a neapolitan + squarebar review

a couple of weeks ago, the lovely sarah asked me to do a product review. so today, i am going to talk about squarebar. 

squarebar sources only organic and non-GMO ingredients for their bars. all of their scrumptious protein bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, peanut-free, corn-free, and vegan of course. 

squarebar sources only organic and non-GMO ingredients for their bars. all of their scrumptious protein bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, peanut-free, corn-free, and vegan of course. 

"We source only the most nutrient-dense organic and non-gmo foods, and work directly with farmers to ensure an ethical path from crop to bar.

That way the most important ingredient of all [you] can feel good about the food you eat."

they make their bars with REAL ingredients, none of that bad stuff. 

Organic Coconut Nectar

Whole Grain Organic Rice Protein

and Organic Coconut Oil

are on their minimal list of ingredients.

squarebar offers three flavors: cocoa almond, cocoa crunch, and cocoa coconut. all of them having a irresistible chocolate coating. and to be completely honest, i can't choose my favorite.

the first bar i tried was the cocoa crunch (which is pictured on my "ice cream" parfait above). at first bite, you get the great kick of chocolate. and everyone loves chocolate, especially when it's filled with 12g of plant-based protein, and is completely healthy for you.

next, the cocoa coconut bar. i ended up eating it with some chopped berries and greek yogurt for breakfast the other morning, and all i can say is that it was the perfect coconut-y, tropical compliment. you can see the shreds of coconut inside the bar! 

lastly, i had the cocoa almond. okay, maybe i can admit that this one was my favorite. the flavor is outstanding. hints of cinnamon, bites of chocolate, and of course, the crunch of pieces of almonds. yum. it's like a wholesome almond butter cup packed into a little bar.

 

what i love best about these bars, is that they have no added "flavorings" or "additives". they use simple ingredients, and that's what makes them good. squarebar, i give you a 10/10.

if any of you are interested in purchasing these bars (and i highly recommend that you do), go to squarebar.com, select your bars, and in the checkout, enter the code 'minimalmeals' for 20% off your order + free shipping! 

for my fellow aussies and brits, or anyone else outside of the U.S., squarebars are available on iherb.com.

 

and to everyone, i wasn't going to leave you hanging without this recipe, was i?

 

neapolitan ice cream sundae

4 frozen bananas (or more)

1/2 cup strawberries

1 tbs cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

01. in a food processor or high-speed blender, blend 4 frozen bananas until an "ice cream" is formed, and the mixture is completely smooth

02. split the "ice cream" into 3 equal parts. leave one part in the food processor, and split the last two parts in separate small bowls, and put back in the freezer

03. with the remaining third in the processor, blend with vanilla. put in small bowl and into freezer

04. take one plain ice cream bowl out of freezer, put ice cream into the blender, and blend with cocoa powder. put back into freezer

05. take last plain ice cream bowl out of the freezer, put ice cream into the blender, and blend with strawberries

06. in a tall glass, or large bowl, compile all of the ice creams, and top with a chopped cocoa crunch square bar

07. enjoy

Posted on August 5, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under products, i make food.

when things go wrong, laugh it out

yesterday morning, i wanted to make a cake. but not just any cake, a carrot cake. 

i took on the challenge of creating a relatively "raw" carrot cake. 

no, i wasn't eating raw batter, but rather vegetables and delicious stuff.

VEGETABLES YOU SAY?

yes.

but things went wrong. terribly wrong. and i think this is the first time i've ever come across something so unbelievably unpleasant looking. but i was okay with it, because it tasted AWESOME. 

i first started by letting the finished cake chill in a springform pan about 12" in diameter. but when i took it out the next morning, it was about 1/4" thick. i didn't want a mere brownie, here. 

then, because of its extreme moistness and consistency, i realized i could "form" it into a three-tiered cake. but i didn't have a springform pan for that. who would?

naturally, i hand-formed the layers. lopsided. uneven. not in the least symmetrical. it just... i just... tried. so i layered them with this (genius) caramel-maple frosting i made, and i figured i could drip sauce down the sides.

done. but awful. the poor little cake had started to soak up the glaze that had pooled around the bottom.

great.

i tried to get rid of glaze as best i could to reshoot it. i just kind of shimmied the layers together into ONE cake. meh, at least it looked better.

glaze again. meh.

the cut. meh. it sunk into itself. meh.

you can see above what the so-called "slices" of cake looked like – seeming like huge handfuls of carrot cake.

 

but you know what i did about it? i laughed. i laughed because it was my first creation that kind of fell apart, and that i was perfectly okay with it.

i spent quite a bit of time just shooting and creating this post just to tell you that mistakes are okay. and that this cake pretty much looked awful but tasted great.

my friends, mistakes are okay. they probably will end up tasting delicious.

so, if you'd like this recipe for your own failure, i'm pleased to hand it over.

 

relatively raw carrot cake

loosely adapted from this recipe

cake:

1-3/4c pitted dates (soaked for 15min)

2 medium apples

1/4c date water

1 tbs lemon juice

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tbs cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 lb carrots (about 4-5 medium) peeled + shredded

3/4c coconut flour

 

glaze:

1-1/3c coconut sugar

splash of almond milk

01. in a food processor, combine and process dates, apples, date soaking water, lemon juice, and vanilla. process until smooth (with little chunks)

02. add nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and process again

03. in a large bowl, gently mix together food processor mixture and shredded carrots until combined

04. sift in coconut flour. mix. if the batter is not sweet enough, feel free to add a couple tablespoons of coconut sugar

05. evenly press batter into a small springform / container and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight

06. in a small blender (or food processor) grind coconut sugar until it turns into a very fine powder

07. move the coconut powdered sugar to a large bowl, and pour a small splash (about 1 tbs) of almond milk  

08. stir (adding enough milk) until you reach a desired consistency

09. store in fridge until cake is ready

10. for the cake, you can form it into basically any shape you want... so do what i did, or don't do what i did! 

11. pour spoonfuls of the glaze over the top for optimum awesomeness and maple-y taste

Posted on July 30, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i make food.

Q.

my younger brother, Q, is quite an odd little fellow.

while we were staying at the hotel waiting for our apartment to be renovated, i wanted to capture him in his "natural habitat", meaning, taking pictures that describe his personality, character, and basically what he does 23 out of 24 hours in a normal day.

the light coming through our room window from battery park sparked my eye. snap here, snap there. move a little to the left, no the other left. and done.

i often think that silhouettes capture more than one's physical appearance. shadows, contrast, darkness all provide the mood of the photographer, and, quite frankly, the mood of the subject as well. 

after i took a few photographs, i tell him i'm finished. in an instant, he makes his way back to the only desk in the room, where his 2007 macbook pro sits; minecraft running. typical. so i took another shot.

Posted on July 24, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i take photos.

"raw" + vegan snickers bars

a video, a few pictures, a few words here and there, and the recipe. 

that's all that is needed for this post.

 

let's keep it minimal.

"raw", vegan, minimal snickers

makes 10 bars

crust:

1.5c rolled oats

15 dates

3 tbs almond milk

1 tbs brown rice syrup

caramel:

2c dates (lightly packed)

1/4-1/2c almond milk 

chocolate:

6oz dark chocolate

01. in a food processor, blend all crust ingredients. press in one even layer into a tart pan

02. refrigerate

03. process all caramel ingredients. spread evenly over "crust"

04. refrigerate

05. melt 6oz of chocolate (i used coconut-filled) in a double-broiler over low heat. pour over "crust" and "caramel"

06. refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or freeze for 1 hour.

07. cut. enjoy.

Posted on July 17, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under videos!!!, i make food.

hey, it's summer

 

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06

it's summer. 

and i've said it about a gazillion times this month. from the five years that i have lived in new york city, i have never been so entirely intoxicated by the thoughts of summer. most likely because this winter was the absolute worst. no jokes here. 

anyways… what i have composed for you all is a little palette/moodboard that really gives me those bright, bold, summer-y feels. plus, all of these photographs and graphics are a few of my favorite pins this week.

enjoy, and have a lovely afternoon.

Posted on July 10, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under moodboards, i share stuff.

some finds + where have i been?

1/ yossy arefi shares a stunner slab blueberry pie on food52.  plus, it's made with rye too!

2/ diy waffle cones, pastel-colored ice cream, gorgeous pictures, and... er... awesomeness

3/ can i have this bracket of bracelets? maybe some inspiration for a little diy project this summer.

4/ unknown source - but a super simple, exquisite black "uniform"

5/ ginger and vanilla granola. because ginger and vanilla are totally meant to be paired together.

6/ i absolutely love this outfit. from hair to shoes, the white against white is sure to please me. 

— 

so where have i been for the past week?

well… packing, sleeping, eating, packing, moving, sleeping, etc. for the next ten days or so we are living in a local hotel. sure, there are perks: blasting the AC to 60 degrees at night, turn-down service with chocolates, free apples in fruit bowls at every corner, and an empty gym. but, i still have the characteristics of the impatient little girl who wants so badly to move in, and sleep in her own room (finally). 

the excitement is creeping up on all of us, i must say. we check the apartment three times a day, making sure that everything, the floors, the walls, the cleanliness, is as close to perfect as it can be. problems arose at the beginning, but it seems that everything is finally mellowing out. and we're happy.

so here we are. or here i am. sitting at an aroma café scrambling for words, and enjoying the free wifi while it lasts. (nope, no free wifi at our hotel).

on the other hand, it's the fourth of july, and my mother, brother, and i are going to spend the day in chinatown to get our food-fix. 

have a lovely weekend, and a grill-filled fourth of july!

Posted on July 4, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under moodboards, i share stuff.

it's over

(roll mouse over image above!)

 

i was walking home from school yesterday, and i thought, "wow, this is really the end."

and it truly is the end... of middle school.

and although it is only the end of yet another school year, i started to reflect what great things have happened this year. the many awesome things.

  • i turned fourteen 
  • i attended an amazing school
  • i learned more than i have ever thought possible
  • i successfully got into a high school
  • i rediscovered my love for art and drawing
  • i started to read again
  • i started this blog
  • i started to cook
  • i started to bake
  • i started to write
  • i started taking photographs 
  • i became comfortable with aloneness 

i have learned a tremendous amount this year. many of which are not noted on the beginning of this already long list. it could go on. 

i can admit i have very much changed since the beginning of the year. and i am thankful for the people who have helped shape me into the young woman i am now.

to my parents, teachers, peers, and others, i want to thank you all.

i cannot wait for the amazing changes of next year. i can already see great things.

 

summer has finally begun.

Posted on June 27, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under blah blah blah.

papa, papa

this father's day was very special. a visit to dia:beacon, warm rays, a roberta's pie, a taco or two… it was very "rael family" sort of sunday. and i'm very glad i have an awesome dad to share it all with.

do me a favor, and call up your dad. if he's in the other room (like mine), or in another place, go ahead and tell him you love him. they don't get told it enough.

- -

here are a few visual snipets from today. we weren't really supposed to take pictures… but who cares

dan flavin / a retrospective

walking the sol lewitt

q + serra

me + serra

family portrait courtesy of gerhard richter

good night.

Posted on June 15, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i take photos.

a great weekend + a raw tart

how has your weekend been? mine's been pretty great if you ask me. 

it's been sunny. my life has been busy, but who cares? i get to eat this tart.

and let me tell you, tarts are good. and this one… is a raw raspberry + pistachio coconut cream tart-pie. with an awesome crust. huzzah!

i know you all just want the recipe, so i'll stop blabbering now. enjoy the photographs!

 

raw raspberry + pistachio tart

serves 8

crust:

2/3 cup pumpkin seeds / pepitas

scant 1/3 cup ground flax seeds

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/4 tsp sea salt

1.5 cup dates, soaked for 10min + chopped

1 tbs fresh grated ginger


filling:

2 cans full fat coconut milk (canned)

2 tbs coconut sugar


raspberries

chopped pistachios

agave

the day before:

01. place both cans of coconut milk in the refrigerator


crust:

01. in warm water, soak dates for at least 10 minutes

02. using a food processor, process pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, shredded coconut, and sea salt until finely ground

03. drain dates, and chop into small pieces. place dates and grated ginger into the seed and coconut “flour"

04. process until dates combine with “flour” and form a sticky ball

05. in a tart pan, press the dough crust evenly onto the bottom and sides of the pan. (wet hands before doing this so that the dough doesn’t stick)

06. place a sheet of plastic wrap over the crust and pan and set in the freezer for at least 30 minutes


filling:

01. gently take coconut milk out of the freezer and turn upside-down 

02. open the cans, and carefully pour out the coconut water that is on the top

03. scoop out the coconut cream that is left at the bottom of the cans into a large bowl

04. using an upright or hand mixer, whip coconut cream and coconut sugar together until the cream reaches soft peaks


together:

01. take the crust out from the freezer and remove plastic wrap

02. pour coconut whip cream into tart pan, and evenly spread around 

03. decorate with raspberries

04. sprinkle chopped pistachios over top

05. drizzle your agave

// store in freezer or fridge //

 
Posted on June 8, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i make food.

found illustrations: stephanie ginger

today, i found stephanie ginger's petite, but really cool portfolio. and i when i find something cool, it's only natural that i share it. and here i am. 

her illustrations are simple, adorable, and have a modern and bold feel to them. i love them, to be honest, and i wish there was more to her portfolio!

 

hello summer art inspiration… nice to see you again. 

have a lovely week everyone!

Posted on June 3, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i share stuff, this was found.

snapshots

hello fellow readers!

i swear i can feel summer in my bones! it is so close!

i'm slowly starting to stow away my heavy sweaters and gradually bringing out all of my fun airy dresses and shorts. it's quite a rewarding process, since winter was was horrendous this year.

the photos above are a few snapshots i've taken this week. a lot of green, no? greens make me happy. very happy.

Posted on May 28, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i take photos.

inspiration for a new room / white vs. white

long story short let me just say that we're moving up three flights of stairs. moving up three flights of stairs means three bedrooms instead of two. three bedrooms means that i get my own room. my own room means that i get to design/decorate/make-it-awesome!

it's like the circle of life.

kinda.

can anyone guess how long it's been since i had my own room? let's see… i'd need about three hands...

10 years okay. 10. years. but, i have to say that this is a pretty fantastic high school freshman present for the new year!

anyways, let me show you some future planning i had in mind:

what i am really searching for is white on white on white on white on white. really simple, yet aesthetically pleasing. because i do not own a bed frame, my bed will be placed on the floor, which will give it a very home-y look, no? white duvets and sheets of course!

over the summer, i'm also planning on doing a few DIY room projects… a hanging clothing rack perhaps? it would add a comfy-bedroom feel to the room, as well as adding a little bit more hanging space.

something else that completely caught my eye during my "inspiration search" are fig trees (or any sort of bedroom-safe plant for all that matter). a pop of green to the all white room would give a nice scandinavian-hipster vibe. (that is what is seems like i'm going for…) my always awesome dad actually bought me a hanging cement planter with air plants (!!) to hang in my new bedroom as well. plants and more plants for the win!

last but not least, i think what would tie my new room up nicely (maybe even with a bow), is some sort of inspiration/pinning board. if i can do it on pinterest, i could surely do it on a lovely board! i was brainstorming a few ideas of how it could work...

- a diy wooden board (like the one above)

- a whole cork wall

- a whole charcoal felt wall

- white magnet boards

the possibilities are endless… i guess i'll figure it out once we move.

until then, farewell and have a great rest of the week!

 

Posted on May 21, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under wishlist.

easily adaptable awesome cookies

another busy, busy week for this very unorganized soon-to-be high-schooler.

BUT. 

i have another cookie recipe

for all of you busy, busy people who are in dire need of something sweet

and if you tell me "no", here are a few reasons why you have to:

a) although you may be busy doing who know's what, you need your cookie fuel for the week

b) THEY'RE COOKIES AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE ON THE PHONE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES you HAVE to make these cookies

can we just admire this #almondmilkporn

yes.

yes we can.

it's just… i can't... no words.

of course in a bonne maman strawberry jam jar, because WHY NOT.

DSC_3897.jpg

in fact, you could even eat these cookies raw if you wanted to

hmmm… healthy cookie dough anyone? it's not like it hasn't been done before or anything...

BUT SERIOUSLY. GO TO YOUR KITCHEN AND MAKE THESE COOKIES

i am 99.99992% sure that you have all of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now just waiting to be used for this very recipe.

yes.

 

the easiest easily adaptable awesome 5-ingredient amazing cookies, ever

adapted from the one and only minimalist baker

1 cup packed dates (preferably medjool + soaked in warm/hot water for at least 10 min)

1 medium/large ripe banana

2 tbs almond butter

3/4 cup almond meal

3/4 cup rolled oats

(optional additions: chopped dark chocolate, coconut, flame raisins, nuts, other goodness…)

00. preheat oven to 350 degrees F

01. drain dates, and put in a food processor until chopped into little bits

02. add banana and almond butter and process again until smooth

03. pour in almond meal and rolled oats and pulse until just combined

04. with a spatula, fold in remaining mix-ins

05. scoop a small handful of dough and roll them into small balls, and put on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. press down lightly on each dough ball, as they will not spread

06. bake for 15 minutes - 18 minutes

07. take out and let cool. then eat immediately.

the almond milk says "hi"

Posted on May 9, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i make food.

this week in the city + link loves

hello! guess who's had one of the busiest weeks ever?

me.

so busy that i haven't written a blog post in over a week! 

so busy that i haven't baked anything this week!

so busy that i want to sleep all the time.

that kind of busy.

and yes, i know i am only fourteen years old, but it's pretty bad, okay?

 

but although it seems that i have no time whatsoever, i've taken a few photos here and there… (i guess i wasn't all that busy after all…) 

there was rain, and there was sun, and there were watermelons, and there were blossoms, and– well, you get the point.

and if you'd like to take a look at the few things that i've found interesting/note-worthy this week...

 

Posted on May 4, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i share stuff, i take photos.

is almond butter better than peanut butter?

so i've been asked this question a lot...

"is almond butter better than peanut butter?"

and i say,

"well…"

and they say,

"well what?"

and then...

"well… it's different."

"different???"

"yeah, it's more… almond-y."

"what's that supposed to mean?"

"it's better than peanut butter. that's it."

and then they yell at me and exclaim that it could never be better than skippy peanut butter. but let me assure you. it CAN. 


especially when it is paired with maple syrup, a large dash of salt, and nutmeg.

(woohoo for nutmeg! bringing christmas to spring!!)

(plus it is super easy, and is probably 99.999999% better for you…)


maple + nutmeg almond butter

16oz raw almonds (or roasted)

1 tbs maple syrup

2 tsp ground nutmeg (you could also do cinnamon!)

1/2+ tsp salt

00. (if your almonds are not already pre-roasted) in a pan over medium heat, toast almonds until they begin to brown and turn golden, (and they don't taste like water as much)

01. blend almonds in a vitamix or powerful food processor for 10-20 minutes until it turns into a butter - there is the four stages: the flour stage, the paste stage, the ball stage, and then the butter stage… be patient!

02. add in nutmeg, maple syrup, and salt, and blend again. it will cease up into a paste ball and eventually turn into a spread stage… do not fear!

03. enjoy on a large slab of warm banana bread

 
Posted on April 27, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i make food.

and i'm back

and i'm back from spring break! hoora- NO. 

back from break means back to school.

which means a lot less time to do things...

like baking stuff...

like baking granola...

so of course, the night before returning back to the school morning routine, i whipped up a batch of chunky fig, hazelnut butter, & quinoa granola. super good i must say. super DUPER good.

like so good that you will just scoop handfuls of this granola into your mouth kind-of good.

**slightly sweet, salty, crunchy – the whole SHEBANG. 

it's pretty awesome.

 

**just a side note: when i say slightly sweet, i mean not really sweet at all. if you'd like it to be sweeter, just add more honey/agave/maple syrup.

***adapted loosely from this recipe

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds (unroasted)

2 tbs homemade hazelnut butter (or other nut butter)

1/2 tbs olive oil (doesn't have to be exact)

1/2 tbs coconut oil

1 tbs agave/maple syrup/honey (any would work)

1 tsp+ salt 

5 large dried figs

1/3 cup flame raisins

00. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F + line a baking sheet with parchment paper

01. rinse quinoa in a fine mesh-strainer until water runs clear 

02. in a large bowl, combine quinoa, oats, and chopped almonds

03. in a small saucepan, melt together coconut oil, olive oil, hazelnut butter, and agave

04. once melted together, pour over quinoa/oats/almonds, add salt, and fold together until combined

05. in one layer, spread out the un-toasted granola onto the baking sheet

06. bake for 20 minutes, flipping granola about half way

07. for the last 5 minutes, add figs and raisins, and lower oven heat to 275 degrees F

08. once done, let cool, and store in an airtight container

ENJOY!

P.S. and maybe sometime next week i'll post the photographs i took in santa fe! have a great end of the week!

Posted on April 23, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i make food.

and i'm off!

if you are reading this now, know that i am currently away in new mexico for spring break! aahhhhh, spring break! for 10 days!!

also know that i am most likely taking wonderful pictures to share with you all when i get back, so BE. EXCITED.

 

anyways...

all new yorkers can say that last weekend was a good representation of spring in its youth. meaning that there was sunlight, WARM sunlight, (didn't really get that quite often), and there are people walking in the streets without jackets on. and if you go to union square, there are people walking in the streets with no clothes on. so as much as you should enjoy spring, BEWARE.

last weekend, my lovely family and i walked approximately 5-ish miles just strolling along the east-side of manhattan. lower manhattan that is. we made visit to our favorite shops in the lower east side/soho/noho/downtown area. 

let me explain that these photographs are not in chronological order, so i will explain each shop and/or moment with scattered numbers. 

#01. a lovely breakfast of fresh bread from eataly, a ripe avocado, and a balsamic rainbow cherry salad

#10. a walk to saturdays. the hipster surf shop that sells really good coffee (??)

#09. a very bold graffiti wall in noho

#03 + #04. shop flowers and water towers viewed while walking — water towers are very interesting to west-siders i must add

#02 + #05 + #07. one of my favorite shops with the most beautiful light: project no. 8 — find your gadgetry and trinkets here! and very photogenic plants!

#06. creatures of comfort. aka my inspiration behind my url: common comfort. it is the most elegant and amazing store and has the best clothing and bags and weird rain hats. aka my kind of store. (*izzy stop using AKA*)

#08. actually a picture of the brooklyn bridge from that week (NOT SUNNY.) when the new jersey forest fire smoke had settled over manhattan and brooklyn.

 

until next time, farewell! and have a fantastic (hopefully) stress-free week!

Posted on April 17, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i take photos.

probably the best flourless zucchini brownies, ever

** i do realize that the photo above reads "flourESS zucchini brownies". my apologies for my error.

but anyways,

you heard me.

zucchini brownies.

like there are green vegetables in these brownies.

 

but can you taste it? no.

but does it make these brownies totally delicious, and moist, and amazing, and absolutely scrumptious??

you guessed it!

IT DOES. and LOOK at the drizzle of coconut whip cream on that brownie. 

it's almost like they were made for each other. i ship it.


i'm suspecting that the majority of you will just end up closing the tab to these brilliant brownies, because it contains green things.

but to the few of you who a reading on… i congratulate you. you will be able to make awesome zucchini brownies after this.


(i forgot to mention that these brownies are vegan, gluten-free, flourless, and awesome)


brownies:

1/2 cup nut butter (i used leftover homemade cashew butter and hazelnut butter)

1/4 cup agave

1/2 cup finely smashed banana (about 1 large)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup cocoa/cacao powder

1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (from 1 medium-large zucchini)

3/4 cup oats (gf if desired)

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

 

coconut whip cream:

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 tbs sugar (or other granulated sugar)

 

 

 

for the whip cream:

01. the night before you make the brownies, or eat the brownies, place a can in your fridge.

02. the next day, gently take out the can, *do not shake it*

03. carefully turn the can upside-down and take off the top of the can using a can-opener.

04. in your sink, drain out the liquid at the top.

05. empty the dense coconut cream at the bottom of the can into a bowl, and whip it with sugar in an electric mixer, or by hand — (which is what i do to get those muscles pumpin')

 

for the brownies:

00. preheat oven to 350 degrees F

01. grind oats until ground into a fine flour (i used a bullet smoothie maker)

02. in a large bowl with a whisk, mix together nut butter, agave, the smashed banana, and vanilla. vigorously mix, until smooth. (optionally, you can use a standard mixer)

03. add in cocoa, oat flour, zucchini, and baking soda, salt, and mix again until well combined. it's okay if the shredded zucchini breaks up!

04. pour brownie batter into 9" x 9" pan (or close) and bake for 25-30 minutes. mine were perfect at 25, but my oven is ancient.

05. let brownies cool & top with coconut whip cream

 

have a fantastic weekend! (and a lovely spring break to all of you public school-ers!)

Posted on April 12, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i make food.

link loves / 04.09.14

hello lovely people!

my dad was on the british virgin islands this weekend, and he sent me these pictures that are stunning. i mean, look at that water! soooooo blue. i hope i get the chance to visit at least once. from the photos, it looks like a serene paradise. really.

anyways...

it's not sunday, and it's not particularly friday… but it's time for some link loves to get you through the second worst day of the week.

 

 

that's all for now!

have a stress-free hump day everyone!

 

Posted on April 9, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i share stuff.

oat & nib "blondies"

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is it just me, or do all bakers eat their food while they photograph it? izy? does this ever happen to you? it happens every. single. time. (see first .gif for reference).

well i just created this whip-up-anytime recipe with some medjool dates i had bought from our family lunch date/shopping spree at eataly. medjools alone are soft and so incredibly sweet that you could enjoy them on their own, stuffed with almond butter, or even some homemade (1-hour ground in-frustration) hazelnut butter.

don't ask.

just know that my food processor broke, and my last resort was a magic bullet. yes. it was an hour or so.

but seriously, i've seen so many raw/non-raw bars using medjool dates, walnuts, cacao etc. so i knew i had to try to make something of my own.

oat & nib "blondies" + chocolate "frosting"

for the blondies:

1 cup packed + pitted medjool dates (soaked)

1 cup oats

1/4 walnuts or almonds

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup cacao nibs

handful of chopped figs (optional)

shredded coconut (optional)

 

for the frosting:

a ripe banana

heaping tbs cacao/cocoa powder

 

(00). bring a small pot of water to a bowl and pour over pitted medjool dates in a bowl. let sit for 3 minutes

01. in a food processor, blend oats, almonds, and salt until ground into a flour 

02. drain water from soaked dates, and add medjools. blend until a ball of dough is formed

03. add cacao nibs, figs, and other miscellaneous toppings that fancy you and pulse until just combined

04. in a small plastic container or tuppaware, place dough in center and firmly press down until it reaches the sides in an even layer

05. in the same processor (cleaned if necessary), blend banana and cacao powder until smooth

06. pour frosting over blondie and spread in yet another even layer

07. sprinkle with coconut and enjoy!

08. i recommend refrigerating it for at least 3 hours before eating, but you can eat it right then and there if you'd like!

have a fantastic and rain-free weekend everyone!

Posted on April 4, 2014 by izzy rael and filed under i make food.