hello hello babes,

this will necessarily be short, as the baby finally went down for a nap for who knows how long. today i have for you a few words for morale, and - by request - a recipe.

i realize we are all totally inundated with emails, online content and web advertising SO I just want to say:

you are doing great. these are unprecedented times and stressful ones in a million ways, and there is no way to be perfect at pandemic life. you are a beautiful person who matters a lot to the people around you, and you do good and righteous things. i appreciate you so much. keep your head down, chin up & we will get through this insanity together.

And no, because sometimes this also helps:

let me eat cake

i was joking in class the other day that i'm making progress on my abs but you can't tell because i've also been making cake (because, balance!) so, while i've been dutifully eating spiced cooked apples for breakfast and minding my portions (because, ayurveda) i've also basically eaten the following cake in its entirety. my baking is normally gluten-and refined sugar-free, but i used both regular flour and actual sugar in this and while it was delicious it was extra addictive - i could tell the difference in both my self control and abs after! this recipe makes a lot, so plan to share:

pumpkin cake
preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking pan. dust the pan with flour.

cream 1 stick of softened butter and 1/4 cup coconut oil with 1.5 cups of light brown sugar. add in 2 eggs and a good slug of vanilla extract and beat. (i don't have a mixer and used my food processor instead). then add one small can of pumpkin (i always use libby's).

combine 2 cups of flour with a tsp each of baking soda & baking powder, 2 tsp each of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and ground clove, and some salt. mix thoroughly, then add to wet ingredients. pour into the pan, spread smooth and then bake for 25-30 minutes (test the center with a toothpick).

meanwhile, make frosting! soften half a package of cream cheese and half a stick of butter and combine with a cup of powdered sugar, 1/2 cup maple syrup, a tbs of lemon juice and a little salt and vanilla. let the cake cool before you frost it.

enjoy. and then take lots of barre classes!

hope to see you soon, loves!

do good and righteous things, vote early and be excellent to each other!

love,
Annie