Saturday, October 9, 2010

Dear Jujube


Dear Jujube,
I have been waiting a year for you to return and now that you have, I am enjoying you immensely!

One of my favorite famers market vendors started harvesting their jujubes and I've been having my fill of them. Jujubes are also known as chinese or red dates. They range from cherry to plum size and can be eaten at various stages in development. I enjoy them most when they're brown to sienna colored and the skin is still crisp. At this stage, they're reminiscent of a light and airy apple, but truly have their own unique flavor and texture. As the jujube matures, the skin becomes wrinkly and the flavor becomes more date like.

The wonderful thing about growing jujubes is they don't ripen all at once, so you can pick and enjoy throughout the season, instead of harvesting all at the same time.

Jujubes are high in vitamin c, potassium, minerals and antioxidants. They have been used medicinally for many years and are often made into tea to sooth sore throats. Indulging in jujubes this time of year can boost your bodies immune system and help you avoid getting sick. Jujubes are one of natures most perfect foods!

Walk for Farm Animals


The walk in Long Beach, CA is this weekend, but there are walks happening all over the U.S, so check the listing and come on out for a great cause!

Farm Sanctuary works to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living.
http://www.walkforfarmanimals.org
http://www.farmsanctuary.org/

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Coconut Cupcakes


These cupcakes are moist, but dense enough to stand up to a nice thick frosting. Great for birthday cakes!

Makes 24 cupcakes
3c flour
1 1/2tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp nutmeg
1 3/4c sugar
2/3c oil
1 1/2c coconut milk
1/2c water
2tsp vinegar
1tsp vanilla extract
1tsp almond extract
1c shredded coconut (for tops of cakes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Prepare muffin pan by lining with cupcake papers
Mix first 4 ingredients together and set aside
Cream together sugar and oil
Mix coconut milk, water, vinegar and extracts together and combine with oil and sugar
Mix into dry ingredients until just combined
Divide evenly into cupcake papers
Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean

Frosting
A number of frostings would be great for this cake, but I just mixed up an impromptu quicky. Sorry, I don't have exact measurements for you.
I used
powdered sugar
coconut oil
coconut milk
vanilla extract

After frosting cakes, top with shredded coconut.
Enjoy!