Chocolate Nut Clusters

Hello! It’s Molly; it’s been a while, but I’m still here! I’m currently sitting here looking at pumpkin decor, smelling fall-scented candles, and really wishing I had a warm slice of pumpkin bread. It’s starting to *kind of* cool down, fall decorations are coming out, and the holiday season is in sight. All of this can only mean one thing: aside from eating all the goodies, of course, it’s time to bake the goodies! However, if you’re like me, you still get a little sweaty turning the oven on; I’m also still slightly sleep deprived from having my second baby only five months ago, so any extra energy I have is usually devoted to tidying up. I would love to be able to bake more, but right now most dessert recipes are a little too time intensive for me. So what’s a sweaty, tired mama to do when Fall comes a-knocking asking for goodies? Make this recipe! It is super simple, delicious, sweet, crunchy, and salty; these two ingredient Chocolate Nut Clusters satisfied my third trimester cravings, and are the perfect go-to in this busy season if you’re craving a treat but short on time. Hope you enjoy!

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• Servings: 12
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Ingredients

• 6 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup of nuts of your choice, chopped (I used pecans and almonds)
• Flaky sea salt (optional)

Directions

1. Toast nuts for about 2 minutes on a dry skillet on medium heat, just until aromatic. Set aside
2. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, stirring well after 30 second increments.
3. Stir nuts into melted chocolate
4. Drop spoonfuls of chocolate covered nuts on a parchment lined (or my favorite silicone mats)
5. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired
6. Refrigerate until firm
7. Store covered in the fridge for a week, but they’ll be gone long before that hehe

For more fall goodness, check out my Pumpkin Pecan Muffins, Apple Pie Parfaits, or my No Bake Pumpkin Pie. I hope everyone has been healthy and well during this post-apocalyptic movie of a year we’ve had. You will find plenty of comfort food on this site, and feel free to reach out to chat if needed. Stay healthy, hug your family, eat fall goodies…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

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Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping

This post contains a promo code and other affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you; just a small pantry fund for me! Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy. 

Happy Halloween!

It’s that time of year for candy and sugar crashes. I think we experienced our first set of sugar-induced temper tantrums yesterday brought on by all the treats Zemirah’s been having lately. We are still going trick-or-treating tonight, but will be limiting the amount of candy to one or two pieces, and keep the rest hidden away for potty time rewards…or for Mama and Daddy 😉

I am still working on finding my food freedom and living a balanced lifestyle, but you know what? A few pieces (not the whole bucket!) of the sugary, processed candy on Halloween is not going to kill you or your child! It’s a fun night for dressing up and eating candy, so let’s not spoil it with worrying. However, after tonight’s candy, you might need some help getting back on track, and I have just the thing: this delicious, refined sugar free pumpkin bread! It is also dairy free, can be made egg free using flax eggs (directions in this post), and gluten free! (I still have this promo code for 20% off a huge 3 pound bag of gluten free flour until Nov. 16th, good for all your gluten free baking.) This pumpkin bread is so flavorful and sweet that no one will be able to tell that it’s a healthier version, and you can snack away guilt free!

Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping

Makes one standard loaf.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of gluten free flour
• 1/2 cup of coconut sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 eggs (or flax eggs for vegan)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• For crumb topping:
  • 1/4 cup softened coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/8 cup gluten free flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Grease a standard size loaf pan
• Combine dry ingredients for the loaf (flour through salt) in a bowl
• Whisk together
• Add wet ingredients for the loaf (pumpkin through vanilla)
• Stir together until well combined
• Spread into prepared pan
• In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for the crumb topping with a fork, the mixture should look like damp sand
• Press the topping on top of the batter
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
• Store covered, at room temperature for 3 days, or in the fridge for a week

If you are looking for more pumpkin recipes, be sure to check out my Pumpkin Spice Cake and Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer; other non-pumpkin yet fall-y treats I have are Banana Bread with Granola Crumble, Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Bars, and Wholesome Chocolate Chunk Cookies! Plus my Apple Cinnamon Stovetop Scent to make your home smell like fall. I love this time of year *happy sigh*. I hope you have a fun Halloween night! Eat some candy, bake all the pumpkin bread…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

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Happy Fall, Y’all!

Hooray! Today is officially the first day of Fall! We are still wearing shorts and sandals here in sunny Southern California, but hey, it’s officially Autumn so I will sweat under my blanket while eating some warm soup no matter what the thermometer says.

I have never really been a huge soup lover, but I will slurp up bowls upon bowls of creamy tomato soup. Yum! I’ve made delicious tomato soups in the past, but usually they were loaded down with cream, which I now know to stay away from. For me personally, dairy really upsets my stomach, and if I want to have a bowl of soup and be all cozy, I’m pretty sure gas, bloating, and *digestive distress* (TMI?!) will ruin that for me.

On top of the discomfort dairy brings, usually homemade soup is quite the ordeal. Letting it simmer all day on the stove while constantly checking liquid levels is not my idea of fun in the kitchen. So here we have my VEGAN *dairy free* Creamy Tomato Basil Soup that takes literally 45 minutes start to finish! All you do is roast your veggies, then blend them up with some coconut milk. That’s it! Then go crazy with your toppings and you have a full meal that will leave you warm and cozy with a happy, healthy belly.

With cooler temperatures and the holiday season right around the corner, you will likely be making lots of warm soups and comforting sauces and need a reliable blender. My husband got me this KitchenAid blender for Christmas three years ago, and it has been amazing for everything from nice cream to baby food to sauces and soups. If you are in the market for a new blender, save this one to your Amazon wish list and give your hubby a helpful hint 😉

It may be only marginally cooler, but it’s late September so my tomato soup will be in the regular meal rotation until Spring. I truly hope you can ring in the Autumn season with this creamy, comforting soup, and maybe make it a regular for your family, too!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Serves six. Serve with some crusty bread for dunking!

Ingredients:

• Four large tomatoes, quartered
• Small yellow onion, quartered
• 3/4 cup sliced baby carrots, or 2 large carrots chopped
• One bulb garlic, roasted
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5-2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 tsp pepper, divided
• 2/3 cup packed basil leaves
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3/4-1 cup coconut milk
• Optional toppings:
  • Chopped basil
  • Chopped scallions
  • Croutons
  • Lightly sauteed greens like kale or arugula
  • Avocado
  • Non-vegan options
    • bacon
    • parmesan

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 F
• Get the garlic roasting first:
  • slice off the top of the bulb
  • drizzle with olive oil
  • wrap in foil
  • place directly on oven rack
• While garlic is roasting, chop your other veggies
• Prepare baking pan by spraying with cooking spray
• Arrange tomatoes, onion, and carrots in a single layer on baking sheet
• Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
• Place baking sheet in oven along with garlic
• Roast for about 30-35 minutes
• Carefully transfer all vegetables to the blender; the garlic should be able to be squeezed out like a paste
• Add basil, vinegar, more salt and pepper, and coconut milk to the blender
• Blend until desired consistency, adding more coconut milk if necessary
• Serve warm with plenty of toppings

Wrap up in a scarf and eat some soup even if it’s in the 80s…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!