Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Best consumed warm, while relaxed...

           My usual vacation style and way to spend free time is action packed and go go go. Even without realizing, that can be much about efficiency of cost and time.While I love doing lots of activities, sometimes the  constant push about what to do next can start to wear on you. Sometimes it's nice to have a bit of change, and my trip to Washington last weekend was just that. Everyone was asking what I was in town for. Is it that strange to go somewhere just to visit family? I met my Nephew Miles for the first time, ran in true fall weather and had lots of leisure coffee shop visits. The type where you actually sit down and drink in the atmosphere as well as the cappuccino . There was also time for the giants, and watching the two victories they had that weekend. This is the kind of bread that is best enjoyed at a leisure pace. Take note of how the wonderful cinnamon smell fills the house. A warm dense slice with a cup of coffee on a fall weekend morning would be perfect.
 That is actually how it was recommended in the original recipe, which I adapted from http://peasandthankyou.com/2012/09/27/pumpkin-streusel-swirl-loaf/.
Ingredients
1 C pumpkin purée
1/4 C butter melted
1 egg
2 T milk
1/3 C brown sugar / coconut sugar
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 t ginger
Cardamon/ cloves optional
1-1/3 Cgluten free flour blend (Or all purpose flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Streusel topping
2-3 T melted butter
1/3 C chopped pecans
3 T rolled oats
2T brown sugar
2 T cinnamon
 
Directions

1. Combine, pumpkin, egg, butter, and sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl or measuring cup mix all of the dry ingredients.
2. Combine the wet and dry together together.
3. Pour half of the batter into a greased loaf pan.
4. In a separate bowl combine the streusel toppings. 
5. Cover the loaf with half of the streusel and pour the remaining batter over.
6. Cover with remaining streusel topping
7. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until fork comes out clean.

 Next up- Giants baseball sweet potato cups. I wasn't expecting them to win the world series in such a quick sweep, but the recipe is coming soon.

Homemade Chocolate Bars

High Epicatechin Fudge

     It should come as no surprise by now that my family and is into dark chocolate. The reasons vary. For some taste, others wakefulness, and some for endurance. For the last year, we have been receiving inside information from top notch researchers who have done studies on the effects of dark chocolate on the mitochondria. I'll spare you the scientific details, but in short, the epicatechin in chocolate can be quite beneficial to your mitochondria development. One of the researchers spoke at the Priory about it, which resulted in a large number of cross country runners starting to eat chocolate in hopes of enhancing their performance. 

        When Johnny ate an entire Hershey sized bar of 72% chocolate the morning of his Stanford invitational race, he set a1 minute personal record. Despite increased training, racing experience and fitness levels, he attributed most of the success to the chocolate. Soon after, I started creating a stronger, darker, homemade blend to ensure we were indulging in the cold pressed variety. This high epicatechin fudge is now requested frequently and has earned a top shelf in the fridge. It contains blended whole cacao beans which make for a super rich chocolately flavor. After refrigerating, it feels similar in texture to a dark chocolate crunch bar, but tastes much better. I would recommend crumbling over a sweet potato, oatmeal, or in a banana smoothie. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 C ground caocao beans, or caocao powder
• 2 T almond butter (I used creamy roasted with sea-salt. If you use raw, sprinkle some salt in)
• 1 T coconut butter
• 1 T coconut oil
• 1 t instant coffee powder
• 2 t honey

Directions

1. Grind the caocao beans into a fine powder with a food processor or blender. Add coffee powder if desired.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. The mixture should be almost drippy.
3. Pour onto a small plate and refridgerate for at least 40 minutes or until hardened. 
4. Cut into small pieces and serve.

eat, enjoy and run fast!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cashew Pumpkin Cream

Fully Fall, Double Pumpkin and Chocolate Cupcakes 

     I will not be surprised if I turn slightly orange before the end of fall. Since the 30 day challenge, my consumption of pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots has sky rocketed. Pumpkin has become so common on blogs that it's almost losing popularity. Its the "everyone eats pumpkin in the fall so I'll do something different" effect. Not for me. I will fully embrace pumpkin until it goes out of season. And...orange is better than the pale winter palor anyway.

        This is the first time I have ever made cupcakes and it may become something I do more often. These are not your typically light floury, sugary cupcakes, they are actually pretty rich and filling (although not as much as almond flour types). These have a nice pumpkin flavor are not overly sweet. If you have a serious sweet tooth you may want to consider adding more honey. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil melted
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 C quality honey
• 3/4 C pumpkin puree
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t cloves
• 1/4 t allspice
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t ginger
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• handful of dark chocolate chips (Optional)
• Note- I cut up some chunks from 72 % chocolate and sprinkled it onto some of the muffins, so that I could have both chocolate and plain.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Crack the eggs into the bowl or food processor. Beat with your mixer or a food processor. Add in vanilla, honey, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking soda. Mix until combined. Slowly add in the coconut flour and the butter.

3. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups. 

4. Bake 15-19 minutes until fork comes out clean

5. Remove and let cool

6. Scoop Cashew Cream into a bag and cut a hole in the corner. Squeeze on frosting to desired thickness.

Pumpkin Cashew Cream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw/unsalted cashews, soaked 8hrs or overnight
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (I used sugar pumpkin puree)
• 6 large dates, soaked in water
• 1/4 C milk or almond milk
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions

1. Drain the cashews and add them to your food processor with the drained dates, 1/4 cup milk, vanilla extract, all of the spices, and salt.
2. Add pumpkin puree
3. Blend until completely smooth.
4. Add more soaked dates if you would like it sweeter.

Yum- Enjoy for dessert, or breakfast or snack. These have a very high protein content!