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.
i am fifteen
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.
i went with a couple of my friends and my family to two of my favorite places in new york (state) to celebrate my first few days in fifteendom. naturally, i took my camera with me to capture the moments.
i'll let the film give you a sense of the joy i felt on that day.
so to this i say, happy birthday, me.
may this sixteenth year of existence (and your seventeenth and eighteenth and nineteenth, too) bring you good and amazing things.
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.
(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
autumn
*click on the photographs to view larger
when you come to the realization that today is the first day of fall, it kind of just hits you. i mean, weren't we just in summer yesterday? weren't we still in the warm weather with the grilled peaches, corn on a cob, and hot breezes?
where did it all go?
it's not like i miss it with all my heart or anything. yeah, i do miss all the stone fruits, and the fact that i don't have to wear a coat, but there's just something so cozy and good-feelings-y about autumn. tea. pumpkins. squashes. chilly weather. big duvets. long pajamas. new wool hats. TEA.
all of my friends say they miss summer. i've missed fall.
moving on...
it's been 2-ish weeks as a high-schooler. i feel these subtle changes arising. with age comes responsibility, but at the same time new opportunities. the other thing that comes with responsibility is homework. and no, no, i'm not complaining and/or ranting about homework. i'm just saying that the quantity of the (horrid) stuff is greater than it was last year. i have less time to really do the things that i love (i.e. recipe-making, shooting the recipes, posting the recipes, having more content for the blog, etc.)
it's a pang in the heart, really.
in fact, i started writing this post at about 5:21ish in the morning. it's 5:52am, now.
happy first day of autumn, everyone.
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
hello? + links/photographs of my week
one the many problems of being a part time blogger is... *sad and weak drumroll*... figuring out what to write about. i guess that's why a lot of people do friday links, or color-coded moodboards, or interior posts... (*coughcough* me *coughcough*).
i think what the point i'm trying to get at, here, is that curating for a blog is not easy. it's especially hard when you're also a full-time student. the thing about blogging (in its entirety) is that you're trying to post what you would read, yourself, while thinking about what your readers would want read, too. difficult, isn't it? you probably don't want to hear me blab on about this "ya gotta stay committed" sort of stuff, but i'm not listening!
i realize that being completely and utterly honest, and sharing that with your audience, is what makes the blog interesting because there's so much stuff about the writer and there's so much other stuff about stuff and there's so much writing and photos and information and jumbles of words and you just can't stop writing and there's just so much to do and there's so much to say and show and tell! but you can't. and when you try to blog, you get blogger's block. it happens. it actually happens to me every time i carve out some time to write here. and it sucks. but you know what? i think, and it usually comes to me, anyways.
1/ molly's funfetti cake from scratch is actually fabulous... does homemade mean healthy? i think so.
2/ really want to try this (vegan) farro salad with cashew cheese. have yet to make cashew cheese... maybe this is clear sign to do so.
3/ this tumblr post made me bawl. tell me if you get it.
5/ did someone say pumpkin spice latté?
have a wonderful wednesday, everyone.
transitions + high school
yes, i am at school right now. yes, i did throw this type sort-of thing together in about 5 minutes. no, i'm not not busy at the moment. no, stop. i am a high schooler. yes, high school. high. school.
it's my second day as a ninth grader. a high schooler, officially. (a high schooler with pretty rad friends, i might add). i never thought that i'd become who i am today. and what's absolutely crazy is that i have no idea who i'll be next year, or the year after that, or the year after the year after that. i try not to think about it really, i just want things to happen the way they happen. (i'm not trying to sound the least bit deep or anything)...
as a 14 (almost 15!) year-old middle school graduate, i realized something. i realized that i have accomplished so many fantastic, wonderful, astonishing, and mind-blowing things in the mere 15 years of my very existence. whoever is reading this now, just think of all of the great things that you have done too! i mean really. if you're 34, 19, 12, i don't care, just think. how did you accomplish those things? did you achieve these moments because you were afraid to take risks, step out of your boundaries, and assure yourself that you can do absolutely nothing?
NO!
of course not! who does that? who does any of that at all? recognize that you've done these marvelous things and gone to such an extent because you were NOT afraid to take risks, step out of your boundaries, and you were able to assure yourself that you can do absolutely EVERYTHING.
remember these three things:
- there are no such thing as failures– only learning opportunities.
- everyone struggles, you are not alone.
- and don't take life too seriously.
even i have to think back to these three simple notes.
read them over and over, i promise they will get you through a lot if you remember them.
on a simpler note, have a great weekend everyone.
a super exciting announcement + (almost) friday links
as all of you may or may not know, i'm doing a project with VSCO. (sneak previews above)
i, izzy rael, am going to be part of VSCO's Artist Initiative project. exciting, isn't it? for the next few weeks, i'm going to be creating, shooting, and writing a book of all things creative.
that's all i am going to tell you.
you can see the official announcement on the VSCO journal here. stay tuned and watch out for specific photographs on my grid, using the hashtag #artistinitiative.
but you're probably all here for the awesome links i'm about to share with you... so i will not deprive you further.
1/ izy, the purely magnificent, internet-famous baker, just released her own announcement for her new cookbook, Top With Cinnamon! woohoo! guess who's going to be first in line when you come to sign books in new york...
2/ i'm in love with this video for green kitchen stories' raw buckwheat & walnut porridge. 10/10 great.
3/ can i please just buy all of these ceramics? please? thanks.
4/ for my mum's birthday, (happy 39th, mom!) my dad and i grilled up this easy, yet incredibly sophisticated zucchini and ricotta flatbread. heck yes. 101% recommend before summer ends!
5/ where incredible graphics, doctor who, sherlock, and harry potter collide: my new fandom tumblr! i'm almost 15, i still get to do these things. dooweeooooooooooooooo.
simple brownie bites for simple people
i'm not really a simple person, actually.
i'm more... eclectic? i don't know. hip? no.
hipster? yeaaaa-no.
but i like these brownies.
i've been really into fresh ginger lately; fresh ginger porridge, fresh ginger soba, fresh ginger tea... it's just so, so, so good. GINGER PEOPLE. i swear it will be the new kale in a couple of months.
fads, for goodness sake.
but let's quit talking about me for a second here. i'm writing right now to tell you about these brownies. these are actually SO GOOD and they use 3 ingredients, and take about 3.14159265359 minutes to make. that's right. (i timed it exactly).
i know i say this about the majority of my desserts, but seriously. let's get real. 3.14159265359 minutes *coughcough* nerd pi-jokes *cough*, 3 ingredients. that's pretty radical. insert nerd-surfer face here. (please tell me you get it..."radical")
other than those two little things, these brownies are super duper versatile. you can add whatever spices you'd like. now that i'm thinking of it, i should've added some cayenne! sweet/spicy = my kind of party.
3 ingredient raw brownie bites (for simple people)
makes 6 bites
loosely adapted from laura
3/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
1-1/3 cup pitted dates (preferably medjool)
1/4 cup cacao powder
pinch of salt
(optional) 2 tsp vietnamese cinnamon
01. in a food processor, blend buckwheat until a flour forms. (little chunks here and there are a-okay)
02. add pitted dates, cacao powder, salt, and cinnamon and process until a large ball forms
03. once everything is thoroughly combined, roll out "brownie dough" using a damp rolling pin until about 1 to 1.5" thick
04. cut the dough into 6 even bite-sized pieces of brownie
05. press in more buckwheat for extra crunch, or even emmy's cacao coconut super cereal like i did. (emmy's organics is awesomeness)
PDX
well. it's been a great 10 days here in oregon with my family, and at jazz camp.
i've made relationships with people i will never let go of, and i'm one step closer to becoming an even better musician.
i finally made my way to fifty licks, a super small batch hip ice cream parlor in portland. they have a lemon-saffron sorbet cocktail with shiso leaf. (6 more years. 6 more years...)
we went berry picking at sauvie island farms. you can't really get a real farm experience in new york, right? i probably ate about 2 pounds of blueberries and golden raspberries. the aches were worth it. plus we got to sit in a vegetable cart. win.
while we were in downtown, portland, we made our way to clyde common in the ace hotel for brunch. and stopped to peek around the little shops around the area.
the coolest shop of them all, which wasn't actually located downtown, was table of contents. it was so beautiful i wanted to cry. i was going to buy a pair of maison margiela hammer pants, but apparently "they are cool, but not cool enough for you", according to my mom. eh. fine.
we went to ración last night. my first tasting menu, and definitely not my last. it was good. great. fantastic??? right. it was the perfect finish to the end of our trip here in oregon.
i won't ever forget this one.
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
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
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.
"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.
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.
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!
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.
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
good night.
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 //
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!