A little goes a long way with this rustic blackberry jam cake. Dense. Savory and sweet (but not too sweet). Corn grits give this jam cake density and weight and an unexpected (and pleasing) crunch.

My husband who grew up in the Deep South likened this jam cake to a toothsome “dessert cornbread”. You don’t have to be Southern, though, to appreciate how delicious this jam cake is….similar to an Italian olive oil-style cake.  Enjoy!

Blackberry Jam Polenta Olive Oil Cake

Serves 6-8

Dry Ingredients

1-1/2 cups organic almond flour, sifted
1/2 cup polenta
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
Grated zest of 1 large organic lemon

Wet Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup organic coconut sugar
1/4 cup pure organic maple syrup
2 large pasture-raised eggs
1/2 cup organic blackberry jam (ideally, low sugar)
*You can also substitute organic strawberry jam for blackberry jam

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Using butter, grease and line a round, 7-inch (base diameter) cake pan with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sifted almond meal, polenta, baking powder, Celtic sea salt and lemon zest until well-blended.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the olive oil, coconut sugar and maple syrup, using an electric hand mixer until smooth and well-blended. Add eggs and beat well.

Using a large spatula, fold dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined. Take care not to overmix—or batter will be tough.

Scrape batter into the prepared cake pan. Shake pan from side to side to ensure batter is evenly distributed.

Drop dollops of jam evenly over cake batter. Use a chopstick or knife to gently swirl jam over the batter.

Place cake on center rack and bake for apx. 40 to 50 minutes, OR until the top springs back to the touch.

Transfer cake pan to a wire rack and let cake cool completely in the pan. (Weather permitting, I will sometimes set the cake outside to cool.)

When cake has cooled completely, slide a knife to gently around the cake to loosen from the cake pan. Place a plate over the cake pan and tap hard. If properly loosened, the cake should slide right out onto the plate. Turn right side up.

Serve…and enjoy!

When I asked my husband what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday, he surprised me with his answer: “blackberry jam cake”.

For him, blackberry jam cake is a potent nostalgia food. My husband is a native southerner, and his late grandmother (affectionately called “Mom” by the family) was a legendary baker. Her blackberry jam cake had always been one of my husband’s favorite treats when he was growing up.

I was presented with a monumental challenge.  Southern-style desserts tend toward decadence, and they go heavy on amount of the flour, butter and sugar used. Not to mention: I would be competing with my husband’s cherished memory of his grandmother’s blackberry jam cake!

When I served up this gluten-free, dairy-free version of blackberry jam cake, my husband flipped…he LOVED it!  And the cake was gone by the next morning…

This southern-style blackberry jam cake is a guaranteed crowd pleaser for any occasion, whether it’s the holidays, a birthday, Valentine’s Day, graduation, dinner party, a family reunion, or “just because”. You can also substitute an organic strawberry preserve for the blackberry jam. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Southern-Style Blackberry Jam Cake

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup (6 oz) unsalted grass-fed butter, cut into cubes
1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
3 large pasture-raised eggs
2/3 cup organic blackberry jam   (Ideally, choose a jam that is low sugar, non-GMO and free of artificial colors and preservatives).

Dry Ingredients

1 cup organic coconut flour, sifted
1/2 cup organic almond flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Set aside

1/2 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
1-1/2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Using butter, grease an 8-inch x 8-inch square baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper, then use butter to grease the parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, use a hand-held electric mixer (or stand mixer if you have one), to cream the butter and coconut sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well, scraping down the sides of bowl after each addition.

Add blackberry jam and blend well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon.

In a small bowl or Pyrex glass measuring cup, add the raw apple cider vinegar to the coconut milk; whisk together well.

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (butter, coconut sugar, egg mixture), alternating with the coconut milk-apple cider vinegar. Beat on low until the batter is smooth.

Scrape batter into baking pan. Shake baking pan back and forth to ensure that batter is evenly distributed. Place cake on center rack in oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, OR until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean (no batter residue). Note: After 35 minutes, you can place a sheet of parchment paper over the cake to prevent over-browning.

Remove cake from the oven. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan.

Word of caution:  Be sure that the cake has completely cooled (this may take 4-8 hours) before spreading the coconut cream frosting on top. Otherwise, if the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt into a puddle!

You can eat plain or top with coconut cream frosting (recipe below).

Coconut Cream “Frosting”

Two 5.4 oz cans organic coconut cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoons 100% pure maple syrup (Grade A, Dark, Robust)

Chill 2 cans of coconut cream (they are 5.4 oz each) in refrigerator overnight.

Open cans and scoop out the thick white layer on top and place in a medium mixing bowl. Save the liquid part of the coconut cream (on the bottom) for another use.

Use an electric mixer to beat the coconut cream, vanilla and maple syrup until well-blended. The frosting should be light and fluffy.

Use a spatula or a butter knife to spread evenly on cake (top only). If not using immediately, place in airtight container and chill until ready to use.

**Note:  If mixture curdles or separates, pour through a strainer to remove excess liquid, and beat until well-blended.

These days, I no longer eat anything made with gluten-containing wheat flour; this, unfortunately, includes my mother’s memorably delicious coffee cake.

That said…this gluten-free blueberry coffee cake, made with coconut flour, rivals my mother’s legendary coffee cake. Grass-fed butter and full-fat coconut milk give it a rich texture and indulgent feel. The recipe, calls for four pasture-raised eggs, so it also a nice source of protein. Eggs, by the way, are not a dairy product (even though they are often found in the Dairy section at the supermarket). If you want this coffee cake to be dairy-free, you can swap out the butter for unrefined coconut oil.

It’s absolutely delicious with an espresso! Enjoy!

Blueberry Coconut Flour Coffee Cake

For the coffee cake:

Dry ingredients
1 cup coconut flour, sifted
1/2 cup almond flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Wet ingredients
4 large organic or pasture-raised eggs
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
1 cup organic, unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup (2 ounces) melted grass-fed butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups organic blueberries, well rinsed

For the topping:
1 cup raw walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease an 8” x 8” square baking pan (I use glass Pyrex), then line with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda and Celtic sea salt, whisking well. Set aside.

In a large stainless steel or glass mixing bowl, beat the eggs, melted butter and maple syrup together, using an electric hand mixer, apx. 2 mins or until light and frothy. Add the coconut milk and vanilla extract to the egg mixture and beat well.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, mixing well, but taking care NOT to overmix. Note: batter will be thick. Using a large spatula, fold in the blueberries.

In a small bowl, combine the chopped walnuts, coconut sugar and cinnamon.

Add half of the batter to the parchment-lined cake pan; shake pan back and forth until batter is evenly distributed. Using a tablespoon, sprinkle half of the walnut topping over the top of the batter; gently swirl into the batter with a butter knife.

Add the remainder of the cake batter, top with the rest of the walnut-cinnamon mixture; use a butter knife to swirl mixture into the batter.

Place coffee cake on the center rack of the oven. Bake apx. 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean (batter-free).

Remove coffee cake from the oven. Cool in the pan on a wire rack apx. 1 hour; this allows the coffee cake to set nicely.

Serve with coffee or an espresso. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies

2 cups finely ground almond flour, sifted (8 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup dark maple syrup (it will be labeled Grade A, dark color with robust taste)
2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Adjust oven rack to the middle position.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift the almond flour, using a sifter or strainer. Whisk together the sifted almond flour, baking powder, lemon zest and minced ginger, blending well.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the maple syrup and vanilla. Stir until a sticky dough forms and holds together.

Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, about one inch apart.  When done, go back and gently press each ball of dough, flattening slightly with the palm of your hand.

Place cookie sheet on center rack in oven. Bake 6 minutes, then turn baking sheet and bake another 6 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Remove from the oven. Let the cookies cool in the pan, apx. 3 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

If you are reusing the same baking sheet for multiple batches, be sure to cool between batches.

That’s baked love…!

In my humble opinion, the combination of lemon and ginger are a match made in foodie heaven!  Grated organic lemon zest and fresh minced ginger root are a sprightly flavor combination that make these lemon-ginger almond cookies simply irresistible!

Best of all, they are gluten-free (good-bye bloating, fatigue, mood swings and gut issues!); call for just a few whole food ingredients; and are super easy to make—you just need a whisk and a wooden spoon.  It is 100% dairy free (it does not even include eggs!) and is vegan- and vegetarian-friendly.

Baking tips: nut flours tend to clump; for best results, sift the flour into a mixing bowl using a sifter or strainer. Also, if you have a food scale,  weigh the sifted almond flour to make sure that you have the full 8 ounces (2 cups).

Enjoy!
 

Lemon Ginger Almond Cookies
Adapted from Elizabeth Barbone’s Gluten-Free Baking
Yield: 16 cookies

2 cups finely ground almond flour, sifted (8 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup dark maple syrup (it will be labeled Grade A, dark color with robust taste)
2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon (apx. 2 tablespoons)
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot

Preheat oven to 350°F. Adjust oven rack to the middle position.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift the almond flour, using a sifter or strainer. Whisk together the sifted almond flour, baking powder, lemon zest and minced ginger, blending well.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the maple syrup and vanilla. Stir until a sticky dough forms and holds together.

Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, about one inch apart.  When done, go back and gently press each ball of dough, flattening slightly with the palm of your hand.

Place cookie sheet on center rack in oven. Bake 6 minutes, then turn baking sheet and bake another 6 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Remove from the oven. Let the cookies cool in the pan, apx. 3 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

If you are reusing the same baking sheet for multiple batches, be sure to cool between batches.

Clafoutis is a rustic French country dessert that traditionally combines eggs, milk or cream, flour, a generous measure of sugar, and whatever fruit is in season, whether cherries, pears or plums. Its simplicity and versatility is what makes clafoutis so appealing.

After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune thyroid disease, I gave clafoutis a dairy-free, gluten-free and low sugar (natural sweetener only) makeover. For this plum clafoutis, I use full-fat coconut milk instead of milk, 2 tablespoons of raw honey instead of sugar and a smidge of buckwheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. By the way, despite its name, buckwheat does not contain wheat and is 100% gluten-free. Orange and fresh ginger add nuanced depth to the plum flavor.

If you are able, choose locally grown, organic plums as plums have a thin skin and can contain high pesticide residue (and, no, the pesticides cannot be “washed out”).

The result? Even more delicious than the original version!

Plum Clafoutis

Serves 4 to 6

2 cups of halved plums (apx. 1 pint of fresh plums), well washed, pitted, then halved
4 pasture-raised eggs + 1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons raw honey
1-1/4 cups full-fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons organic orange flavor
**You can use pure vanilla extract instead of orange flavor if you prefer
1 tablespoon minced gingerroot
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/3 cup organic buckwheat flour
1 pasture-raised egg, egg white only
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Melt grass-fed butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat OR grease  a 1-quart souffle dish with a generous amount of butter. Transfer the plums to the skillet or souffle dish and arrange evenly—in a single layer—on the bottom of the skillet or souffle dish.

In a small stainless steel bowl, use a hand mixer at high speed to combine the egg white and cream of tartar; continue beating apx. 3-4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form (this is when the peak on the egg white surface holds its shape). Set aside.

To a separate, large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and raw honey with an electric mixer at high speed, until well mixed, apx. 2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, orange flavor, ginger and Celtic sea salt, beating well. Slowly add the buckwheat flour, a little at a time to the egg mixture, while beating with the hand mixer on low speed.

Using a large silicone spatula, gently fold the whipped egg whites into the egg mixture until evenly blended.

Pour the entire mixture into the skillet over the plums.

Place clafoutis on center rack and bake 25 minutes. If the top is overly brown in any area, tent aluminum foil over the browned portion (this may even be the entire clafoutis). Turn the cast iron skillet or souffle dish in the other direction for even baking. Bake another 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the clafoutis is done, it will be puffed and golden, and a knife inserted in the center will come out clean (without any residual batter on it).

Serve at room temperature or chilled (especially in the summer).

High in fiber, rhubarb is known to have a laxative effect: it can help promote regular bowel movements or reduce strain during bowel movements. As an herbal remedy, it has been used to treat GI discomfort associated with constipation and diarrhea.

In addition to its high fiber content, rhubarb contains key micronutrients, like Vitamin K (important for bone health), Vitamin C, manganese and potassium.

This spring, our rhubarb patch produced a modest (albeit late spring) yield. I used rhubarb to delicious effect in this low sugar, gluten-free and grain-free rhubarb coconut flour upside-down cake.

Rhubarb Coconut Flour Cake
Serves 4 to 6

6-8 stalks rhubarb, rinsed well, ends discarded
1 cup frozen organic strawberries, pureed
4 pasture-raised eggs
3/4 cup canned, organic, unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup organic coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease the bottom of a 9-inch stainless steel skillet (with a stainless steel handle; no plastic handles!) or a spring-form cake pan with grass-fed butter or olive oil. Line the bottom of the skillet (or cake pan) with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.

Halve each rhubarb stalk, then cut into 1/2-inch dice. Arrange evenly in a single layer on the bottom of the skillet or cake pan. Using a large spatula, carefully spread the pureed strawberries over the rhubarb, distributing evenly.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the eggs, coconut milk, honey and vanilla together.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, Celtic sea salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients into the egg and coconut milk mixture, whisking together well. Pour batter over the rhubarb and strawberries in skillet or cake pan. Gently shake the skillet or cake pan to distribute batter evenly.

Place on center rack. Bake for apx. 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake at least 30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

Flip onto a cake platter, rhubarb side up.

Enjoy!

Because I have Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) and hypothyroidism, I stopped eating wheat and gluten-containing grains (oats, barley, spelt, rye) about seven years ago.  Since then, many symptoms of digestive distress that I once assumed were “normal” have disappeared.

Do I miss bread, pasta, cookies, cupcakes and pie?  In all honesty, no.  And this is from a former pastry addict who used to bake her own oatmeal bread most Sundays, and, on occasion, make homemade ravioli (by hand) for dinner parties!

Cookies are a once in-a-while indulgence, mostly around the Christmas holidays when I bake for others—and on Valentine’s Day!

As a general rule, I avoid using any kind of commercial pre-packaged “gluten-free” flour mix. I seldom bake these days, but when I do, my first choice for a gluten-free flour is buckwheat.
Despite its name, buckwheat is not wheat, nor is it related to wheat. Related to sorrel, knotweed and rhubarb, buckwheat is actually a fruit seed.  Known as a pseudo-cereal, it is rich in slowly digested complex carbohydrates (compared to refined carbohydrates which are quickly digested and immediately raise blood sugar).

Baking with buckwheat flour can be tricky.  When I initially started baking with buckwheat, I ended up with deep fissures in the buckwheat crust for my pumpkin pie.  And a spiderweb of cracks appeared in my first couple of attempts at making buckwheat chocolate chunk-ginger cookies (recipe below).

Buckwheat dough tends to get “wet” easily, so it’s best to refrigerate the dough for 20 to 30 minutes before baking.

If you want to make these cookies totally vegan, you can swap out the butter for melted coconut oil; just be aware that if use coconut oil as your fat, the cookies will have a lumpier and drier texture.

Personally, I prefer to use grass-fed butter when baking because it yields a richer flavor overall.

These cookies have a wonderfully airy, light, “cakey” texture, dark chocolate richness and an unexpected gingery bite.

Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Ginger Cookies
Yield: 18 cookies

For the dry ingredients
1 cup organic buckwheat flour
1/2 teaspoon fine ground Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the wet ingredients
1/2 cup (4 oz.) unsalted grass-fed butter
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 whole egg + 1 yolk (ideally, use pasture-raised or organic eggs)
2-1/2 tablespoons fresh, minced gingerroot
1 cup unsweetened chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate chips OR Valrhona 70% bittersweet chocolate ovals, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.  (*If you use the Convection Baking setting on your oven, enter 375˚F; it will bake at 350˚F).  Line two heavy-weight baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour, Celtic sea salt and baking soda.  Once combined, use a sieve or sifter to sift the whisked flour mixture into another medium-sized bowl.  This ensure the ingredients are well mixed.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and coconut sugar together with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, beating well.  Add the vanilla extract and minced ginger, mixing until well combined.

Gradually add the buckwheat flour mixture, folding the flour into the liquid mixture with a large spatula.  Be careful not to overmix—or the cookies may turn out tough.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a small stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.  Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until the dough is firm.

The dough will be “wet”. Using two teaspoons, drop small amounts of dough onto the baking sheet. Place on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.   You’ll get about 18 cookies.

Bake at 350˚F for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges.

Cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.

Wrap leftovers in parchment paper and store in an airtight container.

After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s several years ago, I cut out wheat, gluten, grains and dairy from my diet. With my pastry addiction, I thought it would be hard, but my body (and thyroid) responded so positively and felt so good, that, over time, I stopped missing my daily fix of baked goods that I used to eat.

Although I do not eat gluten or wheat, I choose NOT to eat “gluten-free” baked goods. I also avoid baking with “gluten-free” flours, which can include any combination of brown rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, garbanzo bean flour and / or white sorghum flour; these flours are either grain-based and/or high in starchy carbohydrates (e.g., potato flour, garbanzo bean flour).  Baking with gluten-free flours also typically requires using thickeners or stabilizers, like xanthan gum or arrowroot flour, which can spike blood sugar.

That may work for some.

But, if you have hormone imbalances, as I do, you will likely have blood sugar imbalances as well. Eating foods made from gluten-free flours can contribute to blood sugar problems.

These days, I keep baked goods (making and eating) to a very occasional indulgence—usually at Thanksgiving, Christmas and my birthday (which falls smack in the middle of Thanksgiving and Christmas).  That’s it!

My absolute go-to holiday favorite is a boozy organic pumpkin pie with a buckwheat crust.  The “booze” is 2 tablespoons of gluten-free brandy. My choice of gluten-free flour is buckwheat. Despite its name, buckwheat does not contain wheat or gluten. Nor is it a grain—even though it is often counted as one. Related to rhubarb and sorrel, buckwheat is actually a seed. High in fiber, protein, amino acids, trace minerals, antioxidants and a good source of B vitamins, nutrient-dense buckwheat seeds are also known as “groats”.

In addition to the pumpkin filling, another star of this pumpkin pie is its buttery buckwheat crust. Say what? I thought you said you eat dairy-free…I can hear you asking. I do. Like many people with Hashimoto’s or hypothyroidism, I cannot tolerate dairy.

Yet, interesting enough, I can, on rare occasion, tolerate grass-fed butter.

Yes, I absolutely have a dairy sensitivity. Though I have not been formally tested, I am likely lactose intolerant (lactose is the type of sugar found in all mammal milk, including humans), as 75% of the world population is lactose-intolerant. I am highly sensitive (and I have been tested for this) to the proteins in milk: casein and whey. Butter is made from cream (a milk product) and contains about 80% fat; however, it contains just trace amounts of carbs, milk proteins (like casein) and lactose.

Every person is different. If you are highly sensitive, you may not be able to tolerate butter. You can always experiment and see what works for you.

I don’t eat butter on a regular basis, not even infrequently….so, I am happy that my body allows me to tolerate this delicious buttery buckwheat crust.  Enjoy!

One tip: if you cannot tolerate lactase (milk sugar), you can counter uncomfortable digestive symptoms by eating a dairy food with foods that are high in protein, fat or fiber to slow down your body’s absorption of lactase.  In this case, eating full-fat dairy vs. low-fat dairy (higher in sugar) is a better choice. When I eat my boozy pumpkin pie, I usually eat protein first (see photo, right), it’s leftover Heritage breed turkey breast.

Boozy Pumpkin Pie with Buckwheat Crust

For the crust
1 cup 100% organic buckwheat flour
4 oz cold unsalted grass-fed butter, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons cold filtered water.

For the filling:
16 ounces unsweetened organic pumpkin puree
1/4 cup organic maple syrup, robust flavor, Grade A
1 tablespoon fresh, minced ginger OR ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves, ground
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
2 tablespoons brandy
2 large eggs, ideally pasture-raised
1/2 cup unsweetened organic coconut milk OR unsweetened hemp milk OR unsweetened flax milk
*I recommend organic unsweetened coconut milk for best texture

Preheat oven to 425°.  If you have a convection setting on your oven, I recommend that you use the “convection baking” setting; you will get a beautifully cooked through pumpkin filling without any cracks!

For the crust: combine the first 3 ingredients (all dry ingredients) in the bowl of a food processor, pulsing until the mixture is crumbly.

Slowly add the water into the processor, pulsing, until dough begins to form a ball.  The buckwheat dough will be very “wet.”.  Press buckwheat mixture into a glass pie plate (you should have a thin crust on bottom and sides of pie plate).

For the filling:  In a large bowl, blend pumpkin puree and maple syrup, using an electric mixer.  Add cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, Celtic sea salt and whisky, mixing well.  In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs and coconut milk together with an electric mixer.  Pour egg mixture into the pumpkin puree-spice mixture and combine well (with the mixer).  Pour filling into pie crust.

Place pie plate on a parchment paper-lined flat, heavyweight baking sheet and bake on the LOWEST rack of the oven for 15 minutes. Cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil (or they will blacken) and turn the heat down 350°F.

Continue baking for about 45 to 1 hour, or until the filling has set.  The filling has set when you insert a knife into the center, and it comes out “clean”; no gooey filling on it.

Remove pie from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Cool to warm or room temperature.

The star ingredient is fresh ginger.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginger is considered a detoxifying and warming “yang” herb, well regarded for its medicinal effects. If you tend toward cold hands and feet or low body temperature overall, regularly consuming fresh ginger, for example, in a tea, can help improve your circulation, helping your body feel warmer over time

Ginger has both antibiotic and antibacterial properties; consumed regularly, it can help boost the immune system to better fight colds and flu; it can also help reduce pain and inflammation.

Ginger has long been used as a digestive aid. It can help quell the nausea triggered by motion sickness or pregnancy. A liver supportive herb, ginger helping rid the body of toxins. If you struggle with digestive issues, such as bloating or gas, ginger can offer relief for both symptoms. If you suffer from constipation, consuming fresh ginger can help light your digestive fire and stimulate a much-needed bowel movement!

Despite having “wheat” in its name, buckwheat is not wheat, nor is it related to wheat. In the sorrel, knotweed and rhubarb family, buckwheat is actually a fruit seed.  Known as a pseudo-cereal, it is rich in slowly digested complex carbohydrates (compared to refined carbohydrates which are quickly digested and immediately raise blood sugar).

Buckwheat Molasses Gingerbread 

1 cup organic buckwheat flour, sifted
1 teaspoon freshly ground whole cloves (use spice grinder)
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 large egg, ideally organic or pasture-raised
2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses, unsulphured
6 tablespoons dark robust organic maple syrup
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
5 tablespoons fresh, finely minced ginger root
1 cup organic zucchini puree

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease an 9-inch x 9-inch square baking pan with butter or coconut oil; then, line with brown parchment paper (do not use the waxy, non-stick parchment paper).  Grease the brown parchment paper to ensure gingerbread does not stick.

NOTE: The size of your baking pan will determine the density and moistness of the gingerbread. If you use an 8.5-inch x 8.5-inch square baking pan, you will need to bake slightly longer (apx. 30-35 mins.), and the end result is a dense and moist gingerbread that yields 9 squares.  If you use a 9-inch x 9-inch square baking pan, the gingerbread will require less baking time (apx. 25-30 mins.), and the end result is a slightly drier, flatter and lighter-textured gingerbread; the yield is 12 squares.  Either version is excellent, but the size of your baking pan will determine moistness, texture and baking time.

Roughly chop 1 or 2 organic zucchini, skin on, and place in food processor. Pulse until pureed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Peel a large knob of fresh young ginger root, roughly chop and add to food processor. Pulse until finely minced. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the “dry” ingredients: sifted buckwheat flour, clove, cinnamon, Celtic sea salt and baking soda.

In another medium bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the “wet” ingredients. Beat the melted coconut oil and egg, until well combined, apx. 2 minutes. Add the black strap molasses, maple syrup, vanilla extract and minced ginger, beating well after the addition of each ingredient.

Add the dry ingredients (buckwheat flour mixture) to the wet ingredients.  Pour the zucchini puree on top of the dry ingredients. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the buckwheat flour mixture and zucchini puree into the wet ingredients.  Be careful NOT to overmix or the texture will be stiff and dry.

NOTE:  “Folding” involves combining a delicate mixture (in this case, the buckwheat flour and spices mixture) with a heavier mixture (in this case, the egg and molasses mixture) without stirring or mixing. To fold, cut the spatula through the center of both mixtures, using a “down-across-up-and-over” motion that brings the heavy mixture back up to the top.

Transfer the batter to the lined 8″ x 8″ square baking dish. Hold the baking pan, and shake sideways back and forth, and up and down, until the batter is evenly distributed in the pan.

Place pan on the center rack in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, turning the pan at the halfway point (apx. 13 minutes) for even baking. After 25 minutes, insert a knife into the center.  If it comes out clean, the gingerbread is done.  If there is a residual of batter on the knife, bake another 5 minutes or until the knife comes out clean.

Remove gingerbread from the oven.  Cool in the pan at least 15 minutes.  When cooled and set, cut into 16 squares.

Enjoy!!