really healthy halvah ice cream

it's been, what, not even 24 hours since my last post? that's almost like a new record.

i told you these recipes are going to be coming out really fast.

i woke up this morning with like 8 bananas in my freezer and halvah on my mind.

naturally, i realized i could make that really healthy ice cream that everyone is always talking about and halvah-ify it. duh. makes so much sense.

naturally, i made this sundae around 9 o'clock in the morning when everyone was still sleeping (including the dog) and didn't wake up anyone? (still questionable). regardless, it's a miracle. 

and the most awesome thing about this recipe is that's a sundae (and it's sunday). which means, toppings!!!

the ice cream was made 1000x better by some tangy coconut yogurt (i use coyo), warm tahini, and chopped salty pistachios. holy heck.

oh yeah, and i made a video.


healthy, sugar-free halvah wtf sundae

makes a lot of ice cream, like 10 servings

-

what you need

  • 8 bananas, chopped and frozen overnight
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/3 cup stirred tahini
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • coconut yogurt
  • tahini, warmed
  • chopped salted pistachios
  • sesame seeds 

 

 

what you do

1. blend bananas in a food processor until smooth. with 8 bananas, i had to scrape down the sides around 5 or so times. add almond milk to help with the banana-to-ice-cream-ify-ing process.

2. once the frozen bananas are smooth and velvety, add in tahini, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. process again.

3. taste test (for good measure). serve immediately with coconut yogurt, tahini, pistachios, and sesame seeds or transfer ice cream to a large freezer-safe container. 

4. if storing in freezer, take ice cream 10 minutes before serving to soften and then serve with those halvah toppings.


yeah, it's that awesome

Posted on June 4, 2017 .

steel cut oats + exciting news ??

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hello friends.

monday is my last day of school. (a little hoorah for living through junior hell month).

i have some cool news.

minimalmeals is back (if you remember it. even i even forgot it was a thing).

it's been up for a few days and i've been cooking a lot, focusing mainly on whole foods with the occasional ezekiel toast. i'm not as keen on baking for some reason. i've matured, you know? i prefer savory things now...

well,

all this really means is that i finally have time to start writing recipes again (and posting them)!!!!!!!! very exciting. very. i've missed this whole food-make-post thing a lot, and i'm already revising things and thinking about new food things and doing all the things!

can't you tell i am incredibly excited. anyways, the next few posts will be just recipes so i can have some links for my recipe page. 

first things first, let's do the basics.


steel cut oats (for the win, and for the humble)

serves 1

WHAT YOU DO

1. in a small saucepan, bring almond milk and water to a boil.

2. turn heat down to low and add salt.

3. stir in oats and cook uncovered, stirring every few minutes, until thick and creamy, 20 minutes. stir maple syrup. (add extra water/almond milk if too dry).

4. serve with berries, almonds, hemp seeds, or other toppings of your choice and a splash of almond milk because milk is always nice.

WHAT YOU NEED

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup steel cut oats
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • pinch of sea salt
  • berries
  • almonds
  • hemp seeds

 

 

 


yours truly, izzy

Posted on June 3, 2017 and filed under i make food.

this is a post about eggs

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i am a big fan of eggs. i really like eggs (like really, really).

why am i writing a post on eggs? because eggs are important to my existence as a living being, and i believe they deserve to have a post dedicated to them. 

also, let's get down to some scientific business here. eggs are super duper rich in vitamins, nutrients, good fats, and protein. they contain all 9 essential amino acids, and minerals and nutrients like iron, phosphorous, selenium, and vitamins A, B12, B5 and others. in other words, eggs are a superfood that don't contain the words "acai," "spirulina," "grass," or "baobab." nice.

they're pretty great. 

eggs come in all forms in recipes, so i want to share with you my favorite things to do with this beloved ingredient. 

 

 

shakshuka (especially from greenkitchenstories) is both an eggs-for-dinner and dinner-for-breakfast sort of dish. it's a good share (or just eat entirely by yourself) food. so in other words, it's pretty great for basically anything you want.

 

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these simple scrambled eggs. there is little known to me that is as great as simple scrambled eggs. this recipe has a few extras that make the scramble so, so fluffy. aka the best scrambled eggs ever.

 

– 

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i'm pretty sure you know of izy. her baked eggs with spinach, ricotta, and leeks is one of my favorites for a lazy sunday brunch. like the shakshuka, these eggs are great for sharing, but also great for some solo breakfast-ing. RICOTTA is always the answer.

 

– 

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this french toast is indeed eggy and fancy. heck, throw in some orange zest on top and you got a fancy one-fourth of a four course breakfast. the roasted almonds give this toast a nice crunchy finish. so, i dig it. 

 

 

i hope you enjoy my egg rant

viven los huevos. 

Posted on May 13, 2017 and filed under i share stuff.

"i am right now"

System.out.println("Hello, World!"); 

as the school year is inching (very, very slowly) to a close, everything else seems to be picking up. i see why, but at the same time i'm getting incredibly overwhelmed by work and school and not being (in my mind, creatively) productive. 

the thing that's been on everyone's mind is college. college or school. school and college. school in preparation for college. college in preparation for beyond. beyond in preparation for... even further beyond? i'm getting overwhelmed by that too. 

it feels like every adult asks me, "where do you want to go?" expecting me to have a few universities or professions on my mind. i usually say, "i don't know," and they say, "okay" and stop the conversation. even though my seniority "status" will finally be attainable in just a few more weeks, it's difficult for me to look as far ahead as everyone expects me to. 

like, yeah, i'm going to be heading off to a college in just a few more than 365.3 days, but then again there's still 365.3 days until then. maybe ask me, "what next? what are you focusing on now?" while i'm still getting to that point. i mean, usually i have to ask to myself that anyways. 

because i really mean "i don't know" when i say "i don't know" because i don't... know. i'm almost eighteen now. people tell me that i have my goals straight and my life pretty much figured out, but i don't want it to be like that. 

i can say that i know who i want to be, but not where i'm going to be. right now, i'm right here, with a research paper, a critical analysis paper, 3 AP exams, and a literature exam on my hands. what's next is what's right now. i'm dealing with what's right now.

 

Posted on May 5, 2017 and filed under blah blah blah.

found artists: javier de riba

javier2.png

i forgot i had drafted this almost 2 months ago. 

javier de riba turns disarrayed spaces into orderly ones in his exhibition "flors," painting geometrical mosaics on the floors of abandoned buildings. both the photos and behind-the-scenes video of his work are breathtaking and undoubtedly satisfying. 

his work reminds me how much i underestimate the power of simplicity in art and how it can transform a space or even an entire place regardless of its imperfections. i think that is what javier aims to achieve: art that reveals the beauty of a space that does not seem beautiful.

“it moves me to think that one day these floors harbored experiences and helped form a part of someone’s daily life, and now finally rest forgotten.”

“through my intervention, i allow this sensation to flourish and offer a testimony to these past lives.”

hello again.

 

 

Posted on February 23, 2017 and filed under this was found.

getting to where i'm going

in my english class, we were given the task to create something inspired by walt whitman's "song of self", which described the individual's search for her own identity. our project was supposed to most authentically represent ourselves in a physical, verbal, or visual medium.

naturally, i chose photography.

here was my introduction to my project:

"it was hard for me to figure out what aspect of my identity i wanted to talk about when the medium in which i wanted to present my project is my identity. the next most logical thing i could about is how art has become a part of who i am. the answer is new york city."

enjoy

Posted on February 8, 2017 and filed under blah blah blah, videos!!!.

it's hard to stay positive

image by bydvnlln

image by bydvnlln

image by joel

image by joel

image byfayznasir
my poster for the women's rights march

my poster for the women's rights march

`````

i've never wanted more than

to fight back

to call back

to protest

to represent me, to represent others, to represent who we are

it's hard to stay positive in a time like this

it's hard for me to have hope

but this is the time when i stand stronger

and i am stronger every day

i will fight, i promise.

izzy

⌇ 

 

Posted on February 5, 2017 and filed under blah blah blah.

this 4-day weekend

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for the past 3 days or so, henry and i have been traveling new york city. i've been taking video and shots and everything nice and stuff, so be on the lookout for that sort of thing in a bit.

here was our itinerary:

 

friday

la esquina, little italy

– morgenstern's finest ice cream, lower east side

 

saturday

– brooklyn bridge, brooklyn

smith canteen, carroll gardens

– brooklyn heights promenade + piers

 

sunday

ost cafe, east village

stumptown coffee, west village

saigon shack, west village

– minetta lane, west village

the high line, chelsea

 

and we're off.

Posted on January 16, 2017 and filed under i take photos.

first snow

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dear you,

we got our first christmas tree with jenny (our dog) today. 

it was snowing and foggy and eerie and empty and beautiful.

jenny, who was born in the cayman islands, is obsessed with the snow.

she's like us: beach-born, energetic, and overall kind of crazy. it was no doubt she'd love the snow as much as q and i do. 

we got a twelve-foot tree. it was so big the guys who owned the little tree farm had to use a tractor to drag it to our car. it smelled like christmas all the way home.

it smells like christmas in our house now.

i hope i got good pictures.

happy holidays.

⌇ 

Posted on December 19, 2016 and filed under blah blah blah, i take photos.

absurdity

1/ PREPOSTEROUS

in !!! itself a- short about........ absurdity,! weirdness,%% unexpectedness,**`!! mystery, irony, ??? ? /!! // ....?!

-

2/ SLOW FOOD

sMAsH!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!!!1!!1!!!1!!!

-

3/ SWEATPANTS

¡¡¡déjä v¨üuuu ovër án∂ ovér ánß øvër ágäín maStERpieCE!¡

4/ RESUME SUPPLEMENT

a resume in ÄRT%&vïDÉO form. uh we(i)rD!!!

welcome to absurdity. i've been into cool weird stuff lately. like cool cool weird weird videos. they've gotten me through this week and will probably get me through the next and the next and the next and the next and next next next next and next next infinite next. 

thanks, bye conGRaTs!!!!

⌇ 

 

Posted on December 3, 2016 and filed under i share movies.

and, thank you

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yogurt panna cotta . pumpkin pie and ginger ice cream . roasted yams and delicata with yogurt and pomegranate . kale salad with persimmons and tahini dressing . roasted green beans and whole grain mustard . mashed potatoes . stuffing . turkey . gravy cranberry sauce with jalepeños . roasted cauliflower steaks with capers and olives and parsley . berry crisp .

i am thankful for life

i am thankful for opportunity

i am thankful for people and family and friends and love

i am eternally thankful for everything

enjoy your holidays 

be thankful for everything that you have

love,

izzy

⌇ 

Posted on November 25, 2016 and filed under blah blah blah, i take photos.

street parallels

 
 
 
 
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it's almost thanksgiving break. i'm tired and sleepy and drained. 

a lot has happened in the past month. a lot of which i have a lot to say, but not a lot i want to say here. i've been waking up stronger. i'm waking up stronger every day.

on other notes

i've been inspired by more raw photographs lately. open ones. real ones. and i think the easiest way to embody this rawness is through street photography. i think the coolest thing is seeing parallels between street photography from different cities and photographers, and how colors and lines and shapes overlap. 

i tried to show that. 

i'm ready for gravy.

happy saturday.

⌇ 

Posted on November 19, 2016 and filed under this was found, i share stuff.

a month from then

the human condition is a installation of the works of various artists in an old, 40,000 square-foot hospital. i thought it was cool and weird and unique and gloomy and just beautiful; the pieces brilliantly match the geometric and sharp shapes of the hospital. i just wanted to share its awesomeness.

-

as for me, i'm back. it's been 48 days since i wrote my last post. that's a pretty long time. i've been taking a little hiatus from social lately. it's been nice to just not stress about having to curate and post things on all of my platforms. i started junior year 29 days ago. i turned seventeen 19 days ago. i'm a year older since we last talked. 

i've been thinking about this sort of kinetic energy of stress. i think a lot of the time i feed off of other people's stress and they feed off of my stress and other people's stress, and it just becomes this sort of eternal and cyclical exchange of anxiety. i mean, i get it. we're getting older and we have more responsibilities and work and independence. we're almost done with high school. i realize that every once in a while and it just scares me. i love the idea of a new and limitless world. we're practically there.

i've been pretty good about it my monthly freak-outs, though it's taken me almost 3 years to figure it out. i keep reminding myself that i'm okay. that even though i have no control of time and other people and their decisions, i have complete power over what i do and how i perceive and change my community. there's been a lot of broadened thinking lately. i think i've matured a bit from it. 

good night.

⌇ 

Posted on October 13, 2016 and filed under blah blah blah, this was found.

where art and cake collide

images by dunja opalko x wallpaper magazine

i haven't been baking much, even though it's summer time. very much unlike me, but i've been so busy with projects and fun stuff that i think it's okay.

the other day i stumbled upon danish designer kia utzon-frank and her london-based company kufstudios. naturally, there was kufcakes. each cake is in fact edible. kia prints marble texture onto fondant or marzipan before most meticulously folding it over cake. in turn, a beautiful stone effect is created, which freakin' insane. 

the cake itself is equally as stunning, with folds and layers of sponge cake thin enough to create a fine gradient.  "taste is as important as the look, and the cakes should be conversation starters and trigger our curiosity and interaction with each other," their website says. kia uses natural food coloring and fruit juices to dye the cakes. 

i think the thing that utzon-frank said that really spoke to me the most was this: "cake is just another material. if something catches my interest it doesn't matter what it's made of. i think there's a huge freedom in not knowing much about the material i'm throwing myself at, as i then don't know the 'rules' and therefore am more open to experiment."

food = experimentation = art

i wish i could do that.

enjoy your weekend,

⌇ 

 

Posted on August 20, 2016 and filed under blah blah blah, this was found, i share movies.

i've been watching stuff

1/ on work – ryan o'connor

simple. eccentric. awesome. funny. i love it. i love helvetica. 

2/ upstate – jorge cuevas jr

15 seconds of joy and beauty.

3/ onward internet – sander van dijk

the internet is cool. right.

4/ pulse - traceloops x shigeto

a favorite song + a favorite artist. the perfect video.

 

.

 

it seems like it's been forever since i last wrote here. it has, actually. i've been busy with my summer job and trying to be creative in other aspects of my life. i'm more confident now. i'm more confident in my life and actions as a creative. it almost feels like i know what i want to do and grow to be in the future. it's crazy. i'm turning 17 in 2 months and even though i always say i don't know what i want to be, i do know what i want to be. i am who i want to be. i think for me, that's really powerful.

 

good evening.

⌇.

 

Posted on July 14, 2016 and filed under blah blah blah, i share stuff.

what's going on

what's goin' on guys? i've come here to say that we have T-minus 2 days left until the end of the school year. do you know how good that feels? that feels pretty great. 

i've been taking some weird photos lately. like cool weird? alex says that they're cool weird. that means that they really are cool weird. that's good. i love flash now. to kinda celebrate these photographs, i made some weird collages.

  1. got a new shirt from my dear friend that says "matriarchy now!" i love it. you can buy one (and look at all of her cool projects) here
  2. i painted my nails like i always do when i choose to do them once in a millennium 
  3. a cool water-chemical stain that i found today waiting for the bus
  4. my kefir yogurt ice cream with rainbow sprinkles that i had for dinner last night
  5. a brownie cake with very sad decorating by me (for my friend's chinese teacher)

and because it's been awhile, here are some links that i've found from the last 12 days.

1/ all of the pretty colors

2/ this awesome wallpaper (yes, real paper that goes on walls)

3/ buy all of the patches!!

4/ OK.

5/ what are you talking about?

happy hump day, everyone

Posted on June 8, 2016 and filed under blah blah blah, i share stuff, i take photos.