Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 337

February Favorites: Lifestyle.

Hey hey! Here’s a list of all the food and fun and random things I’ve been loving in February. Let me know what you’ve been loving down below!

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. OMG. Obsessed with this podcast! I have always loved Dax, especially after watching Parenthood. Every episode has been great so far and I love that they are so long. The one with Kristen Bell reminded me so much of my own marriage too! And Jimmy Kimmel. I  laughed out loud multiple times.

Gary Vaynerchuk Crushing It is the book I’ve read (errr, I actually am looking at it on my phone on the kindle app) all last month. SO inspiring. I always make excuses and am horrible with self sabotage and this really gives you a kick in the butt. I love anything self improvement.

Bauble Bar Feather Drop Earrings. These are another pair of the statement earrings that I am OBSESSED with. They are just so fun!

Rebecca Minkoff Geo Stud Earrings. On the opposite end of the spectrum, day in and day out I am a studs girl. I love finding ones that are more fun that just regular studs, and these are my current fave! I’ve basically been living in them.

Vanilla Iced Lattes from Panera! This is a repeat but OH MY GOSH. I am loving these so much more than Starbucks, but rarely get them since we don’t have a drive through Panera! I try to only get iced coffee out once a week and these taste like chocolate milk, in a good way. Not a mocha way. They are very good with almond milk too and I usually hate almond milk in coffee.

This spring Carrots Table Runner. I mentioned this on instagram and it’s a bit early, but if you’re into doing a few fun little decor things around the house for holidays, this table runner is adorable! I generally think Pier 1 is very overpriced for the quality – but I have a few of these runners and they hold up really well! You can usually get these on sale and use a coupon too.

Le Creuset Braiser. This is by far my favorite Le Creuset pot/pan. The size is perfect. The sides go up just enough to prevent splashing/spraying. It’s also pretty enough to display! I really love it. This would be my #1 recommendation for any Le Creuset pot.

Vineyard Vines Funnel Neck Shep Shirt. I’ve had this on a few times in my instagram stories and I always get questions about it. I love love love this sweatshirt that my brother got me for Christmas. It’s still a sweatshirt but the color makes it fun and I don’t mind running errands in it. I think it will also be great during summer when it gets chilly some nights, especially if you’re by water.

Ironborn at Smallman Galley. We have been going to Ironborn since it came into Smallman and have been crazy about it. BUT! This past weekend we tried their new buffalo chicken pizza at brunch (minus the celery, bahaha) and it was the best buffalo chicken pizza I’ve ever tried. UNREAL. If you are in Pittsburgh and haven’t been there, GO! My cousin also ordered their fresh potato chips with blue cheese dip and OMG.

Also, after the pizza, I am still loving the BBG workouts. I use the SWEAT app. They are so freaking hard. But I love that I can do them in my living room if needed!

the Word Swag app. A ton of you have been asking how I’ve been getting cute font on my insta stories and this is it. Cuuuute.

[none of this is sponsored, just like to talk about things that I discover and love over the month. i purchased everything myself aside from the smeg juicer which was part of a freelance project with crate and barrel. tell me your faves! there may be a few affiliate links above. xoxoxo.]

The post February Favorites: Lifestyle. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Rosé Champagne Gummy Bears.

And gummy hearts! OMG yes – it’s true. Champagne gummy bears here we come.

I’m saying yes way rosé to GUMMIES! They’re a thing and we’re doing it at home.

Um, these might be my most favorite thing that I’ve made in a long time. They are super fun. They are SO much easier than you’d expect. And they are adorable! Perfect for the Oscars this weekend if you’re watching (hellllo Jimmy Kimmel!). Perfect for spring, perfect for a cocktail party, perfect for Sunday funday with your friends.

I should probably just write a post on why you shouldn’t make them, because I can give you 100 reasons why you SHOULD!

So, I am such a huge fan girl of sugarfina champagne bears. When I realized that I could make these on my own, I was thrilled. I have spent an embarrassing amount on sugarfina gummies as gifts for friends and family. And some for myself. You can do it at home, you can!

I started with this post from The Kitchn on rosé gummies. I swapped the rosé for rosé champagne (even better) and they are incredible.

Also, in a manic moment I added some edible gold leaf to the heart gummies! I’ve made three recipes that I’m sharing with edible gold leaf. Bit of an obsession over here. Oops.

First, the goods. I ordered this set of molds and droppers on amazon. Using the dropper was so simple. It was slightly tedious filling up ALL the molds, but it was easy. It didn’t spill everywhere or anything.

It’s probably an excellent exercise in patience, so yeah.

Second, all you need is champagne, powdered gelatin and sugar. That’s it! If you’ve ever made homemade marshmallows, then you’re familiar with the gelatin and how easy it is to use. It actually blows my mind that we can easily do this in our own kitchens.

Now – the one thing about these gummies is that they are more like jello jigglers than gummy bears. But not in a bad way!  I mean, saying that probably makes them sound terrible. But what I really mean is that they should stay chilled in your fridge for optimal consumption. They are great when set out for a few hours at a party and maaaaybe even overnight (I actually left some out overnight to test (#hardwork) and they were still great), but I definitely wouldn’t gift them and package them up days ahead of time to give them to a friend.

You know?

This just means that you should invite all of your friends over, make these gummies together, drink the remaining champagne in the 90 minutes that these take to set and then go gummy crazy. Drop the gummies into champagne too for an extra boozy boost. It’s heavenly!

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Rosé Champagne Gummy Bears

Yield: makes a ton of gummies

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups rosé champagne
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered gelatin



Directions:

Heat 1 cup of the champagne in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the mixture reduces by half.

While the champagne is reducing, stir together the remaining champagne and the gelatin. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Whisk the sugar into the reduced champagne and add the gelatin mixture to the saucepan too. Whisk constantly with the saucepan over medium heat until the sugar and gelatin dissolve and the mixture slightly thickens. Turn off the heat.

Fill the molds with the mixture using a dropper or a small creamer to pour. Run a spatula over the molds to get off any excess champagne mixture. Stick in the fridge for about 90 minutes (or longer is fine too!). Then it’s time to eat and serve! These stay great at room temp for awhile, but I wouldn’t gift them as is. They are best when stored in the fridge and brought out for cocktail parties or snacks!

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I appreciate you so much!

Yes. This is my favorite thing.

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A Day in the Life – February 2018.

[I’m sharing another day in the life post! After the one I shared in January, a bunch of you asked to see a non-work day and a day when I didn’t have childcare. I promise that’s coming next month! I documented this day on a Tuesday (again!) when I had childcare for Max for a few hours in the morning. I’m planning on sharing one each month!]

6:45am: Max doesn’t realize that if you wake up really early, you can decide to go back to sleep, so we’re up! Emilia is up too. I’m up, I’m up! I feed Emilia, we all snuggle in bed and then head downstairs.

And I am soooo tired. Emilia is going through what I think is the 4 month sleep regression and waking every 1 to 2 hours. I keep telling my mom that I have NO idea how I did this with Max for two years straight every single night, but I’m so tired and very overwhelmed with this stage! With Max, I would nurse him and he was a big comfort nurser and while it probably was a bad habit, it worked like a charm and was fine and he often went right back to sleep. Emilia doesn’t like to be rocked or snuggled to sleep and she won’t nurse when she isn’t hungry, so she is just fussing multiple times per night, but it’s more than little squeaks and I’m not doing full on cry it out yet. It’s the first time I have felt overwhelmed with life since she was born in November. NEED SLEEP!

7am: I make a big glass of water with apple cider vinegar which I’ve been doing for 10+ years. I swear it saves me from sickness! I’m still doing BBG but did it yesterday so am not doing it today (unless I have a charge of heart come this afternoon). It took me about 6 weeks to complete 4.5 weeks so far, but I still love it!

I get Max breakfast and work on a few quick work things (the ones I like the least!) while he is eating. Emilia is doing tummy time next to me!

7:45am:  I forgot that I didn’t make any coffee and since I’m an absolute zombie, I make some. The minute the espresso brews, Alex (who watches Max! she is so much more than a babysitter though!) texts me and says she is going to stop at Starbucks and asks if I want anything. UM YES PLEASE.

8:15am: I run upstairs super quickly to wash my face and do some morning skincare, change my clothes, set out some warm clothes for all of us tonight because he has skating lessons and come back down. Also make some avocado toast on sourdough! Emilia is snoozing.

8:30am: I have to film a video for a sponsored post and I can’t ever do the videos and photos in the same day. So even though I made the recipe yesterday, I’m making it again today to film. It’s going to take at least 3 (broken up) hours because it’s dough that has to rise so I have to start NOW.

9am: I nurse Emilia. We do a little more tummy time I set her in the bjorn lounger while I set things up.

9:15am: I film the first portion of the video and while waiting for the dough to rise, I do a ton of computer work. I work on today’s blog post, write out my February beauty favorites and my February lifestyle favorites, start to edit six sets of photos (omg what) and write out a bunch of stuff for the book launch! During this time, I have Emilia in the rock and play for about 20 minutes, then we also do tummy time (I have her do a TON of tummy time because I’m so paranoid about her head getting flat since she sleeps for long periods of time.. or err, she used to) and I wear her too.

Her fat little toes kill me. She loves being bundled like this and watching me in the kitchen for a bit!

11am: I finish up filming the video and try not to hate it. Max and Alex have been outside playing since it’s sunny and warm, and they come inside for him to eat peanut butter banana toast! It’s his favorite meal.

12pm: Time to feed Emilia again! Right now she goes 3 to 4 hours between eating. I love this so much! It’s like a little break we get to take together, it relaxes me and resets my brain. So glad this part is not overwhelming for me, so I feel lucky.

12:15pm: I start some beef tacos in my slow cooker. I do it this way since we won’t get home until later after Max’s skate lessons. I can sear everything in this slow cooker and it’s amazing! Barely any clean up at this point. I just can’t stand the way beef tacos make the house smell. The scent sticks on everything.

12:45pm: I half-ass clean up the kitchen which means I wipe down the counters, put away any and all food and load up the dishwasher. This is far from CLEAN though because on shoot days I essentially have to destroy my kitchen. I push the table up against the window, I have tons of props out that I need for food styling but store elsewhere, there are six photography boards propped against my kitchen table and 2 tripods. I’m leaving it cluttered though (which makes me insane) because I have to prioritize. I probably won’t get to put everything away until tomorrow morning! Which isn’t a huge deal, except I will kind of die if anyone decides to stop over and see this mess. Perks of working from home!

1pm: I jump in the shower real quick because Alex is still here. Max is napping and Emilia is also asleep, so Alex keeps an eye on her while I jump in the shower super fast. I get ready at this point too. I can’t stand smelling like tacos.

2pm: Our upstairs is (also) a complete disaster because of the toddler tornado that whips through. I take 20 minutes to clean up what I can and then have 40 more for some work before Alex leaves. I’m wearing Emilia and she is super happy and chill! I listen to some of the WTF podcast episode with Jennifer Lawrence which is amazing.

3pm: Emilia time! She eats and is such a little chunk that I can hardly take her adorableness.

3:30pm: I took a quick break and posted a few insta stories! You might have seen them.

4pm: Max plays with legos and Emilia and I sit on the floor with him while I do a few more work things (and continue to detail this post hour by hour!) before we head to skate lessons. I get us all dressed and everything ready to go so we can leave on time.

5pm: I feel Emilia right before we leave so she is good to go for a few hours.

5:15pm: We leave for skate lessons and since Max is the product of a millennial he asks if we can stop and get a croissant. He is so tiny and I never deny him any snack or food when he asks, so I go through the Starbucks drive thru and get him a butter croissant. He inhales it. I reeeeallly want an everything croissant for myself but resist. I haven’t had anywhere near enough water today so I just get a venti ice water! It’s about 30 minutes away and ummmm right now as a mom of two, I LOVE getting in the car with my babes and driving somewhere. Because it’s nice to be able to sit and drive and feel like I’m having time to myself, but also have them in the backseat with me. It’s like a mini vacation. Am I right?

6pm: Skate lessons! Eddie leaves work a little early to meet us at the ice rink. Skate lessons are SO fun and hilarious and great tonight. Max was excited to go and it is just so funny to watch him out there. He chats up a storm. At one point he was crawling on the ice. At other points he was skating with his buckets waaaay too close to the advanced group. We laugh the entire time and probably act like goofy parents. I leave with Emilia at about 6:45 so I can get dinner fully ready.

7:45pm: Back home and soooo glad I threw that recipe in the slow cooker. Emilia screamed the entire ride home because she lost the pacifier and knew it was RIGHT THERE but couldn’t get it, so I’m tense and feel so bad she was crying. I nurse her and start the bedtime routine! She goes down at about 8.

Everything I read about the 4-month sleep regression says “put them to bed at 6 or 6:30!” but if I do that, Eddie will literally only see her on Saturday and half of Sunday. I’m trying to work the nap schedule towards an 8 o’clock bedtime, which seems to be working. Or at least it was.

The beef tacos are SO good. It’s something that doesn’t taste like “slow cooker” so it’s perfect. I actually made a taco salad with butter lettuce and ten thousand tortilla chips on top along with avocado and am a happy camper. But totally forget to take any photos because we’re running around like crazy people. This looks terrible below, but it was delish! Grass fed bed, sweet onions, two bell peppers, a can of green chilis, tons of spices.

8:30pm: After a little bit of play time and another quick kitchen clean up, Eddie takes Max up to do his bedtime routine. I hate that we didn’t get a ton of snuggle time today. I don’t even know me because all I want to do is snuggle my kids 24/7. I love this more than I ever thought I would.

9pm: This Is Us is on and I am severely sucked into this show. I can’t ever just sit and watch a TV show (I wish I could, but I just can’t!) so I have my computer and am ready to finish editing photos. Goal is: also try not to get sucked into the internet vortex.

9:20pm: Ugh – Emilia is up already. I head upstairs and put the pacifier back in her mouth and wait it out. It’s not the hunger cry. She falls back asleep!

10pm: I make a huuuge to-do list for tomorrow which is probably too ambitious (spoiler alert: it was! hence why this post isn’t going up until 10PM), but I need to do a brain dump of everything that has to be done. I can figure out the priority in the morning but if I don’t get it down on paper now, my mind will race in bed! First on the list: put away all my photography stuff so our house doesn’t look trashed.

10:15pm: I head up to bed earlier than usual because I am dyyyying of exhaustion. But don’t worry, I still suck at life and look at my phone for 25 minutes before passing out. 2018 is the worst. OH WELL.

P.S./next day note: Emilia woke up after four hours which was a little better. But we’re not there yet!

The post A Day in the Life – February 2018. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

15 Minute Sesame Ramen Noodles.

Today we’re going to eat sesame noodles and pretend like we’re in college again.

Except! Except the flavor is SPOT ON in these ramen noodles. Super delicious and packed with everything that tastes amazing. And we’re tossing the gross seasoning packet so no need to be judgy. We’re making our own seasoning sauce and it’s the best thing ever. Forever ever. 

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GUYS!!! We are just THREE WEEKS (omg omg omg) away from the launch of the The Pretty Dish. Three freaking weeks! WOOHOO! This is another sneak peek recipe from the book and it’s one of the simplest. And the most delicious. Heck, they are all the most delicious.

If you haven’t ordered yet, you can preorder HERE!

To continue sounding like a broken record, I’m so pumped for you to see what is in this book. I am almost afraid that I’m building it up too much because I love the recipes to a wacky extent. But they are SO fantastic! And so are these free bonus recipes too!

SO.

The packaged ramen was never actually a college thing for me like it is for so many others. I don’t know who introduced me to it (it might have been my mom, but I doubt it because she cooked dinner every night and it was never something like that), but it was one of the first things I realize that I could actually make myself in the kitchen. And one of the first things that my mom actually let me make!

I mean, back in those days, I actually used the seasoning packet which most likely threw me into a carb coma 35 minutes later. It was delicious though. That’s how I remember it!

Thankfully, I stopped using the seasoning packet long ago. I still buy the noodles for things like homemade ramen soup because they are the most accessible for me. At least most times! Especially when I haven’t planned ahead.

These sesame noodles are sort of like that. I ridiculously LOVE this recipe. It’s so simple and easy and majorly packed with flavor. We’re talking embarrassingly easy.

It’s a little twist on sesame noodles (that I usually make with soba noodles) and it will seriously take you 15 minutes! Maybe even 10 if you’re really on top of your game.

The flavor base starts with coconut oil. We have fresh garlic and ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. Chili garlic paste too!

Then the whole thing is sprinkled with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. It’s everything I want to eat when I need fast comfort food at home. Or an easy lunch. Or a dinner that takes no time at all. It’s whatever you want it to be!

Also! Don’t forget that you can still get your free 15 bonus recipes with an order of The Pretty Dish! Those recipes are pretty darn simple too.

Fork twirls forever.

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5



5 / 5
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15 Minute Sesame Ramen

Yield: serves 1 to 2

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 package ramen noodles, flavor packet discarded
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili garlic paste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

 

2 green onions, thinly sliced
toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling



Directions:

Cook the ramen noodles according to the directions on the package. This only takes 2 to 3 minutes! I like to get all of my other ingredients out while waiting for the water to boil.

While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the coconut oil and once melted, stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute, then stir in the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and chili garlic paste. Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil. Add the noodles to the skillet and toss well to coat.

Serve the noodles with lots of green onions and sesame seeds on top.

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.

I appreciate you so much!

Little bowl of love.

The post 15 Minute Sesame Ramen Noodles. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

15 Minute Sesame Ramen Noodles. {Video!}

Today we’re going to eat sesame noodles and pretend like we’re in college again.

Except! Except the flavor is SPOT ON in these ramen noodles. Super delicious and packed with everything that tastes amazing. And we’re tossing the gross seasoning packet so no need to be judgy. We’re making our own seasoning sauce and it’s the best thing ever. Forever ever. 

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

GUYS!!! We are just THREE WEEKS (omg omg omg) away from the launch of the The Pretty Dish. Three freaking weeks! WOOHOO! This is another sneak peek recipe from the book and it’s one of the simplest. And the most delicious. Heck, they are all the most delicious.

If you haven’t ordered yet, you can preorder HERE!

To continue sounding like a broken record, I’m so pumped for you to see what is in this book. I am almost afraid that I’m building it up too much because I love the recipes to a wacky extent. But they are SO fantastic! And so are these free bonus recipes too!

SO.

The packaged ramen was never actually a college thing for me like it is for so many others. I don’t know who introduced me to it (it might have been my mom, but I doubt it because she cooked dinner every night and it was never something like that), but it was one of the first things I realize that I could actually make myself in the kitchen. And one of the first things that my mom actually let me make!

I mean, back in those days, I actually used the seasoning packet which most likely threw me into a carb coma 35 minutes later. It was delicious though. That’s how I remember it!

Thankfully, I stopped using the seasoning packet long ago. I still buy the noodles for things like homemade ramen soup because they are the most accessible for me. At least most times! Especially when I haven’t planned ahead.

These sesame noodles are sort of like that. I ridiculously LOVE this recipe. It’s so simple and easy and majorly packed with flavor. We’re talking embarrassingly easy.

It’s a little twist on sesame noodles (that I usually make with soba noodles) and it will seriously take you 15 minutes! Maybe even 10 if you’re really on top of your game.

The flavor base starts with coconut oil. We have fresh garlic and ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. Chili garlic paste too!

Then the whole thing is sprinkled with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. It’s everything I want to eat when I need fast comfort food at home. Or an easy lunch. Or a dinner that takes no time at all. It’s whatever you want it to be!

Also! Don’t forget that you can still get your free 15 bonus recipes with an order of The Pretty Dish! Those recipes are pretty darn simple too.

Fork twirls forever.

Print Recipe





Did you make this recipe? Leave a review »







15 Minute Sesame Ramen

Yield: serves 1 to 2

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 package ramen noodles, flavor packet discarded
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili garlic paste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

 

2 green onions, thinly sliced
toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling



Directions:

Cook the ramen noodles according to the directions on the package. This only takes 2 to 3 minutes! I like to get all of my other ingredients out while waiting for the water to boil.

While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the coconut oil and once melted, stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute, then stir in the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and chili garlic paste. Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil. Add the noodles to the skillet and toss well to coat.

Serve the noodles with lots of green onions and sesame seeds on top.

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page.

I appreciate you so much!

Little bowl of love.

The post 15 Minute Sesame Ramen Noodles. {Video!} appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Tuesday Things.

1. All I need at the moment is a one bowl brown butter banana cake. See also: I live for alliteration.

2. I’m so sad that the Olympics are over. I don’t know what to do with myself now from 9PM to 12AM. Sleep would probably be a great answer.

3. Also, I’m like 95% sure that Johnny Weir has eyelash extensions, right? I’m so going to miss seeing him (& Tara Lipinski!) every night! Can’t wait for the Kentucky Derby and their outfits. Back to the subject at hand, this makes me want eyelash extensions so badly (again), and I know I mention it every few months, but I can’t imagine spending that chunk of time getting refills so often. Like I’d rather go shopping? Or go to an amazing restaurant? Or something else now that I have kids. But I WANT THE LASHES. Will my eyeballs fall out? I’m afraid so.

4. There are a lot of games and toys that I love to play with Max every day. He recently got into legos and loves building them (which I think is amazing, my brother loved them too… and still does!) but he is still getting the hang of building the pictures he sees on the box. This has taught me that I have NO patience for legos and building. OMG. So not my thing. I mean, I obviously fake it and act like playing with them is the most fun thing in the universe. But. Every time I put these tiny buildings together I’m internally losing my mind. Really wishing I loved them! Interested to know if you have a toy like this that you dread.

5. I don’t even like carbonation and Diet Coke and these are all I want to drink.

6. My TV thoughts for the week: I watched Homeland and think it’s getting better! I loved Divorce again because I just laugh hysterically at each episode. Last night I did watch Good Girls and liked it. Thoughts? Think it will stick around? Also, is anyone interested in Roseanne coming back? I was never allowed to watch that when I was a kid so have no thoughts. We also weren’t allowed to watch The Simpsons, Married with Children and 90210, but I totally snuck the last one somehow. Super excited This Is Us is coming back tonight!

7. And this interview with Jennifer Lawrence had me rolling on the floor. Can’t wait to listen to her on Marc Maron’s podcast too.

8. Tell me about a great desk. I have a desk that was given to us when my grandma died but it has no storage (like one drawer) and my junk is piled EVERYWHERE. Pretty sure I mentioned before that I’d love an acrylic clear desk but I actually need something functional since I work. And I’m ready to get it now! Something with lots of drawers and storage! I like a bunch of Pottery Barn Teen options, most likely because I still think I’m a teen.

The post Tuesday Things. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Crunchy BBQ Chickpea Lettuce Wraps.

Hellllllo, lunch.

Chickpea lettuce wraps to the rescue!

These are everything I want in lunch: crunchy, crispy, tangy, flavorful and ridiculously satisfying. Like, super filling! I love love love them.

Oh and pretty easy too. I need something easy since I spend the majority of any break I take for lunch losing my brain in the internet vortex, mostly over memes of things like Mall Madness circa 1993. What a great freaking game.

First, crunchy chickpeas! I mean I talk about them all the time and they are just theeee best snack. And yes, I know there are a ton of packaged options out there now (which didn’t exist when I first started making these!) but they are so easy to make at home, I never find a reason to grab those. Unless I’m, like, in an airport or dying of hunger and need a quick not-terrible-for-me snack!

Doing it at home is just so simple though. The flavors on the chickpeas are so customizable! Which is excellent for someone like me who gets bored all the time.

And the texture is the best, especially when you’re in need of something with crunch.

I like to toss the chickpeas in a very light coating of BBQ sauce right before adding them to the wrap (because they maintain their crunch that way!) and then also layer on some avocado and radish slices. They are extra flavorful this way. Just totally want to eat them with a spoon.

Next comes some fresh chives and crumbled feta. Of course.

Seriously, what is a life without cheeeeese.

Also! On top we have this little BBQ lime crema thing that lends a richness to the wrap. Everything is better with sauce or dip, am I right?

One of my other favorite meals to make? These BBQ chicken and pineapple lettuce wraps, which totally inspired these. I wanted to make a quick vegetarian version and here we go!

And yes, when I say “quick,” I realize that roasting the chickpeas isn’t exactly super fast. You can roast them ahead of time or you don’t even really HAVE to roast them. If you are kind of “meh” about the whole crunch aspect, just toss them with some BBQ sauce and you’re good to go.

Nothing like a fun lunch to make you feel fancy!

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Crunchy BBQ Chickpea Lettuce Wraps










Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
1 head of butter lettuce (or your favorite lettuce!), leaves removed
1 avocado, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons crumbled feta
a few fresh radish slices for garnish
lime wedges for garnish

BBQ lime crema

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Place the chickpeas on a paper towel and pat the as dry as you can. Remove any loose skins.

Put the chickpeas on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil or the oil of your choice. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder and toss well to coat. Make sure the chickpeas are in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, toss well and flip, then bake for about 15 to 20 minutes more. I like them super crispy!

Remove the chickpeas and lightly toss in 1 to 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce.

Assemble the lettuce wraps by placing a few chickpeas in the center of the lettuce leaves. Add on the slices avocado, chives, feta and radish. Drizzle with the BBQ crema and add a spritz of lime!

BBQ lime crema

Whisk together the ingredients until smooth! Store in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days.

 

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And then there is always still room for cookies.

The post Crunchy BBQ Chickpea Lettuce Wraps. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Currently Crushing On.

Happy weeeeeekend!

We have a fun few days planned, starting with brunch this morning!

Hope you guys have a wonderful one. And P.S. don’t forget that you can get a FREE bonus ebook with an order of The Pretty Dish! xoxo

Fun favorites of the week!

funfetti chip scones! omg yes.

beautiful chicken mango rainbow veggie wraps.

the prettiest toasted coconut carrot cake muffins.

an easy golden turmeric latte!

super stunning beet poke bowls.

dying for this green tomatillo shakshuka.

one heck of a warm lentil salad. wow!

best eggplant parmesan that looks amazing.

love these almond and tahini cookies.

shrimp and couscous with mango. so refreshing.

heck yes: tomato and butternut grain bowls!

roasted + raw carrot avocado salad. interesting!

i’m done. nutella swirled banana muffins.

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Lemon Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Predictably, lemon and I are having a moment.

I’ve been lemon-ing all the things. Like chicken and now sheet cake and even chia pudding that I’ll tell you about soon. I get in lemon mode and I can’t get out.

This is not the first lemon cake I’ve made either. EMBARRASSING.

I’ve made a lemon cake with marshmallow frosting, a lemon loaf cake, a lemon pudding cake, a lemon pistachio bundt cake and lemon cupcakes with coconut whipped cream. Apparently I can’t get enough.

And I’ll always stand by the fact that I need a bite of chocolate dessert and a bite of lemon dessert. They are two totally different taste buds! And dreamy ones at that.

I based this lemon cake off of this stunning strawberry rhubarb cake by my friend Adrianna. She makes the BEST sheet cakes that are gorgeous and perfectly frosted and I attempted to make one as pretty as hers and attempt her style but it isn’t even possible. Hers are just so stylish and stunning!

And the cake base is perfection. I swear.

I’m a big believe in cream cheese frosting. I think it makes all cakes taste better. Has that little extra bite and sort of tastes like cheesecake and just has more flavor overall. But really? This is probably because I am not a frosting person. Nope. Not at all! I’ve never liked frosting by itself and always ask for the cake with the least amount of frosting.

There has to be a perfect cake-to-frosting ration for me to be impressed. Which basically means lots of cake and very little frosting.

However, I do make a few exceptions when it comes to cream cheese frosting. It’s just SO darn good. And it’s really fantastic with lemon! And coconut. Chocolate too.

Basically, don’t even give me cake with other frosting, okay?

On top of the cream cheese icing, I added the little candied lemon rounds from Trader Joes! Do they still have these or are they seasonal?

I bought them in December and even did a Trader Joes haul on Instagram stories – figuring I’d use them for cocktails over the holidays. But then I had the flu of death on Christmas and felt generally awful until New Years, so that didn’t happen. Leaving me with a bunch of candied citrus!

Not that I’m complaining.

Okay, maybe I am a little.

Oh oh and! The sprinkles come from Sweetapolita and she makes the most amazing sprinkle mixes in the universe. I seriously love love love them all. So fun!

Now I have my favorite dessert for the next two months! Until my next favorite dessert comes along… of course.

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Lemon Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: makes about 12 servings

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

lemon cake

2 3/4 cup cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup milk
1 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
sprinkles for the frosting
candied lemon slices if you want!

cream cheese frosting

2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick or baking spray and line it with parchment paper. Spray it one more time,

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until they are combined. Beat in the extracts. Add half of the dry ingredients, then add the milk and beat until combined. Beat in the rest of the dry ingredients. Beat in the lemon zest.

Pour the mixture into the greased pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is set in the center. Let cool completely before frosting. Once cool, lift the parchment paper on the edges to lift the cake out and frost.

cream cheese frosting

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Beat in the sugar until combined. Beat in the vanilla extract. Frost the cooled cake, then top with the sprinkles!

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My kind of spread right there.

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Coconut Chai Power Coffee!

Or aka, the jolt that I am currently obsessed with.

So I never really got into the whole bulletproof coffee thing. Not because I wasn’t interested in it (though at first the thought of butter in my coffee was like whaaaaat), but mostly because I didn’t want to take the extra 45 seconds to prepare it. Huh!

BUT.

Coffee can have a weird effect on my so I rarely drink more than one cup, especially right now since I’m nursing Emilia. Even having one cup sometimes can leave me jittery, and that really happens if I don’t get to eat breakfast for a while. I never want to stop drinking it (ever, hello), but I decided to try this out to make it more “stable” or something. Supposedly it prevents the severe caffeine crash and I was alllll about that.

Also, can we take a minute and discuss the coffee revolution that has happened here on the blog over nearly ten years?! It feels like yesterday that I was writing posts about hating coffee, writing posts about wanting to love coffee and drinking coffee and now, it’s a THING!

So this coconut oil coffee has been my solution and I L-O-V-E love it. The crash isn’t happening like it used to. The jitters aren’t either! It makes me feel focused longer. Is that all in my head? MAYBE.

The only part that is a total bummer is dragging out the blender, pouring everything in and then having to clean the blender. Doing that at 7am isn’t always something I’m excited about. So! A lot of times I will make this in the afternoon. I might skip it in the morning and go for this later.

Because normally, afternoon coffee tends to make me feel like garbage if it’s a second cup. Noooo idea why. I can have the exact same cup that I had in the morning and for the rest of the night, I.feel.terrible. I’ve mentioned this before and I don’t know if it’s a mixture of the caffeine + the dairy + maybe any sugar if I’m using it. But it’s not good.

This, however! Doesn’t do that to me at all. Interesting. Coconut oil coffee just sounds weird though.

Here’s how it goes down!

I make a cup of coffee or a shot of espresso. I just use my Nespresso machine! Super easy and we all know that I don’t have a sophisticated palatte or anything.

That hot coffee goes straight into the blender with:

A spoonful of coconut cream. I get the cans at Trader Joes. Or I scoop out the cream from a refrigerated can of full-fat coconut milk.

A teaspoon of coconut oil.

And a few pinches of my favorite chai spice mix. (minus any black pepper because I’m a baby.)

Blend it up and pour it in your cup while it’s still hot!

I’m including the chai spice mix down below, but it obviously makes a lot. Make it once and then you’ll have it for awhile, you know?

Right now, I am INTO this. You guys know that I’m almost always an iced coffee person. I mean, it can be 21 degrees out and I will get iced coffee. Iced coffee forever! Mostly because it tastes like dessert. This is a fancy change of pace though and it’s tasting deeeelish. Bonus: makes me feel like magic.

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Coconut Chai Power Coffee

Yield: makes 1 drink, is easily multiplied

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup of freshly brewed hot coffee (or 1 or 2 shots of espresso)
1 tablespoon coconut cream
1 to 2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 pinch of chai spice mix
any kind of sweetener if you’d like!

chai spice mix

1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg



Directions:

Add the coffee, coconut cream, coconut oil, chai spice mix and any sweetener if you’d like into a blender. Blend carefully since it’s hot! Blend until frothy and combined, then pour in a mug and drink!

chai spice mix

Mix all the spices together and store in a sealed container.

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Isn’t that just so comforting and cute?!

The post Coconut Chai Power Coffee! appeared first on How Sweet Eats.