Cake-Ya Bakery

Japanese Cheesecake from Cake-Ya Bakery

Port Moody is small. Very small. Nevertheless, there are gems hidden in the most random spots of the tri-cities. This Japanese bakery being one of them. Finding Japanese-owned establishments isn't very common in Vancouver. I want to say the most saturated area of these Japanese businesses are located in the heart of Downtown. Cake-Ya is part of an old building on a quiet backstreet parallel to St. John's Street in Port Moody.

This post reviews several items I've tasted from various visits. I have had a good experience with the majority of their food. There are still many more goods I have yet to try. 

Healthy Carrot Morning Glory Muffins

Healthy Carrot Morning Glory Muffin

This is the one and only carrot muffin recipe you need; it's flavourful, healthy, and jam-packed with delicious ingredients. Truly a glorious way to start the day (I'm so poetic).

I can rest assured knowing I've gotten my daily intake of veggies. This muffin includes all my favourite things: coconut, nuts, fruit, and veggies. It's filled with fibre too, as you can use whole wheat flour or add flax seeds like I chose to do. Remember the importance of scrubbing the colon everyday!

My mom always complains about my muffins that barely reach the rim off the muffin liner. No need to worry about that with these muffins; they rise nice and tall and have a beautiful dome-shaped top. Smear a little frosting and top with some toasted coconut flakes like Ambitious Kitchen's photo and you've got a presentable gift!

Enough of my blabbering, just go and make these muffins nowwwww~

Healthy Carrot Morning Glory Muffins

Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

Yield: 12 full muffins

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups flour
• ½ cup ground flax seed
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of nutmeg
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup milk (try coconut milk!)
• 2 ½ cups shredded carrots (about 1 jumbo carrot, or 2 ½ medium carrots)
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (or date paste)
•  ¼ cup raisins
• ¼ cup coconut flakes, toasted*
•  ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted**

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line or grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax seed, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, vanilla, oil, and eggs until combined. Add in the milk and mix again.
4. Mix the carrots, applesauce, and raisins into the wet mixture.
5. Add all of the dry mixture, coconut flakes, and walnuts into the wet mixture. Fold until just combined. Be sure not to over mix!
6. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups with your handy-dandy muffin scooper. Top with some walnut bits or coconut shreds if it pleases you to do so.
7. Bake for 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.
8. Cool on completely on a wire rack before attempting to peel the paper liners off, they stick a little bit.

*Toast coconut flakes in a preheated oven at 350°F for 2 minutes. Stir once and bake for 1 more minute. It smells ah-may-zing~

**Please refer to this recipe for directions on how to toast walnuts

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡ 

Strawberry Chocolate Icebox!

You drooling yet? ;) Just look at that natural pink colour! No chemically formulated colours here, folks!

My intention was to post an Easter recipe, but somehow this turned into another delicious frozen dessert. Well, who's complaining? ;) It's probably because of this beautiful weather I'm experiencing this past few days here in Vancouver.

Warning, your eyes may experience some extreme widening and you
may will feel the urge to get into your kitchen and make this chocolatey strawberryness ;)

If you like strawberries dipped in chocolate, you're definitely at the right place. And don't get intimidated by its gorgeousness; this is one of the recipes that requires little hands-on time, but a longer waiting time (which is definitely the hardest part!) :D

In fact, you make lose some of the love for chocolate-dipped strawberries, as now you can have something that tastes better, and is wayyyy healthier for you than the 50 grams of sugar you get from the chocolate fountain. Oh, and did I mention it's vegan also so no animals are suffering on your behalf? ;)

Strawberry Chocolate Icebox - makes one 11× 5.5 × 3 inch loaf pan 

Beet Quinoa with Beet Greens

Beet Quinoa with Beet Greens

I have recently developed an extreme fascination for the vibrant fushia colour of beet juice. After purchasing a bunch of beets from Superstore, I have included them in two of my recipes this past weekend. 

Raw Flax Almond Spread!

I got this idea from the tempting Nut N' Budder jars at Superstore.

They have two kinds:

1.) Nut N' Budder (made with peanuts + flaxseed oil)

2.) Almond Budder Extreme (almonds + flaxseed oil)

But because they only sell roasted varieties and the prices aren't dainty, I decided to make my own Almond Budder Extreme (with my own twist of course ;) )

I call it... the Raw Flax Almond Spread

Green Tea Mochi with Lotus Seed Paste

Green Tea Mochi with Lotus Seed Paste

My mother has put me on a mission to finish all the glutinous rice flour in the house. She worries that it will become spoiled. This provides the perfect opportunity to experiment with mochi. 

On my first attempt a few days ago, I made a 'nontraditional' ichigo daifuku. It is a Japanese confection that is often available in the spring and summer. In my version, I wrapped strawberries in lotus seed paste and then made a pumpkin mochi to finish it off. However, I forgot to cover the mochi as I worked which let the mochi dry out and not stick very well. Perhaps the liquid to flour ratio was a bit off due to the pumpkin I substituted. 

Since I'm locked at home for the daytime, I made a second attempt at mochi. One batch makes 6 or 9, depending on how large your filling is. This allows room for mistakes and re-dos. Usually, green tea is paired with red bean/adzuki bean paste. Try that combination before you go on a hunt for lotus seed paste as it is a bit more difficult to find.

During today's trial, I altered the cooking time and made sure I kept the mochi hot as I worked. It's a fun and simple recipe and can be done in a short period of time. Give it a try!

Green Tea Mochi with Lotus Seed Paste

Adapted from Maangchi

Yield: 9 

Ingredients

• approximately ⅔ cups of lotus seed paste
• 1 cup glutinous rice flour (aka Mochiko)
• 1 tsp matcha powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¾ cup strong green tea
• Corn starch

Directions

1. Roll the lotus seed paste into 1 inch balls. You may store in the refrigerator until time to use.
2. Generously cover work surface with corn starch.
3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, mix rice flour, matcha powder, and sugar until well combined.
4. Pour the tea into the flour mixture and mix until well combined.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, leaving a one inch opening on one end.
6. Microwave for 2 minutes
7. Uncover and check to see if the middle is cooked. It should no longer have dry patches. If uncooked, microwave for another 30 minutes. (I did not have to microwave again)
8. Mix vigorously 100 times to create the chewiness. 
9. Quickly dump mochi dough onto prepared work surface. Cover hands in corn starch and pat the dough into a square.
10. Cut the dough into 9 pieces. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap as you work.
11. Pick up one piece of dough and shape it into a flat disk. Place one ball of filling in the middle and wrap the dough around it, pinching the ends together to seal. Shape wrapped mochi into a round ball with your hands. **Work quickly as the dough will not stick as it cools down!
12. Place finished mochi in separate paper muffin liners to keep them from sticking to eat other. (Also makes for pretty presentation if giving them away~) Store in an airtight container and eat within 2 days. Do not store in the fridge or your mochi will harden and no longer be chewy.

 Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Mushroom, Brie, and Green Bean Omelet

Mushroom, Brie, and Green Bean Omelet

No school, rainy day, went to take a step class early in the morning. It's been a while since I've sweat that much; almost one and a half hours of nonstop movement. Sweating is good for the skin, so if you want clear smooth skin, remember to exercise!

I love eggs, which contributes for my love for breakfast. After a hard workout, you don't want to eat all the calories you just burned. Aim to fuel your body with food that satisfies and provides energy. Not full of simple carbohydrates and bad fats. Today, I made myself a big omelet for lunch. Yes, breakfast for lunch, and I love it. The combination of flavours is quite random as I pulled random veggies from my fridge. Work with what you have, and you never know what you'll create.

Included in the directions is a tip to ensuring your pan is nonstick. Most of us have probably experienced our 'nonstick pan' starting to stick...a lot. This tip is from my mom, and I assure you, it truly works!

By the way, my house is now officially egg-less and cheese-less. An excuse to go grocery shopping, yippie!

Ingredients for Omelet

Mushroom, Brie, and Green Bean Omelet

by Coconut Crumpet

Yield: 1 large omelet

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• a splash of milk
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 green onion
• 5 green beans
• 1 heaping tbsp of chopped onion
• 2 white button mushrooms
• 1 round of mini brie cheese (purchased from Costco), torn into small pieces
• ½ tsp coconut oil

Directions

1. Chop all veggies into small pieces. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt & pepper, and green onion bits until pale and foamy.
3. Heat a frying pan over high heat for 2 minutes.
4. Add oil and swirl to coat the area you will be using. Once there is some smoke coming off the oil, turn off the heat and let it sit for 30 seconds.
5. Turn the heat back onto medium-low and add green beans and onion. Saute until onions are translucent.
6. Add mushroom and saute until mushrooms are cooked.
7. Spread the vegetables evenly over the bottom of the pan and then pour egg mixture over top. Turn the heat to medium-high.
8. When the edges are beginning to set, gently pull the sides away from the pan and tilt to let the uncooked egg seep underneath. Continue to do so until liquid no longer flows on top.
9. When the top is mostly cooked, turn the heat down to low, add the cheese and fold in half. Continue to cook until centre is done.
10. Serve warm with hot sauce or salsa if desired. 

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

The "To-Die-For" Banana Bread

Before I begin this post, I would like to clarify that the recipe below has been originally modified to develop a flavor similar to that of the true "To-Die-For Banana Bread" by Erin Heland. In other words, this is NOT the authentic "It's to Die For" Banana bread recipe. 

For details, please visit http://itstodiefor.ca/ 

Vegan Veggie Lasagne!

This lasagne is the freshest, most bountiful “pasta dish” you will ever see.

Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Who says you can welcome the arrival of spring with some pumpkin goodies? Evidently seen by my stock of canned pumpkin in the basement, I love eating pumpkin no matter what time of year it is. 

On a lonely Friday night, I was motivated to do lots of baking. Maybe because I was avoiding my homework and studying responsibilities... These cookies were one of the goods that came out of the oven. They fill the house with an aromatic smell of warm spices, mmm~ I must inform you that these cookies require lots of chewing, prepare for a jaw workout! Nothing better than a good treat to go with some muscle toning right? I love texture and chewy things, so these cookies are totally up my alley. If you prefer less-chunky cookies, you have the option of grinding all the oats into flour and leaving out the mix-ins. Please don't be turned off by the less-than-appetizing colour seen in the photo, they taste amazing! Even Peanut Crumpet gave her seal of approval. 

These cookies get a little sticky the next day, so I give you permission to gobble up as many as you can in the first day. They're healthy anyways... Reheating them in the oven for 5 minutes before eating them will also help to dry the outsides. I always prefer warm cookies, imitating 'fresh from the oven' effect. 

Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from MD School Mrs.

Yield: 20 cookies

Ingredients

• ¼ cup flour
• 4 tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 cup oats, divided
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp warm water (or another egg)
• 6 tbsp loosely packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup applesauce
• a splash of vanilla
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted*
• ¼ cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. Combine 1 tbsp ground flax seed with 3 tbsp warm water in a small bowl to make the 'flax egg'. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to get thick.
3. In a food processor, grind ⅓ cup of oats into oat flour.
4. Combine flour, flax seed, oat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. 
5. Whisk egg, flax egg, brown sugar, honey, pumpkin, applesauce, and vanilla in a separate bowl until well combined.
6. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in nuts and raisins.
7. Using a cookie scoop, drop the batter onto the cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches apart. You may choose to flatten the top a bit.
8. Bake for 12 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.

*To toast walnuts: Spread walnuts evenly over a cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 3 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they burn very quickly!

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡