3 Deliciously Sweet Maple Syrup Recipes For Fall {Vegan & GlutenFree}
By admin
If I told you that the first time I had real Canadian maple syrup, it was probably about 2 years ago, would you believe me?
Well, sadly it’s true.
In our house growing up it was always the fake stuff, you know the store brand syrup. When you read the back, it wasn’t syrup at all. In fact… I recently learned that leading pancake syrup brands contain NO pure maple syrup.
But it was a regular in my childhood. I would pour that carmely sweet sauce on top of everything from Eggo Waffles to Pop-Tarts… if my mom didn’t stop me at least.
I was basically Buddy The Elf.
Sadly, I learned in my adult life that Mrs Butterworth’s is nothing more than processed corn syrup, molasses, carmel color and a few other things I can’t pronounce.
A few years ago, I mentioned to Dan I had never had the REAL stuff, the stuff that pours out of a tree, he quickly saw the need to remedy the situation. Telling me, I was missing out.
We drove to World Market, bought a very small mini bottle of Canadian Maple Syrup and immediately opened it up and took a swig.
Oh my maple!
Delicious and so much more flavorful than the cheap stuff. Since then, from time to time a jar will make it into our kitchen for recipes or just a special pancake day. But never the fake stuff.
I’ve also have taken the time to dig a bit deeper into this whole maple syrup thing to find that syrup actually has some awesome nutritional benefits, especially for staying fit.
It’s an awesome pre, during and post workout fuel! Who knew?
Nutritional benefits of maple syrup
Did you know…
- Because it’s 100% natural, syrup is loaded with vitamins and minerals. For example, it contains 100% of your daily requirement for manganese. It’s also a great source of sinc, riboflavin, and potassium. It’s even higher in nutrients than honey. <— This surprised me!
- It contains less sugar and less calories than honey too.
- Maple syrup contains 54 different antioxidant compounds! And the darker the color, the more antioxidants it contains.
- The sugar content makes for a great workout energizer and run fuel, while the high levels of manganese and zinc are vital for muscle recovery.
So when the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (did you know Canada produces 80% of the world’s maple syrup?) asked if I would like to sample their fresh Canadian maple syrup AND even their maple water, I jumped at the opportunity.
3 Deliciously Sweet And Healthy Recipes With Canadian Maple Syrup
So many fun recipe ideas popped into my head. I was as giddy as a kid in a candy store.
All gluten-free; all vegan, and all delicious and absolutely perfect for fall.
Pecan Praline Protein Shake
Can we get a hell yea for some southern love?
If you’re wondering how to say that first word… it’s pea-CAN. Not pea-con. Just thought I should clarify. But if you do happen to say the ladder, I’ll forgive you.
Anyone that has visited downtown Charleston has been harassed by the sweet bakers on King Street giving out free samples of pralines. And they are delicious.
But really really bad for you and your teeth. Save yourself the cavities without sacrificing the flavor. Plus, you don’t have to visit Charleston!
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other milk alternative)
1 date (pitted)
1/2 tsp butter flavor extract (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp maple syrup
1 scoop vanilla protein
1-2 tbsp pecans
1/2 cup iceToss it in a blender and blend until smooth.
Maple Spiced Sweet Potato Walnut Granola
I don’t know what it is about this time of the year, but I seem to always crave granola. Last year I was addicted to apple pie granola, this year it’s this.
I’m not a big cereal eater, but a bit of granola drizzles on top of a thick shake (like the one above) is awesome.
Maple Spiced Sweet Potato Walnut Granola
DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped hazel nuts
1 cup oats
1 cup diced sweet potato
2 tbsp flaxseeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
WET INGREDIENTS:
3 tbsp Canadian maple syrup
1 tbsp nut butter (I used homemade peanut butter)
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 275-degrees.
2. Mix together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together all wet ingredients.
3. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and fold until evenly coated.
4. Line a baking sheet with non-stick parchment paper and pour granola mix onto sheet. Spreading it evenly.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until lightly golden. Every 10 minutes during the cooking, use a spatula to shake granola up a bit.
6. Allow to cool and enjoy!
Maple Oatmeal Parfait
This parfait has been my breakfast for the past 3 mornings. It’s delicious. And with the thick coconut “yogurt”, it has the power to keep you you full until lunch. Or at least it did me.
The three layers include:
- Maple Oatmeal
- Spiced Coconut “Yogurt”
- Granola (from above)
Trust me, you want all three layers. The recipe I am going to share is enough for 3 servings.
Maple Oatmeal Parfait
OATMEAL INGREDIENTS:
1 cup old fashioned oats
2 cups maple water*
1/2 tsp cinnamon
OATMEAL DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook oats in maple water according to directions. If you don’t have access to actual maple water use: 2 cups water + 1 tsp syrup (it’s very light in flavor).
2. Stir in cinnamon once oats are cooked, and set aside to cool in fridge.
SPICED COCONUT “YOGURT” INGREDIENTS:
1 can FULL fat coconut milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
SPICED COCONUT “YOGURT” DIRECTIONS:
1. Chill coconut milk in fridge to allow the fat to come to the top. Remove lid, scoop out just the coconut fat, leaving behind water.
2. Stir together other ingredients.
3. Set in fridge to chill for 5-10 minutes.
PARFAIT DIRECTIONS:
1. Layer up all your ingredients! Remember this is enough for 3 servings. It’s easy to get excited and make one giant parfait, but you’ll be stuffed.
2. Enjoy with a pumpkin spiced latte!
And there you have it. I’ve been busy in the kitchen and have had a blast. Clearly.
Let me know if you try any of these recipes out, and please, if you like what you see, share and Pin away!