Kashmiri Dum Aloo

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Kashmiri Dum aloo,a famous cuisine in the Indian restaurants is a very mildly spicy thick curry with the blend of spices where fennel is the most flavoring agent.I wished to try this long time back,but this time only did I caught hold of the baby potatoes that suits best for this curry.There are many variations to this curry but I tried the recipe from here and modified a bit again.The best part I like in this recipe is that they haven't deep fried the potatoes just boiled it.I boiled the potatoes and shallow fried with one tablespoon of oil.Hope you will enjoy the oil less version of this curry.The name 'dum aloo' is given as the potatoes are cooked in the heat generated in the spice mix and like dum biriyani,the lid has to be tight or the sides have to be sealed with atta or maida(APF) :-)


Ingredients
baby potatoes around 20
ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
plain yogurt 1 1/2 cups
chilly powder 1/2 tsp(I increased to 1 tsp)
dry ginger powder 1/4 tsp
garam masala 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
whole garam masala(2-3 cardamom,cinnamon 1" piece,cloves 2-3,coriander seeds 1/2 tbsp)
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
fennel powder 1 tbsp
heavy whipping cream 2 tbsp
oil 2tbsp
coriander leaves 5 sprigs chopped


Method
-Boil the potatoes with skin intact on medium high flame for 1 or 2 whistles with water and salt.Put off flame.Peel the skin of potatoes and then prick all over with a fork.


-Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non stick pan and shallow fry the potatoes till lightly browned,hold the two sides of the pan and shake the pan gently to rotate the potatoes .Avoid using sharp spoons otherwise the potatoes may mash up and may not hold shape.
-Remove in a plate and then in the remaining oil ,add the whole garam masala,cumin seeds and stir.
-Mix the other spice powders in little water and then add to the pan.
-Let the spices come to boil and then oil starts to leave from the spices.
-Lower flame and add curd.Add the shallow fried potatoes and then close with a tight lid or seal the sides with atta or maida  so that steam can't escape out.
-Cook for 20 -25 minutes until the gravy is thick and lower flame and add whipping cream.Put off flame,garnish with coriander leaves.

Serves ~ 4 adults

NOTES
* You can add powdered cashew powder instead of whipping cream.You can add tomatoes too.
* You can use the original amount of chilly powder mentioned.I just increased it as we are not used to mild spicy tastes.
* In one of the videos,I noticed that fennel seeds can be substituted for star anise which gives the same flavoring effect.But I personally haven't used it.
* The larger potatoes can be cut & used too for dum aloo.



Sending this to SYF & HWS -Fennel Seeds ,Show Me Your HITS-Iron Rich Foods event guest hosted @ my space

Vettu Cake / Fried Sweet Cake

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Vettu cake,How many Keralites remember this chaya kada palharam(tea shop snack)? Back as a kid,our vacation used to be in Kerala for one or two months and that's the time I first tasted this snack from our near by tea shop when dad used to bring this(vettu cake /parippu vada/pazham pori) home.This was the prominent & famous snack in tea shops those days displayed in their glass cabinets.Gradually,mom learnt this recipe and then it became a regular affair at home munching these.I was preparing this snack for the first time for my kids and they liked it too.Usually tea shops use baking soda, but I have added baking powder to these.They are mildly sweet cardamom flavored cake like snack,delicious & addictive with a cup of tea.Hope u will all try & enjoy at home:-)


Ingredients
all purpose flour/maida 2 1/4 cup
sugar 1/2 cup
baking powder 1/2 tsp
eggs 2
salt a pinch
cardamom powder 2 pods powdered
turmeric powder a pinch (for color,I haven't used that)
oil 2-2 1/2 cup (for deep frying)


Method
-Beat the egg slightly with the sugar till its creamy.
-Sift the flour with baking powder,salt,turmeric powder(if using).
-Add the beaten egg and make a smooth dough like for chapathis.(Add 1 or 2 tsp of milk if required.)
-Rest the dough in a covered bowl for 30-45 minutes.
-Divide the dough in 2 parts.Make a thick log of 2" wide and then cut square pieces of 2- 2.5"(as shown)


-Then,make a 'X' or a '+' cut on the top of the dough sharply.(The cut should just be deep but don't cut through)
-Heat oil in a kadai/wok on medium heat and put each of these into the hot oil.Deep fry these and flip to the other side every 4 minutes.Fry till golden brown.
-Remove and drain on a paper towel.
-Serve with tea.

NOTES
* Please keep a check on the baking powder and flour.Don't increase or decrease else you will not get the proper shapes.
* Always use medium heat to fry the vettu cake.If you increase the heat then the inside may not cook properly and the outside may turn brown fast.



Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen Event hosted by Jehanne @ The Cooking Doctor, Guest Quest,

Pacha manga Chammanthi / Raw Mango Chutney

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Chutney /Chammanthi had been always my favorite,so does my elder son loves it.Whenever I think of mango chutney/ manga chammanthi,the first things that comes to my mind is the long train journeys when we loved carrying the parcels of steamed rice ,chammanthi(chutney),mezhukuparetti(stir fry)& omelettes in wilted banana leaves wrap.The aroma of the wilted banana leaves with the parboiled rice just increases the hunger,and we can devour it so much..My mom always used to say at home they never are fond of cooked rice but during travel they are just the opposite and that was true :-)Coming back to today's recipe of the same flavorful, simple chutney /chammanthi with raw mango.


Ingredients
raw mango 1 medium sized deseeded and chopped
coconut 1 cup shredded
red dry chilli 2-3
shallots 5-6
ginger 1 small piece julienned
curry leaves
salt


Method-
-Heat a pan and dry roast the chillies first to warm it up(makes easier to grind).Remove on aplate ,keep aside.
-Then add all other ingredients in the same pan except salt and dry roast for 2-3mins.
-Put all the ingredients in a blender with salt,add little water and grind to smooth till all the ingredients are well ground and combined.Hold it in your hand,see if it holds shape then chammanthi/ chutney is ready to serve.


NOTES
* Check the sourness of mangoes and add accordingly.
* Dry roasting the ingredients is optional,You can directly put it in the blender and grind it too.

Enjoy the yummy chutney with steamed rice,until next time..



Wishing all my US friends & readers,A Very Happy Long Weekend !!!!

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen event hosted by Jehanne @ The Cooking Doctor, Cooking made Easy with mangoes, Mango Mania 99

Vazhakoombu Thoran /Banana Flower-Black Beans Stir Fry

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Banana /Vazhakoombu stir fry is a very healthy veggie stir fry used mainly in the southern states of India.This veggie is very rich in dietary fibers.The actual combination what my mom makes it is with red chori beans or vanpayar but I have used black beans in it,you can modify it to red chori too.Both combo tastes great and makes a great mildy spicy side dish for rice.Hope you will all enjoy making this at home !!



Ingredients
to cut 
vazhakoombu /banana flower 1medium
shallots 4-5 slit
water
salt
coconut oil 1 tbsp
to cook
black beans or red chori beans(vanpayar) 3/4 cup cooked
to grind coarse
coconut 3/4 cup shredded
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
garlic cloves 3
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
green chillies 4-5
to temper
mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
red dry chillies 2-3
curry leaves
oil(preferably coconut) 2tsp


Method
-Remove the outer 4-5 layers of banana bud/flower and wash it.Cut it fine into a bowl with water.
-Drain the water completely ,then rub the coconut oil and salt with your hands.Keep aside.
-Cook the soaked black beans or red chori whichever you're using with enough water and salt in a cooker for 3 whistles.
-In the meantime,grind the ingredients listed coarsely so that it just holds together.
-Heat oil in a pan and temper using mustard seeds,dry red chillies,curry leaves.
-Saute the slit shallots till wilted.Add the chopped vazhakoobu/banana flower.
-Add the cooked beans with the cooked water.(donot throw away the cooked beans water)
-Add the coarsely ground ingredients.
-Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium flame.
-Uncover lid,give a quick toss and cook again for 5 mins.
-Adjust salt and then leave it open for the left over water to evaporate.
-Stir fry is ready once the water is dried completely.

Servings ~4 adults

NOTES
* You can add 2 tsp of parboiled rice while tempering.Mom used to do that.
* You can use 1/2 tsp of chilly powder instead of green chillies too.
* The color of the stir fry is turned dark brownish  because of thewater added of cooked black beans.



Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen Event hosted by Jehanne @ The Cooking Doctor

Baked Salmon in Lemon Sauce

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Baking is a very good alternative  when compared to deep frying fishes in oil.This is the first time trial by me in a lemony sauce after successfully trying the Kerala version of Meen pollichathu/ Baked fish in banana wraps and I should admit this is a more simpler version and can be done with lesser effort compared to the earlier one and can be done in aluminium foil.I saw this recipe in our TV channel.The fish is flavorful with ginger garlic flavor and the lemon flavor and can be served with salads.Hope you will all enjoy the healthy baked version with salmon:-)



Ingredients
salmon 1lb
onion 1 chopped and crushed
ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
olive oil 2 tbsp
lemon juice half of a lemon
pepper powder 1/2 tsp
red chilli flakes 1 tsp
cilantro 1/3 cup chopped
salt


Method
-Wash and rinse the salmon under running water.Rub it with little salt and lemon juice,wash again to remove odour.
-Make a marinade using all the other ingredients .
-Place the fish in a aluminium foil after removing water content and then add the marinade.Tightly seal the pack and Keep aside for 15 minutes.
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and palce rack in the middle position.
-Place the wrapped sealed foil in a tray and bake for 20 minutes.
-Remove from oven and let it cool for 10minutes before opening the seal.
-Serve with salads and top chilli flakes if required !!


NOTES


* Donot rush to open the seal as there is hot air in it.
* Each piece of fish to be wrapped separately with the marinade ingredients.
* The Rule of Thumb for baking says 10 minutes for an inch of thickness of fish.

Rhubarb Oat Bread (gluten-free, vegan)

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Yesterday was a glorious day here in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our beloved Farmer's Market opened again for the 2012 summer season. And this year was also a 'grand opening' of a new and expanded marketplace. It was pretty exciting just to see the mounds of people electrified about fresh locally farmed food. My mouth was watering just looking at the buttery asparagus and my nose tingling with happiness with the scent of fresh and growing herbs and other vegetable plants. It was a pretty great day to be in Grand Rapids. I bet many of you have had similar experiences this past weekend with opening market's or maybe you have been blessed to enjoy a year-round local farmer's market. In Michigan, with our four distinct seasons, it is easy to have significant starts and ends to the year and the first weekend in May is kinda an unofficial start to the summer with the beginning of our cherished farmer's market.
Last night we ate a few pounds of roasted asparagus (I think I ate a pound just by myself!) and today I was excited to make a few special treats with some fresh rhubarb. Oh, I wish I had some wild growing asparagus and rhubarb growing in my backyard. I think I will have to investigate how to make that happen for me someday :) In the meantime, I love supporting my local farmers that bring their bounty to sell to the city-folk like me.It was also a busy weekend in my own backyard garden. I planted many seeds. Zucchini, Cucumber, a few different squashes, lots of herbs, lettuce, kale, and a few different beans and peas. It was a dramatic start to our doubled-in-size garden. We plowed another 28 x 22 plot in out backyard to plant more. I think our urban neighbors think we are a bit silly (and maybe we are!), but it has become somewhat a hobby as well as a way to learn to grow and eat food from our own sweat and land. I would encourage you to try and grow something this summer, even if it is just a little mint plant in a pot on your window sill for home brewed tea. Or investigate back porch or container gardening if you do not have the ground space. Or I have heard a great deal of love for square foot gardening as well. Either way, it is worth trying and experiencing the joy, disappointment, tears and fulfillment in growing your own food. It seems like you are a bit closer to God, or heaven, or at least how God intended it to be. And with all that fun in the garden this weekend with a fair share of rain, sun and humidity), we were all in agreement about a yummy baked treat. And since rhubarb has made her spring debut in our house, we made oat bread with rhubarb, plus a little rhubarb butter to spice it up. This recipe is based off of my basic gluten-free oatmeal bread. Delish!Rhubarb Oat Bread Recipe (gluten-free, vegan)
1 cup of certified gluten-free rolled oats (I used Bob Red Mill's)1 1/4 cup of boiling water2/3 cup of non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious Coconut Milk)2 TB of fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon or sub apple cider vinegar)
In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the rolled oats. Let sit for a few minutes and then add the milk and lemon juice. Continue to let sit for 5-10 more minutes until the oats are soft and you can see some cultured milk and water from the lemons. Then mix with the following ingredients...
1 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour1/4 cup of chia seed meal1/2 cup of freshly ground GF oat flour1/2 cup of tapioca flour1 ts of baking powder1 ts. of baking soda1/2 ts. of sea salt1/2 cup of sucanat (or your preferred sweetener)1/3 cup of baking oil: grapseed, melted coconut oil or light olive oil1 ts. of pure vanilla or 10 drops of pure vanilla stevia liquid (I used NuNatural's)
1 heaping cup of finely chopped fresh rhubarb

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients with a whisk. Then add the wet oat mix and the oil.  Mix well and let the batter sit for just a few minutes to soak up the moisture. Lastly, add the finely chopped rhubarb and mix well together. Then pour the batter into a well oiled bread pan and top with a sprinkle of dry gluten-free oats. Then put in a preheated 350 degree oven and let bake for 45-55 minutes. Check then to see if the bread is baked through in the middle, if not, let it continue to cook for 5-10 more minutes until it is not gooey and golden brown. 
Pull from oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before pulling from pan to let it cool on a grate or plate.  This bread will make between 12-15 slices depending on how thick you like to cut each slice. 
Serve bread warm with a touch of vegan butter or fruit butter. I made some rhubarb butter to add a nice tart touch. The simple recipe is below.Honey Rhubarb Butter Recipe1 cup of washed and chopped rhubarb1 TB of water2 TB of raw honey1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon1/4 ts. of ground cloves
In a small sauce pan, cook the chopped rhubarb with the water until the rhubarb turns to a thick mush. This takes about 10-15 minutes on medium heat. Then pull from the heat and add the honey and spices. Then let cool and place in a high speed blender. This recipe is a very small amount, but is intended to be doubled or tripled depending on your amount of rhubarb. Store in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or preserve using traditional canning methods.The perfect spring-time bread recipe. And, this bread does not contain too much sweetener, so if you want it make it more a sweet bread then add more sucanant. I wanted this bread to be a bread that could easily be toasted and topped with honey or rhubarb butter for the extra sweetness. Good to the last bite! I hope you enjoy and find joy and excitement this spring with added growth and life!
Much love as always!

Pink Berry Pancakes (gluten-free, vegan)

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Happy Mother's Day, to all of you mothers out there! I think I have more respect, love and thankfulness for mothers since becoming a mother myself. Especially for my own mother of five children and also for all the many many moms I have witnessed their sacrifice and love over the years.

I feel like when I became a mom I all of a sudden got accepted into this special club of mom-hood. It was like all at once I 'got it'. I understood the deep deep love for your child. The sacrifice, headaches and worries that grace your heart each and every day. Or like when you are at the grocery store and you or the other mom's kid are all of a sudden having a meltdown and you just look at each other and give each other silent support. We understand and remind each other that nap time is just around the corner!

So this 'day to celebrate mom's' means a lot more to me now than ever. I am all about having a day just for us! Seriously. Let's live it up. Have the kids make you breakfast, clean the kitchen, buy you flowers. You deserve it, and you need to let yourself be loved and cared for (even if it feels like maybe this is your only day per year!)
I think that being a mom means that you understand the tension between the simplicity and complexity of life. We get to experience the simple heart of our child and yet know that life, growth and love can some times be so complex there are no words. We can ache and have joy in the same emotion. Being a mom has been one of the greatest gifts I could ever ask for.
So this recipe comes just in time for a nice mother's day breakfast or brunch, and you may need a daddy or other helper if you have smaller children. Or, make it all together and enjoy. The pancakes have a good amount of fresh strawberry puree in them to give them a pink hue and with a touch of fresh berries, or bananas or your favorite topping these pancakes are absolutely divine!
Now that's a perfect bite. A slice of strawberry, a slice of banana and a slice of pancake. All kissed with a gentle touch of raw honey and lemon. Hmmmm, good. Love, love, love!
Whole Grain Pink Berry Pancake Recipe 
(gluten, dairy, egg, nut, sugar-free and vegan) 
1 cup of buckwheat groats 1 cup of gluten-free rolled oats 
*Grind each grain, separately in magic bullet or high powered blender to make a heaping cup of flour- about 1 1/4 cup of each flour*
2 TB of aluminum-free baking powder2 TB of chia seed meal2 TB of grape seed oil or light olive oil2-3 TB of maple syrup or coconut palm sugar1 ts. of pure vanilla extract or 12 drops of liquid vanilla stevia extract2 cup of non-dairy milk (I use So Delicious coconut milk beverage)2/3 cup of pureed fresh strawberries (or raspberry)1 fresh lemon juiced (1-2 TB)optional: zest from one lemon (about 1-2 tsps.)
optional additions or toppings:fresh strawberriesfresh raspberriesfresh sliced bananasgoji berrieslocal maple syrupraw and local honey
Pancake Instructions:*First, grind your buckwheat groats and oats separately so that you have your flour for the pancakes. Then, mix the flours and all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then add the wet and whisk well together. You know your batter is doing well when you start to see the batter-bubbles appear and the batter thickens.   
*Then, warm either your skillet or griddle and use some coconut oil or ghee to grease up the frying area. Then use a 1/4 or 1/3 measuring cup to pour batter over the hot skillet to make a good sized pancake. 
*Let cook for about 2 minutes and you will see bubbles on the top and then you know to turn to the other side. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Make sure you keep the heat on low to medium so avoid burning! This recipe makes 1-2 dozen cakes depending on how large you make them.
Well, that's my kind of special 'mom' breakfast. Pink pancakes. Lots of colors, fresh sweetness and spring time lovin'. I hope you have a great weekend filled with love, flowers and the great outdoors!Much love as always! And to all the momma's, Happy Mother's Day! 

Chocolate Mocha Cream Namaste Cupcakes (gluten-free, vegan)

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Cupcakes, oh my! I have made hundreds of cupcakes and even a few cakes over the past few months for many close friends for birthdays and parties and such. So, again, I was recently asked to make a few dozen cupcakes for a local volunteer appreciation event. I of course said, yes! And, decided that I would make things easier on myself and make the cupcake base from my favorite gluten-free baking blend company.
That company: Namaste Foods. It is a great place to start when you are a new at the gluten-free (and even dairy-free) journey. They give you lots of amazing options, and you can find them at most local grocery stores or can easily buy online at Namaste Foods or Vitacost (get free $10 coupon HERE). They also use some of the "better" baking ingredients, using dehydrated cane juice for sweetener and not using any other junk or fillers. I love that! I have made this mix many times and I am sure you have heard me talk about them before, and especially the chocolate cake mix will easily trick any by-passer to think that for sure they are not eating a gluten-free dessert! It is that good (and easy!)
I'm no genius, but I bet some of my from-scatch gluten-free vegan cupcakes may be a bit intimidating for the beginner gluten-free friend. Mixing flours and finding new ingredients can be a little stressful in the beginning. It takes time friends! Don't fret too much, but yet, you still want to make something special for the upcoming birthday, party or special gathering. This recipe is just for you then! It is super simple with the gluten-free flours already mixed and you can make your cupcakes just as simple as putting together a 'box mix'.
So my next few posts will be some cupcake recipes for beginners with the help of Namaste Cake mixes. I added some ingredients to the mixes to make them a little more than generic and with a little more sparkle. My next Namaste cupcake recipe will be Strawberry Shortcake with the Vanilla Cake mix, so stay tuned for a few more recipes as well.
But, let's just enjoy this recipe shall we. Decadent. Lots of coffee chocolate flavor and lots of roll-your-eyes oooing and ahhing. Seriously. Top with a little mocha cream frosting and some chocolate or coffee bean shavings and you are in heaven!Chocolate Mocha Cream Namaste Cupcakes 
(gluten-free, vegan)1 package Chocolate Cake Mix from Namaste Foods1 1/2 cup of strongly brewed coffee (regular, decaf, or a coffee/tea sub)
*I used fair-trade organic decaf for the flavor*2/3 cup of melted extra virgin organic coconut oil3 chia-gel eggs (3 TB of ground chia seed meal plus 9 TB of water whisked together in separate bowl)
Mix the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then let sit for a minute to let the chia eggs gel into the rest of the batter. Pour the batter into cupcake liners in a cupcake tin. Fill liners 2/3's full and you will get about 16 cupcakes. 
*NOTE* If you want to use eggs, then sub the chia gel eggs, for 3 eggs and your batter may make a few more cupcakes than 16. I have made this recipe with and without eggs, and the final product is very close to the same!
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes and check to see that they are baked through and not gooey with a tooth pick. Then pull from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack or counter. Let the cakes completely cool before frosting (1-2 hours). This recipe will make between 16-20 cupcakes depending on your size.
Vegan Mocha Cream Frosting Recipe2 cups of organic powdered sugar1/3 cup of Organic Spectrum Palm Oil Shortening2-3 TB of strong brewed coffee1-2 ts. of pure vanilla extract
Use a hand held mixer to blend up the frosting and make it smooth, then pour it into a frosting bag with a wilton decorating tip if you want to go all fancy, and then top with chocolate or coffee bean shavings. You can do this with a potato peeler and a dark chocolate bar. Just shave off the chocolate like you are peeling a potato. Or use some ground coffee beans (I say always use decaf so to make it more eater-friendly!) Then viola, you have some pretty amazing cupcakes on your hands!I topped my cupcakes with a little frosting, shaved chocolate AND ground coffee. Perfect. If you want to avoid powdered sugar you can use a honey-based frosting here, and just add a touch of coffee or cocoa/chocolate for flavor as well.

P.S.
I hope you try your hand at making some gluten-free cupcakes, especially as easy as these. And, if for some reason you rather have someone like me do the job for you (and you live locally!) I would love to make some cupcakes or cake for your special birthday, gathering or party. Really! I am starting to do this more and more and have been loving it. So if you or a friend is interested in hiring me for your gluten-free cake or cupcakes for your special event, then please let me know! I would love to do the job!

Disclaimer: Namaste Food Co. donated the cake mixes for this baking adventure, but they did not give me any monetary reward for stating my review or opinion. My opinion is purely my own and would be completely willing to share that with any one who asks :)

Much love [and cupcakes] to you as always!

Strawberry Shortcake Namaste Cupcakes

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As promised, a recipe for strawberry shortcake cupcakes. Viola! This recipe is a super simple recipe for any gluten-free friend, but especially for the beginner because it uses the fabulous Namaste Vanilla Cake Mix as the main base ingredient. Who can resist a sweet strawberry treat this time of year?! Not me!
Pretty in pink and perfect for an early summer treat. Or perhaps this is just the gluten-free treat you are looking for that Memorial Day celebration coming up in a few weeks. 'Wow' your friends and family with a special treat like this and I promise you will be every one's new [gluten-free vegan] best friend. In my last post I mentioned some of the great reasons why I would choose Namaste Food's Cake mixes to make some quick cupcakes, but did I mention that the mixes are also budget friendly too?!

When you compare it to all of the costs of mixing your own GF flours for a one-time event it really is a bargain. You really get a lot for your money spent and plus there is the guarantee that it will taste good (and let's face it, when you experiment with flour mixing you can never be completely sure you are going to succeed!) Yes, I do like to bake gluten-free cupcakes from scratch most of the time, but every now and then it is nice to create a clever treat like this and make it quickly with ease.
Then you can have the most fun in the decorating process and forget the stress in baking in the first place. And working with gorgeous red strawberries makes is really really easy! Hmmmm, love at first sight! Am I right?!
Strawberry Shortcake Namaste Cupcakes 
(gluten-free, vegan)
1 package Vanilla Cake Mix from Namaste Foods2/3 cup of pure water1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juiceoptional: lemon zest from 1 lemon3/4 cup of melted extra virgin organic coconut oil3 chia-gel eggs (3 TB of ground chia seed meal plus 9 TB of water whisked together in separate bowl)
Mix the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then let sit for a minute to let the chia eggs gel into the rest of the batter. Pour the batter into cupcake liners in a cupcake tin. Fill liners 2/3's full and you will get about 16 cupcakes. 
*NOTE* If you want to use eggs, then sub the chia gel eggs, for 3 eggs and your batter may make a few more cupcakes than 16. I have made this recipe with and without eggs, and the final product is very close to the same!
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes and check to see that they are baked through and not gooey with a tooth pick. Then pull from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack or counter. Let the cakes completely cool before frosting (1-2 hours). This recipe will make between 16-20 cupcakes depending on your size.Vegan Strawberry Cream Frosting Recipe2 cups of organic powdered sugar1/3 cup of Organic Spectrum Palm Oil Shortening2-3 TB of fresh strawberry puree 1 ts. of pure vanilla extractfresh, washed and dried strawberries for topping
Use a hand held mixer to blend up the frosting and make it smooth, then pour it into a frosting bag with a Wilton decorating tip if you want to go all fancy. Then top with a slice or half of a fresh washed and dried strawberry. Then viola, you have some pretty tasty strawberry cupcakes.
If you want to avoid powdered sugar you can use a honey-based frosting here, and just switch out the raspberry puree for strawberry puree. Just remember that using raw local honey will make your cupcakes no longer vegan. P.S.I hope you try your hand at making some gluten-free cupcakes, especially as easy as these. And, if for some reason you rather have someone like me do the job for you (and you live locally!) I would love to make some cupcakes or cake for your special birthday, gathering or party. Really! I am starting to do this more and more and have been loving it. So if you or a friend is interested in hiring me for your gluten-free cake or cupcakes for your special event, then please let me know! I would love to do the job!
Disclaimer: Namaste Food Co. donated the cake mixes for this baking adventure, but they did not give me any monetary reward for stating my review or opinion. My opinion is purely my own and would be completely willing to share that with any one who asks :)
Much love [and cupcakes] to you as always!