Double Chocolate Pancakes

Chocolate for breakfast? I say "yes!" They smell like brownies while they're cookies. Can you get a better start to your day than that? Chocolate pancakes are the most requested breakfast of my three year old. That is, next to his cream of rice cereal.

These are so simple! You could use sugar, honey, or a sugar-free replacement to sweeten them. I've used Pyure and coconut sugar, and both were delicious!

Double Chocolate Pancakes

1 3/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa or cacao powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp honey, or 5 tsp Pyure
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk (or water)
2/3 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips
Oil, for skillet

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Add the wet ingredients and mix again until well combined.

Heat a skillet on medium-low heat and oil it for easier flipping. Scoop 1/4 cup fulls of batter onto hot skillet, and cook until the bottom edge starts to look dry. Flip, and cook until golden brown.

Makes about twelve pancakes. Serve with real maple syrup. Enjoy!

Dairy/Sugar-Free Cranberry Mousse

Everyone has their favorite Thanksgiving tradition, right? One of my absolute favorites has always been cranberry mousse. It kind of wraps the tartness (is that a word?) of cranberrys, sweetness of raspberries, and creaminess of Cool Whip all into one lovely dish. Sound delicious? Read on...

Since having gone dairy free and cutting out refined sugar, I was feeling pretty sad that I wasn't going to get to enjoy this tasty goodness this year. So, I set my mind to it that I was going to find a way to make this so I could eat it! I'll warn you ahead of time that it does take some work, but it is worth it!

All you need for this cranberry mousse is jellied cranberry sauce, whipped coconut cream, and raspberry jello. Simple, right? Keep in mind, you're going to have to start this a day ahead so that your cranberry sauce will have time to gel in the refrigerator.

Cranberry Sauce

2 cups water

2- 12oz bags fresh cranberries

6-8 tbsp Pyure, to taste

Juice of half an orange

Place water and cranberries in pan and bring to boil. The cranberries will pop when they get hot enough, and when you hear no more popping, you'll know they're done. This takes 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then move berries to food processor and process smooth. Dump them back in the pan, and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Add the orange juice and sweetener during this time. Pour into pint size jars. Makes 2 pints, plus a little. :) Refrigerate for 24 hours. 

The following day, you're going to make your other two ingredients and combine all three.

Coconut Whipped Cream

2 cans full fat coconut milk

6-8 tbsp powdered Swerve

4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Refrigerate coconut milk overnight. Scrape out the thick cream into a medium-sized bowl, but leave the liquid. Add your sweetener and vanilla. Beat on high speed with an electric mixer for 1 minute.

Raspberry Jello

Water 

6oz carton fresh raspberries

2 tsp gelatin

Cover the bottom of a small sauce pan with water and add raspberries. Use a spoon to smash them down and stir until you have all the juice out. Using a jelly bag or a fine strainer, strain the juice into a measuring cup. Finish filling the cup to the one cup line with water. Put this mixture back into the sauce pan and whisk in gelatin. 

Now use an electric mixer to combine your cranberry sauce with the raspberry liquid. Fold in coconut whipped cream, saving a little for a dollop on top. Refrigerate 4-6 hours. Enjoy!

What is your favorite traditional Thanksgiving food?