apple crumb cake

You guysssss. I recently discovered Figgy Bakery, a gem of a blog/bakery, and have not been able to get enough of her recipes. They're an amazing take on whole foods and clean eating and she has a knack for making vegan baked goods and seemingly indulgent desserts just a bit healthier than they typically are. Anyways! I've made the below recipe a few times, modifying it a little each time, and this is what I've come up with:

Adapted from Figgy Bakery's recipe

Ingredients:

[topping:]  1/2 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 

teaspoons cinnamon, 1 cup Earth Balance melted, 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 cup rolled oats

 [cake:] 3 cups chopped apple, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup Earth's Balance, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 1/4 cups Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon agave

Disclaimer: You need four separate bowls for this concoction 
as well as an 8x8 glass baking dish and perhaps a small loaf pan.

Begin with the topping. Melt Earth Balance (1 cup) in a medium-sized bowl. Add all other topping ingredients, mix and set aside.

Chop three apples into cubes, put into a bowl and add cinnamon. Set aside.

In another bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix.

In a fourth bowl, beat Earth Balance (3/4 cup) until smooth. Add sugar and mix. Then add the eggs and mix. Next, add the Greek yogurt and agave. Once all of these ingredients are incorporated, add the flour mixture, little by little, until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. Finally, fold in the apple-cinnamon combination and transfer to an 8x8 greased baking dish. You may have left over batter (I did), so I made an extra little loaf. 

Add the topping and bake on 350 degrees for about an hour, testing with a toothpick to make sure the cake is done.

Note: mine took probably an hour and fifteen minutes to cook. I'd recommend setting the timer for 50 minutes and checking periodically after that.

madison, wi: part three

Johnson Public House was another lovely establishment we feasted at whilst in Madison. Owned by an adorably kind (and cute!) hipster man, Johnson Public House brews an incredible array of coffee (Stumpton and Counter Culture to name a few) in addition to serving up some killer paninis.

smitten with these ceilings

a variety of art hanging to and fro

Oh! And the paninis. I got the Sunday Morning Breakfast Sandwich, which had a hefty portion of hardboiled egg, ham and cheddar shoved between two slices of country bread and grilled with just the smallest bit of maple syrup on top.

sunday morning breakfast sandwich

Madison, you are lovely and I'll definitely be back!

madison, wi: part two

One of my favorite things about Madison is that you can basically walk anywhere. There's a co-op in the middle of town, which I visited at least three times during my four day stay (they also make the best smoothies in the whole world at a strangely affordable price. The Green Dream... holy crap). But besides the co-op, one of our favorite meals was at a quaint and eclectic eatery called a pig in a fur coat.

outside a pig in a fur coat

In typical form, we ordered one of each menu item (I'm hardly exaggerating). But the dish to write home about was the ravioli: one giant pillow of heavenly goodness filled with ricotta cheese, egg yolk, crispy kale, fried bacon and topped with brown butter. It was the dreamiest. 

madison, wi: part one

Over Labor Day, my two best friends and I headed to Madison, Wisconsin to visit our fourth pal in her new habitat. I didn't know what to expect, but it's needless to say Madison surpassed all of my expectations. In fact, I think I'd be pretty happy to move there one of these days.

fried cheese curds

colectivo coffee

new glarus brewery

With cheese curds on every menu and the nicest people you'll ever meet, this city is full of art, culture, beer and some pretty tasty noms.

We checked out the farmers' market on Saturday and sampled an ungodly amount of cheese curds (my stomach wasn't thrilled). I tasted Colectivo Coffee (their packaging is to die for) and drank way too many Spotted Cow brews from New Glarus. We played more than a few aggressive foosball games, stayed out until 3 a.m. and laughed until we cried.

There's nothing quite like being with the people who know you best.

outerlands

Nestled on a corner in the Outer Sunset, Outerlands has been on my list for a while. With walls covered in the world's most beautiful wood, light fixtures burrowed into various types of plants hanging from the ceiling and an all-around intimate atmosphere (including blankets in case you get cold), I decided immediately that Outerlands could very well be my new favorite spot.

Upon first glance, not much stood out on the menu (except for the homemade bread and butter, obviously). But as always, I appreciate a menu that surprises me. Since my heart wasn't set on anything particular, we blindly ordered and were truly blown away by the flavors and creativity of each dish.

house-made bread and butter

braised carrots with cheese curds, oats and fennel - my favorite dish

market vegetables with grains and a soft boiled egg

aforementioned, the wood was quite dreamy

Let's just say I'm already planning to return (I hear the brunch is to die for).

{Outerlands: 4001 Judah Street; San Francisco; Reservations Necessary}

spinach dip grilled cheese

I had no idea what to call this gluttonous creation and spinach dip grilled cheese is the only thing that made sense. Inspired by my new idol Joy the Baker, this sando is far from healthy but absurdly satisfying, which counts for something, right?

Ingredients:

Sourdough bread, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, jack cheese, plain Greek yogurt, two cloves of garlic, fresh spinach, butter, olive oil

First, sautee spinach with crushed garlic in a bit of olive oil until wilted. Transfer to a bowl. Add parmesan cheese, cream cheese and Greek yogurt and mix.

Butter bread. Place spinach and cheese mixture in the bread and top with slices of jack cheese. Grill in a small, buttered pan on medium heat until golden brown on each side. FEAST.*

*Caution: Feast in moderation. It's quite rich and cheesy.

pretzel crisps + the fourth of july

As the Fourth of July quickly approaches, I find myself brainstorming red, white and blue treats to share with my friends on the festive holiday. Besides raspberries, blueberries and the classic hotdogs and burgers, pretzels come to mind when I picture a Fourth of July BBQ or picnic.

Pretzel Crisps, quite the tasty and low-cal snack, was kind enough to provide the pretzels for this recipe and obviously, it was inspired by incredible Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere.

With just three ingredients and a prep time of only a few minutes, these chocolate covered Pretzel Crisps are a delicious and easy treat and can be tailored for any holiday.

What you'll need: 

Pretzel Crisps (original flavor), one cup of chocolate chips and sprinkles of your choice.

Simply heat the chocolate chips in the microwave until they melt, dip Pretzel Crisps in the chocolate and while warm, add the sprinkles. I recommend putting these on wax paper and popping them in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to set.

Thanks Pretzel Crisps for the fun challenge!

the best thing i ate this week: sushi zone

albacore stuffed jalapeños, baked

I'm the kind of person that could eat sushi everyday. For every meal. I really never get sick of it. So when I heard about Sushi Zone, off the beaten path in the Mission, I knew I had to try it. With only 10 seats and a notoriously long wait, Sushi Zone was worth it.

We started with the albacore stuffed jalapeños and they were pretty much amazing, as you can tell by the photo above. A generous serving of albacore stuffed into a hallowed out jalapeño and topped with an insanely flavorful sauce and scallions. We were beyond pleased. 

Then, of course, we ordered a million sushi rolls, all standard but perfectly fresh and some of the best sushi I've ever had.

Despite the wait and tiny space, I'll be back sooner rather than later.

Sushi Zone: 1815 Market Street; San Francisco

domo sushi

I'm a sucker for good sushi. It's something I could eat every single day and never get sick of (though my bank account would definitely not be pleased). After asking around for some suggestions, a few friends mentioned Domo Sushi in Hayes Valley and after a small bit of research (I just had to), I decided it'd be worth my while.

Located amidst some of the cutest shops and specialty stores in the city, Domo Sushi serves some of the freshest and tastiest rolls and sashimi I've ever had. While there for lunch, I sampled the Spyder Roll and Spicy Tuna Crudo... and then may or may not have ordered an additional Spicy Tuna Roll.

Spyder Roll

Spicy Tuna + Scallop Crudos

My feasting partner-in-crime tried the Rainbow Roll and it definitely tasted as good as it looked.

Needless to say, I will be back. With only a few tables in the restaurant, going around 1:30 p.m. for lunch was a good call. I imagine the wait would be quite lengthy for dinner.

{Domo Sushi: 511 Laguna Street}

quintessentially san francisco

I can't say enough great things about this past weekend. Friday was a night where I really realized just how great my San Francisco girlfriends are. It was a night where being single wasn't so bad after all; it was actually preferred. And it ended at 2 a.m., eating pizza with our Lyft driver. So I really couldn't have asked for more.

Saturday was quintessentially San Francisco: from the misty rainfall and foggy sky to the incredible noms I was able to devour (evidence below), all while catching up with two friends from college. 

Sunday was for relaxing and watching old episodes of Friends and then wrapped up with beers, In n Out and great conversation.

fried balls of mushroom risotto at pizzeria delfina

prosciutto and arugula pizza from delfina

chocolate peanut butter + snickerdoodle ice crem from bi rite creamery

Needless to say, a juice cleanse is in order this week.

Today I'm feeling extra grateful and extra excited. Today, I started my new job. I couldn't feel more confident and ready for this challenge and I'm beyond ecstatic to work for company I truly believe in in, hands down, the best city in the world.  

stag's lunchette

As a transplant from Texas/San Diego, the Bay Area hasn't always been home, though it's funny how quickly it's started to feel like that. Recently, I took a little trip to the East Bay to explore Oakland. With coffee shops, beer bars and delicious restaurants on the rise, I knew I'd find something feastly, which is why I wasn't surprised when I decided immediately that I could easily live there (well, if I wasn't so obsessed with San Francisco). 

My friend and I had lunch at Stag's Lunchette, a small eatery in downtown Oakland. With a weekly rotating menu, amazing and unique sandwiches and soup and even some side dishes (brussels sprouts!) I was pretty thrilled. 

Please forgive my crappy iPhone pics. 

mexican grilled chicken sandwich YUM

cheese and broccolini crostini for the vegetarian

an excellent collection of knick knackery

{Stag's Lunchette is located at 362 17th Street in Oakland. }

the american grilled cheese kitchen

A restaurant that serves a variety of grilled cheeses? Count me in. 

homemade italian sodas

jalapeno and cheddar biscuit

perfectly buttery and delicious

Located in SOMA/the Design District, aka... right near my BRAND NEW JOB (more on that later), the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen is definitely one of my new favorite spots. I visited them twice in the past two weeks (oops) and between my friends and I, sampled almost all of their sandwiches. I was pretty dang pleased with everything I tasted and will definitely return now that it's right around the corner from my new place of work.

On another note, funemployment: see you (hopefully) NEVER! And for all of you currently dealing with not-so-fun employment, I feel your pain and I promise you, there will be an end. Until then, keep your head up, email me if you need some tips or reassurance and check out this article.

kale & cannellini beans

Besides having my friend in town this past weekend, another highlight was taking an Italian cooking class taught by a friend of friend, a native Italian, Stefania. If you're ever in Tuscany, I highly recommend taking her class. She makes amazing, fresh and authentic dishes and combines flavors and ingredients I never would have dreamed up. I'll be sharing everything I learned here so get ready for some pretty amazing recipes. First up is a simple kale dish, full of flavor and nutrients and even vegan friendly!

Ingredients: 

One can of cannellini beans (drained), fresh kale, one large can of crushed tomatoes, 

three cloves of garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper

First, remove leafy part of the kale and throw away the stems. Roughly chop the kale. Then, in a medium pan, add olive oil and diced garlic. Once garlic is cooked, add the can of crushed tomatoes. Add the chopped kale and cover until wilted. Finally, add drained cannellini beans and set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve!

craftsmen & wolves

A while back, I started a series called Beyond Starbucks but ever since I left San Diego, I kind of abandoned the project. Now that I'm settled into the Bay Area, I've had a chance to explore many of the incredible coffee shop options around the city, including Craftsmen and Wolves. 

Located in the heart of the Mission, Craftsmen and Wolves sells a mean cup of joe and an array of tasty treats to accompany your brew. With coffee by Sightglass and treat options ranging from puff pastry dough with gruyere, smoked cheddar and chili flakes to pumpkin apple muffins with a cardamom vanilla crumble and The Rebel Within (pictured below), Craftsmen and Wolves is the perfect place to unwind after a stressful morning or catch up with an old friend. 

photo courtesy of food spotting

Visit Craftsmen and Wolves at 746 Valencia Street, San Francisco

prosciutto & arugula cheese ravioli

If you're culinarily challenged, a working woman without much time on your hands or if you just want to jazz up some store bought cheese ravioli, this is the recipe for you. It's easy and doesn't require a whole lot of time or ingredients. Nonetheless, it's quite tasty! My kind of recipe!

Ingredients

Cheese ravioli, prosciutto, arugula, shallots, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese

In a small frying pan, heat olive oil and add crushed garlic, chopped shallots and prosciutto and cook until mildly crisp. Set aside. Boil and cook raviolis for no longer than five minutes. Drain ravioli and return to pan. Add prosciutto, a handful of arugula and a bit of olive oil and toss. 

Top with parmesan and serve!

biscuit bender

Though I've been to the Ferry Building on numerous occasions, for some reason I haven't ever noticed Biscuit Bender, a small stand that sells a variety of amazing biscuits and flavored butter. Besides being completely adorable, the cinnamon bun biscuit was actually one of the best morning treats I've ever had the pleasure of tasting.

{Visit Biscuit Bender at 1 Ferry Building; San Francisco}