It Is Starting To Feel Like Fall!! + Gluten-Free Pumpkin Creme Brulee

I am someone who is always cold. All summer long I think I have worn a cardigan to work every single day just because I am always cold! Regardless of this I LOVE fall, love it. I live in Utah and wish that fall lasted longer but I take what I can get. A hike or drive through the gorgeous canyons to see all of the fall leaves, a football game in the evening with a comfy sweatshirt and lots and lots of baking with pumpkin and apples and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves! So prepare yourself for a lot of recipes using those ingredients because they are some of my absolute favorites!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes (the majority of this is hands off!)
Servings: 6

2 cups evaporated fat-free milk

1 carton (8 oz) fat-free egg product (1 cup) or 4 eggs

1/3 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground ginger  

Pinch of ground allspice

1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla

6 teaspoons granulated sugar 

 

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 6 (6-oz) ceramic ramekins with cooking spray or grease with butter; place in 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. In large bowl, beat all ingredients except granulated sugar with wire whisk until well blended. Divide mixture evenly among ramekins.
• Place baking dish on rack in center of oven. Pour enough warm water into dish, being careful not to splash water into ramekins, until water covers halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until center is set, but soft.
• Carefully remove baking dish from oven; place on cooling rack. Cool 20 minutes; remove ramekins from water. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. 
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over each chilled custard. Holding kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from custard, caramelize sugar on each custard by heating with torch about 2 minutes, moving flame continuously over sugar in circular motion, until sugar is melted and light golden brown. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving.
•  If you don't have a kitchen torch you can move your oven rack up to the top and put these under the broiler for a few minutes. But watch them carefully so they don't burn! 
•  Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is gluten free. Products and ingredient sources can change. And if you don't need to eat gluten free then no need to read!

Each serving has 150 calories and 0g fat, 180 mg sodium, 23g sugar and 10g protein.

Source: Live Better America
 

 

Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving is just a week away! Let's be honest, we all love the amazing foods that we get to eat on Thanksgiving but my favorite part is the pies!  Those pies can wreak havoc on your efforts to eat healthier so this year try out this healthified pumpkin pie.  You won't miss the calories because it has such great flavor.  You can eat a slice of this pie and not feel guilty!

Healthified Pumpkin Pie
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8

Pastry:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 to 4 T fat free milk

Filling:
3 egg whites or 1/2 cup fat-free egg product
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp salt
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 can (12 oz) evaporated fat free milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

• Heat oven to 425°F. In medium bowl, mix flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the oil with fork until well mixed. Stir in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl. Shape pastry into a ball, using your hands. Press pastry in bottom and up side of 9-inch glass pie plate; flute as desired or press pastry to top edge of pie plate with fingers or fork.
• In medium bowl, beat egg whites slightly with wire whisk or egg beater. Beat in remaining filling ingredients. Pour filling into pastry-lined pie plate; carefully place on oven rack. Bake 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Cover edge of pie crust with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning. Bake about 45 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack at least 1 hour before serving. After cooling, pie can remain at room temperature up to an additional 5 hours, then should be covered and refrigerated.

Source: Live Better America 

Healthified Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread is my favorite pumpkin recipe. It is so versatile that I can add some chocolate chips to the batter and have a dessert.  Or if I bake it without chocolate chips in it I can toast a thick slice for breakfast and eat it with a little butter on it or if I feel like splurging a nice layer of nutella!  I love a thick slice of it right out of the oven, you just can't beat that.  But pumpkin bread typically has loads of oil or butter and lots of sugar.  This recipe cuts down the fat and sugar and also adds in some whole grains.  You will love it!

Healthified Pumpkin Bread
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 24

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 cup fat-free milk
3/4 cup fat-free egg product
1/2 cup canola oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottoms only of two 9X15 loaf pans. In a large bowl mix flours, soda, powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves until well blended.

In medium bowl mix pumpkin, milk, egg product and canola oil until well blended. Stir into flour mixture just until combined. Spoon batter evenly into pans.

Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan and put on cooling rack, let cool. 

Source: Live Better America

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake With Creamy Ginger Filling

I love once it is October and pumpkin is everywhere.  All I want to do is bake with pumpkin so prepare yourselves for a few pumpkin recipes over the next couple of weeks.  Try them out, they have all been healthified by Live Better America and taste great, you won't even notice they are healthier!

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake w/Creamy Ginger Filling

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 3 Hours
Servings: 12

Cake:
1 box white angel food cake mix
1 T all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup cold water

Filling:
1 container (8oz) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
2 T finely chopped crystallized ginger (or 1 tsp ground ginger)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat all cake ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and then beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Pour into an ungreased 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan.

Bake 37 to 47 minutes until crust is dark golden brown and cracks are dry. Immediately turn pan upside down on heat proof funnel or glass bottle. Let hang about 2 hours or until cake is completely cooled. Loosen cake from sides with knife or long metal spatula. Turn cake upside down onto serving plate.

In medium bowl, gently blend whipped topping and ginger. Cut cake horizontally in half to make 2 layers. Spread half of filling on bottom layer, replace top of cake. Spread remaining filling on top of cake. Sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired. Refrigerate any remaining cake.