made at home: banana date bars

Banana Date Bars

• 1 1/2 cups of pitted dates
• 1/4 cup of coconut 
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1 ripe banana, mashed 
• 2/3 cups of oats
• 1 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 
• 1 cup of brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon of ginger 
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil, melted 

    In a large bowl mix shift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and oats. On the stove top, bring the dates and water to a boil. After coming to a boil, add in half of the brown sugar, and let the mixture sit to thicken. Mix the mashed banana, coconut oil, and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Add the coconut and walnuts into the dry mixture bowl, then add in the wet mixture and use the fingertips to mix together. Pour the date mixture into the bottom of a greased square baking dish, then crumble the dry mixture over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve cooled, and topped with honey. 

    I was at Costco the other week with my parents, and I saw a huge box of dates that I just couldn't leave without. When it actually came down to eating the dates at home, I usually just snacked on them throughout the day, and then I decided I needed to bake something with them. Date bars have always been one of my favorite desserts, and this was my first time baking them myself. I snacked on these on my car rides to school.. because in some way they remind me of a breakfast treat. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this recipe, and think of this next time you have too many dates from a Costco trip. 

made at home: lavender lemon mini-doughnuts

Lavender Lemon Mini-Doughnuts

• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt 
• zest of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon of lavender 
• 1/2 cup of buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla abstract  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 egg

Lemon Glaze

• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

   Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix together the buttermilk, vanilla, oil, and egg into another medium bowl. Add the lemon zest and the lavender into the dry mixture, then combine the wet into the dry mixture as well. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place batter into a greased mini-doughnut pan, and cook for 6-9 minutes. If using a mini-doughnut maker, use as instructed.  Juice the lemon into a medium-sized bowl and pour milk in, then mix with the powdered sugar to create the doughnut glaze. Let the cooked doughnuts cool, then dip gently into the glaze and let dry.

    How can you go wrong with lavender? I mean, if someone baked me something with lavender, chances are I would fall in love with it. Usually, I use lavender for simple syrups to use in lattes or lemonade, but I decided to bake a few treats with some of the bag I bought earlier in the week. Lemon is also a perfect pair for lavender, which makes these doughnuts have such a wonderful taste... and bring a little spring time to these winter days. 

my roses blossom the whole year around

(tights: target, velvet skirt: handmade, everything else is vintage)

   I believe that the Nelson Aktin's Museum of Art is by far one the best places in Kansas City. I go here often, not just because it is five minutes away from my apartment or that the admission is free of charge, but because the museum has such a vast collection of art there is a piece for every mood. Usually though, I am feeling early American or European, the occasional modern art mood as well. I stopped here with a friend on Saturday, and mainly stuck to my favorites. Also, the courtyard dining area is by far my new favorite view. 

   I decided to bring my giant mink fur (I believe mink?)  coat out for this day, because the rest of the week is looking to be in the high 40's/50's... I guess Spring is arriving sooner than I had hoped. I also found this pair of low-top Doc Marten's at my favorite thrift store outlet for only a dollar, so I have been wearing them around in the snow this past week. Also this past week was my birthday, for which my mom baked me the richest cupcakes in the world full of cookie dough. They are so filling that I can hardly eat a whole one in one sitting... although I did have two yesterday, but I'm not counting. 

made at home: chocolate strawberry bundt cake

Chocolate Strawberry Bundt Cake

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 3/4 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of coco powder
• 1/4 cup of very finely ground (or instant) coffee beans
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup of oil (I used vegetable)
• 1 cup of milk
• 3/4 cup of warm water
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla abstract
• 2 eggs
• 10 strawberries

   Combine all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix both of the eggs and vanilla abstract in the mixture. Add the oil and the milk. After mixed, stir in the warm water until the cake mixture is almost soup-like. Oil and flour the bundt cake pan, then pour the cake mixture into the pan. Slice the strawberries into fourths or halves, and gently place into the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes, then place onto a cooling rack to cool completely. 

White Chocolate Strawberry Glaze

• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 cup of white chocolate chips
• 5 strawberries 
• 1 cup of powdered sugar

    Pour the milk into a sauce pan, add the strawberries. Crush the berries in the pan, then bring the mixture to an almost boil on the stove top. Remove the pan from the stove and, over a strainer with another bowl underneath, pour the mixture to remove the seeds/large berry chunks from the milk. Quickly do this process so the mixture is still very hot, then add the chocolate chips and mix quickly until melted. Add the powder sugar until the glaze is thickened. Pour over the warm bundt cake to create a doughnut-like glaze. 

    I bought a bundt cake pan from an estate a few weeks ago for a couple cents, so I had been planning on putting it to use in the near future... which having a snow day presented the perfect opportunity to do so. Baking with only things I had around the house today (which was slim to none, considering it was a snow storm and we hadn't been grocery shopping in over a week), so I pulled out some frozen berries and white chocolate chips to work with.

    I also feel this recipe fits well with the upcoming holiday, Valentine's Day, because chocolates and strawberries seem to be so popular during the season. It kind of excited me that this went so well with that day, considering it is one of my favorite holidays. Also, a fair warning, baking bundt cake can become quite messy and take a while to bake.. I had forgotten that since my days of working at a bakery. 

made at home: kale muenster quiche

Kale Muenster Quiche 

• 4 cups of chopped kale
• 2 diced red potatoes 
• 3/4 cup of diced muenster
• 2 cloves of chopped garlic
• 5 eggs
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 cup milk
• 1 pie crust (recipe I use here)

  After pie crust is prepped, place in the freezer until ready for use. Saute the potatoes, garlic, onion, and kale. Press the vegetables  besides the kale, firmly with a paper towel to remove excess oil. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, then fold in the cheese. Place the vegetables in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the liquid mixture over them. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  

  Oh, the joys of baking with eggs (I didn't believe that would have come out of my mouth anytime soon in my life). My desserts taste richer, my breakfast keeps me full, and quiche's have developed into one of my new favorite things. This is my first quiche ever, which the delightfulness of this recipe surprised me because I have slim to none experience with eggs. 

  Although eggs are the main experience in this dish, I added a large amount kale to make this a wholesome quiche. Try this for a breakfast treat, a slice for an afternoon snack, or even for those late night "in need of staying awake to study" eats. Trust the newly dairy eater here, it's one to make.

made at home: chai pumpkin pie

Chai Pumpkin Pie

• 1 can of pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 3 Chai tea bags
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon of allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon of ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 
• 1 cup of homemade sweet and condensed milk (recipe here)
• 1/2 cup of cold water 
• 1 pie crust (recipe here) 

  After preparing the pie crust and the sweet and condensed milk, place the sweet and condensed milk and water into a pot over the stove top. Bring the liquids to a boil, then ad the Chai tea bags and simmer for about 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature after simmering. Mix the sugar, eggs, and spices into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Combine the pumpkin puree with the mixture, then add the Chai tea liquid mixture to the bowl. Pour the pumpkin pie filling over the pie crust, bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. 

  Pumpkin pie is such a staple for this time of the year. Though I honestly don't think I've had a Pumpkin pie that my mother didn't bake, which part of me wanted to keep it that way, but my boyfriend and I were craving it the other day. Naturally I tend to spice things up a bit when I bake, so decided to combine my love of strong Chai tea to this pumpkin pie. The flavors developed into a creamy, spice-filled heaven together... if I can say so myself! 

  This is also the first recipe that I have featured on my blog that is not vegan. I can't recall the last time I baked something that wasn't vegan, so I was dying to whip up something with actual milk and egg product.

made at home: lemon dill bread

Lemon Dill Bread

• 2 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup of sugar 
• 1 teaspoon of ginger 
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed (mixed with 6 tablespoons of cold water)
• 3/4 cup of non-dairy milk (I used almond)
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1 ripe banana
• juice of 2 lemons
• zest of 2 lemons 
• 1/8 cup of fresh dill 

   Combine the flour, sugar, ginger, and baking powder into a medium sized bowl. Zest the two lemons into the dry mixture, then juice both of the lemons into a separate bowl. Add the liquid ingredients, plus the banana, into the bowl and mixed until just combined. Fold in the dill, then bake at 350 degrees in a greased and floured bread pan. Let cool, then serve. 

   Today was rainy, full of commuting to classes, and studying for tests. I decided to multitask today, and take a slight break from cramming for a Geology test, to create something with the huge amount of dill that I gathered from the farmer's market. I was thinking to myself, "what kind of recipes can I make with all of this dill?", and then I decided to pair dill with lemon.. and that's what developed the idea for this bread. It's savory, sweet, and full of flavor. I paired my piece with Earth Balance, a drizzle of honey, and some warm chai tea. Enjoy! 

made at home: cinnamon apple "cheddar" scones

Cinnamon Apple "Cheddar" Scones

• 2 cups of flour
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of salt 
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon 
• 1/3 cup of non-dairy butter (I used Earth Balance)  
• 3/4 cup of non-dairy milk (I used almond) 
• 2/3 cup of very cold vegan cheddar cheese (I used Follow Your Heart)
• 2 diced apples 

   In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together. Cut in the cold butter so the mixture looks like crumbs. Fold in the cheese, then mix in the milk just until mixed with the dry ingredients. Fold in the apples and then knead the dough on a floured surface a few times. Cut into six scones. Bake at 425 degrees on a greased baking sheet for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown on top. 

  As I was doing some reading about unusual and tasty combinations for baking the other day, I came across many "apple and cheddar" recipes along the way. So, I thought to myself, about the idea of scones with these two ingredients. I was in the mood for scones, because I was dreaming about Autumn (in which I associate with lots of scones!). I also added cinnamon, that I taught went so well with this recipe. Enjoy!  

made at home: peanut butter banana bread

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

• 3 mashed ripe bananas 
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk (I used coconut) 
• 2 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2/3 vegan chocolate chips 

   In a medium bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients, along with bananas, sugar, and peanut butter. After all combined, mix together dry ingredients (except for chocolate chips) and slowly add wet mixture until fully mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and be sure not to over stir batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.  

  Baking banana bread is always the go-to with extra ripe bananas for me, and I decided to spice this recipe up a bit with adding some peanut butter into the batter. With adding the peanut butter, the bread can become a tad bit dryer, so I suggest adding some Earth Balance and honey to top it off while enjoying a slice. Breads like this for perfect for little gifts, where they can be wrapped up nicely and dropped off to friends or family, and I plan to make more breads during the later fall months.