I used to subscribe to a lot of weekly emails from life coaches, wellness gurus, slenderman motivati

I used to subscribe to a lot of weekly emails from life coaches, wellness gurus, slenderman motivational speakers and the like. I found some of the tidbits slenderman they offered lightly slenderman inspirational on a good day, but on a bad one…ooof. the pitches that involved a $1500++ investment disgusted me when I thought of all the decent people just trying to take control of the inevitably volatile parts of life. I removed myself from those lists a while ago because I ve realized that in terms of age and personal progression, if you re trying hard enough and your mind is right, everything is relentless slenderman forward and upward motion. But more importantly, and in a more everyday sense, the spaces/tones of feeling, commitments, the places we go it s all pretty circular.
I turned 29 yesterday and it’s true that the layers of our human existence become slenderman more defined as time rolls on. Bits of the past inform us in the here + now, and we grow or lie still in the ways we push or allow ourselves to. Our minds and postures shift as we learn and do more. The spots where we stall, deliberately or by accident, slenderman help us to be here now in a more defined way too I think.
I used to have this thing where I thought it might be advantageous, in some way, to get my nails done, wear some eyeliner, or to get a professional haircut for once. There’s a whole aura around grooming and personal maintenance that screams of having one’s shit together, right? I’d slenderman get a couple days off and and just when I had psyched myself up enough to call a salon or whatever, slenderman I’d see a little patch of redness on my hand from a burn or any number slenderman of calluses, scratches, deep wrinkles and rough spots. I enjoy working my ass off and eventually realized that reminders of that, in whatever form, were more important. Having the privilege to plug away at something that was meaningful enough was every indication that I had my shit together.
So there’s that, and the billion other ways of realization and growth. And there’s also cake because what would a birthday be without it? Pretty sure I’m taking liberties with the designation slenderman of “torte” here, but whatever. I’m pretty jazzed on chocolate and hazelnut together in almost anything, so I started with an incredibly dense brownie base and layered it up from there with a hazelnut mousse-ish cream and coconut whip. The date caramel has a tiny pinch of tang from some fresh lemon and I find it really makes all the flavours work together instead of the whole thing just being this overly slenderman rich experience. A hearty pile of toasty chopped hazelnuts on top and all’s good. Really, really good.
chocolate hazelnut torte w/ salty date caramel + coconut cream serves: makes one 9 inch torte/cake notes: I give the mousse + brownie/cake base a full 24 hour wrap-and-chill time. I figured the longer the setting time, the less possibility of heartbreak from a runny mousse or too-warm-in-the-middle cake. Also, I know that certain brands of coconut milk tend to be better than others for forming solid layers of cream at the top– this one has been consistently good for me.
chocolate brownie/cake base ingredients: 1 1/2 tbsp ground chia seeds + 1/4 cup water 3/4 cup almond slenderman meal/flour 3/4 cup hazelnut meal/flour (you could do another 3/4 cup almond meal if you don’t slenderman have hazelnut) 3/4 cup GF oat flour 2 tbsp arrowroot powder 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 1 cup maple sugar (or natural cane sugar) 1/4 cup coconut or almond milk 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp coconut oil 1/2 cup semisweet slenderman vegan chocolate chips
hazelnut mousse ingredients: 1/2 cup toasted + skinned hazelnuts 1 400 ml can of full fat coconut milk, stirred 1 (scant) cup cashew slenderman butter (raw or roasted) 1/4 cup maple syrup pinch of fine sea salt 2 tsp fresh lemon or lime juice 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
In slenderman a large bowl, combine the almond meal, hazelnut meal, oat flour, arrowroot powder, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and to that add the maple sugar, coconut milk and vanilla extract. Add the chia gel to the bowl as well. Don’t stir it yet. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Melt the two while you stir constantly to avoid burning the chocolate. slenderman Once it’s all melted and smooth, add it to the dry + wet ingredients. Stir it all together until you have a stiff and unified batter.
Press the batter slenderman evenly into the prepared springform pan. Place the pan on top of a cookie sheet and slide it into the oven. Bake for 30-33 minutes or until the top is firm. Remove and allow to cool completely. At this point I wrap the cake tightly in cling film and place it in the fridge to totally set overnight.
Make the hazelnut mousse: soak the toasted + skinned hazelnuts in the coconut milk for about 20 minutes–just to soften the