Alright, I’m taking full advantage of the local produce, here in Southern Ontario. We have amazing peaches during the summer months and I’m using them today to make this caramelized peach oatmeal. Typically, I don’t eat oatmeal very often, but when I do, it needs to be topped with nuts, fruit and maple syrup. Otherwise, I won’t eat it.

So today, I bring to you, my Caramelized Peach and Pecan Oatmeal. Creamy, spiced oatmeal with soft, tender peaches and sticky maple pecans. YUM.

Let’s talk oatmeal. Because I don’t drink cow’s milk, I always make my oatmeal with plant-based milk. You can check out my Homemade Cashew milk, here. This is a really great milk choice for this recipe as it is creamy and flavoured with vanilla. Otherwise, you can use almond milk, soy, oat, or even water. Whatever you have on hand!

The best part of this recipe would have to be the toppings. Peaches and pecans are a match made in heaven. I have even seen whiskey with these two flavours infused…YUM. The peaches become soft and fork-tender when cooked down with maple syrup, some lemon juice and a pinch of salt. You could easily just eat these themselves.

Pecans are delicious naturally, but when coated in the sticky syrup, they are even better. Not to mention all of the benefits you get from eating pecans – good fats, tons of fibre, magnesium, iron and protein. Tree nuts are a vegans dream food.

Finally, I always like to top my oatmeal off with (yet another) drizzle of pure Canadian maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon.

This one’s for you, oatmeal lovers!

Caramelized Peach and Pecan Oatmeal

Serving size: 1

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup plant-based milk (check out my homemade cashew milk, here)
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, divided
• salt
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1 peach, sliced into wedges
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp butter or oil of choice
• 1/4 cup raw pecans

Instructions:

1. Add milk, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of salt to a small pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and add the oats. Stir, bring back up to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until oats have absorbed most of the liquid and mixture has thickened.
2. To a small bowl, toss the peach slices with the lemon juice, a pinch of salt, the remaining 1/4 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and the maple syrup.
3. Add the butter or oil to a medium pan (or cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat. When butter is hot, add in the peach slices. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the pecans. Finish cooking when the slices are fork-tender, stirring occasionally, another 2-4 minutes.
4. Scoop oatmeal into a bowl and top with the caramelized peaches and pecans. Top with extra maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon if desired.

The post Caramelized Peach and Pecan Oatmeal appeared first on Never. Not. Eating..

Not only are these pancakes gluten-free, they are also dairy-free and refined sugar-free. You. Are. Welcome.

This recipe was inspired by the extra pumpkin puree that I had after making my favourite pumpkin pasta dish. I hate waste and when I was thinking about what I could use the leftovers for, my brain immediately went to pancakes. Usually when I try recipes for pancakes that are gluten-, dairy- and refined sugar-free, they often turn out flat. It was my goal to create healthy pancakes that taste and look like normal pancakes. I think these are it. And, by “think” I mean “know.” I just didn’t want to sound cocky.

Because these pancakes are refined sugar-free, they are on the less-sweet side. They include the natural sweetness from a banana, but feel free to add some brown or white sugar to the wet ingredients. I, personally like to aggressively drizzle them with maple syrup after they are made and ready-to-eat, and this covers the necessary sweetness!

To start, whisk up all of your dry ingredients. Buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. The use of buckwheat is what makes these pancakes gluten-free. Buckwheat is actually a seed, not a wheat, as the name suggests. The seeds are ground up into a flour. It is my preferred ingredient for pancakes as I have found it to have a similar outcome as regular wheat flour, unlike other gluten-free flours, like almond and coconut.

The wet ingredients include: pumpkin (of course), canned coconut milk, a mashed banana, an egg and some vanilla. These all get whisked together. When combined, add in the dry ingredients and stir until everything has been incorporated. The batter will be thick. Set it aside to allow the ingredients to get to know one another.

When ready, add the batter to a hot pan. I find it easiest to use two spoons to help shape your pancakes the way you would like them. They only need a minute or two on each side until they are ready.

Serve with your toppings of choice. I love fresh fruit on these, cinnamon, and some yogurt. Oh, and pools of maple syrup, of course!

The Fluffiest Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

Servings: Makes 8 pancakes

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or the packaged powder)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 very ripe banana, mashed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Coconut oil

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, banana, beaten egg, coconut milk and vanilla together until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until everything has been combined. Batter will be thick. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
3. Preheat a pan over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to grease the pan. Use two spoons to dollop the batter into the pan and to help spread and shape the pancakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes – you will notice the edges begin to set and bubbles begin to form on top – and flip, cooking another minute. Remove from pan and continue with the rest of the batter.
4. Serve with your choice of topping – I recommend pure maple syrup, fresh fruit and dairy-free yogurt!

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