Last night I came home from baseball to find this!
I walked in and saw a shiny new bike with a big bow on it – an early birthday present from Adam =) My birthday is two weeks away. We had been wanting to buy bikes since we moved to our new house, since there is so much around us that we can bike to! The beach, the stores/mall, parks, gym etc. We had been looking around and trying to decide what type we wanted, and settled on wanting a hybrid bike because we aren’t exactly going to be off-roaing and in the mountains so there was no need for a mountain bike. A hybrid was perfect because it’s lightweight, with skinny tires that make for a great road bike with easy transitions.
I was reminded of when I was probably 10 or 11, and my parents bought me a new bike for my birthday. I was out in our front yard, and my dad brought the pink bike – with a basket and tassels around from the side of the house to surprise me. I remember being so excited to have a new bike – and then trying to ride it around on the driveway.
This year is a milestone birthday (in our family at least) – apparently the age 25 does not warrant a number birthday card, it goes from 21 to 30 with greeting cards. 25 isn’t important enough to have its own card. My mom said 25 was the last ‘big’ birthday celebration she would throw for us – because once we were 30 it would be up to our spouse to plan and throw us a party {although with Adam I’m still not sure that would happen ;) } — Although she also said she would forgo the birthday party and send me to Vegas this summer if I wanted (which, yes, I do want.) I plan on having a birthday party at our house with my friends as well, and then probably cake with the family (which I’ll make for myself of course.)
I feel as though 25 is a big birthday – a 1/4 of your life has passed, you now enter your ‘mid to late’ 20s. Eeek! Thankfully Adam is 4 years older than me, so I can always feel much younger ;) hehe. I think a shiny new bike for my 25th is a great present! And I’m so excited to use it all summer long.
I actually made this cake for our mother’s day brunch a couple weekends ago because one of my mom’s favourite desserts is carrot cake. However, I came across this amazing vegan carrot cake recipe from one of my favourite sites Healthy Happy Life. I made the Kale salad from her site last week as well.
It’s amazing – dense and refreshing due to carrots and orange juice, as well as satisfyingly sweet with little sugar added. I’m a huge carrot cake fan too – and this is 100 times better than the sugar loaded, flour filled versions I used to make. Everyone loved it and I would definitely make this again.
I used coconut milk and added coconut to the mix, because my traditional carrot cake usually has it, and it gives it a subtle coconut flavour. This would be a great cake to bring to a picnic or pot luck this summer – because you don’t need a fork and knife to eat it. Cut into squares and serve!
Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Wheat/Gluten Free
Recipe adapted from here
Carrot Cake:
Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups homemade oat flour (made from GF/WheatFree rolled oats)
- 3-4 Tbsp ground flax seed
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of one orange
- 3 Tbsp fresh orange juice (from orange you zested)
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup raw walnuts, chopped
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
- 2 1/2 cups chopped shredded carrots (5-6 carrots)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees – prepare 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
2. Place oats into food processor and process until fine oat flour – about 1 minute. Shred carrots – I used my food processor grater attachment, then switched to my blade attachment to create smaller shredded carrots.
3. In stand mixer with paddle attachment, add oat flour, flax seed, cinnamon, and baking powder and mix slightly.
4. On low, add speed add the coconut milk, vanilla, orange juice, and orange zest. Mix until combined.
5. Melt coconut oil and add in the sugar, mix slightly. Add to mixer / wet ingredients.
6. Fold in the carrots, nuts, coconut, and raisins on low speed.
The batter at this point will be thick and textured, think ‘chunky’ – not smooth like a regular cake batter. This is fine.
7. Pour the batter into cake pan and smooth down with a spatula. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes – or until the edges brown and start to pull away from the pan.
Once baked, allow to cool completely and come to room temperature on counter.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
- 4 ounces Earth Balance, vegan butter
- 1 1/4 cups pitted dates
While the cake is baking, you can add all your frosting ingredients to a food processor. Process until smooth. Using a spatula, scoop the frosting into a small bowl and place in the fridge to chill.
* I didn’t have vegan cream cheese, so I just used my regular cream cheese frosting *
Allow cake to fully cool before spreading frosting. Frost with cream cheese – sprinkle top with walnuts.
I placed this in the fridge overnight before we ate it, tightly sealed with aluminum foil. Serve Chilled.
This cake will stay good for up to one week, covered.
This weekend is Mother’s Day, and I thought I would share some things that my mom has taught me. I’ve seen other bloggers post about what they’ve learned from their mother over the years and I started thinking about all of the things she has said to me, taught me, and continues to teach me in life.
My mom and I are close – really, really close. People confuse us for each other on the phone (we sound a lot alike). We are often mistaken for sisters (I’m sure she’ll love hearing that, again), and we have become even closer as I grow older, when the big stuff happens and real life begins. Many people comment to her asking ‘how’d you get so lucky to have two good kids?’ – well, I think I’m a little better than my brother, Nick ;) but, I think she is a pretty lucky mom to have us too. We’re incredibly lucky to have such a loving, crazy, funny, caring, and strong mom.
After losing my dad when we were younger she had to become two parents in one, and I want to thank her for being there for us through the hard times, and the really hard times, and never ceasing to love and support us in all our of endeavours.
She is the first person I tell important news to, and the not so great news to, the first person I look to for advice, even if I don’t always want to hear it (
ahem, the couch), the first person to know when I’m sad, upset or something is bothering me just by the tone in my voice over the phone, the person who encourages me that everything will be alright, not to stress and the first person to forgive me when we have a fight (i’m pretty stubborn).
Things my mom has taught me
- There’s no excuse for rudeness
- Manners matter, always say thank you
- Don’t hold a grudge, life is too short
- It’s better to be overdressed, than underdressed
- Saying sorry is one of the hardest things to do, and admit your wrong
- Always be the bigger person
- How to be a good friend
- Any education is a good education
- Never leave the house without making the bed (this one is still a work in progress..)
- How to host a family dinner
- Advil and Zantac cure all
- How to properly fold sheets
- How to cook a roast
- How to make a roux
- How to make a good chili, and simple tomato sauce
- If you don’t want to have a drink, just order a coke with lime
- Don’t stress, everything will work out
- Always be kind to animals
- Do what makes you happy
- Trust your instincts
- How to be strong
Thank you.
People ask me where I got my love for cooking and baking. While my dad was my biggest influence, my mom always made really great cookies, without a recipe – and really good cinnamon buns.
I made these brownies last week when I wanted to use up some ripe bananas on the counter. I wanted to make something other than Banana bread. I decided to make
1-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream, recipe here - but then I had more bananas to use up. So, I thought about what I could make with them, or what recipe I could add them to. I decided to make brownies, with the addition of Bananas. Some people don’t like certain combinations of chocolate and fruit, but Bananas and Chocolate are one of my favourites. The bananas make the brownie super dense and rich, like fudge. The banana flavour is certainly there, but it’s not as strong as say banana bread. The chocolate takes over, which makes it deep and rich.
And then I went a step further, and topped the
Banana Brownies with Banana Ice cream. Let’s just say I couldn’t eat it fast enough. Plus, there’s no guilt in adding the ice cream because it’s just Banana.
These are also gluten free, I made them with Rice Flour. You can sub regular flour as well. I recommend refrigerating them for a couple hours, or even overnight. I always refrigerate my brownies because it allows them to become more dense and fudge-like.
Fudgey Banana Brownies
recipe by Bakeaholic
Ingredients:
6 tbs. Butter
3/4 Cup Chopped Dark Chocolate (can use chocolate chips)
2 medium Ripe Bananas
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
½ Cup Sugar
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Egg
1/4 Cup Cocoa
1 cup Rice Flour
1/2 cup walnuts
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.Heat butter and chocolate in a small saucepan, stir until everything is melted. Set aside to cool.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Set aside.
In stand mixer with whisk attachment, or medium bowl and blender, mash the bananas, vanilla extract, and sugar. Add the egg and blend again.
Add in the melted butter-chocolate mixture and mix well.
Stir in the flour mixture and blend just until combined. Stir in all of the walnuts, you can save a few and sprinkle on top too.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. You want it to be slightly gooey when you check it, not completely dry. If it needs another couple minutes increase baking time.
** These brownies are best after they are refrigerated! **
I always refrigerate my brownies – it makes them extra dense and fudgey. I recommend letting them come to room temperature on the counter, and then cover and transfer pan to fridge for a couple hours, or even better, overnight. Of course, if you can’t wait feel free to eat them immediately =)
Store leftover brownies in the fridge for up to a week, or, freeze.
You can sub AP flour for rice flour also.
Even Better Topped with Banana Ice Cream!
It’s official. I am a teacher.
Crazy! I have finished my teaching practicum, and can now apply to work in a school district. It seems like yesterday I was just beginning the program back in September, and now I have successfully passed. I can now exhale. It has been a crazy busy past few weeks, plus I got pretty sick for two days last week that kept me home in bed.
This has been a life-long dream of mine to become a teacher. I vividly remember arguing over ‘playing the teacher’ with the pointing stick in grade 1. Everyone wanted to use the pointing stick. Well, I guess I don’t have to fight anyone anymore.
P.S. teachers don’t use pointing sticks anymore. Or metre sticks. There isn’t a whole lot of ‘pointing to the board’ going on. Which is good.
The whole experience has really opened up my eyes as to what education is and what it means to be a teacher. I am really excited for what the future brings and what I can accomplish as an educator.
One thing I’m going to miss is the daily snack and story time with my grade two’s. I love reading (hence my major in English), and this was my favourite time of day. A new story everyday was like christmas. Maybe I’ll have to read myself a story book each night instead.
To celebrate I’ve made a little dessert. Don’t be fooled by the name, it’s delicious. You would never guess there is avocado in there, believe me. I gave it to Adam to taste and didn’t tell him what was in it, and he couldn’t guess.
Ripe Avocado
Pulse cocoa, honey, and avocado
Rich Chocolatey Goodness
Avocado Mousse
Ingredients:
- 1-2 ripe avocados
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1-2 tsp. honey
In a food processor add the avocado, cocoa and honey. Pulse until quite smooth.
You can eat it this way, it will be more liquid like a pudding. However, to have a thicker mousse I suggest refrigerating it for an hour before eating.
To garnish:
- chopped nuts: pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios
- shaved chocolate
- cinnamon
- berries
- fruit
- chocolate chips
- granola
