Pan-Asian Quinoa Bowl

Here is another recipe I originally created for Sakara Life, that was inspired by one of my favorite brunch spots, The Farmer's Daughter. Situated in the center of town, The Farmer's Daughter brings farm to table fare to the lucky patrons of Easton, MA. Although it's a bit of a drive for those of us on the South Shore, distance doesn't seem to be a barrier for me when it comes to food. I've sampled quite a bit off the menu, and can highly recommend their "knock your socks off" banana pancakes, brioche french toast, eggs benedict, nutella belgian waffles, stonehill fried egg sandwich, huevos rancheros, farm burger, and my tried and true favorite: The Pan-Asian Salad topped with a veggie burger. I've eaten quite a few veggie burgers, and this is hands down my favorite rendition. Quinoa packed, and Moroccan spiced, this burger is typically plated between two buns (also delicious), topped with sweet tomato jam, and served with a side of AMAZING chickpea salad. If you're the normal type of person who can eat bread at a restaurant and not feel guilt, go the traditional route. But if you're more like me, the I-should-probably-add-spinach-to-that type, go for the salad. It will not disappoint. Besides the incredible food, the Farmer's Daughter is decorated impeccably. The high gloss bar and tables are drool worthy, and all the touches of brass really take this breakfast and lunch eatery to the next level. I cannot say it enough: if you live within a somewhat reasonable distance to Easton, go to The Farmer's Daughter (and bring me back takeout)!

The original version of the Pan-Asian is made with black quinoa and I get it topped with a pretty enormous veggie burger. And while I will always order this favorite when I'm visiting Easton, it can get a little carby to make all the time at home. I opted for the quinoa, and left the veggie burger for my dreams. You might notice the kale in the pictures above also. As the token health nut of the family, I have to confess, I don't love raw kale. I will never put it in my smoothies, and I'd really prefer an arugula or mixed greens salad to a kale version. Sauteed kale, totally different story. But when I'm trying to reach my kale quota for the month/year, I'll choke down a bowl or two. 

Pan-Asian Quinoa Bowl 

1 serving cooked quinoa

1-2 radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup onion, minced

1 carrot, peeled into ribbons

2-3 cups organic mixed baby greens

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 tablespoon black sesame seeds

1/2 cup shelled edamame, thawed

Sweet + Spicy Peanut Sauce

1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon liquid aminos

1/2 tablespoon honey

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece of ginger, grated

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch of himalayan salt

Start by cooking your quinoa. I usually make a larger batch to keep on hand in the fridge for quick meal planning. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Stir in 1 cup quinoa, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, and a pinch of pink himalayan salt. Simmer (covered) on low heat for about 15 minutes. When the water is absorbed, and quinoa looks fluffy, remove from heat. Place a piece of paper towel over the pot, and place the cover over the paper towel. Let cool for about 15 minutes, and you will have perfectly cooked quinoa.

While the quinoa is cooling, whisk together the ingredients for the peanut sauce, set aside.

Add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl. When the quinoa has cooled, add it to the bowl. Pour the sauce over the quinoa and vegetables and mix well. Diced avocado makes a delicious topping, as do homemade veggie burgers. Enjoy! xx

Coconut Goji Chip Smoothie

Living outside of the city can have its setbacks when it comes to finding healthy, vegetarian fare. And until the juice bar craze set in, there were pretty much no local restaurants that I actually felt good about eating at. I guess there still aren't since we're talking about drinking here rather than eating, but I'll take what I can get. I think about this quite a bit, and often wonder why on Earth I'm still slumming in the suburbs. City living seems more my speed. It would be nice to step out of my comfort zone, explore a new territory, get out of the house a little more. But then how could I keep up this lazy, homebody facade I've seem to mastered in the past 28 years? And the mere thought of having to put on real pants everyday seems a little inhumane. I do love walking, but walking in 20 degree weather, or when it's snowing, or raining, or not sunny and 70? I wore a down jacket while vacuuming my more than comfortable 75 degree house yesterday. The struggle is real.

This recipe was inspired by one of my favorite smoothies at a local juice bar, The Green Light. They opened up shop in the town next to mine about a year ago, and it's been really nice not to have to drive 30 minutes for a green juice. Besides having delicious skin and body loving superfoods and drinks, everyone working there is so nice and knowledgable about health and wellness. The owner and his partner are so passionate about this lifestyle, that I'm always learning something new when I stop in. I have them to thank for my love affair with wheatgrass. And although daily juice bar trips can really put a dent in your wallet, when you make your health a priority, it doesn't seem to hurt so much. You might stop spending money on things that don't have as big an impact on your well being...until you see a Target.

Coconut Goji Chip Smoothie

The addition of frozen watermelon adds such a great slushy 

texture to a smoothie, while really bulking it up for little calories and 

lots of skin loving vitamins and antioxidants. I stock up over the 

summer, and freeze it by the bagful. 

1 1/4 cups coconut water

1 banana, frozen

1 cup diced watermelon, frozen

1 tablespoon goji berry powder (or 2 tbsp whole berries)

2 tablespoons cacao nibs

Blend everything together, and enjoy! Top with additional goji berries, cacao nibs, and coconut flakes if you're feeling extra fancy. Sip, slurp, and dream of summertime. xx

Toasted Sesame Kale + Coconut Bowl with Sauteed Mushrooms + Scallions

Another post I did for Sakara Life!

I get a lot of recipe inspiration from various social media outlets. When I started blogging in 2008 other food blogs were my main source, but since then, the world of social media has exploded, and so has my supply of mouth-watering images of food. Pinterest and Instagram have been absolute game changers. Want to quickly kill two hours while simultaneously increase your appetite and give your do-it yourself-esteem a slap in the face? Visit either of these websites. Besides the fact that they make my inner Martha Stewart shrivel when I see pictures of gorgeous closets I'll never fill, beautiful homes I'll never own, furniture I'll never reupholster, and holiday decorations I'll never make, they are a really great spot for meal ideas. My sister and I always say that food is the one luxury we can afford. So I may not ever get to dine in the same kitchen as these people, but I can eat the same meal - probably better if I'm behind the knife (toot toot).

Heidi Swanson's recipe for kale salad with toasted coconut is all over the blogosphere, and is delicious just as written. But when reading some comments on the Sakara Life instagram account, someone had asked for ideas on cooking with mushrooms. I'd recently made Heidi's recipe, and knew that sauteed creminis would make a perfect addition. Not to mention her recipe makes four servings, and I always end up eating half of it, which amounts to a few hundred calories in oil consumption, and a couple hundred more in coconut flakes. And while all of those calories come from healthy fats, my skinny jeans just might have a problem with eating this bowl on the daily. I knew I had to come up with a version of this hearty favorite that would allow me to keep wearing my favorite closet essentials.

All of the flavors remain the same here, just in reduced quantities. I kept the volume of kale on the larger side, because c'mon, it's kale. The coconut flakes were reduced, but made up for with coconut oil to bring out more of the coconut flavor, and because coconut oil is pretty much God's gift to earth. Hair conditioner, frizz fighter, tooth whitener, makeup remover, night cream, deodorant, sunscreen - and that's just the beauty benefits. When consumed, coconut oil helps to rev up the enzymes in the body that break down fats, along with knocking out the free radicals in our bodies that speed up aging and disease. Seriously, the uses for this magic tree nut are endless. The sesame oil works perfectly with the sauteed mushrooms to make this dish really meaty and filling. And to keep with the Asian influence, I substituted liquid aminos for the soy sauce, making this meal a great source of protein.

Toasted Sesame Kale + Coconut Bowl
Looking for some breakfast inspiration? 
Top with a fried egg, and call it a game changer

Serves 1

lacinato kale (around 10 stalks) 

2 heaping tablespoons coconut flakes

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, plus 1/2 teaspoon

1 tablespoon liquid aminos, plus 1/2 teaspoon

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

scallions, thinly sliced

cooked grain of your choice (farro, brown rice, quinoa)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss kale and coconut with 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon liquid aminos. Bake for 5 minutes, toss, and continue to bake for another 2 minutes.

Spoon kale and coconut mixture on top of cooked oat groats/farro/brown rice and toss with an additional 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon liquid aminos, and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Top with sauteed mushrooms and sliced scallions.

Sauteed Mushrooms

6 cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly

1/4 tablespoon coconut oil

Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until nicely browned. Do not salt.

Pomegranate-Mango Guacamole

There are various types of people who make up groups of friends, and I'm sure a lot of you are the foodie friends. That makes two of us. Whenever a party commences, I'm required to bring these two things: bean salad and guacamole (we're dip people). Of course I can add to my contributions, but if these items are not on the table, someone is going to bring it up. And it's not that I mind in the least bit either. These two dips guarantee my appetite will be taken care of amongst a sea of buffalo chicken and cream cheese. I tend to stick with variations of these and other Mexican-style dips, because I know they'll be crowd pleasers. "Vegan dip" can sometimes be met with wandering eyes. I've been holiday party hopping as of late, so I changed things up slightly to be a little more festive. Green avocados + red pomegranate seeds? Nailed it. And I know pomegranates can seem like a lot of work, but c'mon, they're like instant (not so instant) fancy food. I've been sprinkling these magenta jewels on just about everything, so I knew they'd be a great addition to a savory dip, not to mention meet my desire to add to the nutritional profile of anything I serve. This pomegranate-mango guacamole is skin-loving, superfood heaven. The entire pomegranate fruit (skin and all) has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, from remedies for intestinal troubles, to blood building and cataracts. The arils inside contain free-radical fighting antioxidants and provide the body with a good dose of vitamin C, vitamin K, and dietary fiber - all of which are effective in reducing blood pressure and heart disease risk factors. Their antibacterial properties may even help with dental plaque! On top of all that, the avocado, perhaps the most delicious addition to any meal, has a nutritional profile to match. Recent research shows that lycopene and beta-carotene (two key carotenoid antioxidants) absorption increase tremendously when avocado is added to an otherwise avocado-free salad. It's also recommended to peel your avocados rather than squeezing out the buttery insides to get the most bang for your buck. The greatest concentration of antioxidants lie just underneath the skin. Besides the healthy fat that make up most of the calories in the fruit, avocados are excellent sources of fiber, vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, B5, B6, and potassium. All of these stats are sure to combat the entire bag of chips you're about to throw down, too. It's called balance.

Pomegranate-Mango Guacamole

Inspired by A Cup of Jo

4 ripe avocados

3/4 cup chopped mango (fresh or frozen, thawed)

3/4 cup pomegranate arils

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

1/2 red onion, finely diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

juice of 2 limes

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

himalayan pink salt (or sea salt), to taste

Add the onion, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, cayenne pepper, and salt to a medium sized bowl. Mash as much as possible with the back of a fork or a potato masher (or use a mortar and pestle). Add in 3 of the avocados, and mash again, mixing everything together. Stir in the mango and pomegranate arils. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt or lime juice if necessary. Chop the last avocado into chunks, and gently fold in. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, and enjoy!

Peanut Butter + Jelly Smoothie

My constant desire to turn beloved desserts into smoothies is now taking on classic sandwich pairings, and I couldn't be more pleased. Peanut butter and jelly has been my favorite sandwich since well forever, so I'm kind of shocked I didn't fall into this remix a little earlier. And although I could eat this childhood standard on the regular, something tells me my vegetable intake would drastically suffer. In an effort to squeeze in as many greens as possible, I'm left with not much room for daily sandwich eating. Enter the breakfast smoothie. I can turn almost any craving of mine into a frozen drink, within reason. The endless smoothie combinations makes eating drinking the rainbow pretty enjoyable. Treating myself to a healthy milkshake everyday is another great perk. 

For this spin on your average pb + j, I used frozen grapes as my jelly substitute. This goes against basically everything I stand for when making the real thing, because if you're not using strawberry jam in the middle of your bread, you're doing it wrong. You'd have to be near insane to open up a jar of grape jelly and think I won't be judging you (not really, but sort of). Throwing caution to the wind, I popped some red grapes into the freezer, and never looked back. I loved the risky results so much, that I have yet to even try it with some frozen strawberries. This sweet and nutty duo combines everything great about peanut butter and jelly with everything just as great about peanut butter and banana. The bee pollen took the place of the honey I typically drizzle in with the pb + b combo. And there you have it - a sippable sandwich. 

Peanut Butter + Jelly Smoothie

I've jumped ship on store-bought almond milk, so if I don't have any homemade on 

hand I'll reach for coconut water. Definitely go with almond milk though if you're 

looking for something more creamy and decadent

1 cup coconut water (or almond milk)

1 banana, frozen

1 cup red grapes, frozen

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon bee pollen

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Sprinkle with bee pollen. Enjoy!

Banana Chip Chia Pancakes

**Another post I did for Sakara Life...enjoy!** 

Watching others indulge in garbage over the holidays is motivation for me to up my game in the kitchen. I'm looking for meals that taste like cookies, pies, and pancakes, but feel like salad. Is that possible? These buttermilk knockoffs definitely hit the spot. They're packed with nutritious ingredients, are super satisfying, and are perfectly reasonable lunch and dinner options. Is anything more mouth-watering than a fluffy stack of pancakes drizzled with maple syrup? Probably, but at the moment, no. Obviously my plating skills are above average when I want the pecan-pie-for-breakfast-folks to be a little jealous of what's in front of me. Here's to 2015!

Banana Chip Chia Pancakes

1/4 cup oats, ground

2 tablespoons almond meal (or protein powder)

pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water (chia egg)

1 large banana, mashed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons coconut water (or almond milk)

1 tablespoon cacao nibs

Stir together the chia seeds and water, and set aside to thicken. This is your egg replacement. Meanwhile, mix the ground oats, almond meal, and salt in a small bowl. Add the mashed banana, vanilla, and coconut water, and give it a stir. When the chia mixture is thick enough (5 minutes), add it to the pancake batter, along with the cacao nibs. Stir until combined.

Heat a frying pan over medium with a little coconut oil. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to make 4 small pancakes. Cook on medium/medium low for about 5-10 minutes per side. They take longer to cook than your standard pancake. When golden on either side, remove from heat, and start stacking. Layer with peanut butter, more banana slices, and maple syrup.

Curried Kale + Brown Rice Bowl

**Another post I did for Sakara Life...enjoy!**

I'm always trying to recreate favorite dishes of mine - to make them more healthy, to save some money, or both. This particular bowl was inspired by one of my favorite Cambridge hotspots, Life Alive. It's one of the few restaurants I go to that I actually feel really good about eating anything on the menu. They're 100% vegetarian, have tons of vegan, gluten-free, macrobiotic, and raw options, and some really delicious fresh juices and smoothies. And although I make it a point to swing by whenever I'm in the area, I pretty much always order the same thing. I'm a creature of habit, what can I say? This curried kale and brown rice bowl is my take on their Swami Bowl. Packed with greens, seasoned with a sweet and spicy miso curry sauce, and topped with nutritional yeast, raisins, and almonds, this nutrient dense bowl screams flavor. And now that I've mastered it, I feel even better knowing exactly what I'm eating, and in what quantities. It also allows me to sneak in some more of the green stuff (insider info: I always order half the rice and double the kale - just as good. 

Curried Kale + Brown Rice Bowl 

1 serving cooked brown rice

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1-2 cups broccoli florets 

1/2 an onion, sliced

2-3 stalks kale, leaves removed

2 tablespoons tamari almonds, chopped

2 tablespoons raisins

Curry Miso Sauce

1/2 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon white miso paste

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tablespoon bragg's

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Whisk all of the curry miso sauce ingredients together, and set aside.

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the carrots, broccoli, onion, and kale, season with salt, add about 1/4-1/2 cup water, and cover for a few minutes to steam the vegetables. When the onions are soft, and the broccoli is still bright green, uncover, and turn the heat to low. Add the brown rice and the curry miso sauce. Mix everything together on low heat until the flavors are evenly distributed. Top with the raisins and almonds, and an extra sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Serve with some sliced avocado for even more skin-loving superfoods.

Baked Sweet Potato with Coconut Oil + Avocado Mash

"If you don't take care of your body, then where are you going to live?"

**Another post I did for Sakara Life...enjoy!**

Like many of you, I'm sure, the more I learn about food, the more my diet evolves. I'm at a place now, where if it doesn't make me feel good and look good, I really don't want anything to do with it. As someone who has dealt with skin issues for the entirety of their existence, learning about all of the amazing beauty benefits that go hand-in-hand with a whole foods diet has been incredible, and really encouraging in those "I might just eat an entire pizza" moments. For the reasons I wouldn't be caught dead smoking a cigarette, are the same ones keeping me from a "happy meal." Because I like myself way too much to deal with premature aging, even if it requires a lot more time in the kitchen. Lucky for me, time in the kitchen is my favorite time of all, but for those of you who feel the exact opposite, this one's for you. If you're running on empty, and you don't know a carrot from a turnip, eating a healthy meal can take as much or as little effort as you like. This recipe (if you can call it that) is for those days when you can't be bothered to do anything more than to turn the oven on, because Mondays are hard for me too.

If you can wait the hour it takes to bake a potato, and not devour the leftover cake on your counter, then cheers to you, you're halfway there. Grab an avocado (because seriously, what doesn't taste better with avocado), and some coconut oil, and you've got yourself a facial in the form of dinner. And because we're really into ourselves, of course we went with a sweet potato. The candy-like cousin to your standard Idaho is packed with vitamin A and betacarotene, the same ingredients your probably paying an arm and a leg for in your fancy night creams. The coconut oil you've replaced the butter with is a solid pat on the back, for these 75 reasons and more. Finished with a healthy spread of mashed avocado, and you're wondering who invented sour cream anyways.     

Baked Sweet Potato with Coconut Oil + Avocado Mash

I found these incredible purple sweet potatoes at my local health food store. 

They just scream superfood to me. 

1 sweet potato

1 tablespoon coconut oil (organic, unrefined)

1/2 ripe avocado

juice of 1/2 a lime

pink himalayan salt (or sea salt)

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Make a few slits in your potato to let steam escape, and toss it in - I like to cook mine on a baking sheet, to catch any drips. Depending on the size of your potato, it should take about an hour to be cooked through. 

Once cooked, slice your potato open, sprinkle with salt and stir in the tablespoon of coconut oil. On a separate plate, mash up the avocado half with some more salt and the lime juice. Spread the avocado mash onto the potato, and dig in. 

Raw Brownie Bites

**Here's another post I did for Sakara Life a couple summers ago. More holiday treat inspiration! Perfect for cocktail parties, hostess gifts, long car rides, or late-night snacking!**

If you're like me, then you're probably aboard the breakfast-for-dinner-train, solely for an excuse to eat another sweet meal. As a kid, my eating habits were far from healthy, and even though I've cleaned myself up quite a bit, my sweet tooth remains intact. If you're trying to lead more of a whole foods diet, but still can't end your day without dessert, I give you dates. I honestly don't know why this amazingly rich, sweet treat has not gone mainstream. Medjool dates are Mother Nature's caramel, and I really don't think it's my biased earthy-crunchy attitude towards food in general. This candy-like fruit grows on the date palm in large hanging clusters near the top of the tree, very similar to the coconut variety. Although most of the calories in dates come from sugar, eating just one or two can really satisfy a craving for something sweet. Take out the pits and fill them with a scoop of almond or coconut butter, and suddenly I think we should be friends. They're a great source of fiber, copper, and manganese, and have more potassium than bananas. They're also the main ingredient in most raw food desserts and bars, making this ancient fruit a perfect substitute for your daily cookie break or pre-workout energy boost.

This past summer (two summers ago) I put together a weekend with some of my favorite gal pals, filled with great music and even better snacks. We threw on our crop tops and high-waisted shorts, adorned ourselves with flower crowns, and piled into a Volkswagen, hoping to bring a bit of the 1969 Woodstock to the 2013 Nines Festival. Now typically I tend not to make big batches of desserts, no matter how raw and healthy they are, because I have no self control and will eat 45 brownie bites as quickly as I roll them out. My digestive system wishes I wouldn't. But when I have a group of fellow food lovers to share with, I'll gladly pull out all the stops. Our festival menu included these raw brownies, almond butter and coconut cups, homegrown peach salsa, a fancy quince jam and cheese board, all sorts of chips and hummus, and the most delicious huckleberry vodka and pear cocktail. We definitely got after it. Vodka milkshakes happened, too. I can't be sure what happened after that. All I know is, I woke up around 3 a.m., turned into The Hulk, and shoveled a handful of these brownies into my mouth. Surprisingly, the next morning wasn't too painful. Must be all those superfoods running through my system. 

Raw Brownie Bites
I realize maple syrup is not raw, but like, cut me some slack

12 medjool dates

1 cup raw pecans

3 tablespoons cacao powder

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Throw the pecans into a food processor and blend until crumbly. Add the dates and blend again. Mix in the cacao and maple syrup and process one last time until the dough comes together. 

Form into balls. Leave plain or roll in shredded coconut, cacao nibs, finely chopped walnuts, or extra cacao powder. Refrigerate or freeze to keep fresh (they thaw really quickly, and keep for months in the freezer!). 

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cashew Caramel Icing

***I did this post a little over a year ago for the NY-based organic meal delivery company, Sakara Life, but thought with the holidays at our doorstep, some of you might be looking for some "healthified" menu options. Hopefully I can once again keep up with blogging. I really do like it, I swear!***

It was my birthday this past Tuesday (no it wasn't), and after a weekend spent celebrating in the city, I welcomed a relaxed night in and a big bowl of pasta. Ever since I was little, my birthdays have been spent at my house with my closest friends and family and an Italian inspired meal. Keeping this tradition alive allows me to scam my way into two birthday parties: one spent over-drinking, and the other overeating. Birthdays are for splurging. I spend the remaining 363 days of the year binging on green juice and superfoods, so I really don't feel guilty. Besides, splurging for me usually means a little organic cheese or a vegan dessert. When I was younger my annual birthday meal was my mom's baked ziti. It has since grown up into my sister's penne a la vodka, and I really can't imagine it growing into anything else. Her vodka sauce is hands-down my favorite thing to eat. This year we served it over fusilli pasta and also as a bed for roasted fennel stuffed mushrooms (also amazing). I made the salad - a kale, currant, and pecorino mix, and also the cake. Yes, it's a little sad that I made my own birthday cake, but I really can't think of who else I'd trust with the challenge. Inspired by my favorite season, I went with a pumpkin spiced cake and a cashew date frosting. I'm always a little nervous when it comes to vegan baking, which is why my usual desserts are typically raw, but every birthday deserves a proper cake, especially when it's being served to non-vegans. Thankfully it was a big success. The cake was perfectly fluffy and moist, but the frosting really stole the show. I made the cake the night before and wrapped them in plastic on my counter. The frosting I made the next morning, and let sit in my fridge to thicken up a little until dinner. After soaking the cashews overnight, the rest of the frosting came together quickly with the help of a quality blender. I knew I'd love it as I added each ingredient to the machine. Cashews, dates, coconut milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt blended together to create the most perfectly sweetened, caramel-like creme, without any of the unhealthy culprits in your usual confection. Cashews are the ultimate when it comes to creating nutritious desserts. They contain the same heart-healthy unsaturated fat as olive oil, and are a great source of copper and manganese. The soaking also allows for easier digestion, and basically a healthy substitute for the butter usually used in frostings. A few too many spoonfuls were sacrificed before landing on the target. And as a self-declared frosting lover, I obviously had to make way more than was required for an 8-inch cake. The stellar ingredient list is all the more reason to have an extra scoop of frosting and a slice of cake for breakfast, which is exactly what I did every single day this week. The frosting also made for a delicious fruit dip, a faux yogurt in a breakfast parfait, and the obvious decision for a spoonful every time I opened the fridge.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Makes one 8-inch double layer cake

2 1/4 cups light spelt flour

3/4 cup coconut sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

a few pinches of ground cloves

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin)

1 cup vanilla almond milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil two 8-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. Lightly oil the parchment paper (I use coconut oil spray), and dust with some extra spelt flour.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, spices, baking powder and baking soda.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, almond milk, vanilla, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the coconut oil, and whisk just until combined. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, and let cool in pans on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the pans, peel off the parchment, and cool completely directly on the rack. Frost immediately, or wrap in plastic overnight.

Cashew Caramel Icing

Cut this recipe in half if you don't want to eat frosting all week (is that a real thing?)

2 cups cashews, soaked overnight

16 medjool dates

1 1/2 cans coconut milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt

Process everything in a blender or food processor until smooth. Refrigerate for a few hours if desired.