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dessert

Grilled 5-Spice Maple Pumpkin Wedges

I love grilling everything. I do mean EVERYTHING. This Grilled Pumpkin Wedge dessert is a new favorite.

I recently served grilled pumpkin wedges in a savory dish with wild rice at one of my pop-up dinner parties and they were so well received! (I’ll get that recipe up soon.) But I ended up with a few extra ungrilled wedges after that night. I was going to grill them and remake that savory dish, but looking around the fridge I found some pomegranate seeds sitting next to the maple syrup and started to formulate this dessert idea.

Chinese 5-spice elevates the maple syrup and clings to the creamy, smoky, grilled pumpkin. Whipped coconut cream lightens the dish while the pomegranate seeds add texture. You could even add a little granola too.

It’s fun, different and delicous.

 

Grilled 5-Spice Maple Pumpkin Wedges

4 pumpkin wedges from a small pumpkin

1 tbls olive oil or ghee

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 tsp Chinese 5-spice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

Pomegranate Seeds

Dreamy Whipped Coconut Cream (click for recipe)

 

Whisk together the maple syrup, 5-spice, cinnamon and pinch of salt.

Toss the pumpkin wedges in the olive oil. Grill over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes per side until fork tender. Brush the wedges with the maple syrup mix (setting aside the extra) and grill another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Plate the wedges skin side down. Top each with a big scoop of the coconut whipped cream and a few spoons of the pomegranate seeds. Drizzle the whole thing with the remaining spiced maple syrup.

Dig in while warm.

Skillet Apple Crisp

Easy Skillet Apple Crisp: how many times have you wanted just a quick, fall dessert but haven’t wanted to wait for it to cook in the oven? Now I have a super solution- apples are quickly cooked in a skillet and topped with easy, delicious granola – yes, also cooked in a skillet!

I showed off this recipe at my local Farmers Market in Chicago and it was a huge hit! Give it try, you’ll love it!

 

2-3 apples, peeled and sliced

1 tbls coconut oil or butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbls lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

ΒΌ cup coconut sugar or maple syrup

1 cup skillet granola

 

Melt oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the slices apples and cinnamon and saute until the apples become softened, about 5 minutes. Toss often.

Add in the vanilla, lemon and sugar; continue to cook until the sauce thickens and apples are cooked to your preference, about 5 more minutes.

Sprinkle with granola and enjoy warm.

Roasted Banana Ice Cream

Banana ‘nice’ cream is all the rage and I totally understand why. It’s simple and delicious. But my Roasted Banana Ice Cream takes that concept to the next creamy, dreamy level. It’s dairy free though you would never know it by the texture.

2 bananas, sliced

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup + 1 tbls brown coconut sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 can full fat coconut milk, cream only (save the water-like liquid for another use)*

roasted bananas for ice cream

Cinnamon roasted bananas

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the bananas about 1″ thick and place close together on a parchment lined sheet pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and 1 tbls coconut sugar. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Blend the cooled bananas with remaining coconut sugar and vanilla until creamy.

To the blender add the coconut milk, blend until mixed and smooth. I then place the mixture in fridge to chill and allow the flavors to meld a bit more, 2 hours up to overnight. Skip this step if you don’t have time.

Process in ice cream maker and enjoy immediately.

*It helps to place one can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. Open the can and scoop out the thick cream from the top of the can, leaving the the water-like liquid for another use.

*The roasted bananas give a deep sweetness to this nice cream, but if you like ice cream a little sweeter; add a few more tablespoons of coconut sugar

*Works best if you have an ice cream maker, but you could freeze this in a loaf pan, it will be just a touch icy. Or freeze in ice cube trays, then pop them into the blender until creamy.