Homemade Chocolate Pudding {Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free + Vegan Option}

This old fashioned comfort food may be one of my favorite desserts ever.  Seriously, this stuff is amazing ... THE best chocolate pudding I have ever tasted.  I made a batch of this and it did not last long, Big Love and I devoured it.

Make a batch of this and share it with someone you love.  

Homemade Chocolate Pudding {Gluten Free + Refined Sugar Free}

Equipment: Small Bowl, Medium-Size Saucepan, Whisk, Serving Dish or Individual Dishes 

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• 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch {See Arrowroot Note below} or organic corn starch
• 2 cups full fat coconut milk or organic/raw*/grass-fed whole milk, divided
• 1 cup allergy free chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• Pinch of Celtic sea salt 
• 1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract

*** Refrigeration Time Required ***

1. In a small bowl combine arrowroot starch and 2 tablespoons of coconut milk or milk.  Stir until combined and set aside.  

2. Combine remaining coconut milk or milk, chocolate chips, coconut palm sugar, cacao powder and salt in a medium-size saucepan.  Over medium-low heat, whisk constantly until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat for about 3-5 minutes.  

3. Add arrowroot mixture to the chocolate mixture, whisking to combine.  Return saucepan to LOW heat and stir/whisk as you cook the pudding for about 5 minutes {about 8 minutes if using corn starch}, or until it starts to slightly thicken and looks deliciously glossy [Note: The pudding will not be super thick if using arrowroot].   

4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

5. Pour pudding into serving dish or little individual dishes like ramekins.  

6. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, overnight is best.  

Yield: About 4 servings 

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but trust me, it will be gone before 3 days.  

Serving Suggestions: Enjoy as is or top with fresh fruit, shaved chocolate, fresh REAL whipped cream or whipped coconut cream. 

Vegan Option: Use coconut milk instead of whole milk.  

Arrowroot Starch Note: If arrowroot starch is overcooked or exposed to heat for too long, it tends to loose it's thickening ability.  To avoid this, it's important to cook the pudding quickly and not over high heat.  If the pudding does not thicken after 5 minutes, remove from the heat and add an additional 2-3 tablespoons of arrowroot starch.  Stir until the arrowroot is completely mixed into the pudding.  If this is a concern, use organic corn starch instead.  

*For California residents, check out my favorite raw milk/cream from Claravale Farm.  They sell to stores and co-ops all over CA.  If you can’t find raw, at least buy a quality organic product like Straus Family Creamery.  Their cows graze on lush grass in Marshall, CA near Tomales Bay and they do not ultra-pasteurize their products.   

Amazon links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.

This post is part of Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Simple Lives Thursday @ My Humble Kitchen, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Healthy 2day Wednesdays @ day2day joys, Whole Food Friday @ Allergy Free Alaska, Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade, LunchBox Love @ Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery,  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, and Allergy-Free Wednesday @ The Tasty Alternative.

Nectarine + Peach + Nectaplum Crumble (Gluten-Free, Nut-Free & Refined Sugar-Free)

Seasonal Crumbles are one of my favorite treats during the summer.  Fresh, juicy, mouth-watering fruit baked with a delicious, sweet, crumbly topping ... yum!

Use whatever stone fruit is in season - white or yellow nectarines and peaches, plums, pluots, apricots, etc.  Nectaplums are one of my favorite summertime fruits, but they're not available everywhere.  I'm sure some fresh berries would be wonderful added in too.    

Nectarine + Peach + Nectaplum Crumble (Gluten-Free, Nut-Free & Refined Sugar-Free)

Equipment: Cutting Board, Paring Knife, Medium-Size Baking Dish (I use my 2 1/2 qt. Corningware Baking Dish), Medium-Size Bowl

• 5 white nectarines, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 3 white peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 2 nectaplums, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups sprouted brown rice flour or brown rice flour (See Resources)
• 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar (I use Big Tree Farms SweetTree) 
• 6 tablespoons pasture butter, cut into tablespoons (See Resources)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease baking dish.  

2. Prep fruit - wash, cut in half, peel, remove pit, and cut into thirds (or large slices).  Add fruit slices to baking dish.  Mix around with clean hands so fruit is evenly distrubted.  

3. In medium-size bowl, add brown rice flour, coconut palm sugar and chunks of butter.  Using clean hands, mix ingredients together until combined and somewhat crumbly.  

4. Add crumble topping on top of the fruit, making sure to evenly coat the surface. 

5. Bake for about 30-45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and fruit juices are bubbling around the edges.   

6. Enjoy warm or refrigerate and eat cold later.  

Yield: About 6 servings

Serving Suggestions: This is delicious served with vanilla ice cream (dairy or coconut milk).  

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free & Nut Free)

Delicious, crisp on the outside, soft in the center … yummy, yummy, chocolate chip cookies.  Even my non-gluten free husband loves these.   

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free & Nut Free)

Equipment: Standing Electric Mixer or Handheld Electric Mixer w/ Large Bowl, Spatula or Spoon, Baking Sheet, Unbleached Parchment Paper

·      ¾ cup coconut palm sugar (I use Big Tree Farms SweetTree)

·      ¾ cup rapadura (I use Rapunzel)

·      1 cup pasture butter, room temperature (See Resources)

·      1 pastured or organic egg

·      1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)

·      2 ½ cups sprouted brown rice flour or brown rice flour (See Resources)

·      1 teaspoon baking soda

·      1 ½ - 2 cups gluten free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.   Assemble standing mixer with large mixing bowl and mixing blade.  Add coconut sugar, rapadura and pasture butter – cream/mix on medium speed until mixture is combined and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.   

3.   Add egg and vanilla, mix on low speed just to combine.

4.   Add brown rice flour and baking soda, mix on low speed until combined. 

5.    Add chocolate chips, mix on low speed or stir by hand until combined. 

6.   Using clean hands, roll dough into 2-inch large balls.  Place on baking sheet 2 ½ inches apart. 

7.    Bake for about 12 minutes.  Do not over bake!

8.   Remove from oven and let cool ON baking sheet for 7-10 minutes.  Do not remove them before this or they will fall apart.  They need time to rest. 

9.   Remove carefully to a cooling rack or let cool completely on baking sheet.  Enjoy them warm or let them cool completely. 

Yield:Makes about 15-20 cookies

Note: I have also used ½ cup local creamed clover honey and ¾ cup coconut sugar combo instead of Rapadura.  They’re still yummy, but it changes the texture a lot, Little Love prefers this version.  These can also be made with good quality chocolate bars chopped up instead of chocolate chips. 

Storage:Store in airtight container up to 3 days if you haven’t eaten all of them already.  I like mine cold the next day, so I store some of mine in the refrigerator, this is totally optional.

Sloppy “Rose” Lettuce Wraps - The Best Sloppy Joes Ever (Gluten Free, Grain Free + Refined Sugar Free)

I don’t know about you, but I loved Sloppy Joes as a kid.  It was one of my favorite meals that my mom would make.  She would make up a big batch of it and serve it on brown butter toasted buns.  Yum!    

I’ve been craving this lately and told my husband that I would recreate the recipe my mom used to make for me.  We both agreed this is the best Sloppy Joes we’ve ever had.  We’re still talking about how good it was and wishing we had more of it.  This is going to become a routine staple in our home. 

My husband named this a Sloppy “Rose” because of the way I plated it in the lettuce, like the lettuce was blooming out.  I loved it as a lettuce wrap, but of course you could eat it on the typical bun too.  It would be so delicious on a gluten free brown butter toasted bun or in a tortilla too.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Sloppy “Rose” Lettuce Wraps - The Best Sloppy Joes Ever 

(Gluten Free, Grain Free + Refined Sugar Free with Vegan-Option)

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Equipment:Cutting Board, Large Sauté Pan

·      3 tablespoons fat of choice, divided – pasture butter, ghee or coconut oil

·      1 yellow onion, diced

·      2 cups mushrooms, sliced

·      3 carrots, peeled and diced

·      3 garlic cloves, minced or grated

·      1 pound grass-fed ground beef (See Resources)

·      ¼ cup bone broth, veggie broth or filtered water

·      ¼ cup organic tomato paste (buy organic tomato paste here)

·      1 tablespoon chili powder blend (buy chili powder here)

·      2 teaspoons organic Dijon mustard

·      2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar or organic maple syrup grade B

·      2 tablespoons coconut aminos (buy coconut aminos here)

·      ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

·      2-3 pickles, diced (I use Bubbie’s)

·      Organic Romaine or Red Leaf lettuce leaves

1.    Wash and prep produce – dice onion, slice mushrooms, peel and dice carrots, and mince/grate garlic.  Wash lettuce – set aside. 

2.   Over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons fat of choice.  Add onion, mushrooms, carrots and garlic – stir occasionally until onions and mushrooms start to caramelize/brown, about 10-15 minutes. 

3.   Add remaining tablespoon of fat, ground beef and broth or water.  Stir, breaking up meat, until meat is browned, about 3-4 minutes.

4.   Add tomato paste, chili powder, mustard, coconut sugar, coconut aminos and sea salt.  Stir to incorporate and let simmer on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.    

5.    Add chopped pickles and stir to incorporate.

6.   Serve hot in lettuce wraps.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Serving Suggestions: If you don’t want to use lettuce wraps, serve on toasted gluten free buns, rolls or biscuits.  For added yumminess, cut gluten free bun in half, place ½ to 1 tablespoon of pasture butter or ghee on inside of bun halves, place under broiler to brown – don’t take your eye off of it or it could burn quickly. 

Tip: This is even better the next day after everything has had time to marry.  The flavor is incredible. 

Storage: Store in the refrigerator.  For best results, eat within 3 days.

Vegan-Option: Replace meat with extra sliced mushrooms and carrots.  Add 2 more carrots and 4 more cups of sliced mushrooms.    

This post is part of Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods, Hearth and Soul Hop @ Premeditated Leftovers, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays @ Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, Allergy Free Wednesdays @ The Tasty Alternative, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, and Simple Lives Thursday @ My Humble Kitchen..

Sweet Potato and Apple Puree w/ Streusel Topping

Sweet Potato and Apple Puree with Streusel Topping

I have been making this dish for many, many years (with some variations from time to time).  I meant to get it posted before November, but with baby on the way then (and now here), it just didn’t happen.  Better late than never. 

Serve this as a side dish at Thanksgiving or during the Fall and Winter months.  It’s so delicious, one of my absolute favorite side dishes. 

Enjoy!

{Affiliate links included help support this blog}

Equipment: Food Processor, Baking Pan, Casserole Dish

·      5 organic sweet potatoes (such as Garnet)

·      2 organic sweet apples (such as Fuji)

·      6 tablespoons pasture butter + ½ cup, divided (See Resources)

·      ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

·      ¾ cup gluten free rolled oats, ground into flour

·      ¾ cup coconut palm sugar

·      ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sweet Potato and Apple Puree

1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.   Wash sweet potatoes and apples.  Poke a few holes with a knife in the sweet potatoes.  Cut apples in half, peel and remove core.  Place sweet potatoes and apples on a baking pan.  Bake for about 60 minutes or until soft.  Remove from oven, carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half (they are HOT!), allow to cool about 10 minutes. 

3.   To food processor – Add sweet potato flesh (remove skin) and apples.  Add 6 tablespoons butter.  Add sea salt.  Puree until smooth and combined. 

Please excuse the color, I was cooking in the dark with awful lighting.

4.   Add sweet potato apple puree to casserole dish. 

Streusel Topping

1.    To food processor – Add oats.  Pulse until finely ground into flour. 

2.   Add ½ cup pasture butter, coconut palm sugar and cinnamon.  Pulse until combined into a crumb mixture. 

3.   Add crumb topping to sweet potato apple puree. 

Bake

1.    At this point you can refrigerate over night if you want to bake it off the next day or you can bake immediately in a preheated 400 degree F oven. 

2.   Bake for about 20 minutes.  Serve immediately. 

Yield:Makes about 5-7 servings.  

Amazon links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.