a cookie or three

today i have for you a very special guest: my friend julianna. she's going to share the recipe we adapted when i was over at her place in los angeles last weekend. enjoy.

*photographs by julianna y.


hello, my name is julianna and i run a little lifestyle + fashion blog called bursts of beauty. izzy and i have known each other for a very long time, so when she visited los angeles, it was only appropiate to share a day together. we dined at gracias madre, a wonderful vegan mexican restaurant in west hollywood and sipped on some iced lattes and green juice at alfred coffee. there, i proposed the idea of baking together. when we got back, we did some research and found a great recipe for oatmeal + chocolate cookies and made a few twists.

 

       flourless almond butter cookies

2 tbsp flax seeds

5 tbsp water

 

2/3 cup rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup almond butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup turbinado/brown sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup almond milk

 

2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

1/3 cup dried cherries

 

1/ preheat oven to 350F

2/ whisk together flax seeds and water (this makes 2 vegan eggs)

3/ line a baking sheet w/ parchment paper or non-stick spray of your choice

4/ in medium bowl, combine oats, baking soda, and salt

5/ in another bowl, combine almond butter, peanut butter, sugar, almond milk, vanilla extract, and vegan "eggs". use a handmixer to mix until smooth

6/ pour wet with dry and stir until the mixture becomes like a cookie dough. if too wet, add more oats. if too dry, add more almond milk

7/ stir in chocolate chips + cherries

8/ roll a small amount of dough into a ball shape and place in a row of three on the baking sheet. spread the cookie dough balls out so they won't combine when baked in the oven

9/ bake for 9-11 minutes. let cookies cool before removing from the baking sheet

10/ enjoy!

Posted on March 26, 2015 and filed under i make food.

pi(e)

yesterday was both my friend's birthday (happy birthday lil) and pi day. hoorah! 

it was inevitable that i made a pie (with my friend julia). a vegan blueberry pie.

the one thing about pi day is that you can celebrate by joining math and baking together. (not like they're related or anything...) 

although pie is one of my favorite winter/spring desserts, i've never actually made one without the assistance of an older individual... most likely because a) pies seem so difficult because of the butter-freezing and the dough-freezing and the crust-forming and rolling. b) the cooked-crust-consistency that varies from the bottom of the pie to the top. c) there's social stigma about pies.

but today was the perfect excuse to do all of these things. making a pie for pi day is also a perfect reminder that i actually have time to do stuff now because i'm on spring break. FINALLY.

so i present to you a simple, vegan, blueberry pie because blueberries are really great.

the crust

2.5 cups white-whole wheat flour

1 cup vegan butter, cut into small cubes + frozen

7-8 tablespoons ice water

pinch of salt

 

the filling

2 pints of fresh blueberries

3/4 cup turbinado sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

juice of 1/2 lemon

zest of the lemon

3 tablespoons corn starch

 

the topping

turbinado sugar

coconut / canola oil 

01/ preheat oven to 420-425˚F

02/ in the freezer, chill large mixing bowl and pastry cutter

03/ sift flour and salt and mix together. using the pastry cutter, combine butter and flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

04/ once combined, slowly incorporate ice water (tablespoon by tablespoon) until dough begins to form. (do not overwork or else the dough will not be flakey when baked.)

05/ with water-coated hands, split the dough into two even pieces. roll into a ball and flatten out into a disc. cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. 

06/ in the meantime, combine all of the ingredients for the filling. taste test if necessary, (always). refrigerate until the dough is ready to be rolled out. 

07/ when chilled, take out one disc of dough. flour the surface and rolling pin. from the middle towards the edges, roll out the disc until it's about 1/4" thick. (*note: the dough will most definitely fall apart. just keep smushing it back together until there are no holes.)

08/ spray your pie pan with canola oil. roll the dough onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the pan. roll out into the pan and begin to push dough into the creases and edges of the tin. pour filling into the tin and place in freezer. 

09/ repeat step [07] with the second disc.

10/ use a pizza cutter or knife to cut dough into 8 strips, each about 1" long. 11/when done, take out your unfinished pie. create a design of your own or make a lattice crust on top.

11/ freeze one last time for about 10 minutes. take out. brush with oil and sprinkle turbinado sugar on top. cover edges with aluminum foil to prevent them from burning. 

12/ bake for 45 minutes, taking off the foil after 20 minutes. let cool before cutting and eating. it will be very hot. 

 

Posted on March 15, 2015 and filed under i make food.

the time

* image from cancaramelo

a new season is just around the corner and i am getting prepared culinarily and mentally for the relief of spring. 

i thought it would be nice to pull together a set of delicious, spring-y recipes for you to all enjoy in the upcoming months ahead. 

plus all of the photographs are gorgeous, so enjoy those as well.

1/ asparagus + sugar snap pea pasta (w/ ricotta)

this is one of my favorite pasta recipes. the combination of asparagus, basil, ricotta, and lemon zest is the epitome of spring feels. 

 

2/ blood orange + fennel + beet salad

oranges? fennel? beets? this simple, warm salad is the perfect transition dish between winter and spring. it's also very pretty to look at, which is a definite plus.

 

3/ spring pea toast

avocado toast with a nice twist: spring pea hummus! a slice of ezekiel toast with this green hummus and slices of avocado would be the perfect breakfast or lunch. holy yum.

 

4/ cold soba salad

soba is my favorite noodle. made of buckwheat, soba is light, healthy, and just sooooo good. i usually julienne snow peas, carrots, and edamame and toss it with a sweet soy sauce and the soba. this is a slight variation of what i make, but it looks just as good.

 

have a great week everyone!

Posted on March 3, 2015 and filed under i share stuff.

guana

as many of you know, last weekend my family and i took a trip to the british virgin islands, a set of small islands near san juan. it's been wicked cold in the nyc. last week it was 9˚F, so it was nice to add a zero to the end of that number...

it was the first time i've ever seen waters so clear and blue. yes, i've been to the beach multiple times (thanks, cali), but to see water to pure was probably like seeing snow for the first time. it seems almost impossible. there was plenty of fruit-eating, sun-bathing, and sleeping. sleeping in has never felt so good. 

there was rain, but it was beautiful. it was the type of rain that you can swim in because it's so warm and soft. there was something about this place that made me tranquil, and i don't think i have ever had such an experience like that before. 

next week, exams start, so i guess this trip was a stress-reliever of sorts. i'm looking forward to that. not. 

have a lovely weekend everyone!

Posted on February 21, 2015 and filed under travel, videos!!!, i take photos.

when in doubt... pancakes.

alex holding the backdrop with her nose

life has been good. i've been successful at my new school and i've been been continuing my project with vsco in my spare time. however, spring break is approaching, and with that comes exams. i don't know if i can handle thinking about it on top of all of the work i have already. i just want to let out the biggest sigh. 

also, you know what's the most terrifying moment? when you realize that a quiz/test is tomorrow rather than the day after and you have 30 words from Macbeth to memorize. yeah, that's tough. 

moving on...

i realized i haven't posted a recipe in awhile... so i'm going to change that. today i share with you my favorite pancakes recipe. and, it's vegan. woooooop woop!

i mean, look at that syrup pour (thanks caoimhe). these pancakes are SO INCREDIBLY FLUFFY that i cannot fathom it. 

#ThanksAlexForHoldingTheBackdrop / #ThanksCaoimheForPouringTheSyrup


ingredients

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons almond milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking power

a pinch of baking soda

01/ measure milk + whisk with vinegar until foamy (to imitate buttermilk). set aside.

02/ whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl

03/ after 5 minutes, gently stir in "buttermilk" 

04/ if too thin, add another tablespoon of flour. if too thick, add another tablespoon of milk or maple syrup.

05/ heat a large pan on medium with canola spray or butter (if not vegan, obviously.) 

06/ use a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop (like me!) to pour the batter onto the pan

07/ feel free to add bananas, blueberries, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, the WORKS!!! it all works. 

08/ eat with more maple syrup of course



Posted on February 10, 2015 and filed under i make food.

found artists: fi wong

(*click to slide)

 

i had the absolute pleasure of being drawn by fi wong. her sketches are absolutely gorgeous and are bold, but still have intricate details.

to check out more of her work, go here.

we are hoping to collaborate on something sometime soon.

 

have a great end of the week everyone!

Posted on February 4, 2015 and filed under this was found.

subwaves

subway-coral-reef-05-2.jpg

i stumbled across some beautiful photographs taken by stephen mallon of old new york city subway cars being dumped into the ocean. i spot old C train cars that i used to ride to school. kind of nostalgic in a way.

i was somewhat dubious about the idea of discarding these cars in the ocean, but after i read the article about the purpose of doing such a thing, my thoughts changed.

after several years at the bottom of the ocean, the train cars become a part of the ecosystem, serving as an artificial coral reef system for sea life. 

at first glance, stephen's work seems to reveal an act of pollution, while in truth it is something more beautiful.

 

have a happy thursday, everyone. 

* credit to my best friend a-rad (alex) for the punny, yet relevant title.

Posted on January 29, 2015 and filed under i share stuff.

what to do + eat on a rainy day

photograph by luise from green kitchen stories

it's raining in new york city today. really rainy. rainy and cold and nice and it's inevitable that i feel absolutely unproductive. but it is on these days that i really need a set plan to figure out what i'm going to make and/or do. for all of you who are experiencing boredom or are stuck inside because of the chilly weather, follow this short guide (for a very foodie experience).

 

1/ start your day with porridge

porridge is one of my favorite breakfasts of all time. it also just so happens to be a fantabulous way to start a rainy day. as i've talked about in previous posts, oatmeal is great because of the variety of toppings you can add to it. luise tops her porridge with raspberries, sliced avocado, and hemp seeds for a hearty breakfast meal. if you're not feeling so adventurous, you can top your oatmeal with more tradition toppings like berries, bananas, granola, or thick coconut milk.

 

2/ bake something sweet

baking really warms my heart (as you can probably tell from reading this blog). jessie is the author of one of my favorite blogs faring well. her recipe for coconut macadamia biscotti is actually brilliant. dipped in a cup of tea, these little treats will surely brighten your dark day (too cliché?). also, who doesn't love baking cookies in the winter?!

 
tumblr_nf7esew2M71r9ged7o1_1280.jpg

3/ explore

if you live in new york city, you live in one of the most vast cities in the world. so explore it. explore wherever you live. take a camera. capture the rain. visit new restaurants. visit new shops and parks. take a friend and just walk until you find something extraordinary. explore.

 

4/ grab a coffee. and a snack

because we all know you're still hungry. while you're wandering around your neighborhood or city, pop into a coffee shop. sip a warm (almond milk) cappuccino or latte. nibble on a muffin, talk to the people around you. take more pictures. always take pictures. 

 

5/ make a nice dinner for yourself (and others)

cooking for yourself is always so great. you can season according to your individual taste and can make whatever you'd like. did i mention that jessie is an awesome blogger? yeah... her recipe for this beautiful asian bowl with wild rice, roasted beets, and broccoli is not one to miss. holy yum.

 

i hope you survive the winter, wherever you are. (especially you australians with your warm weather).

have a great weekend everyone!

Posted on January 18, 2015 and filed under i share stuff.

yes. break.

shooting a special cake...

big scarf in steven alan home

pretty light in steven alan brooklyn

it's been a great week; a very relaxing, rewarding week. and it feels so great.

after christmas day, i began to shoot some new recipes i've come up with (and they're really, realllllly goooood, if i do say so myself). i think what's really great about writing recipes is that once you get an end result (hopefully positive), it's gratifying. i've been feeling a lot of that this winter break. plus, i get to eat all of my dishes, so that's nice too.

it's also been great to spend more time with my mom, dad, and brother; to be able to go out shopping or just talk during the day. i also get to cook with my mom again; that feels nice. everything that has to do with free time is nice. free time is nice. watching an entire harry potter marathon is nice. sleeping in is nice. 

break is nice.

oh god, i'm going to have a lot of trouble when school starts again.

enough of my crazy rambling. have a great week everyone!

Posted on December 29, 2014 and filed under blah blah blah, i take photos.

the tree

personally, the merry holiday feelings do not begin until my family and i pick a christmas tree. in this sentence i effectively used diction; from the use of the word 'pick', we can extrapolate that izzy selectively chooses her trees, meaning that she rejects all other trees until she finds the perfect one. we once again witness the human condition to strive for perfection, even if that means hurting the feelings of poor trees in the process. 

BAM. english analysis studying done. QED. oh look, geometry studying done, too. 

this week is crammed with before-break tests, quizzes, and assessments– too many? never... but it's overwhelming at times. during my study sessions and work periods, i enjoy listening to covers of classic holiday songs and ballads to keep reminding myself that the winter break is near.

as i was saying before i went into my tree analysis, today we drove upstate to select the perfect arboreal figure. now in the Rael family, there's a lot that goes into consideration when choosing a tree: its height, its color, its fullness, its ability to fit in the stairwell, its scent, and other beneficial factors. we ended up deciding on a full, 11-foot tree with green pine needles and a blue-grey underside, while also having an extremely prominent pine-y smell. i say it's perfect. truly perfect. it's pretty bare at the moment, but it will be filled with ornaments by tomorrow morning.

let the holidays begin.

have a lovely sunday, everyone. 

p.s. below is the playlist that i listen to during the holidays. enjoy.

p.p.s. happy last consecutive date of the century.


Posted on December 13, 2014 and filed under playlists, blah blah blah, i take photos.

izzy's xmas wish list

                                        

                       

     

       

     

    

'tis the season of gift giving... it's inevitable that i might have a few desired gifts this year. i realized that as i grow older my christmas list becomes more minimal, both artistically and, well, literally. this christmas i'm eying a few bold items (from left to right):

1/ i've always wanted to touch this bubble necklace whenever i visit the moma store. what a statement piece.

2/ eames. red. rocking chair. enough said. 

3/ this mug is so rad. i always see them around the shops in williamsburg..

4/ my mum has a iacoli & mcallister necklace like this one. but this one is way cooler.

5/ noguchi lamps = life. i think i need another one...

6/ "but mom it's a house nightlight!"

7/ this mason jar candle smells like heaven. fig heaven.

8/ i am love with everything associated with building block. especially this bag.

9/ a stainless steel ring? count me in, please.

 

what is on your wish list this season? 

have a stress-free weekend everyone!

Posted on December 5, 2014 and filed under wishlist, i share stuff.

to be thankful

today is the day of turkeys, of cranberries, of sweet potatoes, and of gravy. yes, for some, this day might be all about food and its preparation, but really there's another meaning behind it.

i don't really mean celebrating the 'first thanksgiving' where the pilgrims hosted a thanksgiving meal for local native americans, maybe for some of you this might be the case. i'm talking more about the 'thanks' in thanksgiving– the way we celebrate it in our household today.

for my family, thanksgiving is a time to reconvene with other parts of family that we don't get to see often. today we reflect on how thankful we are to be able to spend time with extended family, and realizing we have so many possessions and opportunities to be thankful for.

especially in our high-tech and plugged-in world, these notions can be so easily tossed aside and overlooked; even though it is these things that are the most important when celebrating thanksgiving day. 

personally, i am thankful for a lot of things that i often take for granted. 

 

i am thankful for:

having a home and a loving, supportive family

being able to attend school in a safe environment

the food that is not always so readily available for others

the opportunities that have opened doors for me

living in an appreciative community

my education

having caring friends

 

really the list could go on and on.

so tonight, or whenever you have a chance to, reflect on what you are thankful for; be appreciative of what you have, remember the importance and message behind thanksgiving, and eat your sweet potatoes. 

have a lovely thanksgiving everyone!

p.s. this is my favorite part of the charlie brown thanksgiving movie. enjoy.

Posted on November 27, 2014 and filed under blah blah blah.

goldy locks

it's that time of year here in new york city. cold. windy. bitter. horrid. treacherous. barbaric... i mean cold. i know that when the scarves come out, so does the porridge. and i love it. 

so today, i'm going to give you some porridge inspiration; some of my favorite recipes from my favorite blogs and photographs of my own. 

1/ raw buckwheat porridge

luise and david from green kitchen stories share this wonderful raw buckwheat porridge recipe. while it is not a traditional, warm porridge,  it's just as tasty. i would recommend this one if you're in a hurry in the morning (as you can easily make it the night before). personally, i make this recipe pretty often– i love the nutty taste of raw buckwheat and the sticky-sweet consistency. 

2/ pearl barley porridge with spice-poached pears

a completely new and unique take on the standard porridge... barley and poached pears??? who would've thought to pair (hehe) the two? i think that it's brilliant to be honest. also can we take a moment to appreciate that thick coconut milk on top? yeah. this kind of reminds me of my own porridge recipe...

3/ overnight bircher müsli 

and from one of the most well-photographed blogs on the entirety of the internet: "super delicious overnight bircher muesli" from what should i eat for breakfast today.  generally, bircher is very simple, combining yogurt, oats, grated apple, and some (almond) milk. exotic toppings and flavors are optional, but totally recommended. if you want a simple, classic bircher recipe, this is it.

4/ izzy's oats

lastly but not leastly (.......?!!?), i'll share my own personal recipe that i make on a every-other-day-to-day basis. it's really simple, but adaptable. it never seems to fail me.

1/2 cup oats

1 ripe banana

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tbs maple syrup

01/ in a blender (i use a small nutribullet), blend oats until ground into a somewhat fine flour

02/ in a small bowl, mash banana until only slightly chunky

03/ in a small saucepan on medium-high heat, combine ground oats, banana, almond milk, and maple syrup. if the consistency is too thick, add more almond milk or water. stir until everything is fully combined. taste just to make sure everything is on point

04/ serve in a bowl, top with fresh fruit (maybe more bananas), nut butter, seeds, and/or dried berries. enjoy.

breakfasts like these are especially great on test days (which is every day). just saying.

have a great midweek everyone!

Posted on November 18, 2014 and filed under i share stuff, i make food.

found artists: drew tyndell + (friday) links

remember the last time i found a rad artist? well i've found yet another. (so many cool creatives everywhere!)

when i saw one of drew tyndell's hand-drawn gifs floating around the tumblr-sphere, i was in awe. i mean, the precision and hand needed to create such pristine gifs is absolutely insane. 

take the first gif. just don't move your mouse or anything and really look at it. just keep watching it. and watching it. and watching it. you never really want to look away, do you? (i know i don't). imagine what sort of planning is behind making these... 

this morning i was scrolling through his portfolio and was looking at some of the other animation work he's done. turns out he did this clip for cartoon network. just wow. 

 

enough said.


because i didn't get a chance to post them on friday, here are my collective links for last week!

1/ orchiette? stew? comfort? yes. please. thanks.

2/ so i got a new scarf...

3/ i went to go see this movie with a bunch of friends last weekend. it blew my mind in the most extraordinary way.

4/ we all know who's the best first lady...

5/ i literally screamed when this premiered last night.

6/ speaking of which, if you haven't seen this clip from the newsroom, then you probably haven't lived. (skip to 3:11 if you want to hear just the speech).

 

on a more personal note, i apologize for being on a mini-hiatuses in-between posts. ninth grade has been pretty tough.

have a fantastic week everyone.

Posted on November 10, 2014 and filed under this was found, i share stuff.

"oui oui i'm orange french toast"

we all need a little french toast in our lives. a lot of you instagrammers have been asking for this recipe for a while now... so i obliged.

do you know why french toast deserves to be in all of our lives? because it's just one of those meals that fills your heart with the most absolute joy.

a.k.a. french toast is queen.

because it's fall season, (i didn't do another pumpkin-flavored thing, i promise), i incorporated the 2 fruits that we have in most abundance in our home at the moment: oranges and pomegranates. 

first of all, pomegranates don't really need to be modified or blenderized (it's a word) in any way. i think of them as little ruby jewels. enough said– they just got sprinkled on the top for both the beauty-aspect and flavor-bomb-aspect of the dish.  

i didn't want to just throw the orange slices on top (although you can), but get the hint of orange in the toast. orange zest. problem solved.

so here we are. me, you, and the french toast that you definitely need to make. also, it's vegan, and takes around 7 minutes to make and 3 minutes to eat. that's how i can make it almost every morning if i have 10-ish minutes to spare. 

this recipe has almost everything you need, and it makes just enough for just you. no sharing!

move aside pancakes, french toast is here. 

for the french toast:

3 pieces of whole wheat bread (i used cinnamon-raisin)

1/3c almond milk

1 tbs maple syrup

1/4 tsp cinnamon

orange zest

(optional) 1 tbs spelt flour

pomegranate seeds for garnish

 

for the yogurt:
1 package (14oz) firm tofu

2 tbs maple syrup

2 tbs almond milk
 

 

01/ drain water from tofu, and cube it

02/ in a blender, blend cubed tofu, maple syrup, and almond milk until completely smooth

03/ (if too thick, add more almond milk)

 

04/ in a small bowl, whisk together almond milk, orange zest, maple syrup, cinnamon, (and optional spelt flour which add thickness)

05/ heat a frying pan at med-high until hot – spray with canola oil

06/ as quickly as possible, dunk each side of the bread in the milk mixture

07/ place soaked bread on heated pan (there should be a satisfying sizzle happening here)

08/ once each side is crispy and brown, flip over

09/ when all the toasts are perfectly golden, stack the toasts, and drizzle with the yogurt and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds

Posted on November 1, 2014 and filed under i make food.

stress & friday links

let's talk about stress. 

as a freshman at a completely new school that is also completely unfamiliar, i have a lot of stress. stress = little sleep = anxiety about not sleeping = being unconfident about stuff. so therefore, using the transitive property, stress = not being confident about stuff.

i think that what's hard for me to fully understand is that struggling is part of being a teenager. that being uncomfortable when you don't grasp a concept or when you are around other people is normal.

although i am writing these statements now, i realize that even haven't comprehended them yet. which kind of sucks, but i think i'm getting used to it. 

to all my fellow students: you will make it through. 

to all of my fellow non-students: you will make it through.

to myself: just stop freaking out.

 

okay. just had to put that out there.


on a much happier note, here my friday links for this week. 

1/ this kale + squash salad is definitely going on my "have-to-make-this-now" list

2/ i've never heard of a bostock before... but i think i need one. or four.

3/ can we all just agree that this can easily be the greatest flour shot of all time?

4/ i think this is very relevant. plus, ruby is one of my favorite cartoonists...

5/ can we just appreciate the fact that the newsroom season 3 is premiering next month (!!!!!!!!!! internally screaming !!!!!!!!!!)

6/ i think i am in love with the coloring of this movie

 

have a lovely weekend everyone.

Posted on October 24, 2014 and filed under blah blah blah, i share stuff, i take photos.

really rad pumpkin donuts + an announcement

DSC_6198 (title).jpg

as you all may or may not know, i am starting a column on kevin's blog, thou swell. every month, i'm going to post a recipe of mine and talk a little bit about why i chose it, (and quite possibly, why it's so good)... 

 

this month, i am sharing a really rad pumpkin donut recipe with a sweet glaze. 

to check out my post, and to get the recipe, head on over to thouswell!

Posted on October 15, 2014 and filed under i make food.

found artists: elle luna

last week during the school day my mom sent me a short email; its subject being: "check her out. i think you'll like her".
linked in the email were 3 links to different posts on an artist that my mom had discovered. her name is elle luna. i read the linked posts from start to finish and instantly fell in love with her work.

elle's not just amazing because of her incredible artistic talents, but because of the message that she's sending to others.

one of the links from my mom's email that really stood out to me was the post that elle had written on medium about having to face choosing between should and must.

in this current context, it might make no sense at all... should? must? why would we have to talk about these things? how are they any different from one another?

in her post, elle talks about those differences, and how must is far superior than should because when you choose must, you're choosing to be "your truest, and most authentic self" (as she puts it).

i think that this constant weighing between them not only relates to me, but to a lot of other teens my age. it's just this jumble of teenage feelings, and worries, and hormones, and this persistent fear of being able to "fit in", as we put it, that makes choosing either should or must so difficult.

i can relate to her a lot. i think she's my new role model.



have a great rainy day, everyone.

Posted on October 11, 2014 and filed under this was found.