5 Healthy Foods That are Time-Savers and Stores Well

Tags

Beans, cooking, eating, frozen, healthy, vegetarian

Photo from Fun Learning Life blog – http://funlearninglife.com/2015/02/seeds-of-change-rice-microwavable/

I love the farmers market just as much as anyone else – here in San Diego, my favorite is the Hillcrest Farmer’s Market. Conversations about interesting vegetables you have never seen with the farmers that grew them, fruits that are in season, and the freshest greens ever! And lets not forget the weird/cool stuff – like a booth with just jewellery and decorative items made of old spoons! But lets face it, I end up throwing out about half of those fresh microgreens.

Once I started residency, the days of only cooking in cast-iron, never microwave and eating home-made salsa were a thing of the past. Instead though, I learned some new, really sustainable habits – I cook a big meal/s at the beginning of the week, and I buy ingredients that are easy to use and can last because I don’t have a long time to shop! And of course, because I LOVE food and have zero impulse control, and because I stress eat, everything at my house has to be healthy. I realized that some of you may benefit from knowing the staples I get – not just from Trader Joes (which has saved my Bee-Hind many times) but also from really anywhere.

1. Canned beans – Beans are one of my favorite foods to write about. They are eco-friendly, filling, great for your microbiome, FULL of fiber, help with glycemic control, and versatile. When you buy them in the can, they are pre-cooked and you don’t need to do much to them. Tip: wash the canned beans first (once or twice) to reduce the sodium content.
2. Frozen greens – There is nothing wrong with frozen food, so long as it is not full of fats, salt and sugar. Frozen vegetables might even be healthier than fresh, because they are literally frozen at the farm, ensuring that they lose as little nutrient content as possible. Frozen greens can be quickly added to soups, cooked rice dishes, casseroles,  and even fruit smoothies to increase the health-factor.
3. Frozen or pre-packaged grains – I use frozen brown-rice a LOT. To save time, I would throw the frozen brown rice into the dish as I am cooking, rather than making a stand alone brown rice as a side. Frozen brown rice is also a good filler for a dish, like adding it into a  soup as a thickener.
4. Arugula – Arugula lasts forever. Well maybe not forever, but pre-washed Arugula lasts me ~2 weeks. And my favorite thing about microgreens is that they are so compact and I can put a whole pack of arugula into a dish without feeling like it has taken over the dish.
5. Frozen berries – I keep all kinds of frozen fruit, but frozen berries top the list because they are nutrient dense without having a lot of calories. For example, on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index, which wholefoods uses to label its foods, berries are on the top 5, with fresh cranberries topping the list.  Just remember to buy your berries organic – strawberries top the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen.

 

-DS

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3 Ways To take care of SI-Joint Pain Without Medication or Surgery

I have struggled with SI joint pain for many years, and short of an orthopedist, I have been to all kinds of healthcare professionals – physical medicine and rehab doctors, sports medicine doctors, osteopathic doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists – you name it. Needless to say, my pain is chronic now, but I have come to figure out how to keep the pain in check, without medication.

Sacroiliac joint (aka SI joint) is the tiny joint that connects your pelvic bone to your spine with its main job to support the upper body. SI joint pain is a common cause of low back pain, and chronic pain. Almost all adults in the US will experience low back pain at least once in their life, and estimated 1/5 to 1/3 of those cases are caused by SI joint pain. People with SI joint pain usually have worsening pain with twisting or rotating motions. They often find that their pain gets better when they engage their abdominal muscles, which helps stabilize the pelvis. Standing up from a seated position or sitting up from a lying position is hard. Asymmetry in the pelvis from posture or scoliosis is one example. Personally I have both, and a fall a few years ago put me over the edge. A few other factors can worse SI joint pain – one is lack of flexibility, and increased tension in the surrounding muscles, and decreased stability of the muscles that keep the pelvis stable.

Treatments for SI joint pain can include anything from exercises, to massage, to oral pain medication to injectables. I am not one to shy away from these treatments for those who will not be harmed by them, and for those whose quality of life is crippled by pain. However, I really think the non-pharmacologic and non-invasive treatments – the treatments for issues that do not involve medicines or surgery -don’t get enough attention. I have a whole blog post on no-medicine/no-surgery ways of dealing with chronic pain, but sometimes you need just the right medicine for the cure. Heres a few golden nuggets of advice for fellow sufferers of SI joint pain.

1. Try the below muscle energy techniques. Do each one for about 30 seconds 3 times. They can reset things pretty immediately.  

If you don’t really feel like the pictures help, here is an awesome video

This particular one is hard to understand without a youtube video. Thankfully, this is only a 39 second video.

2. Try foam rolling! 

There is no good way to describe how to  describe how to foam roll, but it will make your life so much better. My pilates instructor Michele is so amazing, she put these videos together JUST for me. They are fabulous. Click on the images to go to the website where her videos are.

3. Try these stretches: 

“Love Juice” Iron-rich Smoothie

Tags

apple, beets, blender, dairy free, Food, iron rich food, kale, recipe, smoothie, vegan, vegetarian

As Valentines day approaches, some of you may be wondering what would be a fun, creative and healthy way to take advantage of another American tradition that usually makes for fun cubicle decorating and themed parties. Well, do I have the answer for you – an iron-rich beet and apple smoothie! This smoothie is named after one of my favorite cafe owners in history – Drew, from the Namaste Cafe in New Brunswick, NJ. Drew no longer owns Namaste Cafe, but he came up with all the great recipes they ever served, and one of my favorite juices there was this apple, beet, lemon, ginger conconction called love juice. A search for iron-rich foods yielded this amazing recipe, which reminds me so much of the love juice at Namaste Cafe

Some caveats: If you have anemia, make sure you are evaluated by a doctor or healthcare professional. If you have moderate to severe anemia, you may need to take iron pills, or you might even need more significant intervention, such as a blood transfusion. This is not a substitute for necessary medical care (as is the case with anything else on this blog).

One thing about iron pills is that they are somewhat constipating. This smoothie is quite the opposite. No sense feeling bound up in addition to being sick! This is a great smoothie for those who are anemic or have a tendency for heavy monthly cycles, even if you are already on an iron pill for a short period of time.

Men have to be wary of having too much iron, but this does not have enough iron to cause iron overload in men (men need about 8mg of iron. This smoothie has about 2 mg. Pre-menopausal women need about 18mg per day)

Ingredients:

• 2 small beets, cut into large chunks
• 1 apple – large chunks
• 4 dates
• 1/2 cup kale
• 1-1.5 cup water

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. May need to add extra water to achieve desired consistency.
2. Pour into a cup and enjoy!

-DS

 

5 Easy Filling Snacks with Peanut Butter that Will Make You Ditch the Snickers: All Less than 5 Ingredients!

Today, I had a craving for one of my breakfast staples, which is super filling, and peanut butter is the major ingredient. For me, when trying to eat healthy, feeling full and satisfied is important. Peanut butter is one thing that consistently does a great job of filling my tummy, and over the years I have found some great recipes to fill my life with some rich, nutty flavor but still keep it healthy. Here are some examples.

Note: I always use natural peanut butter with no added sugar, preferably organic, and preferably made with 100% from valencia peanuts.

1. Peanut butter, chocolate chip and banana sandwich on cinnamon raisin bread: This is one of my go to quick meals, especially for breakfast. I am not a huge fan of Ezekiel bread, but I love the concept, and they really do knock it out of the park with the cinnamon raisin. Slather on a thick layer of peanut butter, sprinkle on a tablespoon of dark chocolate chips, and cover with slices of half of a large banana. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. This is about 400 calories, is SUPER filling and really delicious. Its a really sensory experience too because of the aroma of the cinnamon-raisin and the peanut butter.

 

2. Ants on a log:

This is a great kid-friendly snack that my friend Surbhee  (A co-founder of this blog) taught me. She spent years working as a nanny, and gave me this recipe when I had to work with some clients who had young children. I still use it as a staple and if you ate these when you were a kid its one of those get-in-touch-with-your-inner-child moments. Spread some peanut butter on a small celery stick, space out some raisins, and you are in business.

3. Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich:

I have the edgy veg blog to thank for this one. I use trader-joes brand rustico bread instead of Ezekiel, but same concept.

4. Peanut Sauce:

Peanut sauce is a super easy condiment and all you need to whip it up is peanut butter, soy-sauce and sriracha. Maybe some sugar or honey. Check out our recipe here. This is great if you have a snack attack – whip this baby up and use it as a dip for carrot sticks, roasted or steamed broccoli, or as a topping for some spiralized veggies.

5. Peanut-butter Cookie dough bites:

These grain-free, vegan little gems made primarily of chick-peas are super filling and super delicious. Just look at them! They have an incredibly short ingredient list, are FULL of protein, and taste amazing.

Users Guide to Mung-Bean Sprouts

 

stock photo by dreamstime.com

First off, I want to apologize for being inactive for almost a month. The Practice Vitality writers have all had some personal issues they have had to deal with, and somehow all at the same time. It’s not easy to share issues of a personal nature over the internet, but we have always wanted Practice Vitality to be about a healing community, so once things simmer down, I will let my friends in the blogosphere know what has been happening with me (but not my co-contributors). I will say this – being a doctor and a patient at the same time has been an interesting experience.

With the new year coming, probably many of you will want to start the year off with a cleanse. Personally, I favor cleanses in the spring and the summer, when many of the fresh, cool, crisp foods used in a cleanse are better tolerated. Mung beans sprouts are a great cleansing food for the winter due to their easy digestibility. In Ayurveda, they are considered cooling, so adding some warming Indian spices and healthy oils can help make them more suitable for the winter.

Mung bean sprouts are a childhood food for me, but they have been considered a healthy food for thousands of years such as in ancient health systems like Ayurveda. For more info, check out this post by Joyful Belly Ayurveda – one of my favorite websites for ayurvedic nutrition. It’s a very user-friendly and approachable resource for ayurvedic and integrative nutrition. Mung beans are high in one of my favorite compounds – resistant starch, which has shown some evidence that it can be helpful for colon health and for the gut microbiome.

How to Make Mung Bean Sprouts:

Mung bean sprouts take a little planning, but very little time or preparation. Usually, I make mine over 2 nights.

1. Soak your mung beans. I soak them at least for 12 hours. I change out the water after a day if I don’t end up going to the next step.
2. Drain out the water, and cover the bowl of mung beans with a lid. Place a tissue on the bottom of the bowl to collect the excess water.
3. Wait a few hours – as few as 3 hours but can be as long as 12hrs.

Tips:

• The sprouts need a moist environment but they should not be wet.
• Alternately, you can put the beans in a moist cloth and gather the cloth tightly in a ball which you can let hang in the kitchen. You can also just put the mung beans in a nut-milk bag and let them hang.
• If you live in a cold climate, you may want to put the sprouts in the oven with the pilot light on to help them along.
• Cooking sprouts thoroughly can prevent illness from sprouts
• Wash sprouts thoroughly before eating them or cooking with them
• Wash seeds in peroxide preheated to 140 degrees fahrenheit to help minimize bacteria. Peroxide is not a harmful chemical in these small amounts.
• The longer you wait for the seeds to sprout the more likely you are to have bacteria on the sprouts.
• Refrigerate sprouts once you have made them.

Now, you should all know that I love sprouts for the health benefits, but there are risks, just as for anything. Sprouts have to grow in warmer, more humid temperatures, which bacteria also love and so there is a risk of food poisoning with E. Coli. Making sprouts at home actually has more risk than buying sprouts outside because the sprouts makers work with the FDA to minimize the risk. Here is a website from UC Davis the has some suggestions on how to minimize the risk of food poisoning. Pregnant women, young children and elderly, and people who could have a compromised immune system should not eat home-made sprouts. 

Here are some other posts to use as references to help you get a good idea on how to make mung bean sprouts:

• http://indianhealthyrecipes.com/mung-bean-sprouts-sprout-mung-beans/
• http://maayeka.com/2015/03/how-to-make-bean-sprouts-at-home.html
• Heres a little video

Serving:

• Serve Mung bean sprouts plain as a snack, or with a couple of squeezes lemon, 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of  chili powder and turmeric. Chopped cilantro is a nice garnish. You can also add carrots and grated fresh coconut.
• Add warming indian tempering spices, such as in this short youtube video. Sesame oil and ghee are great options, but keep in mind that in Ayurveda sesame oil is heating and if you have heavy periods they can get worse if you use sesame.

checkout gluten free fridays at http://vegetarianmamma.com/gluten-free-fridays/

  

Top 6 Vegan Products to Buy at Trader Joes

Tags

plant based, product reviews, vegan

First, want to thank Deborah of Urban Naturale for featuring us on her Plant-based postluck party! Our fall root-vegetable vegan black-bean burger was featured.

I want to start this post with a caveat – I am a huge fan of the plant-based lifestyle and I have tried to go vegan many times, but I have not yet fully succeeded. My last attempt floundered when I was doing a 2-week night-shift around the holiday season. Trust me when I say ICU nurses and Emergency Department nurses ALWAYS have access to candy and dessert, ESPECIALLY around christmas time! And then there was the candy drawer in the family medicine office – let’s just say nurses will always make sure there is some candy around. Maybe it’s because of their motherly nature, or due to their stressful jobs, or because their patients are so grateful to them and bring them candy. Probably a combination. I love my nurses though – couldn’t have survived residency without them!

Despite my unsuccessful vegan attempts at being vegan, my fridge and pantry is almost completely vegan, and I rely on certain products to make the majority of my diet pretty close to plant-based. Trader-joes has been a life-saver. My favorite story about trader joes is that the first voluntarily organic thing my husband ever bought was from Trader Joes! Pretty cool, huh?

I got the idea for this post because I saw this one from A Dash of Soul about the best vegan items at TJs, and after I got myself some of that strawberry coconut dessert, I decided the world needed to know how Trader Joes helps me be practically vegan. Here goes!

1. Mildly Spiced Organic Vegetable Burritos: These guys are awesome. You get two burritos for $3.29! Way cheaper than the other frozen burrito alternatives out there – Amys black bean vegetable burritos for example, are generally $3.00 for one burrito. And they are quite delicious. A lot of vegan burritos have a ton of rice, and this decreases the nutrient density of the burritos. These burritos are big on vegetable and bean content. I usually take off some of the tortilla to further improve on the nutrient density.
2. Trader Joes Creamy Valencia Peanut Butter – This peanut butter is one of the best peanut butter finds ever! Valencia peanuts are super low in sugar and starch, and have 3g of fiber per 2 tbsp serving. Valencia peanuts are less likely to have aflatoxin, which is something found mostly in peanuts grown in humid climates. Although the government monitors how much aflatoxin is allowed in peanut butter, it’s always good to minimize the possible susceptibility to liver cancer. Valencia peanuts are also generally sweeter. This means they really don’t need any extra sugar to sweeten the peanut butter.
3. Trader Joes Goddess Dressing: For those who love creamy dressings, this one comes as a salad-rescue. This dressing has a tahini base and is one of my favorites, next to just using lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil. The tahini flavor isn’t over-bearing either. Beware the fat content though! 18% of your daily recommended intake!
4. Trader Joes Cruciferous Crunch Collection Salad Mix: The easiest salad you will ever make is using a small handful of this salad mix, and combining it with a bigger handful of any other salad green (eg. Arugula, Spring Mix, Mache) and adding a small handful of nuts. Toss with the above dressing, and voila! You have a salad that is crunchy and flavorful, and of course, packed with immune-boosting, cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetables.
5. Trader Joes Organic Oats and Flax Seed Oatmeal: Flax seeds pack lots of nutrition. They are high in fiber and omega 3 fatty acids. Flax seeds and oats are both particularly high in soluble fiber, which is really good for decreasing your cholesterol (soluble fiber binds to bad cholesterol and fat). Soluble fiber also is particularly helpful for improving your gut flora as it has prebiotic properties (helps build a favorable environment for good bacteria to grow). Thats why this product is a staple in our house. Beware – it does have some sugar – 1 packet has 11g to be precise. That’s about 2.5 tsp. I’m willing to live with that.
6. Trader Joes Dark Chocolate Chips – I know, they are a dime a dozen – most dark chocolate chips are vegan, too. However, a lot of dark chocolate chips are kind of hard and you might as well be biting into very sweet cacao nibs. The way these are formulated, they are super deliciously easy to bite into. Throw them in your oatmeal, eat them on a peanut butter sandwich with some toasted coconut, blend them in your smoothies – these are magnesium containing, anti-oxidant rich, pure decadent, deliciousness. 1 tablespoon of these contains 8g of sugar, so something to watch out for.

Do you have any TJs favorites? Would love to hear yours!

-DS

Incorporating Exercise Into Your Lifestyle

Tags

anti-inflammatory, exercise, weight loss

I recently moved to San Diego and everyone loves exercise here. There is 1 kick-boxing studio, 2 yoga studios, a tai chi studio, a krav maga studio, 2 places to learn dance, a pilates studio, 2 gyms, all within walking distance of my place. Not kidding. Of course, I want to participate in the healthy San Diego lifestyle, but I’ve been nervous about doing something too intense for fear of aggravating my back pain. And then of course there is the time issue. So whats a girl to do if she cant break it down like Richard Simmons?

In the world of healthy eating and activity research, I have been hearing whispers of the importance not just of EXERCISE, but how sitting still for hours on end is bad for you. In fact, a recent study has been making the rounds, talking about how sitting is the new smoking. It started with a scientist named James Levine, who has been talking about how 2 hours and 15 minutes of small movements rather than sitting amount to what he calls “non-exercise activity thermogenesis” or NEAT – basically you burn calories doing a little activity every day that is not say, a structured activity that is considered exercise like going to Pilates. And basically, he says that not having this NEAT in our lives is WORSE than smoking.

So what does that mean for me and everyone with low back pain who needs to take it easy? I have been concentrating on low impact exercises, like swimming, elliptical, and small movements. I’ve been stretching. But I’ve also been incorporating lifestyle exercise into my life. What does this mean? Heres a little list of 8 things I do:

1. Its as simple as parking far away from the door at the shopping center – sometimes that one little walk can be a thousand steps! Thats what my fitbit says anyway.
2. Keep my fitbit charged
3. Park on the bottom level of the parking garage and take the stairs all the way to the top where there is a walkway to the campus.
4. Sit on an exercise ball
5. Work on my laptop while standing (and make sure you fidget and move around!)
6. Try to get up and stretch every 20 minutes. This is key if you have back pain
7. Walk to the cafe to do work – preferrably one thats further from me(and order tea instead of a latte! unsweetened iced tea with a splash of almond milk and one packet of raw sugar – YES PLEASE!)
8. Park on the other side of campus from where my class is

A couple of extra that I dont do to make it 10 😛

1. Stand up and watch TV or play video games (My husband does this). Kids can be on a trampoline.
2. Do some grocery bag bicep curls

I have to say, this helps keep my step numbers at least in the 6-7000 range if not 9000. For me to break 10000, I usually have to be at the gym for a half hour.

Roasted “Chick-peas” Indian Style

Tags

Beans, chilli, coconut oil, healthy snacks

Indians love their snacks, and I am no exception. When you go to India, your hosts make it their job to fill your day with deliciousness. First there is breakfast, then there is “coffee” which is between breakfast and lunch and includes more than coffee, then there is lunch, then there is “Tiffin” which comes between lunch and dinner and includes lots of bad for you snacks, and then finally there is dinner.

So naturally, I love snacks and I often feel “snacky”. I have been seeing recipes for roasted chickpeas all over pinterest. I really do enjoy them, but I realized that the Indian grandmas and home-makers of the world have made sure of one thing despite all kinds of cosmic shifts and changes in political winds – that prices at the Indian grocery store stay amazing.

A common thickener used for gravies and chutneys is called “Chana Dalia” and can be found in Indian Groceries, and nowadays, online. It looks like this:

Chana Dalia

Given that both my parents have diabetes, I’ve been trying to stay away from refined carbohydrates. Now, I should say that the resistant starch found in beans breaks down with heat, and Dalia have been roasted. The fiber shell has also been taken off. However, take a look at the nutrition info on these babies here. Lots of protein, and lots of fiber. I thought they would be a pretty good base for a snacky dish :).

Once you get how to make a Tadka – “spices tempered in hot oil” – Indian cooking is basically the same from dish to dish. Heres a great article on tempering of spices. For this tempering, I used cumin, black mustard seeds (optional), curry leaves (optional but when added really give the dish a nice flavor and fragrance), and dried red chillis. The cumin lends a lovely spicy fragrance, and the black mustard seeds lend a pungent taste. These spices are in addition to the chilli powder, turmeric, salt and garlic powder that you add. Once you have the ingredients, this dish takes just about 15 minutes to make.

Here’s the finished product! Dont you just want to reach in with a spoon? nom nom. Thats my lunch-box in the background. 

Ingredients: 

• 3-4 cups chana dalia
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp granulated garlic (can skip the salt and use garlic salt too)
• A few grinds of black pepper
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• For the tempering:
  •  3 tbsp of oil
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 4-5 curry leaves (optional but they are so good) can be found online here
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds can be found online here
  • 2-3 Dried red chillis

Directions: (Time approx 15 minutes)

1. Toast the Chana Dalia in a non-stick pan on medium heat for about 7-8 minutes
2. Once the dalia start to become a little brown around the edges, add the spices. Keep toasting for another 3-4 minutes until the chilli powder starts to darken
3. In a separate small pan ( a small soup pot will do. For my tempering spices, I use this pan), heat a little oil. I use coconut as it has a high smoke point. Add the tempering spices except the curry leaves. When you hear the spices start to sputter, add the curry leaves. Be careful, as the oil can splash! The tempering is done when you see the dried red chillis start to turn almost black.  Heres a video to help you out! My ingredients are different, because the Tadka (tempering) varies based on the dish.
4. Pour the tadka into the Dalia which is toasting. The oil from the tadka will help the coat the chilli powder, oil, turmeric and other spices in the non-stick pan.
5. An option is to cut raw onions and serve this mixed with raw onions, 1 green chilli pepper chopped, chopped coriander, and lemon. The dish is very dry and heating, so the cooler raw ingredients help with that in the hot weather. The finished product looks like this when you serve it that way.

-DS

The Medicine Everyone Should be Taking

Tags

exercise, fitness, lifestyle, weight loss

If you could put all of the benefits of exercise into a pill, literally, everyone would take it!  Everything from your weight, to your blood pressure, mood, sleep, energy levels, and risk of cancer, are all improved with exercise!

Ensure a Safe Start

With so many exercise trends out there like Cross fit, Pilates, Tai Chi, Yoga, and Zumba (just to name a few), where does one safely start? This 7-question screening form  can give you an idea if you need to talk to your physician before you get started. However, If you have any concerns at all, I always recommend speaking with your doctor first.

How Intense?

Once you have the green light, what’s next?  If you haven’t been doing anything, I like to tell people walking is one of the best and easiest forms of exercise. All you need are your shoes and a safe place to walk.

Start Small…

You can start with something as small as a 5 minute walk out, then a 5 minute walk back.  As you feel more comfortable, increase your distance and time. A general rule of thumb is to not increase more than 10% time, distance, weight (if you are doing resistance training) at a time.  Also, remember to listen to your body. In terms of intensity, you should be working hard enough that you can still talk to another person, but are not able to sing.  If you can sing your favorite song, pick up the pace! If you want some structure, you can even download a free app such as, couch to 5K, which is designed to take you from no activity, to completing your first 5K.

…but Aim For the Stars!

Your ultimate goal should be to get at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity (i.e. a brisk walk) 5 days per week, or 150 minutes per week. If you are looking for a free walking group, the non-profit Walk With a Doc is a great place to find a walking group near you with on-site physicians. Lastly, if you need some motivation to get started, here are a few of my favorite quotes…

– “Yesterday you said tomorrow.”

– “If you wait for the perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.”

– “No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.”

Today is your day to get moving!

Jon Bonnet is a current Sports Medicine Fellow at the University of Florida. Dr. Bonnet completed his Family Medicine residency at Duke University. He is an American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and serves on the board of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Check him out at his linkedin profile.

Vegan Mofo Recipe: Family-friendly Chocolate Cup-Cakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Tags

baking, cooking, cupcake, dessert, vegan, vegan mofo 2015

So Vegan Month of Food is here, and we at Practice-Vitality are making the effort. Sometimes, that means broadening your mind. We like to stick to recipes that are healthy, but it turns out that my cousin, hidden away in the beautiful hills of West Virginia, has been baking amazing vegan pastries – I had to display her work! You understand, right? I mean look at them! Plus they are mini-cup-cakes. Its all about portion control, right?

Great. Todays Vegan Mofo theme is “Quick, Easy and Delicious”, and of course I have determined that this recipe is quick and easy and it is definitely delicious! It has been kid-tested, adult approved.

My cousin is a very spiritual person, and she often sends our family lovely little affirmations. In honor of her, here is a positive thought for you to consider while you munch on this delectable morsel of a cup-cake:

“A river of compassion washes away my anger and replaces it with love” 

Tips:

• Can interchange flour and sugar to adjust the sweetness
• Can use brown-sugar

Chocolate Cake (Batter makes 24 mini cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated, white sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup use vegan butter or any oil of your choice
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 and place rack in the center of the oven.
• In an ungreased mini-cupcake pan, stir together flour, sugar, sifted cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt
• Add melted butter or coconut oil, water, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. With a fork, mix all the ingredients together until well blended.
• Depends on the oven – may need to bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed, and a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check after 13 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and place on a wire-rack to cool.

Vanilla Butter-cream Frosting: 

• 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tbsp almond milk (try adding 1/2 tbsp first, then check consistency. If necessary, add the other half )

Instructions:

• Mix together util blended and creamy
• Add vanilla bean paste and milk and continue to beat for another minute
• If desired, add more vanilla bean paste to taste, or more confectioners sugar to make it stiffer

Serve to guests in an gorgeous display at a party, proudly proclaiming their vegan-ness 🙂

-DS