Shea Butter Balm Lotion

Smells like chocolate frosting & makes skin silky soft!

I happened to be out of delightful homemade moisturizing balm lotion and needed more.
While still on the hunt for an electric mixer within budgeted range (to make whipped Shea butter lotion of course), the balm is still quite beneficial and is best straight after shower/bath towel drying. It leaves behind touchably soft skin and enticing scent of chocolate thanks to raw cocoa butter.
Now when I first started making this, I used the cheating microwave method- which made unscented, scorching Shea butter overwhelm cocoa butter fragrance. That isn't the case anymore at traditional boiling hot water and placing heat proof bowl atop to allow butters and oils to slowly melt into one cohesive oil.
For dry, thirsty, ashy skin- balm melts right in and  kisses all those pesky problems goodbye.
Hello summer glow and chocolate scent!

Shea Butter Balm Ingredients and Preparation

boiling water
2 cup raw unrefined shea butter
1/2 cup raw unrefined cocoa butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoon olive oil
a few drops jojoba oil

The ingredients and empty lotion jar. Yes, I reuse every Spectrum Organic Coconut Oil jar. Comes in handy!

Scooping from my huge tub of Shea butter.

Place a steel bowl over top of boiled water and add shea and cocoa butter.

Slowly it all begins to melt.

Add coconut, olive, and jojoba oils. Once its all melted, pour into a heat proof jar and refrigerate for 4 hours.

It becomes a smooth balm.

Store in a cool, dark place.

Vegan Walnut Cheese Stuffed Miniature Bell Peppers

Crunchy snack stuffed with delicious walnut goodness.

Ah the bell pepper- one of life's most yummy "bowls" meant to be packed with a centered flavor.
Walnuts sounded perfect, especially turned into an intriguing "cheese." If raw cashews could be an amazing substitute, walnuts would be terrific.
After soaking and pureeing, walnuts creamed beautifully and added ingredients complemented flavors just the way I imagined- a little salty, savory "cheese" with tiny walnut pieces that crisp, fresh bell peppers were proud to be filled with. Very, very scrumptious and addicting appetizer or snack to munch on- picnic lunches will love these colorful babies!
Easy to make, but lots to clean up. Haha! :)

Vegan Walnut Cheese Stuffed Miniature Bell Peppers Ingredients and Preparation

1 cup raw walnuts (soaked for 3 hours)
1/3 cup tahini
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
8-9 miniature bell peppers, seeded and hollowed

Puree walnuts with some of the water (about 2 tablespoons worth) into a blender.
Add tahini, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, turmeric, salt, and pepper.
Mix until smooth and creamy.

Fill each bell pepper with walnut "cheese," being sure that it gets to the bottom.

Ready to eat!

Vegan Sunshiny Lemonade Cupcakes

Yummy Lemonade Cupcakes wanting to make acquaintance.

Hello all!
It's been a little hiatus, but AfroVeganChick is back and ready to pump out more dynamite vegan recipes! Very yummy surprises coming to bring delightful joys to meal time blues, especially today's cupcakes radiant with tasty, sweet yellow sunshine.
A few weeks ago for Ma's birthday, I planned lemonade cupcakes for my lemon addicted parent and found beautiful inspiration by Sweet Vegan- unique Pink Lemonade Cupcakes here. We had a lovely time eating these treats during our Roswell (yes, that circa 1999 WB TV series) marathon and it still baffles Ma that no cows were harmed for her 51st celebration on earth. Heehee!
As for candied lemons (the perfect sugared confectionery topping)- thank you, Martha Stewart for this simple recipe- absolutely brilliant!

Vegan Sunshiny Lemonade Cupcakes Ingredients and Preparation

2 1/2 cup bread flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 ripened banana, mashed*
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup lemonade (used Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade)
2 tablespoon lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

*FYI: Banana flavor is barely detectable due to an abundant lemon overload. After all, it's supposed to hog all the spotlight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin tin with either baking cups or lightly oil/flour.

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt together. Blend mashed banana, almond milk, lemonade, and lemon juice separately.

After combining dry with wet, stir in lemon zest and apple cider vinegar.

Pour into muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Carefully pop these babies out.

Let cool.

Frosting

1 cup coconut oil
3/4 powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Whip ingredients together and refrigerate.
Spread on cooled cupcakes.  

Candied Lemon Slices

boiling water
1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Slice lemons and remove seeds/rind ends.
Bring water to a boil. 
Turn off heat and add lemon slices, stirring until softened- 1 minute.
Drain.
Bring sugar and water to a boil.
Add lemon slices in a single layer and simmer for an hour.
Drain again.
Place them on parchment paper and refrigerate.

All ready and pretty for Ma.

Avocado Tea Tree Oil Creme Deep Conditioner Treatment

Tea tree oil massaged hair pre-shampoo & conditioning treatment.

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch!
I hate that flaky irritation caused by dandruff and cannot always wear black.
Those nasty little white are specks garnish every blouse and dress top! So alas, I conducted research to dispose of my treacherous foe and discovered that some essential oils can get rid of the problem over time- tea tree oil for one.
I ordered a ml from eBay and waited for the vial's arrival, knowing exactly what to do with it. I massaged it into my scalp, added a few drops to my shampoo, and concocted homemade conditioning treatment to be made twice a month.
Avocados are not just good for eating! Their rich, fatty contents are pretty great for skin and hair. I've actually made a lovely conditioner months ago and decided to use it again, but amped it up with tea tree oil's beneficial rewards for dandruff and olive and jojoba oils for soft manageability.
The results were terrific!

Avocado Tea Tree Oil Creme Deep Conditioner Treatment Ingredients (keep in mind this is for short hair length, double recipe if needed)

1 half avocado
1/3 cup olive oil
10 drops tea tree oil
3 drops jojoba oil

Blend all ingredients together.

After shampooing hair and drying (I always use an old t-shirt-absorbs wetness quicker), massage in ample amounts of conditioner.

Proof that I could never look good as a blond or greenette. 

Once it's all in, put on a plastic cap & leave conditioner in for 30-45 minutes. One can opt to sit under hooded dryer, but I chose no heat. Rinse & dry.

Used my homemade hair cream & extra Jamaican Black Castor oil for styling very soft hair. No flakiness in sight!

Vegan Miniature Broccoli & Cashew Cream Pizzas

Small, but filled with humongous broccoli taste in every bite!

Little pizzas make life less guilty at meal time!
Incredibly yummy and cute, I had an idea for weeks to craft mini pizzas as to save myself from grabbing more than needed triangular slices.
Crisp exterior and soft, chewy center, layered with freshly homemade cashew cream, broccoli, and red onion pieces, miniature pizzas would be pleasing for four friends to enjoy as an appetizer or for the lonely woman to have alongside her staring cat companion.
With my leftovers, I plan on packing them up for a lovely Saturday picnic- weather permitting! :)

Vegan Miniature Broccoli & Cashew Cream Pizzas Ingredients and Preparation

Cashew Cream

2 cup cashews, soaked overnight
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Drain only a little of the cashew water & puree with all the listed ingredients in a blender/food processor.

pizza dough, cut into four sections
1 cup cashew cream
1 cup broccoli, cooked and diced (used frozen here)
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or olive oil.

Flatten four dough sections into pancake shape & rest on baking sheet.

Top with about 1/4 cup cashew cream each.

Sprinkle Italian seasonings and paprika!

Bake for 20-23 minutes.

Cool.

Slice & serve!

Portobello Mushroom, Red Onion, & Jalapeno Garlic Havarti Quesadillas

A few ingredients & a short amount of time to make these incredible quesadillas!

When lunch break is a short thirty minutes, what does one create?
Easy quesadillas that take less than ten!
Thinner than grilled cheese sandwiches and just as flavorful, these crisp, delicate tortilla triangles are stuffed with portobello mushrooms, red onions, and Daiya's delicious Jalapeno Garlic Havarti and are so irresistible it's difficult to stop at one!
I thoroughly enjoyed them and will definitely craft other fillings- colorful bell peppers, spinach greens, zucchini, ah, endless possibilities! Heck, maybe even peanut butter and bananas sound plausible! :D

Portobello Mushroom, Red Onion, & Jalapeno Garlic Havarti Quesadillas Ingredients and Preparation

2 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoon minced garlic
3 large portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
slices Daiya Jalapeno Garlic Havarti Wedges
whole wheat flour tortillas

Sauté garlic, mushrooms, & onions in olive oil.  

In a separate skillet, lightly oil & warm each tortilla side for 3 minutes.

Layer with mushrooms & onions.

Melt cheese on another tortilla & top the mushrooms with this side. Repeat all steps.

Very quick & simple.

Mmmmhmmmmm.

Raw Crustless Beet & Avocado "Cheesecake"

My first successful raw "cheesecake" was worth the hours of preparation.

I have been working on raw "cheesecake" for a while now and kept using Trader Joe's Roasted Cashews. But after hours of soaking, they never quite captured smooth, desired consistency. Alas, I found their Raw Cashews and voila- achieved creaminess!
Yes, it takes me a moment to catch on, but I got it!
Beets and avocados seemed natural choice- all unorthodox and unique a pairing.
The cake originally did have a crust. It just didn't hold together properly.
There's no need to mourn loss. This yummy "cheesecake" definitely tastes wonderful- the avocado lime a perfect bottom of firmer stout and vivacious flavor. Its creamy richness is especially telling that it would make for a divine alone cheesecake. The beet portion was satisfying and greatly inspired by Vanilla & Spice's Raw Beet Cheesecake which contained adorable candied beet hearts adorning the top of her beautiful creation.

Raw Crustless Beet & Avocado "Cheesecake" Ingredients and Preparation

Beet Part

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
1 beet, pureed
2 tablespoon agave nectar
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend cashews with some of the water its been soaked in and once smooth blend beet puree.
Add agave nectar, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Pour this mixture into a desired mold. (I used an 8' inch plastic bowl)

Avocado Part

1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
1 ripened avocado
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
juice and zest from one lime
1 teaspoon vanilla

Swirl avocado portion on top of beet & cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for four hours. Carefully scrap sides with a knife & gently turn bowl around onto a plate to release "cheesecake."

Raw jagged heart shaped beet slices & lime slice garnish the top.

Place back into the freezer for 10 minutes.

Thaw for about 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Very delicious! Personally quite enjoy the avocado section the best!