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Racism is a public health crisis

June 13, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Hello everyone! Today I am hoping to discuss racism in public health. According to the American Public Health Association, “racism is on ongoing public health crisis,” and as a public health professional, I hope to spread awareness and help advocate for meaningful, lasting change.

What is racism?

Racism is a social system or structure in which a dominant racial group, based on an ideology of inferiority, ranks people into social groups or ‘races,’ and uses these categorizations to devalue, disempower, or disenfranchise members of certain groups.

Racism plays a role in many inequities, including housing, educational and professional opportunities, access to financial and social resources, environmental exposures, and access to healthcare and medicine, among others.

I’d like to acknowledge that I am a white person, and therefore, I cannot comprehend the experience of racism, nor an I know what the experience is like. I wrote this post to help teach myself and others about the seriousness of racism as a public health issue, and to list some resources for those looking to learn more. Please feel free to comment with additional resources if you have them.

Below I have outlined a few examples of how racism impacts various issues of human health. This is absolutely not a comprehensive list, rather, it is meant to serve as a small survey of the different ways in which racism impacts health. I encourage you to read and learn more about this topic.

I also want to make it very clear that any health disparities mentioned in this post are a result of systemic and systematic inequalities, a lack of disproportionate exposures to risk factors, combined with inadequate access to resources due to our country’s systemic history of unequal treatment of minority populations, and absolutely not the fault of the populations that experience them.

Racism in America’s History and Health History:

Racism is deeply rooted in American history and culture. After all, much of the United States was built on salvery. And while slavery may be outlawed today, racism is still very real. It shows up nearly everywhere – from disproportionate levels of Black Americans facing mass incarceration, to the racially-driven wage gaps, medical bias, and segregated neighborhoods, racism persists as a driving force behind a multitude of inequities.

Racism has played a role in the US healthcare history. For example, the infamous Tuskegee Study of 1932 was an example of racism in medical research. The research team set out to investigate the course of syphilis over 6 months. They recruited 600 Black participants, and without informed consent or choice to leave the study, and studied their disease course over 40 years, and withheld known available treatment (penicillin), allowing participants to suffer and some to die, without their consent, for the sake of the experiment.

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Recent Vegan Eats, Quarantine Edition 3

June 8, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Hey everyone! I hope you are well. I haven’t done a ‘recent eats’ round up in a while, so I thought I would pop back in with another recent vegan eats, quarantine edition #3.

Before we dive in to the eats, I wanted to acknowledge the injustices in the world. Racism is a deeply rooted, systemic issue that impacts so many aspects of modern life, including medicine, environmental exposures, social and economic opportunities, among others. It is a serious, ongoing public health crisis and I am committed to working towards a more just, equitable future. For more information/resources on racism, please see this list from NPR.

And if you are experiencing distress during this time, please see this list of mental health resources.

If desired, I can write up a blog post about racism in medicine, healthcare, and environmental health, and how this impacts public health. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning about the social determinants of health more generally, please see this blog post.

I sincerely hope all my readers out there are doing okay and staying safe. Please always feel free to reach out to me if there’s anything I can do to help.

Now, for this post at least, it’s time for an insignificant topic: recent vegan eats. If you’re unfamiliar, n this mini series, I share some of the things I have eaten and happened to have photographed in the past several weeks.

As with all posts in this series, this entry is not meant to depict an ideal or healthful diet. In fact, it’s worth noting that this isn’t everything I’ve eaten lately; it’s simply what I’ve happened to photograph with my phone. I simply do these posts to provide entertainment and perhaps some new meal and snack inspirations for fellow vegans and/or my part-time or veg-curious friends.

Just Egg ‘scrambled eggs’

Just Egg (a vegan scrambled egg substitute) went down in price! By $3 (at least where I live)! Because it was rather bit pricy, I rarely bought Just Egg, but at it’s new lower price, I had to give it another whirl. I enjoyed it scrambled with toast, tomatoes, salad, and a purple sweet potato. Such a treat!

I also tried to use some Just Egg to make French Toast, but somehow ended up burning it to the point of almost no return, so I will have to try that again.

A big vegetable plate

In other exciting news – I got an air fryer! Well, it’s more of like a Cuisinart air fryer toaster oven. Whatever it is, it works quite well to make fries, so air fried fries have been a thing lately. This random dinner was leftover Bang Bang (breaded fried sweet and sour) Broccoli, sweet potato fries, a Japanese sweet potato with almond butter, some steamed stir-fry veg, and salad.

Full disclosure: I also made a protein powder mug cake after this for dessert to balance things out a bit. Some days I could just eat fruits or veggies all day because I love them so much, but I know that won’t make me feel the best, so I aim to balance with fats and proteins throughout the day. Because I didn’t feel like opening a can of beans or a package of tofu, a protein powder mug cake was the move!

Air fried cauliflower gnocchi

Okay so this plate of food looks admittedly pretty gross, but air fryer cauliflower gnocchi is so delicious! I tried making it from par-boiled gnocchi and directly from frozen and air frying directly from frozen is the way to go. The gnocchi turn out like crispy tater-tot like nuggets, with a fluffy doughy inside. So good! Paired here with some stir fry veg and tofu.

Cereal

With chilly almond milk. What else is new?

Trader Joe’s marshmallows

A truly supreme marshmallow. Trader Joe’s marshmallows are pillowy soft, with a nice vanilla flavor. Bonus: they are vegan!

Rice Krispy treats

Made with said marshmallows and vegan butter. Honestly, why don’t people make Rice Krispy treats more often? I feel like they’re underrated. These were so sweet and crunchy and satisfying.

A hummus veggie burger wrap

Here’s an easy lunch I’ve been into: a sprouted whole grain wrap (I used Angelic Bakehouse beet wrap), with hummus for fat and flavor, a cooked diced veggie burger for protein, and some dressed lettuce and carrots for fiber, flavor, and crunch. Delicious! Paired with a delightfully crunchy crisp fuji apple.

Hummus pasta made with Banza

I love making hummus pasta, and it’s been in the rotation lately. Here is the recipe for easy hummus pasta if you’d like to try it out yourself!

Salad

With the weather getting warmer, I’ve been loving big salads. The key to a delicious salad is lots of flavors and textures and a good dressing. For this salad, I combined mixed greens, some microwaved frozen stir fry veggies, avocado, mixed beans, and a delicious Angelic Bakehouse roll. I also made a balsamic dressing with some really good balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Delish!

Kix with freeze dried strawberries

Adding freeze dried fruit to salad = an instant upgrade!

Salad with smokey BBQ tempeh, Bang Bang Broccoli, and Peanut Butter Crunch Cake

I got take out one night from Celesta and ate it in a park downtown. It was good! As it always is.

Another salad + fries

I told you salads were a thing these days! This salad has some random salad mix with poppyseed dressing and dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds, more steamed stir fry veg, avocado, and air fryer fries for some carbs. Yum!

LaCroix

LaCroix is so trendy and fancy nowadays! As a Wisco kid, I actually grew up drinking LaCroix, and then when it got super popular when I was in college I was partially taken by surprise because in my mind, it was just a Wisco kid thing, but also not suprised because it is delciious.

Anyways, I tried the LimonCello flavor and it is good!

….Another salad plate

With more veggies, avocado, beans, Banza, and a roll! Salad kick is thriving.

Dates with chocolate and sunflower seed butter

A delicious dessert: pit a date, stick in some nut butter, and some dark chocolate. Or, if you’re less lazy than I am, make these delicious salted caramel date truffles!

Vegan lemon bars

These were so good. The recipe for these vegan lemon bar cheesecake things is here, if you’d like to try them!

Apricots!

I got a big box of apricots and they reminded me of my summer in France. Delicious! Paired here with a caracara orange and some peanut butter toast.

Lemon water

Refreshing as heck, and hydrating too, but no, it won’t ‘kick start your metabolism’ nor will it ‘aid digestion’ any more than regular water would. It is important to be hydrated for happy digestive function, but beyond that, lemon water is no magic potion.

In fact, it is pretty darn acidic, and therefore not great for your teeth. Be sure to rinse with plain water after enjoying, avoid sipping all day, and brush about an hour after consumption to avoid any potential negative impacts on your teeth! I talked about lemon water in this video, if you want to learn more.

Homemade vegan soy yogurt

This was so good! I am posting the recipe soon.

Air-fryed buffalo tofu and tempeh

I made both in the air fryer and I must say, I think tempeh wins! A recipe for Baked Buffalo Tofu (similar) is here, and a recipe for Baked Buffalo Tempeh is here (also similar), and the video recipe is here.

Veggie burger sandwich

A cooked veggie burger on two pieces of toasted bread with hummus, guac, and some lettuce and tomato, a side salad, and more air-fried cauliflower gnocchi. A simple yummy meal!

Homemade lentil breakfast sausages

I used this recipe from Abbey’s kitchen, but omitted the mushrooms and added some liquid and coconut aminos for umami flavor. They were so satisfying and scrumptious! Paired with vinegar potatoes and salad.

Nugo bars

I got a bunch of Nugo bars during an online sale and have been eating 1 a day as a snack or after dinner treat. Nugo bars are by far my favorite vegan protein bar. My favorite flavors are dark chocolate salted pretzel, dark chocolate mint, dark chocolate coconut, and the Mint slim.

They have the most satisfying texture and they literally taste like candy bars. I love! I can probably only afford this Nugo-a-day habit because some of my other expenses (parking, etc) are no longer during quarantine.

Chocolate chocolate and chocolate peanut butter cupcakes

I was feeling like a computer vacation last night and stayed up late to make chocolate cupcakes (I used this recipe) with chocolate frosting and peanut butter frosting.

Of course, it was around midnight when these finished cooling and I frosted them, and then I went to put the lid on the Pyrex container and smushed them, so pardon the smushed tops of these cupcakes, but I promise they were delicious none the less. Sometimes you just need a frosted cupcake on a Saturday night!

That is all for now! I will be back to evidence-based content and recipes this week. Until then, Millie sends you a hug.

Feel free to drop us a comment down below, and/or reach out to me on Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube.

If you liked ‘Recent Vegan Eats: Quarantine Edition’ you may also like:

Is caffeine safe? Is caffeine healthy?

May 30, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Health and wellness influencers give a lot of advice. Sometimes, their advice may come from a place of good intentions, but it is not uncommon for wellness influencers to give advice that is not backed up by science. So, one of my favorite things to do is fact-check claims made by health influencers. And today we are going to be talking about caffeine. Is caffeine safe? Is caffeine healthy? How much caffeine can you consume? This is what we will discuss today!

*Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

First of all, what is caffeine? What foods and beverages contain caffeine?

Caffeine is a bitter substance that occurs naturally in more than 60 substances including coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods (made into coffee), and kola nuts (used to flavor soda).

Caffeine may also be added to various beverages, food products, and supplements, including ‘pre-workout.’ It is also found in some over the counter pain relievers.

Coffee is the primary source of caffeine in the American diet. Soft drinks, energy drinks, teas, supplements, and caffeinated food products are other sources.

A home brewed cup (8 ounces) of coffee contains about 40 mg caffeine. A cup of green tea has about 35 mg. A grande (16 ounce) cup of blonde roast coffee from Starbucks has 360mg. A grande (16 ounce) Nitro Brew from Starbucks has about 280mg caffeine.

Of note, ‘decaffeinated’ beverages are not always void of caffeine. Decaf coffees and teas do have less caffeine than their caffeinated counterparts, however, they may still contain low levels of caffeine. For example, a decaf coffee may have 2-15 mg of caffeine in an 8-ounce cup compared to a usual 40 mg, but it’s not caffeine-free.

What does caffeine do to the human body?

Caffeine has many effects on the human body. Of note, caffeine is considered a mild stimulant, as it stimulates the central nervous system. This can make you feel more awake, mentally alert, help you focus, and/or give you a boost of energy.

Caffeine is also a natural mild diuretic, meaning it helps the body remove extra salt, leading to increased urination.

How long do caffeine’s effects last?

It takes most people 3-6 hours to metabolize half of what has been consumed. Caffeine levels tend to peak 30-120 minutes post-consumption.

How much caffeine is safe?

Generally speaking, for most healthy people, consuming up to 400mg of caffeine per day is considered safe. Caffeine tolerance varies from person to person. Some people may be much tolerant of smaller amounts of caffeine than others.

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The Best Vegan Lemon Bars

May 26, 2020 by Katherine Baker 5 Comments

The other week I was searching for a dessert recipe and somewhere along the way, the interwebs suggested the Pioneer Woman’s lemon bars recipe to me. Immediately, I had an intense craving for lemon bars. But of course, most lemon bars are made with egg yolks and butter, and I wanted vegan lemon bars. Not just any vegan lemon bars, but the best vegan lemon bars.

I’ve made vegan lemon bars a couple of times. But in my experience, most vegan lemon bar recipes are raw and made from soaked cashews or almonds.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m down for a raw dessert now and then, but to me, the custard-like texture of the lemon bar filling was missing from the raw nut-based recipes I’ve made.

I also longed for that shortbread-like crust you find in traditional lemon bar recipes. So, I set out to make my own lemon bars with a shortbread-like crust and a creamy dreamy luscious lemon filling.

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The Carnivore Diet: What does the science say?

May 24, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Hi everyone! I am back to chat about another health/wellness/diet trend. One of my favorite things to do on this blog is to examine scientific evidence to see what true risks and benefits different wellness trends carry. I’ve covered topics like celery juice, the keto diet, plant-based meat substitutes, supplements for immunity, etc,. And today, I’m going to be discussing the carnivore diet.

Now, as a general disclaimer, yes, I am vegan. That said, I do my best to remain objective when writing and creating content, to separate my own feelings and opinions from scientific evidence. In fact, I’ve pointed out some of the nutritional concerns of the vegan diet (including adequate B-12, DHA, zinc, iron, calorie, and protein consumption) in this post. So, all that’s to say, I will do my best to stick to the facts about this diet, regardless of my own dietary preferences.

Furthermore, as I’ve mentioned repeatedly, there are many ways to have a healthy diet, and the best diet is the one you can maintain long-term that allows you to meet your nutrient requirements. And hypothetically, for most healthy people, all foods can fit into a healthy diet.

With all those disclaimers done, let’s dive into the science of the carnivore diet.

First of all, what is the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet is a diet that consists entirely of animal products; namely, meat, eggs, fish, and other animal products. Different interpretations of the diet also allow cheese and things like butter.

What are some claims made about the carnivore diet?

Proponents claim that the carnivore diet leads to weight loss, general ‘healing,’ blood sugar regulation, reverses rheumatoid arthritis, improved cognitive function, digestion, and athletic performance, etc. Proponents also like to mention that it is free of ‘anti-nutrients’ including lectins and plant fibers, that may inhibit the absorption of certain nutrients.

It’s also touted as a supreme form of an elimination diet, and many claim it will ‘heal’ the gut, and lead to a longer more prosperous life.

What does the science say about the carnivore diet?

*Full transparency, these ‘meat’ images are all of Beyond or Impossible meat…I don’t eat meat so I have no photographs of it!

Well, the science is supremely lacking. I couldn’t find any scientific evidence that has tested a carnivore diet in humans and measured its ability to ‘heal,’ stabilize blood sugar, improve cognitive function, etc.

Because I could find no scientific studies on the carnivore diet, I read up on similar (but more inclusive) diets, including the Paleo diet and the ketogenic diet.

When it comes to anti-inflammatory claims made by the carnivore diet, a 2017 study on a small sample of mice suggested that a ketogenic diet may suppress inflammation.

However, these results should be interpreted with caution as ketogenic diets include a wider variety of foods than does the carnivore diet, and this study was done on animals, not humans.

When it comes to psychological illness, although there are no studies to support the use of meat-only diets, a 2017 review found that the use of ketogenic supplements may suppress anxiety and depression-related behaviors in rats and mice.

However, many of these studies had small sample sizes, and were short in durations. Furthermore, these animal studies are conducted in controlled environments, and extrapolating these results to humans should be done with caution.

Regarding improved digestion, there is no evidence to support that consuming a carnivore diet will prevent or decrease digestive ailments or symptoms. However, it could be argued that the elimination of fiber may ease IBS symptoms in some people.

One study that many advocates of the carnivore diet like to cite does support the idea of decreasing fiber intake for improved digestive symptoms; however, the study showed improved digestion upon lowering or stopping fiber intake in a sample of 63 people with idiopathic constipation.

This group of individuals was already experiencing severe constipation, therefore it is unclear if these findings are generalizable to the general population.

That said, a diet that only allows three meats is devoid of most fermented oli-, di- and monosaccharides, alcohols and polys (FODMAPs), which may cause or exacerbate IBS symptoms in some people; therefore, elimination of these foods may lead to improvement in functional gastrointestinal symptoms. That said, avoiding fiber may not be best for everyone.

There is ample evidence to suggest that dietary fiber can reduce the risk of diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, including rectal cancer.

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What are flame retardants? Are flame retardants safe?

May 16, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Recently, the state of Maryland passed a law banning flame retardants. I saw the news and happily shared the information on my Instagram stories, and realized that me celebrating a flame retardant ban may seem a bit random or odd. Before my MPH in Environmental Health Science, I could not have cared less about flame retardants. I probably never even gave them a second thought.

But, after learning lots about them, I grew passionate about reducing my personal exposure, and informing others about flame retardants and how to avoid them. So, here is some information about flame retardants! I hope you find it interesting. Feel free to leave comments or questions at the end of the post, or reach out to me on social media. Enjoy!

What are flame retardants?

Flame retardants are chemicals that were designed to prevent fire or slow its spread. They are often added to or applied to many products, including furniture, mattresses, curtains, carpets, blinds, electronics like laptops, phones, TVs, remotes, household appliances, wires and cables, building and construction materials, and transportation products like seats and seat covers and other parts of airplanes and trains.

There are several classes of flame retardants. Persistent brominated flame-retardants (PBDEs) are a common class of flame retardants that gained popularity in the 1970s when manufacturers began adding them to furniture, electronics, and other materials to meet certain flammability standards.

In a time where cigarette-induced couch fires were common, and people often fell asleep smoking in bed, the use of flame retardants was pushed by the tobacco industry, so that they could avoid creating a fire-safe cigarette and maintain sales.

Because flame retardants are added to products rather than chemically bound to them, they can be released into the environment. And because they are persistent, they can bioaccumulate, meaning build up, in humans and animals. Humans may also be exposed to bioaccumulate flame retardants via consumption of fatty meats, dairy, and fish.

Thanks to expert opinion and public pressure, PBDEs were slowly phased out of production starting in 2004. Unfortunately, as is common with many chemical bans and phase-outs, other flame retardants, including TBB and TBPH, simultaneously emerged onto the scene.

So even if you are buying new furniture, unless it is labeled as flame-retardant-free, it most likely has one of the new classes of flame retardants. And of course, even though new furniture may not have PDBEs added to it, there’s still a risk of owning old furniture, which may still leach out these chemicals.

Who is at risk for exposure?

Everyone who uses manufactured furniture, electronics, and certain textiles may be at risk for exposure to flame retardants.

Human exposure most often occurs through ingestion of foods or dust containing the particles. Even those who purchase flame-retardant-free products may be at risk for exposure due to build up in our environment from improper disposal of old furniture and appliances covered in flame retardants. And of course, using old furniture and textiles also encours and additional risk.

Because their brains and organs are still developing, children are especially vulnerable to flame retardants. And because children have faster rates of respiration compared to adults, are more likely to spend time on the floor, and are more likely to have frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors, they are at risk of exposing more of the

In fact, a 2017 study from the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health that tested for the presence of flame retardants on the hands and in the homes of New York City mothers and toddlers found that 100% of dust samples and 95% of hand wipe samples tested positive for containing PBCE and TPHH.

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Activated charcoal as a supplement: Is it safe? Is it necessary?

May 8, 2020 by Katherine Baker 1 Comment

Hi friends! Today we’re talking about another health trend: activated charcoal as a supplement.

With its strikingly dark black color, activated charcoal supplements and foods with added activated charcoal have gained popularity in the health and wellness scenes in recent years.

Activated charcoal has also seen a recent resurgence in popularity, as it has been marketed by some companies as a way to ‘detox’ and protect against the novel coronavirus. If you want to read more about immunity supplements, check out this post about immunity supplements in general, and this post about colloidal silver.

But back to activated charcoal: do you need activated charcoal? Does it detox your body? And is it safe?

What is activated charcoal?

Activated charcoal is similar to common charcoal that is made from peat, coal, wood, coconut shell or petroleum. Activated charcoal, however, is made by heating common charcol in the presence of a gas, which causes the charcoal to develop lots of tiny holes or pores. The tiny pores or holes help the activated charcoal ‘trap’ chemicals.

It is often taken orally to treat poisonings. It’s also now commonly marketed as a ‘detox’ supplement to ‘remove toxins’ from the body. Some people also claim it can alleviate a hangover, calm an upset stomach, stop gas, and with help bile flow problems.

In addition to being sold as a remedy or supplement, activated charcoal is also often added to food products, making them a striking black hue.

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What can we learn about fighting climate change from the COVID-19 crisis?

May 5, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Hi friends! Happy Belated Earth Day! I hope you are staying safe and well and hugging the earth whenever you can. I apologize for my absence the past week; it’s been a busy work week and I had a post scheduled for Wednesday on the health impacts of mercury (in light of the recent proposed regulation relaxation), but publishing such a somber post didn’t feel right on Earth Day, so I saved the draft for another time.

Today, I have sort of a different style of post. Rather than a data-infused article, it’s more of a thought piece (or an op-ed, if you will) on what we can learn from the COVID-19 crisis to help us fight climate change. This piece is an excerpt of my latest for Planet Forward, so please visit their site for the full story.

I hope you enjoy! Thank you as always for allowing me the space to experiment with my creative and scientific pursuits. I am working on some posts about eliminating foods from your diet, If you want to read more about the environment in honor of belated Earth Day, I have a whole bunch of posts you can sort through:

…and many more under the ‘Climate + Health and Sustainability‘

There are many similarities between the COVID-19 crisis and the climate change crisis: both are global threats to human health, the economy, and have the potential to disrupt life as we know it.

The major difference between the two is the time scale at which they are unfolding.

With coronavirus, the threat is palpable; we see it unfolding daily as cases and fatalities continue to climb, and the world scrambles to find treatments, vaccines, and strategies to adapt to a new reality in the face of a major threat.

Climate change, on the other hand, is unfolding a bit more slowly. While some directly see and feel its effects, for many, it seems like a distant and personally irrelevant threat.

Yet, these two crises both require a global cooperative effort to mitigate their magnitude of their destructive potential, and rely heavily on work done by the scientific community to project their paths and to create and implement solutions.

And importantly, both require not only the cooperation of governments around the globe, but also action of everyday citizens.

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Recent Vegan Eats: Quarantine Edition 2

May 2, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Hi friends! Happy weekend to you. I’m back with another ‘recent vegan eats’ post. If you’re new around here, in this mini series, I share some of the things I have eaten and happened to have photographed in the past several weeks.

I apologize for the slight slow down in posts the past couple of weeks. It’s a super busy time of the academic year, and a lot of my life has been all over the place which has left me feeling a bit out of sorts.

Anyways, if you’d like to watch me talk in circles about climate change and zoonotic diseases for 17 minutes, check out this Q&A I did with Planet Forward yesterday.

And now back to the eats! I hope you enjoy! Now onto the recent vegan eats: quarantine edition 2!

Homemade bread

I forgot bread in my most recent grocery pick-up order, so I improvised and made this bread, which was really easy and really satisfying. I ate it all over a couple days, with nut butter and syrup pictured above, and with hummus and avocado (below).

Amy’s Vegetable Soup, salad + more homemade bread

I was craving Panera one rainy evening, and so I heated up a can of Amy’s, made a quick side salad (with a random leftover boiled potato), and enjoyed with more fresh home baked bread. It did the trick!

More bread with Thai Curry Hummus and Avocado

I really ate my loaf of bread quickly! This was a scrumptious quick meal: two thick slices of my homemade bread (toasted) with Hope Foods Thai Curry hummus (which is so incredibly flavorful) and avocado. Paired with a nice green side salad for some veg.

Black Bean, sweet potato and corn salad bowl

I whipped up this fun bowl one evening with a bed of rice topped with mixed greens, some roasted sweet potatoes (seasoned with cayenne, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper), some black beans I cooked from dried in the instant pot with a bay leave, oregano, cumin, and cayenne, some Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn, and some random leftover tortilla strips I had from a Trader Joe’s salad kit. Delicious!

Kung Pao Bowl

I had half a bag of Trader Joe’s Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower in my freezer that I wanted to use up, so I baked it up all crispy and served it over a mix of wild and cauliflower rice, steamed frozen veggies, and some random leftover black beans, which totally ‘don’t go’ with the meal, but I wanted to use them up, and they helped me add in a bit of protein to an otherwise lower-in-protein meal.

And I drizzled the extra Kung Pao sauce and some buffalo sauce all over the top. The result was a bowl full of deliciousness.

This was a nice change of pace. The sweet-sticky spicy tempura cauliflower is truly something I wouldn’t make from scratch on a regular basis, so the crispy florets of joy really made for a special meal.

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Vegan Coconut Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

May 1, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Hey there! I’m back from being a super spotty blogger over the past couple of weeks to share these vegan coconut chocolate chip cupcakes with you! I made these one night last week when I was up late working and was craving a break from my computer screen more than anything.

So, I closed my laptop, headed to the kitchen, and whipped up something random, which ended up being vegan coconut chocolate chip cupcakes!

These vegan coconut chocolate chip cupcakes are fluffy and delightful and bursting with chocolate chips. If you don’t have chocolate chips, you can chop up a bar of chocolate and use that instead.

And if coconut isn’t your thing, and you prefer a non-coconut flavored cake (and/or happen to be out of full-fat coconut milk), you can swap this ingredient for the same amount of a neutral oil (like canola or avocado).

Now, I’m usually a frosting person. But for some reason, I was just craving a quick bread-style cupcake and was feeling too lazy to make frosting.

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