I’ve spied some great food around the sphere the past week. And then I drooled.
Here are a few of the gems I’ve been salivating over:
1. Marla’s Very Blueberry Layer Cake
3. Katie’s Creamy Cauliflower Cheeze
4. Emily’s Copycat Girl Scout Thin Mints
5. Jenna’s Oatmeal Cream Pies with Cinnamon Buttercream
6. Angela’s Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Almond Buttercream Frosting & Raspberry Glaze
7. Bitt’s Creamy Basil Raw Lasgana
8. Jessica’s Peanut Butter Stuffed Hot Fudge Cupcakes
I could go on and on and on with what I’ve spied lately that makes me drool me really excited.
It makes my food seem far less exciting.
Do I need to justify this? No, but I will:
I work full time, I have a family, I have a blog. I am not always Mrs. Masterpiece. And you know what, millions of other working mom’s aren’t either. Or millions of college students who only have a microwave, a small space, and no expensive appliances in which to create their meals or recipes. And that’s ok! We all do the best we can!
So in honor of that sentiment, today’s “masterpieces” are a couple Microwave Recipes…
1. Microwave Blueberry Banana Oat Cake
2. Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars
3. And a No Bake recipe: No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cake Bites
Notice a theme here: Simple, fast, not a lot of dishes, microwaveable, no-bake. This is my speed lately.
I didn’t always used to be this way.
Raw Vegan GF Girl Scout Samoas-Inspired Cookies were quite an undertaking. As in a multi-day cooking affair.
But now, I try to create masterpiece-looking and masterpiece-tasting recipes that are fast and easy.
Like Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls with 2 Minute Peanut Sauce
From my last post about having a productive day, it was fun to read what you’ve done that made you feel productive. And just how often you change the sheets on your bed.
Questions:
1. What have you spied lately that’s made you drool? Do you think you’ll actually make it or just admire it and drool over it from afar?
I admire all kinds of recipes and cooking. I can admire beautiful food, and a wonderful recipe for just that even if I have no intention of ever making it. I don’t intent to take up painting but I still admire great art and am moved by it. Same with great food.
2. Would you describe your cooking style as KISS (Keep it Simple, Sweetie) or more along the lines of Mrs. Culinary Masterpiece?
I can create masterpieces, and if I had time, I would love to just fritter around in the kitchen just for the sake of cooking, creating, and relaxing.
But life has changed. And life is always changing, and for now, I love to drool over all recipes. But what I will end up creating in my own kitchen is going to come down to the time investment.
But I don’t know any women with small children and full time jobs out of the home who have ample “kitchen fritter time”. If you do, have them email me because I need to know their secrets!
If I can make sure a hot bowl of oatmeal is waiting for her when she wakes up, that’s just as important as anything else in life to me. Oatmeal as a masterpiece. Isn’t that what the blogosphere was built on, anyway?
Thanks for the shout out! All of those recipes sound so good! I’d love to try all of them.
Your spring rolls look delicious! So beautiful!
I am so glad you saw this post and Emily, your food and recipes, and photos, ALWAYS inspire me. BIG TIME!!
xoxo
OMG drooooooling!! These look so amazing!!
Did I mention how much I love all those pics & how much I MUST make your microwave blueberry oat cake!
Averie, thanks soooo much for linking to my blueberry cake. I had a blast creating the recipe, styling & photographing that cake. My job is beyond full time. I love it, even when it gets the better of my sanity ;) You know I had extra time that day to play with that one. No time for laundry – but we gotta pick our battles, right??
I am so proud of you and I love watching your success as you grow as a mom, recipe developer and blogger. It is a fun journey to be on together. I am so happy you are my friend :) xxoo
I am so proud of YOU!!!
What you have accomplished with your blog, your site, your vision, you were and always have been very steadfast, and focused, with your eye on the prize, so to speak as it comes to your blog and your goals and that is inspiring, and admirable.
And the fact that you had childcare just to shoot your cake…well, that is just all kinda fabulous in my eyes. Anyone with a nice camera, a blog, and kids…knows what a GIFT childcare for a photo session would be.
I am so happy you are my friend…and cherish you more now than ever…seriously, Marla :)
xoxo
Thank you so much for the links! Some of these come from blogs I haven’t seen before, so doubly exciting. And I think you do amazingly well at coming up with fabulous new recipes :)
thanks, Hannah :)
I LOVE that pic of Skylar!! Thanks for linking my cupcakes! Wish we could share them. :)
i’ve been dying to try a raw lasagna!! and your spring rolls! i looked for those wraps at WF yesterday but couldn’t find them
WF’s does NOT have a good selection of rice paper wrappers.
I have found reg groc stores in their ethic aisle or an asian market to be wayyyyyy better (and cheaper) than WF’s for finding what you need :)
I have been seriously craving tofu for like a week now and I’ve been looking for a recipe that strikes me and that honey balsamic is THE ONE (except I think I’ll sub maple syrup for the honey, since it’s what I have on hand). And no need to justify quick and easy — that’s all I do! I like looking at the more complex recipes and drooling over them, but the ones I actually make are 95% of the time the ones that are one bowl/pan/pot or minimal prep.
btw — I finally tried making your spicy doritos cheesy dip stuff (because I *finally* learned what nutritional yeast is called in German) and the flavor turned out awesome, but I wasn’t able to get it to blend up to a nice dip consistency. I’m blaming this on my cheap food processor and using this to convince my man that we need to invest in a vita-mix when we get back to the U.S. I also used all sunflower seeds instead of a mixture, if that might have affected it? But regardless, we both thought it would be great on sandwiches as a spread or on salads, and we actually kind of like the crunch the sunflower seeds give it when they’re not ground up smoothly!
tofu, check out my tab with my tofu recipes
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/recipes/tofu
you can use maple/agave rather than honey in any of them.
dip. sunflower seeds are MUCH more coarse/hard/firm them hemp seeds so in addition to their harder texture AND your cheap food processor, it would be hard to get the dip as smooth as mine. The #1 issue is your food processor, though. Because with my raw cooking, I blend and grind hard seeds/nuts all the time and have no issue. So yes, you may need an upgrade one day….
:)
I want a muffin.
Aww, Skylar’s such an angel.
1. I’m drooling over everything here … but especially the spring rolls. And yes, I’m going to try them!
2. Totally 100% KISS.
thanks, Lisa :) lmk if you try them!
I think your photos and food look gorgeous im excited to try a few out im doing gluten free for the next month!
thanks for linking my cheeze!! But, it is not at all complicated like the others in that list. Which is just my style. I love looking at those pictures, yes, but to actually take the time? Huh uh. I don’t even like to make cut out cookies, because of the extra time to roll and cut.
Some people can spend all day in the kitchen. I get an hour, maybe two if I am lucky.
you’re welcome re your cheeze link. I wanted to make sure you were on the list :)
best photo in this post is skylar sleeping – the innocence just brings tears to your eyes, doesn’t it. you just want to keep them safe like they are at that moment!
i am def NOT mrs masterpiece in the kitchen. you hit the nail on the head with your comparison to admiring art – i can be “wow-ed” by recipes on others’ blogs but i really have no inclination to make them myself. five ingredients or less, 10 min prep?? yes!
The innocence, yes. There were a half dozen more I wanted to post, but didn’t. Like they were so innocent I just wanted to keep them private :)
Your fresh spring rolls and your micro-bluberry oatcake take the cake in my opinion. Seriously, making your own spring rolls…. now THAT’S creative!! I second many of the comments above, I love your blog because the things you create ARE do-able by the average Joe such as myself. I don’t have an icing piper, or a zillion different baking sheets to try out fancy recipes on. As long as it taste good and is make of nutritious, non-processed ingredients, it is a stellar recipe in my book! And, I’m all for simplicity! Tonight I simply oven roasted some kale with EVOO + salt, had a raw shaved fennel & parmasan salad, along with left over black bean soup – whole ingredients I can pronounce!!
Keep it up you wonder-woman!
Besty, thank you so much.
I have serious self-doubts at times when I see what other bloggers make. But I remind myself that I am doing what I can and that the average joe doesnt have time/money/desire to create masterpieces so hopefully I can create pretty food that’s easy and tastes great :)
Yep. Drooling now ;) And seriously honored to be on this list!
I loooove being able to spend a lot of time tinkering in the kitchen, but have found I’m more apt to enjoy a quick or one-pot meal anyways. I’d be totally fine with having sweet potato wedges and tofu every night, and I definitely go through runs where I do just that. It is fun to switch up the flavor profiles though ;)
Bria said it best – in my eyes, you already are Ms. Masterpiece! I’ve been loving on your desserts page especially ;)
Thank you, Jess.
And you have every right on lists like this…your food is always wonderful, simple yet awesome. And you’re so young. When I was your age, dinner was Triscuits + PB. not exaggerating!
You’re Ms. Masterpiece to me! The fast, easy, and delish recipes are their OWN sort of masterpiece.
I’m with you, sister. For me lately, it’s all about ease of prep. Sometimes I do putter about in the kitchen and love it. But it’s not often. Like you said, life changes.
And hey, my food photography ain’t winning any awards, but oh well. If and when I choose to put my energy in that direction, it’ll improve. And it already has, to some degree. I’m def not losing any sleep over it, though.
Clearly Sklyar isn’t losing any sleep either. Adorable, peaceful pic! :-)
Thanks, Bria for the 1st sentence, and that last :) you are so sweet, always.
xo