superfitbabe

It’s puzzling to truthfully state that I’ve inhabited this Earth for nineteen years–well, I will in about fourteen hours since I was born in the evening. And as I emphasized in my last post, I created an entire game-plan to celebrate during this extremely busy week, aka “dead week” as termed by the rest of my college classmates. Thanks, professors. Final exams are the worst birthday presents ever. 😦

On the other hand, I still have today, Friday and the rest of the weekend to compensate for the celebration–plus of course, there’s also winter break for me to endlessly restaurant hop! There are way too many places I want to visit, but as of now, the new places I have in mind are Chandni, Vegan House, Govinda’s, Sage Organic Vegan Bistro, Kitchen Mouse, Gracias Madrew and Shojin. But if you have any amaaaaaaazing vegan-friendly destinations in Los Angeles, please let me know in the comments!

It may seem really self-centered to extend your birthday celebration, but for me, it’s quite beneficial for my well-being. I allow myself extra time to truly get in tune with my mind and my body so that when final exams do come, I can tackle on the problems possessing a zen mindset. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve incorporated more than enough study time for final exams this week–if anything, I can say that my brain is seriously not enjoying what I’ve put it through.

Think of your stomach after this year’s Thanksgiving feast (ADMIT IT. YOU OVERDID IT AGAIN.). That is the equivalent to all students’ brains during intensive study mode. Basically, my brain’s in a whole wrench of a study coma for hours upon hours. On the other hand, I can exert all of my stress via exercising, cooking, talking to peers, nurturing my personal hobbies, and also creating my wishlist and Yelp bucket list! ❤

Despite the fact that it will be another 365 days until my next birthday, I for sure will be enjoying my sweet potato birthday-style “cakes” much more frequently (It’s been lovely while it lasted, dorm-friendly breakfast sweet potatoes). Not gonna lie, though–I didn’t entirely enjoy the process of getting my hands dirty to mold the mashed sweet potatoes in their cake form on top of the plate. However, if you have no problem with touching food with your bare hands, then this will be the funnest recipe ever! Plus, you will not get over how well the sweet potatoes keep their shape and how adorable they turn out once you get decorating!

You’ll know right away from the title that this is an E-P-I-C take on one of my favorite all-time recipes: the one ingredient cake! However, the physical appearance resembles a cake much more closely, plus it allows way more surface area to add as many toppings as you’d like! Heck, if you REALLY want to go crazy, make a DOUBLE-layer cake just like how I’ve done so down below!

While you can use any variety of sweet potatoes, you don’t have to be limited to just these standard yet superfood root vegetables. Yams are an amazing substitute because of their dense composition, crumbly texture and thick consistency, which will enable them to hold a more cake-like structure. Kabocha squash is definitely a keeper as it is also dense and thick like yams, but softer and sweeter similarly to sweet potatoes. Heck, you can even use a regular potato if you want a more savory-style cake!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll have to make a wish (or two) while I blow the imaginary flames off of these candles. Yes, my roommate had a lighter, but I could not get a flame to save my life. Better to be safe than nearly burn the building down!

RECIPE

• 1-2 sweet potatoes, preferably medium or large, but quantity will vary depending on preference
• Toppings to garnish
  • I love various spices, nut butters, jams, protein frosting, cereal, granola, protein bars and other superfood garnishes, but you can use fruit, seeds, cookies, chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, yogurt, cream cheese, whip or even ice cream!

PROCEDURE

1. Cook your sweet potatoes thoroughly, or until a fork or toothpick comes out clean when poking them.
2. Cut your sweet potatoes into mash-able pieces. You can either leave the skin on or peel the skin prior to this step.
3. Mash your sweet potatoes in a bowl until there are no chunks.
4. Using a flat surface of a utensil, pat the top of the sweet potato mash until the surface is completely smooth.
5. With a thin spoon or curved knife, carefully create a separation in between one side of the sweet potato “cake” from the wall of the bowl.
6. Cover the bowl with the front of a plate facing the top of the bowl.
7. Flip the bowl and plate upside down and carefully shake the sweet potato out of the bowl.
8. If necessary, use a spoon or your hands to reshape the sweet potato “cake” to your liking.
9. Reheat the sweet potato cake if desired.
10. Top with anything you’d like and demolish!

Would you celebrate your birthday for a whole week? Do you like getting your hands dirty in the kitchen?