Bites of My Life

What a JOY to think how far we’ve come in a year. Putting myself in my shoes at last year’s Easter, it was crazy to imagine that Covid would still be a part of our daily lives, but once that became a reality, it feels good to have had a relatively normal holiday this year. I’m getting my vaccine on Tuesday and I’m psyched. The light at the end of the tunnel is bright!! Thank you Jesus for science.

It was such a great weekend with all of my fam, friends, and multiple Easter egg hunts. Oh and soooo many delicious eats. Birthday cake, brandy ices, truffle potato jackets, cheese grits, smoked ham, and key lime pie to name a few. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

-Had a hankering for the Indian Spiced Cauliflower from Flower Child, turns out it’s leaving the menu soon so the craving really set in. Opted for the Mother Earth Bowl, sub sweet potatoes for Indian Spiced cauli and much to my dismay I got home to realize they gave me plain old steamed cauli. Fumes!! But the FC angels credited my account, so you better believe ISC (Indian spiced cauliflower) is happening this week.
-Helen is a hoot! Got to grab coffee with the Blender Bomb founder herself!
-Exhibit A of 80x20. 80% croissant 20% blender bar ;).
-Got to OKC for Easter, and kicked off the weekend checking into the Bradford House to celebrate a very special 30th birthday. HBD Jillian!
-The Texas-based and coveted seltzers, Ranch Riders are offish in the Oklahoma market. Check here to see who is carrying them!
-Bradford House with the sneaky Brandy Ice flex. They were delicious and strong and made me hungover :)
-The whole family got to be in town to witness and endure back-to-back Easter egg hunts. Elle is a hunting professional and I’ve never been more proud.
-Brought veggies to Easter brunch…no one is surprised.
-Also brought my Key Lime Pie that continues to reign supreme!

Annie

Dinner bite for the week!

Bites of My Life

Different. Probably a word we all used a million times this past week and especially when referring to Easter. It was different to not be in church on Sunday morning. It was different to not have family over for a big brunch. It was different to not have the sounds of The Masters streaming in the background all weekend. It was different, but it was still great. Great for the invention of technology and getting to watch and hear a beautiful sermon from the comfort of the couch. Great to get to watch my nieces hunt eggs, even if it was from a distance and from inside the car. Great to support a local restaurant I love by opting out of cooking and purchasing our Easter meal from them instead. Great having the reminder that even though this time period is “different,” it is out of my control, it’s not to be feared, it’s being taken care of by the greatest of them all.

-Easter has now passed but my Easter Recipe Roundup post is still fun of 25 recipes perfect for spring!
-Loaded baked potato. Something I would never make for myself, but indulging with a smile on my face since I haven’t had to pay for groceries since the middle of March!!!
-Spring is looking extra cute on the houses spotted on my 1 of 3 daily walks.
-My all-time favorite salad in Dallas, at home! We’ve made this a few times and surprisingly had most all of the ingredients without having to go to the store. Saved the recipe in highlights.
-Reality but rockin’ in.
-A lot of Defined Dish recipes have been going down for dinner around here. A lot of coconut aminos have also been used. Mom and dad love the meals but are less than enthused about coconut aminos replacing soy sauce…
-Started Friday morning with a group zoom workout with some of my best friends, with another best friend leading the class. Something we would really never do if it wasn’t for quarantine. #perk
-Grapefruit, lemon, rosemary, tequila and topo chico. Writing this makes me want to make another. Really winning in the spring quarantini category.
-Just mom, dad and I and a store-bought meal. Different but delicious.

Annie

Easter Recipe Roundup

When all of this Coronavirus began, I think we can all agree we’d be in the clear by Easter. I already had a couple of dresses hearted on Rent the Runway I planned to wear to church, and was starting to brainstorm what dessert I’d make for Easter brunch. The past few years, my family and my sister’s in-laws (our friends too!!) have gotten together and had brunch at my parent’s house. Ham, cheese grits, deviled eggs, Sue’s strawberry salad, Ingrid’s butterfly rolls and a rotating dessert have always been on the menu. It’s a nice little tradition we had going on.

This year we are putting traditions aside for obvious reasons. I’m still quarantining at my parents, so we ordered an Easter meal for the three of us from a local restaurant, will watch church online and plan to drive by to watch my nieces hunt eggs in their front yard…we’ll be watching from inside our car. It’s going to be weird, no other way to say it, but I think it’s important to still focus on why we celebrate Easter and still treat it like a holiday.

I know I’m very lucky to be with my parents right now, especially over a holiday. However, I know it’s going to be extra tough for those who can’t be with loved ones this weekend. But, like I said I think it’s still important to treat it like a holiday. Make a festive breakfast, put on a dress or just something nicer than leggings and a t-shirt, find an Easter service to watch online, and maybe schedule a Facetime date with family or friends to cook or bake a recipe together! I rounded up 25 Easter recipes from Take A Bite and some trusted sites. Baking has been therapeutic for so many during quarantine, and this weekend is the perfect time to try a new recipe!

Banana Bread
Banana Sheet Cake
Best Breakfast Casserole
Blueberry Banana Streusel Muffins
Creamy Lemon Vegan Bars

Four Layer Coconut Cake

Funfetti Cake
Homemade Oreos (with pastel-colored cream)
Key Lime Pie
Lavender Cupcakes
Lemon Loaf
Orange and Olive Oil Coffee Cake
Signature Sugar Cookies (cut into bunny and egg and cross shapes)

And now a few recipes I’ve made or recommend from sites I trust!

NYT Cooking Almond Cake (this came highly recommended by my sister Claire, only 5 ingredients!)
Cook’s Illustrated Banana Cream Pie
Half Baked Harvest’s Bunny Cookies
Bon Appetit’s Cardamon-Pistachio Carrot Cake
The Pioneer Woman’s Carrot Cake

Half Baked Harvest’s Coconut Carrot Cake Cheesecake (need us not forget the year when two of these cheesecakes showed up at Easter brunch)

The Baker Mama’s Easter Snack Mix
NYTCooking’s Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
Fiveandspice’s Orange Scented Olive Oil Sticky Buns (this video will make you want to make them!)
Bon Appetit’s Sour Cream and Onion Biscuits
Elisabeth & Butter’s Strawberry Cream Scones
Hummingbird High’s Small Batch Easter Egg Cookies (perfect if it’s just you and a roommate or a small family)

Though it may be different this year, it can still be special. Happy Easter!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Wowza. Last week was mmm emotional? Exhausting? Amazing? Emotional because I decided I am moving. Exhausting because crying a lot is exhausting and realizing I have to find a job, find an apartment, and find someone to take my current job is stressful. Amazing because despite the emotion and the exhaustion, I felt liberated all week by my decision and the support around it. And because it was a truly great Easter weekend with friends and family in town.

-Funfetti Cake recipe on the blog last week! Perfect for any celebration!
-New favorite restaurant/coffee shop/place to work is now open! Stitch opened right down from my office and next door to The Jones two weeks ago and I’m going to soak up as much time there as I can!
-Gal Pal Book Club #2! We just finished Girl, Stop Apologizing. We all did not like it…I would still recommend Girl, Wash Your Face, but take a pass on GSA.
-Super easy and nutritious sheet pan week night meal made a “lite bite” appearance. Recipe here.
-Hi! I’m moving to Dallas in June! Deciding if I’m going to write a post on the why… If you are in OKC and looking for a creative job in hospitality marketing, apply here.
-The go-to when I have nothing to eat. Check out my recipe for healthy fried rice. This time I used cauliflower rice and kimchi!
-The whole Social Order crew in one place for our Vol. 4 shoot with The Scout Guide!
-Orange, was I glad I got to go the the first Thunder playoff game, because our future in the series is not looking so bright.
-Spent Saturday morning judging a cake baking competition with the dream team. All to benefit the local charity SixTwelve. A group I wish I would have gotten involved in sooner. If you are in OKC, check them out!
-Really hoping mom’s table setting genes rub off on me when it comes time to host holidays for family in the future. She kills it every time!
-Ready for sister’s little peep to join our girl squad! She is due in a week and a half!
-Aunt Chloe came through with Easter dessert this year! Kathleen and I usually always make dessert (sometimes two), but we loved passing this torch to Chlo if it meant Lemon Cloud Pie!

Annie

Creamy Vegan Lemon Bars

These lemon bars are the brain child of craving lemon bars the second spring hit, being gifted a huge bag of Brandless Oats & Honey Granola while trying to avoid eating granola (due to my lack of self-control when it comes to this crack snack), and the response to an Instagram poll where lemon bars won in a landslide.

These lemon bars are vegan. No, I don't follow a vegan diet, I tried and gained what felt like 5 lbs. in 5 days due to eating pasta and carbs in replacement for protein and dairy. However, I've found that cooking and baking while trying to modify for various diets is a challenge and a fun experiment. It also doesn't hurt to watch your intake of added sugar, animal products and excess dairy. Due to the granola, these bars are not gluten-free, but the are vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, and free of processed sugar. 

Quick plug for Brandless before we move on. This recipe is not sponsored by Brandless, but I have to brag on them. The granola, the parchment paper and the knife (yes the knife) that I used in parts of this recipe are all from Brandless. It's my new obsession. They are a fair-trade, non-GMO, mostly organic, no added sugar food and household item company where everything is $3. And for each purchase made on Brandless, a meal is donated to Feeding America. 

Creamy Vegan Lemon Bars
yields 16 bars

Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews* soaked
1 cup coconut cream (the hardened portion at the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk)
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup agave
2 cups plain granola, I used Brandless Oats & Honey, but any kind of honey, almond, or vanilla flavor will work. 
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1-2 Tbsp. powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:
Place your cashews in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Let soak for 1 hour. Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper, letting the edges hang over the sides and set aside. 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a high powered blender or food processor, pulse the granola until it is the texture of fine crumbs. In a small bowl, mix melted coconut oil and granola crumbs.  Press mixture into prepared pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass, make sure crust is pressed firmly into pan. Bake for 10 minutes until edges are slightly golden. 

While the crust is baking, start working on the filling. In a high powdered blender, add soaked cashews, coconut cream, juice and zest of lemons and agave. Blend together until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides.. Taste and make sure flavor is where you want it. I added a bit more lemon zest after tasting. You want the lemon flavor to be bright and it to be slightly sweet.

Spread filling mixture over the baked crust. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes until the edges are firm and the center slightly jiggly (LOL jiggly). Let rest for 10 minutes. Chill for at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight. 

Using the parchment paper to assist you, pull the lemon bars out of the pan. Cut evenly into 16 squares. Lightly sift powdered sugar over the top. Fine served at room temperature, but store in the fridge for optimal freshness!

Annie