My Recipe: Vegan Carrot Cake

I went on a little baking spree last weekend. We had a bag of carrots sitting in the fridge and I decided the best way to use them would be to (clearly) make carrot cake! 

With school last semester I literally had hardly a moment to spare and I missed baking. I was so excited to try a new recipe, and of course had to document it. 

You want to start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.You're going to let the cake bake for about 40 minutes, or until it's nice and golden and a toothpick comes out clean. The ingredients are below.


Wet Ingredients:

- 3 cups grated carrot

- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

- 3/4 cup almond-coconut milk (or any non-dairy milk of your choice)

- 1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

- zest of 1/4 of an orange

 

Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose white flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- a pinch of salt





Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately. Sift the dry ingredients into the carrot mixture in thirds and gently fold until you get something that looks like the picture below! I've greased the sides of the loaf pan and cut a piece of parchment paper for the bottom (this really helps you get your cake out with nothing stuck to the bottom of the pan).

 

 


This is what the cake should look like when it's done.

I topped mine with an orange glaze and crushed walnuts! This is optional, but I would recommend it since it's so delicious.

The glaze is also ridiculously easy. Here's what you need:

- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- freshly squeezed orange juice (1/4 of a large orange, 1/2 of a small orange)
- 1 tsp orange zest (optional)

Just whisk together the above ingredients and your glaze is ready to go.

I let the cake cool for about 15 minutes, poured the glaze on top, finally sprinkled it with the crushed walnuts, and voila!

Happy 2014!

Hello Dear Readers,

I hope the start of 2014 has been fantastic for all of you! 

Just a quick update on my end...I've started my first work term for school. So far it's only one week down and I'm slowly finding my routine and happy place.

One of my biggest goals over the next 3.5 months is to lose some weight! Starting grad school plus not being a member of a fitness facility was not a good combination for me, and unfortunately I was not as disciplined as I'd hoped last semester to stay on top of working out. 

I know I need a little more structure myself at the moment and I'm back at the gym now and super excited to get into a routine!

I'd love to hear about your fitness goals so please share below! 

- Kirren

P.S - I definitely think you can create and stick to a successful at-home workout routine and it is something I encourage - you can save time and money, and have a little more flexibility to work on your own schedule.

Video: Lying Down Quad Stretch

So I'm super excited...this is my FIRST REAL VIDEO (yes less than 20 seconds). Thanks to my sister for patiently filming in the chilly weather. I hope this is helpful in showcasing the stretch. I know the music is super cheesy but maybe better than just hearing the wind? 

Lying Down Quad Stretch

Hello lovely readers,

The lying down quad stretch is one of my favourite post-running stretches, not only for my quads but hips as well. Here's a step-by-step guide for stretching your right side (forgive any pained expressions. It was sunny!):

 Step 1: Start in a seated position with your knees bent

 

                                                                
Step 2: Grab your right ankle with your right hand as your left knee bends to the left

 Step three: Slowly lean back on your elbows. You should now feel the stretch through your right quad and right hip flexor. Hold for about 10 seconds.

                                                                         

Step 4 (Optional): For an even deeper stretch lay all the way down on your back. Hold for about 10 seconds.

 

Repeat on the other side!

*I'll be posting a video of this move shortly done with the left leg*

Hip Flexors: Stretch 2

Alright, so I'd like to present you with another one of my favourite hip flexor stretch. I find this one super effective, shows me how tight my hips really are, and really helps me stretch it out. 

This is basically a variation of the lunge where you'll get an awesome stretch down the front of your leg.

How to: 
1. Start in a kneeling position with one leg in front of you with your thigh parallel to the ground and your knee and ankle aligned. 
2. Have your other leg stretch out behind you with your knee bent and on the ground. 
3. Roll your shoulders down and shoulder blades back with your hands on your hips. 
4. Finally tuck your butt under and push your torso forward. 

You will feel the stretch down the flexor of your leg which is along the ground. Hold for 30-45 seconds and repeat on the other side!

Hip Flexors: Stretch 1

Hey guys,

I wanted to apologize for not starting all this hip stuff sooner...October has been a crazy month and I will definitely be continuing this into November! Another reason it's taken so long is that I really want to demonstrate certain moves that Google hasn't satisfactorily found for me. Expect those later!

So the first really great and super easy stretch is simply the bridge...

How to: lie on the floor with your feet hip width apart and knees bent. Place your hands by your sides, or alternatively, under your back in a fist, with your shoulder blades rolling inwards. Raise your hips until you feel a comfortable stretch (generally when you create a flat plane from your core to knees). Hold for 30 seconds, and repeat until you  feel like you've had a satisfactory stretch!

A plus: this move helps tone your glutes while stretching out your hip flexors.

Happy stretching!

- Kirren

Hip Series Coming Soon!

Hey guys!

So do any of my lovely readers have tight hip flexors like me? Sitting for even an hour cause you AGONY? Constantly trying to stretch out your hips? Your pain is normally down the front of your hips NOT the side?

If you answered yes to any of these a) I feel your pain, and b) I am going to address this issue and hopefully come up with a permanent solution. 

I know I experience this partly due to running- a constant forward motion activity easily puts strain on your flexors. This pain sometimes goes hand in hand with IT band pain, which you can feel down the outside of your knees and lower back.

It is absolutely essential to warm up and do dynamic stretches before you workout. Afterwards it is super important you stretch it out to minimize pain.

While stretching can help reduce this pain, why wouldn't we try and avoid it in the first place?! You can get away from constant pain by strengthening your flexors, and this is my long-term goal. 

Stay posted for different stretches and exercises I'll be bringing to you this month to help your hips!

Happy October Readers