This gluten free pumpkin almond flaxseed bread is subtly sweet and perfect for breakfast, a snack or dessert
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Standardby carynfasko0 Comments

Originally published October 12, 2018

The season of fall is upon us, even though it is still pretty hot here in South Florida. I did notice I haven’t been getting sweaty when walking my dog at 6am, plus I am seeing fall flavored snacks everywhere, so I can safely assume that much of the country is probably starting to see some fall weather. Last week I decided to celebrate the beginning of the fall season by making a super delicious pumpkin almond flaxseed bread. I sliced it up and ate it throughout the week (plus froze a couple slices for later) for an easy breakfast on the go. It was delish, satisfying, and easy to eat in the car during my morning commute. So it will definitely be a recipe on repeat for awhile.

This gluten free pumpkin almond flaxseed bread is subtly sweet and perfect for breakfast, a snack or dessert

Purchasing breads and muffins for breakfast can be a convenient choice, but a lot of them have more added sugar than necessary, and are made with refined wheat, so less fiber and vitamins. My pumpkin almond flaxseed bread does contain some added sugar, cause delicious is always a requirement for making recipes in my book, and I felt like it does needs a touch of sweetness. But 1/4 cup of maple syrup for the entire loaf really isn’t that much at all. Additionally, I added milled flaxseeds (make sure you buy them ground or milled and not whole) for the extra fiber and omega 3 fatty acids (think heart health), and almond flour for even more healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. All the protein, fat, and fiber in this pumpkin almond flaxseed bread can definitely help prevent the high blood sugar spikes that you might see from eating a commercially baked bread or muffin with lots of sugar and refined all purpose flour. If you are having trouble balancing your blood sugar, the American Diabetes Association has a lot of great information and resources you can check out on their website.  Or you can see a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, like myself, to help better understand and balance your blood sugar levels.

Pumpkin Almond Flaxseed Bread

Ingredients

2 Cups Almond Flour

1/2 Cup Milled Flaxseeds

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon each of Ginger, Nutmeg, & Allspice

2 Eggs

1/4 Cup Maple Syrup

1 Cup Pumpkin Puree

1/2 Cup Milk

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray
  3. Whisk together almond flour, flaxseeds, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt in a large mixing bowl
  4. Add eggs, maple syrup, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla extract
  5. Stir together well
  6. Scoop batter into loaf pan evenly (batter should be fairly thick)
  7. Place loaf pan into preheated oven and cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until bread is cooked through

Happy baking! Need more pumpkin recipes? My Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes make a super easy and pre-portioned dessert. Or if you are looking for an appetizer, my Skinny Pumpkin Dip can be whipped up in no time.

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These gluten free mango muffins can also be made into mango bread or vegan!
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Standardby carynfasko2 Comments
Mangoes…or is it Mangos? Either way, I think one of my favorite parts of early summer is all the mango everywhere down here in south florida. My number 1 favorite thing about summer though has gotta be the lighter traffic. I’m sorry mangoes but 30 minutes less of my commute each day is something that you just can’t buy.

Anyways, you are probably here to read about food and not Miami traffic, so back to the mangoes. I love experimenting with different ways to use them, and since they are plentiful this time of year, if I mess up and make something weird I can totally start over and try again. Topping fish with a fresh mango avocado salsa or adding some mango to rice like in the Coconut Mango Rice from my last post really just adds a summery freshness to things.
These gluten free mango muffins can also be made into mango bread or vegan!
So I have been wanting to make mango muffins for awhile. I didn’t want them to be super sweet though, so I could eat them for breakfast without getting a tummy ache… and they needed to be gluten free so I can eat them, cause watching other people eat food that you made but can’t enjoy is just silly. I have had a lot of success with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, and like that it has some bean flours in it for extra fiber and nutrients, so I went with that and just 1/4 cup of honey and they turned out great!

After I was done perfecting my gluten free mango muffins, I also wanted to try making the batter into a mango bread. But when I went to make the bread I realized that someone (Baby V) had been extra hungry and was eating two eggs at breakfast that week instead of her normal one and I did not have any eggs left. Luckily I remembered I had bought some ground flaxseeds to help get someone to poop (Baby V, again) and so I was able to substitute them in for the eggs. I then decided I mine as well go full vegan and I subbed out the honey for maple syrup to make a vegan gluten free mango bread!. So here  is my recipe for the gluten free mango muffins, if prefer to make them vegan, or into a bread, substitutions/modifications are listed right below the recipe!

Gluten Free Mango Muffins

Ingredients
Cooking Spray
2 Cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Fresh Mangoes – Cubed (~2 Cups)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1/4 Cup Honey

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Spray 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray
3. Mix together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in a large mixing bowl
4. Puree mangoes in a blender
5. Add mangoes to dry ingredients in mixing bowl along with vanilla, eggs, oil, and honey
6. Mix well and pour into muffin tin
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until muffins appear lightly golden brown on top
8. Allow to cool slightly and serve
9. Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or pop it in the freezer for a rainy day

*To make vegan simply sub out the honey for maple syrup and use “flax eggs” in place of eggs. To make 2 “flax eggs” mix 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds in 6 tablespoons of water. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes to gelatinize before stirring into dry ingredients.

**To make into bread simply pour batter into a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Adjust cooking time to approximately 40 minutes.

 

These gluten free mango muffins can also be made into mango bread or vegan!

Still have more mangos you need to use? Try my Gluten Free Mango Squares… they freeze really well too so you can keep a stash in your freezer for when you need a little summer during the winter.

Gluten Free Mango Squares Recipe
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Gluten Free Mango Squares Recipe
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Standardby carynfasko2 Comments

Over this past weekend, I found myself cutting up 5 mangoes that my in-laws dropped off. Additionally, I will be getting 6 more in my produce box that is set to be delivered on Saturday. Good thing we like mangoes. Eating them fresh, baking or cooking with them…we will eat them all. One of my absolute favorite ways to enjoy mango is to make a mango avocado salsa to top fish. And if I am baking with mangoes, my new favorite recipe is gluten free mango squares, which I am about to share with you.

Gluten Free Mango Dessert

My gluten free mango square recipe is made with a delicious almond crust, topped with a sweet mango filling, baked, and then sprinkled with shredded coconut. It’s basically a tropical version of lemon squares.

And if you are wondering if mangoes are healthy, my answer is a resounding “YES!” I often hear that certain fruits are not “good for you” due to their sugar content. First off, sugar is not “bad” or anything to be feared. Sugar powers our brain, and gives us energy to move. Some people may process sugar a little differently due to medical conditions, and may have to watch how certain foods affect their blood sugar levels, but that can be managed with the help of a doctor, dietitian, and close monitoring.

Gluten Free Mango Squares

Oh and I forgot to mention, my gluten free mango squares also freeze well, just in case you want to make an extra batch to save for later. Simply take them out of the freezer 15-20 minutes before you plan on eating them so they can thaw out a bit.

Gluten Free Mango Squares

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 Cups Almond Flour

1/4 Cup All Purpose Gluten Free Flour

1/4 Cup Sugar

6 Tablespoons Cold Butter

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Filling

1 Cup Pureed Mangoes (1-2 Mangoes)

3 Eggs

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup All Purpose Gluten Free Flour

Pinch of Salt

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut to Sprinkle on Top (Optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 square glass baking dish with parchment paper. Add almond flour, 1/4 cup gluten free baking flour, sugar, and salt to a bowl to make the crust. Mix together. Mash in cubed butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly. Mix together well to form a dough. Press crust dough into bottom of parchment lined pan, can go a little up the sides. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

Mix remaining ingredients, except for the coconut, until smooth to form the filling. Pour over crust as soon as it comes out of the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is set and no longer jiggles. Pop out of the baking dish by pulling up the parchment paper and allow to cool on wire rack for about an hour. Refrigerate another 1-2 hours and sprinkle with shredded coconut if desired. Cut and serve. Return any extras to the refrigerator or freeze.

Gluten Free Mango Squares

Need more mango recipes? Last year I did a mango roundup that includes more than 30 dietitian approved recipes that you can check out here. Or you can go straight to my Avocado Chicken Salad or Coconut Mango Rice.

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