We go above and beyond with our recipes to ensure that each carefully chosen ingredient is health-forward, plant-based, organic, and gluten-free. Even our towering cakes and cupcakes have heart-healthy and fibrous ingredients in them. This week we are highlighting our Organic Vanilla Cupcake Mix.
Plant-Based Baking Substitutes:
We love to add healthy, whole-food alternatives into our recipes.
Flax Egg - Ground flaxseeds and water makes for the perfect “egg.” You will see flax throughout our ingredient lists which we use as a binder. It contains tons of fiber, omega-3’s, and has been known to lower cholesterol and help to regulate blood sugar.
Applesauce - Applesauce can be found in certain recipes to help and cut down on butters or oils but also as a nice, healthy and hearty liquid option.
Plant Milks - This recipe calls for coconut milk which we recommend due to its higher healthy fat content. Plant milks are a great replacement for standard dairy creams and milks you may find at bakeries.
Gluten-Free
The Latin translation of gluten is actually “glue” which is fitting because it is technically the glue that holds everything together in baking. Some people may have gluten sensitivities, and this can make it a bit more challenging to eat out, cook at home, or avoid in our everyday lives. Gluten can cause headaches, inflammation, bloating, and irritable gastrointestinal issues among some. Other individuals can have very serious reactions - especially for those who have celiac disease. Celiac disease is a chronic immune and digestive disorder that harms the small intestine. This disease is triggered by gluten and causes an imbalance of gut bacteria. Our oats are certified gluten-free and we actually grind them into oat flour in-house to ensure zero cross-contamination. Our kitchen is celiac safe while maintaining 100% organic standards.
Oat Flour
Heart Health
Oats have been known to reduce blood cholesterol levels, regulate blood pressure, and balance the gut microbiota. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved a health claim in 1997 that the soluble fiber from oat products can help to reduce heart disease. Attention was also given to the benefits of oat intake on blood glucose levels.
Fiber
One of the highlighted ingredients of oats is its dietary fiber content, especially the soluble beta-glucans. As a society that is severely lacking fiber in our diets, we are happy to provide our guests with fiber-rich, gut-healthy meals.
Disease Prevention
Oats have also shown promising effects on diabetes. Diabetes affects a reported 422 million people worldwide while 1.6 million deaths are associated with this disease each year. Type 2 diabetes, a chronic metabolic disease, results from resistance to insulin and is the most common form we see among the population. Type 2 diabetes is not only preventable but reversible. Diabetes can be prevented and reversed with the proper steps of a healthy, plant-based, nutrient-rich diet. As stated earlier, foods like oats can help manage blood glucose levels which can be a crucial part of the prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
Dozen Organic Vanilla Cupcakes : Yields ~12 cupcakes or 2 thick 6" cake layers(creams, fillings not included)
What you need – we recommend organic ingredients. Use what you have available.
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5 Tbsp + 1 tsp (37.5g) filtered water
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6 Tbsp (82 g) organic coconut milk (do not substitute with another plant milk, need the extra fat from coconuts)
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6 Tbsp (96.5 g) organic apple sauce
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5 Tbsp + 1 tsp (28.5 g) organic extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil
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1 tsp (3 g) organic apple cider vinegar
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3 tsp (4.35 g) vanilla extract
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12 cupcake liners
