choco choco chip

Well it's definitely been decided: this new mixer is.da.bomb.

I've never made cookies so fast and painlessly. And I never knew you could cream butter and sugar so perfectly.

These are chocolate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from a recipe I found on TasteSpotting.com. Thank you, internets.

Does oatmeal make things healthier?

They kind of taste like chocolate cereal, but better I think. Super fast, super easy. I promise to make something healthy next time.

Yummy lovies

It's gotta be you

I wasn't exactly sure what to title this post, so thank you Backstreet Boys.

"It's gotta be you! *Alllll the wayyy.*

Well, it definitely IS this cupcake today.

I haven't baked anything in a couple of weeks, probably since my banana bread fiasco. Which, looking back, really wasn't that bad... but I was scarred for a bit, I suppose. Anyways, Rafael and I have been pondering business venture ideas and cupcakes have come up more than once (mind you, a cupcake shop just opened last year down the street from our house. I've been once. Not so impressed...) And while I toy back and forth with vegetarian/vegan, I'm on a vegan-kick at the moment and have been wanting to make vegan cupcakes for awhile.

So, today presented the perfect timing!

Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet could be considered one of my bibles, and I have finally made her Favorite Cupcake. I found another frosting to use, since hers calls for soy milk powder (?) and I couldn't find it for the life of me, not even at Sevenanda, and I didn't want runny frosting, eww.

Well regardless of how the cupcakes turn out, this frosting might be the best I've ever made (recipe below). I used Earth Balance butter, which is a true staple in mi casa. If I can ever recommend anything ever to anyone, EVER, I recommend Earth Balance. Seriously, this "butter" is way better than any real butter I have ever tasted. Ever. And you can get it at any grocery store - Kroger, Publix, Trader Joe's, even the Buford Highway Farmer's Market carries it.

It.is.the.bomb.

While the cupcake isn't the very best I've ever had, the frosting makes it taste like it.

Alicia's Favorite Cupcakes

2/3 c. hemp or soy milk (I used plain soy. Vanilla might be good?)

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

2/3 c. agave nectar

1/3 c. safflower oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325F. Line muffin pan.

Combine the milk and vinegar and set aside for about 5 minutes or until it bubble a little (it should be known that I was staring at this mixture up close for a few minutes straight looking for bubbles. I finally gave up and determined that they must be there somewhere).

Then add the agave, oil and vanilla and whisk.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until there are no more lumps. Pour into tins and bake about 15-18 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into cupcake).

Let cool in pan a few minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Vegan Chocolate Frosting

1/2 c. earth balance (room temp)

2-3 tbsp. soy milk (I used plain)

1 tbsp. vanilla extract (I just throw some in at my mind's discretion)

2 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

Blend the earth balance, a dash of soymilk & the vanilla, then add a little sugar to get things started. Then add sugar/cocoa powder until well blended and smooth, adding soy milk as needed when it gets too dry. Y ya! Done.

I don't know why I was unsure about the frosting at first. The main ingredient is still the same: SUGAR. Duh. Yum.

I thought I was putting on too much frosting, but turns out it wasn't quite enough, but then I didn't have the patience to get it out of the fridge and oops, the cupcake was gone.

I ordered this book last week and I can't wait for it come! Please hurry up, pleeease, with your other cookbook friend.

So until that book arrives, I will finish eating my icing. With a spoon.

adina :)

Quick morning recipe: Pumpkin oatmeal

Well, hello there. How are you this morning?

It's a brisk 28 degrees this Saturday in Huntsville. I've been sipping on coffee, catching up on today's news, watching SNL re-runs, and now my Saturday morning is rapidly turning into Saturday afternoon.

Luckily, today (like every cold Saturday) is a perfect day for a satisfying bowl of pumpkin oatmeal. I know that it's January and everyone's kind of over pumpkin, but it's really subtle in this recipe, especially with the modifications I've made. And, the spice really does warm you up. And you know you've got a spare can of pumpkin puree lying around that you're trying to get rid of.

So, here we go:

Stove Top Pumpkin Oatmeal

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup milk
1/4 cup pumpkin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ginger
2 pinches nutmeg
1 pinch clove
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
honey for serving

Place the first 8 ingredients (oats through salt for those of us who haven't done math since high school) in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to combine. Just as it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Mine took a little longer than 5 minutes, so beware and be patient.

When done, divide into bowls and sprinkle with chocolate chips and honey, if desired.

The little bit of chocolate goes a long way with the pumpkin and can easily over power it. Mine was absolutely perfect with my cup of Counter Culture's Ethiopia Shakisso. Mmm, mmm.




You're welcome.

-Amanda