ice cream options.

Do you know how hard it is to get a good photo of a flaming pudding at night? My father-in-law took the above of mother-in-law/grandma holding Baby Yum. I thought it was rather sweet. Here are a few other of my attempts, albeit with a rather unfortunate lack of white balancing. *Sigh*

Here is the DH with creme brulee torch in hand, watching the pudding burn. You should see him tending fire pits… I think we all have an inner pyromaniac, but his is a little closer to the surface than most. If you look closely, you can see a little grey kitty snuggled up on the arm of the couch in the background. It was one of his favorite places to be.



Other gluten-free steamed pudding recipes:
Gluten-free steamed Veg pudding with maple-rhubarb sauce
Gluten-free Sugar-free Steamed Carrot Cake Pudding (YUM!)
Gluten-free Dairy-free Steamed Pudding Recipe
Gluten-free Meyer Lemon Spotted Dick Recipe (Not veg as written. And the name, well, it is a British thing. lol)

Other Gluten-free pudding recipes:
Gluten-free Crockpot Bread Pudding Recipe
Gluten-free Crockpot Chocolate Fudge Pudding Cake Recipe
Gluten-free Orange Almond Bread Pudding Recipe
Gluten-free Old-fashioned Bread Pudding Recipe

This post was shared with Gluten-free Wednesdays and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

*I know I am late posting the roundup for Adopt-a-gluten-free Blogger. My apologies, all. I will get it up as soon as I can. Adopt-a-gluten-free-Blogger will take a brief holiday hiatus and be open again for new sign-ups in January.

Gluten-free Dairy-free Persimmon Pudding Dessert  Alternative Grains  European

Ingredients 1 cup sugar (3/4 cup should work too if you prefer) 1/2 cup margarine (I used Earth Balance)at room temperature 1/2 cup sorghum flour 1/4 cup potato or corn starch (or more sorghum flour) 1/4 cup tapioca starch or arrowroot starch 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. allspice 1/4 tsp. cloves 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1 cup pureed persimmon pulp 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. warm water 7 tablespoons brandy (should be naturally gluten-free, but check with manufacturer) 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup raisins Directions Grease a 5 or 6 cup oven-safe pudding mold that will fit in a large pot with a rack or steaming insert. (You can use Earth balance margarine, palm shortening, or butter if not dairy-free.) Thoroughly combine sugar and margarine in a large bowl, using a spoon or mixer if you prefer. Sift dry ingredients (flours, and spices-NOT including the baking soda) together and add to the butter. Fold in your persimmon pulp. Drop your baking soda into the warm water and lightly whisk. Add baking soda solution, 3 tablespoons brandy and vanilla to your batter. Add eggs and gently combine. Sprinkle in your raisins, stir, and pour into your buttered mold. Here is the cool part. Cover the mold (I used aluminum foil) and put on your rack or steamer insert in your large pot. Fill with boiling water halfway up the side of the mold. Put lid on your large pot and simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Let stand a few minutes before you unmold it. When you serve it, pour 4 tablespoons warmed brandy on the pudding and light it on fire. Should have a gorgeous little blue flame for a bit. If you warm the brandy and let it sit too long before pouring, the alcohol might evaporate and not want to light. In this case, just add a little more brandy and try to relight until *poof* you have a flaming pudding on your table! (Yes, this happened to me)

Rating:  9 Original Source:  adapted from an online gluten-based recipe Recipe ID:  1529 Added:  December 18, 2010 Last Modified:  December 18, 2010

Our gluten-free birthday menu included:
Pickled asparagus
Gluten free crackers and red peppers with baba ghanoush or hummus
Grilled asparagus and mushrooms
Roasted lemon eggplant slices with tahini sauce
gluten-free vegan onion rolls
non-veg barbecue
Indian Veg Rajma Chili
Rice
Vegan Meyer Lemon English Muffins with homemade Meyer Lemon Marmalade
And not 1 but 3 kinds of gluten-free cupcakes: chocolate, vanilla, and meyer lemon

Wish you could have joined us! The meyer lemon cupcakes were a success, and I thought I would share them here with you. Note that they are similar to my earlier vanilla cupcake recipe but do not contain millet flour.

Here’s some pictures of the festivities:

Gluten Free Vegan Sorghum Meyer Lemon Cupcake Recipe Dessert  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients 1 cup hemp milk or other alternative milk 1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar 1 cup sorghum flour 1/4 +1 tbsp cup arrowroot starch or tapioca starch 1 tsp. xanthan gum 2 Tbsp. arrowroot starch 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 cup canola oil 3/4 cup sugar 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1/2 tsp lemon extract 1 tbsp. lemon zest (try meyer) Directions Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin pans with cupcake liners. Whisk in your apple cider vinegar into your hemp milk and let sit for a few minutes. It won’t curdle much, if at all, but that is ok. If you use another milk like soy it will curdle more and you can use less vinegar. Beat together your vinegar milk mixture with oil, sugar and extracts. Sift in your flours, xanthan gum, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and gently stir them in together. Add your lemon zest as the batter begins to come together. Pour your batter into the cupcake liners and bake for 22 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack and frost right away! They will be more delicate the next day. Refrigerate or freeze if desired. Notes I frosted this with a combination of Earth Balance Soy-free margarine and sunflower-palm oil shortening whipped with vanilla and confectioner’s sugar. Alternate adding small amounts of meyer lemon juice (if available) with meyer lemon zest (if available) as you add the sugar. Keeps well frosted overnight in a cupcake keeper.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  inspired by my golden vanilla cupcakes, inspired in turn by Vegan Cupcakes take over the world Recipe ID:  1508 Added:  July 19, 2010 Last Modified:  July 19, 2010

*This recipe is easily vegan if you substitute vegan sugar and use agave nectar instead of honey. Go for it!

Homemade Dairy, Soy and Nut Free Sunflower Butter Chocolate Cup Recipe Dessert  American

Ingredients 1 cup Enjoy Life DF SF chocolate chips 1 tablespoons palm oil shortening (Spectrum or Whole Foods) 1/3 cup Earth Balance No Soy margarine 1/2 cup and 2 tbsp. crunchy homemade sunflower seed butter 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup organic sugar 1/4 tsp. salt Shaped paper cups (for confectionery or mini muffin tin liners) Directions Melt chocolate and shortening in microwave on half power for 1 minute, stirring and then heating in 30 second intervals, stirring after each cycle. It only takes me one or two 30 second cycles. Baste your paper cups with a layer of melted chocolate on the bottom and sides. Put in refrigerator to cool and harden. Reserve enough chocolate to cover the top of your cups. Meanwhile, combine margarine, sunflower seed butter, sweetener and salt in a pan and heat on medium-low, stirring frequently. When smooth and tasty, remove from burner and let cool. To assemble fill each cup with your cooled sunbutter filling and then drizzle chocolate on top, using a spoon to spread it and smooth around the edges. let cool and then enjoy as desired. Freezes well! Notes *I had 6 tini heart-tins and six about the size of a regular 12 count muffin liner, but had to be slightly skimpy with the chocolate. Recipe makes extra nut butter filling- try it in a “nut butter chocolate pie”

Rating:  7 Original Source:  Contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1484 Added:  February 14, 2010 Last Modified:  February 14, 2010