chocolate chip coffee cake

It has been a stressful week. The summer semester is winding down, students are starting to panic about their grades and there are a lot of changes at school. I was feeling really under the weather on Monday and I am sure it was triggered by stress. Our fridge is practically empty, with the exception of my ever-present baking supplies, so some comfort-baking is definitely what the doctor ordered. Cinnamon and vanilla, from an aromatherapy standpoint, are strongly comforting.. in these stressful times who couldn't go for some of that? (As a side note, if you love that smell of baking you would adore my custom cinnamon-vanilla perfume.) I decided a coffee cake sounded good but wanted the mood-boosting benefits of dark chocolate so I added in some dark chocolate chips for extra flavor and euphoria. :c) If you're looking for a gluten free option, use the same procedure but buy some packaged white or golden gluten free cake mix. Make the batter to replace this cake and use a gluten free flour baking mix in place of flour for the topping.


chocolate chip coffee cake

Streusel topping
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
6 tbsp vegan margarine, melted
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Cake
1/4 cup vegan sour cream
2/4 cup soygurt (vanilla or plain)
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy milk + 1tsp white vinegar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp chocolate extract (optional)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease it.

Make your streusel topping by whisking together the dry ingredients then stirring in the melted margarine and folding in the walnuts. Set it aside.

Make your filling by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl. Set it aside.

Measure out your soymilk and add in the vinegar so it can sit and curdle just for a minute. Mix the fake sour cream, soygurt, oil and sugar in a large bowl to cream it together with a hand mixer on low. Add in the soy milk and extracts mixing until well combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients then mix them into the wet ingredients until smooth then fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour half of the batter into your greased cake pan. Sprinkle the filling evenly across your batter. Add the other half of the batter on top of the filling then using a knife or chopstick swirl the filling and the batter a bit (not mixing, just swirling). Top with the streusel topping and bake for ~55-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Allow to cool at least 20 minutes (or cheat & pop it in the freezer for a few) and then enjoy with some excellent coffee or good strong tea. I recommend getting your beans from Cartel Coffee Lab -- click on Product then click Coffee and Buy, you will not regret it! or some good strong black tea. For tea, I recommend any of the black teas from Souvia, I have never been disappointed, the Darjeeling from Mountain Rose Herbs or Yunnan Gold from Ocean of Tea.

Just a Reminder...


Strawberry Hedgehog Pinky-Pair Sale!

Each pink pair includes one 5oz Pink Grapefruit-Peppermint bar and one 5oz Rosewood-Orange bar, my usual, fabulous organic oils are used for the base and only pure essential oils are used for scent. Natural minerals are used for color and they make an adorable combo. Just $14 for the two! $4 of your purchase goes directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to help fund finding a cure for breast cancer!

Click here to purchase now!
Thank you!!

special "soap for hope" set

Strawberry Hedgehog Pinky-Pair Sale!

After much clamoring from my wonderful soap club members, I decided to make last month's soap of the month, rosewood-orange available to everyone. It is a fresh, fruity scent that is cheering and uplifting, sweet and reminiscent of fruit loops of all things. I could only make it in a limited amount, there are only 10 bars available. The soap club received orange, pink, and white swirls but these ones are pink to go with the pink charity theme. They are adorable soft pink bars with dried pink rosebuds on top. The pink grapefruit-peppermint is a stronger pepto-pink color. It is cooling, refreshing, and energizing. Together they are the perfect citrus pair for summer, not only that but they are discounted to save you $2 while still donating $4 from each purchase!

Each pink pair includes one 5oz Pink Grapefruit-Peppermint bar and one 5oz Rosewood-Orange bar, my usual, fabulous organic oils are used for the base and only pure essential oils are used for scent. Natural minerals are used for color and they make an adorable combo. Just $14 for the two! $4 of your purchase goes directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to help fund finding a cure for breast cancer!

Click here to purchase now!
Thank you!!

fabulous jewelry for an awesome cause

Gorgeous Green GewGaw Necklace by Tara Roth
Those of you that know me know I have a thing for jewelry. I think it is exciting that I can combine my love of rocks as a student and now teacher of geology along with my appreciation for natural beauty and the fun of accessorizing. I love tying together a look or adding something really special to an otherwise nice but not stunning outfit, making something exceptional out of something simple. I do love making my own jewelry so when I buy something made by someone else it had better be spectacular. Just the right stones, just the right cuts, just the right style. My friend and fellow geologist, Tara, has done it!

We used to walk past one another in the hall and ooh and ahh over the other's accessories for the day so it came as no surprise to me that she has not only a great eye for jewelry but a creativity and talent for making it herself. She combines beautiful stones, fun glass, and metal pieces along with linen string for totally unique and eye-catching pieces. I have only had this necklace for a little over a week and I have worn it just about every other day, each time getting more and more compliments! I special ordered it to be vegan (i.e. no pearls or shelly bits) and for it to be long (I ordered it 32 inches so I could wear it long or doubled up). She has cute danglies on the clasp so wearing it doubled up is especially adorable and when you wear it long there is fun detail on your neck.

It is obvious that this necklace is made with love and attention to detail. Just the right stones, glass, metal findings.. the knots are just right, the playful nature of it, everything about it makes me feel good. It is a STEAL at $27, having been so lovingly made with beautiful and valuable materials but the best thing is ALL PROFITS GO TO CHARITY!! That's right, ALL, as in every penny that was not spent on materials goes directly to helping find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma. She has all sorts of other adorable pieces, from cutie pie shrinky dink earrings and necklaces to beautiful multi-strand bracelets made from some of my favorite minerals to super fun charm bracelets with cards from the loteria game you remember playing in Spanish class. She has a wide range of prices, with all proceeds going to charity so you can feel great about getting yourself a few new pieces, all lovingly hand made, and all supporting a wonderful cause! You have no excuse not to. :c) Please check out her etsy store.

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Click here to shop/donate now!

artichoke-pesto penne pasta salad

So often when I get groceries I let the veggies go bad if I don't get them all prepped before the craziness of the work week begins. I try to slice and dice everything up for veggie sandwiches and make a side that makes lunch assembly in the morning as easy as possible. This week the side is a pesto pasta salad that is fantastic. Pine nuts are very pricey but you could replace them with walnuts if you're feeling frugal, this would be a tasty dinner on its own, too.

artichoke-pesto penne pasta salad
1 package whole wheat penne
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pine nuts
1 handful baby spinach
2 handfuls fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 can artichoke hearts
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the penne according to the package directions, drain, and rinse with cool water.

Sautee the garlic in a bit of olive oil until it starts to brown. Turn off the heat and toss in the pine nuts for just a minute. Put the garlic, nuts, basil, spinach, nutritional yeast, and lemon into your food processor and blend until smooth.

Drain and quarter the artichokes, mix them with the penne, and pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill and enjoy!

happy independence day!

image by A Million To One on flickr

I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July weekend! :c)

New Summer Soaps!

My platinum soap club members get to try all of my new bars this month but two of them are available to everyone. They are total opposites and totally fantastic! Sacred sage pictured above and Star Anise Biscotti, below. Check them out! :c)

July Soap of the Month Club!

fresh lavender-pink grapefruit organic oils glycerin soap!



I cannot express how elated I am with how well this soap turned out! I am THRILLED! It is beautiful to look at and beautiful to smell, with a creamy lather and brilliant aromatherapeutic benefits. This patriotic bar has happiness written all over it. Lavender essential oil balances mood, helping release tension, while sparkling grapefruit essential oil refreshes and brings cheer. What could be better?? Balanced and cheerful sounds good to me. The scent is fantastic and it just looks so dang cool! Colored with only natural minerals, powdered lapis for the blue, powdered hematite for the red, and powdered rutile for the white. My fellow geology nerd friends will go gaga just for that but that's what I do with all my soaps. There is a hint of energizing lemon, cleansing lemongrass, a splash of invigorating mint, and just a few drops of inspiring bergamot, sweet jasmine, calming neroli essential oil. This special is just for my beloved soap club members, sign up this week to get the July soap! :c) You can join for one bar a month for as few as three months up to three bars a month for up to a year! Great deals to be had on fabulous soaps exclusive to strawberry hedgehog soap club members. :c)