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Happy Friday!

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ImageImageImageFound some of my favorite pictures from our trip to Roatan, Honduras.  Inspiring me to get to the beach this weekend, relax, and enjoy life.  Even if I am not on a tropical vacation, I have so much around me at home to enjoy and be grateful for.  Hope you all have a wonderful, sunny, loving weekend.  Enjoy your mamas, friends, loved ones!

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Not much to report here on the home front sugars, except that it is tons warmer today than it has been in weeks!! You can go ahead and roll your eyes if you have snow in the ground since the social media world is totally making fun of us babies here in southern California.

Spring flowers in the Asian garden

Anyway, I thought this quote was perfect to mark 2 weeks until I leave for an epic trip with Erik.  I haven’t mentioned it yet, mostly because we were still figuring out dates.  Now, tickets have now been purchased and arrangements made; in 2 weeks we are leaving for a month-long trip through several countries in Central America.  The path may be somewhat mapped out, but I am so looking forward to the unknown adventure and where the path may lead.  I was able to spend the first 3 months of last year in Costa Rica with a trip to Nicaragua, so this time around I cannot wait to see some new spots!

Of course this means The Vibrant Bean will be MIA for the most part.  I will have some posts with pics and such, but until mid March (I get home March 3 but head straight to Washington DC for a week) the usual business will be mostly on hold.  Please bear with me and stay tuned for hopefully some epic travel photos and adventure stories!

P.S. if you have any must see/do/stay at/eat at things in Guatemala, Hondaras (only Roatan), Nicaragua, and or Panama, please share!!! Thanks friends!

Gingery Gingerbread Cupcakes

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Hi guys!!  Happy Friday!

I cannot believe we are practically half way through December and my favorite time of the year…Christmas!!  This week was another busy one.  Our trip to Mexico, a couple holiday parties, and having family in town has been keeping me quite busy.  Throw in the normal Holiday hustle and bustle, work, and my health classes…ya, I’ve been stressed and running around crazy pretty dang busy!  I apologize for the lack of posts, I’m trying, but it’s just not fitting into the schedule. 

Hopefully these make up for my absence, maybe just a little??

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I love gingerbread sweets, especially during Christmas.  It just feels so right!  The addition of the fresh ginger totally kicked the flavor up a notch ;-) Image

Gingerbread Cupcakes – Vegan and Gluten Free:

Pre heat oven to 325

  • 1/2 cup molasses

  • 1/4 cup vegan butter – I use Earth Balance

In small saucepan, heat molasses and butter just until molasses starts to bubble.  Remove from heat, place in small bowl and allow to cool

  • 1 3/4 cup gluten free All-purpose flour

  • 1 tbsp ground ginger

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

  • 1/4 salt

Mix these dry ingredients (above) in a bowl and set aside.

  • 2 flax eggs or egg replacer

  • 1/2 cup raw organic sugar

  • 2 tbsp agave

Beat these ingredients (above) in a large bowl.  

  • 3 tbsp coconut oil

  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger

Beat in coconut oil and molasses mixture.  Slowly mix in flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in fresh ginger.  Spoon into cupcake tins.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean!

 

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Vegan Cream Cheese Ginger Frosting:

  • 8 oz vegan cream “cheese” – I use tofutti

  • 1/2 cup vegan buttery spread

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger

Beat the frosting ingredients (above) in a medium bowl.  Frost over cooled cupcakes.  Top with candied ginger, serve, and ENJOY!!

 

 

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What are some of your favorite holiday treats??  Do tell!

Spooky Snaps and my New Adventure

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Happy Halloween Week pumpkins!

Unfortunately I do not have any spooky or clever costumes to share, for we were too busy watching and celebrating my beloved GIANTS win the World Series!!!!  Even though I could not be in the City to watch and party (for a big reason which I announce at the end), I made sure we cheered our little hearts out down here in So Cal.  I stayed decked out in my SF Black and Orange which definitely helped keep things in the Halloween spirit!!

I did manage to plan and host a super fun pumpkin decorating party late last week.  Great friends, delicious food and drink, pumpkin decorating galore, and the World Series made the party a super success!

Here are some fun snaps of the party and last week!

{ party for pumpkins }

{ some crafty work }

{ hard at work }

{ earth oven for pizzas. built by my brother }

{ my pirate pumpkin }

and of course a shot of some game watching

{ Giants!!! }

Alright, enough of this party and celebration talk, although now I have another reason to celebrate…Today is the first day of my schooling in Health and Wellness.  For the next year, I will be studying and working hard to become certified as a health and wellness coach.  The program takes a holistic approach to overall nutrition, health, and wellness.  Although I am very happy with my job and working with my family, I would also like to pursue my interest in helping others with nutrition and health.  I feel so blessed to be able to have the opportunity to do all these things.  I cannot wait to learn so many new things, while touching up on things I already know and practice.  And you, my lovely readers, will reap the benefits of thins I learn.  I hope to make this blog even healthier and happier!!!

 

Vegan Meatlessballs

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One of the fun parts of cooking vegan, vegetarian, or just healthier meals is the challenge of transforming classic meals.  It’s a lot of trial and error, but nailing a new recipe makes it worth it, at least to me.  I’m a total nerd that way though ;-)

Anyway, spaghetti and meatballs.  Pretty standard right?  Totally, but the trick here was to make a meatless version, and to not use and of that fake soy meat CRAPola.  As I have mentioned before, I really try to limit imitation foods and soy.  Soybeans often times contain A LOT of GMO’s and the fake meats, cheeses, etc, are often times heavily soy and or processed —> no bueno!!!

K enough with that rant, onto the Meatless meatball, actually more like beanballs?

You will need:

  • 1 can (15oz) organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 flax egg – 1 tablespoon ground flax +2 tablespoons warm water, set aside for a few minutes to gel
  • 1/2 medium onion – chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste – mix with a little water to thin before adding to mixture
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • a large handful of parsley – chopped
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 heaping tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Enough of your favorite red pasta sauce to cover and serve with pasta, i used about 2 cups

Now for the easy part…

  1. Pre-heat over to 350.
  2. In a food processor, pulse beans a few times.  You want them chopped, but not pureed.  Keep it choppy.
  3. In a large bowl, transfer beans and mix in tomato paste.  After combined, toss in the rest of the ingredients and mix together.
  4. Roll mixture out into balls, place on baking sheet, then toss them in the oven.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  6. In a large saucepan, heat sauce.  Place meatballs in sauce.  Spoon sauce over meatballs, make sure to coat them all.
  7. When meatballs are all coated and sauce is heated, top the meatless balls over some pasta and Enjoy!!