i'm a sucker for avocado toast

from sunday in brooklyn

charred avocado toast, wheatgrass, pickled onion, sprouts, radish, chili oil + 6-minute egg

it is a very ironic love, since i used to hate avocado way back when. 

i'm against ordering it when i'm eating out because it's so easy to make at home. 

anyway.

here's the thing about avocado toast (and like most of my recipes), it doesn't really need a recipe. you just throw some avocado toast on a slice of bread and then mush it together and badabing-badaboom you have that so wildly-adored avo toast. even though i'm telling you this, i'm going to give you a recipe on how i make my avocado toast anyways. sometimes you just need a little help.

izzy's favorite avocado toast

serves 1

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what you do

1. here's the deal. you must toast your bread to crunchy perfection. i prefer a crunchy exterior and soft interior. up to you. or make some sweet potato toast by toasting up 2 slices of your lovely sweet potato as you would normal bread.

2. cut your avocado. dice it? slice it? i personally am a fan of the avocado rose method or something kind of like that (i.e. image 3 of this post).

3. using either a mandolin or very sharp knife, slice a small radish into circles about 1/8" thick (or as thin as you can go). put aside.

4. do you like eggs? i do. if you're feeling love for an egg, fry one up in a tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high heat. make sure it doesn't burn. make sure it is crispy. 

5. assemble: toasted bread on a plate. avocado rose (or something like it) gently placed on top. sprinkle of sesame seeds, chili flakes, salt. the juice of half a lime. those thin radishes. and a hot crispy egg on top. ah yeah.

what you need

• 1 slice ezekiel bread (i like sesame) or 2 "slices" of sweet potato
• 1/2 of a perfectly ripe avocado
• small radish of your choosing
• sesame seeds
• chili flakes
• salt
• 1/2 lime
• (1 egg and 1 tablespoon of olive oil)

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i laughed writing this. god, i'm weird.

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banana pancakes for the win

why don't you listen to one of my favorite songs about banana pancakes by while we take off on this journey through my absolute love and joy for the world of pancakes.

ah yes, pancakes. a joy, a beauty, a grace, a special hole in my heart filled.

there's something so perfect, ya know, about their fluffiness, sweetness, toppings, and stack-ability. a treat of all shapes and sizes and colors and complexities. wow. 

and no appreciation post for this beloved food could go without a video on the art of its creation. hello, buzzfeed tasty - the only thing from them that i actually enjoy.

don't laugh at me.

anyways, oohs and ahhs aside, my pancakes are also pretty awesome.

i got a little inspiration from jeannette who used collagen powder in her pancakes for a little bit of skin + hair boost. 

these are kind of like your average 1 egg + 1 banana pancakes, but better. i've tried those pancakes countless times and i never got them really right. these were 💯.

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best banana pancakes

serves 1

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what you do

1. add everything in a small bowl and mash away with a fork until there are small chunks of banana left

2. i sort of do a last whip with the fork just to make sure everything is combined

3. heat a pan on medium heat with some coconut oil spray. once hot (check by dropping some water on the pan and seeing if it sizzles), spoon various heaping tablespoons into the pan. 

4. cook through (they don't really bubble around the edges, so watch closely) and flip. repeat.

5. stack, serve with almond butter and bananas like me, or just some plain maple (though it's sweet enough already, fyi)

what you need

• 1 medium banana
• 1 large egg
• 1 scoop collagen powder (i use this)
• 1 tablespoon almond butter/pb
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• dash of vanilla
• dash of cinnamon

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go give these a go!!!!!!!

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summer breakfasts + a spiel

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i don't remember the last time i posted a recipe, it's been that long. it's kind of incredible how busy i have been in comparison to last summer. i've been working on my VSCO artist initiative project (as i am sure you are all aware). i actually think it's safe to say that i am close to the stage where i get to design the book. i'm closer than i think i am.

i started the project last august, taking time here and there during the school year to photograph recipes and curate my pictures of new york. it was difficult, but i'm quite proud of the fact that i was able to manage it while being almost entirely stressed and focused on school. from this, i'm both anxious and exhilarated about the book. i have this new eagerness to finish what i've started and to publish the best work i possibly can. i love the feel of it.

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as i am sitting at the dining room table, sipping matcha every few minutes, i realize how incredibly fortunate i am to have been given this awesome opportunity from such an awesome company. i know i am kind of getting off the subject of the recipe i'm supposed to share, but you, my reader, have no idea how supportive and motivating every single individual of VSCO has been. although i've met only a few of the company's employees (and/or co-founders), i feel like i have a whole team silently cheering me on as i continue my project. i love that feeling too.

my (soon-to-be and soon-to-be-titled) book has a message. one that i hold very dearly; however, i don't think it's the time to reveal it quite yet, but know that it is coming.

so, onwards (and back on topic).

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this summer has been somewhat brutal– the heat, the days, the pile of books that i have to read (staring back at me as we speak). many of you know me for my pictures of food, also knowing that my favorite meal of the day is breakfast. for the majority of the year, i love to eat warm meals: oatmeal, pancakes, french toast, that sort of thing. when it's in the upper 90s, those types of breakfasts aren't as satisfying (*note: this is completely my own, weird opinion, i know you guys are like "izzy, pancakes everyday! who cares about the weather?!" i get it, but still).

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the other thing is, i'm incredibly lazy during the summer, even though i have more hours in the day than usual. the past couple of days, i've been throwing together a simple bowl of raw oats, fruit of the season, buckwheat (for crunch) and cold almond milk. i guess you could just call it a "lazy" müesli. hm, that works. i'm not really sure if this lazy müesli really needs a recipe; just throw some stuff in a bowl and bam. breakfast. eh, i'll write one up anyways. 

these are only a few of the photographs i took. if you would like to see more, go here.

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1/3 - 1/2 cup oats 

handful cut strawberries

handful raspberries

1 cut banana

buckwheat cereal 

3/4 cup almond milk

01/ get a bowl

02/ put oats at bottom

03/ "plate" fruit on top (so you can instagram it)

04/ drizzle almond milk

05/ sprinkle buckwheat cereal

06/ eat and probably get a second bowl

tgif.

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super cool raspberry chia bars

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i received a box from hatchery the other day. hatchery delivers small red boxes of artisan, hand-made ingredients directly to your door every month. my april box contained spices, some apple cider vinegar, jams, caramel, and mustard. 

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i thought i'd experiment with just jan's apricot marmalade. sweet, tangy, the fruit spread was perrrrrfect for my raspberry breakfast bars.

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this recipe is fast, delicious, and super healthy for you. it's also extremely versatile, so yeah, switch those raspberries with any other berry for pure awesomeness  – (or heck, add more).

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i used my old recipe for raspberry jam as the base to my filling for these bars. holy yes.

i also dolloped a small spoon of white chocolate-cinnamon peanut butter from my hatchery box underneath the bar for a play on pb&j.

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so off we go!

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3/4 cup almond flour

2 cup oats

2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)

1 tablespoon chia seeds + 2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

1 tablespoon almond milk

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup

2 cups frozen raspberries

1.5 tablespoons white chia seeds

2 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons of just jan's apricot marmalade

1 small dollop of white chocolate peanut butter

00/ preheat oven to 350˚F

01/ combine chia seeds and water in small ramekin and set aside

02/ thouroughly mix almond flour, oats, coconut oil, baking powder, almond milk, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup

03/ once chia "pudding" is thick, fold into oats batter

04/ combine raspberries, maple syrup, apricot jam, and chia seeds in a saucepan 

05/ cook until raspberries have broken down into jam; cool until thickened

06/ on a parchment-lined baking dish, press down 3/4 of the oat mixture (leave rest to sprinkle on top). over  the pressed oats, spread cooled raspberry chia jam. then sprinkle the rest of the oats

07/ bake for 25-30 minutes until top oat crumble is golden brown

08/ take out, let cool, and devour

09/ optional: when plating, place dollop of white chocolate peanut butter on plate and spread with a spoon . plate bars over. sprinkle with fresh fruit.

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when in doubt... pancakes.

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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

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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

goldy locks

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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. 

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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. 

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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...

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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.

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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!

"oui oui i'm orange french toast"

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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

really rad pumpkin donuts + an announcement

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!

FIFTEEN! + pumpkin muffins

it's kind of hard for me to believe that i'm turning fifteen today.

the big 1-5– the year of the quinceanera (that i am not having).

i mean, it's just another year that i've been alive, in a quite literal sense. 

about 6 hours into fifteen-dom i realize that being fifteen is just like being fourteen. it's not like you're turning thirteen, your first "teen" year; or eighteen, your last "teen" year; and you're not celebrating your sweet sixteen, either. so i ask, what is it then?

fifteen. just fifteen. 

so instead of saying fourteen you say fifteen. that's basically it. you say you're fifteen and that you're a freshman in high school. that's all that you think has changed.

physically.

i don't feel different, i don't look different, i don't sound different, i don't know any different, but i know that i have changed, and will continue to change. and yes, that is both a good thing and a bad thing.

good in the sense that i am becoming more knowledgable, and that there will be more opportunities for me.

bad in the sense that i am actually getting older; physically and mentally, and that i will have to hold more responsibility on my shoulders. but there's no stopping it. there's no stopping any of it. and i have to deal with it.

so to this i say, happy birthday, me.

may this sixteenth year of existence bring you good things.

have a wonderful friday, everyone.

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(izzy's birthday) pumpkin muffins

makes 12

1.5c spelt flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp chinese five spice

1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground anise

1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree

1/2c plain greek yogurt (i used 0%)

1 flax egg or egg

3/4c coconut sugar

optional: 1/4c pumpkin seeds + turbinado sugar

01/ preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 12 muffin tin with canola oil

02/ in a medium bowl, sift spelt flour and combine with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, five spice, nutmeg, and anise

03/ in a separate, larger bowl, combine pumpkin puree, yogurt, egg, and coconut sugar. make sure it is thoroughly mixed

04/ pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients

05/ with a spatula, carefully fold ingredients together until just combined. make sure not to over-mix because then the muffins will be dense!

06/ using a ice cream scooper or large spoon, scoop the muffin mixture into individual muffin tins

07/ sprinkle each one with a pinch of pumpkin seeds, and a generous smidgen of turbinado sugar

08/ bake for 22-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when entered in the center of the muffin

09/ let cool, then gobble down

buckwheat porridge for design*sponge

a video? but izzy, you never make videos!

i actually do, sometimes... and this is why:

for the past couple of weeks, i've been writing, shooting, and taste-testing for this marvelous project i did with the amazing women behind design*sponge.

i was not only astonished to get an email from such a well-known blog, but to be asked to create a recipe video for their friday column!

how awesome is that?

from 1 to 10, i give it an 11.

as the final result, i created a warm, ginger buckwheat porridge, topped with a poached pear, and a thickened coconut milk. to see how i made it, watch the video above.

to see the recipe, visit my feature on their blog.

have a wonderful weekend everyone