Carrot Cake Cookies (Allergy-Friendly and Vegan)

Sooo what do you do when you realize you bought waaaaay too many carrots?  This was my silly little dilemma last week.  I know, I know.  I should've known better.  Who in their right mind buys TEN POUNDS OF CARROTS?

Lemon Blueberry Drop Scones (Vegan)

Whenever I make scones for my friends and family, I always get this reaction:"Oooh scones! Soooo FANCY! So Brrri'ish!!!"  It's pretty hilarious how this is immediately followed by everyone trying to carry a conversation in their best (or worst) British accent.  I don't know what it is about scones that make them act like that.  I'm just happy they get so excited when I make them.  

Allergy-Friendly French Toast

Mmmmmmmm...French toast!  Slices of golden-brown deliciousness drizzled in glistening maple syrup.  Are you drooling yet?  THIS is what you should be making for breakfast this weekend.  These bad boys are light and crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.  Serve them with a side of fresh fruit and a cup of coffee and you've got yourself the perfect treat to enjoy on a lazy Sunday morning.

Sweet Summer Snippets

I just realized that I've been sharing all these fun little ideas and discoveries on my Twitter, Facebook and Instagram but I haven't posted them on my blog. Oops! Hehehe 

So here's a quick round-up of what I've been up to this summer.  

Allergy-Friendly Chocolate-Covered Coconut Patties

This was supposed to be my ticket out of "Worst Wife Ever" jail.  I really thought I was gonna score major points when I made these.  I was soooo sure it would work!   Well, it did...ummm...sort of.

Allergy-friendly Vegan Blueberry Muffins

The kids are on summer break right now, which means our mornings are a lot less hectic than usual.  No more dragging them out of bed to get ready, then rushing to finish breakfast so they can make it to school on time. You feel like waking up after 8 o'clock?  No problem!  You can even stay in your pajamas till noon because Mommy will still be in her pajamas too!  Hey, we're on vacation time :-) 

Allergy-Friendly Jam Thumbprint Cookies (Vegan)

Can I just take a deep breath and...whoooooooooo!  It's finally done.  We just finished renovating and it feels w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l.

Late last year, Hubby and I decided that we were ready to update our kitchen.  It was something I always wished for since we moved into our house, but we had to put it off until we had the money and the time to do it.  So after spending lots of time researching for materials and figuring out the cost and timeline, we decided to go for it.

Maple Syrup Cinnamon Rolls

There's just something magical about the smell of cinnamon. Whether you're baking a pie or a batch of cookies, this sweet and spicy scent will find its way into every corner of the house and beckon you to follow its trail back into the kitchen. To me, it's the quintessential scent of the holidays.  And these warm and cozy cinnamon rolls will definitely bring some holiday cheer into your home.  

Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan)

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

As much as I love being creative in the kitchen, sometimes trying to figure out how to make a recipe allergy-friendly can drive me downright crazy.  I try my best to make desserts taste just like the "normal" ones, but when a test recipe doesn't quite meet my expectations, I become almost obsessed with getting it right.  It practically consumes me.  Sometimes it even keeps me up at night.  I sit in bed thinking of what I could've done differently or what other ingredients I could've used.  It's kinda annoying really.  

Vegan Banana Muffins

Can someone please explain to me how from Monday to Friday, I have to literally drag my kids out of bed to get ready for school BUT come Saturday morning, they're up at the crack of dawn?  I can hear them down the hall, dumping their Legos on the floor.  Oh what a lovely sound that is at six o'clock in the morning!  Maybe I can get them to take up a quieter activity...like sleeping-in.

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I can't believe I'm saying this...but I think I'm starting to warm up to pumpkin.  Well, just a little.  I'm still steering clear of pumpkin pie.  I've tried it a few times over the years and even with a mountain of whipped cream, I just don't enjoy it.  I'm sorry.  I just can't.  It's not you, it's me.  Something about it's texture and taste just doesn't make me happy.  BUT I'm not dismissing pumpkin entirely.  I did try to make pumpkin spice cupcakes before and they were deeeeelicious!  So I'm gonna give pumpkin another try.  This time, I made cookies!

Simple Strawberry Tart

I celebrated my birthday this week and instead of the typical cake, I chose to make something a little different.  And surprisingly, it doesn't involve any chocolate.  This year, I decided to make myself a simple strawberry tart.

Lychee Fritters

Every now and then, I'll try a dessert and think, "Mmmmm that was really good!" and then forget about it and move on.  But sometimes, I'll try something and I'll cherish it as one of my fondest food memories ever.  Even years later, I can still remember how much I loved this delightful little dessert I ate in Paris.

Banana Molasses Muffins (Vegan)

I've been trying my best to eat healthy lately ("trying" is the operative word).  It's sooo hard when I have such a terrible sweet tooth.  I mean, I try to follow what Hubby does and eat more fresh fruit and less chocolate.  We even have a bowl of clementines and bananas sitting on the kitchen counter so that whenever I have a craving for something sweet, I snack on some fruit instead.  It hasn't been easy BUT I'm making small changes here and there.  I still want chocolate but I've cut down my daily consumption just a teeny tiny bit.  Hey, some progress is better than no progress, right?  

Allergy-friendly Fruit and Seed Chewy Granola Bars

Last month, I was planning to make fruitcake cookies but changed my mind and made shortbread cookies instead.  So now I have a bunch of dried fruit and seeds sitting in my cupboard.  I wasn't really sure what to do with them.  I thought, "Well I guess I can just toss them together and make trail mix."  But then I remembered the trail mix chewy granola bars I used to love.  They were made with nuts, which my 7 year old is severely allergic to.  So this week, I decided to make an allergy-friendly version of my favorite granola bars.  Not only are they nut-free, they're also dairy-free, wheat-free, soy-free and vegan :-) 

Best Vegan Waffles Ever

It's New Year's Eve today and as I look back at 2012, I can't help but feel incredibly grateful for all the wonderful moments that happened this year.  Hubby and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. We had our first family vacation at Disneyland.  We bought our home.  And my blog reached over one million visits.  It's been such an amazing year and now I'm looking forward to what 2013 has in store.

Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Aaaaaaaaah...yes I'm back.  It's been a while since my last post and you might be wondering, "What happened???"  Well, if you've been following me on Twitter or Facebook, you already know what's been going on.  But for the rest of you, I've got some awesome news to share.   After months and months of looking, stressing, crying, crying some more, holding my breath and crossing my fingers - FINALLY, we did it!   We bought a house :-)

Puff Pastry Peach Tartlets

Summer is almost over but there's still time to enjoy some delicious peaches.  There's just something so incredibly intoxicating about the scent of a ripe peach.  Its gorgeous aroma, so sweet and fragrant, just makes you wanna sink your teeth into its juicy flesh.  I get so giddy when I see a beautiful display of these fuzzy fruits.  I'm sure the produce guys think I'm a little weird when I'm picking out peaches.  I love smelling them.  I can't help it.  You should really give it a try.  The next time you're at the grocery store or the farmer's market, stop and smell the peaches.  Just take a deep breath and inhale all the sweet fragrance.  Aaaaaaaaaaaah...now that's what I call aromatherapy. 

Pineapple Macapuno Pockets

I remember back in pastry school, we had this thing called "Mystery Basket Fridays." Basically, you walk into the kitchen and at your table, you'll find a tray of ingredients randomly selected by the chef. Your assignment for that day was to create a dessert using all the ingredients given to you. It's kind of nerve-racking actually. I remember the first time we had one, I was absolutely petrified.  All these thoughts start racing through my head. "I've never made anything with this before! What am I gonna do? How should I use this? Uh...should I put it in the dessert or use it as a sauce? How should I plate this? What if I don't finish? What if the chef hates it?!?! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"

Summer Dessert Ideas

Summer is in full swing and you know what that means...fun fun fun in the sun!  And fun desserts too!  Whether you're at a beach party or at a backyard barbeque, these mouthwatering treats will be a delicious addition to your next shindig.  I have everything from cookies to cakes to avocado ice cream (yes, you read that right!).  Whichever one you pick, I'm sure they'll be a hit with everyone :-)