Rose Water Spritzer

Your classic white wine spritzer. Just fancier. 

My friend Yelena has recently mastered the art of creating craft cocktails. From making her own infused syrups to incorporating ingredients like bourbon-soaked cherries, I have been beyond impressed with her creativity. The result is always something fresh + fantastic. Recently, she used rose petal ice cubes in one of her creations. So, I decided to make my own ice cubes to add to one of my favorite summer drinks: the white wine spritzer. 

However, I did not follow instructions; I simply tossed the petals into an ice cube tray + hoped for fancy ice. The petals ended up on top of, instead of inside, the ice cubes. And although pretty, I didn't particularly enjoy petal pieces floating around in my beverage. After telling this to Chef Y she mentioned I needed to partially fill the ice cubes with water before freezing, adding the petals and freezing a final time into petal perfection.

A few weeks after the fancy ice fiasco, I visited my mom in California. Always one to enjoy a white wine spritzer, she made me her latest libation: adding a splash of rose water to her spritzer. I immediately feel in love with the refreshing, floral combo. And after adding the rose petal ice cubes, I knew I had found my new summer love :)

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1-2 fresh roses
• 1 bottle of white wine (Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite)
• 1 bottle of sparkling water
• 1/2 tsp rose water (my mom purchased her bottle from a local mediterranean store but you can order online)

Instructions

Rose Petal Ice Cubes
1. Fill an ice cube tray one-third of the way. Freeze.
2. Add petals to top of the ice; add water to fill the tray 2/3 of the way. Freeze again.
3. Fill the tray the rest of the way with water before final freezing. 

White Wine Spritzer
1. Add 2-3 ice cubes to each wine glass
2. Fill each wine glass 2/3 of the way with sparkling water
3. Top off with 2 ounces of white wine
4. Add a few drops of rose water to each glass + enjoy! 

Smashed Blackberry + Lime Overnight Oats

Yesterday I enjoyed a seriously good breakfast bowl by Graze at one of my favorite local studios, Studio Three.  The Banana Cashew bowl had a little bit of lime, offering a refreshing balance to the creaminess of the cashew/banana blend. Loved it. 

So today I decided to make my own version of the bowl by subbing out the fancy (+ high-cal) granola for raw rolled oats. Also, instead of agave, I smashed a handful of blackberries + drizzled tart cherry juice concentrate to give my meal natural sweetness. Finally, I added a small handful of fresh edamame (I know it sounds strange but trust me!) + chia seeds to boost the bowls protein + fiber content. The end result was a sweet + satisfying mini meal that helped keep me full for the rest of my afternoon.  

Serves: 1 - 2 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw rolled oats
• 3/4 cup dairy-free yogurt (I used So Delicious coconut milk yogurt, unsweetened vanilla)
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp. edamame, fresh
• 1/4 cup fresh blackberries (feel free to use any berry - fresh or frozen)
• 1 tsp. tart cherry juice concentrate
• 1/4 fresh lime

Instructions

1. Mix in oats, chia + edamame into coconut milk yogurt
2. In a separate bowl, smash berries with a fork. Add into the yogurt mixture.
3. Squeeze lime over mixture + add tart cherry juice concentrate.
4. Place mixture into fridge. Let sit for ~4 hours or overnight. Enjoy!

Raw Carrot + Quinoa Salad with Mint

Last night I made a huge pot of quinoa for my husband to use in a new recipe he is trying (a breakfast casserole of some sort...stay tuned). So today I threw a salad together using some of the quinoa + added things I already had on hand like shredded carrots + mint. A handful of black beans gave the salad a bit more staying power by upping the protein + fiber content. I also added a dollop of fresh baba ganoush in lieu of dressing. This added creaminess without the greasiness of an oily dressing.  

No pre-made quinoa? No problem! This salad would be great with any raw veggies plus half a cup of no-salt-added beans or a small steamed sweet potato (Dexter's favorite :))

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa 
• 1/4 cup black beans (canned, rinsed)
• 1/4 purple onion, diced
• 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup carrots, shredded 
• 1 Tbsp. baba ganoush (this would be great with hummus too!)
• Small handful of fresh mint (optional; or use fresh basil for a different flavor) 

Instructions

1. Place quinoa and beans in a bowl. 
2. Chop vegetables and add to bowl
3. Scoop baba ganoush onto salad, top with mint + enjoy!

Savory Spinach Oatmeal

Sometimes I do want something sweet in the morning...like a vegan donut :)  But most mornings, I'm looking for something savory + satisfying. Recently I've been making for this simple savory spinach oatmeal each morning. Using frozen spinach, sun-dried tomatoes + frozen basil pods (thank you, Trader Joe's!) allows me to make this when I don't have any fresh veggies on hand.  

Use this recipe as a guide - feel free to add in leftover veggies from the night before or throw in some curry paste to give your breakfast a bit of a bite. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raw rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups water (sub with a dairy-free milk for extra creaminess)
• 2 pods of Trader Joe's frozen basil pods
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach
• 1 Tbsp. whole flax seeds
• 1 Tbsp. Trader Joe's Almnod Butter Turmeric Salad Dressing
• 1 tsp. pine nuts or slivered almonds
• sprinkle of dairy-free shredded cheese (optional; Daiya is my favorite)
• 1 tsp. chutney (optional; Le Bon Magot has some super unique flavors)

Instructions

1. Add water, oats, frozen spinach + basil to a small pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Cook approximately 5 minutes until oats have softened + are looking plump.
3. Add flax seeds, dressing + nuts. Cook 1 - 2 minutes before removing from heat. 
4. Scoop your oatmeal into a bowl, top with cheese + chutney and enjoy!