Well everyone, yesterday was my birthday. I turned 32 years old and spent a relaxing day doing the things I love. I got my free decaf latte from Starbucks, did a little shopping, bought a new purse and headed over to one of my favourite bakeries Kelly’s Bake Shoppe for a cupcake. Ohhhh cupcakes. Although they might be trending less in the food scene, they are still so wonderful aren’t they? And my favourite cupcake is the one with a doughnut on top! It’s just the best of all worlds, really.
Kelly’s Bake Shop is pretty cool. It’s a vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, peanut-free, and artificial colour free bakery. They have lots of unique flavour, with a different feature every month. They also offer cookies, muffins, bars, brownies, and doughnuts. This might not be “everyday food” but if you are someone who is living without, it’s great to know a place you can enjoy a treat that won’t bother your system or have you breaking out into hives!
I was able to speak with Erinn Weatherbie, who is co-founder of Kelly’s Bake Shoppe (Kelly Childs is Erinn’s mom) about some of the ingredients they use. Since we have readers who range from those that want to eat healthy to those that have extreme dietary restrictions, what goes into food is always important to us! Erinn reported that they use a blend of flours in their cupcakes and other goodies that includes chickpea and fava bean flour. This is wonderful and healthy, however may bother those of you with IBS or digestive distress. Erinn thought this flour made up about 10-15% of the contents of a cupcake, so my opinion is that it might not be enough to give you symptoms. But me mindful of your body, and stick to just one! They don’t use inulin or honey in their products, which may be bothersome for some, and agave syrup is used in some of the chocolate bases. You can always ask as they have an ingredient binder on hand.
In conclusion… get out there into the world and enjoy something delicious! I recommend a trip to Kelly’s if you live anywhere close or are travelling to Burlington, Ontario sometime in the future. I promise you won’t be disappointed. It’s truly a happy place that can bring a smile to your face on your birthday or just any old day you need something special.
Much love & good eating,
Stephanie