Peaches and Cream Oatmeal...

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A hearty and healthy Vegan breakfast to kick start your day the right way!

Flavor packed and rich with fiber, healthy fats (from the coconut) and protein (from the nuts). So eat your breakfast to "break the fast"!

Coconut water really adds to the flavor of the oatmeal.

Allow the cinnamon- coconut- oatmeal to simmer (small bubbles).

Fresh peaches and roasted almonds are key players!

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Peaches and Cream Oatmeal

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: 2

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Ingredients:

1 cup oats (quick oats or old-fashioned)

½ cup light coconut milk

1 ½ cups coconut water (Brenna's fav-Zico, found @ Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Safeway)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

¼ cup toasted almonds, chopped

1 ripe peach, sliced

Optional garnish (not displayed in picture): coconut cream, coconut flakes

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add the oats, coconut milk, coconut water and cinnamon. On medium-low heat, allow the mixture to come to a simmer (small bubbles); will take about 4-5 minutes. Simmer the oatmeal 1 minute and continually stir (to keep from burning the bottom). Remove from the heat and cover with a lid for 2-5 minutes (Tip 1).

Stir in maple syrup and chopped almonds. Divide the oatmeal mixture into 2 servings and top with peaches. Garnish (optional) with coconut cream or coconut flakes for added coconut flavor.

Tip 1: Covering the oatmeal with a lid is optional. I like my oatmeal thick/less liquid so I place the lid on the mixture so that it continues to cook in its own steam. If you prefer your oatmeal more runny, either cook it less time or add more liquid towards the end.

Wine & Sunflower Wedding Cake...

Love, happiness, smiles and joy filled our hearts at the Gallagher Wedding. Andrew and Amy Gallagher, may your lives be blessed with a fruitful marriage and be filled with the love of Christ!

Thank you for the privileged of designing your wedding cake, it was great to be a part of your special day.

Now for my friends and family, I am happy to share with you the themed:
 

Wine and Sunflower Wedding Cake 

Chocolate Wine Cake with Port Ganache &

 Chai Tea Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream

designed by Brenna Bowers

Chocolate Vegan Pudding...

Decadent, rich, smooth and scrumptious all will come to mind with each bite of this dessert! And believe it or not, this recipe is Vegan, Gluten Free and Dairy Free!

So whether you are craving a healthy dessert or maybe watching your figure, you can still have dessert today!

How is Chocolate Vegan Pudding good for me?

It is important that we consume 'healthy fats' in our diet. The secret ingredient in this recipe--avocado--is the perfect source of healthy fats in the form of Omega 3's. Omega 3's help your body properly metabolize, reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) while raising good cholesterol (HDL), reduce inflammation and maintain proper cell membrane function.

So how about it....try this simple and decadent dessert for yourself!

Made with AVOCADOS!!!

Vegan, Dairy Free & Gluten Free!

Chocolate Vegan Pudding

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: 4

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados (Hass is best/black kind), peeled and pit discarded

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup water

1/3 cup maple syrup

3 Tbs honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 cup fresh raspberries (or any seasonal berry)

Directions:

In a high powered blender (Vitamix is best) or food processor add the avocado flesh, cocoa powder, water, maple syrup, honey, vanilla extract and salt. Blend for 1 minute (adding more water or maple syrup if the blender is seizing up) until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

Divide the pudding into 4 ramekins (small bowls) and top each with fresh raspberries. Eat right away or chill before serving.

*Nutrition Information on Avocados from one of my favorite sites: Avocado Facts

Churro Cupcakes wtih Dulce de Leche...

A cupcake twist on some favorite foods...dulce de leche and churros.
Bake a batch of your own, you won't regret it...that's a promise.

Churro cupcake with Dulce de Leche center

Vanilla cake batter

Cinnamon cake batter

Swirl the cinnamon and vanilla batter with a toothpick

With a pairing knife, remove a small piece of the center to be filled

Spoon Dulce de Leche into the hole of each cupcake

Pipe on the Vanilla Cinnamon Frosting

Churro Cupcakes with a Dulce de Leche Filling

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cinnamon Vanilla Churro Cake:

1 box white cake mix (Duncan Hines)

1 package (4 servings) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 egg whites

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 can (13.4 oz) Dulce de leche

2 large churros (Costco), cut into 24 bite size pieces

Vanilla Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), room temperature

8 oz. (1 block) cream cheese, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2-3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Cinnamon Vanilla Churro Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners (24).

In a mixing bowl combine the cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil, almond extract, vanilla extract and egg whites. Mix for 2 minutes or until well incorporated. Remove ½ cup of the batter and stir in 1 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon.  Divide the vanilla cake batter evenly amongst the 24 cupcake holders. Spoon a dollop of the cinnamon batter into the center of each cupcake. Using a toothpick, swirl the batter to give a marbled effect.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool completely.

With a paring knife, make a small hole in the center of each cupcake to be filled. Spoon and fill each hole with a dollop of dulce de leche.

Vanilla Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

In another mixing bowl beat the butter and cream cheese until whipped (2 minutes). Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in powdered sugar and whip for 1 minute until fluffy.

Pipe frosting onto each cooled and filled cupcake. Top each cupcake with a piece of churro.

Eat and repeat!

Baby Cakes...

A darling little cupcake fit for a baby shower.

Have fun with this project and use your creativity.

The 1-2-3 step process

Baby Cakes

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

24 cupcakes

2 ½ white vanilla cups frosting

piping tip (large round & small round)

2 piping bags

2 pounds fondant (can be found at Michaels Craft Store)

gel food coloring (black {eyes}, pink & yellow {face}, 2 of your preferred colors for the blankets)

powdered sugar (just enough to roll out the fondant)

rolling pin

circle cookie cutter (about 2 ¾” diameter) (or a small cup)

pasta cutter/roller (optional) 

Directions:

Bake a batch of 24 cupcakes and let them cool completely.

Prepare two piping bags, one with a small tip and one with the large tip. Color one-forth of the frosting black and place into the piping bag with the small tip--this will be the frosting for piping the eyes of the baby’s face. Leaving the rest of the frosting white, place into the large tip piping bag --this will be for topping the cupcakes.

Divide the fondant into 3 equal portions. Color one section pink/yellow for the babies’ faces and noses, color the other two sections your preferred baby blanket colors.

To make the baby faces, roll a ball, in your palms, the diameter of a nickel. Then roll a tiny ball  and press into the center of the head to form the nose. Use your pinky nail (or sharp knife) to form the mouth. Using the small tip piping bag of black frosting, pipe two little eyes on the baby’s face. Repeat to make 24 baby faces.

To make the blankets, with a rolling pin, roll out the remaining 2 fondant colors (separately) to the thickness of a tortilla (use powdered sugar if it is sticking to the counter or your rolling pin). Using a circular cookie cutter or a cup, cut out a circle. Re-roll the fondant until 24 circles have been made. Lightly run a pasta cutter over the circles to make the imprint on each blanket, making sure to not cut through to the other side. Fold over the top flap about ¼ of an inch.

Using the large tip piping bag of white vanilla frosting, pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Top with one baby face and wrap up in a blanket.