Hi all! Sorry for the absence around these parts, but I was off in Seattle visiting friends and family and soaking up some of that famous Northwest sunshine. No seriously, it was sunny for two whole days, in a row. So, while I get myself back up to east coast speed I offer you this easy-peasy recipe for a great little snack. This fluffy, chocolaty cake is not too sweet so it's great for breakfast or an afternoon snack for the kiddos in your life. It also does not use any dairy, eggs, or refined sugar so on the dessert scale it is actually pretty virtuous. If you want to fancy it up a bit, serve it with some coconut milk ice cream and fresh strawberries which are coming in to season all over the US right now.

Chocolate Snack Cake

1 3/4c flour

2t baking powder

1t baking soda

1/2t kosher salt

2c soy milk, or other non-dairy milk

3/4c cocoa powder

1/2c canola oil or olive oil

1 1/2 c maple syrup

1/2t distilled white vinegar

1t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 and line a 9'' square baking pan with greased parchment paper

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

2. In a medium saucepan, warm the soy milk until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, whisk in the cocoa powder then remove the mixture from the heat.

3. Combine the oil, maple syrup, vinegar and vanilla in a separate bowl. I usually do this in the measuring cup to save dishes.

4. Add the soy mixture to the oil mixture then pour it all into the flour mixture and stir to combine.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 min or until a toothpick stuck into the cake comes out clean.

To serve, cut into big squares and dust with confectioner's sugar (or not, if you are avoiding refined sugar). Wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and keep at room temp.

If you ask me a, a dutch pancake is a real breakfast show stopper. It's dead easy to make, you probably already have all of the ingredients and it contains enough butter to make it undeniably delicious. All you have to do is put together a simple eggy batter, toss it into a hot cast iron skillet, slip it into the oven and wait. Then twenty minutes later you pull out a golden souffle that has risen to curl over the sides of the pan making it a perfect vessel for a knob of butter and a sprinkling of sugar or a pile of fresh fruit if that's your style. Maybe you could make one for your mom this weekend and serve it to her on a fancy tray? Maybe someone could make one for my mom in Seattle, I'm looking at you brother. Go ahead and make her some bacon on the side too, it's mother's day.

Dutch Pancake

1/2 c flour

1/2 c milk

1T sugar

pinch salt

3 eggs

4T butter

To Serve

Melted Butter

Confectioner's Sugar

Fresh Lemon Juice

AND/OR Fruit Preserves or Maple Syrup