blondies!

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hey? what's up?? 

guess what i've been up to this past month or so?

cooking

getting a job at my favorite restaurant

sleeping in (sorta)

walking late at night with my mom

reminiscing about new mexico

and other tidbits. 

something i've cooked/baked-experimented last week was blondies.

i love blondies. i actually don't even remember the last time i had a real blondie. like butter, flour, milk chocolate chunks-- the works. i'm pretty sure when i was little, my mom used to throw in white chocolate and butterscotch chips too. a super blondie, if you will. pretty sure it was these ones...

but these are different. they're also super blondies, but on the other side of the spectrum... not of extravagance but of...healthiness? 

hope i didn't lose you there. 

i've been trying to experiment with new flours and whole foods ingredients and consequently came up with this thing. they're suuuuupuer moist, suuuuuuper healthy, suuuuuper simple (if you have the right ingredients). they're borderline aip-compliant with a few substitutions (if that's your vibe). but regardless, they're incredible and i'm glad i still have 5 more squares in my fridge right now. 

there's also a secret ingredient in them (hint hint at my whole foods experimentation): plantains. or rather, a singular plantain. it adds the moistness of a banana without getting any banana-like flavor at all. aka it tastes like a (neutral-tasting) normal blondie with a health kick to it. bomb.

things i like to hear.

anyway, here's the recipe. it's just an excuse to try out tigernut flour and plantains. you're welcome.

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flaked sea-salt plantain blondies

serves 9

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what you do

1. preheat oven to 350f. line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper (can be hanging off the sides). i do a double-check-non-stick spray on top of the parchment paper, just in case. 

2. in a blender, combine all wet ingredients: peeled plantain, eggs, vanilla, coconut yogurt, and coconut butter until completely smooth.

3. in another bowl, sift dry ingredients: tigernut and coconut flour, beef gelatin, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. mix until combined. 

4. pour wet mixture into the dry and use a spatula to fold wet into the dry mixture. carefully fold in chopped dark chocolate (saving a small handful for the top). 

5. pour (or rather scoop since it's quite thick) batter into lined baking pan and spread evenly. press your remaining small handful of dark chocolate chunks onto the top for ultimate pretty-blondie action. sprinkle flaked sea salt on top for ultra-ultimate pretty-blondie action.

6. bake for 35 minutes or until center is cooked and there is a golden top and a toothpick comes out clean when pierced in the center. 

7. let cool out of the hot pan on top of a cookie rack. make sure to let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. 

8. enjoy!

what you need

• 1 yellow plantain (mine was ~150g)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder if AIP)
• 1/4 cup coconut yogurt
• 2 tablespoons coconut butter, melted
• 1/2 cup tigernut flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 tablespoon beef gelatin
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 6oz 80%+ dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• flaked sea salt

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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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steel cut oats + exciting news ??

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.

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

serves 1

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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

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yours truly, izzy

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the time

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* 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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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!

olive oil oatmeal cookies

good morning from new york! it's been such a great weekend… baking… indoors… while the sun is out and it's the first time in months where the temperature has actually peaked 50 degrees. yup, i know, BAKING IS TOTALLY WORTH IT. the feels, people! the FEELS!

anyways, i haven't shared my favorite links from this week…

• dominique ansel has created another fad, and the sheeple (aka sheep-people. google it.) have gone at it once again

• this salad might give me superpowers. it's awesome and i need to try it.

• i might have finally found a recipe for the super-duper-good coconut curry cashews that i found at the chelsea market a few weeks ago!

• i could marry this illustration

• but then again...

my favorite song for this week is seriously amazing, and you should listen to it….

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moving on...

woahahahhhhh.

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i don't think it can get better than these babies right here.

(hint: roll over the image below with your mouse)

INSTANT BAKING. yeah, that's right. throwing some of my html skills at you.

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here we are. with these fantabulous cookies. i mean just YOU and these cookies. because once you eat them you'll be tempted to eat them ALL. 

but that's okay. *whispers* because they're healthy.

*continues whispering* and they're flourless. and vegan.

*dracula laugh*

olive oil oatmeal cookies – w/ toasted coconut, raisins, cacao nibs, and anything else you can think of

makes 12-16 cookies

adapted from mangia

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt (or less if you don't like the sweet-salty profile)

heaping 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup + 1 tbs unsweetened almond milk (more if needed)

1/4 cup raisins

large handful of cacao nibs

1/3 cup toasted coconut flakes (on a pan on medium-high heat, toast coconut flakes for about 3 minutes, or until golden)

00. preheat oven to 375 degrees

01. use a food processor to grind the oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar into a fine flour

02. pour "flour" into a large bowl and fold in olive oil, almond milk, and raisins, and cacao nibs

03. gently fold in coconut flakes, as not to break them (entirely)

04. take small piece dough, and roll into a ball (be sure to taste test, just to make sure that it's not poison or anything…) and place on a baking sheet. repeat.  

05. flatten balls into round disks (unless you want baked cookie truffles, which is totally OK.)

06. bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes. i baked mine for 7.

07. eat.