Summer Adventures, Part III: Asheville.

 Our trip to Asheville could be summed up in three(ish) words: Food, Friends, and Lost Wallet.

Food: So much goodness. Sweet potato pancakes with whipped peach butter butter. A vegetarian Havana Cuban with swiss cheese, tempeh, black bean spread, and pickles. Rooibos iced tea with local honey. Salted dark chocolate caramels. Red wine-infused dark chocolate truffles topped with a crystalized rose. Indian street food (potato samosas with a sweet chickpea stew) and chai tea. Pimento grilled cheese and cream of mushroom soup. Strawberry lemonade. A grilled sweet potato and goat cheese burrito. A peanut butter and marshmallow sundae. A delightfully flaky croissant. A bagel sandwich with arugula, swiss cheese, and egg. And plenty of coffee.


True to our vacation motto – we ate and walked. And that's pretty much it. We saw all sorts of interesting things and people and musicians. Asheville is a fun little town with a vibrant downtown. We really, really enjoyed our time there.

Gabe even got to experience a swimming pool for the first time at our hotel! :) He was unsure about his feelings on the matter. (And that top right photo is GABE KISSING ME. I love his sweet kisses so very much.)

Friends:

We had an impromptu meet up with two friends (and one husband of a friend) from college. They live in Nashville and Atlanta, so we don't get to see them as much as we'd like. It was so much fun. Gabe got to hang out with his godmother and I enjoyed getting to see Elizabeth, who is a few months pregnant with their first child. We ate, we visited the drum circle, and we walked forever in pursuit of a coffee shop that doesn't exist.

Lost Wallet: So, I lose things a lot. A LOT. But I've never lost my wallet long enough to actually have to deal with it – canceling credit cards and getting a new driver's license and all that. And I've certainly never lost my wallet on a vacation. But I did. We had $56 and no credit cards or IDs. Mike left his wallet at home and realized it 15 minutes into our trip, but I assured him I had my wallet, so no worries. Sometime between visiting a chocolate shop and getting to our hotel room, I lost my wallet and no amount of backtracking or scouring the city, parking garage, hotel, and car turned it up.

Lesson learned: have your phone number in your wallet. If someone found it, they'd have no way of contacting me. Blerg. (Thankfully, Kat spotted us some gas money and my mom broke into our apartment and overnighted us Mike's wallet.)

Despite the whole wallet fiasco, Asheville was wonderful. I'd love to go back and try even more restaurants. Mmm, food.

 Friday night drum circle. So fun and quirky.

All's well that ends well. :)

More photos here +
Summer Adventures, Part I: Dayton.
 Summer Adventures, Part II: NYC.

And now we're on day seven of our vacation, and day four of our beach vacation with the in-laws... being at the beach with a baby is quite the adventure!

A Day in the Life of a Vegetarian.

“You’re a vegetarian?! But what do you eat?”

This is what the kids at school ask incredulously, without fail, upon finding out that I don’t eat meat. It seems like a silly question to me, since I don’t feel as though avoiding meat is particularly difficult and I just…don’t eat meat.  *shrugs shoulders* I dunno. I don’t even think about it, really, and certainly don’t feel deprived.

Since I get the question so often, and have a secret obsession with food/fitness bloggers (they blog multiple times a day! But…but…how?), I decided to play food blogger for a day and take photos of what I ate and share with you all.

Plus, food. Who doesn’t like to talk about food?

Breakfast:

I eat cold cereal most days – I try to stick with a fairly low-sugar breakfast cereal. I sometimes eat oatmeal, but I am mostly too lazy to make it. I know, it takes two minutes to make. But..but…I am lazy. (If I do make it – I include coconut and cocoa powder and some sort of nuts. Yum.) Oh, and always coffee. It’s my secret to my can-do attitude and unfailing optimism.

Kashi GoLean! with frozen berries and soymilk. 

 

Coffee with pumpkin spice syrup and cream.

Lunch:

If I’m working: Usually leftovers. Sometimes peanut butter and jelly.

If I’m not: same as the dinners below.

Vegan macaroni and cheese (leftovers from lunch the day before) with chickpeas and enchilada sauce. (Yes, it's not pretty. But it's yummy!)

Enchilada sauce is a staple for me. I put it on everything – pizza, rice, veggie burgers...

Dinner:

Our go-to dinners are stir fry, scrambled tofu, rice and beans, veggie burgers, grilled cheese, big salads with beans, cheese, and avocado, pasta with beans, and quesadillas with refried beans and corn. Dessert is most often cereal (the sugary stuff like Honey Bunches of Oats).

Marshmallow brownie cupcake (so much yum) (Eaten before dinner because, well, I am an adult and I do what I want.)

Buttered garlic naan with a veggie burger, ketchup, and mustard. Green beans on the side.

Drinks:

Water with a few cubes of frozen cherry juice (my weird habit – juice is too sweet on its own, so I drink lots of really, really watered-down, super-cold juice throughout the day)

Snacks:

Usually fruit and string cheese – but we are currently out of both.

Almonds, a few chunks of cold scrambled tofu from dinner the night before (eaten straight out of the container with my fingers; keeping it classy) Oh, and lots and lots of frosting while making cupcakes.

SO, there you are! An honest look at a day in the life of a vegetarian. I certainly don’t claim to be the healthiest eater (I could totally increase my fruits and vegetables), but it could be worse, right?

What are your go-to meals, fellow vegetarians? (Or favorite veggie meals, non-veggie friends.)

How Chocolate Chips Inspired Me to Reduce our Waste.

On Monday, Mike and I (and Gabe, our trusty sidekick) went to the bulk foods store to get him some popcorn, which he eats by the pound. While there, I decided to get some other staples, like, say, four pounds of chocolate chips:

(aaand peanut butter chips. What? I couldn't say no. And now I am happily making Reese's cups by the handful, ie: shoving a little of each in my mouth. It's a great way to celebrate finally reaching my pre-Gabe weight, don't you think?)

Anyway. After I put all of the goodies (popcorn, oats, nuts, chocolate chips,  beet sugar, quinoa, and so on) in jars, I took a look at the waste left over:

(How much do I love this hanging Ikea spice and utensil rack? More counter space, more convenient, more awesome. Booyah.)

Ahem. I sure am distractible today, huh? 

Anyway. I took a look at the waste from the bulk food store purchases, then I took a look at our recycling pile which is taking over the kitchen: 

And firmly resolved to start shopping more at the bulk foods store and reduce our packaging waste.

I mean, really. If only for reducing the amount of recycling we have to schlep around (the greatest downfall of apartment living, alas).  Though, it certainly makes me more aware of how much waste, even recycling, that we are creating.

It got me thinking about the ways in which we already reduce our waste and the ways we can reduce our waste even more. And since tomorrow is Earth Day, I thought I'd share.

 

• Participate in a CSA in the summer and fall - we get locally grown fruits and veggies in our own cloth bag. The only waste is a rubber band or two.
• No paper products - we use cloth napkins and kitchen towels instead of paper towels.
• Bake our own bread - using either this or this recipe.
• Cloth diaper Gabe.
• Pack our lunch in reusable containers and reuse zippered baggies.
• I love Lunapads.
• Use a water bottle instead of bottled water. 
• Bring cloth bags to the grocery store.
• Use baking soda and vinegar to clean just about everything, including my hair.
• Buy dried beans instead of canned beans; buy cheese in a block instead of shredded.

• Make our own peanut butter. No more time spent futily trying to clean out peanut butter jars for recycling! We go through a few jars a month of this. Yum.
• Start making jam again (I use this since I don't use pectin). PB&J from scratch makes me feel accomplished.
• Also: start making yogurt again. Those #5 plastic tubs are the worst.
• Shop online less; in fact, shop less, period. (April is currently a Buy Nothing month for us, but still! Shopping less is always a good plan, right?)
• Buy absolutely everything we can from the bulk foods store or aisle. 
• Reuse produce and bulk foods bags.
• Try to make cheese. (!) 
• No coffee unless we've remembered our travel mug; no shopping unless we've remembered our grocery bags; no excuses!
• Make ketchup (I've done this once in a pinch and it was stupid easy).
• Less convenience food - like frozen waffles and breakfast cereal and more cooking from scratch (I've started to slack off since having a baby).

It's exciting to be inspired again to challenged ourselves to grow in this way; I've missed it!

(If you're interested in this sort of thing, you might want to check out my green baby steps page, which I just updated. Also, this video about a zero waste family was ridiculously inspiring.)

(Happy Earth Day! And Good Friday! Free coffee if you bring a reusable mug to Starbucks or Caribou! Hurrah for caffeination!)

Apple Rosemary Scones with Raspberry Jam.

Apple rosemary scones.

Before I had Gabe, I wasn't sure how my life would change. I expected to be a little more stressed, get a little less sleep, and have way less time and energy to do the things I love. Like baking.

Happily, the adjustment has been far less terrible than I expected (in fact, it hasn't been terrible at all!) and I have enough energy to cook and bake like I used to. Of course, these days - I'm squeezing the baking in between taking care of Gabe, which means sometimes it takes a whole lot longer than it used to. 

It used to be: follow recipe, clean kitchen, eat goodies. Yay.

Now, it's more like: start getting ingredients for recipe, Gabe cries, pick him up, bounce him around till he's happy, carry him while I finish getting ingredients from pantry. Put him in bouncy seat, start prepping, Gabe cries, put him in infant carrier so he'll be close to me and hopefully fall asleep. Doesn't work. Take him out of infant carrier, feed him, he falls asleep, yay! Put him in seat, turn white noise on really loudly, finish baking as fast as I can. He wakes up, feed him, put him in bouncy seat, and do dishes. Eat goodies on the couch with him in my lap. Spill many crumbs on his head.

These scones are so worth it.

They come from a cookbook, Vegan Brunch, by my favorite cookbook author (chef?). Absolutely every single recipe I've tried from her has been amazing. In fact, 90% of the recipes I post on this site are from Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Seriously, buy her cookbooks. I used to only use the internet to find recipes, because they are reviewed so I know they won't be duds (isn't making a bad recipe just the most disappointing thing ever?). With her cookbooks, I know it will be delicious. I don't know how she does it, but I love it. /End gushing.

I've been converted to vegan baking because of her. Her food is just good, being vegan is just a bonus. (Don't be shy if you like butter and milk, you can use those instead.) Just try this recipe!  You won't be sorry. The texture is absolutely perfect, and I love the flavor.

The jam is super easy to make - I've been making my own jam for a few years. It's definitely not low-sugar, but it's easy and cheap! Plus, it doesn't contain lots of additives like store-bought jam does. I used raspberries from when we went picking right before Gabe was born. (I froze them, because I wasn't sure I'd have time to make jam before he was born.)

 (Vegan!) Apple Rosemary Scones 

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups almond milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 cups flour
2 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup sugar (plus more for sprinkling)
¼ cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I used vegan butter)
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups diced apple

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Measure milk in a large measuring cup and add vinegar. Set aside to curdle.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, rosemary, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter or shortening in small clumps, then use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut it into the flour until the dough texture becomes pebble-like.

Create a well in the center and add the milk mixture, oil and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until about half of the flour is incorporated. Mix again until all ingredients are just moistened, taking care not to over-mix. A couple dry spots are fine. Fold in apples.

Use a ¼ measuring cup to spoon mixture onto the baking sheet. Dust the tops with more sugar, then bake for 18–22 minutes, until tops are lightly browned and firm to the touch. Transfer scones to a cooling rack.

Raspberry Jam

Ingredients:
6 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)

6 cups sugar 
(You use whatever quantity you want - just make sure you have equal parts berries and sugar.)

Wash and rinse all fruits thoroughly. Put fruit and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring rapidly and constantly. Continue to boil until mixture thickens.

To determine when the jam is done, use the "refrigerator test." Remove the jam mixture from the heat. Pour a small amount of boiling jam on a cold plate and put it in the freezing compartment of a refrigerator for a few minutes.  If the mixture gels, it is ready to fill.  I usually start to test after 10 minutes or so - you don't want to overcook it. Trust me. Also, keep in mind that the jam will thicken a bit as it cools, so if it seems a little runnier than store-bought jam, don't worry. (For more info or to make other kinds of jam, check out this website.)

And, now: EAT.

 

Fin.

Sunday Domesticity | Foolproof Granola.

I haven't had much time to cook lately, so I made sure to spent lots of time in the kitchen this weekend. I made cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, pumpkin pancakes, scrambled tofu, and an amazing pizza.

And....granola.

Oh, granola.

(Cooking with bad lighting can't be helped. Alas.)

This stuff is amazing. So amazing it usually only lasts about 48 hours in our house. And warranted a 20-minute Google session to find it again. It's ridiculously easy, too, so anyone with an oven can make it.

I promise.

(Uses less packaging and is cheaper than store-bought, too!)

The Kitchen Sink Granola

3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup coconut flakes, unsweeteend
3 tablespoons flax seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup toasted mixed nuts, chopped (I used almonds)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups mixed dried fruit (I leave this out or add some raisins)

Preheat the oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (I didn't line it - no mess and saved some foil. Win!) In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the dried fruit. Stir well to incorporate.

Spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the depth of goldenness you’re looking for), stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and and cool completely, in its pan, on a wire wrack. Once the granola is cool, mix in the dried fruit.

Enjoy with milk, yogurt, or by the handful.

Oh, you don't even know how delicious you will become...

Recipe source.

I'm Scared of Non-Dairy Creamer.

I saw lots of tweets about how delicious Coffee-Mate and International Delight coffee creamers are. With flavors like Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint Mocha, White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel Macchiato, and Tiramisu, everyone was exclaiming, "No more pricey coffee shop for me! This is just as delicious! Yay!"

My usual grocery stores don't carry the stuff, and I'd never bought a container of it in my life. But one day last week, I found myself in a conventional grocery store (the overwhelming kind with gleaming rows of twelve different kinds of Oreos and 32 flavors of Coffee-Mate) and remembered how delicious they were heralded to be.

I picked up a bottle of yummy-sounding tiramisu and noticed it was labeled lactose-free, which made me wonder just what the heck was in it, as I had assumed it was cream and sugar.

Ooooh, no.

No cream. At ALL:

Water, sugar, partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil, and less than 2% of the following: sodium cassienate (a milk derivative), disodium phosphate, mono- and diglycerides, cellulose gel, cellulose gum, color added, natural & artificial flavors, carrageenan.

So, it's chemically produced cream. Awesome. To learn more about what exactly those ingredients do to you check out this post or this one.

I usually use sugar and half and half - not anything healthy, but at least it's only three ingredients: sugar, milk, and cream. All I've heard of and can pronounce.

I tried convincing myself that maybe the taste would be worth the chemically produced cream. Maybe it really would taste like a caramel macchiato (which: it's the way you make the drink that makes it a macchiato, not the taste. /end rant.).

After five minutes of hemming and hawing, I just couldn't bring myself to put the bottle in my basket. I satiated my need to get some sugary, creamy substance for my coffee by grabbing a bottle of some organic hazelnut coffee creamer. The first ingredient was organic non-fat milk, followed by organic cane syrup - so I felt a bit less apprehensive about the purchase. (Totally not as good as plain old half and half with sugar).

Like flavored yogurt, flavored coffee creamer will no longer find it's way into my fridge. Sorry, Coffee-Mate, but you're creepy.

You Can Thank Me Later | Pumpkin French Toast.

Mike got me three cookbooks from my birthday from my favorite chef. A cupcake cookbook, a cookie cookbook, and brunch cookbook. I am in heaven. Seriously, she's amazing. Here's my latest favorite recipe:

[It's Vegan!] Pumpkin French Toast
1 cup pureed pumpkin (from a can is just fine)
1 1/2 cups almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 stale Baguette, sliced diagonally in 1 inch pieces, or 8 pieces thick sliced bread
Cooking oil for the pan

Mix together all ingredients (except for the bread, obviously). Spread out baguette slices on a rimmed baking pan in a single layer. Pour on pumpkin mixture and flip to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes, then flip over and soak for 10 minutes more. (Less time if using less hearty bread - otherwise it will break from sogginess!)

Preaheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking oil, or drizzle a little into the pan, and cook about half of the soaked breads at a time for 5 to 7 minutes on one side and about 3 minutes on the other. They should be golden to medium brown and flecked with darker spots. Keep warm on a plate covered with tin foil while you cook the second batch.

Photo + Recipe Source.

I'll Be the Bag Lady Sipping a Latte.

This post is a part of 20SB’s Blog Carnival: Can’t Live Without, and Alice.com is awarding prizes to lucky bloggers and readers!

It’s no secret that we tend to be cheap frugal around here. I’m currently only buying second-hand clothing, I’ve bragged about a twelve dollar outfit, I rarely buy books, I don’t have a TV, we only have one car, and I make lots of gifts myself. I’m not a fancy-nice-expensive handbag girl, a fancy-nice-expensive shoe girl, or a fancy-nice-expensive car girl. I do my own nails, dye my own hair, and cut my own bangs. And I’ve never spent more than $50 for an article of clothing – shoes included.

I never feel deprived, though, or all, “Woe is me, a poor peasant who shall never own a Coach bag.” Because: I allow myself to splurge on things that really make me happy. (Honestly, I couldn’t care less about Coach, anyway.) When thinking about what I couldn’t live without, no matter how poor we get, I realized it all comes down to one thing: Good Food.

Whether it’s a morning mocha, grocery shopping at Trader Joes and Whole Foods, Friday night take-out Thai, or brunch with Mike – I spend money on food.

Maybe it’s silly to spend money on something that won’t last, that I won’t treasure for years or show proudly to my friends, but I love the social aspect of eating (and drinking coffee, of course). Grabbing a cup of coffee with a friend is glorious, as is leaving our house to go out to dinner or brunch with Mike. It's so much more interactive and social than spending time together just watching television.

Plus, supporting a local restaurant makes for a unique experience. And I look forward to grocery shopping at a place that supports my values with options like organic, local, fair-trade, and vegetarian goods– and by treating their workers well. Last time I was at Trader Joe’s, I had a 20-minute conversation with the cashier about how much she loved her job –having the freedom to show her tattoos, wear jeans, and enjoy work. She even thanked me for shopping there so she could have her fabulous job.

Give me good food and grocery shopping experiences over McDonald’s and Walmart any day!

And sometimes, a yummy latte is just the perfect treat. Sometimes, going to Chipotle with my husband makes a Tuesday night just a bit special. Sometimes, a difficult day is improved when I go out and pick up lunch for myself.

I guess it’s all about priorities, and I love good food. Food that brings people together, that is a treat, that is produced and sold sustainably, and that makes my day better.

I won't judge you for your Christian Louboutin addiction, and you won't judge me when I don't know how awesome your shoes are. Or how to pronounce the designer's name. (Or having to Google the designer to see what exactly she/he designs.)

I won't judge you for drinking crappy coffee and buying processed, white bread and you won't judge me for shopping in Whole Foods or buying a latte. Or planning my vacation around finding good restaurants and taking photos of it. Deal?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PS: Have you entered my Starbucks giveaway??

Cookie Monster Could Totally be Vegan.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who liked to bake. She baked for her sweet tooth and she baked for fun. She baked while laughing at The Daily Show and she baked while singing along with Voxtrot. She baked to warm up her kitchen and she baked to share with others.

But most of all? She baked because it's perfectly acceptable to add chocolate chips to nearly anything when baking.

On Saturday, I made a few dozen amazing vegan peanut butter-oatmeal cookies. They were from my favorite cookbook ever. I added several handful handfuls of vegan chocolate chips, because, well chocolate makes miracles happen.

And these cookies? Are miraculous. Seriously. They're the kind of cookies where you get to yell, while pumping your fist in the air, "Ha! You ate VEGAN COOKIES!" after everyone tells you how delicious they are.

Then your so-not-vegan-or-even-adventurous-food-wise-but-totally-lovely friends take equal pleasure in encouraging other guests at the housewarming party to try to cookies, then yell at the cookie-eater incredulously, "THEY'RE VEGAN!!"

Seriously. Try them.

They're the kind of cookies where you really want to blog about them, but can't resist eating them...until all that is left to photograph is half a cookie.

They're Vegan! Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour (I use half whole-wheat pastry flour. Try it.)
2 cups rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar (or regular sugar and molasses if you're thrifty creative like me)
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (um, always add more. always.)

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a few cookie sheets.
2. Mix flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix oil, peanut butter, sugars, soy milk, and vanilla.
3. Mix both bowls together. Stir in chocolate chips. The dough will be firm. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough out, roll into ball and flatten with the bottom of a drinking glass to about half inch thickness.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until a bit puffy and brown.
5. Bask in the deliciousness, because: YUM.
6. Share with your neighbors because you have no sense of self control and are eating cookies for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (This step is optional.)

Adapted from Vegan with A Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.
(Seriously, you should get this cookbook.)

Six Happy Things.

1. Mike’s birthday was 10 days ago. His present? Going to Ann Arbor for the weekend and getting an amazing Ben and Jerry’s ice cream cake – the fulfillment of one of his life’s dreams. Oh yeah, and this. (Which came with a free this. It’s official, I win Wife of the Year. Sorry, ladies.)

   

2. On our trip to Ann Arbor, I wandered into Urban Outfitters for the very first time and (after gawking at a headband that cost thirty dollars) found what’s been missing in my life: this coffee mug.

   
   If you know the reference, we can be BFFs.

3. Also in Ann Arbor, we visited lots of fun little vintage stores, a vegetarian restaurant (Butternut squash enchiladas; my life is now complete.), and enjoyed a Michael Jackson fan dancing in a graffiti-saturated alley. A city fu ll of quirkiness and coffee shops And creative…eh, propositions?

   

4. I continue to adore the fact that we live close to our family. And that my husband is adorable with small children. And the fact that I feel more and more comfortable with the idea of having children and being a mother. After watching The Business of Being Born and not crying out of pure fear – I think that once we get insurance and jobs that will last longer than a year, I might just entertain the idea of a bun in the oven.

   

5. Tonight, I begin a weekly class called Graphic Design Drawing. I was tempted to forgo a class this semester since I’m adjusting to a new schedule and I stay after school most days, but I want to continue slowly working towards my graphic design certificate. It gives me energy to be doing something that I’m passionate about and that fuels my creativity. So, time will be made. (I have a feeling I’m going to gain 50 lbs by the end of this year, friends.)


6. Finding time to create and list items (slowly, but surely) is rewarding. Most recently, I've made a few laptop sleeves and listed some new earring colors. I've sort of been wearing these earrings like crazy, so I'm excited to finally list some to share! (Don't worry, I'm not wearing YOUR earrings. Hehe.)
   

Cupcakes. Need I Say More?

I got Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World from the library, and had a little spare time yesterday. So, I whipped up a batch of peanut butter-filled chocolate cupcake goodness, also known as:

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE HEAVENCAKES

Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake

Ingredients:
1 c milk (soy, almond, rice, or regular)
1 t apple cider vinegar (I used balsamic, it turned out fine)
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c oil
1.5 t vanilla
1 c flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

1. Whisk together milk and vinegar in a large bowl. Set aside for a few minutes. Add the sugar, oil, and vanilla to milk mixture and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add in two batches to wet ingredients and beat till no large lumps remain.
2. Pour into liners, filling three-quarters of the way. Bake 18-20 minutes at 360 degrees. Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.

Fill with Peanut Buttercream Filling/Frosting:
1/4 c softened margarine
2 T shortening
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
1 T molasses
1.5 t vanilla extract
1.25 c confectioner's sugar
1-2 T milk or creamer

- Cream together margarine and shortening with handheld mixer until smooth. Add peanut butter, molasses and vanilla and beat until very smooth, 2-3 minutes. Beat in sugar and dribble in milk a little at a time, beating continuously till frosting is very fluffy. I had a piping attachment for my pastry bag. I stuck it into each cupcake and filled it with peanut buttery goodness. YUM!

Top with Rich Chocolate Ganache topping:
1/4 c milk
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 T pure maple syrup

- Bring the milk to a gentle boil. Immediately remove from heat and add the chocolate and syrup. Mix until fully melted and smooth. Set aside till ready to use.

(I also topped some with the Peanut Buttercream Frosting. Yum.)


They are seriously AMAZING. Like, eat-three-cupcakes amazing.

(Yeah, so maybe I ate three.)

(Today.)

(Don't judge me. I'm going running.)

PS: Isa Chandra Moskowitz, I love you. Please don't be mad for me putting your delicious recipes on the internet. I just want more people to know how great vegan baking can be! Also, seriously, I LOVE YOU.

{FAQ 8} CSAs, Dreaming, Being Small, & Potatoes.

Sarah: if you could have a dream house anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

Family notwithstanding: Hawaii, hands down. The weather is perfect, it is near both beaches and mountains, and is the most wonderful place I've ever visited. (And I've visited a LOT of places.) I could continue gushing. But I'll stop.

bFlat: I've been dying to know how the CSA worked out. Were the veggies good? Were you able to use them all? Would you recommend it to others?

Short answer: yes, mostly, and YES!

The vegetables were amazing. I've never tasted such great sweet corn or watermelon. Yum. I miss it a lot. It was a bit of work to make sure I used up as many vegetables as possible - I'd make a stir fry instead of a PB & J sandwich, for instance. But: The vegetables were local, so they lasted much longer than grocery store vegetables which have been shipped across the country (or world!) Plus, forcing myself to eat more fruits and vegetables is always a wonderful thing.

I would recommend a CSA to anyone and everyone. You can always share it with another person if you're afraid it will be too much. And now is a great time to start looking for one!

(A CSA is community supported agriculture - we paid a lump sum in May and got a huge bag of fresh fruits and vegetables every week for 16 weeks. Find a CSA here.)

Jimaie: 1. how tall are you?

I am a teeny tiny five-foot-one. Just don't call me a shrimp. I still hate that nickname.

2. what size shoe do you wear? ( hah! i sound so stalkery ALREADY! ;))

Six or six-and-a-half.

3. What is your all time favorite comfort food, one you could not live without?

Potatoes! Mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, fries, oven baked potatoes. When I was in high school and ate fast food, I'd get a baked potato and french fries from Wendy's.

4. Tell us your idea of a perfect day :)

One spent in Hawaii on the beach, reading.

Or, realistically, one of the days over Christmas break when we were just lazy all day - playing Wii and dominoes, watching Scrubs, cooking, and hanging out with my family and my husband. It's perfect because I can wear yoga pants and a long sleeve thermal t-shirt all day and no one judges me. Plus, I like those people.


Ashley D: If you could have dinner with one person, who would it be and why?

Right now, Michelle Goodman, who wrote The Anti 9-to-5 Guide. I'd love to pick her brain and get her advice. Oh wait! No, I'd eat with the Readymade editors and convince them to feature my wee little Etsy shop. That would rock.

If money were no issue, where would you go on your next vacation?

Definitely a tour of Asia and Southeast Asia. I lived there for five years, and would LOVE to show Mike around. It's a big part of me that kind of gets buried. I'd eat roti canai, visit my high school, go shopping at KLCC (even though we still couldn't afford it), go see a $5 movie in a movie theater with Lazy Boy recliners, and savor the humidity. Sounds good to me.

................................

FYI: There are a million Ashleys on the Internet (and everywhere! Even though my parents named me after a boy when the name wasn't even popular. Annoying.), so to distinguish myself, I combined my Etsy name and my real name: Ashley.Star. So when I leave comments, that's me!

Joy.

I am seriously bubbling with happiness and hope today. Fiercely optimistic, in fact.

A few things that top my Happy List today:

. Our President.

I know this has been blogged-to-death, but in many, many ways I am excited about this. On Tuesday, as I was leaving work, a television blared loudly in the hallway to no one but me. "If Barack Obama can become president, there's no reason we can't achieve any goal we set for ourselves," the reporter mused.

Corny, but it made me wonder: What if I worked hard? Really, really hard? What if I gave everything my all? Where would I end up?

I think America is capable of hard work, of sacrificing, and even of getting along - if we can set aside our cynicism for a second.

Also on my Happy List is Michelle and Barack's obvious mutual love and respect for each other. In my life, I've never seen a president and First Lady who seem to be so in love after all these years. I never would have expected to look at the President of the United States as a role model for marriage.

Not to mention these cutie-patooties.

. Hosting Dinner.

Last night, we hosted our first dinner for a family that wasn't our own. We've had my family over to dinner and we've had friends our age over to dinner - but last night I cooked dinner for my coworker, his wife, and their two children (in 2nd and 5th grade). Despite having to sit on a few lawn chairs and burning the garlic bread ("Hey! Just cut of the burnt part," our guest said. And so we did. Classy.), it went well. And was incredibly fun. Mike hosted a little ping pong playing in the basement, we ate some delicious Ben and Jerry's ice cream, and my beloved Candy Cane Joe Joes proved they are actually life saving. At least to someone who is low on carbohydrates and is diabetic. But still: LIFE SAVING. Mmm.

I'd like to continue inviting people over for dinner - I love to cook and show people that a vegetarian dinner is still awesome. Plus, it's a great way to make more friends, right? Right.

. Etsy & Freelancing.

It has been about two months since I first opened my humble little piece of Etsy. I expected to slowly sell a few things here and there, but I'm happy to say I've exceeded my expectations! I've had twenty sales so far - including several custom orders. By no means am I about to quit my day job (oh, please Lord!), but it has been an amazing little journey. Through Etsy and a few freelance graphic design jobs I've scored, I really feel blessed that I'm slowly on my way to my dreams. I've learned so much and have been blown away by the positive responses I've gotten. (I may or may not squeal with delight every time I get one more person who "hearts" me or leaves me some feedback. It is always the highlight of my day and a good reason to make myself a hot chocolate.)

I'm so excited about what the future holds for me and I have high hopes. Although articulating those to others isn't always met with the most encouragement:

Well-meaning, curious person: "So! What are you doing in July after this position ends?"
Me: "Well, I'd sort of like to eventually do some freelance graphic design and...I have this little craft...thing."
WMCP: "Crafts, huh? Oh."
Me: ...
WMCP: ...
Me: "Well, yeah. You know. I like to create things like felt pouches...and I...embroider stuff sometimes....Oh! And I make note cards!"
WMCP: totally judging me for throwing away my intelligence, talent with children, and college education.

Thank you to any of you lovely people who have taken the time and money to shop on Etsy or local, small artists. What a blessing you are to people like me who love to create!

::Look out for a challenge next month regarding Target, Etsy, and other such things. Get excited::

PS: I am thisclose to rejoining Twitter. I seriously miss it so much. Seriously. Is that sad? I am weak. I miss you guys! (Okay, I'm making a poll about it. Because I am weak. Go vote and tell me what to do. OhmygoshI'msopathetic.)

{FAQ 3} On food, homemade gifts, and black sheepdom.

Stephanie wonders:
(1) What's your favorite Thanksgiving food? (I'm also a vegetarian and everyone always asks me what I eat on Thanksgiving... hello?! Have they not seen all the side dishes?)

I love to eat. I mean, I know people say that - but I ate more at Thanksgiving this year than my husband did. I'm serious about eating. But I get fully really quickly, so I annoy my family and friends by complaining every five seconds about being full. My sister and I contemplated the benefits of having four stomachs like cows do. It could be great for me. (Not the vomiting part. That would be awful.)

Also, I completely agree with you - being a vegetarian is no punishment on Thanksgiving! Fifty bajillion wonderful side dishes means I don't have to eat any of that gross bird. {I don't even eat Tofurkey, because I don't like the taste. But that's another story.}

Back to your question, I'd say my favorite side dish is sweet potatoes if they're done right. Mashed potatoes (I eat them with homemade cranberry-citrus sauce) are delicious, too!

(2) Are you planning on making Christmas gifts again and, if so, what do you plan on making?

Yes! I'm all about handmade - less packaging, less expensive, less commercial Christmas stress, and more personalized! Since my sisters usually read this blog (hi guys!), all I'll say is I'll be making things similar to what is in my Etsy store, food and bath salts in jars like last year, and even trying to make soap! (The internet has so many resources. It makes me happy.)

Steph (Corwin) asks: When was your first break-away-from-the-pack moment? You know since you're such a crazy compared to your family ;) Is there some defining moment in your life when you realized you were different from your family, or were you always that way?

My parents always really supported me when I was growing up. I was very much their "golden child," {I'm not just saying this, it's true. Very silly, but true.} because I was into my faith and did well in school. They'd tell my siblings to be more like me. {Weird, right?}

A few distinct moments stand out when I thought, "I...don't...agree...with my parents?!" Slightly panicked, to be honest. As a people-pleasing, teacher's pet kind of girl, not agreeing with your parents is really, insanely difficult.

Once when I was in middle school, my dad and I were discussing the Nike brand. I expressed concern over sweatshops, to which my dad explained that their wages weren't that bad for that area of the world, and that "at least Nike is creating work there".

"But...just because it's somewhere else doesn't mean they deserve to live like that," I said, surprising even myself for disagreeing with Dad. Intelligent, knows-everything, always-right Dad. We talked about it for a while longer. It was an odd feeling, coming away realizing that, for once, my dad didn't convince me.

My senior year of high school, The War started, and I was honestly confused as to why we were fighting. I asked my dad to explain it to me.

And, again, I came away from the conversation genuinely surprised to find that I still thought it was...not right. I wasn't convinced.

Then I went off to college, where I learned a lot. A lot. I was pushed, challenged, and confronted. I questioned my beliefs and values. I came to conclusions. I grew so much. I did what you're supposed to do in college.

I got to meet crazy, liberal hippies who were religious and so cool and not at all as evil as I had heard. I did a ton of service and then learned about the root causes behind injustices. I tutored immigrants for their citizenship test and wrote letters to my legislators about immigration reform. I went to an immigration rally and was confronted by neo-Nazis. A crazy, radical Christian came on campus and I read his book about Jesus' message of justice, not judgment. I wrote a letter to the Pope about fostering a consistent ethic of life (for a class, I'm not that much of a weirdo!), I led a small group about faith and justice - I was fiercely and wholly passionate.

I took one class called History of Catholicism in the US, and learned that liberalism has always been a plague on the church. It has always been feared. It has always been loathed. And...it lead great things. (The priest faces us and we can understand what he's saying!) I stopped thinking of "liberal" as a bad word because of that class.

I still feel a twinge of guilt when I come to conclusions that are different than my parents, but honestly - I am also very thankful to have such a different view in my own family. It makes me less likely to make sweeping generalizations about people I disagree with, it makes me more willing to find common ground, and it makes me appreciate agreeing with my husband. :)

I'm also proud of myself for staying true to who I am and not burying my real thoughts and feelings in order to stay the golden child. It's hard stuff. And most people will never experience what it's like to firmly disagree with their parents. I don't recommend it, but I do recommend being who you are!

We all want a better world, we just have different ideas of how to get there.

When Life Hands You Lemons...Make Hummus.

I drove through the snow this morning, listening to NPR as usual. I stop at a traffic light and cradle my warm hazelnut latte in my hands, taking a sip of sweet happiness. Maya Angelou is on the Diane Rehm show and is a beautiful, positive spirit. She’s just so full of joy and peace. She tells us young people do never get disheartened, because that is when we’re susceptible to negativity. Listening to her lifts my spirits, the flurries are soothing, the coffee is delicious…everything is perfect.

A few moments to myself and out of the office. Sigh.

The show ends and the news begins. Dire reports of the state of the economy, GM desperately begging for help, and jobless claims at a 14-year high fill the car. I’m still admittedly fuzzy on this whole economy thing and how it affects someone like me – I have no retirement or investments to speak of and live a modest, simple life. Like those attacks seven years ago, I’m not sure what this all means but I am aware that it is Bad News.

After listening to Maya Angelou’s infectious, unfailing positivity, I attempt to look on the bright side – how can I spend even less money? It will be like a fun challenge! We’re not in great financial shape anyway, what with my paltry stipend and Mike’s going to graduate school – so the fact that we have to worry about the job market means we have even more reason to scale our spending back.

So, I thought I’d share with you one of my favorite ways to cut the food bill: make my own hummus! Hummus can be steeply priced for the ingredients that are in it, plus it invariably comes in small amounts in plastic containers, many times in unrecyclable plastic containers. No good!

Making your own hummus is incredibly easy (I promise!) and you can make it in bigger batches than those little “eight” (more like two!) serving containers.

Ashley’s Hummus

Ingredients:

2-3 cups Chickpeas

2-3 tablespoons Olive oil

2-3 cloves Garlic

Salt

Pepper

Cumin (optional)

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

½ cup or so Tahini (likely the only thing not found in your pantry – it’s sesame seed paste. Look in the health or ethnic food section.)

Water, as needed.

Oh-so-Simple Directions:

Add chickpeas garlic (minced or cut in a few pieces), and tahini to a food processor (ETA: Or blender). Add a little water and olive oil to help it blend. Stop when it gets to a regular hummus consistency. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Blend more. Ta-da! Delicious and nutritious. Cheap, too!

Please Don't Tease Me for This, Okay?

In my pursuit of becoming a true domestic goddess, I've been hoping to plan my meals for a while now. This week, I finally got it together and took inventory of food in my fridge and pantry and used that as my starting point for meals. It means less food will go to waste, since I'm not just flying by the seat of my pants. (Ideally. We'll see how this actually goes.)

Ta-da, here's this week's dinner menu:

Monday: Whole wheat spaghetti with homemade pesto and salad.

Tuesday: Acorn squash soup (will make Monday night) and corn bread.

Wednesday: Vegetarian sloppy joes or chili (depending on my mood).

Thursday: Stir fry with veggies, tofu, and rice noodles. (I stir fry in olive oil, low sodium soy sauce, and a little toasted sesame oil.)

Friday: Out to eat or grilled cheese.

I'll have enough left over each night to bring as leftovers for lunch. Score.

PS: Check out this website for links to hundreds of other weekly meal menus.

Baking for Better Spirits. Or, Yay! Winter!

So, winter is here.

Let us all respond with a resounding "Bleh."

It snowed today. It was bitterly cold with a wind that cut through my wool winter coat.

In fact, I was feeling rather disgruntled with the day in general - it was dark by the time I left work and I realized I bought boots that were of different sizes (Two whole sizes apart. C'mon, Target.).

I came home and decided to bake some delightful pumpkin muffins to console myself. As their warm spicy smell filled the air, I began to be suddenly delight in the oncoming chilly season. Instead of: "Gah. Stupid layers and gloves and bulky clothing," I thought, "Yay! Cozy evenings with hot chocolate and cute tight-boot-skirt ensembles and peppermint mochas!"

It's amazing how a little pumpkin muffin and some (Silk) eggnog can brighten my mood.

Here are two delightful fall recipes from my favorite cookbook, Vegan with Vengeance.

The Best Pumpkin Muffins
The quintessential flavor of fall, neatly packaged in a delicious muffin!

Yields 1 - 1 1/2 dozen

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 cup pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix!)
1/2 cup milk - soy, rice, or cow
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup chopped walnuts [optional]

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease muffin tins.

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately - pour the wet into the dry and mix.

Fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. (I placed a walnut half on top of each muffin. Because I adore any kind of nuts.) Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

Maple Walnut Cookies
If you are as in love with the taste of maple as I am, you will not be able to stop eating these moist, delicious cookies.

Yields 3 dozen

1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (try to avoid licking the measuring cup. fail.)
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons maple extract (Yum.)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk - rice, soy, or cow
2 tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot or tapioca starch)
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
3 dozen walnut halves

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cookie sheets.

Combine the oil, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla and maple extracts, and sugar into a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Add the milk and cornstarch and mix until cornstarch is dissolve and the mixture resembles caramel.

Add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix with a spoon until well combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Drop spoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Press a walnut half into the center of each cookie. Back for 8 to 10 minutes, remove from oven, let sit for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Doin' It Ashley-Style:
- I usually substitute applesauce for at least half the oil, keeps the fat down and you don't even realize!
- Whole wheat pastry flour is a beautiful thing - much healthier than refined flour, but with all the fluffiness you could want.
- Substitution is not a dirty word. No molasses? Try honey. Don't have all the spices for pumpkin muffins? Use some pumpkin pie spice. (Which I liberally put in ANYTHING - cookies, waffles, pancakes, banana bread. Oh so good.)

You Said I Didn't Post Too Many Pictures...

..Maybe this post will change your mind. :)

This past weekend, Mike surprised me with a trip to Dayton. (If you're not playing along - that's where we lived last year, where we met, where I went to college - we moved in July.)

We stayed in a bed and breakfast in this historic neighborhood...

...and soaked up the fall colors.

The amazing hanging chairs in the living room. I LOVED THESE THINGS. Seriously.

Enjoyed a wonderful dinner with tons of friends at our favorite restaurant in Dayton.

And surprise! I got to meet our friends' 16-day-old baby for the first time. I adore little babies (I know, I know - who doesn't?) but this only convinced me further that I am not quite ready to have one of these in my life 24/7...But his little body was so snuggly. Mmm.

After going to our favorite farmer's market on Saturday, we met Tim at the river to watch him lead some kayaking. Somehow, we wound up getting sweet talked onto a canoe. (I had some bad memories of the last time we went on the water with Tim.)

Thumbs up!

Mike proving his prowess as a rowing champ.

Tim is reaaally excited.

Maybe because he knows how exciting it will be...

Launching canoe: Fail. Somehow we fell into the water while launching. And Tim and I were soaking. SOAKING, I tell you. I did not actually want to try again, because I'm a wimp and being wet in 50 degree weather is cold. But I sucked it up, because I didn't want to be a wet blanket (pun totally intended).

After drying off wringing out, we successfully re-launched.

I didn't have to paddle. It was great. Instead, I was free to tightly grip the sides of the canoe and scream at Mike and Tim to "stop rocking to boat!" and insist "It's NOT FUNNY!" because I was scared we were going to tip again. We did not.

Sunday morning, we ate brunch at the most amazing restaurant ever in Yellow Springs (our favorite little hippie town!).

We also had a Dave Chapelle siting at brunch. I never even liked his comedy, but it always thrills me to see a famous person in the wild.

It was a glorious weekend.

Oh, and PS: here's my make up pouch - I used it this weekend it was the perfect size! Although Mike and our roommate pointed out that it resembles the Hollister logo. I don't much care for Hollister. (Sorry, Hollister - your clothes are just overpriced and too teenager-y for me.)

I think I'll do a blog post to show you how it was made. :)

PPS: I made a vlog for Worth it Wednesday since it's 20SB video day. (NOT VLOG. Never vlog. I'm sorry, trendy internet people, but I will never say vlog.) I can't find my camera cord, but I will hopefully post it later tonight. That's right, I'll be one of those bloggers who posts more than once a day. Stone me now.

An Ode to Grandma's Donuts.

My love affair with homemade donuts started many, many years ago. My wonderful grandma would wake up at 5am to have hot, crispy, fluffy, powered sugar donuts waiting for us as a treat. She'd always double or triple the recipe - since there was usually at least a dozen people at her house. We'd sit around the table in shifts - with our plastic cup of milk and licking powdered sugar off our fingers.

Those were glorious mornings.

When we made them at our house for the first time - it was odd. As if out of the context of grandma's house, they were no longer as special. My almost-16-year-old (oh my gosh, I am so old!) sister is as obsessed with making food as I am, so we made some this weekend.

Here's the recipe - illustrated! [Give it a try - it takes some time, but mostly just waiting for things to rise. Perfect for a Sunday morning.]

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup warm water
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup soft shortening
3 1/2 (or so) cups flour

Bring the milk to a boil and then cool.

I'm so in love with these kind of cook tops. Sigh. I dream of a day when things don't get caught under my burner.

Dissolve yeast in warm water.

Add milk, sugar, salt, egg, shortening, and half of flour.


Mix with spoon until smooth.


Grab a cute sister to pose for you. {Promise sister you won't put picture on internet. Put it on internet anyway.}


Add enough remaining flour to handle easily; mix with hands.

Somehow, Emmie is bossy enough that I ended up doing this part. Which is kind of annoying, really, have your hands covered in sticky dough.

Turn onto lightly floured board.


Knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes)

I recorded an adorable video of little sister demonstrating kneading. Silly Flickr.

[Get distracted by fridge. Wait, is that what I think it is??]


[I love my mother. Who apparently loves Jim.]


Wait! Where was I? Oh, donuts. Yes.


Spray or grease bowl.


Place dough in bowl and then flip over, so it's all greasy. Yum.


Cover with damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place (85 deg.) until doubled - about 1.5 hours. (We had to put ours in a slightly-cooled oven since the house was chilly. After it rises, punch down and let rise for 30 more minutes.

{Halloween-esque towel is optional.}

Roll out dough 1/3" thick. Cut with 3" floured donut or cookie cutter (you could always cut it up into squares if you don't have a donut cutter. Pillows taste yummy, too!). Let right again for 30-45 minutes. Leave uncovered, so crust will form on the dough.


Drop into vegetable oil that is HOT (around 375 deg. or when the sizzle when you drop them in).


Flip them over when you start to see the brown edges (usually less than a minute).

Cook a bit on the other side, too.

Then drain on paper (or cloth!) towels.

For powdered sugar donuts (aka: pure heaven), place in a bag with sugar and shake.

Eat them before everyone else does.

Dang it. Now I'm all hungry and stuff.