Apricot Fruit Leather - Sugar free

For the first time ever, our apricot tree has produced an abundance of fruit. Beautiful peach and golden globes of summery sweetness!  

We were thrilled to discover that we could make them sugar free, and have loved how quick they were to prepare. They have been such a great use for our over abundance of fruit and we love them as a quick healthy snack. 

Following is a sugar free recipe for Apricot fruit leather. 

6 cups fresh (pitted) apricots (washed)

1 T. lemon juice (to retain color)

8-10 medium dates (I use deglet noor from Costco), optional for added sweetness

1/2 cup water +/-

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add additional water if needed.

Pour approximately 2 cups onto parchment lined baking sheets and smooth with rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Repeat with additional baking sheets. 

Set outside in sun and allow to dry. Once dry, peel from parchment paper and flip over to dry on other side. Reserve parchment paper for later use.

If desired, hang from clothesline for additional drying. 

When dry, place leather on parchment paper, and roll. Cut into desired lengths and store. 

Beehive Honey & Lemon Poppyseed Hot Pudding Cakes-Plant Based

As a descendant of Utah Pioneers, I love to make these adorable little beehive cakes to honor my heritage, especially on July 24th, Utah's state holiday. I use cast iron molds which create an awesome light outer crust (our favorite part), and depending on how long you bake them, they come our more cakelike (longer bake), or hot pudding like (shorter bake).  

Following is a plant based version of this previous recipe. 

Ingredients:

2 cups aquafaba (chick pea/garbanzo bean juice)

2.5 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 T. poppyseeds

1/2 cup plant based milk

1.5 Tablespoons chia seeds

2 cups honey 

1 medium sized, ripe avocado

1 medium sized ripe banana

2/3 cup plain soy yogurt

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Zest of 1-2 oranges or lemons for added flavor (optional)

Syrup:

1/2 cup raw honey

1/4 cup coconut cream

1/2 teaspoon almond extract 

Preparations:

Whip aquafaba to medium soft peaks and set aside.

Mix wheat and oat flours, baking powder, salt, and poppyseeds together and set aside. 

Add chia seeds to milk, stir, and set aside

~ ~

In a mixing bowl, cream honey, avocado and banana together. 

Gently mix in aquafaba, yogurt, and vanilla. 

Add flour mixture. 

Mix in milk and chia seed mixture, along with orange/lemon zest (if desired)

Pour into prepared pans (lightly coated with coconut oil or coconut cream, then coated with whole wheat flour or lined with parchment paper or large muffin liners).

Bake at 350* for 60-70 minutes.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then invert and place on a baking sheet.  

Microwave raw honey and coconut cream for 3-4 minutes until combined and boiling - reaching a syrup like stage. Add almond extract. Spoon or evenly pour syrup over each individual cake, allowing excess syrup to pool around edges. Allow to cool.