Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Frosting

One of my co-workers is just a couple of weeks away from having her baby and she has been craving chocolate lately. She's vegan so it's not exactly easy to come by. I remember being 9 months pregnant and just hating working and dealing with teenagers so I decided she needed some! I found this recipe on Handle the Heat and loved it! I did double it here because I was bummed her recipe only made 12 cupcakes.

Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. 

Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar, and water. Mix together until smooth.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean. 

Makes 2 dozen cupcakes.

I wanted more than just her raspberry glaze as the frosting but needed something vegan. I tried chocolate avocado frosting and yuck. Don't let anyone try and tell you it tastes good, because it doesn't.  It tastes like avocado, with chocolate. Ew.

I was looking in my cabinets and thought I could make a royal icing out of powdered sugar and water but wanted more flavor, so I mixed in some peanut butter with it!

Frosting:

1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water
4 cups powdered sugar
(play with these until you get the consistency you want!)

Mix ingredients together until you get the consistency you like-- add more water or sugar as needed. 

Makes enough frosting for the cupcakes and some for the toddler to lick off the spoon!

Wait until cupcakes have cooled and then frost!

They were delicious and if all vegan food tastes like this I may say goodbye to steak!

Okay, I won't but I will make them again!

8 Months!

Growth:

He's a magic growing bean... every day he just looks older. He's measuring at 20 pounds and 29 inches based on our scale and ruler, but those are not Doctor's measurements so who knows. He's in 6-9 month clothes and size 3 diapers.

Looks:

He's such a little man!

He has the most infectious smile and laugh. I'm hoping his strawberry blonde hair stays that way, it's just too cute for words. He looks so much like his dad. Still no teeth but there are two bumps on his lower gums, so maybe soon!

Firsts and Milestones:

He took his first supported steps! While playing with his push toy, he stepped forward! He took about 4 steps pushing his toy.  He's been letting go and staying upright for a few seconds so I'm sure that will be his next accomplishment. 

Sleep:

Last week, we had our first 8 and half hour stretch! And in his crib! He must be going through a growth spurt because he's been taking 3 hour long naps and then giving me 4-6 hour stretches at night after!
His favorite place to snuggle is in my bed but he's sleeping in his own crib much more!

Food:

He loves food! Cheese, yogurt, turkey, spaghetti, peas, corn, bread, applesauce, rice, potatoes, avocado,... he'll really try just about anything we're eating!

Language:

We're getting a good H sound which kind of sounds like Hi, especially since he says it when he first sees you!

There's also the M sound when he's crawling up my leg or if he wants me so I think Mom might be coming soon!

His favorites:

Bouncing! He loves to bounce, play with the computer and try to press the lights, any electrical plug, wall outlets, tubbies, snuggles, and "flying" in the air.  The cat's food and water dishes make noise, climbing over anything, standing... all bring about smiles!

My favorites:

The way he rubs his eyes and snuggles into my chest when he's sleepy. The ear to ear smile when he does something new is also adorable!

He's been the cutest lately!

Formula Feed with Pride : A Mixi Bottle Giveaway

I'm a pretty hippy parent-- breastfeed, babywear, cosleep... I love it all, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate other parents who choose to parent the way they want to. 

I breastfed the Princess to a full year but we supplemented with formula a few times. 

4 ounces of breastmilk + 4 ounces of formula and I was able to stop pumping at 9 months. 

I will admit I have always hated the smell of formula. Breastmilk smells too but formula... or the powder always made a huge mess or I didn't have the bottle ready and I'd rush and it would get all clumpy inside the bottle.. thankfully, Mixie helps with the problem!

Mixie is super cool. It will make formula feeding a breeze.

You can literally prep your bottles hours before you use them! I'm thinking how easy the 2 am bottle would be with Mixie! Check this out.

I received a 4 oz Mixie bottle with a Stage 1 nipple and an extra Stage 2 nipple at one of the amazing baby events I went to last year and since I won't be usig them, I wanted one of my wonderful readers to have it!

Just comment and tell me why you want/need it. I'll pick one winner (via random) and ship it off! You must be a US winner. Thanks and good luck!

Babyled Weaning with Dr. Browns {and Holiday Bottles!} : GIVEAWAY!

Disclaimer: We were provided product to facilitate this review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I don't know about you but I feel like I pack on some serious poundage over the holidays... lots and lots of deliciousness everywhere!

While gaining weight isn't always fun, there was something super fun about food this holiday season... my little man started eating real food! We're not huge fans of purees and we go straight to table food for our little man.  It's called baby led weaning, but really, it's just using normal table food in place of pureed beets or spinach.  I'm no doctor so I can't say if it's better or worse, but as a mom, I feel comfortable doing what I feel works best for our family. And, let's be honest, little man loves it! 

He eats chicken, turkey, hamburg, peas, corn, bananas, mandarin oranges, the list goes on and on!

Emmalee loves helping feed Tyler, but is very protective of her food, on her special plates so it's only fair that little man gets his own special tableware too!

#BabyLedWeaning is so much fun with these @drbrowns plates and "forks"! @Drbrownsbaby #BLW #instababy #instacute #instafood #ad

A photo posted by Heather (@heathgiff) on Dec 28, 2014 at 3:19pm PST

Tyler received some of the most amazing tableware from Dr. Browns!
Divided plates, bowls, sippy cups, "flatware", and even some holiday bottles!

I love that I can give Tyler an assortment of food and know that it's his own special plate!

The long spatula spoons also give him the control of the silverware without me worrying about him stabbing himself with a fork!

Before these cups arrived, he was just drinking from a bottle and he mastered the sippy cup in two days with Dr. Brown's amazing design!

And how adorable are these bottles?!



Dr. Browns products are perfect for all stages when it comes to babies and food!
I'm also giving away three Dr. Brown Holiday bottles and 2 double packs of pacifiers for ages 6-12 months!
US winner only -sorry!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Looking Back at 2014

Crazy to think that it's 2015 already!

Here's a look back at 2014:

January

Went to my first Urban Art Bar painting night and loved it!

February

Emma's first trip to Build A Bear

We took a trip to Co Co key in Connecticut.

Signed the P&S on our first house!

I turned 28 years old!

Brought Emmalee to Disney on Ice

We had to say good bye to Bailey.

March

We moved into our first house!

My mom threw Baby Tyler a Baby Sprinkle!

April

We took maternity family pictures.

Work threw me a surprise baby shower.

We escaped to P-Town for the annual April Vacation trip.

Poopy Kitty joined the family

Attempted to flip Little Man - it didn't go well!

May

Baby Tyler joined us!

I graduated with my Masters degree (but missed the ceremony!)

We went to Disney on Ice (again!) : Frozen

June

President Obama sent Tyler a welcome note.

Emma started gymnastics.

My best friend moved to Las Vegas.

Emma turned three!

Summer trips to the Aquarium, splash pad, and library.

July

I went to Blogger Bash in NYC!
Taught summer school.

August

Worked for MommyCon and met Jamie Grayson and Honest Toddler's Bunmi!

Tyler went to his first Lobster Party.

Uncle Nick came home to visit!

We spent a weekend in Maine for a wedding.

Finally ate at Wahlburgers.

Maternity leave ended and I went back to work. 

September

Emma fractured her ankle.

Disney on Ice #3 of the year!

October

Went to King Richard's Faire.

Splurged at the Vineyard Vines Whalehouse Sale. 

Emma's first trip to Chuck E. Cheese.

We went to the Roger Williams Jack-o-lantern Spectacular.

Yay trick or treating!

November

Emma got her first real hair cut!
We bought a minivan!

December

Ran away to P-Town again.
Became a Human Milk Donor.

Threw mom a surprise party Paint Nite!
Disney on Ice #4!

...and because we're looking at all I've done this year, let's look at the 30 by 30 list!

1. Be an English Teacher (have my own classroom)
2. Have baby #2.
3. Buy a house.
4. Own a pair of Manolos.
5. See a show ON Broadway.
6. Run a 5k.
7. Weigh 150 lbs again.
8. Get my Masters degree.
9. Do a photography challenge for a month.
10. Pay for someone else in the drive through behind me.
11. Get my palm read/fortune told.
12. Go to a blogging conference.
13. Re-learn how to sew and make a blanket from Em's old clothes.
14. Own a car that's less than 5 years old.
15. Go for a weekend trip to Martha's Vineyard.
16. Adopt a family for Christmas.
17. Buy a bicycle. A regular old fashioned bicycle.
18. Go to Vegas for my 30th! (even if it's only for 1 night!)
19. Start (and keep) a vegetable garden.
20. Spend a day getting pampered.
21. Learn to crochet or knit.
22. Buy brand new furniture.
23. Have dinner out with my husband at Top of the Hub or go to Blue Man Group (he's never been!)
24. Wear a bikini to the beach... no cover up.
25. Bring Emmalee to see the Rockafeller Christmas Tree.
26. Do a boudoir photo shoot.
27. Go to a group fitness class.
28. Buy an original piece of art and frame it in our house.

29. Go on our first family vacation (must be out of state, can't be CT)

30. Make a list of 100 things that make me happy.