Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Bugs and Muffins

I'm watching Regis and Kelly and the guy who called in for the "Fall Frenzy" is absolutely hilarious. I hope some of you watched it because he's cracking me up. I actually got up at a decent time today so I could see the show. Thank Heavens. I did wake up with a big bugbite right on my ankle. It's itching me like crazy. Bugs are just everywhere in our house. My cat is constantly attacking centipedes on the wall, and I'm killing stinkbugs like a madwoman. A few days ago while I was in the shower, I saw a stinkbug and had to kill it with shampoo. I was terrified!!! And to change the subject really quick, ZAC EFFRON is on Regis and Kelly right now!!! haha I don't even like Zac Effron but my friend, Mitchel, is obsessed with the poor guy. He's probably jumping up and down in his dormroom right now. He'll be hitting himself if he misses this.

And to answer the question a few of you had about the pumpkin seed milk, I just used organic raw pumpkin seeds. I'd recommend soaking them overnight if you do make it. I think the pumpkin flavor would've been stronger. I'm gonna try pistachio milk next, so we'll see how that goes. As for today's recipe, it's the chocolate tahini muffins from have cake, will travel. It was originally called "Chocolate Tahini Bread" but I made the muffins instead with a few adaptations as well. I loved these muffins. I just have a strange addiction to anything in a muffin-like form. I don't know where this love of them came from, but I've embraced it. I ate 2 of these muffins for dinner with some Tofutti cream cheese.

Here's the recipe:
Chocolate Tahini Muffins

6 Tbsp carob powder
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
4 oz unsweetened applesauce (1 individual container = 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1/4 cup pumpkin seed milk or other non-dairy milk
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray non-stick cooking spray in muffin tin. In a large bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients (first 6 ingredients). In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (last 6 ingredients). Combine wet and dry ingredients together- don't overmix. Scoop the batter into the muffin tin. I got 4 muffins. Bake for 18 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin.

And just for the fun of it, I did this survey from For the Love of Guava. Her answers were absolutely hilarious and mine don't measure up at all. You have to read hers. haha

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure in the way of food?
There’s so many. I would have to say peanut butter, date rolls, and ALL vegan ice cream.

Have you ever done anything nasty to anyone’s food and then served it to them?
OMG too many times to count. I can’t even think of a situation.

Have you ever lied to an omni, telling them you were serving them something meaty but instead serving them veg-food?

Yes, I do it to my family. Mainly my sister… or random Sears employees.

Have you ever been arrested? If so, what for?
No, and that’s really sad.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in the sack?
Wear foot pads to detox my body.

Who’s the weirdest person you’ve ever done (or thought about while) in the sack? These questions are so funny and I wasn’t aware that this survey was a sex survey before I started it haha


If, for the rest of your life, you could only have sexual relations with folks in one manner/style/position, what would it be?
Downward Dog haha what?

Do you have any weird fetishes? (i.e. Turned on by orange oily feces)
Umm I hope so. I honestly don’t know. I think I’m just weird.

What’s your worst drunken experience?
I’ve never been drunk, so I haven’t had one yet. When I do, I’ll write about it on my blog.

If you could eat any vegan food off another person’s body, what would it be?
I LOVE Peanut Butter. End of story.

Have you ever done anything naughty with a vegetable?
Peanut Butter? Yes. Vegetable? No. Oh wait. You didn’t ask about peanut butter ;)

Do you think your mom would sleep with me if I asked nicely?
Haha Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did. She’s a hoot.

Do you have any tatts or piercings?

Just my ears. I wear fake tattoos ALL the time though. I have an enormous rose on my stomach right now.

Any strange names for you and your partner’s privates (and/or your sex toys)?
Oh Jesus. I don’t have a boyfriend, so no. As for mine, they are sold during Easter time and everyone gets them in their Easter backets.

Are you into PDA?
Yeah sure. A little PDA never hurt anyone.

Have you ever cheated on a significant other?
No. If you’re gonna cheat, you might as well just break up with the person.

Did you ever walk in on your parents doing it when you were younger?
Eww I hate this question. Gross memories are fogging my train of thought.

What’s one of the craziest things you’ve ever done?
Anything involving Lands' End dog and Mitchel. Lands' End dog is this gigantic fake golden retriever and we take it everywhere we go together.

If you could get it on with any vegetarian you know–famous or not–who would it be?
I have no idea!! I don’t know any vegetarians. I wish Frank Lloyd Wright was a vegetarian.

16 comments:

MamaBecky said...

Butter Baby has only seen one centipede! Okay maybe two or three,
but I have never seen a stinkbug - you have will to take a picture of one for me. Those muffins look delicious! I think that you should make giant cupcakes next!
Oh - and that quiz.....hmmm...I may be a hoot but I'm not a ho...love you Jo!

For the Love of Guava said...

"Oh Jesus" that's a dirty thing to call your sweetie's naughty place Cup of Jo! :)... heehee.. you're AWESOME!

Emily said...

Hey, you should be proud that you haven't been arrested. It seems like almost everbody has been at some point. Not me though.

Great muffins!

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

Hahaha you are hilarious!

And OMG, that sounds like the bestest bestest dinner EVER!

Clumbsy Cookie said...

Fun meme and chocolate and tahini sound so good now that I think of it!

Teresa Cordero Cordell said...

Joanna, thank you for stopping by my blog. It's good to see that even a vegan can enjoy chocolate bread pudding once in a while. I like your muffins by the way.

Salt N Turmeric said...

Hi Joanna. Thanks for visiting my blog and here I am returning yours. ;)

What a (nice)surprise to see such a young girl interested in cooking/baking. I will come back to see what else you've been cooking. :)

Farina

Emily Rose said...

these muffins look great! I eat fish, eggs, and dairy but I'm really trying to learn more about vegan baking- I'm going to have to try these out. I got the organic pumpkin pie mix at a local grocery store called Rouses- they had every kind of Libby pie filling you can imagine with the exception of pumpkin- at first I was miffed because of the recipe I needed it for- but honestly it worked out just fine! I hope you can locate the pie filling- I'd be surprised if Whole Foods didn't carry it.

Anonymous said...

ha! I had made them into muffins too...
http://havecakewilltravel.com/2008/08/01/chocolate-tahini-muffins-brownie-cupcakes/
nom nom nom.
love the meme, but MEEP at the bugs!

Zesty Cook said...

Awesome blog... I love your writing style... great post.... keep up the good work

zesty

TeaLady said...

These sound, well, interesting. I love the way they look.
Thanks for visiting me at Tea and Scones.

HangryPants said...

Interesting recipe ... and survey! Foot pads?

Agnesss =) said...

Hey Joanna :D

Well,well...such a funny survey :PP

Muffins for dinner => what a pleasure !! :D

Well...intersting to read your posts :D

Hope to "see" you on my blog soon :D


Enjoy the day!!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

CENTIPEDES?!??!?! **shudders**

Love the muffins and survey!!

anudivya said...

Joanna, in answer to your question about halva...
The Indian version Halwa and halva is all the same. Only this is that it is made with different main ingredients like wheat, milk, flour, nuts etc. And they are named accordingly.

Elina said...

Haha, funny survey!

How do you make your muffins so tall? They look so gourmet!