birthday cupcakes

Today Isabella turned two years old. Two. ! It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that it has already been two years since I was in the hospital gazing at this new life who would forever change my world in the most joyous of ways. It truly seems like yesterday, yet at the same time feels like she has been here with us always. 

I will be writing a separate letter to her, but this post is about cupcakes. Mmmmm cupcakes. Who doesn't love cupcakes? She had her first cupcake one year ago today and we decided to make them a yearly birthday tradition for her. 

The difference with this years cupcakes is that they are vegan. I very recently made the decision to try on the vegan lifestyle after leaning into it for quite a number of years ~ as in, since I was a teenager. With recent books like Eating Animals and The Kind Diet now available, plus the books I have read in the past... The Food Revolution, The Omnivore's Dilemma and Fast Food Nation, along with the way my heart has been leaning for years, I finally decided to listen and open my eyes to the truth. The transition has been a pretty easy one for me so far in so far as food choices. For me, it was time and I was ready. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not interested in converting anyone to this way of eating. As a big time foodie, I know that food is such a personal choice and I would never dream of judging anyone for their own food choices, nor would I want anyone to judge mine. I also know that none of us do anything in life until we are absolutely ready. Plus, if I am being honest, I am a mostly vegan mama because I know there will be times that I will have to have some salmon sushi, something made with eggs, or a bite of my husband's perfectly roast organic chickens ~ not to mention I wear Ugg boots on an almost daily basis. I have already decided to be gentle with myself on all counts of this journey, especially on those days where I fall short.

The reason I mention this at all is because of the emotional issues that have already come up with my choice of lifestyle just in the past two weeks. I have been privately chronicling this journey and am thinking of incorporating it into a blog somehow to share this story because so far it's been about so much more than food. If I were to sum it up, I would say you really do find out who your true friends are when you make a drastic lifestyle choice... such as giving up alcohol, meat or sugar.

When I mentioned I was making vegan cupcakes for my daughters birthday I had some give me strange, and what I perceived to be as judgmental, looks and comments. As if somehow I was depriving her, and myself, of something by not letting her have pure cane sugar, or "real" cupcakes on her birthday. I certainly don't wish to be the serious mama who only let's her babies eat carrot sticks at parties (and believe me, I am not that mama at all), but I do believe the best way to teach our children good eating habits is to let them cook with you and see how you eat. They mirror what we do. And just for the record, I am not putting Isabella, or my husband, on a vegan diet, this is my choice alone. When they both get a little older I will teach both of my girls where food comes from and they will have free will to make their own life choices.

I suppose I feel like I am defending myself in a way for this recent lifestyle choice and my hope is in the future that I won't feel that I need to. This journey is so brand new to me so I am taking baby steps and just trying to navigate the issues as they come up.... and wow, are they coming up. I suppose it's the same idea as being on a cleanse; releasing toxins caused by my some of my food choices over the years is bound to have an impact and I am feeling it in ways I didn't imagine. 

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For those of you who are interested, or just curious, I have included the recipe for the cupcakes below... along with some photos of Isabella helping me make them. She is such a natural in the kitchen and cooking with her is so much fun. It's been a really good birth day. I look forward to years of cooking together as a family.

preparing the cupcake pan

carefully measuring the ingredients

enjoying the fruits of her labor

 
got chocolate?

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My Favorite Cupcakes ~ taken from Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet

Cupcakes:
*2/3 cup soy or hemp milk (I used EdenBlend's Organic Soy and Rice Milk)
*1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
*2/3 cup agave nectar
*1/3 cup safflower oil (I didn't have safflower so used Canola)
*2 teaspoons vanilla extract
*1 cup all purpose flour
*1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
*1 teaspoon baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon baking soda
*pinch of fine sea salt

Fudge Frosting:
*1/2 cup Earth Balance Butter
*1/2 cup agave nectar
*2 teaspoons vanilla extract
*1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
*1/2 cup soy milk powder (I actually couldn't find this so I left it out and it was fine, the frosting is seriously yummy.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. Line a muffin tray with paper liners.

Combine milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes or until it bubbles a little. If it doesn’t bubble, keep stirring mixture until it does. Add the agave, oil and vanilla. stir.

In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. (I recommend sifting the dry ingredients together). Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until no lumps.

Pour the batter into the muffin tray and bake for 18-22 minutes until they rise and are springy to the touch. Cool the cupcakes completely before you add the icing. Of course we were a bit too impatient to wait for them to cool completely... ; )

To make the frosting, use a mixer to cream the butter and the agave together until very smooth. Add the vanilla and about 1/2 of the cocoa powder, mixing on low speed to combine, then add the remaining cocoa powder. If you have it, add the soy milk powder and beat at medium high speed until fluffy. (We made the frosting first and put in the fridge where it thickened up nicely while the cupcakes were baking).

Frost and enjoy. These cupcakes are best when eaten soon after baked and slightly warm.

*** I will try and update with a photo of the cupcakes tomorrow*** 

Comments

[Nikole]

Yum! I really do hope you chronicle your journey in a blog. I will be looking for a link. xoxo

[Maree]

Happy birthday Bella! And good thoughts and smooth transitions for you, Stacy, as you walk the vegan path. I've often wanted to try the raw food diet but like you I can't imagine being all raw food all the time. But really...who says it has to be that way for you or for me? It's such a freeing thought to realise that expectations of perfection can hold us back.

[Jummy]

Happy Birthday, Bella!!!

[Julie]

she has the most beautiful eyes - what a darling. Happy Birthday Bella.

Those cupcakes sound yummy. I would be so interested in reading about your vegan journey - I've gone on a lighter version of a similar path - at present I'm just cutting out meat from my diet, largely due to concerns about what might be contained withit (artifical growth hormones and the like), plus a reading a powerful article from Goddess Leone on the stress the animal is under at the point of death and how we take that in when we eat meat. Finally, I know I couldn't bear to watch an animal being killed, so feel it's hyprocritical for me to eat it. I can catch and kill fish though, so am still eating some fish. I've encountered a lot of opposition to my choice (which I don't even think is that drastic!) from my family (parents)- like you I've not made my husband or children join me on the path, it's my choice, not theirs and they are happy for me to do what I want. I would love to read your journey as I am considering taking things further and moving towards total veggie status or even vegan, but, like you, feel that I do have to be quite defensive of my choices. it would be good to learn how others deal with this, to give and receive some support and to get inspiration for ideas for meals as well.

[kb]

two years? wow. It feels like so much longer - like Isabella has always been here. I think, in many ways, she always has been.

I love what you're doing. I've long worried about the things I eat and I am going to pick up a copy of the Kind Diet so that I can learn more about some of this yummy goodness - and I choose those words purposefully. Love you.xoxo

[darlene]

sending birthday wishes to your beautiful bella and to her beautiful mamma

... and understanding, loads of understanding. you know that i wrote about it years ago, how strange it all was that so many people judged duke and i for eating vegan and how odd i felt about that unexpected aspect and consequence of our food choices. not much has changed and just last night we were talking with a friend about how defensive people get over the food choices we all make and because we make the conscious choice to only eat organic foods, again, we are getting a strange backlash even though we rarely talk about it ... sigh ... i wish i could understand why the choices i make for myself and my family are such an affront to so many people around me.

much love beauty, over here supporting you quietly for whatever choices you make, xoxo

[christine]

Happy Birthday to your little sweetie. Thank you for including the recipie as I am very curious about veganism. Will be a fun thing to cook my little sweetie who is now 16 and loves to cook with me.......you've started her out on a great path!
Best wishes as you approach your last week.
Christine
(Mamma of 2 girls and it couldn't be better!)

[Kirsten Michelle]

Belated birthday day wishes to your sweet girl, mama.
Supporting you whole~heartedly every step of the way.xo

[Jolie]

Bellissima!
How wonderful to chronicle her life like this.
xo

[Kate Courageous]

Nothing but total love and support for your choices, knowing that you are an amazing mamma and that you're living from your heart and nothing could be better. ;-)

[mb]

all love and support for you my friend. i was vegan and got the same strange looks and reactions...but i wouldn't trade that time for the world. it began my path in really conscious eating AND consumerism. in the end, it didn't suit my needs as far being totally sustainable, which is another story, but we all have different paths...and the ones we choose...we are most definitely finding our own way! i love hearing how others find their way, so continue to share.

happy birthday to beautiful bella! what a time...turning 2 and soon to be an amazing big sister.

your cupcakes look divine. YUM.

mb

[sueberry]

WHO CARES what's in those cupcakes?? The photos of Bella were amazing!!!!!!! I love, love, love them!!

Is that too much love? NAH!!!

Hard to believe she's 2.....but gorgeous as ever. XOXO

[Amy Rufkahr]

Those look awesome! I think I'll plan to make those for Stella's 2nd birthday in June. Since she is highly allergic to dairy I'm always on the lookout for new vegan treats. I recently made her Coconut Milk Ice Cream sweetened with Blue Agave Nectar and it's delish. BTW....all the best with your decision to go vegan. I've been debating about doing it to....or at least going dairy free for Stella. We've already switched to Rice Milk and the Earth Balance butter but have yet to find a good substitute for cheese.

[stacy]

Thank you so much everyone for your support.

Nikole, I think it might have to wait until summertime once I launch my new site. I will be documenting until then, however.

Amy, if you can find it near you, might I suggest Daiya cheese. http://www.daiyafoods.com/

Their cheese is amazing and taste like cheese!

[Jeanne]

these sound so yummy and I KNOW Cassidy & I would love trying them but we aren't eating flour. I think Cassidy is allergic to wheat so maybe we could try these with rice flour.....hhhhmmmmm.

Hugs to both of you!

[kim]

First of all those pictures were completely adorable. As for vegan cupcakes...why would you want anything else? I have never been a fan of cake, but vegan cake I will make an exception for. I love the density and richness of vegan baked goods. I may even try these for Noah's birthday!

[Eileen]

Happiest of birthdays, Bella!!! Making cupcakes with your Mommy is the best- they look scrumptious.

Stacy, I also tried a vegan way of eating and I totally support you!!! It is a beautiful and gentle way to feed yourself in so many ways. I had to abandon it because of my rather unpredictable diabetes. I was sad about that, but my body had a hard time responding to the high glycemic choices I kept making in the Fall. (Lots of sweet potatoes and things.) I do love the Kind Diet which is where it began for me. I am considering keeping the mindset, upping my fruit and veggies while being gentle with myself right now. You have so much support in me though, so know that out in VA a soul lifts you up throughout your vegan journey.

[linden]

I love vegan cupcakes! Vegan cupcakes rule the world! So sweet dear child....

[Michelle Shopped]

happy birthday to bella! and i've been having a ball playing with vegan baking recipes for several months now (i am a foodie who loves to bake)...some great cookie recipes i've developed (feedback from self and folks i share 'em with!) -- oh and a to-die-for brownie recipe -- yahuh!

[monica]

Lovely post. I'm an omnivore myself, but completely respect others' food choices and am more than happy to partake in the gluten-free/ vegan/raw fare I may be served. And I'm more than happy to make something gluten-free/vegan/raw for my friends who choose to eat that way.

One thing my grandmother taught me: you can substitute apple sauce for the oil in your baking and it works like a charm - moist baked treats minus the fat.

Happy birthday to Bella! And to you, too, being that it was YOUR day of giving birth.

[Generic Viagra]

I like the picture, because the girl is so funny, at the same time, chocolate cake are delicious. Hence, the chocolate flavor linked with a delicious topping. makes the best chocolate cake combination.

[Hypnotherapy London]

Yum! These look fantastic. What a lovely birthday treat