Vegan Banana Chocolate Almond Muffins

Hello my fellow foodies,

I had just finished my intro to Java programming midterm this week and felt like treating myself to a little something something :). I decided to make my famous banana chocolate almond muffins! This was recipe was planned perfectly because I haven’t had time to eat my bananas (busy studying at school) and they were just ripe enough to make this recipe.

These muffins are perfect for an on-the-go snack/breakfast, perfect for picnics at the park, or a perfect way to express your love to your loved ones <3.  I promise you that whomever you chose to make these for will love you just a little bit more than before haha :P.

This recipe is a must try and if you do try out this recipe be sure to tag the picture with the hashtag #winnifercooks on Instagram so everyone can see. Happy cooking everyone! ❤

• Servings: 6
• Time: 50 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Author: Winnifer Huang
Recipe Type: Dessert, Vegan, Sweets

Ingredients

• 3 over ripe bananas
• 1/3 coconut oil (you can any neutral flavored baking oil)
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/8 cup of agave nectar
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of whole wheat flour (you can use any type of flour)
• 1 cup of all purpose flour (you can use any type of flour)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon (more if you like cinnamon!)
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 bar of vegan chocolate (or your favorite kind of chocolate)
• sliced almonds (any type of nut will do, walnuts/pecans/etc.)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and line 6-cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
2. In large mixing bowl, mash up the ripe bananas with fork. Stir in oil, brown sugar, agave nectar, and vanilla.
3. In separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir just until blended.
4. Scoop mixture into muffin tins and top off each muffin with a piece of chocolate and sliced almonds. .
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes and they are ready to eat! 😀

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cup

Hello there foodies!

This is an easy vegan cookie recipe that is perfect for one person and maybe two…depending on how much you really love the person you’re sharing it with. It’s because it is THAT good :).

I came up with this recipe because sometimes the craving just hits. And when the craving hits we’ve all happened to buy a box and then eat 2 dozen cookies. And when that happens the feeling of guilt settles for eating more than the recommended serving (But who ever only eats just two cookies, am I right?!). If you are looking for the healthier/tastier/single serving option, this recipe is right up your ally! It tastes good by itself, with ice cream, or topped with peanut butter/any nut butter. And it satisfies that giant craving!

I forgot to include the whole wheat flour in this picture (sorry!) just don’t forget it when you try this recipe! 🙂

I decided to keep this recipe vegan so my non-dairy/egg consuming friends could join in the fun. If you wanted to make this gluten free, you might have to play around with flour substitutes a bit (try out almond flour or other nut flours for added protein and vibrant taste!).

This recipe is a must try and if you do try out this recipe be sure to tag the picture with the hashtag #winnifercooks on Instagram so everyone can see. Happy cooking everyone! ❤

• Servings: 1
• Time: 20 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Author: Winnifer Huang
Recipe Type: Dessert, Vegan, Sweets

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp of coconut oil
• 2 tbsp of coconut sugar(you can use any sweetener)
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour (you can use any type of flour)
• 1/2 tsp of cacao nibs
• 2 pieces of dark chocolate

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Spray the inside of a cup or ramekin with non-stick spray or rub with oil.
3. Combine the coconut oil, coconut sugar,  and agave nectar in a small bowl. Stir the mixture until smooth.
4. Add in the vanilla and then all the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.
5. Add in all the chocolate and then transfer the cookie mixture into your cup. Press the dough down and then place it in the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown.
6. Once everything is cooked through top with ice cream or any of your favorite toppings! Bon appetit!

Absence from Blogging

Hello my beautiful viewers, hope you are all doing well :). I haven’t been posting lately because I just started classes, so I am pretty busy with tests, projects, etc. I will promise that I will post whenever I have the time and if I find something that really inspires me. I want to put out quality content for you guys, which is why it takes me so long to edit and to come up with ideas. Thanks for understanding ❤ .

Love
Winnie

Wedding Bells

Hello everyone!

Long time no see (or should I say read haha 🙂 ). I have been really busy lately editing the long awaited wedding photos shot at SF City Hall. And today I have finally finished! I hope everyone will enjoy seeing my finished product as well as getting a glimpse at the love that was expressed on that day.

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Congratulations to my beautiful sister/bride/and now wife, I am so happy for you and your husband. May your lives together be filled with continuous laughter and joy <3.

Arturo’s Tailor Shop

If you are looking for a sewing and alterations shop that has excellent tailoring services and relatively cheap prices, you definitely need to check out Arturo’s Tailor Shop. This quaint little shop is located in La Jolla, CA. So if you live around the area and you need a dress/shirt/suit fixed up, you are definitely in luck!

This little shop is located in the Fay Center, so walk on in!

Every experience I had at this shop was a good one. All of my pieces that I had altered came out exactly like I had imagined and the quality is impeccable! You cannot tell that they were even altered in the first place (no loose threads or poorly stitched seams).

Owner’s father hard at work 🙂

I highly recommend this little family owned business if you are in need of a tailor and if you are in the area. The only downside is the parking situation, but other than that, it is a place you definitely need to check out! 🙂 (Plus, the famous brunch place, The Cottage is just a 2 minute walk down the street! The eggs benedict and stuffed french toast are to die for ❤ ).

Altered dress: perfect length, perfect fit, and no loose threads 🙂

T-Shirt Design

I don’t really know where to start with this post. I guess the best place to start is from the beginning. When I was small I had a variety of interests. I played the piano, did art, loved animals, enjoyed learning, and played sports. I never was particularly great at one thing.

However, drawing and crafting was one of my favorite hobbies (as mentioned in my previous post: Wedding Photographer?). In high school it was the one class I looked forward to because it took my mind off stressful tests, etc.

As I continued through high school and went on to college I decided to focus on getting a degree in Biochemistry/Chemistry at UCSD. I thought this way I could find a job that was high paying, so I could make a decent living for myself.

Now I am technically graduated (have a couple of courses left) and I have to prepare myself for the real world. However, something was not right. I did not realize this until I started watching these Youtubers called JustKiddingFilms.

They taught me to pursue my own passions despite what society or what the people around you think. That there is no point in living a life where you aren’t happy. That the only person you should impress is yourself because you deserve that kind of respect. That hard work and dedication will lead to good things.

Thank you Bart, Geo, Joe, Tiff, Julia, Tommy, Casey, David and the rest of the JK family for this valuable lesson (also all the funny and entertaining videos!).

Because of them, I decided to challenge myself and to start up my interest in art/design. I guess this is where I got the courage to create this blog :).

Next I decided to go even further and create my own t-shirt design and t-shirt. Partially because they had a contest (which I missed 😦 ) for a t-shirt design for their “Go for Broke” company and a way to push myself to step outside my comfort zone (never done this before).

I am not in it for the prize money or whatever. It’s my gratitude for what they have done for me and to gain experience for myself (maybe network/meet new people/or even join the JKfilms team haha 🙂 ). They don’t need to add this design into their t-shirt collection if they don’t think it fits. Either way I printed out some shirts for them and the shipment is on its way!

If you guys are reading this, I really hope you guys enjoy the t-shirts ❤

Winnie

P.S. I hope I got the sizes right for everyone 😀

 

 

Additional thank you’s to:
My mom, dad, and sister for the support and money needed for this project.
My boyfriend, Eddie, for the encouragement, help, and the props for the photographs.
My friend since elementary school, Sho, for the Japanese translation needed for the shirt design.
Your Printer, for printing the t-shirts and tags.
My friends and followers for the love and support that helped push me along on my journey.

I can’t thank you guys enough ❤

Vegan Asian Noodle Stir Fry

This recipe is one of my favorites and below I have 3 reasons why.

1. It’s quick and easy to make. 30 minutes total.
2. Gets rid of left over vegetables in the fridge and turns them into something amazing ❤
3. Tofu. Great source of protein and is delish!

It definitely satisfies any Chinese take out cravings and is much healthier for you. Especially because I am using edamame noodles. Edamame noodles are a great source of protein, low in carbs, and is gluten free!

However, for this recipe you can use any type of noodle you want. Udon, soba noodles, whole wheat, rice noodles, and the list goes on.  Not only are the noodles interchangeable, but the vegetables are too. You can use any mix of vegetables you like :).

The tofu I used in this recipe was actually pre-made. I bought it from a local mom and pop shop near my house. However, if you do not have Asian markets that sell pre-made vegan tofu you can always check out this recipe from Pepper Me Happy.

Or if you are not fond of tofu you can sub in any other type of protein you want. This recipe is a must try and if you do try out this recipe be sure to tag the picture with the hashtag #winnifercooks on Instagram so everyone can see. Happy cooking everyone! 😀

• Servings: 2
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Author: Winnifer Huang
Recipe Type: Savory, Vegan, Asian

Ingredients

• 4 ounces of edamame noodles
• 3-4 tbs of soy sauce
• 1 tbs of sugar (you can use any sweetener)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbs of chili sauce (I like the brand 老干妈 , lao gan ma)
• 1 tbs of coconut oil
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 small onion
• tofu slices (pre-made)

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add in the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. Heat up a pan and put in the oil. Once the oil is heated add in minced cloves of garlic and vegetables. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Next add in the soy sauce, sugar, and chili sauce. Stir and mix well, then add in the noodles.
3. Once everything is cooked through transfer everything into a bowl/plate. Top of the noodles with slices of tofu and bon appetite!

Wedding Photographer?

Hello everyone, I got exciting news! Well, to me it is a game changer. I started this blog as a way to express my creative side and to do what I love (art/photography/design).

However, I never knew where this would lead me. To tell you guys the truth, I am a beginner blogger who started this for fun. A way to relax. A way to find myself. I know it sounds cheesy and cliche, but it is true.

Blogging from the start did take some getting used to, but it was so much fun! It never felt like a chore or something I dreaded each day (like studying for exams 😦 ). After blogging for almost a month my twin sister, Michelle, saw potential in my blogging to get jobs in marketing/photography.

At first I thought she was joking, but she was serious. Since she is getting married soon (in September) at City Hall, she hired me to be her photographer for the day (BTW congrats little sis!). I was speechless. I know this is not an official job, but it is something. Like everyone (professional or not), I have to start somewhere.

Here are some of the pictures I took so far (with a borrowed DLSR because I can’t afford one. My usual pictures are taken with my cellphone XD ) . I am pretty proud and I can’t wait to photograph on the actual day. Getting paid is great too, but the experience is even more worth while. Thank you Michelle for this opportunity and all my followers for the support, I love you guys <3.

Today’s Harvest

Today my dad and I harvested 2 very nice cucumbers and a handful of peppers. This summer turned out to be a great one for my dad and his garden because the plants and vegetables are thriving!

We have cucumbers, string beans, squash, tomatoes, and an assortment of peppers growing in the backyard. Hopefully we can get an avocado tree in the future, but the likelihood of that is pretty slim because of our mischievous grandpa. He always tries to pull out the newly planted plants thinking they are weeds 😂.

Product Review: Nature’s Path Love Crunch Dark Chocolate & Red Berries

Hello fellow food lovers!

I know finding a delicious and nutritious granola can be hard at times. When it tastes amazing, it’s usually full of sugar. When it’s high in fiber and protein, the taste category is not up to par. However, I was trying out a new brand of granola from Nature’s Path and I have got to say it is high in both categories!

The flavor I tried was the dark chocolate and red berries. So if you like the perfect marriage of flax granola, strawberries, raspberries, coconut, and dark chocolate, this granola is going to be right up your ally. Plus, it has 14 grams of whole grains per serving, no cholesterol, it’s low in sodium, has no trans fats, and is an excellent source of ALA Omega-3. The amount of sugar per serving is low relative to other types of granola (6 grams compared to 13 grams of sugar), making it the perfect little treat :).

My favorite thing about this granola is that it comes in big chunks. You can break it up if you want smaller chunks or eat it as is. I promise you will never get granola dust. You can mix it with your cereal, eat it on top of yogurt/oatmeal/icecream, with your choice of milk, or just out of the bag!

You can purchase this product at Target, Lucky, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Costco, or online by clicking here.

*note: this product is not vegan friendly, but it is vegetarian, organic, and non GMO*