Inspired Cooking

A woman who can cook is a treasure to a man. 
-Julia Childs

I absolutely love to cook. I love to bake, and besides running and cycling it's actually one of my biggest passions and a huge way I love to unwind at night. Come 6pm almost 99% of the time on any given evening you will find me in my kitchen cooking recipes from scratch like a maniac. I cook vegan, I cook vegetarian, and I even cook outside of those two boxes quite a bit. One thing I always do though is cook using only the freshest ingredients, and everything is from scratch. Below is a super yummy recipe for some Vegan Doughnuts that I make, and I vary the icing every time I make them. 


2 pkgs. Yeast
1/3 cup raw organic cane sugar
3 tbls of RAW agave nectar
1 cup lukewarm water
First, "yeast proof” The most important part of the doughnut
4-4 1/2 cups bleached spelt pastry flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup coconut milk(canned from trader joe's-100% coconut milk)-You can also use Soy or almond milk
2 Tbsp. potato starch
1/4 cup melted vegan margarine
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 24-oz. bottle vegetable oil
Powdered sugar sufficient for dusting
Cinnamon sufficient for dusting


• In a nonreactive (glass or ceramic) bowl, mix the yeast, 1 Tbsp. of the sugar, and the water until dissolved. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Set aside.
• In a large glass bowl, mix the remaining sugar, agave nectar, the coconut milk, potato starch, vegan margarine, and vanilla extract. Add the yeast mixture and gradually beat in the flour mixture until the mix is stiff but still sticky.
• Cover with a cloth and let sit in an unheated oven for 1 hour.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead with 15 to 30 strokes.
• Quickly roll out the dough and cut into donuts. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 15 to 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• While the dough is rising, heat the oil in a deep pan for 20 minutes. To test the oil’s temperature, drop in a small piece of the dough. The temperature is perfect if the dough rises to the top almost immediately and browns in approximately 1 minute. It’s too hot if the dough burns and too cool if it doesn’t rise.
• Cook the donuts in the oil, flipping after 1 minute, or when browned. When browned on both sides, remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
• Dust with the powdered sugar and the cinnamon.
 
Must do frosting: combining 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 tsp. of vanilla extract or lemon extract and enough coconut milk to thin. Add 1 tbsp of RAW cocoa powder and mix well. Pour in bowl and gently dip face of doughnuts in chocolate heaven! 
Other toppings I use: Raw coconut or raw chopped nuts 


I have posted my "vegan hot chocolate" recipe before, but this is something that I drink every morning, and have done so for the last three years. I have not been sick in anyway in a solid three years, and I believe all the antioxidants in the Raw Cocoa I put in my body everyday have everything to do with it. Below is the awesomeness recipe:


3 Tablespoons of Raw Organic Cocoa
Dash of cinnamon 
Hot water to fill mug
Cold 100% pure coconut milk
Raw Agave nectar(must be raw and unprocessed)
**Combine first three ingredients and stir well. Drizzle with about a teaspoon of RAW agave nectar and stir. Top with about 1/4 cup of cold 100% pure coconut milk. I use the "light" version from Trader Joe's in the can. Please do not buy the carton kind the had preservatives and crap in it. 




I am getting so excited for the 4th of July!!! A huge group of us are doing the Los Pinos 50k course as a last long run before AC100, and then its gonna be so fun that night. Jesses sister Havala is in town visiting and we will all join Pam and Tommy down at the Organic Farm in San Juan Capistrano for an amazing cook out and awesome Fireworks show. The Farm is incredible, and my son Tyler also volunteers there on Thursdays. We love the Farm, and it's where I get most of my fruits and vegetables. If you have not heard of "South Coast Farms" you need to go check it out!!! It will save you tons of money every month buying local and sustainable produce. Here is the website link: 
http://www.southcoastfarms.com/




On,On,On with life my friends!!! Happy 4th of July!!