Vegan Coconut Lime Cupcakes...

A friend of ours owns a bakery in town + {among other ridiculously delicious confections} makes the most AMAZING Key Lime Pie...surely not vegan. I splurged on a sliver of this lime-y goodness when I bought the pie for my Mum's birthday celebration last month and I've not been able to get it out of my mind since! So for Easter, I thought I would whip up some Key Lime Cupcakes...Vegan style. I looked through my copy of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and came across their recipe for Coconut Lime Cupcakes. I had kind of already broke the bank on the rest of the groceries I had purchased to host the Easter holiday at our house, so needless to say, I wasn't looking to buy some of the extra ingredients that this particular recipe called for {such as coconut milk + coconut oil.}

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Instead, I made the Golden Vanilla Cupcakes {Recipe Here} , only I added 1/2 tsp. of Coconut Extract {in place of the 1/4 tsp. of almond or caramel extract the standard recipe calls for}. I used this Lime Buttercream Frosting Recipe:

1/2 Cup Nonhydrogenated shortening

1/2 Cup nonhydrogenated margarine {Earth Balance Rocks!}

3 1/2 Cups Confectioner's Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract {Clear works nicely + keeps the icing white!}

1/4 Cup Lime Juice

1 Tsp. finely grated lime zest

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Mix Shortening + Margarine till fluffy, add sugar; beat about 3 min. Then add Vanilla + Lime juice; beat another 5-7 min. Add zest, mix, chill until ready to serve.

{Recipe by Isa Chandra Moskowitz + Terry Hope Romero} I iced the cupcakes, rolled the tops in a plate of shredded coconut flakes, then finished off with a slice of lime. Heaven I tell you, just Heaven!

This mama is still winding down from all of the Easter festivities + preparations, so I will bid you all a super-sweet weekend and take my leave until Monday!
xo.

Easter Bread...Vegan-esque Style

Sometime last year, I won my first blog give away: a subscription to Living Crafts Magazine! The magazine features lots of knitting that I can only dream of actually being able to do, but now + then, something jumps out at me...like this recipe for Italian Easter Bread. Or as we used to call it growing up, Dolly Bread.

I thought this would be such a fun Spring something to do with my kiddos, with Easter being just around the corner. I'm calling this a Vegan-esque recipe, because obviously, I am not entirely opposed to using eggs on occassion. However, I did substitute Earth Balance Margarine for the butter...and used Soy Milk instead of cow milk. We halved the dough recipe {since we only had 4 boiled eggs on hand to braid into our bread}, however next time I make the bread, I am going to try using some Egg Replacer in the dough, since this recipe calls for more eggs than I'd like! I also substituted Almond extract instead of using Vanilla for the icing...as long as there aren't any allergy issues, I highly recommend it!I kind of felt like Super Mama; comming home from teaching at the college yesterday afternoon, setting off to bake bread with my little folk. Well, maybe not entirely Super, as I did have my Mum here to help me! We opted to make these individual little bread baskets instead of the longer braided loaves of bread I remember from when I was small. We all had a great time with this baking project and the Monks + the Fif were just smitten with the Turtle we made from the left over dough! Delish! Ahem, really. We ate almost all of what we had made this morning!

Happy Baking!

xo.

My Front Yard Farm

This saturday afternoon, I have secured my mum to babysit the littles while I attend a free seminar at a local county garden on, well...gardening! The talk is being given by a local gardening inspiration, Wendy, the Front Yard Farmer. She had been giving a talk right here in town a couple of weeks ago, but alas, I was unable to attend, what with my Mister's wisdom tooth/ head injury debacle. Poor guy!

The best place to begin a story is at the begining... While we have a "corner lot" {which is a bit larger than many of our neighbors' properties}, it is still a little on the small side when we have considered trying to plant a garden while still allowing room for our littles to play. The other issue has always been that the back yard is nicely shaded, which is wonderful for relaxing, but not so much for growing veggies! The front yard, on the other hand, gets loads of sun...the idea has been nagging at me for some time.

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You may already have noticed that I'm kind of a...not so much "all-or-nothing"...more of a "Go-Getter"? When I get {what I consider to be} a good idea in my mind, it is really hard for me to write it off. {Like the Chickens it took me a year to finally get!} Persistence pays off because this year, I am getting my little front yard farm! At present, we have a brick patio in the space where the garden will be and a border of perennial shrubbery. The shrubbery will be transplanted a short distance to the center front of the house {where they are very much needed!} and the bricks will be used to finish the walkway we have in the back yard.

Savvy thing that I am, I rationalized that with the $ we saved on NOT buying more bricks, we could purchase posts, chicken wire + even a pretty little arbor with a gate {much like the one photographed above} for the front of our little farm! Our actual garden will be half the size of this one shown, but it will give us enough room for atleast 2 really nice sized vegetable beds. This week, my Mister is on "Stay-cation" from work + we plan to build our farm. I should say that while I am hoping to learn alot from the Front Yard Farmer at this seminar + the manual labor of building is covered, we aren't going this completely alone as my step-father is a wonderful gardener. I'm willing to take all the help + advice I can get though. To me, the only thing worse than a visible failed garden {and what can be more visible than the front yard!} is chipped red fingernail polish! However, I think that it will be a huge success because of the help that we have + the investment that we are making by jumping in with both feet. So I hope that you will excuse me if my posts are a bit less frequent this next week...I'm so excited to get moving on our project and am looking foward to posting what we have completed asap!

Have a Great Weekend!

xo.

me taking photos of me making cauliflower...

That title sounds uber geeky...and IT IS! Here is me making my all time, new, most favorite food! Roasted Cauliflower! Huzzah! Throw some cauliflower on a baking sheet with parchment paper, drizzle with EVOOil, and DOSE with some Goya Adobo. Then sprinkle with Chipotle Chili Pepper {to taste, depending on how hot you like it!} Then bake at 350 for about 35 minutes. {Another tip: Don't skimp on the EVOOil and roast a bit longer to make softer, ends up a fantabulous tapenade that goes great with some hummus + cucumber!}

This yummi-ness is a favorite mama snack for playgroups. And this little herbivore bunny t is a new favorite clothing item again, especially when paired with this ruffled cardigan top...a random find from the Marshalls.

Hope everyone had a GREAT weekend...Happy Monday!

xo.

Olive Rosemary Rolls

Last week, I think I had mentioned that my Mister was going to try out a new bread recipe...and I was going to whip up some lemon hummus in my new Valentine's Day food processor!

While I have used my new kitchen toy for a few other meals in the last week...the lemon hummus wasn't actually something I got around to making! {The hummus was on sale in the store, so I was pretty stocked up}. However, we DID make the Olive + Rosemary Rolls...

We used the same Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes recipe whose praise I have been singing for some time now. It is unbelievably good...and easy...and consistent! We used the basic recipe + rolled the portion of dough out in a thin oval shape. Next, brush inside with E.V. Olive Oil, add olives + sprinkle with rosemary. Finally, we just rolled the dough up, cut it into pieces + allowed it to sit a little while. When it was baking time, we placed the little rolls on the "pizza stone" seperately, swirl side up {like mini cinnamon buns}.
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These were just amazing! Bread is something fun that everyone can get involved in making, however these little beauties came out so exceptionally "professional looking", don't you agree that they would be perfect for serving or bringing to a dinner party?!

So I leave you with a couple of quotes:
“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” --Robert Browning. And even better... "Acorns were good until bread was found." --Francis Bacon
Happy Baking

xo.

Vegan Sloppy Joes... BAM!

So the end of last week, my children {well, all besides the Fif who was couchbound with the fever from breathing this damn airplane air for the last few months of winter} spent 2 days running out- of -doors in their shirt sleeves. {Haha Mum} Even though we are starting to feel the chilly temps again so far this week, well, those couple of days had me ready for spring!

However, before we move on to the delicious menu of vegan yummy foods available in the warm months, lets visit a quick meal that is so good on a cold day when you have NO TIME. Vegan Sloppy Joes. Ok, whatever, they are good in all 4 seasons! I know I've mentioned how much I LOVE this Fantastic Brand mix {available on Amazon.com} when I used it for my Vegan Chili...well, the Sloppy Joes are just as good if not better!

All the box calls for is a small can of tomato paste...and I add in the red beans, just to be the annoying mama/ wife that I am. And really, what Sloppy Joe is complete without being served on a paper plate with a side of potato chips? Terrible on multiple levels, I know.

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Hey, we can't be perfect all the time...but we can sure as h*ll eat some fabulous {...and VEGAN} food!
xo.

Vegan Mexican Lasagna

Ok, I told you I'd be a busy bee this week getting back to teaching at the college {TODAY!!!, just sayin'}...but here is a delicious post that I've had up my sleeve, just a waitin' to be shared....

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Yes, you most certainly DID read that header correctly. My Mister is a huge fan of Mexican food, tacos + all things spicy. I like a little spice + Mexican myself...but the whole "taco production" I can do without! Too much work for a little bit of food, if you ask me! So here enters the influence of my Italian heritage: Vegan Mexican Lasagna.

I treat the soft {whole wheat} tortillas like they were lasagna noodles {begining + ending with them} and just layer my filling. Here I used vegan baked beans and then a layer of taco flavored tvp, corn + black beans. The top layer of tortilla always looks kind of naked to me, so I usually make a sauce, or just dump a jar of salsa on top if I'm in a pinch.

I'm a big fan of the Tofutti Sour Cream, but decided that I was in more of a guac mood, so that's how we finished off this delicious-ness. As much as I love inhaling it, the BEST part about this meal is that it is super easy to make + always big enough for a big group {OR, so there are LEFTOVERS!} And when it comes to this meal, it is almost better the second time around!

Make this...you'll be so glad that you did + will wonder how you ever lived without it?!



xo.

IKEA, Tahini Tofu + Roasted Veggies

Today we are heading up ye old turnpike to go to IKEA! A place I love & hate all at the same time. I know you know what I mean...while many of us fancy a more vintage/ distressed/ "let's pick this up in a flea market + refinish it" style of home decor...well, there is something so mod-NYC loft- cool about IKEA, atleast when it comes to how everything looks in the store. But the REAL reason we are going today is to hit the kitchen section! Stainless steel bowl heaven, here I come!

So speaking of kitchens + food, here we have roasted sweet potato + mini brussel sprouts {salt, pepper, olive oil}, marinated + baked tofu topped with a savory + nutty tahini sauce. Huzzah!

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I made this the other night...and after a full day today, I'm going to whip up some mashed potatoes {+ while it may not look nearly as "five star retaurant" as the photos above} we'll finish off the leftovers of this deliciousness for a quick, easy supper.

All I have to say are these two things though:

1)When it comes to baking tofu, what in the world did anyone do before Parchment Paper?!?! And 2) Doesn't this look like this meal could have been on Iron Chef?!

IKEA, here we come!

xo.

Vegan Snow Day Strawberry Shortcakes

So I whipped up these little beauties during the Christmas Vacation when we got all of that SNOW. One word, Obscene...the cupcakes. The ironic thing though, is that I made these scrumptious little desserts again just last night for when my BFF came over for dinner. And wouldn't you know...we got more SNOW {more on that later}. Sor obvious reasons, these are now called Vegan SNOW DAY Strawberry Shortcakes.My vegan buttercream came out better, having made it too thin the last time. Ok, it came out much better...it was so thick, I actually busted the seam of the pastry bag I had been using that came with the Ratatouille baking set I bought the Monks, oh, 3 years ago?!? Guess it's time to buy some grown up baking supplies, eh? The buttercream though...there are no words...

If I can give any bits of advice for baking, here they are:

1) Follow the directions.
2) FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS
3) Measure correctly
4) Sift
5) Don't over mix
6) Don't over bake

So I frosted my vegan strawberry shortcakes all pretty like, for the first photo...however, there was just too much delicious buttercream left over to waste! Since these were just for our family, we globbed on the rest of the buttercream + shoved on the rest of the strawberries wherever they would fit! I told you they were Obscene.
xo.

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** And Thanks for all the great posts yesterday on the Crazy 88! I should mention, that was not to say that I would never hope for more than 88 bog "friends"! However, for some reason, it just seemed like a good number worth celebrating!! **

The Crazy 88...+ Pizza

Ok, so the last time I referenced anything fron the Kill Bill movies {ahem. the Crazy 88}...well, to say I caught some flac in my very real life would be a bit of an understatement. But whatev's...I'm taken a risk! I don't know what it was, but there was something about having hit 88 friends on my little blog that just struck me ecstatic!
We were making pizza when I checked my email + found out the exciting news... well...my mister was doing most of the "making"....but I was contributing "moral support". We ADORE this recipe for making dough...and other breads. Above is the non-vegan pizza for the littles...and here is my vegan pizza! This was the perfect celebratory meal + it was ridiculously good...I'm just sayin'.
So I just have to say HUZZAH! For Pizza + for the Crazy 88...many of whom I do not know personally...but still, you mean so much to me! Thanks for making my day!!!!
xo.

A taste of vegan brownie heaven

I know, I know...another vegan food post. As you can see from the photo though, there was just NO way I could resist posting this ASAP. I was even toying around with calling this post The Vegan Chocolate Orgasm...but is that too scandalous to say on a non-censored blog?

While baking up a vegan cupcake has been my forte' of late, I was tempted into trying out a recipe from a new vegan cookbook Santa brought for me. It is written by the owners of one of my all time favorite vegan restaurants {since turned Little Vegan Cafe}. The recipe is a most basic brownie recipe, except that it calls for Egg Replacer instead of actual eggs.

I have to admitt that I have NEVER {boxed or homemade} made a good batch of brownies...EVER. I whipped up a little Chocolate Ganache {by combining Soy Milk, Vegan Choc.Chips + some Pure Maple Syrup}, just incase these babies came out a little on the dry side. They did take longer to cook than stated, so I covered them with parchment paper + kept increasing the time by 5 minutes until they were done {you know, the clean toothpick thing}. But alas, they came out perfectly moist, delectible to gaze upon....and well, they tasted orgasmic! There, I said it!
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For the skeptics: Yes, you can make delicious food that is vegan + better than anything else you have ever eaten! Love your family + bake these this weekend!
xo.

Love Bowl

Here's the Love Bowl: Brown Rice + Black Beans with Kale Sauteed with a bit of Garlic, topped off with marinated Tempeh strips + finished with a Peanut Sauce.

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Huzzah!

I've made Tempeh nuggets + crumbled it for chili and Tu-No-Fish before {both of which I will post one of these days}, but was at a loss for how to prepare it "as is", without breadcrumbs, veganaise or the like. Answer: Marinade + Simmer! Everything is basically prepared seperately, then combined into a bowl of yummy goodness. And the best part is that you can reserve your marinade in glass jars in the fridge to use at another time {since your not marinating anything that is, ahem, decomposing?} Just sayin'.

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This was a most wonderful, uber healthy bowl of comfort food to snuggle up with on a cold winters night. Can't you feel the love?

xo.

Vegan Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

I think I mentioned that Santa had brought me a couple of new Vegan cookbooks for Christmas, yes? And I think I had also mentioned that this girl here spent most of last weeks snow days in doors with the babe, yes? Well, if that isn't the perfect opportunity to do some baking, then I don't know what! So my first attempt: Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes {perfection, if I say so myself} with Vegan Orange {flavored with OJ, not colored} icing. I need to work on the thickness of my icing...too much OJ, I think. But they tasted amazing...I ate 5.

xo.

Scenes from the Christmas Cookie Swap...

I have to say that this really was the most successful Christmas Cookie Swap I have ever hosted! In the photo below, you will see just one of many...well, 15 to be exact, baskets and Anthropologie bags filled with cookies to be swapped. We lined all of the individually wrapped types of cookies out in the front porch so that as each guest left, they could refill their basket {or Anthro bag} with thier assortment of cookies! I can't thank everyone enough for their generosity in bringing appy's, wine and even hostess gifts! I was blown away. But really, I was just so happy that everyone could come...and I will most definately be looking foward to next years swap!

xo.

Swappin' Cookies

Each year for the last, oh... 4 years, on December 23rd I have hosted a cookies swap with some of my mama friends from town. The holiday season is usually so chock full of parties, that ironically, having the "girls night cookie swap" so close to Christmas actually worked out really well! Over the years, the number of ladies + friends who would be in attendance have changed, but I am so happy to say that this year, I will be having not only the largest group I have hosted, but also the most ecclectic group of friends to date! I am just brimming with excitement about all of the great conversation that will be had, {ahem, wine that will be drunk} + new friends that will know each other better after this girls night in!

::: courtesy of Macy's holiday window display, NYC 2010 :::

In the past, I had all my ladies pick one kind of cookie + then bake enough so that each person swapped 6 of each cookie. This year, because it is a large group, we are making enought cookies for 4 cookies each...giving us all a most wonderful assortment of Christmas cookies to either bring with on your holiday travels or offer in your home.

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Just for fun, I put together the 2010 Vegan Christmas Cookie Zine that you may have noticed along the side bar. It was not a requirement, but I figured that I would throw out some healthy alternatives to your traditional cookie...and I am thrilled that I had a couple of guests who were willing to try out one of these recipes for the party!

It's not too late! Send out some emails to some girlfriends and have a cookie swap of your own! I know it is close to the holiday...so if need be, I always make my parties as optional "Bake, Borrow, or Buy"! I know many will bake, but one friend is baking for 2 {the borrow}...and no one will ever be cross if someone has to buy...{'tis the busy season and c'mon, it's baking...sh*t happens!}

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xo.

Chilly Time Chili

Truth be told, I love making this Chili Summer, Winter, Spring + Fall! It is a staple in our house for sure! These is something about being able to make vat of chili + letting simmer on the stove that really warms your heart.This is the Chili mix I use for the base of my Veg. Chili. The Fantastic brand also makes other TVP {Textured Vegetable/Soy Protien} products, like mixes for "Taco Crumbles" of "Sloppy Joe" mix! Mmmmm! These little boxes of deliecious aren't always easy to find, so I usually stock up whenever I happen to be in the store that carries them!


After you prepare your box of Chili Mix, add your diced tomatoes {large can}. Then I add a large can of both black and red kidney beans, a small can of garbanzo beans + a can of corn. Sometimes, I will also chop a green pepper for some more color. This is probably way more bean than what the back of the Fantastic Mix box calls for, however, I make up the difference by seasoning to taste with cumin, a bit of chili powder and hot sauce. Beans are so important for everyone to eat...every day really, since they carry the essential amounts of fiber that our body needs each day. While the Monks isnt the biggest fan of beans, everyone else in our house devours their dishes of chili. We usually serve it over rice with some Guacamole on top...but straight from the pot works amazingly well too!

Happy Monday Everyone!

xo.

Vegan Christmas Cookie Zine 2010

2010 Vegan Christmas Cookie Zine

Hope you enjoy the recipes & have a great weekend!

xo.

An Italian Wedding

Don't you just love this photograph? It is a picture of our friends, Anthony + Ilaria at their wedding this past October in Ilaria's home town of Naples, Italy. When the invitation arrived, I swear it weighed about 3lbs.! We knew the wedding would be spectacular and while we wanted nothing more than to celebrate with them, jetting off to Italy for the weekend just wasn't in the cards with the kids, work, finances, etcetera.

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But luckily for us, they live in San Fransisco, CA where they have the most incredible restaurant, Una Pizza Napoletana. Anthony's superb culinary offerings used to be available more readily when his restaurant was in NYC, but it was time for a change. I am hoping that one day we'll get out to their new place in SF...and will always secretly be keeping my fingers crossed that one day they will move back east!

Much Love!

xo.