Vegan Rum Cake

My mom has been baking Rum Cake for years and she finally sent me her recipe. This cake is melt in your mouth delicious.


Ingredients:
1 pkg. of  vegan yellow cake mix (I use Lillabee)
1 pkg. of instant vanilla pudding
Ener-G egg replacer for 4 eggs
2/3 cups of Extra Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 cups of water
1 tsp. of vanilla
3 Tbsp. of dark or golden rum

Glaze:
1 cup sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
1/2 cup of water
1 tsp. vanilla
Rum to taste

Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together
2. In a large bowl and beat with a wire whisk until batter is smooth.
3. Spray bundt pan with bakers-spray and pour mixture into pan.
4.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes until cake is golden brown on top and firm to the touch.
5. Remove from oven, cool for 10 minutes, turn out on serving plate.

Glaze:
1. Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil on the stove.
2. Poke small holes all around top of cake with a fork
3. Slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake.

Serve and Enjoy

Spring Is A Time For Rebirth

Spring is a beautiful time of year to watch the earth re-new itself. Birds welcome the Spring with their beautiful songs, flowers embrace the warm weather by reaching high and blooming towards the sun, the waters rejoice by flowing freely.
Spring is also a time for personal re-birth, a time for re-newing the soul. There are many ways to honor this glorious season without hurting our fragile enviornment.


I discoverd a wonderful company, Green Field Paper Company, who creates tree free cards and other products out of hemp. One of the great things about this company is that their cards are embedded with wildflower seeds, so you can plant the card after you read it and watch the flowers grow.


Find a hiking trail where the flowers are blooming and enjoy the fresh air and serenity. Some areas offer wildflower group hikes (search google for groups in your area).


One of the things I love to do is meditate in nature. I'll go to the beach, or sit in a meadow and encourage stress to leave my body, while welcoming a wave of peace to wash over me.


Visit or volunter at a local animal sanctuary


Pack a picnic and enjoy time with your family

Practice yoga outside

Plant a vegetable garden and enjoy it's bounty

How do you embrace the Spring?

Cute clothes for my daughter

I found these cute clothes for my daughter at Target.com

My New " Love"

I have been wanting a beach cruiser for quite some time now. Everytime we visit my mother in law in Southern California, I see so many people enjoying their cute cruisers at the beach. Sometimes dreams do come true, because my mother in law (she is the sweetest woman) bought me a pink cruiser. So now I can enjoy riding my new "love" around town (Redding is such a beautiful place) or at the beach. Sometimes I feel so spoiled.

My dear mountain bike, please don't be jealous because we still have plenty of mountains ahead of us.

Finding Zen

What do you think of when you look at this picture? Does it invoke a sense calm, a longing for serenity? I love the ocean, it's my favorite place to meditate. For me, there is something special about sitting on the beach, listening to the gentle waves caressing the shore. Watching the sun rise over the ocean clears my mind and body of stress and anxiety, it prepares me for the day ahead.

What is your favorite way/place to capture a dose of zen?

Tropical Sunshine Cake

Okay, I love Tropical Sunshine Cake and I thought it would be apporpiate to post this recipe with summer on the horizon. I found this cheat cake (a recipe not fully homeade) on verybestbaking.com
Enjoy


Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (juice reserved), divided
• 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
• 1 (7 ounce) can whipped cream

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
2. COMBINE cake mix, evaporated milk and eggs in large mixer bowl. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup pineapple. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
3. BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.
4. COMBINE sugar and 2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice in small bowl; mix until smooth. Spread over warm cake, sprinkle with coconut and remaining pineapple. Cool completely before serving. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Wardrobe Up

With the weather warming up, it's time to update your yoga wardrobe. I found some cute additions for my wardrobe.

Chakra Breathe Tank

Pure Chakra Yogi Pants