Birthday Cake!

CHOCOLATE CAKE with ALMOND BUTTER CREAM FROSTING and FRESH STRAWBERRIES

(The cake hit some bumps on the way to work, so sorry for the lopsided almonds, AND I forgot to take my own pretty picture, so it's from a cell phone...:o(...Oh well, you get the idea)


It was my turn to make a cake for a colleague at work, and it was my son's birthday too today. So I decided to try my hand at making a pretty, official looking, birthday cake :o) Usually my cakes are small, and it's mostly just the cake & some fruit on top. But this time, I threw all caution to the wind & didn't listen to the voice in the back of my head telling me how unhealthy all the sugar was, and made a yummy, sugary, fattening, CAKE. (Yes, it's so epic it needs to be in CAPS)...:o)...Here's all the recipes and info......

THE VERY MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE~~~

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
5 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cold water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flour & cocoa first in a sifter, sift well, right into the mixing bowl
Then add the sugar, salt, & baking soda and mix well.

Make three deep holes in the dry mixture.

Into one hole, pour the oil, into the next hole, pour the vinegar, and into the final hole, pour the vanilla.Then pour the cold water all over.

Mix a bit by hand, then blend well with your electric mixer until there are no more lumps.

Pour into a lightly sprayed (with Vegan cooking spray) cake pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, test with a toothpick. If still not done, bake a few minutes more.

I doubled this recipe. But I did each cake separately. I did not mix 2 cakes in one big bowl. I just mixed the second one while the first was baking.

When they are done, put them on a counter to cool COMPLETELY! This cake is SUPER moist, and needs to be absolutely cooled before you remove it from the pan, or try to frost it. I had a disaster when I was in too much of a hurry. So I'd actually suggest to make the cakes the night before you need them, so as to ensure they are very cooled & set.


FILLING...STRAWBERRY FROSTING...WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES~~~

2 sticks (1 cup) Earth Balance Vegan butter sticks
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, blended well
1/4 t. vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream the "butter" until well blended and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, starting with a low speed setting and moving up to a medium speed setting once all has been added, and mix until well blended. Add the vanilla extract and strawberries, mix until the frosting is smooth and creamy.


OUTSIDE FROSTING...ALMOND BUTTER CREAM

1/3 cup Vegan shortening
1/3 cup Earth Balance Vegan butter sticks
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water or almond milk (more as needed)(you can use whatever "milk" you like)

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream the "butter", shortening, almond and vanilla extract until well blended and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, starting with a low speed setting and moving up to a medium speed setting once all has been added, and mix until well blended. Add the water or "milk" while blending in the sugar. Keep blending a while after all the ingredients are in to make sure it is very fluffy.

I doubled this recipe all in the same bowl, for the big cake that I made.


ASSEMBLY~~~

Lay one cake, level side down on your plate.
Frost with the strawberry frosting.
Place fresh strawberries over entire thing, then add more frosting. (This will be to your liking. You can use a little or a lot.)
Then put second cake on top (flat side down)
Push down GENTLY to ensure it has a good solid "stuck together-ness". Frost around the edges first, sealing the two cakes together & locking all the strawberries & frosting inside the middle. Continue frosting the entire cake.

TOASTED ALMOND RIM~~~

I also toasted, then ground coarsely, slivered almonds.
You want them to be cooled completely too, so maybe do it the night you bake your cakes to ensure they are.

After the whole cake is frosted, get a handful of almonds, and gently push them into the edges. Continuing all the way around, and up the sides to your liking.

FRESH SLICED STRAWBERRIES FOR GARNISH ON TOP~~~

Then arrange the strawberries on top. You can make it pretty like mine, or in whatever pattern you like! You can cover the whole top if you want to! IT'S YOUR CAKE! GO CRAZY!! :o)

Then just slice & enjoy!

*Some words of caution.....

*I would suggest you not garnish the top until you are about to serve, as the fresh strawberries tend to "bleed" some juice. If you have to garnish & have it sit for a while, I'd suggest slicing the night before, and putting them on a paper towel, to absorb some extra juice.

*Like I said, this cake is VERY moist, so really make sure it is VERY cooled before handling.

*If you put too much filling in, it will want to ooze out too much. Don't frost to the very edge...When you put the other cake on top, it will force it out, so you won't have to worry you aren't going to have filling on the edges. When you go to frost the whole thing, make sure you put the outer frosting on in a way that is forcing all the filing to stay put.

Thai Red Curry/Coconut Tofu with Jasmine Rice

Today I decided to make one of most favorite dishes. Thai Red Curry/Coconut Tofu with peppers and Jasmine Rice.
Again, I make enough to feed an Army, but you can downsize. This dish is also one of those that you have to play around with a bit. The Red Curry is added to your taste. As well as the Lemongrass. I'll just tell you how I made mine today & then you can find your own way when you make it for yourself.

In a large pan, first make the sauce

Red Curry/Coconut Sauce
3 Cans of Coconut Milk
4 oz. Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste
4 oz. Gourmet Garden Organic Lemongrass Paste
1 tsp. Sea Salt
The juice of 1 large, or 2 small Limes
2 tsp. cornstarch (dissolved with a little water in a small bowl, before you add it to the sauce)

The Thai Kitchen brand of Red Curry paste has Lemongrass, & Lime included, (in addition to other ingredients) but I like to add even more. You can use your own judgement on this. Some don't find it necessary to add anything but the Red Curry. But make sure if you don't use this brand, that you make sure whatever brand you do use is Vegan. Most Red Curry Pastes have Fish Oil in them.

Also, I like to use the Gourmet Garden Organic Lemongrass paste instead of fresh, only because it's easier. Again, if you prefer to do it yourself & use fresh...go ahead! :o)

I like to let this simmer together for a bit, taste testing. This is the time to add more curry or lemongrass. Remember, you can always add more...NOT remove! So go slow!

When your sauce is where you like it add

1 each of Red, Yellow, and Orange Pepper. Sliced into strips.
2 lbs. Extra Firm Tofu. Water squeezed out and cut into pieces.

Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

While that is simmering, make your Jasmine Rice

Any one you like will do. Just prepare to your choices directions.

For mine I do 1 cup uncooked Rice, to 2 cups water.
Put in pan together, stir, bring to a boil, then uncover & simmer for 15 minutes or so. Fluff with a fork. Cover until you are ready to use.

I like to only make up enough rice for one meal at a time so it doesn't get dried out.

Again, this is one of those dishes that will get better & better as it sits.

ENJOY!!

Three Bean/Quinoa Salad

(Sorry for the blurry picture!)

I think this is my most favorite thing I've EVER made! SERIOUSLY! It came out SO YUMMY!

I make HUGE batches of things, so that after they have sat for a while, they taste EVEN BETTER. And I have them for a lot of meals. So you can downsize if you want.

1 Cup uncooked Red Quinoa
1 1/2 Cup Water (or you can use vegetable broth)
Boil Water, then add rinsed Quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid is gone. Let cool.

1 15.5 oz. Can Black Beans
1 15.5 oz. Can Small White Beans
1 15.5 oz. Can Garbanzo Beans
All drained and rinsed (You can use any combination of beans you like too)

Chop into "smallish" sized pieces~~~

2 Seedless Cucumbers
1 Red Pepper
1 Orange Pepper
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Medium Purple Onion
2 containers of Grape tomatoes (Halved)
Cilantro (rinsed and finely chopped)

Again, any combinations of vegetables work here. Use what YOU like, or what is freshest when you go to buy them.

Dressing~~~

In a small bowl with lid, Mix,

Juice of 3 Small Limes (I REALLY love lime, but you can use Lemon if Limes are too strong for you)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cover & shake until combined

Mix all ingredients in a HUGE container AND ENJOY!!!

Remember, the longer it sits, the better tasting everything gets. I couldn't wait, so I ate it RIGHT AWAY & it was already SO GOOD! :o)

Beans and Greens Soup

This is a hearty soup. Very good for you, and easy to make. Again, you can do all, some, or none of the ingredients Organic, it's up to you.

In a soup pan, start with

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Minced Garlic (I like A LOT, but you can use however much you like)
Saute until slightly browned

Add

1 box Organic Vegetable Broth
1 Cup Water
1 15.5 oz. Can of Cannellini Beans with liquid
Big Bunch of Kale (washed and ripped into little pieces, without using stalks)
1/2 Cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

I brought everything to a boil, then covered & reduced the heat.

Cook for 1/2 Hour. Stirring here & there.

I find that Kale is a bit tough, that's why I put it in right at the beginning. You can adjust that if you like it on the chewier side.

You can also puree any or all of this soup too.

At the time I made it, I had to puree everything I ate, so I did the whole thing, all the way.

The picture is before I did that.

Some recipes call for you to cook the beans some, puree as little or much as you want, then add the Kale.

Do whatever you want, play around with your own tastes.

I served this with homemade wheat bread too.

Very yummy & goes a long way.

Each day it sits, the flavor gets better & better

Enjoy :o)