White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

A light and delicious fall cheesecake!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup butter

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar or equivalent sweetener

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup white chocolate 

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Whipped cream to taste

Preheat the oven to 325°F (~165°C). Prepare an 8-inch springform pan or line a similarly sized pan with foil.

Melt the butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs, and press into pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until it smells delicious.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. (Don't over-mix.) Add the eggs and mix just until combined.

Melt the white chocolate, preferably over a double-boiler. (My white chocolate was stubborn and didn't want to melt, so I added a little whipping cream and stirred until it melted.) Add the melted white chocolate to the mixture and stir.

Mix cinnamon with pumpkin puree and then fold into the cream cheese mixture. Pour over the baked graham cracker crust. 

Place cheesecake pan inside a larger pan and surround with a water bath. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until top begins to brown and center is almost set.

Cool for at least an hour, then refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, carefully open springform pan or pull foil out of the regular baking pan. Whip heavy cream if desired, adding to the top with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy!

*Note: this recipe produces a yummy cheesecake with a hint of pumpkin and white chocolate flavors. Next time I'll experiment with adding more pumpkin for a stronger flavor...although it's great like this too!

Creamy tomato soup

Delicious tomato soup from scratch!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoons flour
3 cups veggie broth
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 sprig of thyme
salt, pepper, dried basil, and cream to taste

Heat the oil and butter and cook the onion and garlic in it, about 8 minutes. Add flour and coat, then add broth, tomatoes, thyme and seasonings. Cook for 30-40 minutes. Puree, adding cream or half-and-half and additional seasoning to taste.

Peanut Butter Cutout Cookies

By far the tastiest AND healthiest cutout cookies I know of! They're even vegan and gluten free.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour
1 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup coconut flour + more sprinkles for rolling
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whisk flours and baking soda together and set aside. Melt coconut oil and peanut butter together over low heat in a small pan, then remove from heat and stir in molasses.

Add wet mixture to the dry one and mix until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least three hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place another piece of parchment paper on your countertop. Sprinkle the paper and a rolling pin with coconut flour. Roll out the dough to desired thickness and cut into shapes dictated by your kids (or your own choosing, if you're baking alone). Bake for 6-8 minutes or until edges start to brown.

If you like you can top them with melted chocolate or sugar sprinkles.

Chocolate Pancakes

These are the best pancakes ever! They're even vegan, but that thought would never cross your mind while you enjoy their awesome deliciousness.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
6 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons coconut oil (heated until liquid if necessary)
water

Combine dry ingredients. In a large, separate bowl, combine liquids, then mix in dry ingredients with a whisk. Add water until the consistency is how you like it for pancakes.

Grease a hot griddle with coconut oil for each pancake. Cook until little bubbles start to appear and underside looks dark brown and firm, then flip and cook other side.

Add whipped cream and/or other toppings of you choice.

White Chocolate Coconut Cheesecake

A light and relatively fluffy cheesecake with a hidden ingredient no one would ever guess!

Ingredients:

1 parsnip

1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

8 full graham cracker sheets

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 Lindt white chocolate coconut bar

2 tablespoons water

16 oz. neufchatel cheese

2-3 tablespoons coconut shavings

Peel and dice parsnip. Simmer in milk with salt about half an hour or until parsnip is soft. Cool slightly and puree in a food processor.

Melt butter and combine with graham crackers in food processor to form a moist crumble. Press into an 8" springform pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes.

Melt white chocolate with water over the stove. Combine with parsnip puree.

Whip the cream with an electric mixer until fluffy with stiff peaks. In another bowl, mix chocolate/parsnip mixture with neufchatel cheese. Fold in the whipped cream.

Pour mixture into prepared pan with crust. Refrigerate overnight.