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  • Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    Too much dessert going on around here. I’m gaining weight and I’m not the least bit happy about it! I just keep getting all these fun doodads to use in the kitchen and coming up with so many fun creative recipes and can’t help but want to test them out.

    And here’s the thing… it’s abundantly clear to me that I’m feeling good when I’m churning out creations in the kitchen. So it’s not all bad. I just have to use a little more discipline and utilize my Supreme Taste Testers more often (my awesome coworkers).

    For this batch, I used the Cuisipro Cupcake Corer (Amazon Affiliate Link) create a hole in the top of the cupcake. It works great!!

    Cupcake Corer by Cuisinart

    Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

    My husband is the chocolate lover in our home and he loved these.

    Without further ado, here’s the recipe.

    Chocolate Cupcakes

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Be sure oven is preheated to the correct temperature.
    2. If you don’t have the silicone baking cups, grease the cupcake tins well and dust with coconut flour [affiliate link].
    3. If you do have the silicone baking cups, very lightly grease them with butter or coconut.
    4. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, banana, coconut oil [affiliate link], honey [affiliate link], cinnamon, vanilla [affiliate link] and baking soda.
    5. With an electric mixer, mix at low speed until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
    6. To measure the coconut flour, pack firmly into the cup measurement and use the back of a straight knife to level the flour even with the top edge of the measuring cup.
    7. To ensure there are no lumps, sift flour.
    8. Begin by adding half of the coconut flour into the ingredients. Blend until well mixed and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Add remaining coconut flour to achieve a thick batter. It’s better to add flour in small amounts until you find the correct texture than to compensate by adding more liquids and fats.
    9. Allow to sit for 2 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb liquids. The batter for this loaf will be somewhat thick, but still easy to mix with a spoon.
    10. Spoon batter immediately into cupcake tin.
    11. Place in a preheated oven. Bake 35 minutes.
    12. Cupcakes will feel firm to the touch when done.

    Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (makes about 2-1/2 cups, perfect for one batch of cupcakes)

    • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk at room temperature
    • 6 tablespoons honey*
    • 1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla
    • 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
    1. Remove butter from wrappers and place in a bowl nearby so it’s ready for when you need it. Have a spoon handy as well.
    2. Beat eggs and yolks until they are forming soft peaks (this is best accomplished by using a stand mixer. While the eggs are beating, heat honey to 240°F in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Try to use a pan that has a lip on the edge as I find that easier to hold in place while pouring the honey slowly into the eggs.
    3. I also like to use a digital thermometer that has a probe. I set it to sound an alarm at 238°F so that I can attend to it and watch for it to reach 240°F so I can take the pan off the burner immediately.
    4. With mixer on medium high setting, dribble the honey down the edge (now you’ll see why the pan with the lip comes in handy) of the mixer bowl. The reason you want to dribble the honey on the edge of the bowl is because it will cool just slightly which will keep the eggs from curdling. The eggs will be slightly cooked from the hot honey but not enough to pasteurize them so if you are worried about raw eggs, be sure to use eggs from a farmer you trust.
    5. Once all the honey is dribbled into the mixture, continue to beat until the egg and honey has cooled to room temperature.
    6. With the mixer on a medium setting, add butter one spoonful (about two tablespoons) at a time.
    7. The mixture will turn soupy, but just keep adding butter in one spoonful at a time and as you near the last spoonfuls the mixture will emulsify into buttercream frosting!
    8. Add vanilla and mix well. Add the cocoa powder, mix well. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, use take a sharp knife and cut a circle in the middle of the cupcake (or use the Cuisipro Cupcake Corer [Amazon Affiliate Link]). Use the tip of the knife to dig out the center, leaving the bottom of the cupcake intact. Pipe frosting into the center of the cupcake, then decorate the top of the cupcake.
    9. Crumble the cupcake inserts and sprinkle over the top of the piped on frosting for decoration!

    The frosting will be enough for one dozen cupcakes.

    FYI, regarding the frosting, I recently invested in these disposable pastry bags (Amazon Affiliate Link) (I know, I know… disposable? But my “permanent” frosting bag is so hard to clean, seems to have mold in the crease where it’s sewn together and I decided this box would last me practically forever so I went for it.).

    The really cool thing is you can just drop your tip into the bag and it fits totally snug. Much better than using a sandwich bag, which is what I was doing.

    I also used Ateco #828 Star Pastry Decorating Tip (Amazon Affiliate Link to pipe the frosting into the core of the cupcake, and then piped seven flowers on top, six around the edges and one in the center.

    Did you enter for your chance to win one of the sets of the silicone cupcake liners and a copy of my e-book Baking with Coconut Flour? In progress now until November 22nd, 2014.

    Silicone Cupcake Liners

    Did you miss the Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with the Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting?

    Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

    If you love desserts like this, I have two cookbooks you really need to check out ASAP! Naturally Sweetened Treats for gluten-free dessert needs and Baker’s Dozen Volume 4, Chocolate Treats for amazing chocolate desserts and snacks.

    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • Review: Silicone Cupcake Liners

    Review: Silicone Cupcake Liners

    Have you ever used silicone cupcake liners?

    These things are amazing. Honestly amazing.

    Check out this quick review where I share how easily your cupcakes and muffins will slip out of these silicone liners.

    You can see in this photo below how the paper lined cupcake to the right got all messed up when I tried to remove the paper. Click here for the recipe for the cupcakes in the photo below.

    Silicone Cupcake Liners vs. Paper Liners

    I buttered and floured the tin for the middle cupcake, and it came out pretty good. A couple of things I don’t like about greasing and flouring the tins is the extra mess, and the additional time it adds to the process.

    One thing you may or may not notice but the silicone liner cupcake is slightly smaller than the other two. For me this is a good thing, I don’t mind my cupcakes being a little smaller. Less calories but you still feel like you are getting a whole cupcake.

    I bake primarily with coconut flour and I learned early on that parchment paper is an absolute must; otherwise your baked good sticks so badly that often quite a good bit is wasted. Who wants to spend time chewing cupcakes off paper liners? I know I don’t, so I stopped using them altogether. Slathering butter and coconut flour [affiliate link] into the cupcake tin works a lot better so I was settling for that method. The only little problem is the cupcake tin is all messy. It works though.

    I’ve heard about silicone baking utensils, but hadn’t paid much attention. To be honest, it just doesn’t seem right to put anything but metal or glass in the oven! Are there chemicals leaching? Who knows?

    But one day I was browsing Amazon and BPA-free silicone caught my eye. Really? I asked some of my real foodie friends and the word on the ‘net was that silicone is probably okay to use occasionally. Kind of like how I feel okay using my ice cream maker even though the insert is aluminum, and I use non-stick baking pans every so often.

    I bought a set and the first thing we tried in the silicone liners was scrambled eggs [affiliate link]. That was my husband’s idea. It was pretty neat how the eggs just popped right out of the silicone molds. We just put the molds into the oven on the shelf and they baked up great.

    The next thing I tried was my Faux Cornmeal Muffins. You can find the recipe in either of my e-books Beyond Grain & Dairy or Mastering the Art of Baking with Coconut Flour. I was delighted beyond words when they practically fell out of the silicone molds!

    Faux Cornmeal Muffins
    Paper liners, boo-hiss. Silicone liners rock!

    Have you used them? Do you like them?

    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • Healthy Coconut Peanut Butter Walnut Fudge

    Healthy Coconut Peanut Butter Walnut Fudge

    Coconut Peanut Butter Walnut Fudge

    This is a variation spun from the Coconut Pecan Cocoa Fudge. Once again, this fudge is full of healthy fats, contains no sugar or artificial sweeteners and no chocolate! (When I first posted this recipe, I accidentally included cocoa powder [affiliate link] in the list of ingredients. That has now been removed.) I used peanut butter [affiliate link] but feel free to use your favorite nut butter in equal parts. This recipe is a great way to get in some healthy coconut fats while having a bit of a sweet treat. Keep this in mind as something to have for the upcoming holidays.

    As I mentioned last week, I’ve never been much of a fan of fudge because it’s just too sweet. I have to admit this fudge, made using 3 tablespoons of honey [affiliate link], is pretty darned sweet. I’d suggest if you are on GAPS (or just limit your intake of sweets) that you taste the mixture starting with less honey. Start with a tablespoon or less and add more to your personal taste.

    The texture for this recipe before chilling will be similar to frosting. It will harden up very nicely in the refrigerator or freezer.

    Please note the items with asterisks (*) below are affiliate links to the products I use from Tropical Traditions. If you are a new customer and purchase using my link, I will receive a discount coupon and you will receive a copy of their book Virgin Coconut Oil: How It Has Changed Lives and How It Can Change Yours.

    Instructions

    1. Lightly butter a small rectangular container, then place parchment paper (the parchment paper stays in place better when the dish is buttered).
    2. The coconut cream [affiliate link] concentrate should be easy to stir, if not, warm gently on the stove top.
    3. Mix all items together, place on top of the parchment paper. The mixture will be thick. Use a spoon to spread the fudge into the container.
    4. Place in freezer for 15-30 minutes.
    5. This fudge must be kept chilled or frozen. It will melt at room temperature.

    I used Pyrex 7210 *Amazon Affiliate Link which is 7″ x 5″ x 1.5″.


    Save Print
    Healthy Coconut Peanut Butter Walnut Fudge
     
    Ingredients
    • 2 tablespoons coconut cream concentrate
    • 2 tablespoons coconut oil [affiliate link]
    • ¼ cup peanut butter
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla [affiliate link] (links to my Homemade Vanilla recipe)
    • 1-3 tablespoons honey (I used 3)
    • ½ cup walnuts
    • 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
    • ½ cup coconut flakes [affiliate link]
    • 1 tablespoon coconut flour [affiliate link]
    Instructions
    1. Lightly butter a small rectangular container, then place parchment paper (the parchment paper stays in place better when the dish is buttered).
    2. The coconut cream concentrate should be easy to stir, if not, warm gently on the stove top.
    3. Mix all items together, place on top of the parchment paper. The mixture will be thick. Use a spoon to spread the fudge into the container.
    4. Place in freezer for 15-30 minutes.
    5. This fudge must be kept chilled or frozen. It will melt at room temperature.
    Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

     
    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • (Copycat) Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting

    (Copycat) Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting

    Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting

    I see delicious food everywhere. The really awesome thing is even though I “can’t have it” the chances are pretty high that I can actually recreate it and make it into something I can have, plus it will actually be healthy and made from real food!

    Please be aware that this post contains affiliate links to Amazon and Tropical Traditions. Tropical Traditions links indicated by an asterisk (*). If you are a new to Tropical Traditions and purchase after clicking through one of my links, I will receive a discount coupon and you will receive a copy of their book Virgin Coconut Oil: How It Has Changed Lives and How It Can Change Yours.

    The latest inspiration comes from Duncan Hines. Right now they have a box mix called Limited Edition Decadent Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes (Amazon Affiliate Link). On the box you see a cupcake split down the middle with frosting in the center of the cupcake.

    I knew I had to recreate these cupcakes. But of course my recipe is GAPS legal and surprise, surprise, my frosting isn’t orange. And, mine don’t look exactly like the cupcakes on the Duncan Hines box. However, I can assure you these did turn out amazingly delicious!

    I am so fortunate to have willing taste testers at my job. These cupcakes were devoured within minutes! Several people commented that the frosting was amazing and they loved that it was so fluffy and lightly sweet. My boss insisted that I bring these cupcakes to work at our yearly staff potluck in December so I am planning on making two dozen.

    By the way, these freeze perfectly and once thawed you would never know they were frozen. Be sure to let them completely come to room temperature or the frosting will be hard, instead of fluffy and soft.

    This recipe makes 1 dozen cupcakes. I highly recommend using silicone baking cups, they are fabulous and magical! In the past, cupcakes made with paper cupcake inserts were a huge disaster, with a good portion of the muffin or cupcakes glued to the paper, but these cupcakes slid right out of the silicone inserts. Awesome! Less food waste! I am totally sold on these!

    Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

    1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Be sure oven is preheated to the correct temperature.
    2. If you don’t have the silicone baking cups, grease the cupcake tins well and dust with coconut flour [affiliate link].
    3. If you do have the silicone baking cups, very lightly grease them with butter or coconut.
    4. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, squash, coconut oil [affiliate link], honey [affiliate link], cinnamon [affiliate link], ginger [affiliate link], cloves [affiliate link], nutmeg [affiliate link], vanilla [affiliate link] and baking soda [affiliate link].
    5. With an electric mixer, mix at low speed until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
    6. To measure the coconut flour, pack firmly into the cup measurement and use the back of a straight knife to level the flour even with the top edge of the measuring cup.
    7. To ensure there are no lumps, sift flour.
    8. Begin by adding half of the coconut flour into the ingredients. Blend until well mixed and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Add remaining coconut flour to achieve a thick batter. It’s better to add flour in small amounts until you find the correct texture than to compensate by adding more liquids and fats.
    9. Allow to sit for 2 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb liquids. The batter for this loaf will be somewhat thick, but still easy to mix with a spoon.
    10. Add apple cider vinegar and mix together quickly.
    11. Spoon batter immediately into cupcake tin.
    12. Place in a preheated oven. Bake 20-35 minutes.
    13. Cupcakes will feel firm to the touch when done.

    For this batch, I simply used a knife to carve out a hole in the middle of the cupcake. It worked out great, but for future batches I’ve invested in this Cuisipro Cupcake Corer. It is on its way from Amazon so I’ll let you know what I think of it as soon as I get a chance to try it!

    Watch the video above if you are interested in a demonstration of the process of making buttercream frosting.

    Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting

    Makes about 2-12 cups

     

    1. Remove butter from wrappers and place in a bowl nearby so it’s ready for when you need it. Have a spoon handy as well.
    2. Measure out the spices and place in a bowl nearby. Beat eggs and yolks until they are forming soft peaks (this is best accomplished by using a stand mixer. While the eggs are beating, heat honey to 240°F in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Try to use a pan that has a lip on the edge as I find that easier to hold in place while pouring the honey slowly into the eggs.
    3. I also like to use a digital thermometer that has a probe. I set it to sound an alarm at 238°F so that I can attend to it and watch for it to reach 240°F so I can take the pan off the burner immediately.
    4. With mixer on medium high setting, dribble the honey down the edge (now you’ll see why the pan with the lip comes in handy) of the mixer bowl. The reason you want to dribble the honey on the edge of the bowl is because it will cool just slightly which will keep the eggs from curdling. The eggs will be slightly cooked from the hot honey but not enough to pasteurize them so if you are worried about raw eggs, be sure to use eggs from a farmer you trust.
    5. Once all the honey is dribbled into the mixture, continue to beat until the egg and honey has cooled to room temperature. I’ve made the mistake of adding the butter too soon, it will just melt in the hot eggs and honey and will never emulsify without some fast action from someone who really knows what they are doing.[My son cooked in a commercial kitchen when he was a teenager and the time I almost ruined the buttercream frosting he knew to quickly add pieces of cold butter].
    6. With the mixer on a medium setting, add butter one spoonful (about two tablespoons) at a time.
    7. The mixture will turn soupy, but just keep adding butter in one spoonful at a time and as you near the last spoonfuls the mixture will emulsify into buttercream frosting!
    8. Add vanilla and mix well. Add spices, mix well. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, take a sharp knife and cut a circle in the middle of the cupcake. Use the tip of the knife to dig out the center, leaving the bottom of the cupcake intact. Pipe frosting into the center of the cupcake, then decorate the top of the cupcake.
    9. Crumble the cupcake inserts and sprinkle over the top of the piped on frosting for decoration!

    Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting

    5.0 from 1 reviews
    Save Print
    Grain-Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting
    Author: 
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Serves: 12
     
    Pumpkin Cupcakes which are filled in the middle with spiced buttercream frosting. These grain-free, gluten-free, honey sweetened cupcakes were inspired by Duncan Hines Limited Edition Decadent Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.
    Ingredients
    • 6 large whole eggs (293 grams)
    • ½ cup butternut squash, winter squash or pumpkin
    • ½ cup coconut oil
    • ½ cup honey
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon cloves
    • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla
    • ½ cup coconut flour, packed (87 grams)
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
    • FROSTING
    • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk at room temperature
    • 6 tablespoons honey
    • ½ pound unsalted butter at room temperature
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Be sure oven is preheated to the correct temperature.
    2. I recommend using Silicone Baking Cups, they are magic when it comes to releasing cupcakes or muffins!
    3. I don’t recommend using regular paper cupcake liners as the cupcakes will stick terribly. If you don’t have the silicone baking cups, grease the cupcake tins well and dust with coconut flour. If you do have silicone cupcake liners, grease them very lightly with butter or coconut oil.
    4. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, squash, coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla and baking soda.
    5. With an electric mixer, mix at low speed until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
    6. To measure the coconut flour, pack firmly into the cup measurement and use the back of a straight knife to level the flour even with the top edge of the measuring cup.
    7. To ensure there are no lumps, sift flour.
    8. Begin by adding half of the coconut flour into the ingredients. Blend until well mixed and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Add remaining coconut flour to achieve a thick batter. It’s better to add flour in small amounts until you find the correct texture than to compensate by adding more liquids and fats.
    9. Allow to sit for 2 minutes to allow the coconut flour to absorb liquids. The batter for this loaf will be somewhat thick, but still easy to mix with a spoon.
    10. Add apple cider vinegar and mix together quickly.
    11. Spoon batter immediately into cupcake tin.
    12. Place in a preheated oven. Bake 20-35 minutes.
    13. Cupcakes will feel firm to the touch when done.
    14. FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS
    15. Remove butter from wrappers and place in a bowl nearby so it’s ready for when you need it. Have a spoon handy as well.
    16. Measure out the spices and place in a bowl nearby.
    17. Beat eggs and yolks until they are forming soft peaks (this is best accomplished by using a stand mixer). While the eggs are beating, heat honey to 240°F in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Try to use a pan that has a lip on the edge as I find that easier to hold in place while pouring the honey slowly into the eggs.
    18. I also like to use a digital thermometer that has a probe. I set it to sound an alarm at 238°F so that I can attend to it and watch for it to reach 240°F so I can take the pan off the burner immediately.
    19. With mixer on medium high setting, dribble the honey down the edge (now you’ll see why the pan with the lip comes in handy) of the mixer bowl. The reason you want to dribble the honey on the edge of the bowl is because it will cool just slightly which will keep the eggs from curdling. The eggs will be slightly cooked from the hot honey but not enough to pasteurize them so if you are worried about raw eggs, be sure to use eggs from a farmer you trust.
    20. Once all the honey is dribbled into the mixture, continue to beat until the egg and honey has cooled to room temperature. I’ve made the mistake of adding the butter too soon, it will just melt in the hot eggs and honey and will never emulsify without some fast action from someone who really knows what they are doing.[My son cooked in a commercial kitchen when he was a teenager and the time I almost ruined the buttercream frosting he knew to quickly add pieces of cold butter].
    21. With the mixer on a medium setting, add butter one spoonful (about two tablespoons) at a time.
    22. The mixture will turn soupy, but just keep adding butter in one spoonful at a time and as you near the last spoonfuls the mixture will emulsify into buttercream frosting!
    23. Add vanilla and mix well.
    24. Add spices, mix well.
    25. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, take a sharp knife and cut a circle in the middle of the cupcake. Use the tip of the knife to dig out the center, leaving the bottom of the cupcake intact.
    26. Pipe frosting into the center of the cupcake, then decorate the top of the cupcake.
    27. Crumble the cupcake inserts and sprinkle over the top of the piped on frosting for decoration!
    Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

    If you love desserts like this, I have two cookbooks you really need to check out ASAP! Naturally Sweetened Treats for gluten-free dessert needs and Baker’s Dozen 2 Pumpkin Treats.
    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • Halloween Food & Treat Ideas (Grain-Free, Sugar-Free)

    Halloween Food & Treat Ideas (Grain-Free, Sugar-Free)

    Halloween Snack and Party Food Ideas

    First I’m going to start with some of the treats I have here on my blog, but be sure to look over the links below the images to find some neat GAPS Friendly Halloween food party ideas!

    GAPS Friendly Treats and Snacks

    1. Werewolf Fingers made with peanut (or any nut) butter, honey, eggs and almonds [affiliate link].
    2. Dark Chocolate with Pecans made with unsalted butter, cocoa powder [affiliate link], vanilla [affiliate link] extract, honey, sea salt [affiliate link] and pecan halves.
    3. Chocolate Coconut Fudge Babies made with raw cashews, almonds, coconut oil [affiliate link], honey, shredded coconut, cocoa powder, vanilla and sea salt.
    4. Sesame Chocolate Nutty Bites made with sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cashews, raw honey, walnuts, cocoa powder, almond butter [affiliate link], pumpkin [affiliate link] seeds, and shredded coconut.
    5. Make Your Own GAPS Friendly Chocolate (Turtles) made with cocoa butter, coconut oil, cocoa powder, honey, and pecans.
    6. Pacific Island Fudge Babies made with dates, coconut flakes [affiliate link], macadamia nuts [affiliate link], papaya, pineapple, walnuts, vanilla and coconut cream [affiliate link] concentrate.
    7. Banana Bread Fudge Babies made with dates, crushed banana chips, and walnuts.
    8. Coconut Pecan Cocoa Fudge made with coconut cream concentrate, coconut oil, vanilla, honey, pecans, butter or coconut oil, cocoa powder, and shredded coconut.
    9. Coconut Peanut Butter Balls made with coconut cream concentrate, shredded coconut, nut butter, raw honey and salt.

    Fun Food Ideas, perfect for parties!

    Pumpkin Recipes

    Other Information on Dealing with Halloween + Real Food Halloween Treats (check to make sure they are GAPS legal)

    Ideas for toys to give out on Halloween (Amazon Affiliate Links)

    You can see all of the GAPS Friendly links pinned here at Pinterest: GAPS Friendly Halloween Treats

    GAPS DIET JOURNEY is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to AMAZON.COM. GAPS DIET JOURNEY is an affiliate for several companies and may be compensated through advertising and marketing channels. Therefore, this post may contain affiliate links.

  • Pear Pecan Pie

    Pear Pecan Pie

    Pear Pecan Pie

    One of my favorite things to do is to buy several pounds of in-season fruit and envision a brand new recipe over several days, attempting to bring it to fruition when I’m off work. Last weekend I had pears. First I made a “braided” bread with pear and apple filling. It tasted good, but I wasn’t completely impressed, so that went on the back burner in my mind to stew awhile longer. The process of making that did help to clarify what I was seeking, and next I tried making this Pear Pecan Pie.

    Never in my life before have I come so close to eating an entire pie by myself. At one sitting.

    As soon as this pie cooled down I cut a slice to take my presentation photos. Once I had a few photos snapped I took one bite. And then another. And before I knew it, that slice was gone. It was just too delicious. And then I ate a second slice. I had to stop myself. I had to exercise some self control. I decided this pie was going to work to share with my Premier Taste Testers. By the time the pie got to work the next day there was less than half to share.

    Okay, so pecan pie has always been one of my favorite pies. I love pecans [affiliate link]. I love the texture of Pecan Pie filling in my mouth. It is smooth and sweet. Although honestly I have to admit, too sweet. Because it is usually too sweet we make pecan pie very occasionally. It’s usually something we’ll have with a holiday meal. Before I started eating “real food” we used Karo corn syrup as the sweetener… ewwww… fortunately, honey [affiliate link] works very well as a substitute.

    I wanted to make a pear pie, but I was looking for a pecan pie filling texture. So I decided to start with a pecan pie recipe and add in pears. Instead of re-inventing the wheel I went looking for a GAPS legal pecan pie and found Grain-Free, Honey-Sweetened Pecan Pie from Cara at Health Home and Happiness.

    My recipe has less honey, less pecans, and of course pears. My crust is the one I used for my Faux Sweet Potato Pie.

    Now just a few words about pears before I share the recipe with you. First of all, pears are in the top 10 foods to avoid because of pesticides so buy organic if you can.

    In my experience, pears are one of the “iffy” fruits. By that I mean I haven’t had a lot of luck finding them perfectly ripe so I end up having to ripen them on my counter top. Sometimes I get lucky and they ripen wonderfully, all juicy and tasty, while other times they end up with a grainy mushy tasteless texture. But I have had my fair share of pears at the deliciously ripe stage, so I’m not afraid to keep trying.

    And now for the recipe. I think I will be making this one at Thanksgiving.

    Pear Pecan Pie

    Makes one 9-1/2″ pie

    Crust

    Filling

    • 4 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
    • 1 cup pecans
    • 3 eggs [affiliate link]
    • 1 cup honey
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla [affiliate link]
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 4 tablespoons melted butter
    1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
    2. Measure almond flour by packing tightly into the measuring cup.
    3. Add to a medium sized bowl with sea salt, and butter.
    4. Use a fork to mix ingredients together until the dough is in chunks.
    5. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds its shape.
    6. Press into a 9-1/2″ pie pan.
    7. Peel, core and slice the pears. Add sliced pears into the pie crust.
    8. Add pecans, spread around evenly.
    9. Whisk the eggs thoroughly (otherwise you may have bits of cooked egg white floating about in your pie).
    10. Add honey, vanilla, sea salt and melted butter and whisk together.
    11. Pour over the pears and pecans.
    12. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pie filling is set. The filling will puff up and may be slightly jiggly when done. As it cools it will deflate.
    13. Allow to completely cool before slicing. Tastes awesome slightly warm or cold.

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    Pear Pecan Pie
    Author: 
    Recipe type: Dessert, Pie
    Cuisine: American
    Cook time: 
    Total time: 
    Serves: 8
     
    This pie is a delicious variation of Pecan Pie but is not as sweet, uses less pecans and includes fresh pears.
    Ingredients
    • Makes one 9-1/2″ pie
    • ::Crust
    • 1-1/2 cups almond flour, packed
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ cup butter, cold
    • ice water
    • ::Filling
    • 4 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 cup honey
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 4 tablespoons melted butter
    Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
    2. Measure almond flour by packing tightly into the measuring cup.
    3. Add to a medium sized bowl with sea salt, and butter.
    4. Use a fork to mix ingredients together until the dough is in chunks.
    5. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds its shape.
    6. Press into a 9-1/2″ pie pan.
    7. Peel, core and slice the pears. Add sliced pears into the pie crust.
    8. Add pecans, spread around evenly.
    9. Whisk the eggs thoroughly (otherwise you may have bits of cooked egg white floating about in your pie).
    10. Add honey, vanilla, sea salt and melted butter and whisk together.
    11. Pour over the pears and pecans.
    12. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pie filling is set. The filling will puff up and may be slightly jiggly when done. As it cools it will deflate.
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    Pear Pecan Pie

    This recipe has been included at Gluten Free Wednesdays!

    What is your favorite pie? Please let me know in the comments!

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