My Featured January Reads...

The January portion of the What I'm Reading bulletin board is in place and here's how it looks:

Once I fill in the space with February, I think it'll really start to look nice.  A student cut out all of the stars for me which was so sweet-I never would have been able to do it.  I'm only going to share reviews that I give 4+ stars to, so scope out these books!  I hope you like them as much as I did:

Far, Far Away by Tom McNeal

I listened to this book instead of reading a hard copy of the book and I think it made the story very exciting.  The narrator, W. Morgan Shepard, has an incredible voice and I didn’t want the book to end.  Jeremy, the main character, can hear the voice of Jacob Grimm’s ghost and is a bit of an outcast in town because of it.  He’s very likeable and his friend Ginger is hilarious, clever and fun-loving. This story is a modern fairy tell-it reminds me of “Hansel and Gretel” and definitely gave me the creeps!   

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Since I liked Shiver so much, I decided to give the first book of this trilogy a try.  I was pulled into the story relatively quickly.  I like the dynamic in Blue’s home and am interested to see how the other two books unfold.  Gansey’s fascination with Welsh mythology is mysterious and exciting.  The boys Blue meets are really complicated characters and I enjoyed getting to know them.  I hope we’ll get to learn more about them in the following books.

 Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I listened to this book and I loved it.  The alternating perspective in the novel makes for an interesting listen because there are two readers.  The story moves very quickly and both characters are complex and fascinating. This book is sad, hilarious, stress-inducing, and possibly, possibly a tear-jerker.  Enjoy! 

I know they're not sophisticated, but I don't want them to be. I'm just hoping to grab the interest of high school students.

As far as baking is concerned, we have a snow storm heading our way and I think I'll spend it with text books, lesson planning, St. Vincent's newest song, "Prince Johnny," and vegan/paleo chocolate chip cookies.  Hopefully they'll turn out as successfully as the ones I made in August.  I'll need to pick up some coconut milk ice cream first!

 

 

Brownies Make October Better

I recently received an email from a friend requesting a recipe for gluten free vegan brownies with a caramel sea salt topping.  Food requests are perhaps my favorite requests.  I had a ton of fun the past few days trying different recipes out!  I didn't write the recipes myself, but I've got info on where they came from.  I tried out a few different caramel ones and the one below was my favorite.  I suspect that if I had a gas stove, I would have liked the others, but I burned one batch, sadly, and the one I've shared is really simple-no chance (I hope!) of burning.

The recipe for the Gluten Free Baking Mix and Brownies comes from Cybele Pascal’s book, The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook.  It’s pretty magnificent.  It contains a ton of vegan recipes - only a few call for gelatin and I just don't use them.  I use the book quite a bit as a basis for recipes or sometimes I just use the recipe the way it’s written.  I wrote my own notes in italics.  The caramel sauce recipe is from www.theglutenfreevegan.com  I’ve only used her recipes this one time, actually, but I’m pretty stoked on the caramel, so I’m guessing she’s got a lot to offer.  I wish I created the recipes myself-I have made regular caramel sauce a few times before, back when I ate normal foods, so I knew how to get started, but this caramel journey was exciting!

Gluten Free/Vegan Brownies with Caramel & Sea Salt Topping

First things first, you'll need to make the Gluten Free Baking Mix:
4 cups superfine brown rice flour - I use Bob's Red Mill brand
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch)

1. To measure flour, use a large spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife or straightedge.  Do not use the measuring cup itself to scoop your flour when measuring!  It will compact the flour and you'll wind up with too much for the recipe.

2. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size sipper-top bag.  Shake until well blended.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.  (I keep mine in the freezer and have never had any difficulties)

 Dark Chocolate Brownies

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup dairy free, soy free vegetable shortening - I use Soy Free Earth Balance

2 cups granulated vegan sugar (ugh, the sugar debate-I now only buy vegan cane sugar, but it's really up to your discretion)

8 ounces of unsweetened apple sauce - the recipe calls for prune or apple/plum baby food.  I'm pretty opposed to going in a baby food aisle, and I love homemade applesauce, so it wins.

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. Gluten Free Baking Mix

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

1 Tbs. double acting baking powder (make sure it's gluten free)

1 1/2 cups dairy-free, soy-free chocolate chips - (there are brands that specifically state that they're vegan - also, by the time I finished snacking on chocolate chips, I really only added about 1 1/4 cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 325.  Grease a 9 by 9-inch baking pan, then sprinkle with a little gluten free flour mix, tapping out any extra.  (I personally think that pan size is much too small.  I used a 12 by 8-inch pan-or something super close to that size) 

2. Combine the unsweetened chocolate and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave, stopping to check and stir every 30 seconds.  (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and shortening in a double boiler.)  Once melted, stir in the sugar and apple sauce.  Mix well, add the vanilla, and beat until smooth.

3. Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, and baking powder.  Add to the chocolate mixture in three batches, stirring well after each addition.  Beat until smooth.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  (Variation: I’ve made these brownies as rocky road brownies so instead of 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips, I do about ½ cup chocolate chips, ½ cup vegan marshmallows and ½ cup chopped pecans) 

4. Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing down the top with the back of a rubber spatula or large spoon.  Bake in the center of the oven for 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.  Bake until the top looks glossy and the brownie is just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.

5. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, then cut into squares.  Remove and enjoy.  OR COVER IN CARAMEL TOPPING!

Vegan Caramel Sauce

½ cup vegan shortening –(soy free Earth Balance)

2 cups brown sugar (this part gets tougher to buy vegan, but Woodstock Farms makes some)

¾ plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk, divided (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage)

2 Tbs. arrowroot powder

1. Melt vegan margarine in a saucepan over medium heat (it melts quickly!) 
2. Add brown sugar and ½ cup of non-dairy milk.  Whisk and bring to a boil for 4 minutes
3. In a small bowl mix the remaining ¼ cup of non-dairy milk with arrowroot
4. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in the milk/arrowroot mixture
5. The mixture will seem runny at first, but it thickens as it cools

Assembly:

Pour cooled caramel sauce over the brownies.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Enjoy!

(The caramel sauce isn’t super thick-I think an additional tsp. of arrowroot might solve that problem, but it really depends on how thick you want it.  It’s really flavorful and with the salt it’s quite awesome!)

Bake these brownies for some loved ones you've got.  Share them while you watch Hocus Pocus or listen to Brotherhood of Thieves.

So, send me recipe requests/homework assignments, bake with care, enjoy the leaves, work on your Halloween costume, eat fewer potatoes than I do and cheer for the Patriots!

This Must Be the Place: Magic in Yoga, Recipes and Heart

Sometimes magic happens.  Sometimes it's music.  Sometimes it's yoga.  Sometimes it's gluten free Pumpkin Cider.  Sometimes it's rainy festivals.  Sometimes it's an email from a friend. Sometimes it's a hug.  Sometimes (most of the time), it's breakfast potatoes heavily salted and covered in maple syrup and hot sauce.  Whatever the magic is, I've decided to make more of an effort to embrace it.  

I like this advice.

I went to Pennsylvania again for ten more days of yoga teacher training.  I'm all trained up to become an RYT200 (registered yoga teacher with 200hrs).  My favorite part of training was this philosophy homework assignment we had.  The Yoga Teacher Alliance dictates that 20% of an instructor's training is to be yoga philosophy, so over the course of the ten days, I listened to maybe four or five philosophy lectures.  I generally find them quite interesting - knowing the history of the yoga really matters, I think.  I don't agree with everything, but I like that with yoga, you're able to sort of embrace what applies to you, and consider those things that may not.  

My set up-3 zeds and a roll.  Woo!

My favorite of Patanjali's sutras: Tada drastuh svarupe vasthanam - once stillness enters your mind, the bliss within you will release.

I know it doesn't look especially impressive, but the Warrior Poses are challenging to properly align and maintain!

So anyway, one night we learned about the five yamas of yoga.  I think of them as principles to live by.  They don't all apply to me, but they are all quite interesting to think about, at least to me.  So one night we had the task of choosing a yama and keeping it in mind for the next 48 hours until we had another philosophy discussion.  I chose ahimsa, which means non-harming.  It can mean non-harming in a variety of ways-to yourself, to others, to animals, to the environment, etc.  Well, I just tried to function with this notion of non-harming in mind towards a difficult situation.  I knew that I was feeling really negative about it and it wasn't helping me, or anyone else involved; I decided to make an effort to think about it positively, to realize that dwelling on the complications would just make it more complicated.  Once I applied this mindset to this one situation, I realized that my demeanor shifted.  Something sort of magical happened.  I stopped compulsively checking my phone, facebook, my inbox and instagram and felt a weight lift off my shoulders.  I was kinder to myself, and as a result, kinder to others.  I can't stress enough how meaningful this one tiny assignment was to me. 

Well, I'm home now and trying to maintain that approach to every day.  I'm back to reality, and making soup...

one pound of carrots

Collard Greens - I did the prep work ahead of time

Root Vegetable Chowder (from Vegetarian Times)

3 Tbs orange juice

1 Tbs pure maple syrup

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

4 oz. collard greens (1/2 small bunch)

5 tbs. olive oil, divided

3 cups (14 oz) medium-diced onions

1 1/2 Tbs minced fresh ginger

3/4 tsp salt

2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced (I used more like six because I omitted the Rutabaga-I forgot to buy it, I also don't care for it and I LOVE potatoes) 

1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into medium dice

1/2 large rutabaga (or not!)

1. Combine orange juice, maple syrup, and vinegar in glass measuring cup.  Set aside.

2. Remove stems from collard leaves.  Stack 5 or 6 leaves at a time, roll up lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons.  Chop ribbons into 2- to 3-inch lengths.  Set aside.

3. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onions, and season with salt, if desired.  (I desired).  Cover, and cook 6 to 7 minutes.  Uncover, and cook 15 minutes more, or until onions are lightly golden.  Add ginger, and cook 30 seconds.  Add 7 cups water and the salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.

4. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes, and season with salt, if desired.  (I always desire salt).  Cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until potatoes are well-browned on at least 2 sides, stirring occasionally.  Transfer to bowl. 

5. Add 1 Tbs oil to same skillet.  Add carrots and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until well browned on at least 2 sides.  Transfer to bowl with potatoes.

6.  Repeat step 5 with rutabaga, if desired.

7. Add vegetables to onion broth, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 9 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  Add collard greens, and cook 5 minutes.  Stir in 1-2 Tbs of orange juice mixture.

8. Enjoy!

Okay, side note, the potatoes I browned were the VERY BEST BREAKFAST once I added 1/2 can of rinsed black beans and a tablespoon of salsa.  Heaven.  

Minus the Bear at the Royale in Boston=So, so, so good

Third Eye Blind in Brooklyn, CT

Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band in Brooklyn, CT

Oh, the real magic of the last month was seeing David Byrne and St. Vincent.  The most amazing concert I've ever been to, and the greatest night.  <3 <3 <3  

"it's true, i am a shaky ladder"

 

Long Time Gone

Chef Glenn made me this stunning Chocolate Peppermint Birthday Cake!

I've been away and it's been a while since I've written.  Here are a few reasons:

1. ICFA (Best conference ever!!)

2. Disney trip with friends

3. Reunion with Chelsea

4. John Green - have you read The Fault in Our Stars yet?  Brilliant!

page 75 (obviously) of The Fault in Our Stars

While I took my blog hiatus, I turned 25.  This morning while packing for Yoga Teacher Training, it sunk in that I'm 25 years old.  That 1/4 life crisis John Mayer sings about in "Why Georgia" suddenly doesn't feel so far fetched.  So I had this brief moment of panic - I'm not exactly where I'd imagined, but I think that's a good thing in most ways.  For instance, I never imagined I'd be going to yoga teacher training and I hit the road tomorrow morning.

Last time I wrote, I shared the sad version of an Extraordinary Activity.  Since I wasn't feeling especially joyous earlier, I think today's the right day to share the Joyous Version:

(Joyous Version)

Hand-written (Joyous Version)

Chocolate. Yoga. Glistening.  Spark. Satisfying. Bliss. Enthusiasm. Laughter. Music. Desire. Wind. Sunshine. Thunderstorm. Aching-Sides. Pleasure. Unkempt. Ecstasy. Inspiration. Freedom. Openness. Shavasana. Enlightenment. Peace. Solitude. Writing. Cinnamon. Tuck. Elegant. Slender. Blondies. Soup. Grinning. Drop-in. Elevate. Marinade. Ponder. Happiness. Dream. Travel. Beauty. Precision. Strength. Rhythm. Bravery. Sing. Crisp. Reflection. Consideration. Pearl. Wisdom. Locket. Wall. Vegetation. Illuminate. Anthem. Intoxication. Envelop. Cozy. Comfort. Lounge. Thought. Grip. Exploration. Nostalgia. Giggle. Squirm. Tease. Caroling. Wreath. Ocean. Moonlight. Encouragement. Rolling Waves. Connection. Miles. Glory. Honor. Soul. Pastry. Grace. French. Paris. Zurich. Introspection. Frosting. Silky. Cataclysmic. Bloom. Melt. Sing. Cape Cod. J. R. M. D. Family. Fireworks. Friendship. Halo. Echo. Hush. Blanket. Grasp. Lips. Hands. Toes. Elongate. Cupcake. Stretch. Commitment. Engage. Rapture. P. High heels. Lululemon. History. Relaxation. Traveling. Letters. Love. Infatuation. Envelope. Curiosity. Smile. Tangled. Embrace. Christmas. Literature. Bless.

Sadly, I have zero recipes from my trip, but here are some photos of meals I had in Florida - yummm.  It was probably the most delicious trip I've ever been on. 

 

Allison, Christine and I went to  Dandelion CommuniTea, the most magical place I've ever been.  Picture this: artwork with children's lit quotes, gluten free and vegan menu options and...BAKED GOODS:

Vanilla Apricot Cupcake. Heaven. All it needed to be 100% perfect was a yoga studio upstairs.

 Chels and I ate at Chefs de France and I had this incredible ratatouille dish.  It was so flavorful!

My amazing, amazing, amazing friends Amanda and Nick sent me this gorgeous and unbelievably delicious birthday cake after Chels and I had dinner at Chefs de France.

Can you tell from this photo how super surprised and excited I was?!

We went to bluezoo at the Dolphin where I had this stunning drink.

 Chels had a pretty stunning Oyster.

My favorite chef on the planet made me delicious pancakes!  Check out my bday pin!

 We walked up to the California Grill check-in counter without reservations and were whisked up to the lounge where we sipped delicious drinks, I ate this extraordinary meal and we watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks.  

Chef Glenn made me extraordinary gluten free/vegan Mickey waffles.  Waffles are better when shaped like Mickey's head!

 

We wrapped up our delicious adventure with dinner at Jiko.  Amazing evening thanks to the great company, Amanda, Nick and Geir and the brilliant chefs. 

Now it's time to put on some Mumford & Sons and finish packing. Next time I write I'll have learned so much about yoga!

Rocky Neck State Park, April 16, 2012.  Woo hoo!

Oh, one more thing...I know cataclysmic isn't general associated with joy, but it's one of my favorite words, so it made the list!

On the Road Again: Rocky Road Brownies

 The reason I started this blog was to share my love of children's literature and my passion for baking in a way that would somehow bring the two together. Well, here I am twenty posts and six months later and I have only written twice about literature. So pardon the interruption (and know that a recipe follows!) and let me tell you about My Name is Mina by David Almond. 

A few weeks ago I ended my Valentine's Day post with a quote from this beautiful book and I've been meaning to say more ever since. My friend Allison wrote a really beautiful post about My Name is Mina. I highly suggest checking it out!  Mina is a prequel (of sorts) to Almond's breathtaking novel Skellig. It's written in the style of a journal and I fell in love with it the moment I heard David Almond read this part aloud:  "Went to the loo.  Listened to the lovely tinkling sound of my pee splashing down into the water.  Thought about water running through me, water and my pee being flushed away into the drains, how it'll end up in rivers and seas and how it'll evaporate into the air and come back down again as rain.  Lovely to think of water that's been my pee coming down as rain!  Maybe that's why people say it's pissing out!" (123).

Mina is amazing. I hope all children are like her. She's bright, insightful and inquisitive. There are so many elements of Almond's other fiction in this story. In one especially haunting scene, Mina goes to the park alone and wanders to an abandoned mine shaft looking for her deceased father. This scene is reminiscent of Almond's equally wonderful novel Kit's Wilderness. Mr. Almond's upbringing in Newcastle clearly influences his stories. Place really matters in his work, though there's a universality to his writing that makes one think the stories could happen anywhere. Regardless, having spent some time in Newcastle (admittedly most of that time was in the Holiday Inn lounge), I gained a lot from walking those same streets and riding the same trains. 

T. K. Maxx in Newcastle

 Mina writes out Extraordinary Activities. I've been doing them on paper in a journal a shop owner told me "suits" me for some time now, but I think I've reached the point where I should share them. I went through the book and numbered the activities and I certianly may have gotten them wrong, but the one I'm sharing today is a sad one, number 8: 

"(Sad Version) Write a page of words for sadness" 

 Pain. Uncle Gene. Uncle Mike. Loss. Emptiness. Ache. Longing. Unrequited. Reject. Neglect. Unloved. Abuse. Hurt. Suffer. Agony. Bleak. Meager. Unwelcome. Shun. Stunt. Postpone. Torture. Break. Attack. Drown. Death. Illness. Fear. Extinct. Devastation. Flood. Famine. Destitute. Desolate. Dissolve. Goodbye. Grieve. Abandon. Disconnect. Pit. Despair. Disgust. Disguise. Betrayal. Cheat. Cheating. Cheater. C. Lies. Lying. Liars. Infidelity. Adultery. Back-stab. Cruel. Cruelty. Disregard. Storm. Argue. Disrespect. Heartbreak. Distance. Separation. Divorce. Inflict. Conflict. Confusion. Selfish. Acquaintance. Lost-love. Bombshell. Shrapnel. Scare. Afraid. Darkness. Jealousy. Lack-luster. Drained. Terrify. Horror. Unknown. Disaster. Wreck. Accident. Crash. Twist. Saw. Misconception. Unwelcome. Misunderstanding. Kill. Abortion. Hunger. Disease. Cancer. War. Disillusionment. Dishonest. Untrue. Unfaithful. Disappear. Deliberate. Dissuade. Lose. Cry. Sob. Gasp. Leave. Fool. Trick. Deny. Ignore. Close. Narrow-minded. Contempt. Superiority. Shut-out. Detest. Desperation. Blow-off. Burn. Loath. Question. Fight. Catastrophe. Terror. Wrench. Stab. Knife. Avoid. Funeral. Gilman's. Mourning. Aching. Void. Eliminate. Lonely. Engulf. Conquered. Betrayed. Condemn. Rape. Regret. Resist. S. P. N. Uncertainty.

The original list, September 28, 2011

I'm pretty certain Mina would love brownies, so here's the recipe for my Rocky Road brownies. I created them based on a recipe I have in a book, but I was on a mission to bake something for my very handsome friend, Kevin Klausman in honor of his move to Austin, TX. Enjoy! 

Brownie dough.  Yum yum.

 The details: This recipe is from Cybele Pascal's The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook. I altered it by adding walnuts and vegan marshmallows.  The marshmallows I ordered are out of this world delicious. I can't recommend them enough!  The alterations I made to the recipe are in italics:

Rocky Road (Trip) Brownies

Ingredients

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup dairy-free, soy free shortening, I used soy free earth balance

2 cups granulated vegan cane sugar

8 ounces apple sauce

1 tbs. pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbs Basic Gluten-Free Flour mix (recipe follows!)

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tbs double-acting baking powder

1/2 cups dairy-free, soy free chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped vegan marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 

 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.

2. Combine the unsweetened chocolate and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave, stopping to check and stir every 30 seconds.  Once melted, stir in the sugar and apple sauce.  Mix well, add the vanilla, and beat until smooth.

3. Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, and baking powder. Add to the chocolate mixture in three batches, stirring well after each addition.  Beat until smooth.  Fold in the Chocolate chips, marshmallows and nuts.

4. Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing down the top with the back of a rubber spatula or large spoon.  Bake in the center of the oven for 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.  Bake until the top looks glossy and the brownie is just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.

5. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, then cut into squares.  Removed from the pan and store in an airtight container.

Best enjoyed with friends

Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix

4 cups superfine brown rice flour

1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)

2/3 tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch)

1. To measure flour, use a large spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife or straightedge.  Do not use the measuring cup itself to scoop your flour when measuring!  It will compact the flour and you will wind up with too much for the recipe.

2. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size zipper-top bag.  Shake (carefully!!!) until well blended.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Eerily beautiful Northeastern Connecticut morning

Now that I'm back on track with sharing both literature and food, I'm going to crank up the Tom Petty, grab a few brownies and start reading John Green's The Fault in Our Stars.

"I find it fundamentally strange that you're not a dessert person": Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

"...and that doesn't mean that I'm not smart and tough and strong."

The frosting to cake ratio is difficult to get quite right.  How much is too much?

I'm pretty sure New Girl is based on me, and not just because my name is Jess.  I've met many people who insist they're not dessert people and I find it unnerving..."What do you mean you don't like frosting?  I don't think I can trust you..."  I've also found that they're usually just fooling themselves.  

The following recipes are from The Flying Apron, a great gluten free, vegan cookbook by Jennifer Katzinger.  I cut both recipes in half when I made them and found that they made more than enough, but I've recorded the recipe as it is in the book with a few changes I made in italics.

Dark Chocolate Cake

One 9-inch Three-Layer Cake or 25 Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups brown rice flour

3/4 cup garbanzo bean or chestnut flour, sifted (I used garbanzo-fava bean flour and didn't sift it)

1 1/3 cups sifted cocoa powder

1 tbs baking soda

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup extra virgin olive oil or canola oil

2 cups water

2 cups maple syrup (I've made this cake with agave, too)

1 tsp vanilla - not in the recipe, but I believe everything's better with vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line the bottoms of three 9-inch cake pans with parchment.  Or line your cupcake pans with liners!

3. Combine the brown rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  In a separate large bowl, combine the olive oil, water and maple syrup.  Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the olive oil mixture until thoroughly combined.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans (I used an ice cream scoop to evenly portion out my cupcakes) and bake until the cake springs back when you press the center with your finger, about 25 minutes.  I only baked my cupcakes for about fifteen minutes.  Check on cupcakes earlier than normal cakes!! 

Sometimes cupcakes need to travel!

 Instead of making Jennifer Katzinger's Coconut Heaven Frosting, I made a coconut-free version of the frosting and added a pinch more vanilla.  Here it is...

Coconut (free!) Heaven Frosting

3 cups palm or coconut oil

1 1/2 cups agave 

1/8 tsp sea salt

2 tbs vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the palm oil, agave, salt and vanilla.  Mix on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high as the ingredients become incorporate.  

2. Use right away, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  When you're ready to use the frosting, warm it slightly in the double boiler, or with a metal mixing bowl placed over a pot of simmering water, and whip it again until it's fluffy.

If you want coconut frosting, add 4 1/2 cups toasted coconut to the frosting once the ingredients are combined.

Great afternoon snack.  It was too nice to eat inside today!

So, make cupcakes, rock polka dots and watch New Girl.

Comfort Foods Turned Vegan: Veggie Tempura

Veggie Tempura may not be a comfort food for you, but it definitely is for me.  Japanese food is my favorite.  We ate it in my house a lot when I was a kid.  My Aunt Mickey used to come stay with us for several weeks at a time.  She was Japanese and though I don't have too many memories of her, I do remember that she seemed like magic and I have a few vivid kitchen memories.  For instance, she was the first person to let me use a steak knife.  I made a veggie sandwich so tall I could hardly eat it.  I sliced all those veggies myself, though, so I had to eat them even though it wasn't the best sandwich ever...

Can you see how magical she was?  I think she'd like my vegan tempura!  Jill still has excellent posture and as for me?  Hands on the hips is still my signature pose for photos.

 I've made veggie tempura before.  Back when I ate meat I used to make chicken tempura with a sweet honey sauce.  Now I make it for friends if they want it, but I cook the veggies first.  I went about two years without tempura because, well, it's sort of time consuming, and the recipe I used to use called for egg white.  Well, last week J and I decided we should make tempura and eggroll wraps for the non-vegans, (everyone but me!), and I started looking for a new recipe.  Oddly, the one I used was from about.com - I've never used their recipes before, but this one was quite delicious!  

Veggie Tempura 

I altered it to make it gluten free, so I'm writing the version I used

1 cup rice flour 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp sugar 

1 tsp baking powder 

1 cup water 

3 tbsp vegetable oil 

oil for frying 

mixed veggies, any kind (I used broccoli, snap peas, green peppers and carrots)

Preparation:

Combine the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Slowly add the oil and water until smooth and creamy. Chill for at least 15 minutes. 

Heat several inches of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Dip the vegetables in the batter, then drop in the oil. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes, until crisp and lightly golden brown. Drain on paper towels. (I tossed them in a large frying pan with my Agave Sauce.

My Agave Sauce

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/8 cup ketchup

pinch of salt

1tbs rice vinegar

Combine everything together in a large frying pan or wok and heat on medium until boiling. Stir frequently and adjust measurements according to your own desires.  

I added bean sprouts on top to make it look lovely, and I think it did!