Crazypants and the Microwaved Cake

There is a recipe at the end of this post.

But this is not about food. This is not about farting. This is about stress.

A month or so ago, Averie wrote about wanting to know more about bloggers' lives. So I guess this is my contribution. And it's my explanation for being so quiet.

I'm at a bit of a crossroads.

Back in 2003, I finished an MFA in writing fiction. I lived in Boston and began teaching at local colleges as an English adjunct. In 2008, I moved home to the Philly 'burbs. Now I adjunct here.

Before class...

What is an adjunct? An adjunct is a part time college professor. Adjuncts teach 1/2 the load of a full timer and do not have to attend department meetings. They get no benefits. Their contracts are renewed on a semester basis. Ideally, an adjunct supplements meager income by working in the field.

BUT - This is a bit of a problem when you are a professional FICTION WRITER.

I've been pretty successful. (Here is a story of mine you can read online!) Success isn't the issue. It's time. Writing takes a lot of time.

Two years ago, I began to see this as not the ideal life. High school teachers, friends told me, make SO much more money and do just as much work. So I began taking classes towards a secondary ed. certification.

Already, as an adjunct, I'm psychotically busy. Add coursework and a boyfriend into the mix. Wave the magic wand. FartyGirl turns into CRAZYPANTS.

This is the workload on an easy week...

Traveling only makes it worse. The schools where I teach are each an hour away from where I live. The school where I go is a half hour away from where I live. My boyfriend lives an hour from where I live. To make matters more distant - All of these places are an hour from each other.

I didn't plan this. I didn't have a choice as to where I could teach. I took what I could get.

When it comes to the boyfriend - proximity is not much of a heart-swindler. A cute smile and smart ass mouth is!

Us

Currently, I'm teaching 5 classes, taking 1, working out 4 days a week, and spending over 6 hours a week traveling.

In my spare time, I...

Prep for class (5 hours a week)



Grade papers for 100 students (3 papers per hour - do the math)


Complete homework for my class (1-2 hours a week)

Do yoga (5-6 hours a week)



Do cardio (3-4 hours a week)



Go to department meetings, suck up to get full time work (3 hours, every other week)


Work on fiction (4-6 hours on Friday)



Prep food for the week (1-2 hours every other day)

Peanut butter cacao coconut oat bars - a recipe I owe you

Give my boyfriend lovin' (Weekends)

His kitchen, where we cook together... and which I cleaned... because I am awesome

Workshop with SWiG, my Boston-based writers' group (Once a month)

On the train... am I sad or tired?

Play with sisters when they visit

I'm the one being suffocated... as the eldest of the fam, it's quite punny

Grow and hang herbs

This is peppermint in the corner of my room

Blog at FartyGirl (When?)


Read friends' blogs (When?)


Read (Five minutes before bed)

Typical bedside library bounty

Currently Cormac McCarthy...

See? Crossroads. Crazypants.

Don't tell me. I've heard it before: Lifestyle is a choice. BUT let me ask you this. Is it a choice when you are at a crossroads? Is it a choice when your current job makes you no money? Is it a choice when you have to make a life for yourself?

I cut corners where I can.

I drink boxed almond milk.

365 is the closest to homemade, I think...



I spend A LOT of money on ready-made raw foods, like Oasis crackers!


So worth it... they taste like Triscuits!!!



I mix protein shakes in my car.

This stuff kept me very regular - loved it.




I eat raw veggies - what I can get, when I can get it.

This morning, I made microwave cake for breakfast.

This one is sweet potato.

I'm gonna give you a couple recipes here. The trick to microwave cake is to play around with it a bit. So if you try this, make judgments on consistency and taste.

Sweet Potato Cake

1/8 cup millet flour
1/8 cup corn or rice flour
1/2 medium sweet potato or yam
1 Tablespoon Flax Seed Meal
1/8 cup almond milk
2 Tablespoons vegan soy-free butter
Pinch of baking powder
Pinch of salt
10-15 drops stevia

Mix with a fork in a mug. Let batter sit for about five minutes. Then nuke for 2 and 1/2 minutes on high. With a little nudge, the muffin should fall right out of the mug.

See the little yammy threads!!!!

Coconut Cashew Cake with Lucuma Icing

Coconut Cashew Cake


1/8 cup coconut flour
1/8 cup millet flour
2 Tablespoons flax seed meal
1 Tablespoon cashew butter
1/8-1/4 cup almond milk
Pinch of baking powder
Pinch of salt
10-15 drops of stevia

*For supermoist cake: add 1 Tablespoon vegan butter*



Lucuma Icing

1 Tablespoon vegan butter
3 Tablespoons lucuma powder
Almond milk
7-10 drops of stevia

Combine ingredients. Whisk with fork. Add almond milk to desired consistency. It tastes like maple syrup!!!

Both recipes come from playing around with this recipe that I got from VegWeb.

Veg Web's Microwaved Cake

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons chocolate powder
3 Tablespoons non-dairy milk
2 Tablespoons syrup
1 Tablespoon melted butter
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt

Sugar or no sugar - Is this the healthiest breakfast?

No.

But it helps me get fiber and get moving in the morning.

It's also a nice comforting treat in the middle of a rough week.

Toots

How busy are you?

What activities take up the most time in your week?

What are your tricks for getting through a busy week?

How do you feel about the microwave? Love it or hate it? Why or why not?

What's your favorite "fast" food?

And the winner is...

...certainly not me.

I was up until 1 am trying to get a random number generator pasted into this post. GAHHH!!! Do you see a random number generator anywhere?

Needless to say, it did not work.

In the process of trying to post a number generator, I generated about 20 different winners.

But the FIRST number that came up IS the true winner. It was 46. And who was 46?

Cheryl said...

If I were to win, I would use the 60 towards
owning my first ever food processor.


CONGRATS, CHERYL!!!

EVERYONE should own a food processor!

Please send me your email address and I will forward you the gift certy!

As for me... I'm off to hit the Dandy Blend and wake my ass UP!

Oh! One more thing...

This weekend...

If you're looking for a movie to go see, go see THE TOWN!!!

My Boston-BFF worked on this flick all last year.

It's really good!!!

Giveaway Closed!

The Giveaway is closed! The winner will be announced on Friday!

For those of you who played but may not win - a consolation prize. A recipe!


This morning, I found half a cup of chickpea flour hanging out in my cupboard. So I made some socca. This is quick socca. This is the socca you make while you are racing up and down stairs doing laundry, watering plants, checking email, and planning the day.

Quick Savory Socca

1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon of EVOO
LOTS of oregano

Mix everything in a bowl. Let it sit for half an hour. (Do laundry, water plants, check email, etc.)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Leave a cast iron skillet in it.

When the oven is heated, drop a tablespoon of EVOO in the skillet. Swish it around a bit. Make sure the bottom is coated.

Drop the socca batter into the pan. Hear it sizzle! Get excited!

Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are brown.

Pull it out! Cut into neat shapes! Slather it with tahini and nooch, cashew cheese, or even SALSA!

Eat it up!

Thanks to the Twins for the basics of the recipe! By the way - the Twins just posted a KICK ASS list of tips on getting a happy digestive system. If you are an IBSser - fart your way on over to Pure2Raw and check it out!

If you are interested in reading about Veganism and calcium sources - check out my GUEST POST at Vegan in the Kitchen. I'm SO honored to do a guest post for Jill. She's freakin' awesome.

It's a week of firsts for me!

First Giveaway!

First Guest Post!

What have you done recently that's new to you?

What's your favorite breakfast?

For breakfast, do you prefer savory or sweet?

My First Giveaway!

School's in.

I'm teaching at a new place this semester!

I'm also teaching two new classes.

One new place + two new classes = three strikes and I'm OUT.

Out of my mind.

Out of my element.

Out of my SANITY!

There will be a post about the look and feel of my new crazy pants. But for now? Fun stuff.



This giveaway is courtesy of CSN stores. CSN stores sell lots of stuff - kitchen tables, bookshelves, lamps, and the foodie favorite - cookware!!! CSN is offering a $60 gift certificate to one lucky person. It can be used on ANY of their websites.

How awesome is that?

Anyway - here's what you gotta do. There are four chances to win.

1. Mandatory entry: Check out CSN stores and comment below what you'd buy with the gift certificate if you won. Don't forget the cookware!

2. Another entry: Tell me your favorite kitchen item and why it is your favorite.

3. Join the CSN stores community on Facebook!

4. Another entry: Follow me on twitter! Bonus: I'll probably follow you too.

The contest will end a week from today - Wednesday, September 15th. GOOD LUCK!