heartyspoonful

"If you're not losing friends, you're not growing up."

As sad as that may be, it's just reality. It bother me deeply and sometimes, I even go into a monologue of what I could've done to prevent such a friend breakup. Unfortunately, sometimes it's as natural as time lapsing.

I'm not one to deny any of my failures or shortcomings, and sure, sometimes I definitely could try harder. Exert a little more effort in my garden of friendships. Tend to the flowerbed, make sure the weeds have been sheared away. Except sometimes life happens and a little solitude may be a blessing to you, but a sign of a breakup. But, and this isn't an excuse, friendship is a two-way street. You can't be the only one expected to call or check in at all times.

In my experience, some friendship breakups are hard. More painful than losing a boyfriend. Other times, I'm ashamed to say there was a sigh of relief. When there was no more joy out of a friendship, it was always best to let go. No regrets. Although, at least I can say that no matter how good or bad a friendship ended, I'll forever wish ex-friends all the best in life. Sincerely. From the bottom of my heart. Because at one time or another, these people brought such joy in my life and I know they'll bring that same joy to someone else's life.

Not to play favourites or anything, but I do love to bake for friends who are still around. I guess that's my love language. Basically dumping sweet treats on everyone's laps. I haven't heard any complaints yet! And so I shall continue baking and through that, perhaps I can strike a new friendship.

Since it's the season of baking (hello, holidays!) and of pumpkin (I mean, it's technically winter now, but...), what better way to indulge those close to you than with a delicious mix of pumpkin and chocolate? All vegan, all gluten-free, secretly healthy.


Vegan & Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Squares 
Makes 9 to 12 squares

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten-free flour
• 1 cup gluten-free oats (rolled or quick cooking)
• 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 2 flax eggs
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup almond mylk, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Dark chocolate chips

For chocolate drizzle:

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 tsp melted coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a square pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients (from gluten-free flour to salt). Mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir in flax eggs and almond mylk until well combined.

Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Transfer the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

As the square bakes, prepare the chocolate drizzle. Melt dark chocolate chips with coconut oil and set aside.

Let cool on a wire rack before slicing. When the square has cooled, drizzle chocolate and let settle.


Enjoy! xxx

"Never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it."

- Hillary Clinton

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion."

- Henry David Thoreau

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 3/4 cup gluten-free oats
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates, soaked in hot water to soften up
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Vega)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp dried cranberries

In a food processor, pulse raw almonds until choppy. Then add oats, pumpkin puree, dates, protein powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until well blended. Transfer to a bowl.

Blend pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries until choppy.  Transfer to a shallow bowl.

Roll the pumpkin mixture into 20 balls (or so). Roll each one on the pumpkin seed and cranberry mixture. Refrigerate to firm up.

Enjoy the extra energy! xx

"Number one, I absolutely love making chocolate chip cookies. I mean, it's fun. It's exciting. Beyond the fact I love making them, I love eating them."

- Debbie Fields

Truth be told, I'm not a cookie baking afficionado. From my multiple past experiences, I burn cookies more than I actually bake them. I blame it on my oven, but that's a whole other story. So, of course, an amalgamation of past failure baking experiences only reinforces my aversion to baking chocolate chip cookies. Until of course my mum made too much pumpkin puree and we were stuck with a dilemma. She didn't feel like having pumkin bread, only because I had already baked a banana bread the previous day. She also didn't want pumpkin pie - she hates pies. Unless it's apple pie. Then, again, that's a whole other story. I had to rely on, as Poirot would describe, the little grey cells. As if I've just come into an insight, I opened all my cupboards and checked what's aplenty. Chocolate chips. Flour. Coconut oil. Brown sugar. This might be a good time to try cookies. Again.

Another issue that arose was, although I had set my heart into baking cookies, I didn't actually have a vegan pumpkin cocolate chip cookie recipe (phew, that was a mouthful). Already tired from work that day, I had to come up with a recipe. But hey, that was a breather compared to what my actual profession entails. This is more exciting. All the possibilities! The eyeing of measurements and adjustments to be made. Because, let me tell you, if you bake often enough, you can eye just by th texture of your dough or mixture how your bread or cookie or cake will turn out once it's baked. Experience is the best teacher, as the saying goes.


Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes approx. 15 cookies

Wet ingredients:

• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mixture)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted *
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

Dry ingredients:

• 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour **
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bakin soda
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• Chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together all dry ingredients except for chocolate chips. In a separate bowl, mix together all wet ingredients. Then, gradually add in dry into wet ingredients. Be careful not to overmix. Add in chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.

Roll into spoonful size balls. Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies. Once baked, cool for at least 15 minutes.

Enjoy xx!

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

- Anne of Green Gables

I grew up in a country where there were only two seasons: dry and wet. And I was miserable. I needed more colour and I definitely could have lived with less grey all around. So when we finally decided to move to Canada, I was ecstatic. Four seasons. Four different colour schemes. Autumn, it was my calling.

I don't kid you when I saw the transformation of nature when autumn breeze finally said hello. All the yellow and orange and red, an artist's dream. I didn't even mind the weather. Or the need to rake leaves every two minutes. My inner poet comes out in the fall. I just want to string beautiful words together and pour my heart out. But that has already gotten me in trouble already.

But I digress. The point of this post is not only to emphasise just how much I love layers and knits and chunky sweaters, but to also present you my vegan pumpkin bread recipe. I whipped this baby up one night, panicking because I had previously promised a friend I'll make pumpkin bread... but with no recipe. So I tried again, trying to retrace my steps. Ha-ha, not very easy when I sometimes don't even remember if I had tied my hair or not.

Again, I digress. I hope you like the recipe!


Vegan Pumpkin Bread with Dark Chocolate Cheese 
Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp coconut nectar
• 3 tbsp-4tbsp water or almond milk
• 1/2 cup chocolate of choice

Preheat oven to 350F

In a bowl, mix together all dry ingredients (flour to nutmeg). In a separate bowl, whisk together all wet ingredient (pumpkin puree to water). Then, add wet to dry ingredients, careful not to overmix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour mix in a loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Once baked, let cool on a cooling rack.

Serve!

Enjoy xx