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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Easy and Healthy Pasta Salad
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Standardby carynfasko0 Comments

Originally Published in May 2015

Last weekend I turned 30 (old lady now…) so we thought we would do a beach party on Saturday to celebrate. So of course I wanted to make some nutritious and delicious food to bring. I had to think of something I could keep cold in a cooler and that would be refreshing and not too messy or complicated. Pasta salad seemed to be an easy solution…so my recipe for sweet potato pasta salad was born!

I used whole grains (good carbs for sustained energy and fiber), olive oil (good fat, anti-inflammatory properties), and fresh veggies (lots of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals). I was able to keep it in a large aluminum tray in the cooler and it did stay cool until we were ready to eat. I also made a fruit salad to bring because it is super easy to just chop up some melons, grapes and strawberries….and who doesn’t love cool, fresh fruit on a hot day? Plus…it has a ton of nutrients and can help keep you hydrated. My pasta salad turned out really delicious and fed about 16-20 people so keep that in mind when you see the large amounts of ingredients.

Sweet Potato Pasta Salad

Sweet Potato Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

32 oz Dry Whole Grain Pasta (I used Brown Rice Pasta to make it Gluten Free)

2 Large Sweet Potatoes

1 Head of Broccoli

4 Large Tomatoes

1- Fresh 8 oz Bag of Baby Spinach

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3/4 Cup Champagne or White Wine Vinegar

Juice from 2 Lemons

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Sugar

Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Directions:

  • Cook pasta according to package directions in a very large pot.
  • While pasta is cooking, clean off sweet potatoes and poke several holes through the skin with a fork. Microwave on high for 10 minutes or until sweet potatoes are cooked through.
  • Rinse broccoli and tomatoes and start chopping into pieces while sweet potatoes and pasta are cooking.
  • Remove sweet potatoes (be careful they will be very hot) and let cool.
  • Put chopped broccoli in the microwave on a microwave safe plate on high for 2 minutes…but only if you are like me and prefer your broccoli to be slightly cooked but still firm and crunchy. If you prefer it raw you can skip that step.
  • By now your pasta should be done cooking; drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking and add to your aluminum tray or serving dish.
  • Add the bag of spinach to the warm pot you just removed the pasta from and put back on burner on low heat stirring occasionally to warm and wilt spinach until it shrinks to about half.
  • Add warm spinach, broccoli, and tomatoes to pasta.
  • If your sweet potatoes are cool enough, peel off the skin and chop into bite size squares. If they still feel hot please be patient and let them cool down more… you can get burned by hot potato steam. The potatoes should peel very easily with a knife now that they are cooked.
  • Add the sweet potato pieces to the pasta mixture.
  • Mix together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and sugar in a small bowl and pour over pasta. Mix well and add ground black pepper to taste.
  • Refrigerate until ready to eat, can be made the day before.

Healthy, Sweet Potato Pasta Salad, Whole Grain, Easy

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Standardby carynfasko2 Comments

Originally posted in April of 2015.

Sorry I wasn’t able to post last week but I was in Puerto Rico for a friends 30th birthday so I was busy doing beach things and exploring the island. Before I left I did make a really good spaghetti squash dish that I thought I could share today. It was my first experience working with spaghetti squash so I was surprised how easy and quick it was to make. I wish I had tried it sooner!

Spaghetti squash contains many important vitamins and minerals such as potassium, vitamin c, vitamin a, and dietary fiber. It also tastes great, and you can cook it in the microwave. Super easy. I know a lot of people like to substitute spaghetti squash for pasta, but that is not something I typically recommend. If you really want pasta, make pasta. Spaghetti squash is not going to cut it when you have a pasta craving. However, it is delicious so you should try it, not as a substitute, just as another food.

I typically use this recipe as a side dish, and will cook chicken or some other protein to go with it. Otherwise, I would be hungry like an hour later. You could always add some leftover diced chicken to the sauce to make this recipe more of an entrée.  Also, I bet a nice piece of crusty bread would go good with this.

Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Vegetables and Herbs

Ingredients

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1/2 Cup Diced Purple Onion

1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms

1 Cup Chopped Tomatoes

1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, chopped

1 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano, chopped

Dash of Salt and Pepper

Directions

Rinse off spaghetti squash and poke several holes with a knife to allow steam to escape while cooking. Microwave spaghetti squash on high for 15 minutes. If your microwave doesn’t rotate make sure you turn about half way through cooking to ensure it is cooked evenly. Remove squash from microwave when finished cooking but do not attempt to cut it open yet. It will be very hot and needs to cool down for several minutes. Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan on medium heat and add garlic and onions. Cook until onions appear translucent. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and cook for several minutes longer until vegetables are warm and mushrooms are soft and decreased in size. Mix in basil and oregano and cook for 1-2 more minutes to blend the flavors. Turn off heat and add a dash of salt and pepper if desired. Cut open spaghetti squash in half lengthwise if cool enough and remove seeds. Use a fork to scrape out strands and put each half on a plate. Top with sauce and serve.

Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Vegetables and Herbs

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