Creative Update 2: #fridayflowers

July 25th, 2014

I bought these flowers with the intention of using them to compliment some new party decor for my etsy store (flags! bunting! gold leather!) BUT then they were so pretty on their own I decided to give them there very own creative update.

I love playing with flowers and always enjoy experimenting with new combinations. Like white wine + florals. Yum.

Not to mention our poor bar car was in desperate need of some styling love! It may have still been sporting it’s easter decor, not to mention the dust from 3+ months of neglect…

And I couldn’t resist tossing my favorite chair in the mix. Of course flowers aren’t the only things that look great in that chair! (click the links! hint: cute animals ahead!)

And finally, just in case I piqued your curiosity, here’s a sneak peak of some of the yummy bunting I’m working on- silkscreened hearts + gold lame leather letters for the win! It should be in the store by next week…

Thanks for stopping by and indulging my floral frenzy and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Mini Carrot Cake (gluten free…)

July 18th, 2014

BUT STILL DELICIOUS!

Sorry to yell at y’all (6 months in New Orleans!) but I do feel like this is an important disclaimer, because even here in LA (land of gluten free everything) gluten free baked goods aren’t always the most delicious.
Or moist. Gross word, but true.

This little cake, however, is an economy sized vehicle of SUV sized flavor. Wait, that’s a terrible metaphor. This little cake is an economy sized vehicle for mouth-wateringly amazing flavor of Monster Truck magnitude. Okay. I give up. This little cake is just plain delicious- it’s full of flavor (and carrots!) and it’s really easy to make.

It doesn’t require any fancy cake pans or piping bags or dare-I-say baking skills. It’s a winner. And the adorable boyfriend told me it was better than the carrot cake at the bakery across the street. And carrot cake is his favorite, so I actually believe him. High praise. Also, not to harp on the GF thing, but neither of us are gluten free, so if this wasn’t delicious, I’d just throw a shit ton of regular flour in it and be done already.

The candied carrot curls are definitely the most difficult part of this recipe. And they’re really more sticky than difficult. But damn, they’re cute, right?! Not to mention they’re basically carrot candy. Health food I tell you.

You can even make them a few days ahead of time if you like, since besides being sticky, they’re a little time consuming. Or you can skip ’em entirely and get right to the cake eating!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Mini Carrot Cake (gluten free...)

This gluten free carrot cake is cute AND delicious! It looks fancy with all it's layers, and difficult with ALL those directions, but it's really simple to make!

Ingredients

The Cake:

1 cup grated carrots (I used 5 organic, aka puny carrots)
1¼ cups almond flour
½ cup coconut milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon allspice

The Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)
1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

The Candied Carrot Curls

2 carrots
½ cup water
½ cup sugar

Instructions

Grate the carrots- they should be one level above carrot zest or mush, but still pretty fine. (I used our cheese grater)
Mix all ingredients for cake in a bowl and pour into a buttered 9x13 pan.
Bake cake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
While cake bakes, make the frosting: mix softened butter & cream cheese with sugar & vanilla in a stand mixer or by hand until smooth and creamy.
Let cake cool completely, then use a large empty can (29oz) to cut 4 round cake layers.
Cut a round piece of parchment paper by tracing the can and put this under the first cake layer on a flat plate- the parchment makes it easy to move your cake to a clean plate or stand later once you're done frosting.
Now, frost! Add a dollop of frosting to first cake layer and smooth with a butter knife to edges, then add another cake layer, and continue until you get to the top!
Garnish with candied carrot curls! Or eat it as is!

Candied Carrot Curls (can be make a few days ahead of time)

Peel outer layer off carrots, then use peeler to peel long/wide slices of carrot
Add water and sugar to pot over medium heat and when sugar is dissolved add carrots.
Turn heat to low and simmer carrots for 15 minutes.
Drain carrots and allow to cool for 10 minutes
Lay carrots out on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes
Remove carrots from oven and wrap around a straw (I used my handy metal one) or spoon handle to get curls. Gently slide off straw and place back on parchment.
Bake curly carrots for another 20 minutes.
Cool completely and use to garnish cake

Notes

I like to pop my cake in the freezer for 10-15 minutes after frosting to firm it up- I just cover it with an upside down tupperware/jar so the frosting doesn't get messed up AND so the cake doesn't absorb any weird freezer odors. After it comes out of the freezer, I use a metal spatula to transfer it to my cake stand, parchment round and all!

Iceland + Travel + a Book Recommendation

July 11th, 2014

Travel and books are two of my favorite things. And books about travel (or food) are even more delicious. Toss in some psychobabble about happiness and I’m one intrigued and dare-I-say happy camper.

And so when I found myself in Metsker’s Maps of Seattle the weekend before flying to Iceland, and happened upon a copy of The Geography of Bliss, I figured it was meant to be. I finished the book before we landed in Reykjavik and it was an enjoyable read with some real anecdotal gems on how people behave in the happiest (Iceland) and least happy (Moldova) places on earth. Oh and it was funny too.

And yep, Iceland consistently ranks as one of the happiest countries on earth (if not the happiest). It’s also cold, dark for much of the year, and its nature, while stunning, is magnificently unrelenting and totally humbling. I loved it.

The country. The book. Travel.

I believe to enjoy travel is to love- to overcome your lack of sleep, to look past all the missing conveniences, and to wholeheartedly embrace the weird and wonderful of wherever you find yourself. Be it Iceland or Idaho.
Nowhere is perfect, but I’ve never been anywhere I didn’t love.

And so while I’m excited (and impatient!) to get started sharing my adventures here on the blog, I’m truthfully a little overwhelmed with where to begin and how to go about it. One long post? Many short posts? Loads of photos? Chronological? Topical? Advice on what to do? How to dress?

Clearly I have lots of questions for myself.
But only three for you.
Will you help a girl out?

What kind of travel writing do you guys most enjoy?
What do you want to see/know about traveling in Iceland?
Are there any travel or nomad blogs you really like the format of?

ps. okay, I guess that’s four questions. 🙂
And thanks! I’m really excited to hear what you guys have to say!