http://www.sapphiremetropolis.com/districts/ Discuss any subjects relating to health and fitness here. Share your diet tips and motivate one another to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. en Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:54:32 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.sapphiremetropolis.com/districts/images/misc/rss.png http://www.sapphiremetropolis.com/districts/ http://www.sapphiremetropolis.com/districts/showthread.php?215-Tasty-Vegan-Food-Cupcakes-Show-It-Can-Be-Done&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:12:03 GMT Image: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/09/07/health/07well_cupcakes/07well_cupcakes-articleInline.jpg Chloe Coscarelli Many people equate... Chloe Coscarelli

Many people equate a vegan diet with deprivation, thinking that recipes prepared without eggs, butter, meat or other animal products are certain to be tasteless and boring.

But the reputation of vegan eating got a much-needed public-relations lift this summer from an unlikely place — the Food Network’s popular new show “Cupcake Wars.”

The program, which each week features four of the country’s top bakers facing off in three elimination challenges, recently pitted a 22-year-old vegan chef, Chloe Coscarelli, against three bakers of traditional high-end cupcakes.

The judges were skeptical at first. “I was surprised at the bravery and boldness to parade four different flavors of vegan cupcakes in front of the judges when everyone else was clearly going to be working with butter and eggs,” said one judge, Candace Nelson, the owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills, Calif. “I thought it was possibly working at a disadvantage.”

Ms. Coscarelli not only survived the first round, but did so to rave reviews. In the second round, her cupcakes — chocolate strawberry shortcake, raspberry tiramisù and crème-filled chocolate orange — captivated the judges. And then she took the final round — a presentation involving 1,000 cupcakes. The victory won her a $10,000 prize and the chance to supply the cupcakes for an OK! magazine celebrity event.

“Of all the shows we’ve done, the thing I hear the most is, ‘Were those vegan cupcakes really that good?’ ” Ms. Nelson said. “People are in sort of disbelief that this vegan chef beat out the rest of the competition. My answer is yes, they were delicious. It was everything we were looking for in a cupcake.”

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