Vanilla Almond Cupcake w/ Carob Cream center & Vanilla Icing

what you'll need:
1/3 cup almond flour/ meal
2/3 cup tapioca flour
1/3 brown rice flour
1 tsp baking soda

2 flax eggs
Approx. 1/3 cup raw agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. almond butter
almond milk

start your ovens...350!
in a medium bowl combine all flours and baking soda.
in a small bowl prepare your flax eggs. then add the agave, vanilla and almond butter. combine all ingredients thoroughly, then add this mixture to your flour bowl. mix together well. add almond milk to mixture until consistency is thick but smooth.
bake for about 20 minutes.
makes one dozen cupcakes.

for the carob center you will need:
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp agave
1/4 cup carob chips
2 tbsp flax meal
powdered sugar

melt the carob chips in a small bowl. add olive oil and agave. combine these ingredients.
next add the flax meal and begin adding powdered sugar slowly. continue mixing and adding sugar until thick consistency is reached. it should be almost a frosting consistency but not as stiff.
using a frosting dispenser and once cupcakes have cooled, insert this mixture into the center of each cupcake.

for the icing you will need:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp agave
powdered sugar

combine olive oil, milk, vanilla and agave in a medium bowl. add powdered sugar slowly and continue mixing (I used a whisk) until icing consistency is reached. Once cupcakes have completely cooled, apply icing.

hope you enjoy!
you are loved.

Vegan Egg Replacement: Flax Eggs

instead of using eggs in my baking, I often use flax eggs.
to make a flax egg, you'll need:
2 tbsp. flax meal
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. water


combine all the ingredients using a fork as a whisk.
and there you go!

Vegan Gluten-free Guava Cupcake with Pineapple Icing

what you'll need:

1/3 cup spelt flour
2/3 cup Buckwheat flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 almond flour/meal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. pink salt

2 flax eggs
2 tbsp. olive oil
6 tbsp. raw agave nectar
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp. guava marmelade (mine was 100% pure guava, no sugar)
10 tbsp. almond or other non-dairy milk

start your ovens...350!
mix all the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium-large bowl.
in a small-medium bowl, prepare your flax eggs. then add olive oil, agave, guava and almond milk. combine all ingredients thoroughly then pour into the dry ingredients.
combine all ingredients. the batter should be thick but a little more milk can be added if necessary.
bake for approx. 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
let them cool thoroughly before applying the icing.

for the Pineapple Icing you'll need:
1 1/2 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance with olive oil)
3 tbsp. Pineapple juice
powdered sugar

begin by combining the butter and juice with a small whisk. add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments until icing peak.

apply icing to cupcakes and you're done!
this recipe makes one dozen cupcakes.

hope you enjoy:)
you are loved.

Kind of an Asian "Pasta Salad"

so this one i started out trying to make Pad Thai but had nothing in the house so ended up with this...definitely not disappointed though:D
I have had this warm and just out of the refrigerator and it's good either way.

what you'll need:
*one box of brown rice spiral pasta
*half of a fresh lime
*3 tablespoons Bragg's Liquid Amino Acid (article will be posted) or gluten free soy sauce
*1 teaspoon pink salt
*1 teaspoons chili powder
*1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
*1/2 teaspoon cumin
*olive oil
*2 teaspoons minced garlic
*1 teaspoon ginger powder
*1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
*1/2 cup edamame beans (fresh or frozen)
*about half of a block of extra firm tofu, cut in small cubes
*1 cup of shredded kale
*1 cup of fresh spinach leaves
*2 large pieces of celery, cut into small pieces
*basil

to begin:

prepare the pasta according to box instructions. then drain and rinse with cool water. set aside.

in a large frying pan or wok saute the garlic and ginger with approx. 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil for 30 sec. Add the kale and spinach and allow the leaves to shrink. next add the tofu and saute until the tofu just starts to turn golden. add the peas, edamame and celery and stir a little, then cover for 3-5 minutes.

while the dish is covered over medium heat, mix in a small bowl the bragg's (or soy) sauce, the lime juice, pink salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin.

check the heated ingredients and stir. if everything looks cooked and ready, turn off the heat or keep on for another minute.

combine in a large bowl the veggies and tofu and pasta. pour the soy sauce mixture on top and mix well. sprinkle some basil on top and mix again.
either serve it warm or refrigerate it for later!

hope you enjoy:)
you are loved.

Gluten-free Pumpkin Waffles!

New favorite in my house.
Sometimes you just want a special breakfast and my dad even suggested we do these for birthdays with a little almond ice cream on top!

what you'll need:
*1/2 cup brown rice flour
*3/4 cup buckwheat pancake and waffle mix (or just the flour)
*1 tablespoon guar gum
*1 1/2 tablespoons flax meal
*2 teaspoons baking powder
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1 teaspoon cinnamon
*1/2 teaspoon ginger
*1/2 teaspoon pink salt
*1 tablespoon agave nectar
*3/4 cup pumpkin
*1 1/2 cup non-dairy milk (almond breeze, rice dream, or soy)
*1 tablespoon orange juice


start your waffle iron!
in a large bowl. mix all of the ingredients except the orange juice. once the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and your waffle iron is ready, add the OJ and spray the waffle iron with olive oil non-stick spray.
the batter is sticky unlike regular waffle batter. you can make it a little thinner by adding water, but don't add too much. I just used the sticky batter and put a big spoonful in the center of the iron. about four minutes is perfect and due to the consistency, you may have to spray after every waffle.

they are great with maple syrup, butter, and honey depending on what topping you are in the mood for.
or ice cream! haha

hope you enjoy:)
you are loved.

PINK SALT!!!

At the Valencia Wellness Center, there was a product I was curious about... Premier Pink Salt.
What's the difference between that and regular salt? or sea salt?
So here's some reasons you should make the switch, besides the fact that it is an awesome conversation starter when people ask you to pass the salt at the kitchen table:

Premier Pink Salt is a blend of two premium, unprocessed sea salts from ancient, non-polluted sea beds. This natural, sun dried salt contains valuable trace minerals and sodium chloride. These minerals, undamaged by heat, retain their high energy, unaltered molecular structure which is ideal for helping to maintain the extracellular and intracellular fluid balance in the body. Not to mention ∫!!

Sodium from salt (unrefined) is the primary positive ion found in the blood and body fluids. Through function of the kidneys, by buffering the blood with a balance of positive or negative ions, sodium and potassium help to control acid/alkaline balance. The flow of sodium and potassium across the cell membranes helps to create an electrical charge that enables muscle contraction and nerve conduction. Sodium is also important in the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and is used in the transport of amino acids from the digestive tract into the blood.

Premier Pink Salt is free of flow or anti clump additives. Many salts are highly heated, have chemicals added or are refined which can damage its chemical properties and reduce its content of trace minerals. Commercial salt is typically heated to extremely high temperatures, over 1,0000 Fº, to super-dry the salt so that it will pour easily and not clump. This super-heating deranges the molecular configurations of the minerals in the salt. Many researchers point out the toxic reaction of the body to commercial, highly heated salt. In contrast, natural unheated sea salt reacts favorably in the body, delivering many minerals. In addition, unlike most commercial sea salts, Premier Pink Salt is ground using nickel-free grinders, ensuring that no toxic metals will be present.


so it is pretty cool. and you can purchase it online, or, like I said at the Valencia Wellness Center. I'm sure some other health food stores offer it too. But now go forth in the new year! and fear no salt!
haha
sorry for he cheesy ending:D