Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins

Happy Easter! I hope your day was full of love, laughter and pastel colors. 

My friend Marlie left her Easter eggs behind..aren't they adorable?

I took the day to write some music, catch up with a friend, and of course, bake! This was my first time using Meyer lemons in a recipe, and they did not disappoint!

A mix between a lemon and a tangerine, Meyer lemons are a bit sweeter than lemons and just as delightful. I stocked up on tea at Teavana yesterday, which only added to the prettiness of the day.



I brewed some tea, meditated, and prepared myself for the week. How did you spend your Easter??







Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Chloe's Vegan Desserts


Makes 14 Muffins

Nothing says "Good morning, Sunshine!" like Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins and this recipe says it best. Light and zesty with a poppy seed crunch, these lemon iced muffins are worth waking up for!

Make-Ahead Tip:
Muffins can be made in advance and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw and apply icing before serving.

Muffins
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon pure lemon extract
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon lemon zest

To make the muffins:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut milk, oil, lemon juice, zest, and lemon extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Fold in poppy seeds. Do not over mix.



Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out dry with a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool the muffins completely before icing.

To make the icing:
Whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, water, and zest in a small bowl until smooth.

Spread a thin layer of icing over each muffin.

“How am I going to live today to create the tomorrow I've committed to?” 

― A.R.

Yoga Cupcakes

Out of all the vegan chefs that inspire my cooking, Chloe Coscarelli is hands down my favorite. All of her recipes are incredible. You can find out more about Chloe at ChefChloe.com.

These Yoga Cupcakes are from Chloe's newest cookbook, Chloe's Vegan Desserts. My kitchen smelled so wonderful. After a long day, I find the best way to relax & prepare for the weekend is to pour a glass of wine & make my whole apartment smell like chocolate. Wouldn't you agree?


The raspberry in the middle brings it all together. Fresh out the oven, these cupcakes are soft, moist, & rich. I used frozen raspberries instead of fresh raspberries & it created a perfect lava-cake effect. So so delish!


Yoga Cupcakes

Makes about 34 mini cupcakes
or 12 regular-sized cupcakes

In my first book, Chloe's Kitchen, I feature my favorite after-yoga treat: yoga cookies. The response was so huge from yogis and chefs around the world that I decided to share my yoga cupcakes in this book! At only 113 calories each, these cupcakes are chocolaty, indulgent, and guilt-free, for a post-yoga dessert. Plus, these low-cal cupcakes taste much better than the processed diet desserts in the frozen foods section of your grocery store. So hit the mat and eat up!

Make-Ahead Tip:
Cupcakes can be made in advance and frozen, unfrosted, for up to 1 month. Thaw cupcakes and frost before serving.

Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons white or apple-cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)
3 tablespoons soy, almond, or rice milk
Fresh raspberries, for garnish


To make the cupcakes: 
Preheat the oven to 350º. Line two 24-cup mini cupcake pans with 34 mini cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix.

Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry, with a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

To make the frosting:
Melt the chocolate chips and nondairy milk in a double boiler or microwave. Whisk until smooth. Spread a thin layer of frosting on each chocolate cupcake and top with 1 fresh (or frozen) raspberry.

Catching Up

Hello lovelies!

I hope you didn't think I abandoned you...

March proved to be a month full of lessons and growth. I always seem to have these periods of isolation, especially during the wintertime, when I keep to myself and reflect on my life and what I wish to happen in the future, how I have learned from the past, and more than anything, how to maintain sanity amongst the chaos that is my collegiate/music/career life.

I must admit I slipped a few times here and there with my food choices. I was finding it difficult to cook too much throughout the day, & I'd come home at night and pop a frozen meal (or two), or order some greasy disappointing takeout, or otherwise just forage through my snack cabinet and eat whatever possible thing I could find. Even when takeout and frozen dinners are vegan or vegetarian or deemed "healthy," its still not ever as satisfying as a home-cooked meal with fresh ingredients.

As convenient as it may be to resort to quick meals, I scold myself because I always regret it. My skin starts to look dull, my eyes become dry and dark circles are visible, I have no energy, I toss and turn at night, and as result of my physical ailments, I become irritated and fussy. Ugh. Bad Carys. There is no bigger pet peeve I have than someone who is constantly negative or appears angry for no reason. Imagine how it makes me feel when I know that person is me!

I don't know if the dreary dark winter in Boston has anything to do with it (it does), but once my sleeping and eating patterns get out of whack, its all down hill from there.

Luckily, I was able to head back to warm Texas and soak up the sun. Spring weather comes very early in my hometown; it even hit 100ºF for a couple days!!

I was able to reset my internal clock with the bright sunshine and cool summer-like nights. I wasn't able to make it to the beach, but I did get to eat, eat, eat, and EAT all week with the people I love, and that was just what the doctor ordered.

That said, I have so many delicious recipes coming up so definitely keep checking in! Spring takes a while to finally settle in here in Boston (its a chilly 40º degrees right now..boo), but the forecast is promising, and nothing inspires me to light up the kitchen more than sunny days ahead!

I'm excited to keep my mind and body in sync with delicious vegan food once again.

Today's lunch is a falafel wrap I picked up from Trader Joe's on my way to work. It has hummus, tabbouli salad, and a tahini sauce wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla. So light and fresh!

My drink of choice is Trader Joe's "Very Green" Juice smoothie made with Spirulina, Barley Grass, Spinach, Broccoli, Parsley, Ginger, Garlic, and Blue Green Algae. It's blended with a bunch of fruit purees, but that is all natural sugar that is much more gentle than refined sugars and our bodies can break it down easily. The garlic threw me off a bit, but this smoothie is so sweet, I swear you can't even taste it. I forgot how much I love having raw food for lunch. It supplies me with just the right amount of energy for the rest of the day that no Starbucks drink could ever match.

Tune in this weekend for a sweet start to Easter weekend! (hint..its cupcakes)

“In life, you need either inspiration or desperation.” 

― Anthony Robbins

Dinnertime: 'Adult' Beanie Weenies with Mac & Cheese

This simple recipe takes me back to the days when I first started my journey in the kitchen. Mami would make the pasta & I'd heat up the can of soup and feel like such a big girl.

Now I make the pasta myself, use veggie Smart Dogs, and add some greens. But no matter what, there's something about baked beans that just makes me feel like a kid again. I love it.



Bon Appétit.

Beanie Weenies

1 can prepared baked beans

3 "smart dogs" or veggie protein links of your choice, chopped

Heat beans and soy hot dogs over medium flame. Serve warm. 

Easy Mac & Cheese

1 cup pasta
1 heaping tablespoon fresh minced garlic
1 1/2 cups plain non-dairy milk
1 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon shoyu
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes, if desired
1/4 cup vegan mozzarella cheese, optional

Boil pasta according to directions or until al dente. Meanwhile, saute garlic over medium heat in a large pan. Add milk and heat for 1 minute. Slowly add nutritional yeast, stirring carefully until completely dissolved. Add all the ingredients except the vegan mozzarella one by one until fully incorporated. When the pasta is ready, add it to the cheese mixture. Stir until well combined. Add the mozzarella cheese and mix well.

Serve the beans and pasta with your favorite greens, and a side of toast with Earth Balance butter. Yum..childhood. :)


Don't you just love the musical pasta my sister got me from Berlin? So cute!

Power Up Smoothie

This smoothie has gotten me through some hard times. It's healthy, it's creamy, it's filling, and most importantly, it's delicious. Win Win. 

Have it any time of day. Serve with a smile. :)

Power Up Smoothie

2-3 cups vanilla soy milk
2 Scoops chocolate vegan protein powder of your choice
1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter
2 tablespoons wheatgrass powder
1 tablespoon expeller pressed virgin coconut oil
1 large banana
1 coconut strip for garnish, if desired
(I love the coconut strips from Trader Joe's!)


Blend all ingredients.