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I think everyone has things in life that will forever remind them of their grandparents. Maybe it’s a smell, a song or a picture. For me, the taste of walnuts will always flood me with memories of my Grandma Lee.
Without fail my grandmother always had a big bowl of walnuts in her living room. They were in the shells and you had to crack them with her nut crackers to eat them. I remember spending hours sitting on her big comfy couches cracking away to get to the nuts. It began my love affair with walnuts.
My grandmother was a very special lady. She is the matriarch, the ultimate independent woman and spurred a line of “don’t-mess-with-me” females. She is to thank for all the sassiness flowing through my veins.
The women in my family all contain bits and pieces of her that are expressed in different ways. She was such a powerful force that she already has two great-grandchildren named after her. Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of her, either through some characteristic of hers that I’ve inherited or the walnut cracker and bowl that sits out on my coffee table.
The other day I was brainstorming recipe ideas when my eye caught the nut cracker (which btw still has leftover shells in it from when she was alive…I’m sentimental!) and I knew immediately I needed a recipe using walnuts. Then I remembered how she always had cranberry juice in her home and it was the only juice I would ever drink!
I guess lately I’ve been feeling particularly nostalgic for the time I had with my grandmother. I have a lot of things on my plate right now that I know she would handle with ease if she were in my position. In many ways I am trying to channel some of her strength and wit to manage the craziness that is my life at the moment.
This recipe may be lighter on the gluten and dairy than she would have liked but I think my grandma would be proud of it nonetheless. This loaf’s for you Grandma Lee!
PrintGluten-Free Cranberry Walnut Loaf
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used the blend from my Healthy Breakfast eCookbook)*
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- optional: 1/4 cup of coconut palm sugar or brown sugar to offset tartness of cranberries, if desired**
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with coconut oil or nonstick spray of choice.
- In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl combine almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and eggs. Add in coconut palm sugar if using.
- Add wet mix to dry and stir to combine.
- Stir in walnuts and cranberries. Reserve a few walnuts for sprinkling on top.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until top is browned and springs back when lightly poked.
- Let cool in pan for 20 minutes.
- Using a butter knife, cut around the edges of the pan to loosen the loaf.
- Turn over and remove loaf from pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Will keep for up to 3 days, sealed.
*Can substitute whole wheat flour.
**I like the tartness of fresh cranberries but if you want to offset the flavour slightly feel free to add in an additional 1/4 cup of coconut palm sugar or brown sugar.
This was a beautiful read lovely. I was really close to my Gran who we lost at the start of this year. I too am reminded of her all the time in what I do and things around me. My thoughtful nature comes from her. She was the kind of lady who would send you newspaper and magazine cuttings of all the things she thought you would love ๐
Recipe looks awesome too lady. Walnuts and cranberries are an awesome mix!
Awwww thank you, love! I can totally tell you inherited her thoughtful nature! Hope all is well in Aus! I’m sorry I’ve been so MIA. Hoping to catch up on your new life soon! xoxo
Don’t be silly lady – life is b to the busayyyy! xxx
Your grandmother sounds like such an awesome person! My grandmothers passed away when I was 6 and 10, so I’m sad I didn’t get to know them longer. I will always associated the Toronto Blue Jays with my grandma on my dad’s side (she was obsessed), and sweet potato casserole (with a pecan and brown sugar crumble topping) with my grandma on my mom’s side.
That looks so amazing — I love guilt-free baked goods. Also, I don’t know about everyone else, but there comes a point in fall/winter when I transition from pumpkin-everything to cranberry-everything. This will be perfect!! =)
This is definitely something I’ll be making this holiday season! Looks delicious! I can see this becoming a thanksgiving staple for us.
Great post. Great looking recipe. Hope things ease up for you.
Food is so strongly tied to memories. When I think about it, I can taste the big Hershey bar with almonds that my grandfather kept in the freezer. I won’t eat ar regular sized Hershey bar with almonds. Only the big ones. And only frozen.
Hugs!
Thank you, love! It’s been a crazy week but in a good way. I just know my Grandma would have been a total champ about everything. Trying to channel her as best as I can! And just so you know, I keep bars of dark chocolate in the freezer. My Mom does it and I adopted it too ๐
Yummo… I love cranberries. I haven’t had any this year, yet. I’m on the lookout, though. Spaghetti and meatballs always remind me of my grandma- she made the best!
Very sweet post. I miss my grandma so much. I have many moments where I wish she could have been a part of too. This bread looks so festive, I can’t wait to make it! I’m new to GF flour. Any store bought brand you recommend just so I can have it in my cupboard? Have a great Sunday ๐
Such a lovely post! She sounds like an awesome lady.
Milky sweet tea (which I detest!) always reminds me of my Grandpa, that and cycling as he would always be seen on his bike going through the village with tools strapped across the handlebars on the way to his allotment up until he was in his 90s ๐
This looks delicious Davida & I’m sure your grandma would be very proud of you- she seems like a special woman! I lost my grandfather in 2002 but not a day goes by that I don’t remember him- one thing that especially reminds me of him is papaya. Despite my dislike for that particular fruit, I remember him eating it every single night without fail- it was his equivalent to “An apple a day” ;)!
So that’s where sassy D get’s it from. I think sweet tea with sugar cubes remind me of my grandparents- my grandma has whole walnut too- although (can’t believe I’m admitting this), when Niki and I visited Iran as kids, we went to the backyard and used bricks to crack them open.
Wow, for a country that claims to have invented half the world, they couldn’t provide a nut cracker.