5 September Things

September just flew by...  But it was filled with lots of awesome discoveries (and some rediscoveries):

Paige Denim 

I'm usually not one to go crazy for designer jeans. They have their benefits but so far I never really felt like it was worth the splurge, and usually ended up back at H&M ...but then I came across Paige. I had heard great things about the label, so I took a couple of pairs into the changing room, and let's just say I had a really hard time deciding which ones to leave at the store since I couldn't possibly justify buying four pairs of jeans. What I love about them is that even though they are incredible soft and comfortable (seriously they feel like pajama pants), they don't lose their shape and look as good on day five as they did on day one. And don't even get me started on the fit… Best. Jeans. Ever.

Burts Bee's Red Dahlia
I Love Burt's Bees tinted Lipbalm (their pigmentation is amazing for a sheer balm!), and Red Dahlia is the epitome of a great fall color.

Superstar Car Wash
I recently rediscovered this, and have been listening to it on repeat all month. It's actually one of the first albums I ever bought (if I'm not counting all the Disney soundtracks and NOW compilations), and I'm still a fan of the band today, but for me none of their newer albums do even come close to Superstar Car Wash …I only wish it was available on vinyl.

Steve Madden Fringe Booties

Another rediscovery, I bought them back in spring and never wore them much, but they quickly became my favorite early fall shoes.

Scream Queens

Scream Queens might simultaneously be the best and the worst thing on TV right now. The show combines everything I love (campy horror, 80s music, and cool hats), but I also see why people might not enjoy it. Satire – especially if it's this crude – isn't everybody's cup of tea… But I think that goes for all Ryan Murphy shows, you either love them or hate them, and this one's no exception.

What's your favorite September thing?

Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura

Super Easy Eggplant Pizza

Even though pizza is always a good idea, eating it daily is not.  There is, however, an easy way to change that,  just leave out the dough! Yes that's right pizza without dough, and trust me it'll taste so great that you'll never want to go back (and it's a massive time saver, too – 'cause who has time to prepare all that dough?)

Since there is no traditional base, we are using eggplant as the bottom.  Just cut up a large eggplant into finger thick slices, preheat your oven to 220°C / 425°F and place  them on a backing sheet like this: 

Sprinkle them with salt, and bake them for about 15 minutes until they look like this: 

In the meantime  you can prepare your toppings,  and just like with regular pizza there are no limits.  I kept it classic, and used tomato sauce, ham, mozzarella, and olives. But if you want something healthier try a tomato, spinach and goat cheese combination  (I made that last week and it's amazing).

Arrange the toppings on the baked slices, and put your pizzas back into the oven - but this time turn the broiler on! Broil them for about 3 to 5 minutes (make sure to keep an eye on them while they are under the broiler, as they can burn super fast).  And voilà the best (and easiest) gluten free mini pizzas you will ever have: 

Tweet me pictures if you make them! 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Zucchini Fries

Happy May!  I know I'm late, but you know exams... But to make up for the lack of posts, I am going to share my favorite snack ever: zucchini fries. 

After kale and brussels sprouts, zucchinis seem to be the vegetable of the moment, and I couldn't be happier about it.  I love to just cut them up and cook them in the air fryer, or use them as a healthy spaghetti substitute, but if I do have a little more time Zucchini fries are the way to go. And unlike regular fries, these things are actually good for you. 

picture

You need (serves two):

1 large zucchini

2 Eggs

Flour 

Breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F,  line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and cut the zucchini into sticks – you can make them as thick or thin as you want (the thicker you make them, the longer your fries will have to bake).  Fill a plastic bag with flour add the sticks, and shake (you can also coat every stick individually but this is a huge timesaver).  Put the eggs into a bowl, and add the flour coated sticks. One last stop in the breadcrumb bowl and on to the baking sheet they go...  Bake until they are golden brown (depending on the size of your fries, this can take anything from 10 to 25 minutes), and enjoy! 

What's your favorite way to eat zucchini? 

Peace, Love, and Lobster
Laura

Blasts From The Past

I spent the last four days cleaning out the attic (while listening to 1989), so I don't really have a lot to blog about (unless you're interested in antique toys).  

That's why I decided to use this post to bring back some old favorites (especially recipes, everyone loves a good recipe):

These crunchy tortilla leaves, or these cinnamon chips with apple pie dip are the perfect fall snacks, 

and click here for an easy (and healthy) way to spice up (or dress up) a cup of coffee.

…and let's not forget my famous red velvet cupcakes (they're always in season).

Of course, you are going to need a good book to relax after all that baking, or (if you're anything like me) you might want to unwind by giving yourself a fresh manicure (or a wild one).

If you're in the mood for a makeover and want to make Taylor Swift's adorable vintage look your own,  follow this link,  or look here for my take on Emma Stone's laid back style.

picture by Sammy

…And last but not least:  the greatest App you will ever own.

Have a great weekend!

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Little Gems

The internet can be such a fun place, one minute you're looking  up the weather and the next you're on Pintrest learning how to cook oatmeal Fugazi Style. Ian MacKaye's elaborate recipe only has nine steps, and time is measured in phone calls instead of minutes. 'Cause why not?

(View on Pintrest / Or open in new window) 

Apparently it's from a 1989 issue of Flipside  …only on Pintrest.

What are some of your favorite Pintrest finds?  

Peace, Love and Lobsters
Laura

Memorable Meals

The main character of my favorite book series, (Diana Perterfreund's Secret Society Girl) has a weakness for Greek salad, and whenever I think of the books I find myself craving feta bits and olives. 

This got me thinking about the role food plays in other books, and apparently I am not the only one who found the topic intriguing, because photographer Dinah Fried put together an entire book that focusses on literary cuisine:

The book captures culinary moments from contemporary and classic literature, such as the tea that was served in Wonderland, the chicken breakfast from To Kill a Mockingbird, Holden's Swiss cheese sandwich from The Catcher in the Rye:

…or my personal favorite from On The Road: 

Do you remember a dish from your favorite book? 

Check out Fictious Dishes here 

or visit the Fictious Dishes Facebook Page 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

5 Minute Peach Bruschetta

The thing with cooking posts is that I never plan them. I'll make something and don't realize that it would make a good post until it's half gone, which is basically just my excuse for the not so great picture. So trust me when I say that this Instagram pic doesn't do this awesome recipe justice. 

I present, my famous 5 Minute Peach Bruschetta:

What you need: 

Bread (I used Ciabatta, but you can use whatever you like best)

Feta Cheese

Peaches

Olive Oil

Honey

Rosemary

How much you need of each ingredient depends on how much you want to make,  

just make sure that you're using equal amounts of feta and peach. 

5 minutes to go…

Cut the bread into finger-thick slices, and put them in the toaster (or on the grill).

4 minutes to go…

Dice the feta and the peaches.

3 minutes to go…

Mix the olive oil and the honey in a bowl, and add a dash of rosemary.

I usually start with the honey, and add about double the amount of olive oil, but this ratio really depends on how sweet you want the mixture to be. 

2 minutes to go…

Add the diced feta and peaches to the bowl, and cover them with the olive oil honey mix, while you toast/grill the bread until it's crunchy.

and done… 

Pour the mixture over the warm bread slices, and that's it!

(Tip: add extra peach slices for decorative purposes)

Bon appétit!

Peace, Love, and Lobsters,

Laura

Something for the Weekend

One of my favorite Youtube stars and bloggers, Fleur De Force, has a new cooking channel with her 

husband Mike. And one of the first things they made happens to be an all time favorite of mine: Eton Mess! Seriously there's nothing better on a hot summers day.

I know what you're thinking, a recipe for a dish that was supposedly created when a dog crushed a meringue dessert seems a little redundant - since well all you have to do is make a mess. But sometimes the easiest recipes are the most fun to make, and this video is the best proof for that: 

What's your favorite summer treat?

Check out Food with Fleur and Mike on Sainsbury's Food.

New recipes every Wednesday!

Peace, Love, and Cupcakes
Laura

Just Another Saturday…

In need of a fun weekend activity? Look no further!

Remember Augustana?  Well, they have a new album out, and (aside from Boston, no one can touch that) I think it's their best work yet. So check it out while you go for a walk…

Life Imitating Life on Spotify

…and pick up the ingredients to make these amazing vegan scones:

You can find the full instructions here, and munch on them while you catch up on NBCs fantastic (trust me, I was skeptical too)  Rosemary's Baby Remake.

picture NBC

You're welcome!

Peace, Love, and Ladybugs

Laura