A Clean Bake

Baked Pumpkin Sage Macaroni and “Cheese” (gluten free)

In the interest of not exhausting the pumpkin thing long before even Halloween gets here, let alone Thanksgiving, I am trying to restrain myself. But it's hard. Maybe there is something to this whole mantra about eating seasonally because that's what your body craves or whatever. At least that is my story and I'm sticking to it, because I really want to eat all of the pumpkin I can get my hands on. So original. I know. But it's fall and that means football and tailgating, and, though I ... Read More about Baked Pumpkin Sage Macaroni and “Cheese” (gluten free)

Guest Post | Pumpkin Butter Alfajores

~ Alfajores are a traditional South American cookie that is made with cornstarch, to give it a really tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth kind of texture. This version is made with pumpkin butter for a fall flair! ~ Welcome to A Clean Bake Weddingstravaganza (Part 1)! When planning a wedding, there are certain periods of madness where the event demands 110% of your focus, and it's all you can do to get by/stay alive. This week and next is one of those periods, in which, although it is not the ... Read More about Guest Post | Pumpkin Butter Alfajores

Plum, Pear & Chia Compote (gluten free, paleo, and vegan)

  As far as I can tell, the only way to effectively prolong the memory of summer well into the misery of February is to act now. Gather up as much of summer as possible, cook it down, put it in a jar, and put a lid on it. It's a solid plan, or at least the best that I have right now.   Even though the season is petering out, stone fruits seem still to be in abundance, and probably more affordable than they'll be for a long, long time. I bought a bag of plums and a bag of heavenly, ... Read More about Plum, Pear & Chia Compote (gluten free, paleo, and vegan)

Pumpkin Baked Quinoa Bars (gluten free, whole grain, and vegan)

I really wanted to call this post "Pumpkin: The Reckoning" because, apparently, the return of pumpkin season stirs up all kinds of thoughts in me, but actually, mostly, the lunatic ones. Alternate titles included: "Now Would Be A Good Time To Stage a Pumpkin-vention and "Pumpkin's Back - ALL RIGHT!" (please tell me you get that reference. Now I am guiltily watching the video. Join me? What is the deal with that dance? Were they paying homage to Michael Jackson or was it just blatant theft? ... Read More about Pumpkin Baked Quinoa Bars (gluten free, whole grain, and vegan)

How To: Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Oven

If you're going to make egg salad, you'll need some hard boiled eggs. (Natch.) This is so quick and easy, I can't even in good conscience call it a recipe. But if you're like me, and live on hard boiled eggs, it's much faster and easier to make large quantities of hard boiled eggs in the oven, rather than boiling them. Hopefully this trick is as handy for you as it is for me! I have seen many variations of this trick all over Pinterest (and the rest of the internet), and techniques ... Read More about How To: Make Hard Boiled Eggs in the Oven

Dill and Caper Egg Salad (Mayo-Free)

If you're looking to spice up your sandwiches, you can't go wrong with this dill and caper egg salad! It's zesty and creamy, yet doesn't require mayonnaise. Tons of flavor and texture in every bite!   Now that we have entered the back-to-school portion of our annual program - we as a society, that is, not we as A Clean Bake readers - it seemed only fitting to pay homage to the chronically-under-appreciated school lunch. Is bringing your own lunch to school still kind of a lame thing to ... Read More about Dill and Caper Egg Salad (Mayo-Free)

Muddled Berry Arnold Palmer

  Uh oh, it looks like we have another accidental theme week on our hands. Last week, it was chocolate, and this week is berries. I don't know where this berry infatuation came from. Maybe a subliminal swan song as summer comes to an end? Both berry-anything and Arnold Palmers are perfect summer foods.   I don't know what kind of rock I have been living under, but the first time I ever heard of an Arnold Palmer was a couple of years ago when my coworker ordered one at lunch. It was ... Read More about Muddled Berry Arnold Palmer

Blueberry Chia Quinoa Granola (gluten free, nut free, and whole grain)

This blueberry chia quinoa granola is a crunchy sweet breakfast that is so easy to make! It's tasty, healthy, & high protein. The whole family will love it!   The funniest thing about food trends is how dramatically they are reversed some time later. Remember in the '80s when fat was THE ENEMY and low-fat everything was THE SECRET to weight loss and longevity, or at least being able to pull off a super-high-legged leotard without making your thighs look, like, totes ... Read More about Blueberry Chia Quinoa Granola (gluten free, nut free, and whole grain)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Gluten Free, Whole Grain)

There is a wonderful neighborhood coffee shop across the street that sells thick slices of this chocolate zucchini bread that is to die for. It's soft and moist and it just saturates your taste buds with cocoa flavor. After being on a fairly restricted diet for more than eight months, I'm so used to it, and have learned to really enjoy foods that I never quite saw the point in before, so I rarely feel deprived. Every time I stand at the counter making friendly small talk with the manager and ... Read More about Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread (Gluten Free, Whole Grain)

Single-Serve Cherry Rhubarb Pies (gluten free, vegan, and paleo)

  Things are starting to get a little overwhelming as work picks up, wedding planning reaches the dreaded few-months-out-frenzy period, and the rest of life refuses to slow down to accommodate any of this. How dare the day only contain 24 hours!? I have long talks with myself in which I convince, um, myself that I need to force things to slow down and there is a way to get back to a state of Not Constantly In A Panic, but then I lose my train of thought and just stress eat ... Read More about Single-Serve Cherry Rhubarb Pies (gluten free, vegan, and paleo)