EASY Egg-Free Cupcakes

Baking for vegan?  Got allergies?  What to do about the egg part of the recipe?

What to do when you CAN'T use these?

I needed to make some egg-free cupcakes for a birthday party recently, and after perusing many options and suggestions, I decided to try a few different versions to see how they would turn out.  I did NOT want to make them from scratch, if at all possible.  It turns out you don't have to!

Let me tell you all about you

People love to analyze themselves, to figure out why they do things a certain way, what motivates them in everyday life, and what draws them to others.

Moving one step further, people really enjoy it when someone else can give them the answers and fill in the blanks for them.  This I think explains the love of horoscopes and fortune telling.  I was surprised to learn that more than 1/4 of all Americans believe in astrology.  This reality has been highlighted recently with all the buzz about zodiac signs and shifting planets that has been in the news lately (and much talked about).

In case you are one of the last to know, here is the article that explains why the sign you thought you were may not be your true one.  And here is an article (one example of many) that highlights the identity crises that are happening all across the country.

In honor of all this frivolous hubub, I'd like to offer an alternative system for identifying your strengths and characteristics.

Twelve Signs of the Garden
Based on what delicious produce is at its peak of perfection.  What better way to connect with your roots?

How Clean is Your Favorite Restaurant?

While waiting to pick up some take-out food from one of our favorite local restaurants last weekend, my eyes fell upon this most unfortunate sign in the window:

"Public notice

Upon last inspection this establishment 

FAILED TO COMPLY 

with the acceptable sanitation standards 

of the Oregon Health Division 

of Sanitation"

A few questions came to my mind:
What?  Was I reading that correctly?
They're still in business?  Is that even legal?
Is my food ready yet?

Funny thing was, I seemed to be the only person who noticed the sign.  I happened to be waiting outside for my order, enjoying the crisp wintery air and the peaceful night.  There was a steady stream of people wandering in for their take-out packages, oblivious to this important public announcement posted right by the door.

When I got home my husband and I did some researching on the topic (over a plate of pad thai...hey we were still hungry!).  Here's what we learned:

The Power of Choice

When I was a kid, I knew I could be whatever I wanted to be when I grew up.  It was a wonderful feeling.  My first big dream was to be a singer.  As a little girl I would perform from my "stage" in the living room and belt out my favorite songs (ah, Dolly Parton) and show off how I could sing my A-B-C's in vibrato (like the opera), which I considered to be very advanced.

As the years passed, my world of possibilities became more limited.  By the time I was a teenager I could feel the pressure to make the right decision for my life's purpose and direction. 

I came to the conclusion that I had two choices:
1) lawyer
or
2) doctor

For some reason I thought those were the "best" jobs out there.  Even though I knew very little about what either of them would actually entail, let alone what the various other options might be.  After more thought, some very enjoyable science classes, and an inspiring health class, I decided I would be a doctor. 

What had started as a wide open meadow of limitless possibilities, had now evolved into a well defined path leading toward a distinct goal.

This is NOT a story about ending up in the wrong place.
Today I am completely in love with what I do for a living.  Working with kids and their families, learning new things on a daily basis, watching technology advance with the field, and teaching.  It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of these patients lives.

It's about finding my voice again.
What I also love is my ability to define what, where, and when I do my work.  Without this power, the joy is much harder to come by.

I Love Shopping From Home

Let's say you want a garlic press.  You're tired of holding those little cloves of garlic on the cutting board while you mince them.  You want a nice one that works well and is comfortable to hold.  You don't need it right this moment, but it would be nice to have it soon, so that it's handy when the urge to make stir fry strikes.

So you wait until the weekend when you have some free time, get in the car and drive 20 minutes to your store of choice (Target perhaps), try for a close parking spot but fail because everyone else shops on Saturdays too, walk about a mile's worth circling the store for not just the item you want, but other departments of interest too (might as well, while you here...), wait in line to check out, pay for your cart full of stuff (half of which you probably didn't actually need), run through the rain back to your car, and drive the 20 minutes back home.

OR

Pop online (Amazon, for example), type "garlic press," search through the results for your perfect fit and price, see that a hundred+ reviewers have given this product an average of 4.5/5 stars, click in into your virtual cart, then find the lovely item on your doorstep a few days later.

Is there any contest here?