AMAZING Pumpkin Tartlets (Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Fabulous!)

Yes, that's right. I said AMAZING.

As we know, I've been on a bit of a tartlet fix (as seen here and here)--and I'm planning at least two more before I force myself to find a new obsession--so I hope you're enjoying them.

In my estimation, the previous tartlets have been good. The chocolate crust on the pistachio tartlets was Oreo-esque in its crave-ability, and the smooth, custard-like filling in the lime tarts made me want to send my cans of sweetened condensed milk sailing straight into the trashcan.

So what warrants the title of AMAZING in today's tartlets?

1) Like both the pistachio and lime tartlets, these tartlets are gluten- and grain-free, loaded with vitamins and minerals, and jam-packed with filling protein and beneficial fats.

2) They contain only natural, minimally processed sweeteners.

3) Unlike the pistachio or lime tartlets, these tartlets are totally vegan-friendly.

4) Amazingly, in light of all of the above, they taste better than pumpkin pie!

That last one is my completely biased opinion, of course, but I hope when you try them, you'll agree.

Here are a few keys for success in this recipe:

1) Use roasted, salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) and raw, unsalted cashews and pecans (otherwise you will need to adjust the salt). Raw nuts retain more of their natural antioxidants, but roasted pepitas have a deeper flavor and make for a crunchier and more attractive garnish.

2) Pulse the crust mixture in the food processor until you achieve the proper consistency. This will assure you do not create nut butter in this step. You are looking for fine, evenly textured crumbs.

3) Process the cashews for the filling into a smooth nut butter with the coconut oil before adding the remaining filling ingredients. Be sure to pause occasionally to scrape down the sides and knock some of the cashew bits out of the lid to achieve the smoothest consistency.

4) Let the tarts set in the fridge for at least 3 hours before preparing the caramel topping. This will allow the surface of the filling to firm up, making it easier to spread the caramel.

5) Heat the caramel mixture slowly over med-low heat so that it does not scorch. As soon as bubbles start to burst across the surface, cook for two minutes and then remove from the heat.

6) Keep the tarts chilled in the fridge until ready to eat.

With the silky texture of pumpkin pie in an all-natural, health-conscious, no-bake, easy-to-make, individually portioned format, these amazing tartlets are definitely something to be thankful for this holiday season.

 Amazing Pumpkin Tartlets

for the crust:
1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews
1/2 cup raw, unsalted pecan halves
1/4 cup roasted, salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
3 T coconut palm sugar
1/2 tsp ground Saigon cinnamon (aka cassia; real cinnamon would be fine as well)
2 T coconut oil, at warm room temperature so that it is liquid

for the filling:
2/3 cup raw, unsalted cashews
2 T coconut oil, at warm room temperature so that it is liquid
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling; to make your own roasted pumpkin puree, see this post)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder (look for one that contains cinnamon, black pepper, star anise, fennel, and cloves)
1/2 tsp finely ground salt
5 T pure maple syrup

for the garnish:
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
2 T water
1/3 cup roasted, salted pepitas

Place muffin liners in each of six large muffin cups. I use regular-sized muffin liners in large cups--the larger cups allow the liners to lay out a little wider. If you do not have a large-cup muffin pan, just use six cups in a standard-size muffin pan.

Place all the crust ingredients except for the coconut oil in the food processor and pulse until the pieces are almost uniform in size and the mixture resembles very coarse sand. 

Add the 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and pulse until the mixture resembles moist sand. 

When it is the proper consistency, it will easily stick together when pressed between your fingers.

Divide the mixture evenly among the six prepared muffin cups, firmly pressing the mixture into the bottoms and up the sides to form mini tart shells. 

Chill the crusts in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Rinse out and pat dry the food processor bowl, blade, and lid. Add 2/3 cup cashews and 2 T coconut oil to the processor and process until you have a very smooth nut butter, making sure to pause once or twice to scrape down the sides and lid. 

Add the remaining filling ingredients and process until completely smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. 

Spoon the filling evenly among the six crusts and let set in the fridge for at least three hours before garnishing.

To prepare the caramel, add 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar and 2 T water to a small saucepan. 

Stir to dissolve the sugar, and place over med-low heat, lifting the pan by its handle and swirling gently on occasion. 

As soon as bubbles begin to burst across the surface of the mixture, set a timer for two minutes. 

After the mixture has boiled for two minutes, remove from the heat and allow to cool for five minutes before spooning over the chilled tartlets. 

Sprinkle roasted, salted pepitas over the tops of the tartlets, and return them to the fridge to set completely, at least one hour, or until ready to eat. 

The tartlets will last up to 5 days, stored in airtight containers in the fridge, and should remain chilled until served.

Thanks for reading! Here's to Being the Secret Ingredient in your life.

No Concept of Time

The Setting: The incrementally cleaner-by-the-day Hovel.

The Soundtrack: Gilmore Girls, Season Seven

On the Stove-top: Goat Cheese and Roasted Tomato Polenta with Fried Sunflower Seeds and Sauteed Leeks.

The Scenario: Two years down, a lifetime to look forward to.

At a wedding in Hoosband's hometown in Texas last January, one of Hoosband's old family friends asked when we tied the knot.

When Hoosband responded, "May, 2007," I smiled and nodded, completely oblivious to the factual misrepresentation that had just transpired. It sounded right.

A few seconds later, we awkwardly changed our story to "2009," realizing our mistake.

At work a few months back, a coworker inquired how long I had been married. I said "three years" without pause or consideration.

Pregnancy brain may be partially to blame, but the truth is, when Hoosband and I celebrated our two-year anniversary a few days ago, it was hard to remember how many years had gone by, hard to believe it had only been two.

It's not that time has been dragging by any means--it's been a bit of a whirlwind in fact: major moves, career changes, old friends missed, new friends made, and a new baby on the way.

Perception of time elapsed is a strange and fickle thing.

When I consider it's been a year since I've been home, a year feels like an eternity.

But in terms of my marriage, two years feels so insignificant, so brief, like it couldn't possibly be the correct descriptor.

It feels like we've always been together, like the parameters of time have no place fencing us in.

I know, I'm weird.

The calendar and the clock seem very real, however, when I wake up from a four-hour, post-breakfast nap and discover the prime hours for my nesting activities have evaded me.

Here's a taste of what I've been craving in between dreams and attempts at Hovel reconstruction, aka cleaning out the apartment.

Goat Cheese and Roasted Tomato Polenta with Fried Sunflower Seeds and Sauteed Leeks
3 1/2 cups no-salt-added chicken stock (preferably homemade)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup dry polenta (such as Bob's Red Mill Organic Polenta Corn Grits)
4 oz (about 3 large strips) raw bacon, diced
3 oz Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, coarsely chopped (recipe below)
6 oz fresh goat cheese
2 T shelled sunflower seeds, raw and unsalted
Sauteed Leeks (recipe below)

1. In a medium-large saucepan or small stock pot, bring chicken stock and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil. Add polenta, reduce heat to med-low, and cook 20-30 minutes or till the mixture is thick and the grits are tender, stirring frequently to prevent lumps and/or sticking. Be careful stirring, as the mixture may bubble and pop at your arms.

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over med-high heat till the pieces are nice and crispy and most of the fat has rendered out. Carefully transfer bacon to a small dish and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the skillet.

3. Reduce the heat to med-low and add the sunflower seeds to the fat. Fry the seeds till just golden, being careful not to let them burn. Carefully transfer the seeds to a small dish, toss with remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and set aside.

4. When polenta is ready, remove from heat and stir in the bacon, roasted tomatoes, and goat cheese, reserving about 2 T of each for topping.

5. Ladle mounds of polenta into serving bowls and sprinkle with fried sunflower seeds and reserved bacon, tomatoes, and goat cheese. Serve with Sauteed Leeks. If you opt to skip the sauteed leeks, snip some fresh chives over the top of the polenta for a little boost of color and flavor.

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes
8 fresh Roma (plum) tomatoes, rinsed and patted dry
1 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Stack three sheets of paper towels on the counter.

3. Using a pairing knife and working over a small bowl, remove the core from the top of each tomato, slice the tomato in half, and gently squeeze out (or use the knife to help you remove) the seeds. Place cored, seeded, tomato halves cut-side down on the paper towels as you go. My mother always made me save the "tomato innards" for her when I performed this task in her kitchen. They can be frozen and added to soups or chili, but if you foresee no use for them, feel free to discard.

3. Gently press the top of each tomato half to help the paper towels absorb any excess juice, then arrange the tomatoes cut-sides up on a baking sheet or jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt, and bake at 250 for 6 hours or till they have deepened in color and shrunken to about 1/3 of their original size. Allow to cool. Check the tomatoes every few hours to make sure they are cooking evenly. It may be necessary to remove tomatoes that were smaller or less meaty early to prevent over-drying or burning.

4. Store cooled tomatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Also try combining with garlic, olive oil, and a handful of pine nuts and fresh basil in the food processor for a delicious roasted tomato pesto!

Sauteed Leeks
When I'm serving leeks as a side item, I like to chop them into rough, 1/2-by-2-inch rectangles instead of the traditional, thinly sliced rings. Either way, they are delicious!

2 large leeks
2 T butter (I prefer Kerrygold)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground, coarse black pepper

1. Chop off the rooty edge and the darkest, most fibrous ends from each leek. Cut the leeks into 2-inch sections, and quarter each section, forming approximate 1/2-by-2-inch rectangles, removing any tough, dark-green exterior pieces as you go if necessary. Set a large colander inside of a larger bowl, and fill the bowl with cool water. Add the chopped leeks to the water, and use your hands to break up any large pieces, allowing the leeks to release any dirt or grit. Remove the colander from the bowl, shaking out as much water as possible, and use a clean dish rag or paper towel to pat the leeks dry.

2. Add the butter, leeks, salt and pepper to a saute pan over med-high heat, cover, and cook 10 minutes or till the leeks are softened and the lightest parts are translucent, stirring occasionally.