Vegan Pumpkin Spice Loaf

I have been working on perfecting this pumpkin spice bread for literal years now. I debated keeping it to myself, but I think everyone needs this deliciousness in their lives - especially when the leaves start changing color and the cool weather rolls in. Every year, I make a bunch of loaves and share them with friends, family, and even neighbors and it is always a hit.

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By now, I’ve experimented with packaging them and baking them all sorts of ways. I’ve tried the cardboard loaf pans you bake them in, I’ve tried mini loaves, I’ve tried tin foil. I’ve tried with a streusel on top, plain, and settled on these pumpkin seeds.

After much trial and error, my favorite way to bake and share is baking them in a 4-cavity mini loaf pan (get one from Amazon here). The packaging is hard to find for this size, but I find that wrapping them up in some parchment or brown paper with twine makes for a seriously adorable way to present. One can even add a tag with a note to personalize them!

The chocolate, nuts, and pumpkin seeds are totally optional. I like to add just a little bit to the bread since I’m the kind of person who takes the chocolate chips out of chocolate chip cookies. Walnuts are a great addition, however, as is some chocolate. You could even put pumpkin seeds in the batter as well as use them for topping if you like! Totally up to you!

Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Loaf

what you need:

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup flour

• ¼ cup powdered sugar

• 2 ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 ¾  tsp ground cinnamon

• ¾  tsp ground ginger

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ¼ tsp cloves (optional)

• 4 TBSP - ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

• 4 TBSP  - ¼ cup walnuts (optional)

• 4 TBSP  - ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (optional)

Wet ingredients

• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed

• 1 ½ cup pumpkin puree (or 1-15 oz. can pumpkin if using canned)

• ½ cup non-dairy milk

• 4 TBSP vegetable oil 

• 1 TBSP maple syrup

• 1 ¼ tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

• Pumpkin seeds and chocolate chips (or chunks) to top (optional)*

what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients and brown sugar together (brown sugar, pumpkin puree, non-dairy milk, vegetable oil, maple syrup).

3. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients, EXCLUDING the seeds and chocolate together.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.

5. Fold in the nuts and chocolate, if using.

6. Spoon mixture into lightly greased loaf pan.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the loaf passes the toothpick test.

*Note: if using pumpkin seeds/chocolate on top, press them down in the batter a bit before baking
**Note: To make enough mini loaves using a 4-cavity pan (as pictured), double the recipe

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What is your favorite seasonal sweet bread?

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Simple Cabbage Soup (Instant Pot + Stovetop Instructions)

Growing up, we weren’t allowed to drink at the table. Not even a glass of water. We had to drink, like, 20 minutes before we ate or wait until afterward. Something about digestion? No clue. Anyhow, one day, I asked my parents, well, if we can’t drink while we eat, how come we have soup? I honestly still remember the look on their faces, and the stammering that followed. It was great. I feel like if my kids happen to be as cheeky as I was…well, I have a lot of character building that the Lord wants me to go through, haha! But on to the cabbage soup!

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Whenever I think of cabbage soup, I think of Charlie’s mom from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory making cabbage soup. Or my grandma, or all of the wartime stories one hears. Cabbage soup is great on a budget and is packed with nutrients! Plus, it’s delicious - so I would say it’s a win-win to make this soup.

You can add whatever items you want from your fridge or pantry. I like adding a can of white beans sometimes, and other times, I feel like adding frozen corn. It’s very versatile!

I love making this pot in the Instant Pot (I have the 6qt Duo from Amazon). While it is not much quicker to cook up in the Instant Pot, it definitely cuts down on the amount of time I have to spend minding the stove. It’s just kind of nice to set the pot and be fully engaged with cleaning up or whatever else needs to be done and not checking on the soup or stirring. Plus, the cleanup is fantastically easy with Instant Pot.

Simple Cabbage Soup

what you need:

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 head green cabbage, chopped

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 2 tsp parsley

• 1 tsp basil

• 1 TBSP homemade chicken-style seasoning, or store-bought

• 6 cups vegetable broth (try this homemade version!)

• 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes

• 1 15-oz can white beans - drained and rinsed (optional)

• pinch red pepper flakes

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instant Pot instructions:

1. Set Instant Pot to the saute function. Add olive oil and allow to heat a bit. Add onion and cook for about a minute. Add the minced garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook another minute.

2. Turn the pot off and add chilli powder, parsley, basil, diced tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth, and seasoning.

3. Manually set the pot to pressure cook high 5 minutes.

4. Once the pot is finished, manually release the steam.

5. Stir in cabbage, until slightly wilted. Add red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.

Stovetop Instructions

1. Heat up olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and cook until soft. Add celery and carrots and cook another 3 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and cook another minute.

2. Add the spices, herbs, and tomatoes and beans, and vegetable broth.

3. Bring soup to a simmer, stirring, about 20 minutes.

4. Add cabbage and mix in until slightly wilted. Add red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.

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What kinds of soups are your favourite?

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