Happy Birthday Cupcake For Mommy

They say it's my mommy's birthday. Every year my mommy says, "didn't I tell you and your sister not to get me anything?" One reason my mommy doesn't want anything is because she stopped counting birthdays.

She doesn't want my sister to get her anything because my sister's perpetually broke and getting my mom a present would mean just hitting my mom up for more money later which really kind of means that in the long run my mom bought herself the present.This does not at all indicate that my sister is ungenerous or slothful or frivolous. Her Dickensian story is for another day. (this is what I call a cyclical gift-not to be confused with the diabolical "re- gift")

Did you ever receive a re- gift? I did. From a wealthy cheapo. Mrs. Scrooge didn't even have the decency to re- wrap the crappy gift they didn't want. They gave it to me with the original paper hanging off. Yuk. I mean why splurge on a piece of scotch tape.

The most prevalent reason my mom doesn't want anything is because many birthdays ago and one particularly auspicious April 17th my mom went into labor and gave birth to a 2.75 pound preemie...Me! (April 18th)

Now isn't that the best gift ever? Happy Birthday, Mommy.

Vegan raspberry cream cheese cup cake for Mommy! xoxox

Raspberry Frosting

4 Oz. tofutti
1/4 stick earth balance (softened-room temp)
3 C powdered sugar
tsp rice milk
tsp vanilla
2 T TJ's organic raspberry preserves (or your fave)

Cream tofutti and earth balance. Add powdered sugar. Beat 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and rice milk. Continue to mix to frosting consistency. Stir in preserves.

Share with your birthday pal.

Dessert in the Raw

If I ate as many dried fruits and nuts and seeds as I would like to it would be in the pounds and I would be one hefty vegan. That's not to say I don't partake in a rolled coconut date once in a while. When my body craves dried papaya, or dates, or figs, or roasted pumpkin seeds I give in and give moderation a whirl. I'm not particularly fond of moderation, myself. Doing everything in moderation is extremist and once in a while I'd like to gorge myself on nut butters.
On the way home from LA  last week, we bought some dried pineapple rings.They looked like pineapple. They smelled like pineapple. They tasted like a pizza box. We soaked them in OJ which kind of killed the dried fruit thing they had going, but at least the rings were edible, and we upped the "C". 

I love me some raw food. Cafe Gratitude in Berkeley still rocks my boat. Their raw Caesar salad made with nut Parmesan and raw croutons is delicious and fresh and their cashew coconut  almond shakes are tasty and not too sweet. The cocoa nib truffles although delicious are the size of a thumbnail and one would have to trade in their solar powered car to buy a satisfying amount. Last time we were at Gratitude their service sucked. I think we waited an hour for my salad and none of the wait staff ventured near our table to tell us what was up. What the hell takes so long, anyway? Everything is served at room temp. Maybe the dehydration machine was on the blink.


I could never be a raw foodist or nudist foodist all the time. I like high temperatures and blackened broccoli and hot coffee and baked goods that are well uh baked. Those dehydrators piss me off too. I get too thirsty as it is. Still I had to give making raw food a shot. I will definitely make this again.

Me and Mo made these raw brownies on the one sweltering day we had recently. Look how the Rice Dream ice cream is melting.

In The Raw Brownie Adapted From http://therawtarian.com/

1 C walnuts

1 C dates

5 T cocoa powder

4 T shredded unsweetened coconut

2 T agave nectar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Place walnuts in food processor and process until the walnuts become small and crumbly.

2. Add dates and process again until the mixture sticks together and the dates are well processed.

3. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the mixture turns a dark chocolaty brown. Stop processing before it gets too buttery. (There should still be air between the small bits so that you will be able to press them down into your brownie pan.)

4. Dump the mixture into a brownie dish or 8 by 11 cake pan and press down firmly using your clean hands.

5. Refrigerate for an hour or more. You do not have to refrigerate it, but it's much easier to slice when chilled.

Remember summer is coming , and it'll be hot so you'll want to eat these brownies in the raw, I mean... Oh you know what I mean.

PB Swirl

9/10ths of the time I've got some gratitude going on. Even if I have to drum it up and eek it out. I'd rather be happy and dopey than a pitiful slug. A lot of people like to step on slugs. Vegans aren't even that fond of them. Not that we would intentionally step on anything. I won't even step on a crack because I don't want my mom to suffer.
The 1/10th part- you know, the grimacing gastropod part hit me upside the head this week. It all started with an honest mistake. I sent out caved in cupcakes. I tried covering the offending grand canyon cakes with mounds of icing. The client wouldn't have it. Of course I replaced them, apologized profusely and offered them a free trip to Arizona. Water under the bridge, as they say. Lalalala. I let it go and moved on. It's not good to stress. So I mosied over to my Etsy account. Yep I'm in treasuries everyday, but the sales are bupkus this week. In an effort to make myself feel better I decided to check out other vegan bakers sites to see if perhaps their sales were down too. I consoled myself with, "oh well maybe it's a slow week".  350 sales on one vegan baker's site and 450 at Megaprettyvegan's online account. I just wanted to clear my 60 sales this week.  I tried to let it go. I really did. And just when I was thinking of packing in all my cupcake liners, blue icing and Swedish fish I received a convo on my Etsy account. Nope it didn't make me richer, or even get me past 60 Etsy sales but somehow it kept me at this baking gig for one more day. Here is the letter and our correspondence. Thank You Bakado!


Hi there,

I get mine (pb lovers voopee) at catahoula coffee in Richmond, I'm using them for motivation while training -they are my "cheat" meal (I'm assuming somewhere around 600 kcal for a whole pie) and plan my day's meals accordingly. So far it's been working - down 20 lbs with 5 to go. So thank you for making these pies.
Only problem - is they are too popular at catahoula lately, and I haven't been able to get one for at least a week and a half - and I am feinding FEINDING I tell you!
I would order through easy but the danger of a 6 pack of these sitting on my freezer ( they freeze well right?) scares the dickens out of me - as at least having to get to catahoula stops me from eating these every day of the week.
So please, please please I beg of you - deliver more to catahoula - you can always complain to me via email if they aren't moving and I will make sure everyone I know gets some...
Thank you for your time and voopies
~ ~
Hi Bakadoh (ha ha)
Thanks for your nifty letter of PB Love. If you are picking up this message now 1:45 Friday some Fresh PB voopees should be in your local Catahoula by 2:00 today. I just sent some out.
PB in a jar often calls my name from an undisclosed location, so I can understand your voopee in the house predicament. They do freeze well, by the way. But A freezer never stopped anybody!
Down 20 pounds, that's terrific. What are you training for? You can always order a batch to bring to a friends (just convo me) and I can drop them off at Catahoula sans shipping of course. I'm not sure about the caloric content, but be assured the calories are much less than a whopper, a better source of protein and cruelty free.
Would you mind if I used your letter on my blog today?

Run don't walk to Catahoula now.

Thank you again. Always happy to motivate. (I'm an ex-athlete and coach)
Keep pedaling.

GiGi
Head Honcho of Veganville
~ ~ ~
Of course you can use my letter in your blog. I'm at catahoula right now - buying three... But I love how many there are here.

I won't bore you with my life story - but I'm training to see how fit I can be. Even when I was body building many years ago I never was able to get under 190 for very long. Now I'm hovering between 180 and 177 steadily losing since January 31st.
Sorry chocolate all over my iPhone from the vooper... I'm good for another week- I'm going to try to addict two people for you today, by sharing.
I love your idea for drop ship at catahoula

In honor of the lovely letter I received I am creating a PB Lovers Box that will include PB Voopees, Vanilla Cupcake with PB frosting and PB Swirl Brownies. 60 Etsy sales here we come.

Wanna add some swirl to your brownie now? Make your fave brownie batter and place in prepared pan. In a separate bowl make the PB mixture.
Mix together:
2/3 C PB
2 T canola oil
2 T organic powder sugar

Place dollops of PB mixture on the panned batter. Swirl with knife. Bake according to your favorite brownie recipe directions. Feel free to write me a very nice letter.

Knife Skills and Life Skills for Vegans

Today is all about knife skills for vegans. Knife skills are like basic life skills. I'm sure you are probably crafty enough to use scissors and incisors but in my kitchen knives are a preferred tool. Use the right tool and you can say sayanara to kitchen accidents, or at least save on finger cots and dental bills.

1. Never run, swing from a rope or wear a blind fold while wielding a chef's knife. You are not Zorro.

2. Put that knife down when you are talking to me. Don't use it your knife as an extension of a hand gesture. Do not punctuate with the point of a knife!

3. You talking to me? Yes, I just asked you a fascinating question, but please please, don't continue dicing while looking me in the eye and telling me in elaborate detail about how your last date took to you to Arby's.

4. We might not eat meat or crustaceans but don't chuck that mallet just yet. Nuts and coconuts need attention too.

5. It's okay to raise that mallet the next time a snarky omnivore tries to sneak a beef bouillon into your veggie stock. (Yes Mr. Omnivore even beef stock has beef in it.)

6.  Hey where you going with that cleaver? It'll never be bloody from meat again but isn't it great for smashing garlic and removing an avocado pit?

7. Do not swallow fondue forks like a sword swallower even though it is the funniest thing in the world, and your crazy ass friends will think it's hysterical. Food is much more important than a night in the emergency room. (And cheaper too.)

8. Rusty knives cause gonnorreah, or is it gangrene? Eh, same thing.

9.  And never ever cut a lemon or any delicious fruit in mid air. Always use a flat surface. Or it will come out looking like the lemon garnish below, smart ass!

For the recipe please visit the blog I swiped this from. (See the many uses of the mallet). Maybe you can't see the lemon wedge anymore because I cropped this food photo with a hatchet. These tropical grapefruit meyer lemon parfaits can be particularly delicious after a loss of blood. But we're avoiding that aren't we?

MoFo #17 Fast and Easy Does It Din-Din

Tonight I introduce the lilliputian blog. (just for tonight) notice the lilliputian text. And lack of rambling.
This text kind of sucks though,especially if you have Magoo- like tendencies. Ah back to normal or back to the way I usually am. I won't keep you. Just thought I'd quickly share what our dinner of champions consisted of tonight.

1. Chunk up delicious smoked tofu.
2. Place spinach and tofu in soup bowl.
3.Make soup according to directions, when ready pour soup over spinach and tofu.
4. Add tsp of sesame oil.

Fast, Easy, Effective like tonight's blog ;)
Nightie-night.

MoFo 7 Popeye Pin Wheels With Olive Oyle

I always had the impression that Popeye was a vegan. I mean besides being a spinach junkie Popeye's motto is "I yam what I yam". Popeye even owned a restaurant called "Spinach Heaven". Popeye once made a documentary called "Spinach vs. Hamburger", which is considered the Food Inc. of the 30's. I just found out that Popeye's "Spinach Heaven" served Spanish spinach omelets, so apparently Popeye is a vegetarian not a vegan. His archenemy Bluto passed away a number of years ago, (clogged artery), bloated and sad and alone, still pining for Olive Oyle. I'd rather not analyze Olive Oyle's eating habits in this post. Suffice it to say she has remained a size zero-zero throughout her life.
Don't be Wimpy, give these Pin Wheels a whirl.

1/2 of a 17.3 oz. package of Pepperidge Farm (Fahm) Puff Pastry Sheet (hooray they're vegan)
2 T of Earth Balance melted or 2 T of Olive Oyl (ha ha)
3/4 C Daiya shredded mozzarella or cheddar
1/8th C of nutritional yeast (nooch)
1-2 T of Tofutti "cream" cheese
1 clove garlic smashed and minced
1 chopped green onion
1 T non-wine Dijon or regular Dijon if you want
10 0z. chopped spinach thawed with as much water squeezed out as humanly possible

Preheat oven 400 degrees. If using Earth Balance go ahead melt it and set aside. If using olive oil pour it in to a ramekin. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stir Daiya, nooch, tofutti, mustard and garlic in medium bowl.

Flour flat surface. Unfold pastry sheet on to aforementioned surface. Brush pastry sheet with chosen oil. Top with Daiya mix, and then some spinach. Starting with the short end roll up pastry like a jelly roll. Cut into 12 pieces. Place cut side down on baking sheet. Brush with melted EB or olive oil. Bake 17-20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack.

A personal note. My late aunt's name was Olive. She was a kick with a great sense of humor. Sometimes I'd call her Aunt Pickles. We all miss you Aunt Olive. (This post is dedicated to her memory) xoxo

Hoops and Basmati Rice Pudding

My tummy is doing tricks and looks like a basketball. The Harlem Globetrotters want to recruit my tummy. Our dribble is very good too. I told the Harlem Globetrotters' scout that my tummy and me could not play every game. The tummy needs consistent carbs to be bouncable, specifically Basmati Coconut Rice Pudding and besides my tummy and me get somewhat drowsy after the first lay-up. Basmati Coconut Rice Pudding is an interesting dinner choice, even for me and said tummy. I must say it was very satisfying, (of course filling and comforting), and the aroma of Basmati Rice cooking is tantalizing. For all you raisin haters and coconut cringers out there you can just leave that stuff out. I hope my hubby doesn't roll us out with the garbage. Me and tummy are holding out for the NBA offer.
I've included a lovely side salad in case you want more sustenance and a drop of veggie before the playoffs. (My student Mo shredded those carrots for me and made the awesome dressing in cooking class)

Basmati Coconut Rice Pudding (serves 4 - 6 generous portions)
1 1/2 C  Basmati rice (rinsed and drained)
2 C  Water
2 T  Earth Balance
2/3 C Agave plus about 1/4 C more to sprinkle over the parfait glasses when filled

1 1/4 14 oz cans lite coconut milk - I like Trader Joe's brand
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 T non-alcoholic  vanilla
1 C Raisins
4 T Unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Add rinsed and drained basmati rice and water to pot.  Add 2 T EB. Bring to a boil. Lower flame to a simmer, (low), and cover. Cook rice about 21 minutes more. No peeking or lifting that lid...it will screw up the rice big time. After your timer has dinged, now go ahead lift the lid... what are you waiting for? Stir in 1 can of coconut milk, 2/3 C of agave, vanilla and raisins and cinnamon. Let stand 20 minutes, or refrigerate. When ready, spoon into parfait glasses or fancy pants bowls and add 1 T of agave, a drizzle of coconut milk to each vessel, (Oh you know what I mean), pour a generous tablespoon of coconut milk over each "vessel, or glass or bowl". Add coconut if so desired.

Simple Asian Side Salad With Sesame Dressing

1 Package of Butter Lettuce

2 Celery stalks chopped

1 Carrot grated

TJ's Roasted Seaweed Snacks

chopped peanuts, or cashews (optional)

a handful of bean sprouts (optional)

Sesame Dressing

1/2 C canola oil

3 T toasted sesame oil

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

3 T soy sauce

1 T agave

Gomasio

Divide butter lettuce evenly amongst salad plates. Top with carrots, celery and other fixings.

Whisk all dressing ingredients in bowl. Drizzle dressing over each salad and sprinkle with Gomasio. Garnish with TJ's Roasted Seaweed Snack.

Now go shoot some hoops.

Baseball and Vegan Crab Cakes

It's been a roller coaster of a week here in Veganville. Our Veganville Carrot Cake Whoopees soon to be called "Veganville Vhoopees" ve zink, are flying off the shelves. Vhoopee! On the flipping fiddlesticks side, my nephew Sammy and his team, the undefeated (19-0) Mira Costa Mustangs Senior Little League All Stars from Southern California played in the Senior Little League World Series Semi-Finals and were ousted by the Bangor, Maine home boys on their home turf. In my mind I have justified the Mira Costa boys as the true winners since they are the only team to stomp Aruba in Pool Play before Aruba clinched the World Series by trouncing the Bangor, Mainers 8-1. Congratulations to Aruba. Mira Costa- you guys rock! 
My friend and student Mo and I listened to the game and made Maine like fare. Sherry and Sandy the terrific gals over at exploitsofaveganwannabe.com graciously shared their wicked good, (that's Maine speak), recipe for Vegan Crab Cakes. We used TJ's "21 Salute" herb mix in place of the "Fiesta Mix" blend that Sandy and Sherry used in their recipe. This is a must try! While you are at it make a gallon of Sandy and Sherry's especially yummy tartar sauce to keep in your fridge. Check out their winning recipes. Thanks girls!
http://www.exploitsofaveganwannabe.com/2010/08/811-not-so-crabby-cakes/

Easy Roasted Corn
A few good husked and cleaned fresh corn
A few spritzes of canola oil spray
A few sprinkles of sea salt
A few shakes of herbs of your choice, (we are now stuck on TJ's "21 Salute")

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Generously spritz both sides of corn with canola spray. Now sprinkle, shake and bake. Turn corn midway through cooking time. And please floss in private.

Make This Before the Season Is Over!!!

Hi! Come here often? Well even if this is your first time here-even if you've never used one of Veganville's recipes- even if you're scared to let go and veganize and came here because you got lost, don't go yet. Really. Stay put. This is the one recipe that cannot wait for you to think about going to your local Farmer's Market or feel your way into the kitchen. We made this in my Veganville class yesterday. We ate  every last crumb of it.  If I could eat this dessert for breakfast ,brunch, lunch, supper, dinner and a midnight snack, yeah I would be a pig, but Ooohhh it is so worth it. It is the orgasmic treat of the season and you gotta hurry because fresh blueberries won't be here forever.

Okay gang get your goblets, or parfait glasses ready... and Here it is...
Blueberry Cupcake Parfait

Agave Maple Cupcake Part (Makes 12 Standard)

2/3 C Vanilla Rice milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2/3 C agave
1/3 C canola oil
1.5 tsp non-alcoholic vanilla
1 tsp maple flavoring
1 1/3 C unbleached flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp sea salt

1.Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners and Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2.Mix the rice milk and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl and allow to sit for a few minutes to curdle and then whisk again. Beat in agave, oil, vanilla and maple flavoring. Sift in flour baking powder and baking soda. Fill liners 2/3's full. (Use an ice cream scoop it's easy) Bake 20-22 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on rack.

1 box of blueberries, (it's really called a clam of blueberries but there's nothing fishy about it)
3/4 can lite coconut milk
2 T brown sugar per parfait

Line up your parfait glasses or goblets. We used three goblets.Take the cupcakes out of their wrappers. (eating paper might lessen the carbon footprint- but it's not that tasty) Place one cupcake on the bottom of each goblet. Layer each cupcake completely with your fresh blueberries. Pour coconut milk over that layer, then go ahead do up that layer thing again...cupcake, blueberries, coconut milk, ending with some blueberries. Sprinkle 2 T brown sugar over the top of each parfait. Refrigerate at least 35 minutes. Sending you blueberry kisses.

Greetings From North Pole Cali and Cookies

It's July!  Greetings From Northern California!!!!
Although I am terrifically inspired and would like to make a lot of new recipes today, I don't feel like getting the bobsled out again to go to the corner market. I will have to make do with the ingredients on hand. Blustery weather makes me yearn for a comfort cookie.
After a quick inventory of my larder I realize I will have to find inspiration elsewhere. My culinary dreams will have to wait 'til I can brave this grey frigid 65 degree Arctic climate.This might be a good time to spy on my fellow bloggers. Maybe they'll have something I can whip up with what's left in my pantry. Think I'll mosey on over to see what Rachel and Janet are doing at "Life Told In Recipes" http://lifetoldinrecipes.blogspot.com/. Hmmm... The other day they made a crostini which is a fancy pants name for a pie. Lu Samu over at http://lusamu.com/ made a pie too. Lu didn't show a picture of the pie she made. She's an interior decorator/house wizard so she reupholstered an 18th century chair to look like a pie. I made a pie last week too. Feh. Nobody cares.

I don't want a pie anyway, unless the weather changes back to a balmy 67 degrees. Lookie, lookie here comes cookie. I rummaged through the blogs which was no easy task. Mittens are hard to work with, but they leave no prints. Anyway, I decided to veganize Rachel's yummy molasses cookie recipe and give it my own twist. They are cakey cookies so I decided to make Whoopee... uh make them into whoopee pies by sandwiching them together with lemon frosting.

Rachel's Molasses Cookies with a Veganville Twist

2 1/4 C unbleached flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 1/4 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

1.5 sticks EB (room temp)

1/2 C brown sugar

1/2 vegan sugar

1/3 C molasses

1 tsp non-alcoholic vanilla

1 tsp Egg Replacer

2 T water

Lemon Icing

1/4 C Earth Balance

1 1/2 C confectioner's sugar

1/2 T fresh lemon

1 1/4 tsp organic lemon flavoring

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk all the dry ingredients except the sugars in a medium bowl. In a small bowl mix Egg Replacer with water until it is a slurry, (with a fringe on top). Never mind.

In a large mixing bowl cream the earth balance. Add the the sugars and mix. Add Egg Replacer, molasses and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined. I use medium ice cream scoop to measure out the dough per cookie. Roll the dough into a ball and place onto prepared cookie sheet. This should yield 15 gigantic cookies. Rachel says it should make 15-20, but I ate some dough from the mixing bowl. I wound up with 2 cookies.

Bake 5-6 minutes. Turn the pan and bake about 5 more minutes.The cookies get harder as they cool. Remember you want them cakey soft so don't sweat it if they don't look done. Get them out of the oven and let them cool completely before icing.

Zee icing

1/4 C Earth Balance (softened)

1.5 C confectioner's sugar

1/4 tsp fresh lemon

1/2 tsp organic lemon flavoring

Cream the Earth Balance. Add the confectioner's sugar a little bit at a time. Mix about 3-5 minutes until smooth. Add the fresh lemon and lemon flavoring. Mix,

Spread on the flat side of the cookie and sandwich!

Great un-sandwiched too! My testers loved these. Thank you, Rachel.

I Bet You'll Love These Cupcakes

I never learned to play Go Fish, or Old Maid. My dad taught us black jack and "pisha pasha" the Yiddish name for the card game War. As a child I read the dictionary and played massive amounts of ping pong so by the time I was ten it was only natural that I utilize those talents by betting on 21 games, and throwing spelling bees.

Granted, I was never a girl scout or a brownie but when troupe 753 was going to a dude ranch for a weekend they asked 11 year old GiGi to go. Yee haw! My parents gave me some money and I guess they expected me to ride them there horsies and breathe some country air. I never saw the light of day and lost all their money playing pinball and betting on knock hockey - there was no ping pong - or else I would have come home with Mom and Dad's next mortgage payment.

My uncle J.  a Harvard grad, did time in Sing Sing for embezzling. My great grandmother baked lemon meringue pies for the customers in my great grandfather's gambling house. My sisters ex-husbands, and fiancees have been hunted down by bookies and bookies have called her home to ask if she wanted to bet in tandem with her beaus. My one husband wound up tens of thousands of dollars in debt spending money and betting on jobs that never materialized. 24 years ago I quit smoking 2.5 packs a day on a bet. I'll look the other way when we drive by the stinky dilapidated San Pablo Bingo parlor. It's just too enticing. I always liked the B-52s. I bet you didn't know that Swedish Fish were vegan! Go fish!

These are uber kid friendly and great for summer fun!

And yep I pinkie bet you can't eat just one.

Please don't jump ship after that ridiculous poem.

Make your standard Vegan Vanilla cupcake. Reach into the Veganville archives and you'll find one. Pour the batter into navy or some sort of blue hue cupcake liner.

Frosting and Decorating

1 Stick of Earth Balance (room temp)

2 T vegan shortening

3.5 C  confectioner's sugar

1 T-1/4 C of rice milk, or soy or hemp or almond

1 1/2 tsp non- alcoholic vanilla or flavoring of your choice

 3- 5 drops blue food coloring

several toothpicks or a thin knife

Swedish Fish, of course

Cream the Earth Balance and the shortening together until fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar and beat for about 3 minutes. Add rice milk, and flavoring and beat another 5-7 minutes until fluffy. Remove bowl from stand, or mixer from bowl.

With a toothpick take a small amount of coloring and swirl it into the frosting. Trust me a small amount takes you a long way. Throw out the toothpick and use a spoon to mix the color into the frosting until thoroughly combined. If you want a deeper blue, repeat the process using a fresh toothpick each time. Do not, I repeat do not, frost a warm cupcake or cake for that matter EVER. Wait until the cupcakes are cool.

Frost and top with 1 Swedish fishy per cupcake. Bingo! It's a winner. They are perfect to eat while hanging with your toothless pals at OTB. Just saying.

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil/recipe too

The very kind people from Tropical Traditions tracked me down. I received one email and 5 twitters from them today. They wanted to know if I was enjoying my 32 ounce unopened bottle of coconut oil. Have I told my friends about it? What have I made? Where's that freakin' review? Okay, they didn't say freakin'. Tropical Traditions Gold Label Standard Virgin Coconut Oil is made by traditional methods in the rural areas of the Philippines. I don't think freakin' is a Tagalog term but in my Brooklyn head freakin'  is always implied.

In the event that you don't speak several Austronesian languages like I do, here is a Hawaiian and Tagalog glossary to assist you with the remainder of my review.

Mahalo, GiGi-Thank you GiGi!
Ahui hou kakou-Until We Meet Again
Pupule-Crazy
Wiki Wiki-Fast, speedy, hurry
Kaina Yaan, GiGi- Eat that, GiGi
Pagluto-Cook
Sarap-Delicious
Bwiset GiGi- Annoying, GiGi

Tropical Traditions is a very dependable company. My Tropical Traditions Gold Label Standard virgin coconut oil was delivered over night, or at least I think it was over night. That was many moons ago. My coconut oil has been gracing my shelf for close to three weeks now. Trust me "TT" is reliable. 
I better wiki wiki my pupule ass and write this overdue review.

The Tropical Traditions bottle is gorgeous. It has a black and gold label and the coconut oil appears crystallized when solidified. Coconut oil can be used as a solid to replace Earth Balance or margarine or it can be melted and used to replace oil in a recipe. I could wax poetic on the aesthetic qualities of the Tropical Traditions jar but you cannot kaina yaan glass. It is not so sarap.

Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Cream Concentrate - 1-Quart (32 oz)

Coconut oil can also be used in smoothies and added to coffee or hot cocoa. It makes delicious pie crusts as well. It's high in antioxidants and is an auto immune builder.
I decided to give the coconut oil a go and try it in my vegan chocolate chip cookies. Before whipping up a batch I had to stick my nose in the jar and get a whiff, (which could have been dangerous given the size of my nose). Some people actually eat Coconut cream from a spoon. It smells like paradise, or very much like a coconut moisturizer I once slathered on. My olfactory gives it a thumbs up. My  nose was quite pleased with the size of the mouth of the jar.

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Sans Chip Cookies (about 2.5 dozen)
2 1/4 C unbleached flour
1tsp baking soda
1 C Tropical Traditions Gold Label Standard Virgin Coconut Oil
3/4 C vegan sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
1.5 tsp non-alcoholic vanilla
1T Ener G Foods Egg Replacer Ener G Foods - Egg Replacer - 1(16 Oz.)
1/4 C water
1 Cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour and baking soda in small bowl. In another mixing bowl beat coconut oil, both sugars and vanilla. In a very small bowl whisk egg replacer with water until well combined. Beat 1/2 the egg replacer concoction into coconut batter, add remaining egg replacer and mix again. Add the flour and mix again.
Oh c'mon it's not that much mixing. The good people of the Philippines made the coconut oil you're using by hand, so don't complain!
Stop the machine and scrape down the sides and mix well.
Now taste the batter. Awesome, right? Isn't it like one of the best doughs you've ever tasted?
Go ahead and make half a batch without the chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls (I use an ice cream scoop).
Now fold the chocolate chips into the remaining batter. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to another ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 11-14 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling rack. Enjoy with frosty cold soy or rice milk.

I can't wait to try Tropical Traditions coconut oil in my savories. Please visit their fascinating  and informative website where you can find more scrumptuous recipes at :
http://www.tropicaltraditons.com/

Ahui hou kakaou,
GiGi

Nuthin Butter Cupcakes

I was all psyched to make Ricemellow filled cupcakes that are of course pony safe. No horsing around for this girl Yuk Yuk. I'm totally bummed that two local health food stores no longer carry one of my favorite confections and that I would have to mail order it, and that would take oodles of time. These little nuthin butters just couldn't wait. Since necessity is the mother of invention, I decided to concoct my own marshmallow type thing.


Remember fluffernutter- peanut butter sandwiches, don't you? Well this is my vegan friendly cupcake tribute to that white bread wonder.
Enjoy!


The filling
1 12 0z.silken tofu (in the box)
1/4 Cup canola oil
1/3 cup agave (or maple syrup)
1 T non-dairy milk (I use vanilla rice milk)
1.5 tsp vanilla (I use non-alcoholic)
1 ripe banana sliced (optional)_
Blend all ingredients except banana in food processor or blender.Blend about a minute then add banana blend again 'til smooth. Refrigerate for a couple to several hours.
This filling rocks as a pudding too, so if you don't feel like making the whole shabang this pudding stands alone.


Make the cupcakes.
2/3 cup rice milk
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2/3cup agave syrup
1/3C canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cup unbleached flour
3/4tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt


Line cupcake pan with liners and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk rice milk and apple cider vinegar in large bowl and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes. If it looks curlded that's okay! Beat in agave, oil and vanilla. Sift in baking powder, baking soda, and pinch of salt. Fill liners about 2/3 full. Bake 20-22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Don't overbake. Cool on rack for about an hour before frosting or filling.


The following recipe is from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" By Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. I wuv these Brooklyn girls!


Peanut butter OMG frosting (I added the OMG...aren't I clever?)
1/4 cup earth balance margarine softened
2 tablespoons vegan shortening
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 Cups confectioners sugar
1-2 T rice, or soy milk


Cream together margarine and shortening with hand mixer til smooth. Add peanut butter and vanilla and beat another 2-3 minutes. Beat in sugar and dribble in rice milk, beating til frosting is a pale tan. Beat continuously until frosting is very fluffy.


Assemblage...the filling Option 1


Here's the fun part... because it leads up to eating. If you are decent with a pastry bag you don't have to be a whiz... fill your pastry bag about a 1/4 way with the filling. Put pastry bag down, and take a very clean index finger and poke a hole in the top of each cupcake. Pick up the pastry bag now and place the tip down into the cupcake and fill.
The Filling Option 2...What are you crazy GiGi??? A pastry bag? hahaha.
Don't worry your little head.
Cut the freakin top off the cupcake then- you great big scaredy pants. Now spoon a dollop onto the cupcake and gently place the top of the cupcake back on.No need to shvitz.


Frosting
Take a spatula and frost those babies.
The peanut butter frosting was so goood...my camera ate it.