Party Of Seven

Celebrating a Birthday Tea Party!
Raspberry Rose (Gluten-Wheat Free Cupcakes w/ Raspberry ButterCream)
Carrot Mountain (Gluten-Wheat Free Carrot CupCake w/ Cream Cheese Icing)
Violet’s Violent End (Gluten-Wheat Free & Vegan & 1/2 Raw Pie)

Basic Gluten-Wheat Free Cupcake Recipe

Carrot Cupcake
* 2 cups rice flour
* 2 cups organic sugar
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 4 cups (approx. 1 lb) carrots freshly shredded
* 2/3 cup nuts chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pan with baking cups. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and baking soda; mix well.

In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer until foamy; add oil in a thin stream and beat well. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; mix well. Fold in carrots and nuts. Spoon into baking cups.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on cooling rack for 5-8 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely.

Note: Do not use pre-shredded carrots.

Violet’s Violent End

Pastry
1 cup of oat groats
1 cup of almonds (dry)
1 cup of dried apricots, soaked in water for 2-4 hrs

Filling
2 cups of cashew nuts, dry
2 cups of fresh blueberries
2 Tbsp of raw agave nectar
2 Tbsp of chocolate powder (crushed cacao beans or nibs)

To make the pastry
Grind the almonds and oat groats into a fine flour, using a Vita-Mix dry jug or coffee mill. Transfer to food processor, saving about 1 Tbsp for rolling the pastry out. Switch the food processor on, and drop the apricots down the chute. As the apricots are blended, a dough-like consistency should form. If it doesn’t, add some soak water from the apricots. Once the mixture has formed into a ball, switch the machine off and remove the dough.

Place some of your saved flour onto a chopping board. Put the dough on this, and then add some more flour onto the dough. Start to flatten and roll the pastry, as you would any other pastry. Make it wide enough to add to an eight inch tart dish. Once rolled, line your tart dish with cling-film, and place the pastry on top of that. Press the pastry into the dish, and cut the edges off. Flute the edges.

Place the tart dish in a dehydrator for 2 hours. The pastry will harden slightly. Carefully remove the pastry from the dish, by turning it upside down. Remove the cling film (Saran wrap). Put the formed shell back on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate for 2 more hours. Removing it from the dish like this enables more warm air to reach the underside of the pastry, and crisps it up. When the pastry shell is ready, remove it from the dehydrator and put it to one side.

Note: I do not own a dehydrator as of yet so, I had to place the pastry in my oven for as low as it would go (170°F). I baked it until the pastry slightly hardened, approximately 1 hour.

To make the filling
Add the remaining ingredients, except one cup of blueberries to a Vita-mix or high-powdered blender. Blend all the ingredients until the cashews are completely broken down and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the mixture into you pastry and spread it to the edges. Place the remaining blueberries on top, in a beautiful pattern. Put this into a freezer for at least an hour before serving.

This keeps for many weeks in a freezer, just defrost it for half and hour before cutting and serving.

Recipe Adopted by Naked Chocolate – David Wolfe and Shazzie

In Flavour of Patty

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATTY!
Enjoy your Gluten-Wheat Free Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Icing…

Basic Gluten-Wheat Free Cupcakes
I used organic ingredients but that is optional

· 3 cups rice flour sifted
· 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
· 1/2 tsp salt
· 1 3/4 sugar
· 2/3 cup butter
· 2 eggs
· 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
· 1 1/4 cup almond milk

Preheat oven 350°F. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggs and vanilla to cream and beat until mixed. Add flour alternate with milk beating well after each addition. Continue beating for one minute. Pour into greased pan or muffin tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clear.

Another Forward

Here are some thoughtful quotes from a forward I received from my dad:

Don’t look at where you fall, but where you slipped

Look at life through the wind-shield, not the rear-view mirror

People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do

Time you enjoyed wasting, was not wasted

Courage is not a lack of fear, but the ability to act while facing fear

The best way to predict your future is to create it

What Makes You Laugh?

When was the last time you had a good, sore, belly laughing? If you had to think about it then its been too long! I challenge you all to take the time and space to find laughter within and around you this week.  As we all know, laughter can do wonders so, allow the laughter to melt away any tension, winter blues, heart aches, anger, and anything that doesn’t serve you.

I would like to share my #1 comic relief, my baby niece! She makes me laugh in so many ways.  I have been trying to upload this video of her dancing but I can’t seem to convert the file to one that is compatible for wordpress? I guess a photo will have to do!

Burn After Baking

GRAPEFRUIT+HONEY+LEMON+GINGER =
A great fat burner and blood-sugar regulating juice

Grapefruit: Research confirms that this fruit helps to speed the breakdown of fat by lowering insulin levels and keeping blood-sugar levels balanced.

Honey: Adding honey softens the sharp tartness of the lemon and grapefruit and increases the vitamin/mineral content.  Honey also contains propolis (natural resin occuring in the buds of certain plants that is collected by bees for repair of the honeycomb in the hive.)  Research confirms that propolis can slow down the reproduction of some viruses.

Lemon: The lemon juice boosts overall liver functions, helps the digestive system become more efficient at processing food, so the body stores less fat.

Gingerroot: This spice helps to tone the muscles in the digestive tract and increases the secretion of digestive enzymes in the stomach, which aids in the breakdown of foods to be used properly as energy rather than being stored as fat.  Ginger also boosts the circulation, metabolism and the immune system.

Nutrients
Vitamin B6, C, D, E, K, beta-carotene, folate; calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur, zinc, bioflavonoids, limonin; pectin

RECIPE
2 grapefruit, peeled & broken into segements
3 lemons, peeled & quartered
1 large knob (1 1/2 in.) fresh gingerroot, peeled & cut into chunks
1 tbsp. honey

Press alternate chunks of grapefruit, lemon, and ginger through a juicer.   Add the honey. stir well, and drink immediately. *Note* Best served in the morning on an empty stomach.  Grapefruit juice can interact with or boost the strength of certain medications.  Please be advised.  Also, grapefruit juice is very strong and may burn the mouth, throat, and or stomach.  If you find your stomach is a bit upset dilute the juice with clean water and or add more honey.

Reference: The Top 100 Juices by Sarah Owen