I see you pee (C) (U) (P) cakes

Cupcake ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup of mixed, chopped nuts (I used almonds)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vinegar

Pre-heat oven to 375*.  Mix all ingredients using a hand blender except for the vinegar until smooth.  Add vinegar last, then put into greased cupcake pans. Bake at 375* until knife comes out clean (time will vary based on size of cupcakes but begin checking around 15 minutes for typical cupcake pans.
Remove from oven.  Let rest for ten minutes then transfer cupcakes to a wire cooling rack. 
Let cool before icing.

Icing Ingredients:
4 tbs dark chocolate cocoa powder
zest and juice of one orange
2 tbs butter or non-dairy replacement (e.g. Smart Balance Organic)
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract

Directions:
Blend icing ingredients using a hand mixer, adding sugar slowly to avoid "puffing"!  Turn off hand mixer.  Lick extra icing off beaters.  Ice cupcakes!

*These cupcakes were part of my friend's "Iron Cake" Birthday party and are on the bottom right of this photo.  For fun decorating purposes they were topped with whip cream and an additional dollop of icing (resulting in an eye-like decoration).  Hopefully a better picture will be found soon!

*In the meantime:

Sweet life! Potato soup!

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
1/3 onion
15-20 baby carrots
2-3 garlic cloves
1 bouillon cube (veggie)
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups almond milk
Salt, pepper, red pepper, turmeric, and ginger to taste


Directions:
Bake sweet potatoes (375*) until fork tender
While potatoes cook, add liquid and remaining ingredients except for spices to a large soup pot.  Bring to a boil.
Once all potatoes are soft, allow to cool to the touch.  Cut one end off of each potato and squeeze potato "innards" into the pot. 
Hit the ingredients with the immersion blender.  Again, go to town.
Add salt, pepper, red pepper, turmeric, and ginger to taste.

*sour cream (or tofutti sour cream for those lacto's like me) makes a great cooling topping to this warm potato soup.

 *stock photo

Green!!! Gazpacho with Orange-Soy glazed Tempeh

Gazpacho:

Ingredients:
1.5 cucumbers, most of peel removed, chopped
1 cup basil
1/2 cup cilantro
2 cups loose leaf spinach, chopped
1 stalk green onion
1/2 large jalapeno
1.5 cups oj
0.5 cup water
3/4 of lime juiced
1 can chickpeas or cannelloni beans
1 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic
salt/pepper/red pepper to taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large bowl, insert immersion blender, go to town..... Chill and serve.

Hint* Gazpacho is always good garnished with toasted almond slivers or any other nut :). 

Tempeh:


Ingredients:
Tempeh strips, 4 per person
*We are lucky enough here in the 'ville to have not 1 but 2 local tempeh makers.  If unable to buy locally, look to use a tempeh which is primarily soy bean and does not incorporate rice or other fillers.  Non-GMO tempeh is also a plus!
1/4 cup Orange Juice for every 4 strips of tempeh
2 tbs Soy sauce per serving
fresh ginger and garlic if you aren't sick of chopping/lazy

Directions:
Toss tempeh in other ingredients to coat, place on baking sheet with non-stick component, bake at 375 until golden brown and juice has slightly caramelized.


Serve Gazpacho with Tempeh.  If looking to make a complete meal (aka adding a carb), the soup can be served with toast rubbed with fresh garlic!!!