Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes

Hi hello! Today I'm talking about vegan cupcakes! I happen to date a vegan and his dad is dairy-free so I decided to whip something up that they can't usually eat! They are super yummy and sweet with a Christmas spin on them. (P.S. you should make sure that the person whose house you're making these at has a cupcake pan so you don't have to go to Publix to buy one last minute, hah!)

Serves 12 Regular Size Cupcakes

Ingredients:

CUPCAKES:

• 1 cup non-dairy milk + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter (such as Earth Balance), softened
• scant 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles + more for topping

FROSTING:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan butter, softened
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Splash non-dairy mil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard muffin holder with 12 paper liners.
2. Whisk the milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to get curdled.
3. Add softened butter to the bowl and mix. Then add sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
4. Sift in the following ingredients: 1 cup flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and then remaining 1/2 cup flour. Blend until smooth. 
5. Add sprinkles and gently stir with a mixing spoon.
6. Divide evenly among cupcake holders making sure NOT to overfill. Mine were a little over 3/4 full. 
7. Bake on a center rack at 350 for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
8. Let cool completely on a cooling rack. In the meantime, prepare frosting.
9. In a large mixing bowl add softened butter and beat until light and fluffy. Then add vanilla and mix once more.
10. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing until thick and creamy. Drizzle in a little non-dairy milk to thin. You want this frosting to be very thick so it will hold its shape once on the cupcakes.
11. Once cooled, frost cupcakes and top with sprinkles. Serve immediately. Store leftovers covered at room temperature or refrigerated.
    
    *Big thanks to Minimalist Baker for this recipe !

One Pot Pasta

One Pot Pasta (serves 4):

I'm not much of a cook, so I go for simple and quick. This is a big go-to option for me since it's really low maintenance, fast and I can put in whatever I have in the fridge. It's extremely customizable so add as little or as many vegetables as you'd like.

Ingredients for the pasta pot:
12 oz pasta

3 cups sliced mushrooms

4 cups broccoli

8oz grape tomatoes

1/4 cup cilantro

6 cloves chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

2 teaspoon olive oil

2-3 thin slices of lime (lime is strong to cook with, so if you aren't keen on it, use even less)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups water (or you can use broth)

Ingredients for each persons individual bowl:
1/2 cup of spinach
Hot Sauce to taste (I use about a 1/2-1 tablespoon of Franks Red Hot Sauce)
Parmesan cheese (to taste)

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients for the "pasta pot." Turn the heat on high, bring to a boil, stir frequently, and let it cook until noodles are al dente (it took mine about 9 minutes). 

This is where I serve each individual bowl in my house since we all like our pasta seasoned differently, and Zach is a vegan so he skips the cheese. For mine, I stir in a handful of spinach while the pasta is still hot, Franks Red Hot Sauce and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Fueling Your Body Before a Workout

A morning workout or race day calls for fueling my body with more than my normal bagel and cc. When I first started racing, I'd eat whatever I wanted for breakfast and would pay for it during the race. I'd cramp and feel awful, so I learned my lesson and figured out what worked best for me. This includes a healthy serving of espresso and a big bowl of oatmeal. 

Quick Oatmeal with fruit, makes one serving.

1/2 cup quick 1-minute oats
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tablespoon agave (more or less depending on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (again, more or less according to your taste)
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/2 kiwi
1 cup berries

Combine oats and milk and heat either in the microwave or on your stovetop for 1 minute. Stir in agave, cinnamon and chia seeds. Top with fruit! Super easy. 

I'm not a fancy cook and I'm definitely no barista. For my espresso, I just use whatever my local grocery store has, sorry to all of you coffee snobs out there who are cringing at me. Insert your favorite bean here. :)

And that's it! A quick bowl of oatmeal and as much caffeine as I can handle. What breakfast combo works for your workout?

p.s. I have to share with you what my shirt is about. It's from This Team Saves Lives, a women's cycling team that provides life-staving therapeutic food to aid children suffering from malnutrition. For every bar you purchase from This Bar Saves Lives, their sponsor, they send a packet of life-saving food to a child in need, This year, for each top 10 placement achieved by a rider on the This Team Saves Lives team, they donate enough food aid to help save one child's life. Seriously, this is amazing and is my favorite CX team of 2015. I'm in no way associated with their team, I just think they are rad so I had to share. You can buy this "Supporter" crew that I'm wearing here.