Food Extravaganza

Happy birthday momma luzz! This weekend, Bill and I went to my house in the poconos to celebrate my mom's birthday on friday. We were both a little nervous because my mom wasn't too hott for Iggy Smalls when I first told her about him. Well, turns out iggy is just TOO CUTE to hate! It was therefore, a successful weekend. yippee! 

Prior to the birthday festivities, I made my mom a carrot cake with buttercream frosting and also carrot cake TRUFFLES.

WARNING: before creating these, you must understand they are going to be addicting. I have probably eaten tons of them already. Andddd...I don't fit into my little baby jeans anymore. hmph. Gonna hop on that

Dinner? Well me and Bill jazzied it up a bit. We decided to make my moms favorite meal of all time- shepherd's pie. I made my pot vegan, Bill created the traditional shepherd's pie. Thank goodness my mom was in love with both! And both of them didn't even make it for leftovers the next day- they were that good

It doesn't look vegan, but I swear to you it is. And honestly, if you are new to the vegan diet, I strongly suggest you make this dish- because it is so hearty you won't even know there's no meat!

ohhh my goodness I want some more!

Carrot Cake and Truffles with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 24 Muffins; around 1 personal cake and 30ish truffles

(Adapted from Babycakes Cookbook)

For the cake:

3c GF Flour (I used my homemade one and it worked great!)

1T baking powder

1T baking soda

1t xanthan gum

1 1/2t kosher salt

1T ground cinnamon

2t ground ginger

1/2t ground nutment

2/3c coconut oil

1c agave nectar

1c rice milk (I used vanilla soy and that worked too)

1T vanilla extract

1/2c hot water

3c shredded carrots

For the icing:

4oz vegan butter

4oz tofutti cream cheese

2c powdered sugar

1t vanilla

1t stevia

optional zest of an orange

For the truffles:

2 bags of vegan white chocolate chips (YUP, they do exist!)

Carrot Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 325 F

2. spray 2 12-cup muffin tins with cooking spray (I brushed mine with vegan butter- so good!)

3. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and soda, xanthan gun, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

4. Add the oil, agave nectar, milk and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until batter is formed.

5. Add the hot water and mix until batter is smooth 

6. Gently fold your carrots into the batter

7. Pour 1/3 cup batter into each cup, almost filling it

8. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating after 14 minutes.

9. Let the cupcakes stand for 20 minutes and let them cool before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a medium bowl, beat your butter and cream cheese until mixed and creamy

2. By the cup, add your powdered sugar (slowly! or else it will go everywhere!)

3. Add your vanilla, stevia and orange zest until it is fully incorporated

Carrot Cake Truffles

1. Tear apart your carrot muffins (I tore up all but one and made that a mini cake)

2. Mix your carrot muffins with your cream cheese frosting and using your hands squisshhh them together until you have a crumbly batter

3. Put in the refrigerator  for 30 minutes.

4. Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper

5. Take your crumbled carrot cupcakes and begin to form little balls- using your hands

6. Once all your carrot cupcakes ar ein balls, but them back in the refridgerator to set, approximately 30 more minutes

7. Right before you take your truffles out, begin to melt your chocolate- not all at once but in smaller batches. I would put like a 1/4t of oil in the melted chocolate if it began to harden- to melt your chocolate either use the double boiler method or microwave -Learn how to melt chocolate here!

8. Take out 1 baking sheet of truffles and dip your cake balls into the white chocolate, using a toothpick to twirl it around and get all that goods!

9. Once all the truffles are coated, put in the freezer for 1 hour-overnight, then EAT 

Little iggy had lots of playing to do this weekend and was POOPED when we got home. His mommy was too, so I'll put up the vegan pot pie recipe when I get back from class :]