Nanaimo Bars at the Little Bakery

There must be an easier method to shelling almonds. I stood at the counter with a pot of almonds that were soaking for a few hours, peeling the husk off each one in a pile of 130 grams.

It wasn't all that bad though, leaning from right foot to left and back again. I had the radio playing gently behind me, and fell into a rhythm of peeling, pulling, dropping, and repeating with a new almond each time, building one pile of clean, naked almonds, and slowly pulling away from a mound of brown and streaked. Each almond had its own look, its own feel, and the longer they soaked, the easier it was for me to tear the husk away.

It turned an hour or two of baking nanaimo bars into a whole afternoon, but I'm always happiest in the kitchen anyway, and I sipped on a cup of tea while repeatedly refilling it from a pot brewing warmly at the side.

I remember the old bakery on Bowen that always had fresh nanaimo bars for the many islanders needing a sweet treat, some conversation, and even a bit of coffee while they waited in line for the ferry. Construction workers ordered double sandwiches and extra large cookies, mums and their kids took away hot chocolates in the pouring rain. There were always customers streaming in and out of that bakery, whether it was for a piping hot sausage roll served while still on it's rack from the oven, and placed in a white paper bag to warm your hands, or for one of the biggest white chocolate macadamia nut cookies to share with dad as the line of cars slowly snaked is way onto the ferry.

I even remember the morning that bakery was suddenly gone, along with its brownies and pies set out in the front cooler, and the trays containing the nanaimo bar I was looking forward to on my way down to the ferry.

So suddenly, all that was left was a charred black square, a few lines of yellow tape, and the air hanging thick with questions left unanswered.

The front room of the bakery was always small, but next door at the Snug Cafe we sat around tables if we planned on hanging around. No one has ever replaced that memory of my first nanaimo bar at the bakery, and the sticky mess I got myself into while excitedly savouring each layer, starting with crumbly chocolate topped with a creamy custard, and finally, thick chocolate that quickly melted in my little hands and made its way along my upper lip, and over my fingers, suddenly making them taste delicious too.

It wasn't until brunch at a gluten free bakery in Victoria with mum that I remembered these delectably sweet moments, ones that will always make me think back fondly on the community we shared, the local coffee shops and bakeries that felt more like a living room with all our family and friends, and those irresistible nanaimo bars that I haven't yet found to replicate that pure, young enjoyment.


It was while we ate our plates of breakfast in a windowed alcove that I looked around to the trays of baked sweets and realised how many times I've recently seen nanaimo bars, since we've moved to Vancouver Island in fact. Suddenly, they seem to be back in fashion, or are popping up to remind me of something.

Something wonderful, they are.

Nanaimo Bars {gluten and grain free, vegan}

{print recipe here}

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Ingredients:

Base
130 g almonds, soaked
110 g dates, soaked
65 g ground walnuts
50 g shredded coconut
60 g cocoa powder

Filling
80 g raw cashews, soaked
2 tbsp raw cashew butter
3/4 coconut cream
1/4 c coconut oil
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Layer
300 g dairy free chocolate chips
50 g coconut oil

 Directions:

Soak your ingredients. In separate bowls, soak the almonds, dates, and cashews overnight.

Shed the almond husks. Peel back the husks of the almonds to reveal the white meat inside. Use a garlic peeler or two sheets of paper towel to rub the husk off for a quicker method, otherwise use your hands. The longer the almonds soak, the easier this process will become.

Make the base. In a food processor, blend the hulled almonds until very fine. Drain the dates, setting the water aside to use later, and add them in the processor with the almonds. Blend again. Combine the ground walnuts, shredded coconut, and cocoa powder in the processor, blending until all the ingredients are well mixed.

Add the date water. Using the leftover water from soaking the dates, slowly pour in a tablespoon at a time to the base mixture, blending each time, until it begins to come together in a large ball. It should stick together, but should not be gooey.

Press into the pan. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, and press the base mixture evenly onto the bottom. Place in the fridge.

Make the creamy filling. Rinse out the food processor and blend the soaked cashews, drained, until it becomes almost creamy. Add the cashew butter and process again. Next, add coconut oil, then maple syrup and vanilla extract. Process on high for a couple of minutes until it is completely smooth. Scrape down the sides and blend again.

Pour on the filling. Remove the base from the fridge and set it on a flat surface. Using a soft spatula to scrape the filling from the processor, pour it over the chocolate base, starting in the middle and working your way in a spiral to the edges. Even it out quickly before returning the whole pan to the fridge.

Make the chocolate topping. Over medium-high heat, bring a pot of water to boil on the stove top. Place a bowl over the boiling water and add the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Stirring continuously, melt together the chocolate and coconut oil. Remove the bowl from the saucepan when the mixture is completely smooth, letting it stand a minute or two before pouring it over the base and creamy filling of your nanaimo bars. Pour slowly, as the hot chocolate could melt the filling. Pour in the same pattern, starting in the centre and working your way outwards.

Freeze to set. Place the pan in the freezer for 1 - 2 hours, placing it in the fridge at least 45 minutes before serving. Cut with a hot knife, wiping it clean and reheating it between each slice.

Enjoy! xx S

Apple Chutney from Apples Picked

We may have found ourselves in trouble if we had been caught, or even worse, may have been forced to put back what was filling every pocket in our coats, and creating a large bulge in my sweater, as we walked back through the trails, smiling at each passerby, nudging the bulge delicately to put it into a less discriminating position. I feared that a small, bright red, apple would fall from the bundle of jackets they were all wrapped up in, and our secret would be nothing. No more apples to bring home, and no more thrill of unwrapping them and inspecting each tiny, beautiful little fruit. And to savour each sweet, juicy bite, to finish the apple in only a few to little bites.
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Buzzing Happily with Pumpkin Cashew "Cheesecake"

When I think of thanksgiving, I almost immediately picture a large table, or two to three smaller tables patch worked together in a long train, covered with mismatched table clothes and each place set with the proper assortment of plates, cutlery, glasses and crackers for a full meal together. Some, of course, match, like at the parents table where the nice plates and wine glasses reserved only for special occasions are used, but down at the other end, where the kids are usually placed together, it's a colourful array of orange and red dishes, bright napkins folded neatly, and the bright golds and shiny yellows of the crackers. I love the setting of a thanksgiving table, with all the colours and decorations that often resemble an autumn pathway, lined with fallen maple leaves held down by smoothed stones and little tea lights that flicker and eventually fade as the evening progresses.  

There is always family and friends, buzzing happily around the table, while some help to serve the heaping dishes of vegetables and aromatic tray of turkey, balancing the cranberry sauce between two plates in either hand. Some sit across from one another and chat freely, with sounds of laughter filling the whole room, and eventually catching on as everyone sits down together, and the food is served in heaping spoonfuls onto plates. I always send my spoon back to the mashed yams, my favourite, and a few extra Brussels sprouts. 

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At the Cabin

It's a shock to feel as if I have been hit by the sudden fact that it isn't only me that's moving away, something I can control, can always know when I'll be visiting friends again, but also the people I have grown to accept as always being around, always being there, will too, move away, and find new adventures on greater, larger, and expanding coast lines. As this week goes on, more of my friends update their Facebook statuses and with their new location, or post photos of their new dorm room home.

It came when I saw one of my good friends on the island only last Friday, and I was so absorbed in running from errand to errand as well as finding time for a quick coffee with mum before heading to a friends, worried about seeing her before she left to university as well, that I didn't even think that just that evening, he would be flying across the country for a semester in university. And I'm sure he's not the only person I've missed while I've been so wrapped up in my own move. 

After last weekend, we packed a little more and filled an entire row of boxes to be kept, and to be given away, but I also took a few days off to spend a couple of nights at my friends cabin, a place I have visited with her family for years, and a place where it is easy to forget everything else, and just enjoy the sound of the waves on the beach, or the numerous trips in the rowboat in hope of pulling up a big crab from the trap out in the bay.  

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Banana Bread from the Pantry

I was shocked to find that I actually don't have a gluten free banana loaf recipe to my blog. I thought that was an essential recipe to every baker's collection, whether they be gluten free, vegan, paleo, a picky eater, a kid just beginning to dive into mum's recipe box with the evidence of cookie batter across the counters, or a skilled baker on their way to publishing another cook book. Each time I made a banana bread, I skipped the recipe writing, and step by step photography because each time, I thought the recipe and the post must have already been blogged, up and out there for the world. And I don't know what took me so long to realize it either, but among the zucchini loaf, the apple or the huckleberry sweet bread, I couldn't find a single banana as I searched through my posts for an easy recipe to adapt for today's baking needs.

So today, tucked up in a little apartment kitchen, tucked up in a little apartment building, and tucked in
the heart of Montreal, I finally figured it was time to cook up a banana bread, both fitting for a student's budget and fitting for a gluten free me. 

I was about to head out today and explore the streets on my own for a few hours, perhaps even wander some parks, sitting down to read for a while, or to soak up some of the sun. However, as soon as I had my shoes on, and the keys to the apartment in hand, I suddenly had a desire to stay, to call friends over Skype, to bake, drink some tea, and not worry about the time, the cost of change in and out of my pocket as I passed through stores, and to take a little time just to feel as if I had given myself a chance to rest. It's been a busy month, and with finally sleeping soundlessly in the last few days here, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrient packed foods, I finally feel more like myself, thinking a little clearer, and no longer sleeping restlessly, or grinding down my teeth in the middle of the night.

So with the drumming of construction outside, I chatted over Skype and mixed together bananas at the same time, one noise drowning out the other as the volume increased, but moments of instant silence would follow, giving a little time to recollect myself and carry on with the task of mixing and measuring and listening in to the headphones that carried my friend's voice. 

I also became occupied with the flow of photos that were being posted from the explore program, and as friends uploaded, liked, and commented, I was carried back into the moments and memories we had shared, and laughed to myself at our photos, and at the thought of how many jokes we can keep forever. 

Banana Bread {gluten free, egg free, dairy free, gum free}

{print me here}

This is kind of an everything excluded banana bread, an allergen free loaf, hooray! Made with simple ingredients, from the gluten free chef's pantry, there's a chance everyone will be up for a slice, and a slice that holds together when it's cut, can be spread with your choice of butter or dairy-free spread, and is still full of a delicious, rich and sweet banana flavour. My favourite is that using a mix of four gluten free flours, there's no need to add any gums to help hold this bread together, plus the bananas and honey help to bind ingredients in delicious flavour. 

Using the method of microwaving frozen bananas to cause them to release their liquid, then boiling to reduce the quantity of liquid but increasing the flavour, this loaf has twice the taste of banana. The added benefit of using frozen and overripe bananas is that they contain a higher percentage of natural fructose sweetener, so even without added sugar, your loaf will be deliciously and naturally sweetened. The touch of honey in this recipe is both for consistency, and because the flavours complement nicely with bananas, to create a perfect blend with each bite. For a vegan version of this loaf, substitute honey for maple syrup, or agave, as either have a syrupy and sticky consistency perfect for baking without gums or eggs.

Chocolate chips can be substituted for chopped nuts or dried fruits if you would prefer, but they seemed like a perfect way to make this bread a sweet treat.

{makes one loaf}

{Ingredients:}

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

3/4 cup sorghum flour

1/2 tapioca flour

1/4 cup arrowroot flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 very ripe bananas, frozen

Just under 1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond milk, can be substituted for your choice of alternative 

1/2 cup gluten free chocolate chips

2 tablespoons slivered almonds, to garnish

{Directions:}

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a loaf pan with oil and a sprinkling of rice flour, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

Microwave the frozen bananas, with their skins still on, in a bowl for 5 minutes, or until tender and slightly warm. Transfer to a strainer set over another bowl, and remove the bananas from their skins, collecting all of the liquid in the strainer. Discard the skins.

After allowing as much liquid as possible to drain from the strainer into the bowl, set the liquid over medium heat in a saucepan. Cooking until liquid begins to bubble and reduces by approximately half, about 5 minutes. 

Stir liquid back into the bananas, and mash until smooth. Mix in honey, vanilla, and almond milk, stir, and pour into dry ingredients. 

Add in chocolate chips and mix to combine completely. 

Pour the batter into the loaf pan, spreading the mixture evening into the corners and edges. Finally, sprinkle with a layer of slivered almonds, and pop into the oven.

Bake in the centre of oven for 1 hour, the loaf is finished when a clean knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and enjoying with your favourite cup of tea! 

Bisous et bon appetit! xx S

A Few Huckleberries From the Trees

Berry picking nearby our house is something that I've always enjoyed. From heading to the little trails that make up our backyard with towering huckleberry bushes which my sister and I would have to pull down to reach the juicy berries, to spending hours reaching the best salmon berries with dad and collecting them in doggy bags because we didn't expect to find so many so delicious and ripe at that time of year.

I took the dog for a run today, and as we walked back home under a sky which sprinkled rain lightly down on us, I just left thoughts behind and looked around. Little tiny droplets of red scattered the bright green bushes, and birds chirped and chimed as they fluttered unseen behind a wall of green leaves and the trunks of trees. I noticed this wallpaper of green dotted with red as I passed through a tunnel made up of huckleberry bushes, and finally reached my hand to pull one berry, juicy and swollen, which nearly fell from the branch as I knocked the surrounding leaves.

Holding the berry between my thumb and index finger, I instantly thought of all those times when my sister and I would fill buckets, bowls, and later our pockets, with these tart little berries, ecstatic by our achievement when they were brought home and compiled into one huge bin. We would sit there and sift through the bugs, leaves, and stems that were also brought in with them, and sneaking many to eat throughout the process. Eventually, we would make pies using the berries, a tradition that lasted through to when my sister left for university and no longer came home during the berry picking season. Instead, I would bake up a pie using a mix of huckleberries and salmon berries, never quite

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The "Good Cookie"

It's a good thing we have cookies.

They make just feel normal again. Oh darling, I know there are those days when we begin to feel estranged from all those wheat-eaters out there. With a slow shake of your head as you decline a plate of Oreos ("But they're vegan!"), or a slice of cake, to see their tilted head and apologetic smile, just remember that a gluten free cookie has all the same comfort, and all the more flavour. Now, that's better. The warmth and flavour melts in your mouth. Chew. Swallow. Repeat. And rejuvenate.

Friends, you, and yours, are often absorbed in their busyness and activities, and can sometimes pass a plate of wheat-filled treats without thinking. You sheepishly pass it to the next person and avoid anyone's gaze. It's not guilt which you feel for the foods you have chosen (or must) not eat. Sometimes, their questioning which happens so frequently,

"Oh! You can't eat this?"

Or cries of,

"I am so sorry!"

Are worse that just forgetting the plate was ever passed, and held in your hands for that quick moment. Justifying yourself is too exhausting each and every time, time and time again. Sometimes it's a challenge: it's even more a challenge outside the comfort of your own home; managing restaurant menus while dealing with a growing appetite is certainly a tyrant of a battle. Sitting down to a hot latte in the city with friends while they chow down on deliciously appetising sandwiches (I stole all her olives!) or fluffy muffins that leave your belly grumbling (Darling, shhh, I whisper... People only stare, but that's just fine - at least I don't have a wheat belly!)

Friends that must be kept close, tell you they'll hunt the streets for "some of that weird gluten free food," and you laugh. Suddenly it's not so bad. The dragon will be tamed; I'll get my cake - and eat it too.

Those friends also make an pizza just for you for girl's night at her house, an experiment of different flours and techniques so again you can enjoy the normalities of everything about spending time with friends. Even if there is nothing normal about that night. It's important to remember that no matter who you are, and what you choose to do, your friends are always there, will always stand by you.

There will also be that perfect gluten free cookie.

Both invaluable, neither replaceable. This is for you.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Print me here!

These are the perfect blend of sweet and everything nice. Add 1/2 cup of oats to replace the coconut flour for more crunch, and both ways, enjoy with the soothing aroma from a cup of a maple ginger tea latte. Blending strong and sweet, and putting both your mind and body back into balance.

Yields approximately 18 cookies.

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup almond butter, crunchy
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 - 3/4 cup gluten free chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add the egg, pour in the almond butter and apple sauce, and mix.

Now add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda and powder, and oat. Fold into the wet.

Add in brown rice and coconut flour as well as the chocolate chips. Mix until well blended. Form 1 1/2 inch - 2 inch diameter rounds and press lightly onto the parchment paper.

Bake for 12 - 16 minutes.

Make tea.

Eat.

Enjoy!

xx S.

A Pear of Us

I write this sitting on the beach, (I never imagined my iPhone would be so useful) as the dog runs playfully across the white stones and bounds up and over the logs. She's sprayed me a couple of times already in her exuberance and excitement at being out and enjoying the bright blue sky and warmth of the sun. But I don't mind today, I'm not angry.

I've felt this odd sense of calm today, even as I walked through the house it was almost as if I stepped lighter, and freer. And despite being unable to catch the bus because it was full, I was relaxed, and eventually it worked out, I made the ferry, and came home smiling after a walk home. I can't work out whether its from the release of tensions and sweat in a class of hot yoga yesterday, with temperatures at 40°C at least, or perhaps I have finally finished term two in school, and I no longer have the pressures of deadlines weighing down on me. It seemed that everyone else was still caught up in the winter blues, and my acts of small kindness today, smiles and gestures, were unobserved today, or taken the wrong way. Many middle-aged women frowned at me, I was doing everything right, but to them, everything wrong.

However, I kept that out of my mind, and focused on this feeling keeping my spirits uplifted and my mood enlightened. I've never felt such a strong release from exercise than yesterday's class of yoga. The room was packed, and after being led through poses for seventy-five minutes with the instructors calming and assertive voice, everyone could feel beads of sweat forming, and then falling from us. It sounds gross, being stuck in a hot, humid room with many other strangers, but there was also this strange sense of communion and strength in the practice.

I feel the space between my shoulders widen, and the crease of my brow relax. Instead of frowning with the feeling of cold droplets hitting the back of my legs as the dog shakes, I laugh, pick up her stick, and throw it back into the water, watching her bound and leap with energy and motivation.

It does feel like spring, little crocuses have begun to peep up out of the earth in bunches, and small white petals can just be seen unfurling to the flowers still hidden. Pink blossoms on the trees bud out along the branches, bright dashes of pink in contrast to the bleak grasses and grey leafless trees.

I think I might venture back to the yoga studio soon, I'm already missing the heat in this crisp air, and the energy I felt afterward is more than enough to entice me back.

My dog again paws at my legs, and as I turn to her she races down to the waves lapping against the stones,

"Where's your stick?"

I call out, and she pounces upon the wave behind her, swimming in circles looking. She must have seen something because at that moment she dove under the water only to come up with a snort, and a stream of water drained out her mouth. She might be a water springer spaniel, but she hasn't quite perfected her swimming, despite her big webbed feet.

She paces the beach now, still looking for the stick. The stick that sank when I threw it out, still heavy and water-logged from the weeks rain. At least I can see the blue sky again.

At the word 'home' she gets excited all over again, probably expecting that with it comes food. However considering its taken me more than half an hour to cross the length of the beach as I repeatedly pause to continue writing, I'm not surprised she's whining and jumping at me.

The word 'home' also reminds me of cooking dinner tonight, for mum and dad when they come home from last night's date-night in Victoria. I think of dessert first, perhaps pears.

"Okay. Home now,"

I promise, and she speeds up the trail ahead of me before pausing, and bounding right back down to where I am.

Chai Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce
Print recipe here

Have you ever craved something sweet, but been turned off by the richness, as if it's almost too much for that small bite of delectable flavour you've been wishing for all week. These poached pears are the perfect balance of fresh ingredients with a bite of sweetness, and peared (pun intended) with a creamy chocolate sauce, it's the perfect denouement to dinner.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

3 pears, ripe
1 cup water
3/4 cup pure cranberry juice, wine could also be used
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 - 3 tbsp almond milk

Directions:

Peal the skins from the pears, keeping the stem intact.

In a medium sauce pan, pour in water, cranberry juice, and lemon juice along with vanilla, sugar, anise, and the cinnamon stick.

Bring the pot to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.

Very carefully, drop the peeled pears into the pan. Allow it to simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Toss the pears very gently, and continue to simmer for a further 10 to 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and begin making the chocolate sauce.

In a microwaveable dish, combine the chocolate chips and almond milk, heat until completely melted and stir together.

Remove the pears from the pan and set into small individual serving dishes, pour a small amount of the liquid over top, and spoon the chocolate sauce over top.

These pears are delicious when served with vanilla ice cream.

**Note: the juice leftover from poaching the pears can be saved! It makes a delicious warm spiced cranberry chai, just add a little more water and heat over the stove.

Enjoy! xx S.

To Sip a Winter Smoothie

Last week, on one of the endless days of rain and thick cloud cover, I stayed home from school to recuperate from early mornings and what felt like a hive activity for the past few weeks since school restarted for the new year. It was one of those days where very little was going on, so Mum and I got to spend the afternoon together in our cosiest socks and big thick sweaters. I spent the morning beautifying this blog, focusing on adding more pictures and clarifying the little details which had been bothering me for some time, so it was nice to completely relax when she got home from work.

Lunch was only something small to curb our hunger, so when four o'clock came around, and after we'd taken the dog out for a walk to the lake and back, we both felt the need for a little pick-me-up and something to hold tightly in our hands to warm ourselves up. The wind had chapped our lips as we strolled beside the lake, shards of ice perched on top of each other along the shores after being pushed aside by the strong wind. There was a slight breeze as we wandered, and the clouds threatened rain in small droplets that fell infrequently onto our heads and shoulders.

We came home in a flurry as the rain picked up and quickened. Mum put on the fire to heat up the house, and I turned up the stove to make a drink to heat us up. It was then that we both ended up choosing our favourite spots on separate sofas after sipping warm smoothies, and curled up around iPads in the nooks of our arms, absorbed in the trials of our preferred shows and covered in soft blankets. The fire blazed on; the animals snoozed peacefully.

I wish every day could be as peaceful as that day was, instead, I try and stay warm bundled in a big knitted scarf and a hot beanie on my stomach today while studying for an exam. I might just make another smoothie to remind myself of that day, and to sip while I try to memorise vocabulary.

Try a favourite gluten free cookie with your smoothies as well, they're delicious when dunked - see how long you can keep them in without them falling apart!

Before I get too carried away with the goodness of these smoothies, I must quickly tell you how amazing they are. As in, you must make them today, tomorrow morning, next week. In the summer after a day at the beach with ice, in the winter by the fire in a steaming mug. And for the pumpkin obsessed (oops, that's me!), try this for breakfast too. Then, as you take the first sip, you'll realise that this really is the most delicious, creamiest, smoothest, drink ever.

They'll be your neighbours favourite, and your friends favourite, too.

Go ahead, see what pumpkin can really do.

Warm Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie
Print recipe here.

If you thought pumpkin pie was just for Thanksgiving and Christmas - think again! You can pick up a can of pumpkin pie mix from your local grocery store, or puréed pumpkin, all year round. Serve this warm smoothie as an after dinner dessert, or quickly heat it up on the stove to start your day with just the right amount of sugar and spice.

Using canned pumpkin pie mix sweetens the drink, so there's no need to add sugar, and by adding a little extra spices it will bring out the pumpkin flavour a little more when paired with the coconut milk (this can be substituted with any choice of alternative). Try using pure puréed pumpkin if you'd prefer to adjust the sweetness, I recommend doubling the amount of spices listed below and add brown sugar or honey to sweeten, then simmer for an additional 10 minutes to develop the rich flavours of all the spices.

For a creamier dessert, serve these smoothies with a spoonful of vanilla Greek yogourt (the thick kind works best), and provide a spoon to eat.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (the beverage kind)
1 cup water
1/2 cup pumpkin pie mix

Dash of vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice powder

2 cinnamon sticks to serve

Directions

In a medium sized sauce pan on the stove, whisk together coconut milk, water and pumpkin pie mix.

Add in vanilla and spices and bring to a near boil.

Simmer for a few minutes (3 to 5), whisking repeatedly.

Strain into two large mugs and serve with a cinnamon stick. Top with yogourt if desired.