failed recipe edition: My 27th Birthday Cupcakes
Batch #1: Made the recipe, but perhaps not enough baking soda and baking powder, it was this nasty wet cupcake which sank in the center but had a hard edge which stuck to the paper. Maybe I didn’t cook it long enough?
Batch #2: So much more bad. Maybe using just pure tapioca flour (aka tapioca *starch*) wasn’t so smart, but I was attempting gluten free, and I didn’t have anymore applesauce prepped so I used oil.. ughx20394720835203981231293 and a huge FAIL. rubbery, stretchy, dry…
Sooooo…. what I’ve learned is I’m not ready to use so many substitutions while leaving behind my measurements and recipes. ah well.. :sad face: another one for the compost.
breakfast: Whole Grain Start
I swoon over some extravagant breakfast recipes but recently I’ve taken a liking to making this simple, mushy, crunchy whole grain cereal mix for myself. It’s easy to make while multitasking, letting it sit just makes it better, and when I finally sit down to eat it, its a very filling, positive start to any day.
Pour equal parts hot water with 10 whole grain cereal, then let sit for about 10 minutes while the grains puff up, soften, and absorb most/all the liquid. Add oats for a chewy texture, seeds for crunch, and dried fruit for sweetness, ground flax cause it’s rad, and a splash of almond milk for consistency. Some mornings when I feel a little crazy, I even add a little bit of my coffee in it too.
Happy Summer Solstice!
“cooking” with others edition: My Roommate’s Raw Lemon Cheeze Cake
Yesterday my roommate put a raw lemon cheeze cake in the freezer and it came out perfectly blended. The crust is made from almonds, dates, and coconut oil while the filling is soaked cashews, lemons, and maple syrup.
The cold tart filling and sweet chewy date-almond crust is so_good to the senses. Yeah, it’s a bit heavy when frozen, so for a creamier texture wait a few minutes after taking out of freezer before eating.
Miss Lauren worked at a raw food cafe in Wisconsin and has brought her skills to Portland last year. On top of making great food, she’s majored in marine biology, traveled to Nepal, and likes a good amount of outdoors in her life. She eats meat too but I won’t be blogging any of that business. yay Lauren!
raw diet: Spirulina Gems
These sweet superfood raw treats get their name from the deep blue-green algae, spirulina powder, mixed in with almond butter, seeds, berries, and powders. Chose your ingredients if you want, but stick with a strong, sticky batter before rolling into balls or laying flat to slice into squares. Freeze overnight and eat them while chilled.
PNW Style Deep-Fry
Last night’s meal was a celebration of making a good thing so bad that it becomes amazing. My roommates and I deep fried local, organic, gluten free, vegan peanut butter jelly sandwiches, potatoes (with homemade BBQ sauce), tofutti cuties, apples, bananas (with the peanut butter), and some pumpkin-applesauce-banana-mixed-nut-muffins which I made earlier that day.
All foods were dipped in a rice flour pancake batter, fried in vegetable oil, then dusted with vegan confectioner’s sugar, so rad. The deep fryer we used is a vintage Oster brand ‘Lil Fritter’ which my roommate found in a free pile. Thanks roomies!
