Lemon Poppy Seed Mini Cakes

I need to buy stock in lemons.  Between the pasta, the dressing, the greens, and so many more recipes, I just can’t stop. This is getting ridiculous.  I hope you are as infatuated with this vibrant yellow fruit as I am.  If not, my sincerest apologies.

These cakes are going to make your day.  Or your weekend.  Or your week.  Because they are perfect whenever-cake.

With a light honey sweetness they can definitely play the breakfast role.  Maybe not everyday, but you know, once in awhile.  And with their creamy glaze they could also pose as dessert.  Or, there’s also brunch!  That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

Basically, they’re versatile.  I think you get it.

Lemon helps these little cakes taste fresh + bright, and the mixture of flours creates a tender, fluffy + light, cake-like texture. 

The poppy seeds add a nice little crunch, slight nutty flavor, and make these cakes extra cute.  Or maybe it’s their mini bundt shape.  Either way, these cakes are cute.  Admit it!  You love them!

Maybe you love powdered sugar glazes.  You could most definitely glaze these cakes that way.

However, for today I decided to go with a simple cashew cream glaze.  For me, it’s the ideal sweetness and I adore the creaminess.  If you need it a bit sweeter just add more honey.  Simple as that!

You know how when you top something with lemon zest it tends to clump together?  To make this process easier, spread the zest on a piece of parchment paper and let it dry out while you make the cakes.  When you’re ready to top with the lemon zest it will be dried out and much easier to sprinkle overtop!  New discovery.  I’m excited.

Poppy seeds also make awesome sprinkles but use the real thing if you like!  I love the brand India Tree and their line of nature’s color sprinkles.

Now how about we eat?  I’m totally open this weekend and looking for brunch invites.  I’ll bring the cake[s].

Print this!

Lemon Poppy Seed Mini Cakes gluten-free, dairy-free // yields 12, mini bundt cakes

adapted from: lemon blueberry breakfast cakes

• 3/4 cup gluten-free oat flour
• 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1t baking powder
• 1/4t salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted + slightly cooled
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• lemon zest, poppy seeds, sprinkles, optional toppings

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Thoroughly grease a 12 mold mini bundt pan or your pan of choice [ie: muffin, doughnuts, ramekins, 9-inch cake pan, etc.].
3. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
4. Whisk the eggs and then whisk in other wet ingredients until fully combined.
5. Stir the wet into the dry until you no longer see dry flour.  Avoid over-stirring.  Let sit 1-2 minutes.
6. Pour evenly into greased pan and bake for 16-20 minutes until the cakes are golden brown, spring back when touched, and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Allow to fully cool before removing from the bundt molds.  Use a small silicone spatula or non-metal knife to help carefully release the cakes.  Turn onto a cooling rack, then glaze and serve.

notes/substitutions: Set your oven to 370*F if you’re around 5,000-ft elevation and decrease the baking powder by 1/8 teaspoon.  Sub high-quality gluten-free all purpose flour 1:1 for the oat flour only if needed.  The almond flour and sweet rice flour are best not substituted.  Use melted butter or another baking oil if desired.  If using a different type of pan, note the baking time will vary.

Vanilla Cashew Cream Glaze

• 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight
• 1/3-2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

1. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and place them in a high-speed blender with 1/3 cup milk, the honey, vanilla, and salt.
2. Blend until creamy and smooth, slowly adding more milk to thin out if necessary.  Scrape the sides as needed.
3. Chill in a bowl until ready to use.  Glaze thickens a bit as it sits.
4. Invert the cakes and dip into the glaze letting the excess drip off.
5. Top with poppy seeds, lemon zest, and/or sprinkles.  Glaze does not fully set.
6. Serve.

notes/substitutions:  If you notice there are still small bits of cashew in your glaze strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and discard the pieces.  This really helps if your blender is not super powerful or if you don’t have a full 4hrs to let the cashews soak.

I seriously went through 12 lemons in 3 days.  Help!

Ashley

Cloud Star Dynamo Dog Treats {giveaway!}

I realize this is a food blog for the human type, but nothin’ wrong with changing things up every once in awhile, right?  Our furry, barking friends are getting all the attention today.

When Cloud Star emailed me about their new Dynamo Dog Functional Treats, specifically mentioning Dakota + Kenna, I couldn’t pass up the chance to try them out.  Especially because the Dynamo line is perfect for our big pups!  They are specifically formulated with specific vitamins + supplements for hip + joint health, tummy, and skin + coat. 

Our dogs both already take glucosamine chondroitin for hip + joint health and eat ground flax meal in their breakfast for skin + coat health [after discussing both with our vet, of course]. 

Both dogs used to have quite significant limps on one or both hind legs, most likely due to hard sprinting and quick stopping/pivoting while playing fetch and chasing each other in the yard.  We’ve changed up their exercise to more walking and bike rides, instead of the intense yard running which helped significantly.  They also both take glucosamine chondroitin, and after a few months on that their limps completely cleared up.  Dakota had hers for quite awhile, so we were thrilled with the results.  I’m sure it was a combination of the supplements and more forward-moving exercise. 

For awhile we were also giving the dogs salmon oil with their breakfast, but the large pump containers were a gigantic pain to deal with.  Without fail the containers would always leak in the pantry and make a sticky mess.  Not to mention it would make the pantry smell like salmon, which is not a smell I enjoy. haha

So we decided to start giving them ground flax which they love and I always have on hand in the fridge for myself.  I grind 1lb batches every week or two and store it all in a sealed jar in the fridge because flax—especially once milled—can turn rancid quickly.

Moving on!

I was stoked to see the high-quality ingredient list these treats boast and that they are grain, soy, wheat, and corn free.  Not that our dogs eat that way with their daily food but it’s nice to see a company keeping those things in mind.  Check out the details for the “Skin &  Coat” treats:

Ingredients:
Salmon, chickpea flour, potato flour, tapioca starch, maple syrup, vegetable glycerine, carrots, apples, spinach, cherries, sweet potatoes, cranberries, natural flavor, salt, flaxseed, avocados, eggs, salmon oil, phosphoric acid, sorbic acid (as preservative), vitamin E supplement, citric acid, mixed tocopherols (as preservative), rosemary.

And because supplements are part of the ingredient list they have easy to follow charts on the bags telling you how many treats are okay to feed your dog daily, depending on weight.

Obviously the dogs LOVED the treats, and I enjoyed the excuse to take some photos of the pups and share them with all of you!

They see me holding the bag.

“Stay!”

“Can I have just 1 more?”

“I’m bored.  Where’s the food?”

“Hold me.”

“Still bored.  Anymore treats?”

“I see it in your hand, lady!!!”

Cloud Star wanted to team up for a giveaway [within the US] offering FOUR bags from their Dynamo Dog Treat line! 

Winner will receive 5oz bags of the following:

• [2] Hip & Joint – one in each flavor!
• [1] Skin & Coat
• [1] Tummy

To enter: 

• Leave a comment below telling me anything about your furry, dog friends!

Deadline:

• Sunday, April 28th 9pm [EST]

Ashley

Not a sponsored post.  All thoughts + opinions are my own [and Dakota + Kenna’s!].  I always enjoy helping promote companies who pay such attention to quality with their products!  Thanks, Cloud Star!

Vegan Caesar Lettuce Wraps // with quinoa, kale, + tofu

This recipe has been a long time coming.  It’s a recreation of a meal I’ve had half-a-dozen times at a local restaurant, Tasty Harmony.  Tied for my second favorite restaurant in town.  The entire menu is vegetarian friendly, mostly vegan, and also features numerous gluten-free options.  All of the food is extremely fresh, organic, local when possible, etc.  If you’re ever in the area it’s worth checking out.  Order the nachos.  Trust me.

So anyway.  They have a killer vegan caesar dressing that I have yet to fully perfect but eat every single time I’m there.  It’s quite lemony and holds a nice salty-sea type flavor, obviously without the use of anchovies.  I’m thinking they use tofu as the base but for some reason I haven’t asked.  I think I’m too busy inhaling this wrap and then completely forget by the time I polish off my plate. 

I should seriously have a photo of the monstrosity that is this meal.  You’d think I would…

Basically, it’s HUGE.  All of their meals are plentiful.

A brand new discovery: Cast iron skillets are fantastic for crisping tofu!  It took all of 7 minutes to brown the tofu on all sides.  WHY have I not tried this before?  WHYYYY?  And if you keep a well-seasoned pan you barely have to add any oil.  If you have yet to purchase a cast iron skillet I highly recommend it. They cost about $16 [for a 10-inch] and you can use it for nearly everything!  One of my favorite uses is for making cornbread.  

Tasty Harmony serves this wrap on a whole wheat tortilla.  However, they’ll always switch that up and pack it into 2 collard leaves for me, which I absolutely love.  Collard greens make a great, sturdy wrap and the flavor is surprisingly mild.

Today I decided to use butter lettuce for an even milder flavor and for easy packing + wrapping.  Really, you don’t have to wrap it at all.  Just pile it in, loosely fold the sides, then chow down like you’re eating a taco.

This recipe is a bit on the messy side but so worth it.  A definite dinner contender and perfect for lunches throughout the week.  The quinoa, kale, and tofu mixture holds up really well with the dressing.  Just pack a tortilla, whole green leaves, or chopped greens [to eat as salad] for work and you’ll be good to go.

Or, you can definitely eat this mixture all on its own!

You’ll really want to load up on the dressing here, as the quinoa soaks it in.  You could also spread extra on your wrap or greens before adding the mixture. 

Delicious hot or cold, whichever you prefer.

Print this!

Vegan Caesar Lettuce Wraps gluten-free, vegan // serves 3-4 hearty portions

• 1 batch vegan caesar dressing
• 1, 14oz package non-GMO extra firm tofu
• 1 head lacinato/dinosaur kale
• 3 cups cooked quinoa, lightly packed
• 2-3 teaspoons safflower/sunflower oil
• 1 avocado, diced
• sun-dried tomatoes
• salt + pepper

1. Slice tofu in 1/2-inch thick slabs and spread in a single layer in between two, doubled-over kitchen towels.  Place a large cutting board overtop and stack a few books on top to press out the liquid for 20-30 minutes. *Tofu pressing details.
2. De-stem the kale, stack the leaves and chop into thin ribbons.  Measure 3-4 cups and place in a mixing bowl with the cooked and chilled quinoa.
3. After pressing the tofu, preheat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over med-high heat with about 2 teaspoons of oil.
4. Cube the tofu into 1/2-inch pieces and place in the skillet once hot.  Season lightly with salt + pepper.
5. Let brown for about 2-3 minutes and then toss a few times until browned on all sides.  About 7-10 minutes total or longer if desired.
6. Once the tofu is done, let fully cool then place in the bowl of quinoa and kale. 
7. Add desired amount of dressing and toss together until well-coated.  Add salt + pepper as desired and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.  Add the avocado and sun-dried tomatoes and toss with more dressing as it will have absorbed some in the fridge. 
8. Place in a lettuce or tortilla and serve with extra dressing on the side.

notes/substitutions:  If wanting to serve this warm/hot, add the quinoa and kale mixture to the skillet over med-low heat after browning the tofu.  Toss with the caesar dressing, avocado, and sun-dried tomatoes until hot.  Add more dressing as needed.  I used about 3/4 of the dressing recipe when making this.  Feel free to sub chickpeas or cubed tempeh instead of tofu if desired.  Fresh tomatoes are also a great addition in the wrap.  Romaine lettuce can be subbed the kale if desired.

Vegan Caesar Dressing gluten-free, vegan // yields ~1 1/4 cup

adapted slightly from: vegan asparagus caesar salad

*I lightened this recipe from my original by using chickpeas and cashews, instead of only cashews.  Feel free to use 1/2 cup cashews instead of the combination, but don’t use all chickpeas as it will be more like hummus than dressing.

• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked
• 5-6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3-2/3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2-3 teaspoons gluten-free tamari/soy sauce
• 1 1/4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon agave/honey/sugar
• 3/4-1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
• 1/2-1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 of an 8x8 sheet of sushi nori

1. Rinse + drain your chickpeas and soaked cashews and place in a high-speed blender with 5 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/3 cup water, tahini, 2 teaspoons tamari, garlic, agave or honey, 3/4 teaspoon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
2. Blend until fully smooth, scraping the sides as needed.  Add more water as needed to thin to desired consistency.
3. Crumble 3/4 of an 8x8 sheet of sushi nori and blend into the dressing.
4. Taste and adjust flavors as necessary adding more lemon, tamari, pepper, and/or the last 1/4 sheet of nori if desired. 
5. Refrigerate for about 5 days.  Dressing thickens as it sits.  Thin out with water/lemon juice/olive oil as needed. 

notes/substitutions:  Nori is crucial for the sea-like flavor.  You may be able to use those little seaweed snack packs as a substitute here, but watch as they typically contain a lot of sodium.  This is a taste as you go dressing, so add more of each ingredient slowly. 

And if tofu isn’t your thing, chickpeas or tempeh are an excellent substitute.  You can cook either in the skillet the same way as the tofu until browned on all sides.

Meal replication complete!! 

Ashley

Just wanted to share this zoomed out view while I was photographing the wraps.  Majorly overcast/snowy day!