Comments on: Make it Natural: Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

By: Guillermina Anslinger

Guillermina Anslinger — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:31:58 +0000

I’ve been coming here for a roughly a week now and have decided to make my first post to say thank you.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:11:57 +0000

I used AP flour, substituted 1/2 c of honey for 1/2 c of sugar, decreased the oil to 2 Tbsps and added 1/3 c flour-dusted mini chocolate chips to the batter. I baked it in a foil lined pan sprayed with non-stick spray which made it easy to lift out of the pan and cut when cooled. These have a unique, delicious flavor, reminding me of my grandma’s cocoa apple cake. My two boys (3 & 4) LOVED it! Next time I’ll try the whole wheat pastry flour, sub the other half of the sugar with splenda and add about 1/2 c finely chopped walnuts. Even though the chocolate chips melted into the cake and were unnoticeable in the end product, I’ll still add them because I think they added wonderful chocolate flavor. Maybe I’ll try using 2 Tbsps mini chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp carob chips to add a little earthiness and I love Joanna’s idea of adding some ground flax!

Eventually, I’d like to experiment replacing all of the sugar with about 1/4 c or less of honey & the remainder with the very concentrated powdered stevia extract. Do you have any idea how much stevia extract I would use?

By: Caroline Maney

Caroline Maney — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:15:26 +0000

I would love to see a makeover of this pumpkin bread recipe to cut down on refined sugar and flour. Thanks a lot!

3 cups sugar
1 cup salad oil
3 eggs
2 cups pumpkin (15 oz can)
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients in order listed. Spray oil and flour into three 3 ½ x 7-inch loaf pans and fill half full with pumpkin mixture. Bake for
1 hour. Serve with cream cheese.

By: Maria Sotis

Maria Sotis — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:58:43 +0000

I would love to find a recipe for gluten-free spanakopita(greek spinach pie)! Before I found out of my gluten intolerance, I would make spanakopita using the wheat phyllo dough you carry. Help!! It would mean so much to me if I could make it gluten-free!

By: Donna Chapin

Donna Chapin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:00:23 +0000

I would like to see my family’s old favorite made a little healthier: Banana Pudding!
We normally use 4 boxes banana flavored pudding. Make according to package directions. Add 1/4 to bowl, layer sliced bananas and vanilla wafer cookies. Repeat layers. For topping, crush cookies and add to middle, putting bananas around edges. Top with whipped topping, if desired.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:12:40 +0000

Hi, I made a wonderful pumpkin cheesecake last month, but would love a healthier ( used a lot of sugar ), gluten-free version. I am a vegetarian who thinks about being vegan but loves cheese. Any vegan mac n cheese, cheesecake, or any cheesy pasta dishes you can offer that would curb my cheese cravings? Thank you!

By: Heather Sweetart

Heather Sweetart — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:13:08 +0000

Pumpkin is great to add to nearly any cake, its the one thing that is often not thought about for a cake but gets high profiling around October.

By: Ashley Appell

Ashley Appell — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:35:35 +0000

I absolutely love my grandma’s bread pudding reciepe, but it is filled with fat and extra calories. It would be great to have a healthier alternative with the same flavor.

Bread Pudding with Burbon Sauce
Pudding:
2 loaves cinnamon raisin bread, crusted and cubed
8 eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups bread crumbs (topping)
burbon sauce (topping)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (topping)
1/2 stick butter (topping)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and Grand Marnier and mix well. Add cinnamon, juice, and raisins; stir. Add bread cubes and coat evenly with liquid mixture. Let stand for half an hour, stirring occasionally. Pour into a 13×9 baking dish coated with butter. Put bread crumbs, brown sugar, and butter used for topping into a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Spread over pudding. Bake in a water bath for 50 minutes covered with foil. Remove foil and bake pudding for about 10 minutes or until golden on top. Serve with sauce.

Sauce:
2 egg yolks
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup burbon
Beat eggs, butter, and sugar together until fluffy. Add vanilla and 1/2 cup burbon. Cook mixture in a double boiler until temperature is 165 on a thermometer; mix but watch eggs don’t curdle. Remove from heat and beat until slightly cool. Add remaining burbon slowly while stiring.

By: Vigo Baby

Vigo Baby — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:03:32 +0000

We love kabocha pumpkin breads, but bread making takes too long. Would love to know if WFM could make them, (even if seasonally, as apricot raisin apple filones) so we may enjoy more often! Thanks!

http://vigobabysreveries.blogspot.com/2009/08/kabocha-pumpkin-bread-quartet.html

By: Danielle Goldie

Danielle Goldie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:46:49 +0000

My husband loves Taco Bell and Del Taco burritos. I’d love to find a healthy and natural way to make them for him at home.
The basic ingredients:
Chicken or ground beef
Cheddar Cheese
Sour cream
Beans
Rice
Salsa
Sometimes lettuce and tomatoes
All wrapped up in a flour tortilla.