Thursday, March 29, 2012

I Know, It's Been Awhile

Okay, so maybe a post every week didn't work just as I planned. I've been pretty busy though, doing some baking and experimenting, and I have two cookie recipes I want to share! Hopefully I’ll have them up on my RECIpage soon. 

Just in general I started running again after taking a week long break when my friends came home for the week, not to mention last week I did not run very much, simply because I was settling into my job and with bussing I was running around a lot! On busy nights it's a fun job to do, because you keep pretty busy. However on days like today where the sky is a dark grey and there is a constant shower of rain, the restaurant isn't very busy and I have to find misc. tasks to do. 

I am very happy to say I am getting back into green smoothies! I always assume that no one cares too much for recipes for smoothies, primarily because I have never followed one myself. But I am starting to experiment more and have found other green fanatics so maybe I’ll be inspired to think up some "kid-friendly" smoothies :)

Below is my after-run breakfast the other day, a green smoothie and Dave's Killer Bread with Almond Butter, strawberry jam, and raspberries pressed in our Panini maker for warm gooeyness. I have somewhat abandoned gluten-free-dom in eating, mostly because I wasn't seeing any difference. When I bake myself however, I still have been avid in creating really only gluten-free recipes. 



mmmmmm
i topped mine with agave and fresh strawberries for dessert! while still warm out of the oven...yumm






in mine i used buckwheat flour originally, but i wouldn't suggest it unless you really enjoy buckwheat. the taste is a bit overpowering and takes away from the cinnamon. 
in mine i used buckwheat flour originally, but i wouldn't suggest it unless you really enjoy buckwheat. the taste is a bit overpowering and takes away from the cinnamon. 

 i also made apple cinnamon muffins! below is the recipe for them. i've always been a huge muffin fan myself, and these muffins cut through the side, and slathered with Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter and eaten like a little sandwich is easily my favorite preparation. 


Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients (18 muffins)
    For Muffins

    • 2 cups Flour (see note)
    • 2 cups chopped, peeled Apple
    • 1 1/4 cups Almond milk (or other non dairy milk)
    • 1/2 cup Raw Vegan Cane Sugar
    • 2 T Water
    • 1 T Agave
    • 1 T Cinnamon + 1 t Cinnamon
    • 2 t Lemon Juice + 2 t Lemon Juice
    • 2 t Vanilla Extract
    • 2 t Baking Powder
    • 1 1/2 t ground Flaxseed
    • 1 t Baking Soda
    • 1/4 t Salt
    NOTE: i used 3/4 cup Brown Rice Flour, 3/4 cup Garbanzo Bean Flour, 1/4 cup Potato Flour, 1/4 cup Quinoa Flour, 3/4 t xantham (or guar) gum
    For Topping
    • 1/4 cup Raw Vegan Cane Sugar
    • 3 T chopped Almonds
    • 2 t Cinnamon
    Instructions
    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with silicone liners, or oil the pan
    • Peel the apples and chop them up into small, 1/4 inch pieces. Mix them with the agave, 1 t cinnamon, and 2 t of lemon juice, then set aside.
    • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flaxseed with the water, then add vanilla extract, remaining lemon juice, and almond milk to mixture and whisk well.
    • In a large bowl, combine flour mixture, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well, then add the liquid ingredients until just combined.
    • Drain the remaining liquid mixed with the apples and fold the chopped apples to the mixture.
    • Mix the sugar and cinnamon reserved for the topping, leaving out the 3 T of chopped almonds for now.
    • Fill each muffin tin a little more than a forth of the way full, then sprinkle about 1/2 t of cinnamon sugar over the muffins, and top with remaining batter.
    • Combine remaining cinnamon sugar and chopped almonds and sprinkle over muffins.
    • Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.




    One reason it took me so long to write this post was because I wasn't going to let myself until I got at least halfway through Anna Karenina. Which I have in 3 days, after flying through Lolita the previous week. I have been reading so much more and I love it! Yesterday I literally just read the whole day after my run. I cannot convey how wonderful it has been to get back into reading! Not to mention I have started to write again, which is a huge step for me as I really haven't written much since sophomore year when an absolutely terrible teacher destroyed all my passion and love for writing. But I’ve been inspired again and it has been a nice change. 

    that's about all for now! Hopefully i get the chance to perfect and post a few more recipes in the next week or two, but if not, just know it's because i'm reading and working like a madman!

    thanks for reading :)


        Sunday, March 11, 2012

        Gracie's Carnival Cakes

        So few little updates:
        i am going on yet another new regiment of medicine.
        i got a job working as a hostess/waitress at a restaurant!
        i have a new recipe area set up (the recipe link through RECIpage).
        i have a new recipe from my sister's birthday!

        these are Gracie Carnival Cupcakes. partially because they are some of my little sister's favorite flavors, and partially because thinking about a carnival was an inspiration for these cupcakes.
        gotta love air-popers


        this was my first batch of caramel corn. not perfect, but i changed the recipe to what you see below

        and then i filled up the batter and took a knife and swirled in some pretty color!


        cotton candy frosting try #1

        fineto!

        the first version...the frosting and caramel corn i adjusted to get what you see below!


        couldn't completely capture the vibrant blue in the frosting!

        for the birthday party :)

        ta-da!

        this RECIpage makes writing recipes like this so easy! way more fun too!
        Ingredients (12 cupcakes)
          For the Cake
          • 1 1/3 cups All Purpose Flour (i had a request NOT to make this gluten free)
          • 2/3 cup Almond Milk
          • 2/3 cup Light Agave Nectar
          • 1/3 cup Safflower Oil
          • 1 1/2 t Vanilla Extract
          • 3/4 t Baking Powder
          • 1/2 t Apple Cider Vinegar
          • 1/2 t Almond Extract
          • 1/2 t Baking Soda
          • 1/4 t Salt
          For Raspberry Swirl
          • 1/4 cup fresh Raspberries
          • 2 t Agave or Coconut Nectar
          For Caramel Corn
          • 3 cups of Popped Pop Corn (i suggest making your own in an air-popper)
          • 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
          • 1/8 cup Earth Balance Margarine
          • 1 T Light Agave Nectar
          • 1 T Almond Milk
          • 1/2 t Salt
          • 1/8 t Vanilla Extract
          • 1/16 t Baking Soda
          For Frosting
          • 2 cups Powdered Sugar (try making your own!)
          • 1 (3oz) package of Cotton Candy plus more for decoration (or 1 1/2 T of Cotton Candy Sugar)
          • 1/4 cup Earth Balance Margarine
          • 1/4 cup Vegan Shortening
          • 1/8 cup Almond Milk (adjust as needed)
          • 1 1/2 t Vanilla Extract
          Instructions
            For the Cake
            • Line muffin pan with cupcake liners and preheat oven to 325° F.
            • Mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl; allow to sit for a few minutes to curdle. Beat in agave, oil, vanilla and almond extract.
            • Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until smooth. Fill liners two thirds full
            • Stick a knife into the raspberry puree and then swirl that throughout the cupcake batter, trying to keep a distinguished swirl line, re-dip your knife as needed
            • Bake 20 to 22 minutes until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean; don't overbake or cupcakes will be dry.
            • These cupcakes need to cool at least an hour before topping or filling, and alsoto develop the flavor and texture properly
            For the Raspberry Swirl
            • Add all ingredients to the blender or food processor
            • Blend until smooth
            For Caramel Corn
            • .Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray
            • Pop about 3 cups of popcorn and set aside
            • Melt the Earth Balance in a smallish pot over medium-high heat
            • Add brown sugar and agave and stir until the mixture boils, then reduce heat to low and simmer it for about 2 minutes undisturbed
            • then cook for about 3 minutes longer, stirring every 30 seconds or so until the mixture is a deep golden color
            • Add in almond milk and cook until it bubbles again and milk is fully incorporated
            • Turn off heat and whisk in salt, baking soda, and vanilla, then set the whisk aside
            • Add popcorn to the saucepan and stir with a big spoon until fully coated
            • Transfer and bake the popcorn for about 15 minutes stirring every 5 minutes until the popcorn is a deep amber color
            • Remove the popcorn from the oven and spoon it on a waxed paper-lined surface to cool
            • *note: this recipe works better with about 6 cups of popcorn. for this recipe, it is only used as a garnish so you don't need much, but feel free to make more!
            For the Frosting
            • Beat the margarine and shortening in a mixer until it gets somewhat fluffy and creamy, about 5 minutes
            • Add in the powdered sugar (and cotton candy sugar if using) gradually and continue to beat for about 3 minutes
            • Add in the vanilla and milk until the mixture is pretty smooth
            • Continue to beat and add in the cotton candy and beat until the mixture is fluffy
            For Assembly of Cupcake
            • Once the cakes have cooled pipe the frosting onto them
            • Top frosted cakes with a piece of cotton candy and pieces of caramel corn
            i wanted to make sure i got this recipe up! i also made really good raw spiced "candied" almonds, but i think someone threw away my chickenscratch recipe, but i'll try and post it soon!

            have a great day!

            Sunday, March 4, 2012

            Butterfinger Cupcakes and...Lets Be Honest That's All That Matters

            Let me start by saying that although I haven’t had a good week as far as feelings about my weight, I’ve had a great running and food week.

            After making a chai spiced almond butter that turned bad on me in just 4 days, I made a new version.

            And I am never going back. 


            best of friends
            So Freakin’ Good Half-the-Calories Almond Butter
            Makes about 1 ¾ cups

            • ¾ cup of MaraNatha’s Almond Butter (it already has organic cane sugar and salt in it, but that’s why it tastes so good)
            • ¾ cup of Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla milk 
            1. Blend everything
            2. Enjoy
            I’m going to save the really good stuff for last. General update, I’ve been running a pretty good amount, 5.3 miles today. My goal is to do at least one 5 mile run a week, and two 4 mile runs. The rest I’m just allowing to fall into place.

            In other news, three of my closest friends come home next weekend, and another a few days later. So don’t expect much posting next week, but hopefully a few recipes later :)
            qwertyuiop[]\asdfghjkl;'zxcvbnm,./
            QWERTYUIOPASDFGHJKL;'ZXCVBNM

            hahah that uhh...just happened. for whatever reason my computer keys got taken over by epic symbols that change when you capitalize the letters. so. freaking. cool.

            anyway....

            In addition to the almond butter I also made my own version of this, but I skipped the vinegar step. I was always a plain chips kinda girl. But these are awesomely addictive.





            And now, as promised, here is the vegan, gluten-free adaption of these doughnuts. Inspired by them, but only the wet ingredients are the same. This doughnut recipe is mine.  

            Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts with Maple Frosting
            makes about 9 full-sized doughnuts, or 6 full and 6 mini

            wet ingredients
            • 1/4 cup of Almond Milk (i'm sure any other kind would work)
            • Egg Replacer for one egg
            • 2 T of Earth Balance
            • 1/4 cup of Applesauce
            • 1/4 t Apple Cider Vinegar
            • 1/4 t Vanilla Extract
            dry ingredients
            • 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour
            • 3/4 cup of diced Apple
            • 1/4 cup Raw Cane Sugar
            • 1 1/2 t Baking Powder
            • 1/4 t xanthan gum*
            • 1 1/2 t cinnamon 
            maple frosting
            • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
            • 2 T Earth Balance
            • 1 T + 1 t Maple Syrup
            1. Preheat oven to 350degrees F and grease the doughnut molds (if you don't have doughnut pans, you can shape out the doughnuts by hand to the size you want)
            2. Take all the wet ingredients and put them in a small pot over low heat
            3. Whisk together the ingredients until the Earth Balance melts
            4. Mix the dry ingredients together, including apple
            5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry until just incorporated - do not over mix
            6. Put the doughnut mix into the pans and do not fill too far over the top of the pan
            7. Bake for about 13-16 minutes for regular ones, and for a mini doughnut pan do around 10-12 minutes; a toothpick inserted should come out clean
            8. Allow then to stay in the pan about 5 minutes, then take out to cool on a wire rack
            9. To make (a reasonable amount of) frosting: using a hand mixer beat together Earth Balance and maple syrup, then gradually add the powdered sugar and a teeny pinch of salt. 
            10. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the doughnuts, and suggested you then sprinkle maple sugar over the top :)
            *guar gum works the same as xanthan gum. difference? guar gum is about $5.50 while the same amount of xanthan gum is $13.79. I've been using both interchangeably for two years and never noticed a difference

            Before I get to the REALLY good stuff, I must say I woke up the other day just craving Cookie Crisp Cereal. For those of you who don’t know, it was discontinued years ago.   

            I googled and goolged “make your own Cookie Crisp Cereal recipe,” and only came up with two healthy food bloggers who had their own adaptions of cookies for breakfast. So this is my combination. I made two versions, the “healthy” and “unhealthy” kind. Neither tastes like Cookie Crisp. Both taste like cookies. Both tasted great in almond milk. If I were you I’d make the unhealthy version. But that’s just me :)

            "healthy"

            "unhealthy" version, just cooked at a higher temperature for a more crisp cookie


            Coooooooookie Crisp Cereal Kinda (healthy)
            makes about 65-75 mini cookies
            • 1/2 cup Chickpeas
            • 1/4 cup Almond Milk
            • 1/4 cup Applesauce
            • 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
            • 3 T Peanut Butter
            • 1 1/2 t Vanilla
            • 1 t Stevia
            • 1/4 t Salt
            • 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
            • 1/4 cup Potatoe Flour
            • 1/4 cup Garbanzo Bean Flour
            • 1/4 cup Buckwheat Flour
            • 1/2 cup Water
            • 1/4 c mini Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (I chopped mine up further, but that is not needed)
            1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
            2. Add Chickpeas through Stevia in a food processor and process until pretty smooth
            3. Mix Salt through Buckwheat in a large mixing bowl with a paddle attachment
            4. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix, gradually adding in water
            5. Once batter ingredients are mixed add the chocolate chips
            6. Drop small teaspoons of batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper; flatten down dough balls
            7. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or so, because you want the cookies to be very crisp and dry
            8. Allow the cereal to cool before transferring to an airtight container
            9. You may break up the cookies further if you wish
            Coooooooookie Crisp Cereal Kinda (UNhealthy)
            makes about 65-75 mini cookies
            • 1/2 cup Chickpeas
            • 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
            • 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 T Maple Syrup
            • 1/4 cup Almond Milk
            • 2 T of Applesauce
            • 1 1/2 t Vanilla
            • 1 t Stevia
            • 1/4 t Salt
            • 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
            • 1/4 cup Potatoe Flour
            • 1/4 cup Garbanzo Bean Flour
            • 1/4 cup Buckwheat Flour*
            • 1/2 cup Water
            • 1/4 c mini Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (I chopped mine up further, but that is not needed)
            *if you want these REALLY unhealthy, use white flour. If you want them just relatively less healthy, use whole-wheat flour to replace the 1 1/4 cups of flour
            1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
            2. Add Chickpeas through Stevia in a food processor and process until pretty smooth
            3. Mix Salt through Buckwheat (or other flour) in a large mixing bowl with a paddle attachment
            4. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix, gradually adding in water
            5. Once batter ingredients are mixed add the chocolate chips
            6. Drop small teaspoons of batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper; flatten down dough balls
            7. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or so, because you want the cookies to be very crisp and dry
            8. Allow the cereal to cool before transferring to an airtight container
            9. You may break up the cookies further if you wish


            broken up further, and pretty good!

            my post-running snack

            Now what you all have been waiting for: Butterfinger Cupcakes: Vegan and Gluten-free.

            I found this recipe a while ago from here, and it has been taunting me ever since. So this week I decided to make them as a “feel better” for one of my friends.

            I had to change up some of the ingredients, but not enough to mention. The making of the butterfinger, now that is a tale.

            So all I had to do was follow the directions right? Boil the corn syrup, sugar, and water until it reaches 290 degrees F…

            Well I didn’t think we had a thermometer in our house during my first attempt, so just boiled it for a while, then finished the steps.
            And it turned out like this:
            with the chocolate on the other side (ignore the ancient and gross cookie sheet)
            so i took this peanut butter caramel mixture (which tasted pretty good), and stuck graham crackers and pretzels to the sticky side. Wasn't half bad i must say. 


            then I made the cupcakes, 
            straight up earth balance, sugar, and peanut butter right there

            very thick batter
             then I put them in cupcake tins. I used some of the flower cupcake liners i got for Valentine's Day, beautiful :)


            so pretty :)

            Well while these were baking i found a thermometer and tried again. this time I had to boil this stuff for what seemed like forever.  but this time it turned out like this:

            and then I covered it in chocolate...

            and ya know what?

            EVERYONE who tried this said it tasted EXACTLY like a butterfingers bar! I was shocked, ecstatic, and very full afterwards :)

            the recipe said 15 regular cupcakes, but I got this out of it!



            so that has been the past few days :) I also made a new friend who gets me...extremely well! so i'm looking forward to hanging out with him more in the next weeks :) I am also trying to make a birthday cupcake for my sister Gracie's birthday...a "Circus Cupcake" we'll see how it works :)

            and my fantasy team is doing awesome. hope you enjoyed!