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Jumbo Vegan Pecan Pumpkin Muffins
To be honest, I actually found a variation of this recipe on the Taste of Home website. At a first glance, I thought this is not the recipe for me with its bleached white flour, white sugar, canola oil, buttermilk, etc…reminding me of some of my grandmother’s recipes (which is beautiful and nostalgic, but not how I want to nourish my body temple.)
And in that moment, I remembered how much I love taking any recipe and transforming it into a healthier version by substituting the types of flours, oils, sugars and for this muffin, even using flax “eggs” for a vegan version. I feel so grateful to have this knowledge and am looking forward to sharing this recipe with you!
Here are 2 tips for you: #1 – you can use spelt flour the same way you’d using any other kind of flour in a recipe without any need to change the measurements. #2- You can use less oil in a baking recipe by substituting half the oil for apple sauce (and it even makes the recipes more moist!)
This muffin is really tasty! …and it is jumbo! If you’re not much of a breakfast person, this may feel a bit heavy for you first thing in the morning so enjoy it mid morning with a tea, or in the afternoon.
Makes 16 delicious, moist, abundant muffins (with the most perfect crunchy topping!)
Ingredients
4 Flax Eggs (4 Tbsp of organic ground flax mixed with 8 Tbsp warm water)
5 cups Organic Light Spelt Flour
1 Cup Organic Raw Sugar
1 Tbsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice (or mix mostly cinnamon with ground ginger and a pinch of all spice and nutmeg.)
1.5 tsp Baking Powder
1.5 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Cup Local Maple Syrup
2 cups Organic Canned Pumpkin Puree
1/4 cup Organic Almond Milk, or any non-dairy substitute that you have on hand
1/4 cup Organic Coconut Oil, melted
1/4 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 cup Chopped Pecans
Topping
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Sugar
2/3 cup Pecans
1/4 cup Organic Rolled Oats
2 Tbsp Organic Virgin Coconut oil, cold or room temperature
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine ground flax and warm water, stir and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, raw sugar, spices, baking powder and soda and salt.
- In another bowl, combine maple syrup, pumpkin, almond milk, coconut oil, apple sauce, vanilla. Mix in flax eggs.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring until almost mixed and then fold in the pecans.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a food processor, add all the ingredients for the topping and pulse for 5 seconds. Otherwise, finely chop the pecans and mix in a bowl with remaining ingredients.
- Prepare muffins tins by greasing with additional coconut oil.
- Scoops muffin batter into the tins (I use the silicone ones!), filling half way, and top each one evenly with the crunchy-sweet oat topping. Warning… these do get a little messy 🙂
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Let cool on a drying rack for 5 minutes before removing from muffin cups.
ReWild and ReConnect: A Self Care Retreat for Women with Lacey Budge in Costa Rica, March 2018
ReWild and ReConnect: A Self Care Retreat for Women with Lacey Budge
A 9 Day Journey to Rediscover Inner Strength, Wisdom, Courage, Divinity & Connection to Mother Earth.
March 30th – April 7th, 2018
Farm of Life, Costa Rica
Will you join me on this journey of Self Discovery?
Hi Beautiful! Thank you for taking the first step on our journey together.
The ReWild & ReConnect Self Care Retreat is specifically created to honour, empower and celebrate you as a woman. Together, we will embark on a nourishing 9 day journey back to Inner Strength, Wisdom, Courage, Divinity & Connection to Mother Earth. It is my path, passion and purpose to bring women together, to share wisdom and teachings which have been revealed to me and to act as a sacred mirror to remind you of who you truly are.
“Women are the most powerful untapped natural resource.” ~ Achintya Devi
As a woman, I feel how easy it is for us to get caught up in the roles we play and the masks we wear with daily responsibilities and duties. I truly understand how we can simply forget who we are in our essence when the busy-ness of life consumes every moment.
I can relate how simple it can be to become imbalanced, stressed, sick and burned out in a world filled with unhealthy food and drink choices; chemicals and unnatural fabrics; toxins in the air, water and food; relief of symptoms with synthetic poisonous drugs; work days spent under artificial lights or diving in a car; self worth determined from media’s images, and a continuous feeling like there are not enough hours in a day, or not enough ideas for lunch boxes!
Who would you be without all of the doing and distractions? Who would you re-discover if you sat with yourself in stillness, simply Being, and asked the question Who Am I? What would you re-awaken when you surround yourself with a group of like minded women who lift up your vibration and accept you as your are? And when you found her, How would you honour and celebrate her? How would you bow down to Her inner wisdom?
From my own experience, the greatest way to truly nourish myself holistically {body, mind and spirit} is to connect with nature through the elements, plants and animals. I want to remind you of the magic, healing and wisdom that is always available to us in the natural world.
It is my absolute honour to extend this invitation to reconnect you with the Greatest Mother: Mother Nature, and I could not think of a more magnificent place than my “winter home,” the Farm of Life, in Costa Rica. This serene sanctuary, a place of peace and beauty, is where we will relax, restore, rejuvenate and come back into harmony with nature.
Will you join me in the Costa Rican jungle, Blessed One? In gratitude, Lacey Theresa Margaret Budge
Download Retreat Welcome Package
which includes a personal invitation to you, retreat & excursion description, rates & registration, a sample schedule & menu, about the Farm of Life and so much more!
…more information…
Get creative in the kitchen with these autumn recipes
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie {dairy-free} by Vega One
Roasted Fennel, Broccoli and Kale Soup by Food + Love
Roasted Squash and Pine Nut Quinoa by Deliciously Ella
Women’s One Day Wellness Retreat with Lacey Budge: A day of self care, chakra yoga & teachings on women’s health and well-being
Saturday January 7th, 2017
9 am – 9pm
Anishnabe Spiritual Centre 1091 Anderson Lake Road| Espanola, Ontario| P5E 1T1
Retreat Overview
Dedicate this day to YOU! … To your well-being…to softening into inner peace…to awakening your passion… to connecting with your True Essence, nature and like minded women… and to your birthright, as a women, to take time for you, without any need of an explanation! I dedicate this day to you… I honour you and appreciate you. You are worthy. My wish for all women is that we aspire to connect with our Highest Self and the wisdom that lies within.
Throughout the one day retreat, you will experience a variety of self care practices rooted in the ancient traditions of yoga, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, qi-gong and taoism. After the retreat, you will feel inspired and have the outer knowledge to create your own daily routine to bring more stillness, balance and self love into your life. Together we will practice chakra and Hatha yoga, meditation, self- inquiry, traditional energy movement practices for women, journaling, massage, self-care rituals, group sharing, time in nature, and simply being in each other’s presence.
Your body, mind and soul with be nourished with seasonal vegetarian cuisine including warming winter soups, stews, root veggies and clean comfort food. The menu will be gluten free and dairy free and I will be working closely with the chef, Andrea Noon, to create our menu. Herbal tea will be available throughout the day. An afternoon nutrition workshop will shed light on the topic of superfoods, herbs and diets for women.
Schedule
9 am Arrival, Check In & Women’s Superfood Tonic. A special tea blend prepared with herbs specific for women’s health blended with cacao, maca, cinnamon, vanilla and coconut oil.
9:45 – 12:15 pm Opening Circle and Morning Gathering includes group sharing, chakra yoga, meditation, and self reflection journaling
12:30 – 1:30 pm Nourishing Lunch
2 -4 pm Afternoon Free Time for relaxing, walking outdoors, reading, napping, access bars session with Amanda from ACT wellness, snow shoeing, journalling, colouring, etc. During the afternoon break, I invite you to dive deeper within and connect with your Self through the practice of mauna, sacred silence.
4pm Superfood Snack
4: 15 – 6:15 pm Afternoon Gathering includes conscious energy movement practice for women, and a variety of ancient self care practices rooted in yoga, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, qi-gong, taoism and the path of the Goddess. Experience the practice of Abyangha – a relaxing hot oil massage…it will change your life! The afternoon gathering will also include a talk on optimal nutrition for women where we will discuss the use of different herbs, superfoods and diets.
6:30 pm Nourishing Dinner
7:30 pm Evening Gathering and Closing circle includes yoga for relaxation, yoga nidra, heart meditation and group sharing.
9 pm Home Sweet Home
Rates:
$150 for first seven participants to register – – – SOLD OUT – – –
$165 until December 30th, 2016
$175 from January 1st, 2017
Want to extend your retreat experience? Contact the spiritual centre to reserve a room for Friday and/or Saturday night. $45/night
To register:
To register, please fill out the form below to ensure availability. To reserve your space, please send full payment by e-transfer to lacey.budge@gmail.com. In the case of a cancellation, you may offer your space to another woman, however refunds are unavailable.
Easy Overnight Chai Oats
Ingredients:
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
2 cups almond milk or fresh homemade coconut milk *
1/4 cup raisins
1 inch piece fresh ginger root, grated
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (less than 1/4 tsp)
2 tsp cinnamon
ground clove and star anise (optional)
1/2 cup almonds, sliced
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
*for canned coconut milk, add 1 cup coconut milk + 1 cup water.
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a glass tupperware container and stir until well combined. Let sit overnight in the fridge.
Optional garnishes: fresh fruit like sliced banana or cubed apple.
Tip: Soaking the oats over night improves digestion and assimmilation of the oats!
Makes 3-4 servings
3 Layer stRAWberry Chesse Cake {dairy-free, gluten-free, raw)
StRAWberry Cheese Cake (or fruit of choice!) by Holistic Lacey
This cheesecake is the result of an afternoon in my test kitchen! I played around with a variety of recipes to create the perfect, dairy free cheesecake. This recipe is a nutrient dense powerhouse thanks to the collection of so many amazing ingredients :
Brazil nuts – Just 5 offers your daily dose of selenium, an important mineral.
Walnuts, nut butter and coconut oil – rich sources of healthy fats.
Cashews – very high in the amino acid L-Tryptophan which is made into serotonin in the body. Two handfuls of cashew is the therapeutic equivalent to a dose of anti depressant prescription drugs.
Maple syrup – high in antioxidants and minerals like zinc and manganese.
3 layer StRAWberry Chesse Cake
What you’ll need… Shopping list
Walnuts & pecans (or nuts of choice), shredded coconut, nut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, pink himalayan salt, cashews, coconut or nut milk, pure vanilla extract, pitted dates, lemon, fresh strawberries.
Holistic Tip: Use organic ingredients when possible for optimal taste and nutrition!
Ingredients
CocoNUT Crust
1/2 cup walnuts or Brazil nuts
1/2 cup pecans
1 cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp almond or nut/seed butter
2 tbsp unrefined virgin coconut oil
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
Optional to double ingredients for a thicker crust
Lemon Vanilla Filling
2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours, drained and rinsed
6 tbsp unrefined virgin coconut oil
1 cup homemade banana coconut milk (get the recipe here!) or nut milk of choice.
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Strawberry Filling
1/2 the lemon vanilla filling
3/4 cups fresh strawberries
Strawberry Glaze
1.5 cups fresh strawberries
1 cup dates, soaked, pits removed
1 lemon with zest
1 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Line a 9inch circular spring form pan with parchment paper.
To prepare crust, place all ingredients in a food processor or Vitamix and pulse until a sticky, crumble crust mixture is achieved. If processed too long, the mixture can turn into a nut butter! Press crust firmly into pan with fingers, and place in freezer to set.
To prepare the lemon vanilla filling, drain and rinse cashews. Blend cashews, oil, milk, lemon, maple syrup and vanilla until a smooth creamy texture is formed. Use the damper stick or stop the blender to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
When desired consistency is reached, remove half of the filling lemon vanilla filling and place aside.
Add the strawberries (3/4 cup) to the filling in the blender and blend until well combined.
Remove the pan from the freezer and add the strawberry mix from the blender. Spread evenly with a spoon or spatula. Use a large soup spoon to add the lemon vanilla layer on top into small dollops. Use the back of the spoon to spread the lemon vanilla layer evenly without mixing the two layers.
Or, if you like you can swirl the layers together by placing dollops of the white cream around the pan and then use a tooth pick or butter knife and get creative with your swirling. Set in the freezer for at least 1 hour, preferably 2.
Remove cake from freezer, top with strawberry glaze and set for 5 hours, or overnight.
The next morning, I like to remove the size of the pan, let the cake sit for 5 minutes and then slice it evenly into slices which I then keep in a tupperware container in the freezer for easy access!
When serving, for a soft-creamy cheesecake, remove from freezer and let sit 15-20 minutes at room temperature.
Enjoy and be sure to comment below or add pictures of your own creations!
Raw Pad Thai {nut free| veggie noodles| marinated mushrooms}
With this recipe, it’s all about the sauce (it really does make the dish)! Thai Food is definitely one of my favourites, and this recipe inspires me to eat way more pad thai!!!
This raw variation of the classic pad thai recipe is much lighter and packed with enzyme and nutrient rich veggie noodles. Personally, I prefer this over the rice noodle option. The tahini makes it really creamy, and the tamarind gives it that perfect sweet and sour flavour. I also add delicious marinated mushrooms that I heat up in the dehydrator before serving!
For the noodles, I use carrot, heart of palm, cheyote and zucchini as they are all local to me in Costa Rica. You can sub out the cheyote with cucumber noodles, and the fresh heart of palm with yellow zucchini.
For this recipe, I don’t use a spiralizer, but prefer a small julienne hand peeler or a mandolin with a julienne setting. I like to save spiralizing for pasta night!
Begin by making the sauce, to give some time for the flavours to marinate. In the mean time, prepare a variety of veggie noodles of your choice, about 2 cups per person.
Pad Thai Tahini Sauce
1/3 cup + 1 T tamarind paste
1/3 cup + 1 T raw honey or agave
2 lemons, juiced
2 garlic cloves
1 1⁄2 T ginger, minced
Spicy peppers to taste (optional)
1⁄2 cup tahini
1 cup green onions
Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender, adding hot water as needed, until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.
In a bowl, combine noodles and sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds, sprouts of choice, fresh cilantro, lemon or limed wedges, avocado and the optional special ingredient, marinated mushrooms**.
**For marinated mushrooms… in a bowl, mix 1/2 cup (per person) of sliced mushrooms of choice with 2-3 T of coconut aminos or gluten free tamari. Feel free to add garlic and ground coriander seed. Place in dehydrator on a teflex sheet (110 degrees) for up t0 3 hours to soften, heat and enhance the flavour of the mushrooms.
