Got "Oat" Milk?

I only had vanilla soy milk in the fridge. I needed unsweetened oat milk for a potpie that had a biscuit like crust. I made oat milk by grinding 1 cup oats in the blender, and soaking it in 2-3 cups of water. Let soak for a while, and then strain and use the liquid (you can do the same with almond meal to make almond milk). It worked well!

Later, I was left with slimy oat mush that I just couldn't toss in the compost. Hmm, what can I do with oat slime??

• It tasted OK, so it could be eaten.
• Add some honey and smashed banana and give myself a facial, and if I get hungry...
• It worked well for administering meds. to my little, old pup.
• Homemade dog treats!

By the way, it was a cauliflower and mushroom potpie with a klamata crust, very hearty, very tasty, and from my favorite cookbook Veganomicron. The potpie was perfect comfort food for a rainy, northwest night.

Autumnal Delights

Happy Autumn Equinox!

We thank the earth, water and air

And all the helping powers they bear

We thank the people, loving and good

Who grow and cook our daily food

Most of all we thank the Sun

The light and life for everyone.

Feast! And be well!

Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes

with Spicy Cream Cheese Icing

(icing garnished with a sprinkling of cinnamon)

1 c. canned pumpkin puree

1 c. evap. cane juice

1/4 c. soy milk

1/3 c. oil

1 tsp. real vanilla extract

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

Prep your muffin pan, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the first five ingredients (punkin, e.c.j., soy milk, oil and vanilla). In another bowl sift together the five dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt). Using a fork, stir the dry with the wet mixture until combined. Fill the muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until your cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before icing.

Vegan Cream Cheese Icing

1/4 c. non-hydrogenated vegan cream cheese, at room temp
1/4 c. non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, at room temp
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cake spice
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla

Use a hand mixer and whip together the cheese and margarine until combined. Add the cake spice and sugar 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until creamy and smooth. Finally, add the vanilla and lemon juice and mix well.

To Your Health

I have been playing with ingredient substitutions to make the kransekake suitable for people with special dietary needs. For example wheat /gluten free, vegan, and organic. For the sugar sensitive, I want to use a natural sweetener like sweet leaf (aka Stevia) rather than aspartame, or sorbitol. However, this requires additional costly research. Some people may have something to say about changing the traditional ingredients. I have to agree that making a Kransekake out of sugar cookie dough would be a bad thing, and totally NOT traditional. However, substituting wheat, eggs, or sugar for something cleaner and healthier just might be a good thing.Your feedback is welcomed on this topic. Tell me what you think, or if you have suggestions pertaining to clean and healthy ingredient substitutions.

Feast and be well!

Bottom line- If it doesn't taste good, forget it!

To Do List

• Ride a mountain bike trail too advanced for me, and not quit, or fall of a cliff.
• Landscape my back yard.
• Live well, and be well.
• Embrace the next new life changing adventure.
• Always make time to dance me arse off!
• Shoot beautiful pictures of whatever inspires me.
• Be a friend to my friends that know how to be friends.
• Visit Ireland, or Scotland, or both!