Triple Berry Upsidedown Cornmeal Cake

It's berry season. I try to only eat them in season because those fuckers are scary out of season.

Besides local and in-season produce, did I mention I fucking love cake? My devotion to it is at it's peak when the cake involves fruit, and I'm currently caught up on upside down cakes. So, to spread the healthy cake lust around, below is a recipe based on the Upside Down Berry Cornmeal Cake from Better Homes & Gardens, which I veganized and modified further for moisture and tastiness.

COMPONENTS

• 2 and 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
• 1 and 1/3 cups all-purp flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A dash each of nutmeg and allspice

• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped/snipped fresh basil (optional)
• Highly recommended addition: the zest of one lemon
• Two flaxseed "eggs" 
• 1/2 cup sugar + one teaspoon of agave nectar
• 2/3 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/8 cup liquid sweetener (e.g. agave nectar, maple syrup, fruit juice)
• Fresh basil or mint for garnishing (totally optional)

DICTATIONS

1. Stir together the dry ingredients: the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Make your flax eggs.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, oil, and basil and/or lemon zest, if using. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan. Arrange 1& 1/2 cups of berries in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two stages, stirring until well combined. Pour over the berries, spreading evenly to cover them completely.
6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until the edges of the cake have pulled away from the rim of the pan. Once removed from the over, cool the cake in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. 
7. Invert the cake. Take a clean spoon and taste a tiny amount of the berry goo. If it's too bitter for your liking, you can dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.
8. Then, decorate the top with the remaining berries and garnishing herbs, if using.

When you invert it, you will be greeted with glory akin to this:

I'm not great at decorating, but the berries do most of the work for you.

I invite you to stain your mouth with their berry blood...

Citrus-Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

When's the last time you took a bite of cookie and felt refreshed? Probably never...Let's remedy that.

This recipe is modified version of this recipe from CookieMadness.net. It makes about two dozen. You should serenade yourself with the Cookie Monster's "C is for cookie" song while you bake, BTW.

COMPONENTS

3/4 cup whole wheat (pastry) flour (3.25 oz)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 scant teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup light brown sugar (3 ½ oz)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup applesauce, drained on a paper towel
1/4 cup vegetable oil (a light one, such as canola is best)

The zest of one orange (I also recommend you add in its pulpy juice.)

1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries (plumped in hot water and patted dry)

DICTATIONS

1. Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Mix both sugars, maple syrup, apple sauce, oil and orange zest (plus orange flesh, if using) together in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture and stir until blended.
3. Stir in the oats, followed by the cranberries. 
4. Let the mix sit for 10 minutes, but not for longer than that because the oats will absorb too much liquid and bake into an unpleasant texture.
5. Meanwhile, lightly grease two cookie sheets (or line with Silpats if you have them) and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
6.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls of mixture onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let cool for about 5-8 minutes on cookie sheets then carefully scoop up onto a wire rack. 

Every human associated with you who tries these will demand more of them and/or the recipe. Bunnies will inexplicably appear and creepily follow you around, waiting to snatch a cookie when you're not looking.