Berry Cupcakes

CUPCAKES:

Ingredients:

1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 - 1 cup finely chopped strawberries (depending on personal taste)

Directions:

1: Preheat the oven to 350F and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2: Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside for a few minutes.

3: In a large bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4: In a separate large bowl, beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla and maple syrup. Gradually stir the dry ingredients and mix until no large lumps remain.

5: Fold in strawberries.

6: Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full and bake for 22-25 minutes until done.

Do not frost until cupcakes are completely cool.

FROSTING:

Ingredients:
1 container Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
1/2 cup soy margarine
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup berry juice (pomegranate blueberry works really well) make sure its 100% juice

Directions:

1: Combine cream cheese and margarine in a large bowl with mixer.
2: Slowly add sugar until just mixed.
3: Add and mix the rest of the ingredients.

TIP: I made this frosting on a really hot day in a kitchen with no AC, it ended up tasting amazing but it wasn't the fluffy frosting i wanted it to be. But I have a feeling if made in a cool environment without mixing TOO much it would be fairly fluffy. Either way it still tastes amazing.

Soup that will cure any illness - Onion and Garlic Soup

My roommate HATES when I make this soup, justifiably so, I mean come on its made with four onions and four cloves of garlic... if you have sensitive noses in your house i recommend opening all the windows in your kitchen AND turning on your stove fan. I personally love the smell of onions, but some folks do not.

The nice part about this is it is a REALLY easy base, if you're sick it takes very minimal effort to make! I use it as a base to start alot of brothy soups and make different variations by adding more ingredients. I included the dumpling recipe I use too, because who doesnt love dumplings?

Soup Base:

4 medium/large standard yellow onions

4 cloves garlic

1/2 t salt

4 TSP olive oil

3-5 cups water, depending on how thick you want the soup. I start with 3 and if it looks too thick I boil more water and add to the finished soup.

Vegetable bouillion - use package to measure based on the amount of water used.

1 rosemay branch, do not remove needles.

Directions:

1. Finely chop the onions, mince the garlic and then fry on low heat with the salt, COVERED, for 30 minutes or so. Don't try to speed up the process and cook on too high of a heat, the idea is NOT to carmelize but to soften and bring out the onions juices and flavor. Make the dumpling dough during the wait if you want to throw them in.

2. In a seperate pot mix water/bouillion to proper proportions, add onion mixture and rosemary branch, bring to a boil. Add dumplings here if you are making them. Cook 10-15 minutes.

Dumplings:

3/4 cup non-dairy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

3 TBSP olive oil

Directions:

1: Whisk together "milk" and vinegar and set aside for a couple minutes.

2: In a large bowl combine flower, baking powder, salt, oregano and rosemary.

3: Add oil to milk mixture and stir into dry mix.

Dumplings should be moist without being sticky. If too wet add more flower, if too dry add more milk.