Gluten Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

Never too early in the year for pumpkin and cranberry.

Oh how quickly "holiday desserts" are replaced by the word "detox" in our lives. Packed with flax, brown rice, oat bran, and pumpkin, these vegan, gluten-free bars allow us to add a bit of fun to our cleansing and a little cleansing to our fun.

As part of the fresh start to '11, I reorganized all of the flours in the pantry and found I had a lot of various flours from Bob's Red Mill. I tend to avoid gluten-free baking because I haven't invested in some xantham gum (yet). Thankfully, I found this recipe for Bob's Red Mill Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars. It's a very mild flavor, so next time I may add more spices. If strong pumpkin isn't your thing, these bars just might be. I replaced the raisins with cranberries, it seemed like the right thing to do.

PS. Check out my hot new recipe notebook! The bars were the first entry so I had to honor that by including the book in the photos. It was a Christmas gift from the wonderful I Laugh A Little Too Loud chick. You can see more info here. I got her a sunny, frilly apron that's not in stock anymore. Leave it to us to get each other domestic gifts from Anthropologie.

1 1/4 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup oat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup safflower oil, or other vegetable oil
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups oats
1 cup raisins


Heat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a deep baking sheet.

In a medium bowl mix brown rice flour, oat bran, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. In a large bowl blend sugar, brown sugar, molasses, flax, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla. Add flour mix into sugar mix, stir in oats and raisins.

Drop and spread dough evenly into the baking sheet, baking until golden, about 20 minutes. Cut bars in pan before cooling, letting them cool in the pan.

Cranberry-Orange Scones

Getting colder and colder, the leaves are turning over

My sister woke up at 1pm today wanting a bagel with tofu cream cheese. I don't know how to bake either of those items so I made scones instead.

It's really 80 degrees outside but I can dream.

I add a bunch of dried cranberries to Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipe from Vegan With a Vengeance. I made her orange glaze for the topping, and out came a seriously autumn scone. I'm noticing that my baked goods are often quite season-confused. Perhaps I will expand on this theme.

Better than a few, a whole big plate.

This was my first time with scones and I feel this is the start of a lovely friendship.

Yields 12 scones

1.5 c white flour
1.5 whole wheat flour
2 T baking powder
1/4 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1/3 safflower oil (or any vegetable oil)
1 1/4 c almond milk
2 t apple cider vinegar
About 2/3 c dried cranberries
2 T orange zest (I skipped this part, but recommend it)

Heat oven at 350F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly with oil.

In large bowl, sift the 5 dry ingredients. Add remaining, mix until just combined. Dough should be clumpy, not sticky (although mine came out a bit sticky).

Split dough into 2 halves. Knead one half a little bit, form into a 6" disk. Using a pizza cutter, make 6 slices, transfer to cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Bakes about 15 minutes, until bottom is slightly browned and top is firm.

I transferred them immediately to the wire rack, although Isa calls to let them cool completely or near completely.

Orange Glaze

1 c powdered sugar
2 T Earth Balance, melted
2 T orange juice
1 t orange zest

Sift sugar into small bowl, mix in remaining ingredients.

Dip cooled scones into glaze and let set.