Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins Recipe

Sexy delicious gluten-free vegan chocolate muffins.

Today is all about muffins. Yes, muffins. And not just any muffins. Chocolate muffins worthy of a story.

Chapter 1.

The morning was cool and bright. It was going to be one of those quintessential Cape Cod autumn days. A day tourists swoon over. Worthy of a post card with The weather is sublime- wish you were here scrawled in black gel cursive between sips of a Hot Chocolate Sparrow latte. The sky was a cake bowl of cobalt blue with that particular pink edge to it that only painters notice, the blush that softened the tree line at the north end of the West Barnstable marsh gentling the heavy greens of the pines and oaks into a bluish, almost violet gray. 

She brushed her teeth with fennel toothpaste and spit into the low slung sink, pausing to breathe. A long inhale to slow her heart. The cottage was pin drop quiet. The boys had climbed the rubber lined steps into the school bus hours ago, peanut butter and honey sandwiches bagged, milk money in their pockets. She had waved from the street and watched them navigate the bus aisle in shadow, avoiding her maternal gaze, not turning to wave back. Too risky, she understood.

Continue reading

Chocolate Fudge and Self Love

Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m not so down with the big V-day (did you notice I flat-out ignored it the last two years here on the blog?) It’s not that I am anti-romance in any way – I love getting flowers. Yea, bring ‘em on! – it’s just that I don’t see the need to have a designated day to share love. It puts pressure on people in relationships to be more awesome than they already are, and it makes single people feel left out. Boo, I say!
Here’s an idea: instead of a fake holiday where we feel obligated to buy junk for people we have a crush on, how about we celebrate ourselves? How rad we are? How beautiful, inspired, giving, and glowing? A justified, well-deserved day of self love and appreciation of our beings, for just being, well, us.

I asked my girlfriend, expert self-lover and culinary genius, Kelly, to come up with a way to say “I love you self” in the form of chocolate. Truth be told, I have tasted her insanely delectable freezer fudge many-a-time, and we both think it’s the best way to give ourselves a little gift (albeit a healthy one!) now and then. Without further ado, I give you Kelly, love, and chocolate…

* * *

Love and Chocolate....*sigh* two things that we should never be without. Even if you are in a relationship with someone else, we should always be striving to bring more self love (and chocolate) into our lives. When you begin the conscious journey to health, you are giving yourself a BIG dose of awesome self love. Taking care of your mind and body temple is for me, an answer to one of life’s great mysteries. What could you do with more love in your life?

Now, what would you do without chocolate? Never mind... don't answer that question. I put myself in that position one time, and it wasn't pretty. When you are trying to do better for your beautiful body, you need to be prepared. Running to the store in your slippers to get a fix is no longer an option. You are a healthy diva now! You must plan ahead.

This is my recovery plan. Yes, I used to be a chocoholic. Well, okay...I am still a chocoholic, but my standards are higher now. I won't allow myself to be used by some cheap, shiny-wrapper-drug-store run-of-the-mill candy now. Oh no my friend. I've got my secret stash of chocolate fudge in the freezer just for my self-lovin’ self. And this stash has a big secret! It's WHOLE AND HEALTHY!
I went there. I said it, this stuff is healthy. Let's examine this closer so you can get really excited for healthy chocolate!



Sarah was talking about coconut oil in a recent post so I will say no more, but if you haven't seen it already, you might want to (healthy cheesecake!?!) This is the base of our creamy fudge.

Mmm Mmm Mmmaple Syrup
The other superstar in this mix is maple syrup. I am lucky enough to live in Canada, the land where maple syrup comes out of our kitchen taps (not really), but we do have most of the world's syrup producing sugar maple trees here. This is the good stuff that helps the tree last through the long winters. The tree will store starch in its roots that is slowly converted into sugar over the season. In the spring, the sugar water rises out of the roots and into the trunk and branches. This is where people come in, tap into the trunk and collect the clear thin liquid to boil down to a beautiful amber syrup.
Calorie for calorie, it is the same as plain white sugar...ouch...but it redeems itself by being amazingly high in manganese and zinc! Manganese is an enzyme activator that helps you maintain normal blood sugar levels and helps your body synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol. And let's give the bees a break, because it also has 10 times the amount of calcium that honey does. Hug a maple tree!



On to the recipe. I'm going to tell you exactly how I make it and I hope you will be able to replicate the results. It’s not a science, there are just a few things you need to be sure of.
I always use my favorite ceramic bowl, and you must pre-chill it. This is so that when you are mixing the oil and the syrup, the oil does not separate. You will only have separation troubles if you are like me and you use a hand mixer (friction brings the heat that melts the oil). This can be mixed by hand (which Sarah B. does), but it is more difficult to get a uniform texture. I would never complain about lumpy fudge but some people might (Sarah B. has slightly lumpy fudge, doesn't complain about it).

Self-love Chocolate Fudge
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup of buttery coconut oil (not solid, and not liquid)
1/2 cup raw cashew butter (cashew works best for a neutral flavour, but feel free to use anything! Almond, hazelnut etc.)
1 cup maple syrup (really depends on how sweet you like it, maple can be strong and overpowering at times)
½ - ¾ cup raw cacao powder (If you love dark and bitter chocolate, you can add more)
pinch of good quality sea salt, or more... because salt + chocolate is awesome!
optional: spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, chili, cayenne…

Raw Twist: If you're eating raw these days, use raw honey or agave in place of the maple syrup.

Directions:
1. Mix your coconut oil and cashew butter in cooled bowl on low setting, being careful not to over mix (the oil will appear soapy if you have over mixed).
2. Pour in maple syrup and mix again, then finally add the cacao powder and salt and mix to perfection.
3. Once it looks good and uniform, spoon into silicone candy or muffins cups (or silicone ice cube trays work too) and throw in the freezer. The coconut oil will harden almost immediately, but it will stay soft and smooth with the addition of the other ingredients. You will never have to defrost it, just peel away the silicone mould and enjoy!

Tip: If you find it difficult to spoon the fudge into the cups evenly, warm it up slightly after you've mixed it together by placing the bowl double-boiler style, over a pot of water heating on the stove. Keep a close eye on the fudge and wait just until it's liquid enough to pour into the moulds.

Once you have tried it this way, experiment a little bit... dipped strawberries, nuts and seeds (flax seeds are a great addition) dried cherries, mint extract...did I mention that this stuff hardens when cooled?? Frozen banana split with hard choco shell! I have yet to find something this is not awesome with, so please experiment with whatever you LOVE!

The best thing about this chocolate is that when you use whole, natural ingredients, your body knows when it has had enough. I can almost promise you, you will not be able to overeat this stuff. You will feel satisfied and happy that you managed to please your inner chocoholic and your healthy diva all in one. Now please do yourself a favour, show yourself some big love and go make this because you are fantastic!
Love + Chocolate, Kelly

* * *

Sarah B. here. This is seriously one of my favorite chocolate recipes because you can just make a batch and keep it squirreled away in the freezer for when you really need a hit. Hey, it happens. And when it does, like Kelly said, you're prepared. Or when you're guests come over, you'll always have a little piece of rich-cool-melty-fudgegasm (yup, said it) to share with them too.
Happy self-lovin' ya'll.

xo, Sarah B.

Meatless Mondays with Martha Stewart!

It sure has been tough keeping this one a secret, but I’ve been asked to write the inaugural article for Martha Stewart’s Whole Living online magazine’s new Meatless Mondays blog! Whew! Did you follow that? Translation: awesome. We’re talking about me (me!?) contributing to a domestic empire that undoubtedly shaped my young life. How else can you explain my obsession for herb gardening, or pickling, or hand-crocheting my own lace doilies? It’s all Martha’s fault for sure. And now I’m officially joining the club.

First, let give you the low down on Meatless Mondays, because it really is a rad idea. In 2003 Meatless Monday was created as public health awareness program to help Americans reduce their risk of preventable disease by cutting back saturated fat. Now, it’s touted as a way not only to better one’s health, but also better the health of the planet. According to the Bloomberg Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, if all Americans skipped their daily 8 ounces of meat just one day per week, we could save more emissions over the course of a year than if we gave up traveling by cars, trains, planes, and ships combined. Imagine that! Even though you’ll never catch me preaching about vegetarianism, I will say that by cutting back on meat consumption, even once a week, you are making a huge difference inside your bod and outside in the world.
You can read more about the history of Meatless Mondays here.

So, back to me. Heh. Not only do I have the esteemed privilege of writing the debut article for Meatless Mondays, I will be contributing a monthly piece with original recipes, helpful and healthful information, and everyone’s favorite…food porn. Yay! I’ll make a note of it here on My New Roots so you don’t miss a single Meatless Monday, but you should check out Whole Living Magazine online in the interim. It is so crazy-packed with solid health info, recipe ideas, fitness plans, stress reduction tips and detox advice...the list is endless! I guess I wouldn’t be bragging so much if it weren’t something very special indeed.



The recipe this month features Healthy Spaghetti with Sweet Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes and Garlicky Kale, tossed together with pine nuts, lemon and chilies. It sure is a tasty, veggie delight and perhaps...dinner tonight?

Let’s keep spreading the word about all these healthy initiatives! Tell your friends, family, co-workers, even people you don’t like very much because, well, we all deserve to be healthier, don’t we? Meatless Mondays. Let’s do it.

Joey's Kicked Up Rockin' Guac with Lime + Tomatillos

Party worthy guacamole with lime and tomatillos

Treat yourself. Make this guacamole tonight. I beg you. You'll go loco over it. Trust me. It's the tomatillos and fresh lime juice that nudge this gluten-free vegan guac recipe into super favorite status-- which, by the way, is why I am excavating it from the dusty archives. In case you missed it.

Because there seems to be some partying goin' on this weekend. You already know how I feel about football. But who am I to deny that my Nachos Fabuloso, Quinoa Taco Salad, and Lime Chicken Tacos wouldn't be some seriously tasty game peeping food? Not to mention my vegan Hot Artichoke Dip,  Jalapeño Lime Hummus and Baked Grape Tomatoes with Basil Cornbread Crumbs. 

Need even more Super Bowl recipe inspiration? If you're weary of ho-hum chili, and Mexican bean dip, try these Turkey Sweet Potato Enchiladas, my Cranberry Buffalo Roast Stew, Roasted Hatch Chile Stew or this family favorite Roasted Corn Chowder with Chicken and Cilantro. Break out this make-ahead Red Potato Salad Spiked with Horseradish, or my Green Chile Tortilla Bake with layered corn tortillas and cream cheese.

Party on, gluten-free guys and gals.

Continue reading

Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe with Coconut Milk

An easy, creamy broccoli and potato soup that is vegan and gluten-free.

It's hard to not worry these days, I know. Epic snow storms dumping the white stuff without mercy- again. Students and protesters in Cairo risking life and limb for political change. Anderson Cooper- our lovely Silver Fox-  getting punched in the face by pro-Mubarak thugs. Where will it all lead, I ask you?

It's mighty tough for a sensitive soul prone to worry to cope with all this mishegas. To find a little comfort in this volatile atmosphere. That is why I am sharing another soup recipe. Just in case there is a kindred spirit out there in need of a bowl of creamy veggie comfort. A gluten-free vegan soup worthy of the Chinese New Year. It's the Year of the Rabbit, by the way (or as we like to say in my house, BUNNY!). And bunny's aren't known for punching or, in general, wreaking havoc. Unless you count Peter Rabbit's sneaky excursions into Mr. McGregor's garden or Max's devouring love of chocolate chickens.

The year of the bunny is ostensibly devoted to a milder temperment. To kindness and beauty and yes, comfort.

So it seemed only fitting I cook up a batch of vegan soup today as fresh and non-toxic as could be. Creamy, good-for-you soul food.

And by the way. Punxatawny Phil predicted an early spring today. True or not, it's got to be a welcome glimmer of hope for those shoveling out from under heaps of snow. Right?

Stay warm and safe, everyone. May peace prevail.


Continue reading

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Mexican Mango Dressing

So I did a sneaky thing and slipped away to Mexico last week. Tee hee. Yeah, I was kind of thinking I should get the travel ball rolling early in 2011, because, well, it’s just what I’m about. I get so much inspiration from visiting exotic locales, meeting new people, experiencing all the sights, sounds, smells, and of course tastes, of a new place. It goes without saying that nothing opens up your mind, heart, and palette like a good trip, am I right?

This travel experience was no exception – it was exceptional. I have never had the privilege of going to Mexico before and it really exceeded all of my expectations. My wanderlust mother and I flew into Guadalajara and took up residence about 40 minutes away in a small village called Ajijic, situated up in the mountains on the largest lake in the country. Stunning. This place was so bright and colourful (if only you could see my photo album…), the climate was perfection, and the food? Fresh central. We were staying with friends that had an avocado tree growing in their yard, right next to the lemons and just above kumquats. Sigh. A perfect breakfast growing steps away from where I slept.



I was particularly inspired at the local market, where every single fruit, vegetable, bean, and nut I have ever encountered was for sale, and then some. Soursops, guanabanas, huazontle?! The exciting list went on and my appetite reared its head. The thing that really got me revved up though? The fresh chickpeas (garbanzo beans), still in their pods, roasting to smoky perfection! “Who knew they looked like that?”, Sarah B. asked sheepishly. I thought I’d seen just about everything until these jewel-green chickpea pockets crossed my path, and I am one chickpea-lovin’ lady!

After a thorough perusal of the goods up for sale, I settled on the ripest mango, fresh cilantro, jicama, limes, red peppers, carrots, and some dried garbanzos. I felt a spicy mango smoothie coming on to smother some lucky chickpeas! Ooh mama.

Mango Mania
I ate a lot of mangoes in Mexico. They are one of my all-time fav fruits, and when you can practically get them from the backyard, the flavour is unlike anything on this earth.

Aside from being downright delicious and sweet as candy, mangoes are an exceptionally healthy fruit. They are a good source of vitamins C and E, but they are vitamin A superstars – a single fruit can boast up to 10,000 IU of the stuff (holy cow, that’s a lot). Vitamin A can help preserve and improve eyesight, as well as help fight off viral infections.
Mangoes are also fairly rich in many minerals, including zinc to combat acne and psoriasis, boost the immune system, and speed up wound healing. They also contain magnesium to relax your nerves and muscles (especially good for menstrual cramps), build and strengthen bones, and keep your blood circulating smoothly.

How awesome is it discovering that the food you love, loves you back?



Garbanzo Bean Salad with Mexican Mango Dressing
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas) (about 2 cans)
1 red bell pepper
3 carrots
½ large jicima root (or any crunchy veg)
1 cup chopped spinach
½ cup cilantro
(Besides the garbanzo beans, the other vegetables are totally your choice. These are the veggies that I bought at the market, and that I had on hand in the fridge. Use anything you can to sop up all that delicious dressing, otherwise, the beans will be swimming in it! Try to get something green in ya – that’s where the spinach comes in, and you won’t even taste it. The cilantro, however, is NOT optional.)

Dressing:
1 large, ripe mango
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 large green onions, with tops
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt
½ chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (substitute ¼ tsp. ground chipotle or use your favorite chili spice)

Directions:
1. Peel mango and place in a blender with all other dressing ingredients. Blend on high until uniform and creamy. It will look like a smoothie. Season to taste.
2. In a large bowl, pour dressing over garbanzo beans and let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad filling (at this point you will undoubtedly say, “Sarah, there’s way too much dressing.” Trust me.).
3. As you chop up the vegetables for the salad, add them as you go and stir to get an idea on how much more you need. Stop when the salad is well-dressed but not super gloppy.
4. Serve with sliced avocado and lime wedges on the side. Garnish with more cilantro, sprouts, pumpkin seeds, or whatever you have on hand.

To make it a complete meal: Serve this salad on top of coconut rice or quinoa, and make sure to include the side of avocado.

Raw Twist: To make this a truly raw salad, use sprouted garbanzo beans! When the weather warms up, sprout the beans for 3 – 4 days and simply use the same dressing.

So if you can't get away to the sun, you can at least get away to the grocery store and make this salad for yourself. It is a sure-fire way to feel sunny on the inside!

Magic Utilities 2011 6.11 En-Fr

Uninstaller Plus, StartUp Organizer, Process Killer, Disk Cleaner, File Shredder and File Protector without installation.

Download Portable MagicUtilities from RapidShare (1.6 MB)

Extract and run MagicUtilitiesPortable.

Language set by launcher according UserDefaultLang (if you don't want: write UserDefaultLang=false in MagicUtilitiesPortable.ini).

Settings of installed MagicUtilities should be preserved.