Chocolate Kale Chips

Is there really anything more that needs to be said besides chocolate kale chips?  I think that should be convincing enough in itself.

If you're excited about this recipe (and believe me, you should be) be sure to head on over to my guest post on Healthful Pursuit this week!  I am super excited to be guest posting for Leanne and if you have not visited Healthful Pursuit before, be sure to check it out.  Healthful Pursuit is a wholesome living blog written by Leanne Vogel, a holistic nutritionist, with a focus on gluten-free and dairy-free recipes.

I especially love Leanne's creativity around healthy desserts and I highly recommend you check out her Vegan Chili Mac 'n' Cheese Casserole, 5 Ingredient Vegan Rice Crispy Treats, and with fall quickly approaching, Pumpkin Gingersnap Chia Breakfast Parfaits!

See you there!

Glazed Donut Peaches with Vanilla Creme

When you're running your own business, fellow entrepreneurs are more than happy to give you advice and tell you stories about best marketing practices and the nightmare that is tax season.  Business owners will also comfort you with stories of how long it took for their website to go live and how they aren't even on speaking terms with their web designer anymore. (Since my web designer is my partner, I certainly hope my situation has a different ending.) 

Here is something that other people don't tell you about starting your own business... For the first few months, you will probably eat a lot of dessert while sitting in front of your computer stressing out. I'm not gonna lie. I did.  They also won't tell you that soon after your sweet craze you'll look in the mirror and will be horrified by where that dessert ended up. 

Don't worry though.  I got your back.  This week I created these glazed donut peaches with raw vanilla cashew creme so you can enjoy a sweet, delicious treat without all the oil and refined sugars. Finally a donut that you can feel good about eating. 

First, start with some perfectly ripe donut peaches.  I highly recommend buying local if possible and definitely buy organic. (Note: Peaches are on the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" list because conventional peaches contain a high amount of pesticide residue. If you purchase any of the items on this list, you should definitely buy organic.) 

The fun thing about these donuts is that you can add whatever toppings you desire: sprinkles, unsweetened coconut flakes, and chopped nuts are my personal favorites.  I tried two versions of these: one with peeled peaches and one with unpeeled peaches.  When peeled, these definitely take on a closer "donut" texture so the extra effort is worth it in the end.

Glazed Donut Peaches with Vanilla Creme
Adapted from Veggie Wedgie
Serves 8

Vanilla Creme Glaze:
1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight then drained
seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 medjool date, pitted
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 - 3 tablespoons water, as needed

Begin by soaking the cashews overnight in water.  Drain.  Add cashews to a food processor or high-speed blender.

Cut the vanilla bean open by slicing down the middle to open up the pod.  Scrape the seeds into the food processor and discard the pod. Add the date, maple syrup, and 2 -3 tablespoons of water to the food processor and process until smooth and liquidfied (but not watery), scraping down the sides with a spatula as necessary.

Glazed Donut Peaches:
8 ripe donut peaches
Toppings of choice (e.g. sprinkles, unsweetened coconut flakes, chopped nuts, etc)

Pit the peaches by using a small paring knife to cut around the middle and remove the pit.  Peel the peaches using your fingers.  Place peaches in freezer for 10 - 15 minutes to harden while you are preparing the vanilla creme glaze.

Once glaze is ready, remove peaches from freezer and dip in glaze.  Sprinkle with toppings.  Place peaches back in freezer for 10 minutes to allow the glaze to "set."  Serve immediately.

Lavender Coconut Ice Cream

Since I live in the cooler Pacific Northwest, summertime is the only time of year that I find myself craving ice cream.  But, when I do have a craving, it hits hard.  Luckily Seattle has an abundance of local ice cream shops that feature non-dairy ice cream.  

Even though I am grateful for this, it has kinda turned into a problem.  I had to face the facts last night when I found myself walking to the ice cream shop for the third straight evening in a row.  I think this walk will now be called my "walk of shame."

Since my ice cream cravings don't seem to going anywhere soon,  I decided it was time to create my own lighter option that still tastes just as decadent and sweet as any other.  The result?  A relaxing and delicious blend of lavender, coconut, and banana.  And, you don't even need an ice cream maker to enjoy this one!

A few weeks ago my partner and I visited the Lavender Festival in Sequim, Washington for my birthday.  It had always been a dream of mine to stand in a field of lavender so I was super excited to cross this off my life-list.  These photos still take my breath away. 

For my ice cream, I used frozen bananas with a little coconut milk for the base.  You can use either coconut milk beverage or canned coconut milk in this recipe.  Since I wanted a lighter option, I used coconut milk beverage, but if you want a creamier version opt for the full-fat canned coconut milk.  This ice cream can be made using a standard food processor and you won't need any other special equipment.  The bananas add a wonderful sweetness so I didn't add any extra sweeteners in mine, but you can add some agave nectar, maple syrup, or another sweetener of your choice if desired.


Lavender Coconut Ice Cream
Serves 2


1 cup coconut milk beverage or canned coconut milk
1 - 2 tablespoons edible lavender flowers (depending on how strong you want the flavor)
2 bananas, peeled, chopped and frozen
natural sweetener (agave nectar, maple syrup, etc) to taste, if desired

Add coconut milk and lavender to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir thoroughly.  Let steep, covered, for 20 - 25 minutes.

Strain mixture, reserving milk and discarding lavender. Pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours or overnight.

Once frozen, break apart the frozen coconut milk into chunks and add to a food processor.  Add the chopped frozen banana.  Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy, adding additional sweeteners if desired.  This will create a creamy "soft serve."  If you want harder "ice cream," put the mixture into the freezer for 15 - 20 minutes to harden, then scoop and serve.

Raw Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Without fail, there is always one weeknight when I don't feel like cooking.  Even though I have a stash of quick dinners handy, I will find myself staring into the fridge and thinking that nothing sounds good.  My back-up plan in this unfortunate situation is to walk down to my local co-op and grab two slices of their vegan pesto pizza.  Not only is it the best pizza I've ever tasted, but it's covered with veggies -- totally my style.

Every time this happens, the same pizza guy is standing behind the counter, ready to serve me my usual order of two slices of vegan pesto.  The awkward thing about this situation is that the pizza guy kinda looks like JT.  No, really.  If you have ever wanted to to experience a hippier version of Justin Timberlake serving you pizza, your dream can come true right here in Seattle.  The truly awkward part though isn't that he looks like JT. The awkward part is how he flashes the peace sign at you as you take your slices of pizza and I can't but help imagine JT with pizza singing "Cry me A River."

Just as I'm leaving on my way out of the co-op, usually embarrassed and laughing at myself, I am invariably tempted by the most amazing vegan carrot cupcakes made fresh in their bakery.  If I have been craving something sweet, I already know upon seeing those cupcakes that I am done for.  And even if I haven't been thinking about dessert, who can resist moist, sweet carrot cake with a dense and creamy frosting? 

I decided this week that it was time to recreate those amazing cupcakes at home.  The result?  A moist, sweet carrot cake with dense and creamy frosting... but this version relies on raw ingredients like fresh carrots, coconut, dates, and nuts for a delightful treat that you can feel good about eating.  

On to the cupcakes!  Start by processing your ingredients into "dough." 

Fill up your tin!

Make your frosting by using soaked cashews, dates, lemon juice, vanilla stevia, and a touch of sea salt.

Then enjoy!

Raw Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Adapted from Choosing Raw

Yields: 6 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 cup raw walnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts
1 cup dates, pitted
2 cup grated raw carrots
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup raisins


Process the nuts and dates in a food processor (with the S blade) until it is well-incorporated.  Wrap the carrots in a paper towel and squeeze out any excess liquid (you can also substitute carrot pulp from a juicer and skip this step).  Add the carrots, coconut flakes, cinnamon, and ginger to the food processor.  Process until the mix is a smooth "dough."  Add the raisins and pulse to combine.  Stuff the carrot cake dough into muffin tins and refrigerate for about an hour. 

Frosting:
1/2 cup cashews, soaked 1+ hours

2 pitted medjool dates
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

10 drops liquid vanilla stevia, or to taste (I used NuNaturals brand)
Dash sea salt

Water (start with 2 tablespoons and work your way up as needed.  The soaking time of the cashews will determine how much water you actually need)


Drain the cashews and place in a food processor with the dates, lemon juice, coconut flakes, stevia, and sea salt. Add 2 tablespoons of water and begin to process.  The soaking time of the cashews will determine how much water you need.  Add more water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.  


Remove carrot cakes from fridge and frost!

Raw Chocolate Superfood Pudding

Do you ever have those days when, no matter what you do, you just can't stop thinking about something sweet?  I do.  Usually I can get away with munching on some raw carrot sticks or eating a piece of fruit to fill the urge.  But today?  Today is all about the chocolate.

And let me be clear: this is no ordinary chocolate dessert.  There is no flour, oil, or refined sugar in this one. Instead, this dessert is loaded up with four incredible raw superfoods to create a delectable, rich, and creamy chocolate pudding that will leave your taste buds and your body feeling satisfied.



This pudding starts off by mixing raw chia seeds with homemade almond milk.  Chia seeds are small greyish seeds that form a thick gel when soaked in liquid.  They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids as well as full of fiber and antioxidants.  They make a perfect binder in smoothies, baked goods, or even with oatmeal for breakfast.  

Chia seeds give the pudding some texture, almost like tapioca.  The key is to mix the seeds with the almond milk well and give them enough time to soak so that they fully absorb the liquid.  (If you skimp on this step you might end up with clumps of hard seeds in the pudding... and nobody likes that.)

The chia seed and almond milk mixture is then mixed with raw cacao powder   Raw cacao powder has no added sugar and because the cacao beans are processed at low temperatures, this powder is full of antioxidants and minerals (like magnesium and iron) that you would find in the cacao bean.

Our next superfood is maca powder   Maca powder comes from the maca root, which has been used by Peruvian populations for centuries.  Maca powder contains a variety of phytonutrients which are said to support the body's endocrine system.  Maca is not only used to give your body an energy boost, but it can help with chronic fatigue and low libido. Maca powder also adds a nice malty taste to recipes.

Our final superfood is lucuma powder made from the sweet fruit of the lucuma tree. I like using lucuma in recipes for sweetness because it adds a nice flavor (almost like maple syrup) and is incredibly low in sugar.  One tablespoon of lucuma powder contains only 2 grams of sugar. Lucuma powder is a great alternative sweetener in desserts and smoothies for those who enjoy a little sweetness without the sugar crash.

This pudding will keep well in the refrigerator for several days and the recipe can be easily adapted to exclude the maca or lucuma powder if you don't have it. For those that enjoy something very sweet, you can also add in other sweeteners like agave nectar or stevia to taste.  For a fun presentation, add a small sprig of mint to the pudding just before serving.

Raw Chocolate Superfood Pudding
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup (raw) almond milk
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon (raw) cacao powder
1 teaspoon (raw) maca powder
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons (raw) lucuma powder
Note: if you desire extra sweetness, you can add other sweeteners like agave nectar or stevia to taste.

Instructions:
Whisk almond milk and chia seeds together (make sure that there are no clumps of seeds).  
Whisk in cacao powder, maca powder, lucuma powder, and additional sweeteners (if using).  Store in the refrigerator overnight.  Serve cold.

Chocolate-Covered Banana Bites with Coconut and Sea Salt

Have you ever found yourself standing in your kitchen thinking to yourself "I am culinary genius"?  I had that experience this week.  Okay, to be fair, I am definitely not a culinary genius as I am not the inventor of chocolate covered frozen bananas. But! I think I should get genius credit just for making them.... and then sprinkling them with dried coconut and sea salt.  Don't you agree?

I also had the startling revelation that the three best flavors in the world might just be chocolate, coconut, and sea salt.  Bringing them together is just too good.  And genius.

This recipe will forever go down in my mind as the recipe that finally made me buy parchment paper.  I don't know why I chose to be difficult about parchment paper, but I have never bothered to buy it because it seems silly when I have somehow managed to get around in life without it so far.  Yet here I was today, dreaming up my chocolate-covered frozen bananas and finally convinced into buying parchment paper.  Three hours later I can tell you that it was $5 well spent.

Chocolate-covered bananas are super simple to make and are definitely well-worth the effort.  Even your cat can help.  Ok, not really.  He'll just get in your way and try to put dirty paws on the bananas.  Not today, kitty.



We start by gathering our three favorite ingredients along with a few bananas.  Then it's time for a little chocolate melting.  Once you have that under way, slice up a few bananas and then let the dipping begin!

After a few hours in the freezer you're left with an incredible, decadent dessert.  Feel free to keep these all to yourself or serve them at your next dinner party. 



Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana Bites with Coconut and Sea Salt
Makes about 40 bites

1 cup (vegan) chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4 bananas, peeled and cut into slices (1/2-inch to 1-inch thick)
1/3 cup dried coconut flakes, crushed (you can also use unsweetened shredded coconut)
coarse sea salt

Add chocolate chips and oil to a small pan and gently heat on very low heat.  Stir continuously (to prevent the bottom from burning) and remove from heat as soon as the chocoalte is liquified.   (You can also use the double boiler method and melt your chocolate in a pot or bowl above boiling water.) 

Lay a sheet of parchment paper over a sheet pan.  (This makes them easy to put into the freezer).  Next, drop your banana slices into the chocolate and coat the banana evenly.  Put it on the parchment paper and sprinkle with the crushed coconut flakes and sea salt.  Continue until all the banana slices have been dipped and topped with goodies.

Put the pan in the freezer and let freeze 2 - 3 hours, until frozen.  Once the banana bites are frozen, you may serve immediately or transfer them to an airtight container and continue to store in the freezer until you are ready to serve them.  They last in the freezer about 2 - 3 weeks.

Flying Apron Bakery

There is a reason that I am not a baker.  There is a reason that the last time I tried to make bread, instead of rising into a loaf it sank into a dark hole.  There is a reason that the one time I tried to make pizza dough, it formed into a ball hard as rock and refused to budge.  There is a reason that I failed as an assistant for a hands-on bread baking class.

And the reason is this:  if I could bake... I would do nothing but eat baked goods.  It's true.

Kale farmers would have to cut back on production.  My local natural foods store wouldn't have to restock beets twice a day.  And my partner would no longer be repulsed by my green smoothies every time she entered the kitchen.  All because I would do nothing but eat breads, muffins, cookies, and cakes all day long. 





I learned this dirty secret about myself a little over a month ago when I went gluten-free.  Even though I rarely ate bread before going gluten-free, once I told myself I couldn't have it anymore I suddenly couldn't get it off my mind.  A co-worker recommended Flying Apron Bakery in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle and was shocked that I hadn't been there before.  Not only is it an amazing vegan, gluten-free bakery, but it's down the street from my house.  I had no more excuses not to go. 

I told myself that I had never been there before because I didn't eat many baked goods, which is true.  However, now I know the truth: I had never been there before because if I went there once, I would go there all the time.  A chocolate chip cookie on Monday night just because, a cupcake on Wednesday while working on an article, a berry scone on Friday night with a friend, some bread on Saturday morning for breakfast.  Oh the excuses I will come up with to go there now. 

This bakery is awesome sauce.  Do you live in Seattle?  Because if you do, you need to know about this place.  And if you don't, you need to know that they have take-home kits that you can order online!

Flying Apron Bakery

http://www.flyingapron.com/

Located at

3510 Fremont Ave N

Seattle, WA

and

16541 Redmond Way, Ste E

Redmond, WA

(Gluten-Free) Chocolate Chip Cookies

In a few minutes I am going to share a recipe with you that has more coconut oil and evaporated cane juice than this blog has seen in quite awhile.  And it's going to be good.  This recipe is going to blow your New Year's health resolutions out of the water (sorry about that) and make you drool.  However, we are first going to have a quick chat about drinking water.  I debated about bringing this drinking water conversation up, but I think it's important to talk about.  (If you really want to skip it, I won't be offended if you scroll down to the part about chocolate chips.)  

As I have moved away from processed foods over the past couple of years, I have tried to shift other areas of my life as well.  On the most recent part of this journey I have embraced more and more natural cleaning and beauty products to help rid my home and body of unnecessary chemicals.  Not surprisingly, the more I have shifted away from using chemicals, the more chemical-sensitive I have become.  

Most recently I have begun to notice the smell of chlorine in my drinking water.  I kept thinking that I was smelling residue from our dishwasher detergent and thus began investing better methods for washing dishes.  (Soap nuts, anyone?)  I mentioned this to my partner the other day who questioned, "You know that there is chlorine in tap water, right?"  Um, no.  How did I miss that one? 

This point about chemicals in our water really got to me.  It brought me back to when I was in grad school and one of our class speakers was a woman who crusaded for years to get flouride removed from Oregon's water supply.  I was immensely fascinated because both of her parents were dentists who were opposed to flouride use.  She cited several studies that have actually shown flouride to be toxic to our bodies over time, but (contrary to what we hear form the ADA) she said there have been no studies proving flouride's effectiveness in treating tooth decay.  And, flouride is too small to be removed from water, even with a Brita filter. 

Since I am a water and herbal tea fanatic, this has really had me thinking lately.  Water is such a basic necessity for all forms of life and it deeply pains me to know about the water wars going on around this globe and how many people are deprived of such a vital resource.  (If you are interested in learning more about this I highly recommend the documentary Flow or reading any of Vandana Shiva's work.)  Of course I am grateful to have daily, reliable access to water, but it also really bothers me that I have no control over what goes into my water and that chemicals like chlorine or flouride are allowed because they are at "safe" levels.  And if you drink bottled water, you should also be aware that bottled water is regulated even less than tap water. 

Do you ever have concerns about your water?  What do you think about chlorine and fluoride being added to drinking water?

I think I'll spare you the rest of my rantings and just say that my Brita pitcher is no longer collecting dust on the shelf.  (Even if it doesn't remove everything that I wish it would.)

Now that I am pretty sure I have either depressed, enraged, or deeply bored you, how about I cheer you up with some cookies?  Look!  I baked!

These cookies are my new favorite recipe and not only are they easy to make, they are vegan (of course) and gluten-free!  This recipe comes from Erin McKenna's book, BabyCakes: Vegan, (Mostly) Gluten-Free, and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York's Most Talked-About Bakery.  In case you've never heard of Erin McKenna or BabyCakes, you should know that Erin is the founder of BabyCakes, an organic, vegan bakery in New York City.  She has also recently released her second cookbook, BabyCakes Covers the Classics.  I have never been to BabyCakes, but if I am ever in NYC it will certainly be on my list of places to visit.  

Due to copyright laws I cannot post her recipe here, but I highly encourage you to check out her cookbook, or you can also view this recipe over on Oprah's website.  

Watermelon Mint Popsicles

Is it too late for me to tempt you with a popsicle?  I have a feeling that it may already be past popsicle season... as leaves sweep across my front porch and rain pounds the pavement, I fear that you might pass up these beautiful creations for a warm cup of tea.  But as long as these are sitting in my freezer I'm going to pretend that the summer sun is still shining, watermelon is still in season, and neon blue nail polish is perfectly acceptable.  Just let me have this moment.

Today all of my biking from this summer paid off as I rode the Cycle The WAVE (Women Against Violence Everywhere) in Issaquah.  Cycle The WAVE is a non-competitive women's ride meant to inspire awareness and hope for domestic violence victims.  This year's proceeds will support the Eastside Domestic Violence Program, DAWN, and New Beginnings. 

This ride was really important to me because I spent eight years of my life doing anti-violence awareness and recovery work with women.  The best statistics we have suggest that one out of every three women will be abused at some point in her life, whether that is emotionally, mentally, and/or physically. However, given my experience, I would say that statistic is actually closer to one out of two.  I find it incredible how many people and families are affected by domestic violence and, yet, many of us still struggle to recognize it in our own homes.  My hope is that the more that people become aware of what violence is, the more that we can help to spread awareness and end the cycle together.




I originally signed up for the 42-mile route, but the past two weeks I've been having some severe knee pain while riding and running.  Everyone keeps telling me I'm "doing everything right" (i.e. rest days, ice, stretching, strength training, cross training, getting new shoes, having my bike fitted, wearing supportive knee braces, etc), yet, I haven't been able to get the pain to go away.  Three days ago I saw my doc and she ruled out any long bike rides until the pain got better.  

I was really disappointed after training all summer, but in the end I had to do what was best for my body. Instead of riding 42 miles, I rode the "Little Sister" route of 12 miles.  Even though I was a little emotional about it before the ride, by the time I got out on the road I was just grateful to be able to ride at all.  

For anyone interested in being part of a ride for the first time, I would definitely recommend Cycle The WAVE.   Everyone was super nice and the "Little Sister" route was mostly flat road with one big hill towards the end.  One of my favorite parts of the ride was actually the hill because they had signs along the road with inspirational messages.  It sure helped me to feel motivated to make it to the top!  

I also felt pretty motivated to finish knowing that I had these tasty treats waiting for me at home.  These popsicles taste like a frozen agua fresca and you can even throw in a squeeze of lime if you'd like.  I preferred to rely on the sweetness of the watermelon, but you can always sweeten these up a bit more for your taste buds.  These are the prefect way to end a day of cycling, use up your last watermelon of the season, and celebrate the beginning of another.

Watermelon Mint Popsicles
Makes 6 (depending on the size of your mold)

4 cups of seedless watermelon, rind removed, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Sweetener of your choice (optional)

Blend watermelon in a blender until liquified.  (Depending on your blender, you may have to add a tablespoon of water or so to get it going.  If you cut the watermelon into smaller chunks it is easier to blend without liquid.)  Add the mint and pulse until leaves are incorporated into the liquid, but not completely blended.  Add sweetener of your choice (if using).

Pour the mixture into your popsicle molds and freeze overnight.

Raw Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes with Avocado Frosting

This cupcake.  Ohh man... this cupcake.  This cupcake is serious business.  This is the kind of cupcake you make when you have not had dessert for a month and you've been dreaming of chocolate for over a week.

This cupcake is rich, dense, and creamy.  You won't believe that a mixture of nuts, agave, dates, cocoa powder, coconut, and avocado came together and formed that.  But, the best part?  Those are the only ingredients!

If you've ever questioned if a raw dessert can be satisfying then this is the one for you.   This cupcake is the cupcake you bring home to meet your mother.  It's that good.

I will be the first one to admit that I am not great with portion control at dessert.  I'm usually not the person who has the recommended serving and then is simply done.  But, this cupcake?  I ate half and had to put the rest in the fridge.  It was that satisfying.

But, don't worry, I came back the next day and finished it off.

For the cupcake base I used a variety of nuts that I happened to have on hand.  I'm pretty sure that you could change up the combination if you desired as long as it came out to 1.5 cups of nuts total.   When I was making these I was also wishing that I had a miniature cupcake tin because these would be super cute as mini cupcakes.  Mini versions might also help with portion control because these are super rich... but super worth it. 

Raw Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes with Avocado Frosting
Makes 4 Cupcakes

1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup walnuts
4 large Medjool dates, pitted
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons raw agave syrup
a tiny pinch of sea salt
2 Tablespoons unsweetened dried coconut flakes, divided

Frosting:
1 avocado, pitted
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons raw agave syrup

Pulse the macadamia nuts, pecans, and walnuts in a food processor until crumbly.  Add the dates, cocoa powder, agave syrup, and salt and process until smooth and batter-like.

Sprinkle one tablespoon of the coconut flakes into four molds of your muffin tin.  This will help to keep your cupcakes from sticking to the bottom.  Divide the batter evenly amongst the molds and press it into the tin to help form it into patties. Turn the tin upside down and the cupcakes should fall right out.  (If you have a stubborn cupcake, use a spatula to loosen the edges and pry it out.  Keep in the fridge until ready to frost.

To make your frosting, add the avocado flesh, cocoa powder, and agave syrup to your food processor and process until smooth and fluffy, scraping the sides with a spatula until the avocado is thoroughly mixed.  Top your cupcakes with the frosting and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of dried coconut.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Zucchini & Ginger Spelt Muffins

Usually about this time of year I try to eat more raw foods like zucchini pasta with carrot-cashew creme sauce, fresh vegetable juices, and caramel and fudge brownies (my favorite!).  But, this weird foggy, drizzly Seattle weather is confusing my senses.  Could this really be July? Or is it somehow already late September?  All I know is that instead of wanting raw foods and light summer lunches I've been craving sweet potatoes, curries, and greens. 

So then, what to do with all these zucchini if I'm not making raw pasta?  Make muffins, of course!

I tend to shy away from baked goods because they're usually loaded with fat and sugar, but these are definitely some of the heathiest and heartiest muffins I've seen.  I love the taste of the spelt flour and it goes together perfectly with the flavors of ginger and zucchini.  I even cut the amount of agave in half for my last batch and they were still super yummy!  These go perfect with a cup of peppermint tea at breakfast or with soup for lunch.  

Zucchini & Ginger Spelt Muffins

From Babycakes by Erin McKenna

Makes 12 muffins

2 cups spelt flour

1/2 cup ground flax seeds

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup agave syrup

3/4 cup rice milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups zucchini, shredded

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line muffin tin with liners.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Add the ginger, oil, agave, rice milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.  Fold in the zucchini.  Fill the cups evenly with 1/3 cup of batter and bake on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes.  

To test the muffins, insert a toothpick into the center.  The muffins are ready when the toothpick comes out clean.  Let stand 15 minutes then transfer and cool.  Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

Samoa Cookies

Somewhere in between a vacation with my partner, a gigantic plumbing failure in our apartment, and baking these cookies... it's suddenly June.  Hello sunshine.

I've appreciated the down time of the last few weeks more than I can possibly explain.  Taking a vacation and focusing on being present, relaxing, and taking care of myself was exactly what I needed.  Thank you for all of your support in the process.  I've missed you. 

And since I've been away from my computer, Blogger seems to have lost my last post and my Feedburner service keeps emailing you folks posts from January.  It's good to be back. 

Now, let's get to these cookies.  If you're one of those people staying away from sugar right now I commend you.  And I'd hate to be the person to spoil that so, please, stop reading and look away.

These are some dangerous ones.  I made these to indulge in my post-vacation sugar cravings and now I can't get enough of 'em.  Some of you may be wondering why there is only one cookie pictured below when this recipe makes two dozen.  Ahem, ahem.  Guilty face.

It wasn't all me, I swear!  They just go fast.

These cookies involve coconut, chocolate, more coconut, more chocolate... you get where I'm going with this.  These are perfect for late-night snacking, picnics, chocoholics, and it doesn't get any better than eating these on your front porch in the sunshine while drinking iced tea.  

Samoa Cookies
Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients
2 cups grated unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup almond milk (or another nondairy milk)
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour (I've used both whole wheat and spelt and either works great)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate layer: 1 heaping cup vegan chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot or skillet, pour in the coconut and toast over medium low heat for 5 – 10 minutes, until the coconut turns golden brown. Be careful not to burn it, and stir occasionally. Once the coconut is toasted, remove it from the heat to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, brown rice syrup, almond milk, flaxseeds, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until the batter is thick. Fold in the cooled, toasted coconut.

Drop tablespoons of dough on a parchment lined pan. Using a measuring cup, press down the dough balls until they are flat discs. Bake the cookies for about eight minutes, just until the edges start to turn golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pan and then cool completely on wire racks.

To make the chocolate glaze: Using a double broiler, melt the chocolate chips and stir in the coconut oil. Allow the mixture to cool for five minutes to allow it to thicken a bit. Once the cookies are completely cooled, dip the bottom in the chocolate mixture and place on a pan lined in parchment paper. Repeat with all the cookies. Use the remaining chocolate to drizzle glaze over the top of each cookie.


To allow the chocolate to cool, place the cookies in the fridge for half an hour, then enjoy!  They are also great frozen and eaten straight from the freezer.

Caramel Corn with Sea Salt

I think I gained four pounds this week.  The reason?  Caramel corn.

I'd been dreaming about making caramel corn.  Thinking about buttery-flavored sweet kernels... and how to create a caramel topping free of dairy, white sugar, and corn syrup.  

One of our friends is moving to Colorado for a cheese-making apprenticeship at a small dairy.  It wouldn't have been a proper good-bye without an amazing potluck dinner:  sausage for the non-veg folks, salad, roasted vegetables, hand made peanut butter cups, and some caramel corn.  Quite the way to say good-bye. 

This caramel corn isn't like the overly sweet stuff that you get from the tin at Christmas time.  This is a lighter version that is still sweet, but won't give you that crazy sugar rush.  If you like your popcorn sweeter, simply use less popcorn (2 batches instead of 3) and you'll get more caramel.

One of my favorite things about making this is that it made the entire apartment smell like sweet caramel.  It's also fun to snack on the gooey, warm kernels from the oven. And I'm not quite sure how this is possible, but three days later I'm still finding stray kernels on the floor.  Sure, it's a little messy.  But definitely worth it. 

Caramel Corn with Sea Salt

Yields: 36 cups (a little over 2 gallons)

Serves: 8 - 10 people

3 batches of plain, unsalted stove-top popcorn

1/2 cup olive oil

2/3 cup brown rice syrup

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup molasses (optional)

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Spray three large cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.

Remove any unpopped kernels from your popped corn.

In a saucepan, combine the olive oil, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, and molasses.  Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.  Lower heat and gently boil for 5 minutes, continuing to stir.

Remove from heat, stir in 1 teaspoon of the sea salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract.  (The baking soda will cause the mixture to double in size and change to a light brown color.)

Mix the popcorn and caramel together.  (I found this easiest to do in several batches in a large bowl mixing with my hands.)  Make sure to mix them together while the caramel is still warm.  (As it cools it becomes harder to mix together.)

Spread the popcorn on the sheet pans.  Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sea salt.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 10 - 15 minutes.  (Due to a lack of oven space I had to use the top rack which browned the popcorn much quicker.  If you use your top rack, rotate the sheet pans so they are only on top for 15 - 20 minutes and keep an eye on it so it does not burn.)

Cool and break caramel corn apart before serving. 

Olive Oil Granola

I don't know about you, but it's been a really long week.  It was one of those weeks where a lot happened professionally and personally and my brain and body were just kinda stuck in the middle of it.  Luckily, it's a three-day weekend and I just made granola.  It's amazing what the smell of cinnamon and toasted oats can do for one's mood.

If granola is the high of my week, my shoulder pain has definitely been my low.  I'm still recovering from a shoulder injury from last August and this week my physical therapist told me I needed to stop running.  Since my shoulder is already irritated and having a hard time healing, my recent training has been making it worse.

For anyone that has ever had to stop doing something they love because of an injury, I'm sure you can share in my frustration, anger, and sadness.  I was feeling really sorry for myself all week, thinking negatively about my body, and skipping the gym out of frustration.  Obviously, this made me feel worse about the situation.

Yesterday I had to change my attitude.  I returned all of my marathon training books back to the library.  I put on my cutest workout top.  And I told myself that if cycling is all that I can do, then I'm going to do it!  I went to the gym, got on a bike, and I rode for two hours.  It didn't make me feel better about not being able to run, but it sure made me stop being negative. 

I've been trying to find other things besides exercise to get excited about.  Since I won't be able to participate in any races for the next couple of months, I decided to put that money towards registration for the Vida Vegan Blogger Conference in Portland this August.  I bought myself a new toothbrush.  Then I cleaned and organized my refrigerator.  These might sound like insignificant things, yet somehow, they help make it better.  And I might not be able to go running, but I sure can make a good batch of granola.  That's something to be thankful for. 

This is one of my favorite granola recipes.  The olive oil and salt add just enough "oomph" to separate it from the sweeter granola varieties.  I love having this with almond milk in the morning or with some soy yogurt for dessert.  If you're worried about all the calories in granola, you can have half granola and half puffed (unsweetened) brown rice cereal to help cut some of the fat and sugar.  This is usually what I do in the mornings when I don't want to start my day with something too sweet. I also like to add in some flax seeds and hemp protein powder.

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup agave or pure maple syrup (I usually use a mix of both)
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300.

I ran my almonds and walnuts through a food processor for a few minutes, but you can also chop them by hand or leave them whole.  In a large bowl, combine your oats, nuts, seeds, cinnamon and salt.  Mix in your olive oil, agave and/or maple syrup.

Spread the mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Stir occasionally. 

Once cooled, transfer to a large bowl and mix in the apricots.