Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes: The RIGHT Way

For those of you who read my blog on a regular basis (thank you!), you’ll remember my post of vegan chocolate cupcakes.

Not ringing any bells? (That's because we're not at Trader Joe's...hehe) I thought so. That’s because I didn’t have a picture. Now that I do, I have re-posted the recipe. Except this time, I did not include the Ganache recipe, since it’s easier to just melt chocolate and spoon it on (as you see in the picture). Then the chocoalte hardens on top and adds a nice texture.

The reason my vegan cupcakes are so good is because they don’t have processed JUNK in them. (Other than the white flour…but at least it’s not artificial. I find that using whole wheat flour in a cupcake changes the consistency, and I'm not really going for the "hockey-puck" texture).

Honestly, I am just SICK and TIRED of those processed vegan desserts that, in my opinion, are almost worse for you than regular desserts.

If you use chocoalte in cooking frequently or watch food network often (which I used to do for hours at a time J), you’ll probably remember hearing that there are three things that enhance the flavor of chocolate: cinnamon, coffee, and vanilla.

I have include the last two of those three ingredients in these cupcakes, but have added another chocolate enhancer to the list: coconut.

I made these a few days ago for my grandparent’s 58^th anniversary, and they were a hit! They are extremely moist, rich, and chocolaty.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Cupcakes

¾ cup coconut milk

1 tsp lemon or lime juice

¼ cup brewed espresso, cooled

3/4 cup turbinado or organic sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

½ cup melted and slightly cooled semi-sweet chocolate chips

Pinch of salt

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for melting and spooning over the top)

In a kitchen-aid mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the coconut milk and lemon or lime juice, espresso, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract and beat together.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt.

Add the cocoa-flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing well until the mixture is fairly smooth.

Add the melted chocolate and mix well.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Pour the batter into each liner, about 3/4 full.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, then unmold the muffins and place them on a rack or plate to cool.

Melt the ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave for about 40 seconds, stir to finish melting, and spoon over the top of the cupcakes to frost.

Decorate the top of the cupcakes with a raspberry, a roasted almond, a mint leaf, or anything you see fit. J

A New Twist on Pasta Salad

Usually, we make the pasta, and then add some so called “salad” ingredients to it.

This time, we make the salad before, and then we add the pasta after.

What’s the point? When you add pasta to salad instead of the other way around, you eat less pasta! A little goes a long way!

I used leftover salad consisting of avocado, tomatoes, and cucumbers, then added some white beans and balsamic vinaigrette to it. Then, I mixed some leftover plain orecchiette (o-rek-yet-aye) pasta to the salad.

Try making this with your leftover salad! As long as you mix in dressing and sauce to your salad and pasta as you need it, you’ll have plain salad and pasta for the next day’s new recipe!

Buon Appetito! J

Breakfast Fruit Pizza: Who would've thought?

Pizza? For breakfast? Why not?

Well, perhaps I’m stretching it a bit…an Ezekiel tortilla with sunflower seed butter, and banana and apple slices…not exactly everyone’s definition of pizza.

But, come on. Roll with me here:

It’s original, isn’t it?

Okay…I understand how you feel, but give it a TRY! J It’s delicious…

Behold: The Wrap that Lacks Nothing and Satisfies Everything

What’s better than the convenience and tastiness of a sandwich wrap?

A HOMEMADE SANWICH WRAP!

Just why is it so beneficial to make your own “convenience” foods at home?

·         Save money

·         Save time at your lunch break

·         Eat fresher, healthier ingredients

·         Broaden your creativity in the kitchen

Here is a recipe for a basic pita wrap. This is very simple, and very easy to prepare.

The great thing about pita sandwiches is their versatility. You could use any greens you prefer instead of the sprouts, such as lettuce, spinach, or arugula. The lentils can be replaced with beans of any kind, and you can experiment using different kinds of hummus.

This is my personal favorite, because it incorporates all of my favorite sandwich ingredients into one. And because you use such a small amount of each ingredient to make one sandwich, a little goes a long way and you save money!

I always prepare two pita pockets at once. This way I can either share one half with a friend or save the other half for dinner when I’m working late.

The Ultimate Pita Pocket Sandwich

1 whole wheat pita bread, cut in half and toasted lightly

4 tablespoons hummus

 (I use Trader Joe’s Mediterranean hummus when I don’t have any prepared)

4 tablespoons lentils mixed with bruschetta

(Mix Trader Joe’s packaged lentils with a container of fresh bruschetta)

1 small handful of sprouts

4 slices of tomato

½ avocado, sliced

Carefully open each half of the whole wheat pita pocket, letting the steam come out.

Into each pocket, distribute 2 tablespoons of hummus, 2 tablespoons of the lentil mixture, half the sprouts, 2 slices of tomato, and ¼ avocado.

If you don’t plan to eat the pita sandwich immediately, place upright in a tuperware or glass container, seal with a lid, and keep chilled.

A-B-C-W Salad: Anything and Everything You Could Ask for In a Salad

A-B-C-W (Apple, Beet, Carrot, Walnut) Balsamic Salad

Salad:

1 bag or bunch of washed spinach

¼ red onion, thinly sliced

½ English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 Gala apple, thinly sliced

1 package cooked baby beets (from Trader Joe’s), chopped

5 baby carrots, chopped

1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Dressing:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon each of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Toss salad ingredients together---except for the walnuts.

Whisk dressing ingredients together for about 30 seconds, or until creamy.

Place dressing in a glass container with a lid and shake when ready to use.

Sprinkle walnuts onto tossed salad when ready to serve.

Latest and Greatest of the Nut Butters: Sunflower Seed

Well, it looks like it’s that time of day…

TIME to break out the nut butter!

Let’s be honest, folks: This happens much more than once at my house.

But why does it happen so frequently? I mean, what is so great about nut butter?

Well, you can put it on fruit, such as apples and bananas; it’s great on bread---especially cinnamon-raisin Ezekiel bread; you can slather it on celery sticks; and it even tastes amazing on its own!

Please take a moment to analyze the following photo:

(Take your time…take it ALL in…)

 Surprisingly, nut butter made from sunflower seeds is quite delicious. I was (yes, I actually was) shocked when I tried it!

So if you are one of the many who have not tried this good stuff, head down to your local Trader Joe’s and grab yourself a jar!

That means you, my peanut-allergic friends (you know who you are)! J

5 Ways to "Jazz Up" Your Cereal

Same time. Same morning. Same cereal.

BOOR-ING!

Why eat the SAME thing EVERY morning when you can eat the SAME thing EVERY morning, but jazzed up? J Doesn’t make sense? As a one of my best friends always says, there’s a method to my madness (usually it’s his madness, though…).

Try one of the following suggestions to change up your morning cereal routine:

Add fruit – banana slices, chopped apples, fresh or frozen berries, etc. Or dried fruit – raisins, cherries (my personal favorite), cranberries, etc.

Add nuts – slivered or whole almonds, walnuts, pecans cashews.

Try a different milk – soy, almond, rice, hemp---you can find every milk under the sun these days.

Mix two different cereals – a fairly simple cereal based on grains, such as wheat, corn, rice, or bran will mix well with a sweater cereal. This way, you still can eat your favorite cereal, but cut down on the sugar, and keep the milk white. J

Make it hot – oatmeal, grits, buckwheat, or even brown rice taste delicious with fruits, nuts, and milk.

So, how will you jazz up your cereal?