If you know me, you know I love a fun little non-alcoholic drink, especially when hosting a gathering! I was recently inspired by Olivia Noceda’s batched cocktail/mocktail recipe (one of my fave creators, GENIUS) and decided to make my own batched drink over the Thanksgiving holiday. We hosted both our families, one after the other, respectively, so I wanted something low-key & easy, but still impressive & festive. I figured a chai-inspired drink with a bubbly element would work nicely.
What a whirlwind of a season it has been! I am more than ready to be cozy for the fall, but ATX weather has other ideas, and technically summer doesn’t end until September 22nd. I’ve recently been taking a lot of late evening walks to savor the last few balmy nights…but knowing Texas, we will have plenty more balmy nights until October at least. Mostly I was taking more walks to incorporate some kind of physical activity as I was going insane from reading about recent events, as well as recently recovering from COVID (for the first time ever)…thankfully I am all better!
Going out for coffee/matcha? Not in this economy!
DIY cafe drinks will save you money & if you’re looking for a way to use some of your savings for good/feel a little less hopeless about the world, you can donate to critical aid for refugees in DRC, Gaza, Sudan & Ukraine. There are countless organizations doing impactful work, and the IRC is one of the ones I have always admired, for their dedication & transparency. These days, I hope you are holding your loved ones close & cherishing quality time with them, because it is such a privilege to be able to.
This year, my sister opted to slow down for her birthday and put together an intimate home cafe for a handful of her closest friends. My boyfriend and I drove up to DFW (with some ATX treats) for a chill weekend. We treated ourselves to fun drinks & bites, and did some crafting. It was refreshing and comforting, especially during these turbulent times. Check out my reel recap of the vibes & read more about the menu below!
I miss yapping with y’all about food I have been enjoying/making, so expect more to come—and please feel free to ask any questions about the spread!
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Growing up, my cousins and I saw many seasons pass through my grandparents’ house in Oklahoma. Winter nights meant steaming pots of my aunt’s phở chay and whispering under warm blanket forts. In the spring, our fingers became green and fragrant from plucking Vietnamese herbs for spring rolls. We spent our summers making our own adventures in the closets and under the tables (and doing math). In the fall, we were filled to bursting with ripe trái hồng (Fuyu persimmons) from my grandmother’s tree. No matter the season, our cheeks were always full of laughter, and our grandparents were always full of love for us, to the brim and more.
Fuyu persimmons were my favorite fruit growing up, especially the ones from my grandmother’s tree. When eaten young, Fuyu persimmons are crisp and refreshing. At full ripeness, their texture becomes deep and tender–gelatinous globs of honeyed sweetness that melt in your mouth and make a mess when you eat them. My favorite stage to eat them is the middle stage, in which the fruit retains some bite, while still being delectably fleshy and succulent in texture. Persimmons are also amazing when dried–they are a gooey treat with a really satisfying texture. Continue reading
Guys, I’m participating in VeganMoFo again! VeganMoFo is a month-long challenge to post as much vegan food as possible, kind of like NaNoWriMo. It’s been a few years since I took part, but I decided (to be crazy) and challenge myself this month. It’s the most insane time for me to do this, because I’m in the middle of my design thesis for graduate school (more on that as the month progresses). However, I owe you guys so many blog posts and recipes that I’ve been testing over and over (I need to get over perfectionism)…and I guess I’m all about the crazy! Check out my IG post below to learn more about me and my focus. Continue reading
Happy Christmas Eve, y’all! 2017 is coming to a close–I can barely believe it! I’m in the mood to bake spicy cookies and drown my stress in hot chocolate, how about you?
Needless to say, grad school life has kept me quite occupied this year. I actually got sick twice this semester (currently still recovering)–which is absolutely insane to me, because I hardly ever get sick. This semester seriously took a toll on me. I have another year left–my thesis looms ahead! Cue the tears and hot chocolate…and Chinese five spice gingerbread cookies.
Chinese five spice, ngũ vị hương in Vietnamese, is one of my favorite things to reach for in the kitchen. It has a complex balance of flavors: sweet, savory, sour, and bitter. Around this time last year, I shared a savory recipe featuring it–Fusion Jackfruit Bao Bites. This year, I’m showing you how I decided to throw it into some cookies…it turned out to be a success at a vegan Christmas cookie swap I went to, so I decided to refine the recipe to share with you!
Chilling the dough before and after rolling keeps cookie shapes intact–but I also like the cute mistakes that occur when I forget to chill the second time, like this little dancing cutie!
First of all, ATX friends, if you haven’t *already* tried everything on Plow Bao‘s menu, you are missing out on Joyce Ni’s blessings, and you must get there ASAP before they close this Saturday (August 20th). Attend their farewell party (details at the end of this post) & order everything!
Joyce is a dear friend to me, and while that may make me biased, I genuinely appreciate her blend of veganized traditional recipes from her Chinese grandmother, with fun fusion rotations, such as her cheeseburger shu mai last month–incredible. While it can be difficult to find a dim sum experience as a vegan (unless you’re in Taiwan), Joyce’s truck certainly scratches that itch! Each dish is made with care, and the fusion dishes are not just fusion for trendiness’ sake, but truly inspired by Joyce’s Chinese heritage and American/Texan influences. Joyce’s nourishing friendship aside, here are the top dishes I will personally pine for the most in Plow Bao’s absence. These are in no particular order–however, the bao tacos are limited to Tuesday’s, and today is the LAST bao taco Tuesday. So, get to it!
Pro tip: Plow Bao is available for ordering in person or online–if ordering online, please use their square site instead of UberEats if you want to avoid extra costs & support/tip the team!
With a new year that already doesn’t feel too celebratory (besides the incredible senate seat wins in Georgia!), I truly hope you are taking care of yourself, friends! My gift to you today is this spicy, warming soup–I hope it can help you find a moment of zen during this brutal, cold beginning of 2021.
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These cookies will punch you in the throat–in the best way. Think warm gingerbread spices, with an Asian twist–these cookies pack a fiery kick and will leave a zingy, lingering burn in your throat. These go well with a creamy glass of nondairy milk or a hot cup of peppermint tea!
Hi friends! I don’t know about y’all, but I am feeling BURNT OUT. Between work stress, Zoom fatigue, the pandemic, and this election cycle, I’ve been feeling so much pressure and anxiety from all angles. Naturally, I have turned to baking as an outlet, and have been occupied with various #BakersAgainstRacism efforts. Always, but especially in these isolating and uncertain times, I find it is so meaningful & important to put our energy towards causes bigger than ourselves (in whatever capacity we can).
“Imagine how much love you’ve felt when someone advocated for you. Imagine how protected you felt when someone put themselves in between you and any kind of bully…imagine.”
— Angelia Trinidad, CEO of Passion Planner
It’s been a heavy time. While the pandemic is still raging its course, many Americans are confronting the truth of another illness that has been deeply rooted in our nation’s history–white supremacy. Racism is very much alive and well in the 21st century.
While fall is my favorite season, this year, I’ve actually found myself fondly holding onto the last few days of summer. It’s not that hard to do here in Texas, because it’s still hot AF. This past summer has honestly been one of the best I’ve ever had: graduation, traveling to Taiwan, Vietnam, Tanzania and Kenya, and some exciting collaborations (involving pizza and the Dallas Farmers Market), with many more exciting projects to come!
With the weather being so warm, I find myself still sticking to refreshing foods full of cooling greens and herbs, like spring rolls and vermicelli bowls. Vietnamese vermicelli bowls (bún) are heavy on veggies, quite easy to assemble, and there is lots of room for improvisation. Traditional Vietnamese vermicelli bowls feature various protein toppings, which include grilled pork (bún thịt nướng), lemongrass beef (bún thịt bò xào sả), eggrolls (bún chả giò, or sometimes lemongrass tofu (bún đậu hũ xào sả). Nowadays, these toppings are easily veganizable. Today I am sharing a vermicelli bowl featuring my five spice beef as the protein!
In Vietnamese, this would be called bún thịt bò chay (which translates to rice noodles & vegan beef).
The weekend has arrived, which means it’s time to go to brunch at the Dallas Farmer’s Market! A couple weekends ago, I had the absolute joy of taking part in a collaborative veggie takeover organized by my good friend Brooklynne (@beetsbybrooke) and the Dallas Farmer’s Market. Brooklynne did an amazing job showcasing all the vegan finds at The Shed at the farmer’s market–you can check out her stories here on the Dallas Farmer’s Market’s VEGAN highlight!
We were joined by our good friends Courtney (@colormecourtney_), Malinda (@kindred.vegan.souls), and John Francis (@johnfmfilms) which was great because we needed a lot of help to eat all the food. One thing to know before brunching at DFM: bring your whole crew! Don’t forget reusable containers!
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