Sweet 'n Salty Coconut Blackberry Cupcakes

Wow, it has been quite some time since I last updated my blog!  I must say that I have been handling quite a lot, and although my lack of frequent posts is obvious my life is still hustling and bustling along, with a hitch or two tossed in for the sake of my character developing well.  Whew!

So, I'm backatchya with a great little cupcake that I just "invented", and it's called...

Sweet 'n Salty Coconut Blackberry Cupcake
I love this little cupcake, and so does anyone who's tried it sooo... here's the recipe!

Please note: I am writing down the ingredients and instructions based on how I begin the process and throughout assembly.  It may be a bit unconventional but it works well for me, so I hope you find it easy to follow.  Feedback is always appreciated.

Please use ALL ORGANIC food items, folks.  For your health, and for the sanity of the world.  Thank-you!

While I baked these treats, I listened to:
Black Eyed Peas - Hey Mama
(click to listen/watch)

For the Cake

3/4 to 1 cup coconut milk

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup teaspoon coconut oil

1 large ripe banana (not an overripe banana)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, plus 1 teaspoon coconut extract, and (optional) 1 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup brown sugar, sucanat, or coconut palm sugar*1

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup millet flour

1/3 cup arrowroot flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon plus another 1/4 teaspoon Celtic, French, Himalayan or unrefined sea salt*2

1/2 cup fine or medium shred dried coconut

-Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit, or 163 Celsius

-Line your cupcake tin with liners and set aside.

-Put 3/4 cup coconut oil into a pan on low-medium heat to melt.
-Pour 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar into a large bowl, then follow with about 3/4 cup warm coconut milk, leaving as much cream behind in the can as possible.
-Whisk the vinegar and the coconut milk together in a large bowl until it becomes moderately fluffy.  Set aside for about 5 minutes to allow time for curdling.

-While you wait for the coconut milk to curdle; peel 1 large ripe banana, and place into a separate medium-sized bowl.  Pour the vanilla, coconut, and (optional) almond extract directly onto the banana and then begin mashing the banana into a thick paste with a large spoon, ladle, or whatever you find works best, making sure that the extracts are combined well with the banana.  For the sake of fun and flavour, you may choose to let the banana marinate in the extractives, which gives it a nice full-bodied flavour, or you can simple add brown sugar and mix the two together. until well combined.

-Sift all flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the same bowl the banana is in, then add the shredded coconut.  Mix well.
-Now is the time to take the melted coconut oil off of the stove and add it to the curdled coconut milk mixture.  Stir.
-Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until no lumps, large or small remain.
-Fill cupcake molds about 3/4 of the way full.
-Put cupcake pan on the middle rack in the center of the oven, and cook for about 10-15 minutes.  I use a fine-tipped chopstick to check if my cupcakes are done by inserting it into the center of a cupcake, and it should come out mostly clean.

Note: due to the density of these cupcakes I find it's best to "undercook" them a little, but not a lot.  If you pull your "sticker" out and batter sticks to the tip only, then that's good enough for me.  This allows for a very moist, delicious and a little bit of a sticky cupcake.

For the Fluffy Buttercream:

1/4 cup Organic Earth Balance

3/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening (I use "Spectrum Organic Shortening")  

1/4 cup coconut cream

3 cups confectioners/powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, plus 1 teaspoon coconut extract

For a SOY-FREE version (here's looking at you, Joan) of this buttercream, just remove the Organic Earth Balance and replace it with an extra 1/4 cup of shortening.  It's still really delicious.  

Cream the Earth Balance, Shortening and coconut cream, or just the Shortening and the coconut cream.  Add the extracts and half of the sugar.  Blend well in a food processor or with a handheld mixer, then add the other half of the sugar.  If you have a piping bag, pick your favourite tip and decorate these cupcakes for added pizazz, or just smear the buttercream on top and add the Sweet 'n Salty Toasted Coconut and the blackberries.

Sweet 'n Salty Toasted Coconut

-1 Teaspoon coconut oil

-1/4 cup shredded coconut

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

In a small frying pan (the one you used for initially melting the coconut oil is fine) melt what's left of the coconut oil, and add the remaining dry coconut, sugar, and salt.  Stir well and allow to cook until the coconut is browned on both sides.  I highly recommend allowing extra time for the coconut to cool completely outside of the pan, prior to using it as a garnish: if the coconut is hot and you put it on the buttercream then the buttercream will melt, and that just won't do!  If you are in a hurry, put the coconut into a small bowl or cup and place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes.  

*1 -  When baking Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free the end result has the increased potential to be really heavy or dry, especially when using highly absorbent flour such as coconut flour.  This is why I recommend sugar's that have retained moisture in them, which not only adds a nice texture and richness to the baked goods, but also adds extra moisture without having to add more liquids or oils.

*2 - I do not condone the use of generic, refined table salt.  It has been so highly refined that all that is left in this bastardized version of salt is sodium.  If you use a high-grade, unrefined sea salt like mentioned above then you are also adding naturally occurring minerals to your food as unrefined celtic, french and himalayan salt contain all 84 minerals.  It also tastes a lot better, has a robust flavour and makes things "sweat"  more than table salt does which increases the overall flavour in the food that it's in.

Enjoy your day, my sweet loves!
Love, Aubrie

Nixie's "Vegan" Kitchen!

Ahhhh, snow! I have quite the love-hate relationship with that notoriously beautiful, soft, tasty, fluffy white stuff -- especially when it came to be about 1' tall in only 3 days. For some of you that may seem minor, and I am sure you're thinking; "Hah! She thinks 1 foot of snow is a lot?! She should come to [insert place here] and see how much snow there is!". But the fact of the matter is I have never lived in a place with so much snow... until now. The best part of the snow (besides the natural, pristine beauty) is... well, the nonhuman animals that are playing in it (with me, preferably) of course! The dogs eat it, roll in it, lay in it, and basically live in it day in and day out until it has completely melted -- let me put it this way; if snow were a god, they would worship it.

I think that the only nonhuman animals on the farm that did not seem to enjoy it were the hens and the rooster, and the goats. The horses did not seem too fazed by it, except for the fact that it was (no pun intended) freezing. Otherwise I think we all got a big kick out of it while it lasted. In fact I know that I got a HUGE kick out of it the first day and a half, and then I really started to feel a little bitter that it wasn't melting. Yeeeeeeahhh........

In the midst of the snowiness, I felt very strongly compelled to eat. Go figure! And with eating (at least in my house) usually comes... COOKING. And when creating new food I love to jot down the recipe in a notebook of mine; which is beautifully decorated with wooden dragons and spiral bound (thanks to my Auntie Judy-Bee for giving me this notebook -- it is my absolute favourite!), and my favourite "lucky" pencil that has a fuzzy whale on-top and says "Save Me" beneath it -- it may sound silly to some of you, but I honestly believe that this pencil/notebook combination is one of the reasons I am able to write and create foodie things as well as I do. Hopefully, when the book fills-up and the pencil is only 1" long, I will still be able to write and create!

Kaiba and Meiko -- Chillin' in the snow!

Now that I have typed and typed about my need for certain materials in order to be creative (I am being dramatic, I assure you!), please continue reading so that you may embark on the culinary journey that I created, as I have done my very best to pull together helpful nutrition information and health-related tidbits for your education and enjoyment.

This is a very simple, warm, flavourful, and heavy stew. I have made various types of soup and stew using similar ingredients, and I think that I finally settled on my Hearty Root and Shoot Stew. One of the reasons that I like this stew so much is because of the varied textures of the vegetables. It is a given that each vegetable is at least somewhat different than the next, and a contributing factor, in this recipe specifically, is the fact that I cook each ingredient for a different amount of time.

I want to stress a few things about this stew and the importance of the quality of ingredients. I use mostly, or exclusively Organic ingredients, and I try to use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. I know that some of you find this difficult for various reasons, and I urge each and every one of you to try to buy at least some of the ingredients Organically. Over time you will find that they are much more delicious than their non-organic counterparts.

I also use high quality fruit oils, such as coconut oil or olive oil. I prefer the taste and health benefits of cold pressed or extra virgin oils, which have a much higher nutrient content as they have not been refined as much as high heat oil would have to be in order to be used without burning. If I were to use any high heat oils I would use coconut oil, not olive oil which is much easier to burn and typically has a strong flavour (especially if you are using a high quality, organic oil, which lacks chemical residue and will flavour dishes intensely) or vegetable oil. You can buy large tubs of coconut oil online, or at many grocery stores. I, personally, would recommend searching online, as they are typically less expensive, you can buy them in "bulk", and you have the option to have them autoshipped to you as often, or infrequently as you like! I have found this method extremely convenient, and much more cost effective in the long run. Just be sure to try out different types of oil, as some of them have a stronger coconut flavour, some are more oily, some have a lower burn-point... etc!

For curious folks, I primarily use Nutiva Coconut Oil, and it is purchased through Amazon.com. I usually ONLY use this oil for baking and cooking, and the only thing I have had difficulty with is getting it the consistency I want when I work it into a fluffy buttercream to top-off the cakes, cupcakes, or other little pastries that I love to make. With that said, here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/Nutiva-Organic-Coconut-54-Ounce-Containers/dp/B003QDRJXY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327201791&sr=8-2

Salt is also a big deal for me! If you were to look in my kitchen you would find that I try my best to acquire the highest quality, unrefined salts that this big ole' world has to offer. Himalayan, Celtic, Brittany Sea Salt, Hawaiian Rock Salt and Hawaiian Sea Salts -- they all have a lovely flavour of their own. Unrefined salts are typically tasteless and void of nutritional value. Unrefined, pure salts however are rich in minerals, in fact they sport all 84 minerals -- that's a lot! So if your salt is white, small, dry... I would encourage you to try out some other salts. There are big granules and small ones, and you can usually buy them in the baking, bulk or natural food section in many grocery stores and co-ops.

For the new-to-healthy-salt people, I recommend trying out a fine grind of Himalayan Salt, or you can try a more widely known salt, such as Selina Natural's Celtic Sea Salt: http://www.vrp.com/minerals/celtic-sea-salt?skuvalue=9128&campaign=feed_Amazon.com_product9128&utm_content=product9128&utm_source=feed_Amazon.com&utm_campaign=Amazon.com&utm_medium=feeds

Now, for the recipe (in order from first ingredient needed to last):

*indicates details or clarification at the end of this recipe.

Hearty Root and Shoot Stew

3-4 cups filtered Water

1 Tablespoon Celtic, Himalayan, or other UNREFINED Sea Salt

2 ½ Cups Black Beans, previously soaked*1

1 14.5 ounce can of “Fire Roasted Tomato’s”

3 Tablespoons Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

1/4 cup Basil, coarsely chopped

1 or 2 Large Pinches of dried, or fresh Thyme

2 Large Yukon, Red, or other choice of Potato

1 Large Yam (when making this recipe for the first time I used Japanese Yam—Delicious!)

1 Large Beet

1 Onion, Red is preferable but any type of onion will do

4 Large Cloves of Garlic

1 Tablespoon Chipotle or Cayenne Pepper

1/2 – 1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast*2

Make sure all preparation surfaces are clean, and that you have a clean cutting board and knives at the ready. When you have done this; turn the stove to Medium-High Heat. Add the Salt, Pre-Soaked Black Beans, Fire Roasted Tomato’s, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil or Olive Oil, Basil and Thyme. Stir, then cover and allow the herbs, tomato and other ingredients to simmer while you prepare the vegetables.

Slice the potato's into eights. Slice them so they are similar in size, but not uniform. Carefully slide them into the simmering liquid and then follow the same preparation ideal above for the yams, and again for the beets. Please Note: Yams have what I like to call “Tails”, or “Hairy Nubs” on the end – remove these. Where stems and leaves grow from the beets (which are often removed entirely from the beets prior to selling) there will be a “hairy” spot – remove this part, and put both the yam and beet bits into a container to compost or feed to some adoring nonhuman animals. Slide the yams and beets in to the stew, and allow them to simmer.

Take your onion and cut both ends and peel the outer layer. Halve the onion, then cut it into quarters and chop coarsely. Slide into the stew, move on to the garlic.

Mmmm... it's almost ready! This photo was taken after the onion and garlic were added.

To remove the skins easily from the garlic use a Skin Remover if you have it, OR you can use the side of a knife. If you use the knife be careful to turn the blade away from you. Place the side of the blade on top of the garlic and press firmly down until the garlic is crushed. You will now easily be able to remove the garlic’s skin. Coarsely chop the 4 cloves of garlic and sprinkle into the stew.

Add Chipotle of Cayenne pepper at this time, then turn down the temperature to medium and allow the stew to simmer until the potato is easily cut with the side of a spoon.

Ladle into a bowl while still hot, and sprinkle Nutritional Yeast on top. Enjoy!

Voila! Finished Hearty Root and Shoot Stew, or Snowy Stew if you prefer! I choose to forego Nutritional Yeast in this photo.

Notes:

1* I soak my black beans in cool water, in the open air for at least 24 hours prior to use. I rinse them at least 1 time in that 24 hour period. Their preparation is really that simple, but in order to be a helpful chef I will break this down for those of you whom are new to bean soaking.

Take 1, 2, 3 or even 4 (what the heck do you need a whole 4 cups of beans for?!) cups of beans and put them in a large bowl (really, 4 cups of beans?! I can hardly believe I even suggested such a thing! Like, WOW!). Add a bit of salt if you want (now is a great time to try out your delicious, nutritious, unrefined salts!). Add twice the amount of water than you did beans, so if you put 2 cups of beans into the bowl then make sure that you follow it with 4 cups of water. Follow above directions for bean soaking maintenance. I would recommend that you follow a recipe when it comes to cooking them until you are accustomed to them.

2* Yellow in color and with a nutty, cheesy flavour, nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast that is a favourite amongst many Vegans and Vegetarians because of its rich flavour and creamy texture when added to foods. It is a reliable, and delicious source of B-12 vitamins.

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Pink Himalayan Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, Hawaiian Black Lava Or Red Alaea Sea Salt