Vegan Cocoa Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean "Butter"cream

Recipe by Elaina Reville 
Makes about a dozen chocolate cupcakes
1 cup chocolate almond milk*
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla paste*
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are OK).
Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.



Vanilla Bean "Butter"cream
1/2 cup Earth Balance spread
1- 1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
pinch of salt 


INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all ingredients and mix until it becomes slightly whipped.  It will first turn crumbly but keep going!  About 2 minutes.  






*my modifications

This vs. That (Soy and Dairy-Free Recipe)

I recently bore the most beautiful blue-eyed boy.  Unfortunately, he is having a little trouble with his digestive system and I have been put on a strict diet of no dairy, soy or whey.  One of the things I miss the most is baked goods.  Here is a recipe a friend past on to me for vegan cupcakes.  In my opinion, the chocolate ones are the way to go.  They are moist and delicious. 

Recipe by Elaina Reville

Makes about a dozen chocolate cupcakes

1 cup soy milk or almond milk1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar3/4 cup granulated sugar1/3 cup canola oil1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon almond extract, chocolate extract, or more vanilla extract1 cup all-purpose flour1/3 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-processed or regular3/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONSPreheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and other extract, if using, to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat until no large lumps remain (a few tiny lumps are OK).Pour into liners, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

*My modifications:  1 cup vanilla almond milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla paste (for vanilla cupcakes)

Hummus Roll-Up

1/2 can of chickpeas, about 7 oz
1/2 fresh lemon, juiced
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
1/4 teaspoon of crushed pepper, or to taste
pinch of salt
1 clove of fresh garlic
2 cups of salad mix (or just romaine lettuce with shredded carrots, cabbage and any other veggie you like)
1 sun dried tomato wrap

In a food processor, start mixing chickpeas with lemon juice and olive oil.  While it is still chunky, add crushed pepper, garlic, salt and 1 tablespoon of water.  If it is still too pasty and chunky, continue to add water one tablespoon at a time.  You want the hummus to be smooth so that it can easily be mixed with salad.

In a mixing bowl, toss salad with hummus until coated then add to the sun dried tomato wrap.   I recommend it to be accompanied by a Mango Lhassi.

Mango Lhassi recipe:
1 cup of greek yogurt
2 tablespoons of honey
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of cardamom, to taste
1/2 cup of frozen mangos

Dump all ingredients in the blender and voila!  Mango Lhassi.
*may need to add a little bit of water or milk to blender if ingredients are not blending.

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Makes 12oz serving

1 cup ice cubes
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar

Inspired by recipe from Love Veggies and Yoga Blog

Authentic Pittsburgh-Style Italian Wedding Soup

Servings:  4-6

8 cups of water

6 teaspoons of instant chicken bouillon 

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 large carrots, sliced

2 stalks of celery, sliced

1/4 of an onion, diced

2 breasts of boneless chicken

1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning 

Salt and Pepper to taste

6 Publix seasoned meatballs

3/4 cup of frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

1/2 cup of Pastina

*Egg Mixture: 

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons of Romano cheese

Place chicken breasts in a casserole dish, seasoned with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.  While the chicken is cooking, start bringing the water to a boil and add the chicken bouillon.  

In a skillet on medium heat, add the butter, vegetables and garlic.  Cook until vegetables are just tender, about 8 minutes.  Add the vegetables to the broth, cover and let simmer while chicken finishes cooking.  

Take the Publix seasoned meatballs and break them up into smaller meatballs.  You should have 12-15 small meatballs made.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Once chicken is cooked, shred and add to the broth.  

While the meatballs are cooking, start cooking your pasta as directed on box.  Set aside, do not add to the soup until ready to serve because the pasta will get mushy.   

Once meatballs are cooked, add them to your broth.  Bring your broth to a simmer, if not already, and add egg mixture and spinach.  Let simmer for 20 minutes.  Add pasta to individual bowls and serve! 

*Egg mixture can be found at DeLallo's along with a homemade recipe for meatballs if you so choose.  

Buffalo Teriyaki Wings

Wings:
10 chicken wings
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt

Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Goya brand)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
(the more brown sugar and soy sauce you put in, the more it cuts the spiciness of the sauce.  If you want just a buffalo wing sauce, omit brown sugar, soy sauce, and ginger)

Mix these dry ingredients together then sprinkle  the mix over the chicken wings, pat the mix down and make sure it's evenly over all the wings.  Put the wings in a container covered for 60-90 minutes.

Once you've taken the wings out of the fridge and started the frying/baking (whatever you choose), you'll want to start on the sauce.

Mix all of the sauce ingredients on low heat until the butter is melted then reserve for the wings.

You can deep fry the wings with about an inch of oil at 375 degrees or put in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes.  I put my wings in the oven for about 20 minutes then pan fried them since I don't have a fryer.

Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bar

Recipe found at My Baking Addiction.  Would highly recommend this being accompanied by vanilla ice cream.