Bake, Eat, Repeat

‘Tis the season for lots and lots of baking, and eating, and repeating! And while fall is definitely a season everyone likes to indulge in, the one thing we love most is sharing recipes that you can enjoy, without having to neglect that healthy lifestyle. Thanks to our friend and sweets expert, Lauren Lowstan of A Sweet Savory, we have some yummy recipes to share that would stand out at any feast (a couple even include protein! That’s right, protein.)! We’re using some of our favorite ingredients in these recipes: coconut milk, coconut sugar, apples, almond flour, and of course, pumpkin! Read on for all the delicious (and nutritious!) details.

Recipes: A Sweet Savory by Lauren Lowstan Photography: Vanessa Tierney

Whole Wheat Apple Pull-Apart Bread

Dairy-Free

Makes 1 (9x5”) loaf

Ingredients:

Dough

• ¾ cup coconut milk

• ¼ cup water

• ¼ cup coconut oil

• 1 egg

• 3 cups whole wheat flour

• 2 ¼ Tsp. yeast

• ¼ cup coconut sugar

• ½ Tsp. salt

Apple Filling

• 1 apple, peeled and chopped

• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil

• 2 Tbsp. coconut sugar

• 1/2 Tsp. cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

Filling

• ½ cup coconut oil, melted

• 1 cup coconut sugar

• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Glaze

• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

• ¾ cup organic powdered sugar

• ½ Tsp. maple extract

• ¼ Tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 Tbsp. coconut milk

Directions:

1. Heat the coconut milk, water and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl for 45 seconds. You want it to be lukewarm to the touch and no hotter than 105 degrees. 2. In a standing mixer bowl, fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, yeast, salt and coconut sugar. Mix ingredients. 3. Now add in the warmed milk mixture and egg. Knead the dough on medium speed for about 7 minutes, or until the dough turns into a smooth dough ball. 4. Add the dough ball to a well-oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour. 5. While the dough is rising, make the apple filling. 6. Combine all apple filling ingredients in a small saucepan, set over medium heat. Cook the apples for 5 minutes, until tender and caramelized. 7. Once your dough is done rising, roll it out onto a floured work surface into a large rectangle, about 12" x 20". Smear melted coconut over the whole rectangle, and sprinkle evenly with coconut sugar and cinnamon. 8. Sprinkle apple pieces evenly over cinnamon sugar mixture. Lightly press the apple pieces into the dough. 9. Slice your rectangle into 6 even strips (the long way). Then slice 4 even strips the other way. 10. Stack the 6 pieces on top of each other (you'll have 4 piles of 6 stacked high). 11. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and line with a piece of parchment paper. Then add in your pieces of dough to the loaf pan. They should fill up the whole pan. 12. Cover your pan with plastic wrap, and let rise for another 30 minutes. Your bread should double in size. 13. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, until the top is a nice, golden brown. 14. Let the loaf cool completely before removing from the pan. Once it's cooled, pull your loaf out with the parchment paper.

15. To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in a small glass bowl and whisk until there are no lumps. Make sure to keep the glaze covered while you wait to use or the top will crust over. Once you are ready to use, microwave the glaze for 15 seconds right before you're about to drizzle it. This helps to thin out the glaze. Pour generously all over the top of the loaf.

Pumpkin Crème Brûlée with Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder by Sprout Living

Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Makes 6 (4 oz.) ramekins

Ingredients:

• 4 egg yolks

• 1 cup coconut sugar

• 1 ¼ cup coconut milk

• 2 Tsp. vanilla extract

• ¾ cup pumpkin purée

• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin seed protein powder

• ¼ Tsp. salt

• 1 Tsp. ground cinnamon

• ¼ Tsp. ground nutmeg

• ½ Tsp. ground ginger

• ½ Tsp. ground allspice

• Small pinch of ground cloves

Topping

• 6 Tsp. granulated sugar (you can use coconut sugar, but it will give you a very burnt taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and coconut sugar by hand, until light and fluffy. Should take about 1 minute. 3. Add in the coconut milk, vanilla and pumpkin purée, and whisk until smooth and combined. 4. Add in the pumpkin seed protein powder, salt and all spices, and whisk until combined. 5. Fill each ramekin dish to the very top with the crème brûlée batter. 6. Add all the ramekins to a baking dish that has the same, or higher depth than the ramekins. 7. Fill the baking dish with water — ¾ up the ramekin dish. 8. Carefully place your baking dish, filled with the ramekins and water, into the oven. Bake for 40 minutes. The cream will look set, but it will still be wobbly when moving the baking dish and ramekins. 9. Take the ramekins out of the baking dish, set them in the refrigerator, and let cool completely (this can be done a couple days in advance of eating).

Optional: Right before you're about to eat the crème brûlée, sprinkle 1 Tsp. of sugar on top of each ramekin. Melt the sugar with a blowtorch until caramelized.

Pumpkin Protein Bread with Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder by Sprout Living

Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

An easy one-bowl recipe! Makes 6 (3") cakes (you don't have to use 3" cake pans. Use whatever shape or size you’d like, then adjust baking time accordingly).

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup pumpkin purée

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 2 Tbsp. honey

• ¼ cup melted coconut oil (or olive oil)

• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup almond flour

• ¼ cup pumpkin seed protein powder

• ½ Tsp. salt

• ½ Tsp. baking powder

• 2 Tsp. ground cinnamon

• ½ Tsp. ground nutmeg

• 1 Tsp. ground ginger

• 1 Tsp. ground allspice

• ¼ Tsp. ground cloves

Whipped Cream

• 1 can coconut cream (refrigerated overnight - do not mix or shake when removing from the refrigerator)

• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup

• 1 Tsp. vanilla

• A couple pinches of ground cinnamon

• Cinnamon sticks (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a large bowl, add the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, honey, melted coconut oil, vanilla and eggs. Whisk to combine. Add in the rest of the ingredients (from almond flour to ground cloves), and whisk until everything is combined. 3. Spray 3" cake pans with cooking spray and place a circle of parchment paper onto the bottom of each cake pan. 4. Divide the batter between the 6 cake pans and bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 5. Let cool for 30 minutes in the pans. Then, take the cakes out of their pans and let cool on a cooling rack. 6. Top the cakes with powdered sugar or whipped cream. 7. For the whipped cream, carefully take the coconut cream out of the refrigerator. You don't want to mix it up. Scoop out the solid cream (discard the liquid on the bottom of the can) and place into a standing mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment. 8. Beat the coconut cream on high until stiff peaks form. Add in the maple syrup and vanilla and mix just until combined. 9. Spread the whipped cream on the top of each bread and sprinkle a dash of cinnamon. You can add a cinnamon stick to the tops as well.

Here’s the scoop on Sprout Living Organic Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder: This cold-pressed, non-GMO, plant-based powder is packed with protein (19 grams per serving, to be exact), and is rich in essential fatty acids – 3, 6 and 9. The best part? It doesn’t include any additives whatsoever. When it comes to nutrition, we guarantee this is the best way to celebrate the season. Who doesn’t love pumpkin everything?

Fallfetti Cake

Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Yields: 8

Ingredients:

Vanilla Cake

• 1 ½ cups brown rice flour

• 1 cup cornstarch

• ½ Tsp. salt

• 1 Tbsp. baking powder

• 1 Tsp. xanthan gum

• 2 cups pure cane sugar

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup coconut milk

.• 1 cup coconut oil, melted

• 2 Tsp. vanilla extract

• ½ cup fall colored sprinkles

Vegan Buttercream

• 2 cups vegan (non-hydrogenated) shortening *You can find this at Whole Foods or other specialty grocery stores.

• 6 cups organic powdered sugar

• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

• ½ cup almond milk

• ½ cup fall colored sprinkles

• Gel food coloring: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple

• Edible silver leaf

Directions:

Vanilla Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and line (with parchment paper) 3 6" round cake pans. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Set aside until ready to use. 3. In a bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar until creamy and doubled in size (about 4 minutes). 4. Add ½ the dry ingredients and beat for a few seconds. 5. Add in the coconut milk, coconut oil and vanilla. Mix for a few seconds. 6. Add in the rest of the dry ingredients and fall sprinkles, and mix until there are no white streaks remaining (about 30 seconds). 7. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake until cooked through (about 30 minutes). Use a toothpick to check to see if the cake is done. 8. Once cool enough to handle, pop the cakes out, wrap them in plastic wrap, and place them in the refrigerator or freezer until completely hardened.

Frosting

9. In a bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the shortening and half the powdered sugar until creamy (about 3 minutes. 10. Add in the milk and vanilla, and then the rest of the powdered sugar. 11. Beat on low speed at first (so the sugar doesn't go everywhere!). 12. Turn up the speed to medium, and beat until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

Assembly

13. On a cake turntable, place one layer of cake onto a cake plate. Pipe the vanilla buttercream on top of the entire first layer, and sprinkle the top with fall sprinkles. Repeat this process until you have 3 layers of cake stacked. Add a small amount of frosting to the top and sides of the cake and smooth out the frosting with an offset spatula. The cake will have a naked feel (this is just the crumb coat layer). Place the cake in the refrigerator until the outside of the cake is completely chilled. 14. Once chilled, place your cake back onto the turntable. Add the rest of the buttercream into a large piping bag and pipe a small amount of frosting across the entire cake, top and sides. Smooth out the tops and sides with an offset spatula and cake smoother. Once you've frosted your cake to your liking, place the cake in the refrigerator to chill. 15. Divide the rest of your buttercream into 6 small bowls. Color each into darker fall hues. Add each colored icing into its own small piping bag, and cut the tips off of each one. 16. Take your cake out of the refrigerator and place back onto the turntable. Starting with one color, add tiny dabs of buttercream all over the cake (don't forget the top). With a small offset spatula, swipe the dab of buttercream into a small streak. 17. Continue with each of the colors until you have a nice sweeping motion across your cake. If you find you have blank spaces, fill them up with the colors of your choosing. 18. With a paintbrush, add in pieces of silver leaf around the cake to give it an even more festive feel!