Vegan Chocolate Fudge or Frosting

I have a confession to make. I found a recipe for chocolate buttercream frosting, doctored it so I could eat it, and have been eating it by the spoonful ever since.

My only justification is that I can't eat any of the other goodies I would normally indulge in.
Oh, and it tastes AMAZING!

So here you have it, my recipe for chocolate buttercream frosting, which contains neither butter nor cream. I keep it in the fridge and eat it like fudge, in cubes or by the spoonful. It has a very mild coconut element to it, but I really don't like coconut so I have worked to minimize or complement the flavor as much as possible. Obviously it isn't that strong or I wouldn't be making myself sick on it.

This recepie makes 6oz of frosting.

You will need:

4oz RAW Coconut oil, room temperature (Make sure it is raw, this is very important to the flavor, as toasted coconut oil has a much stronger flavor and cannot be subdued.)
2Tbs Full fat unsweetened coconut milk, room temperature
1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4- 1 Cup powdered sugar
1 1/5 Tbs Vanilla (use the real stuff, its sooooooo worth it)
1/4 Tsp Smoked Salt (normal salt will do, but doesn't smooth out the coconut as well)

To make:
Coconut oil gets soft/liquidy at about 70 degrees, so you want to be sure it is warm enough to have the consistency of soft butter, but not be liquefied. Put it in a bowl and whip it with a fork or whisk. I prefer fork, you lose less.
Measure the cocoa powder and powdered sugar into a sieve, and sift into the bowl with the coconut oil. Incorporate it with your fork or whisk. It will be pasty and dry, but don't lose hope.
Once the oil and powder have been blended, add the coconut milk and vanilla, and blend vigorously until smooth. If you would like stiffer frosting/fudge, add more sugar. Once you have the desired consistency (creamy, delicious and irresistible), add your salt and blend in. More salt can be added to taste, but don't get carried away; there is no way to undo too much but to make more frosting.
Use immediately for frosting, or smooth in pan lined with parchment paper to make fudge. Place in fridge and cut when stiff. I like mine with a little extra smoked salt sprinkled on, but maybe that's a Seattle thing.

Super YUM.
xoxo

Coconut Oats with Apricots (and galactagogues!!)

One of the perks (?) of lactation is that you are pretty much always eating.
The question is, are you eating things that are good for making milk and nurishing mom and baby? My Naturopath says eat an avocado and/or coconut milk EVERY DAY. You'd be amazed how fast that gets old. Whats the point of guac without chips or garlic?? The trick is finding how to work things in.

Which brings us to my breakfast most mornings, steel cut oats made with coconut milk and finished (in this case) with fresh apricots and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Coconut milk gets a lovely floral sweet flavor when cooked, and loses a lot of its tropical coconut flavor (which I don't really appreciate anyway). The fats in coconut milk are incredibly good for moms and babies, helping to build hormone supplies, add body mass and promote breast health.
Who knew??
Meanwhile oats are terribly good for you and are on the list of galatagogue foods which bring up milk supply. The maple syrup adds a mineral note that keeps the whole thing from becoming too rich or sweet.

You will need:
1/3 Cup steel cut oats. Get the real thing, don't use instant or rolled, it will be gross.
1/2 Can unsweetened organic full fat coconut milk. (About 6.5 oz.)
1/4 Cup water
Fresh fruit and syrup to taste.

Combine the coconut milk, water and oats in a sauce pan and put on medium low heat to simmer. Allow to cook gently for about 30-45 minutes while you take a shower, get dressed, feed and change the baby, and do anything else you might need to accomplish so you can eat breakfast in peace for a few minutes. Stir it when you remember, but I usually only get there once or twice. Add more water if you prefer your oats more tender. It's done when (surprisingly) it has cooked down to the consistancy of oatmeal.

Put in bowl, add fruit and syrup. Super YUM.

xoxo

Marriage, Baby and now Colic. Oh, and the besy soy free teriyaki you've ever had.

That's right folks- got hitched and had a baby who arrived 7 weeks ago. Instead of food, you get a baby pic this time!

Roo (the baby) is amazing, and everything I could have wanted. But we are both pretty sad about food, which is what got me posting again. Him, because his little belly is all twisted in colicky knots, and me because I am now in the elimination diet to end all elimination diets.
What do you eat in the U.S. when you cannot have:
Wheat
Diary (except eggs and butter THANK GOD)
Corn
Soy (soy lecithin is in everything!)
Onions
Garlic
Peppers
Legumes
Chocolate
And probably shouldn't eat nuts.
 ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? I cried in frustration over breakfast this morning.

But I am trying to see this as a challenge to my culinary genius instead of limiting me to never eating out for the next however long. Thus I present you with the victory for the weekend, my soy/garlic/MSG free teriyaki sauce that tastes as good as anything I've ever had in Seattle. And Seattle knows their teriyaki.

You will need:
1/2 Cup amino acids like Braggs, or in my case Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos
1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
3-6 shakes Ume Plum Vinegar
Splash (in my case several) Rice wine vinegar
Large knob of fresh Ginger, grated.

Combine all of this in a jar or  container with a lid, and shake vigorously. Taste test to see if you want more vinegar or sugar. Cook your teriyaki veggies or meat about half way, then throw 2/3 of the sauce you just made into the pan, turn up the heat and allow to bubble down until syrupy. Should take less than 5 min.

Super YUM
xoxox