Category Archives: clean desserts

Gluten Free Plant-Based Carrot Cake

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, homesteading, Kentucky memories, ky author, plant-based, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. Snow still covers the ground on the homestead. While it has melted in a lot of places, it lingers here. Our farm lies down between two mountains resulting in us being behind the north side of the mountain. Our farm is located in what Appalachian people call a holler! We don’t mind it… I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Our homestead is the property in the end of the holler. No one above us, in front of us, or behind us. We love the privacy and lack of a of seeing traffic passing by. We have one neighbor who can see the lower end of our land, which helps with insurance and to keep an eye on our property if we’re gone. All that being said, I am excited to bring a new recipe that is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan it can easily be changed to non-vegan as well.

I was challenged with creating a dessert for our daughter’s birthday, that our youngest grandson could eat. He has recently become gluten and dairy intolerant. He tested negative for celiac disease and allergy tests are scheduled to help diagnose the problem. Until an official medical diagnosis is made, we’ve strived to remove both dairy and gluten from his diet, as this is what seemed to give him the most trouble. Our efforts seem to be working. We also discovered while on this gluten free journey that many spices contain gluten. I have used organic spices for years and was happy to learn that the majority of organic spices are gluten free. However, we must always read the labels to be for sure. With all that being said, I am excited as we move forward to post gluten free recipes that are also dairy free and vegan in upcoming posts. Here we go with a first, which was a huge success! Carrot Cake!!!

Cake Ingredients:

  • Egg substitute equaling 4 eggs ( I like just egg)
  • 1 1/2 cups of organic cane sugar
  • 2/3 cup of organic light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup of melted organic unrefined coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup of sweetened almond milk with a tsp of organic white vinegar (you may sub for buttermilk if not following a plant based diet)
  • 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple in pure juice no sugar added
  • 2 tbs of pineapple juice from pineapples
  • 2 1/4 cup of gluten free King Arthur’s organic flour (may sub for all purpose flour)
  • 1 1/2 tsp good quality non caking baking powder
  • 1 tsp non caking baking soda
  • 1 tsp organic cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp organic ginger
  • 1/4 tsp of organic nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp non caking salt (I like pink Himalayan)
  • 2 1/2 cups finely grated organic carrots
  • 1/2 cup organic pecans finely chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 cup choice organic raisins (optional) I like dark raisins but you may use golden

Frosting Ingredients:

  • 3 cups sifted organic confection sugar
  • 1 stick (equals 1/2 cup) of Country Crock plant butter
  • 8 ounces of organic plant based cream cheese (I like the Simple Truth brand)

Ingredients can be substituted for non-vegan cake.

Process:

Preheat oven to 350, spray and line a 13×9 glass baking pan with unbleached parchment paper. Mix vinegar into milk and set aside. Mix sugar, eggs or egg substitute, oil, vanilla, pineapples, milk, and juice. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients and then fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the carrots, pecans, and raisins. Gently stir and when well mixed pour into the prepped cake pan.

Gently tap the pan of batter on the counter top to decrease air bubbles. Bake on the middle rack. Bake for forty minutes. Due to difference in oven temperatures test at 30 minutes with a skewer for doneness. If the skewer comes out clean, the cake is done. If the cake is not ready, return to oven and check again at 35, etc. Bake until the skewer comes out clean when resting for doneness. I baked in a Pyrex glass baking pan, which is thicker. My cake was done at 42 minutes.

Unfrosted cake

When the cake is baked, set it on a cooling rack. Wait until cake is completely cool before frosting. While the cake is cooling, make the frosting.

Process:

Mix room temperature plant-based butter, room temperature plant-based cream cheese, and three sifted cups of confection sugar on slow in a stand mixer. Once the sugar is incorporated, speed the mixer up to create a fluffier frosting.

Frosting is ready for the cake!

When the cake is completely cooled, using a rubber spatula, frost the cake. (Optional) Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top.

Top of frosted cake. I didn’t add pecans to the top.

I was amazed how creamy the frosting turned out. It is smooth, creamy, and tart enough to be delicious. The frosting didn’t have a phony taste like store bought frosting often has. I couldn’t wait to taste the cake after it was frosted. I actually didn’t wait until our daughter’s birthday dinner. I tasted the corner of the cake and was super happy with the results! I explained to her why a tiny little piece was missing from one of the corners. She understood and said she would’ve done the same.

Plant-based gluten free carrot cake.

The cake was a success! Everyone enjoyed it and loved the addition of the raisins. I had additional chopped pecans for those that wanted to add nuts to the top of their cake. The moisture level was off the charts! Had I not told everyone the cake was non dairy, plant-based, organic, and gluten free, they would have never known. Eating healthy doesn’t mean that you have to scrimp on taste.

I hope you and your family enjoy this cake as much as our family has. It is a great sweet treat for evening coffee, after dinner dessert, or even a breakfast treat. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. Feel free to like, share, subscribe or comment. If you’re enjoying our recipes and adventures in homesteading, go check out our podcast, Homesteading in the Mountains on Apple Podcasts. Have a wonderful week and weekend!

Dehydrating Apples in the Air Fryer

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean desserts, clean recipes, farm living, garden time, holistic living, homesteading, Kentucky memories, plant-based and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Good morning, from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s the time of year that I am typically dehydrating apples. This year many of my harvesting plans have not gone as planned due to spending much time with my elderly mom in the hospital for the past five weeks. While at home yesterday, I noticed a small bowl of neglected apples sitting in the kitchen. They were long overdue being sliced, fried, or dehydrated. After sizing the situation up, I determined there wasn’t enough apples to unbox the big dehydrator, I didn’t want to fry them, so I decided to dehydrate them in the air fryer! There were just enough apples to make a small batch of dried apples! Here’s how I did it.

Ingredients:

Apples

Tools:

Air fryer & liner

Process:

Wash, dry, and peel apples. Slice them to suit your preference. I prefer them to be sliced rather than cubed. Place a liner in the air fryer for easy removal and easy cleanup. Close the drawer, turn the air fryer on, press dehydrate, and push start.

My air fryer temperature for dehydrating is preset. So, I decided to experiment and use the suggested temperature and time. All I had to lose was seven or eight apples.

Ready to dry.
Preset temp and time.

After about two hours, I checked the apples and they were doing wonderful. I continued to check the apples each hour until they reached the desired texture that I like. I stopped the apples at 5 1/2 hours. They were perfect to my liking. Delicious!

Delicious dried apple chips.

Dried apples can be seasoned prior to dehydrating by adding cinnamon, sugar, or whatever spice or seasoning you prefer. My family and myself prefer plain dried apples. They’re rich, sweet, and a bit tart. I used honey-crisp organic apples, because it’s what I had and what needed to be used. Dried apples make a wonderful healthy snack to take to work, school, long car rides, or on vacation. I also like to rehydrate them for frying, and they make an awesome apple stack cake. I typically dry a bushel in September in multiple batches in our large dehydrator, but for small batches, the air fryer was perfect. It doesn’t heat the kitchen up, doesn’t take too much space, not very noisy, and is a great way to salvage apples that may have lingered in the kitchen too long. It’s a money saver! With the price of groceries continually on the rise, cost cutting ideas are always appreciated!

I want to leave you with a scripture that has always blessed me. Zechariah 2:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. KKV

For now, God bless, from our homestead in the mountains of Kentucky. I hope you enjoy this short post, time saving, and money saving delicious recipe. Feel free to like, share, subscribe or follow. Head on over to listen to my podcast, Homesteading in the Mountains, on Apple Podcasts. My latest post is about growing, using, and dehydrating oregano.

Also check out our recipes for Canning Your Very Own Delicious Apple Butter and Organic Vegan Apple Tea Bread

Have wonderful week!

Zucchini Bread, Green-beans, and More!

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in a spiritual life, appalachian life, canning, clean desserts, farm living, garden time, homesteading, Kentucky memories, organic food, plant-based and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky. I hope this post finds you well and blessed. It’s a busy time in the mountains! Homesteading is a way of life with great rewards, but also a lot of hard work! We spent most of the day Friday picking beans before the rain moved in. Our house was filled with the wonderful summer aroma of green beans simmering on the stove! While we worked to string and break beans to can. See the link below for our canning recipe. Canning Green Beans the Time-Tested Way However, it’s never too busy to take time to go to church for Friday’s hour of prayer and Bible study. Our topic was very interesting. Do you trust God? The study/conversation was filled with testimonies, scriptures, advice, and wonderful fellowship. It was a great reminder of how much we truly need to trust God, especially in the uncertain times that we are living in.

The first of what we anticipate to be many jars canned!

Friday was also a day for baking. When you have an abundance of zucchini, you flash freeze them and transfer the frozen zucchini to a bag to use for frying later, shred them for winter zucchini bread, make pancakes for the freezer, fry tasty fritters to vacuum seal, and batter fry a few to have with supper. Again, it’s a busy time in the mountains. I can’t complain. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. We are richly blessed to live in the mountains, have land that allows us to garden and have fresh vegetables to enjoy all summer, and an abundant crop to put away for winter.

I didn’t get a picture of the entire loaf before a chunk was already eaten!

Homesteading for us is a healthier way of life. Not everyone in our family follows a plant-based diet, but that doesn’t mean they do not enjoy some of the delicious plant-based dishes or work toward improving their health. A lot of people are prone to think of plant-based or vegan food as bland, dull, and tasteless. But, this zucchini bread is far from that. Our entire family loves it, even those who don’t follow a plant-based diet. I think you’ll enjoy this bread recipe as well. It is moist, sweet, and delicious.

Ingredients:

Line a mixing bowl with cheese cloth or unbleached paper towel. Shred two small or one large zucchini using a fine hand grater into the lined bowl, or two cup measuring cup. Squeeze the liquid from the zucchini. It should equal a cup or a cup and half after the liquid is squeezed out.

  • 1 to 1 & 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini
  • 1 1/2 cup of all purpose unbleached flour (I prefer King Arthur)
  • 1/2 cup organic light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup organic white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 tsp non-caking organic baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp organic baking powder
  • 1-2 tbs organic cinnamon (I usually use two)
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1//4 cup organic coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbs of unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tbs pure maple syrup
  • 1-2 tbs chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Line loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper. I like to use a cast iron loaf pan. Give the parchment paper a quick spray with organic cooking spray. Mix dry ingredients, other than pecans, add wet ingredients including the shredded zucchini. Do not add the maple syrup or the milk yet. Mix gently. The batter will be thick. Add milk to create a smoother mix that will pour into the pan. You can use more milk if needed. Pour mixture in lined pan, sprinkle the chopped pecans or nut of choice over the top of the mix then drizzle the maple syrup over the top. I like to bake my bread on the middle rack to prevent the bottom from becoming too brown. Set the timer and bake for 50-55 minutes. Ovens will vary and the thickness of your pan can also determine the baking time. For the cast iron loaf pan, 55 minutes is required.

Remove the bread from the oven. I test the bread for doneness with a wooden screwer. If the tester comes out clean, the bread is baked through. Place the pan of bread on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for at least ten to fifteen minutes and lift the loaf out by the parchment paper and place back on the rack to cool. I allow mine to cool about fifteen more minutes and then cover with a clean dish towel to cool an additional thirty minutes before slicing. A bread knife works best for slicing.

This bread is great as a moist treat, or toasted and lightly buttered. For vegetarians, this bread is great dipped in whipped milk and eggs or egg whites, then fried on the griddle for a tasty French toast served with maple syrup. I like to slice the bread and vacuum seal individual slices to go in the freezer for a sweet treat when you don’t have time or don’t want to bake an entire loaf. The possibilities are endless. I hope your family enjoys this bread as much as our family does.

Monday was spent rescuing our corn after rain and wind damage. While one held the corn and the other hoed and heaped fresh mounds of dirt around the base of the stalks. It was a laboring job, but one that had to be done. Fourteen rows of corn was wearing to the ground from excess rain and wind. A lot of hard work, but after a day of two of some sunshine, it is now standing tall. I think we may have lost four stalks. God is good.

I am also excited to bring to you a new recipe for banana-peach bread! Oh my, it is delicious! If you love a good peach cobbler, I think you’ll like this bread! Stay tuned, and watch for this delicious recipe!

I will add this recipe soon! Banana – peach bread!

I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as our family does. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky where homesteading is a way of life. Feel free to comment, like, share, subscribe, and or follow.

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mookies

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, holistic living, homesteading, Kentucky memories, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s been a busy Saturday of baking and spring cleaning! I’ve been on decluttering journey for a couple of weeks. I’m nearing the homestretch of decluttering. Baking for the week ensures I have fresh bread for breakfast toast, lunch, and for supper. It also ensures I have snacks for the week. I also enjoy sharing with others at work, family, and church. But, the biggest reward is that my bread and snacks for the week are healthy, clean, organic, and not processed!

I have baked what I call mookies for years. You might be wondering what a mookie is. It’s not quite a cookie and it’s not quite a muffin. It’s kind of somewhere in between a cookie and a muffin. It’s a mookie. I am anxious to share this recipe with you. It’s a great snack, a healthy snack, awesome with coffee in the morning or tea in the evenings. Our grandchildren love them too. They’re made with minimal ingredients and takes a total twenty minutes to mix and bake. Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

  • 1 over ripe organic banana
  • 1 cup organic all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp of vanilla
  • 1/4 cup organic pure maple syrup
  • 2 tsp non-caking baking powder
  • 2 tbs organic natural peanut butter
  • 1 tbs organic miniature unsweetened chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Mash the banana and add syrup and vanilla and mix well. Add flour and baking powder and mix. Fold in peanut butter and mix. Finally food in chocolate chips.

Mookie mix

Drop mixture by tablespoons to the lined cookie sheet. Leave a little space between the mookies. Bake for fifteen minutes. I like to brown mine slightly under the broiler. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Peanut butter chocolate chip mookies

These are great without the peanut butter for more of a banana taste. They’re great with chopped walnuts for a take on banana bread flavor. They’re also great with a bit of cocoa powder for a chocolate mookie. The possibilities are limitless.

They’re airy, light, and delicious.

I hope you and your family enjoy this delicious treat as much as our family does. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky.

Delicious Organic Granola

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, holistic living, homesteading, Kentucky memories, my special days, organic food, plant-based, Spiritual life, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s a rainy day in the mountains, which always puts me in the cooking and cleaning mood! So, today I decided to begin cleaning the pantry out and realized that I had an abundance of oats and nuts that I needed to do something with. I went down a rabbit hole and started planning granola! The pantry didn’t get cleaned completely, but I did make some delicious granola! I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

Ingredients:

  • Three cups of organic old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup organic chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup organic chopped almonds
  • 1/2 cup organic chopped pecans
  • 3 tbs organic raw pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbs organic sunflower seeds
  • 1 tbs organic chia seeds
  • 2 tbs organic ground flax seeds
  • 3 tbs gogi berries or raisins
  • 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 cup of organic pure maple syrup or honey
  • 1/2 cup smooth organic peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup organic olive oil
  • Agave or honey for drizzling not mixing.

Mix all the dry ingredients and preheat the oven to 320 for convection. Mix the remaining ingredients over low heat until it comes together smoothly. Pour the wet ingredient into the bowl of dry and gently stir with a rubber spatula. When mixed spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread evenly and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and mix the granola with a metal spatula. Return to the oven and bake 20 more minutes. Take out of the oven and drizzle your choice of honey or agave and put under the broiler for just enough time for the granola to brown up lightly. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Mixing the ingredients.
Spreading the granola in a baking sheet.

Using the spatial mix the granola gently once it’s cool. Store the granola in a glass jar. Keeps for a couple of weeks if it is in an air tight container.

This is a two gallon jar! I’ve got another batch of granola to add to it.

I hope your family enjoys this tasty granola. I think it’s great alone as a snack and wonderful in a parfait. I also like it in a bowl with almond milk as a cereal.

Dinner

Just for fun! A picture of dinner this evening. Fresh beans, corn, potatoes, onions, cucumbers and tomatoes with sautéed portobello mushrooms with peppers and onions and a slice of cornbread. Nothing better than veggies from our garden!

For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! Don’t forget to like, comment, and or follow! We

Moist Vegan Banana Bread

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, coffee time, farm living, homesteading, Kentucky memories, ky author, plant-based, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello from the mountains of Kentucky! I am super excited to share a new recipe that I have been experimenting with and finally perfected it last week. I love a good moist banana bread. I have tried several vegan recipes with little to no luck with the right amount of moisture and sweetness. This recipe fits the bill for both. It’s quick, easy, and requires minimal ingredients and those that you probably already have in your pantry. It’s also delicious with a cup of hot tea!

Ingredients:

  • One large overly ripe organic banana or two small overripe bananas
  • 2 cups all purpose flour (I like King Arthur’s unbleached flour)
  • 1/2 tsp pink organic Himalayan salt
  • 1/2 tsp anti-caking organic baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp organic all spice
  • 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1 tsp good quality Non-GMO vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup chopped organic walnuts
  • Add in options can be; chocolate chips, pecans, raisins, or cranberries.

Process:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter a glass 8×8 baking dish. Line it with parchment paper and then spray or butter the paper.

Mash the banana, vanilla, and sugar and mix well. Add salt, baking soda, flour, vinegar, and applesauce and fold the ingredients together without overmixing. Add the milk a little at a time and until the batter well. Fold in the walnuts. Add the bread mixture to the lined glass baking dish. I baked my bread for 45 minutes. I checked it at 30 minutes and determined it needed fifteen more minutes to be baked through and through.

Mixed ingredients

I removed my bread from the parchment paper and set it on a baking rack to cool for thirty minutes. Once the bread was cooled, I placed it in an airtight container. I have enjoyed this bread all week as a snack with my lunch, toasted for a light breakfast, and in the evenings with coffee or tea. It is tasty, moist, and not overly sweet but flavorful.

You may add more sugar or even honey for a little more sweetness. If you’re not a fan of walnuts, pecans are a great substitute. I like to toast this bread for breakfast. It’s delicious with a smear of honey or plant butter. Unsweetened dark chocolate chips are a great addition as well. Either way you eat it, as breakfast, a snack, or dessert, it’s a delicious bread.

For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky. Feel free to comment, like, and subscribe. I look forward to hearing from you.

Vegan Apple Bread

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, canning, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, coffee time, farm living, garden time, Kentucky memories, ky author, organic food, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Good Evening from the mountains of Kentucky! It’s a gorgeous day in the mountains today! I enjoyed a walk around the garden today with the warm sunshine on my face. It felt good to relax a bit. Life has been hectic on our small farm this week. We picked our first picking of beans this week. We picked a bushel and a half, which is not bad for the first picking! We enjoyed them with dinner last night and canned the remaining beans for a total of thirty quarts. Farm life is a busy life, but one that I truly enjoy. There’s a sense of satisfaction with planting, tending, watching the crops grow, and then harvesting, cooking, and canning the fresh veggies! It’s nice to have home canned vegetables and fruit for meals in the cold winter months while the garden is resting beneath the mountain snows gaining nourishment for the next season.

First batch of beans of the season canned.

I’ve also enjoyed trying a few new recipes this week, with fresh produce. Im excited to share my recipe for vegan apple bread with you. It’s the perfect time to try this recipe as the apple trees are loaded with beautiful apples right now. My family described the vegan apple bread as being the best bread I had made! This brought a big smile to my face. I love to create recipes that makes my family happy! I hope you and your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine did. I have a feeling that I’ll be making this moist, flavorful, and delicious bread for most family gatherings in the future.

Vegan apple bread

Ingredients:

  • Two apples of choice (I used honey crisp)
  • One half cup of craisins
  • One half cup of golden raisins
  • One half cup of chopped organic walnuts
  • Two cups of whole wheat flour
  • One cup of organic raw cane sugar
  • Two tablespoons cinnamon
  • One tablespoon nutmeg
  • One teaspoon cardamon
  • One pinch of salt
  • One tablespoon baking powder
  • One teaspoon pure vanilla
  • three flax eggs (see recipe below)
  • One cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • One half cup unsweetened almond milk
  • One half cup unrefined coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a Bundt pan with organic cooking spray and set aside. Mix all dry ingredients fold in fruit and nuts. Add remaining ingredients one at a time folding the mixture after each addition saving the milk until the final ingredient. Once all of the ingredients are combined (the mix will be thick) use an ice cream scoop to dip mixture into the pan. Press mixture gently once all of the mixture has been added to the pan. Bake for 60 minutes. Remember oven temperatures may vary. When a tooth pick comes out clean, your bread is ready. Allow the bread to cool completely before trying to remove it from the pan to prevent it from sticking.

Once the bread is cooled, place a large plate on top of the pan and gently turn the bundt pan upside down still holding the plate and the pan to allow bread to come out onto the plate. I run a small flexible spatula or small handle of a spoon along the edges of the bread to help ensure it releases. You might have to tap the bottom of the pan as well. Once the bread is on the plate, using a small mesh strainer, sprinkle organic confection sugar over the top of the bread.

This bread is a great breakfast treat, can be made into muffins, and also tastes great with hot cup of coffee. I hope you and your family enjoy this delicious bread. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me how you enjoyed this recipe and if you ate it for breakfast, or dessert. For now, God bless each of you. Have a blessed week and weekend. Check back in a few days for my newest squash soup recipe and more memories from the mountains of Kentucky!

Tomatoes are doing great this year!

Flax eggs are basically ground flax seed and water. Mix one tablespoon of flax seed to two tankards of warm water for the equivalent of one egg. Mix ingredients using a fork in a small bowl.

Organic Vegan Apple Tea Bread

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in a spiritual life, appalachian life, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, coffee time, farm living, Kentucky memories, organic food and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Good Evening from the mountains of Kentucky! We’ve been blessed with a beautiful sunny day in Appalachia today! We had ideal weather this morning for working in the flower and herb gardens. There’s something special about spending a little time on a peaceful, cool morning outside that transports me back to my days of youth.

Beautiful June morning in the mountains of Kentucky.

While working in my herbs with the scent of the morning dew still lingering on the soil and in the air, I enjoyed recalling early mornings from many years ago. Oh, how I loved going out and setting on the porch in the early morning hours with my mom. Mommy, always enjoyed her weekend coffee on the front porch enjoying her beautiful flowers. I can still recall the wonderful aroma from her rich black coffee that filled the morning air. It was a warm and inviting time. Early mornings on the porch was a peaceful refuge then… and remains a peaceful place for me today.

I love the peaceful tranquility of the soothing sounds of the water from the creek flowing over the smooth time-worn stones. Early mornings on the porch is also a favorite time for me to catch up on a little reading, reflect on days gone by, plan for the days ahead, work on a writing project, and also a time to slow down and savor the beauty of our mountains.

img_5759
Our blooms attract an abundance of butterflies. I love to sit quietly and watch them. Our garden loves them too!
I love to watch the colorful butterflies enjoying the blooms of our flowers.

Today was one of those days, but it was also an exciting day. It was the first day that our local farmer’s market has opened since last summer. Typically we would’ve already made a few visits, but due to COVID-19 most businesses have experienced delayed openings, including our farmer’s market, which made opening day even more special. The crowd was at a minimum today, but the market wasn’t short on delicious produce, homemade sweet treats, savory items, fresh-baked bread, a variety of vegetables for planting, and even a local author. The crowd filtered in and out throughout the time my daughter and I browsed the market. It was a wonderful morning with some great people.

I was happy to see a few familiar faces and also happy to meet a few new people. Conversations were interesting as there were so many of the vendors who had similar interests as I do. After discussing natural fertilizer, methods of promoting growth in herb gardens, and our favorite teas, we left with a wide variety of wonderful items. My favorite was a packet of homemade Holy Basil Chai tea. I’ve already enjoyed a hot cup of the tea and a cup of it on ice, which was amazing as well. Her delicious homemade tea was delicious either way.

Something that I’ve noticed over the years is that I have come to enjoy the pleasures of a wide-variety of herbal teas. I love the spicy taste of red chai tea, the flavors of rich dandelion tea, relaxing lavender tea, and so many other flavors. I also find so much enjoyment in experimenting and creating different flavored teas from the herbs in my own herb garden. I find it satisfying to sew seeds or plant herbs, nurture them, delicately prune them, and especially taking time to smell their wonderful diverse fragrances. My daughter and I agree that evening tea is similar to evening coffee….they’re both great with a sweet treat!

Two of the latest additions to our little farm family.

As you know, I enjoy creating new recipes of all kinds. But, there’s something about summer that makes me want to bake sweet treats! The other day while I was enjoying the rich flavor of a vanilla chai tea, I began to think about how a delicious sweet bread would be great to eat with my tea. I thought about my Mamaw’s apple pies, and all their deliciousness. Soon I was thinking about a clean vegan apple bread, an apple tea bread, a sweet bread that would be a tasty addition to tea, or coffee! I mulled the idea over, for a few days, jotted down a few notes, and then began to experiment, which is one of my families favorites. They are my taste testers and enjoy sampling and giving their opinions about my new recipes! After a few tries, I finally found just the right amount and mix of ingredients to satisfy my palette, as well as my husband’s. This is one of his new all-time favorite breads! I am super anxious for you to try my Vegan Apple Tea Bread with your evening coffee or evening tea, and also happy to hear your comments.

Ingredients include:

2 cups all purpose whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cardamon 
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 cup of monk fruit to replace sugar
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 pound of diced Granny Smith apples
1 cup unrefined coconut oil
Zest of one Meyer lemon
Juice of one Meyer lemon
3 eggs for non-vegan (I use Nice Egg an egg substitute)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Drizzle of organic agave

For the drizzle you will need;
1/2 cup organic confectioner sugar
1/4 cup brewed Apple cinnamon tea cooled
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Process:

Mix all of the dry ingredients and spices, add walnuts and peeled diced apples. Prepare the egg substitute and set aside. Cream brown sugar, monk fruit, coconut oil, vanilla and egg substitute in a separate bowl. Gently combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients and fold in remaining ingredients. Don’t worry if the mixture seems to be too thick, trust me it will bake just as it should! 

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a bundt pan with organic cooking spray. I like to use an ice cream scoop to scoop the mixture into the pan. Don’t press the mixture as the airy pockets between the scoops will make the bread even better than you can imagine. Drizzle the top of your bread dough with a light drizzle of organic agave, place on the bottom rack in the pre-heated oven, set the timer for 45-48 minutes, and get ready for a delicious aroma to fill your kitchen! While your bread is baking brew your apple cinnamon tea and allow it to cool. Once the tea is cooled add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla to the tea and whisk. Place in the fridge to help it setup.

Test bread at 45 minutes with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean remove from the oven and allow it to cool before turning it onto a plate. If the bread is still a bit wet, bake for three to five more minutes as oven temperatures will vary. Once the bread is baked and cooled, turn it out onto a plate and drizzle the glaze over the bread and allow the glaze to flow down the sides. Now, all that’s left to do is…slice your bread and enjoy!!!

Vegan Apple Tea Bread

I hope your family loves this Apple Tea Bread as much as my family does. Feel free to leave a comment. I love to hear from my followers. For this evening, I’ll say so long and God bless from the beautiful mountains of Kentucky! Remember that faith overcomes fear! Happy baking!

I love the veggie blooms as much as the flower blooms!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Coconut Protein Bites

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, canning, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, farm living, garden time, Kentucky memories, ky author, organic food, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello from the mountains of Kentucky! Has your week been as busy as mine? It’s that time of year again! Time to can, preserve, dehydrate, and freeze all the wonderful veggies, fruit, and herbs that the Lord has so graciously blessed us with. As busy as it can get, I still love this time of year!

Canning in the last days of summer reminds me of the hot summer days of my youth when helped with the canning each year. It also reminds me that summer vacation is quickly coming to an end and a new academic year is about to begin. Where did summer vacation go? Seems we were planting our garden only a few weeks ago and now we’re harvesting and the fall semester begins next week!

Eight of the 21 quarts of tomato juice we’ve canned so far this year. 

Eight of the forty-two jars of green beans we canned this week.

With all that being said, even with all of of the hard work picking and canning, I did have a little time to work on a new recipe that I think you’re going to enjoy! My family is in agreement…this recipe is a keeper! It’s easy to make, requires no cooking, very versatile, sweet, satisfying and really tasty! But, best of all, it’s clean, healthy, and vegan! I hope you enjoy my vegan chocolate chip coconut protein bites as much as we do!

Ingredients;

10 Whole pitted dates (I prefer medjool dates)

2 tablespoons of Organic or non GMO peanut butter

1 scoop preferred plant protein powder (this ingredient is optional)

1 cup organic gluten free oats

1 tablespoon organic chia seeds

1 teaspoon ground flax seed (optional)

1/2 cup organic vegan dark chocolate chips

1cup organic shredded unsweetened coconut

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (I have substituted Walden’s Chocolate syrup for a more of a chocolate taste and also less sugar)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Process:

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor or a ninja reserving the chocolate chips and half of the shredded coconut. Process until blended well and forms a dough. Add chocolate chips and pulse a few times until chips are incorporated but not completely ground up.

Roll dough mixture into preferred size balls or you may press the mixture in a pan lined with parchment paper for protein bars. Roll the protein balls in shredded coconut and chill for at least an hour or place in the freezer for thirty minutes to eat sooner. The longer these bites chill the better they are!

My choice of preferred dates! They’re delicious right out of the box!

You can change these delicious bites up by melting a few of the vegan chocolate chips and drizzling the melted chocolate over the protein balls. You can also substitute almond butter for the peanut butter. They’re delicious either way! They keep in the fridge in a sealed plastic container or zip lock bag. I have found that they keep their shape in my lunchbox chilled with blue ice and they make a great midday snack!

Delicious peanut butte coconut protein balls!

I have modified this recipe a few times and added coco powder for a deep chocolate taste. I’ve added cinnamon, different flavored protein powders, added craisins, and different flavored Walden’s syrups. Either way, they’re delicious and powerful protein snack. I have to say the recipe above is my favorites as well as my family’s favorite! FYI: If your dough feels sticky you can add a few more oats to make the consistency more dry and easier to handle.

Protein balls with drizzled melted chocolate.

For now, I’m off to grade a few more assignments for the students in my summer course…yes, I even teach during summer vacation, but just one or two classes. I hope you enjoy these delicious protein balls. I’d love to hear from you and maybe your modified version.

If you’re interested in my canning recipes for homemade tomato juice or canning green beans, check out the following links to the recipes that I have used year after year.

Canning Green Beans the Time-Tested Way

Canning Tomato Juice the Easy Way!

God bless from the mountains of Kentucky! Remember, it’s never too late to begin your journey to a healthier and happier you!

Clean Vegan Lemon Bread

Posted by KyAuthorProfessorJBowling499B in appalachian life, clean desserts, clean eating, clean recipes, coffee time, farm living, organic food, Vegan recipes and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello from the mountains of Kentucky! I am happy to say that the rain took a break and the sun has been shining in our corner of the world for the past three days!! This was a welcomed sight for our garden, my flowers, and for outdoor activities for the grandkids. However, the rain has once again returned to the mountains this morning, which gives me a little time to catch up on a little summer reading.

Beautiful blue sky on the drive home yesterday.

With the rain keeping me indoors today I can catch up on a little housework and prepare for an upcoming road trip. I love a good road trip! I like days that are filled with culture, great food in small town cafes, and of course a little shopping. I like day trips and road trips as much as extended days away from home. I’m always nervous about leaving our home, garden, the flowers unattended, and I worry about my fur-baby, Freckles, who becomes depressed when I’m away for very long. I don’t think I’ve introduced you to Freckles. She is my faithful ten-year old Jack-Rat and my canine friend who is always by my side when I’m home.

Freckles anxiously waiting to leave the vet’s exam room.

So, enough about my small corner of the world. I’ve mentioned a few times in previous blogs that I have been working to perfect a new recipe. If you love eating clean, vegan, the taste of lemon or just enjoy a delicious sweet treat that’s great with coffee, as breakfast, or dessert…then this clean vegan lemon bread is for you! It has become a family favorite very quickly…and it disappears quickly too!

Over the course of a few weeks I have tried a few different versions of this bread and each are tasty and each were enjoyed, but this version of the recipe was agreed upon as a majority favorite. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Wet Ingredients:

5 ounces of extra firm tofu

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 1/2 teaspoons organic lemon extract

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 lemon grated

1 cup organic raw cane sugar

1/4 cup organic coconut oil

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of organic gluten free flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup organic powdered sugar

1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice or 1 teaspoon organic lemon extract

1 teaspoon unsweetened almond milk

Process:

Press and dry the majority of the moisture from the tofu. I use folded white paper towels to dry mine and it works well. I have also tried the silky tofu in this recipe and wasn’t quite as happy with the results as with the firm tofu. Weigh the tofu after removing most of the moisture to ensure an accurate weight. Add the wet ingredients in a mixer on low speed, just until combined.

Slowly add dry ingredients one at a time. Be careful not to over mix the batter as this will will cause the bread to be too stiff. Set mixed batter aside for a couple of minutes and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Do not use the convection setting. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Gently tap the pan of batter against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake bread for 40 minutes and test with toothpick for doneness. Keep in mind that all ovens do not bake the same. You know your oven better than anyone, so you might want to check the bread at 35 minutes.

When the bread has baked allow it to completely cool on a cooling rack. Mix the ingredients for the glaze while the bread is cooling. Turn the cooled bread onto a plate and drizzle the glaze over the bread. Finally, enjoy this delicious, healthy, clean, and vegan sweet treat! Even those in my family who do not typically eat vegan foods absolutely loves this bread, even the grandkids love it and ask for more! It also usually has a way of vanishing within twenty-four hours! But, that’s a good thing! I love when my family enjoys eating healthy food! The picture doesn’t do the bread justice…it’s actually thicker than it appears in the picture. It tastes rich, lemony, and the texture compares to a moist glazed pound cake.

Clean vegan lemon bread

I hope you enjoy this healthy delicious vegan bread as much as we do. Feel free to leave comments and let me know how your bread turns out. I enjoy hearing from each of you. For now, God bless from the mountains of Kentucky!