life is funny. 

when i first heard my old studio was closing, my gut feeling was this closure was going to make space in my life for something else. and then for two weeks straight, everything was chaos, emotion and work.

and now, even though my days are still full and hectic, somehow things feel more settled and comfortable. just less hectic. i guess when you cut out a few VERY early mornings and hours and hours of working out that's what happens. whatever. i'll take it! 

even though our holiday catering and dessert season is in FULL swing, i'm using some of my extra moments to make more breakfasts. and i have been craving pancakes. 

toasted coconut & blackberry pancakes
serves: 4
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 15 minutes
total time: 20 minutes
ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour. 2 tbs sugar. 2 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp salt. 1 egg. 1 cup milk. 4 tbs coconut oil, melted and divided. 10 blackberries, roughly chopped. .5 cup shredded coconut, divided  (sugar free, not the kind in the baking aisle coated in sugar, unless you are sugar fiend and like that kind of thing). true maple syrup for serving. electric pan, large pan or griddle for cooking.

start by preheating a hot pan on your stove or a griddle to about 350 degrees or a medium high heat, depending on your cook top. then, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together the half of the melted coconut oil (make sure it isn't piping hot or it will scramble your egg) the egg and the milk. 

when everything is well combined, whisk in your dry ingredients. 

when you batter is well combined, mix in half the coconut shreds and the blackberries. mix till just combined. 

lightly brush your cook top with the remaining coconut oil and use a paper towel to lightly coat your surface completely. depending on the size of pancakes you like, pour out either a silver dollar sized dollop of batter (for smaller pancakes) up to a fist sized dollop of batter for a larger pancake. work in batches and be sure not to over crowed your pan or griddle. cook the pancakes until the side you see has lots of bubbles and most have popped. then flip the pancakes. cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on this side just till set completely. remove the pancakes to a plate. 

top with some more coconut shreds for garnish, drizzle with syrup and serve hot. 

xo, a

toasted coconut & blackberry pancakes
serves: 4
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 15 minutes
total time: 20 minutes
ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour. 2 tbs sugar. 2 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp salt. 1 egg. 1 cup milk. 4 tbs coconut oil, melted and divided. 10 blackberries, roughly chopped. .5 cup shredded coconut, divided  (sugar free, not the kind in the baking aisle coated in sugar, unless you are sugar fiend and like that kind of thing). true maple syrup for serving. electric pan, large pan or griddle for cooking.
start by preheating a hot pan on your stove or a griddle to about 350 degrees or a medium high heat, depending on your cook top. then, in a medium sized bowl, whisk together the half of the melted coconut oil (make sure it isn't piping hot or it will scramble your egg) the egg and the milk. when everything is well combined, whisk in your dry ingredients. when you batter is well combined, mix in half the coconut shreds and the blackberries. mix till just combined.  lightly brush your cook top with the remaining coconut oil and use a paper towel to lightly coat your surface completely. depending on the size of pancakes you like, pour out either a silver dollar sized dollop of batter (for smaller pancakes) up to a fist sized dollop of batter for a larger pancake. work in batches and be sure not to over crowed your pan or griddle. cook the pancakes until the side you see has lots of bubbles and most have popped. then flip the pancakes. cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on this side just till set completely. remove the pancakes to a plate. top with some more coconut shreds for garnish, drizzle with syrup and serve hot. 

every year i get sucked in to the giant fall display of gourds at trader joes. even though i have no extra space in my kitchen, i still feel the need to purchase seven-ten assorted gourds so that i can take one really beautiful fall picture. sometimes, they even make an appearance on a fall table or at a styled shoot. but MAX they get three uses. and then what?

they are still food. i can't just throw them away?! so here is a recipe perfect for your leftover fall pumpkins and assorted squash. gourds are at their best when roasted. a few ingredients and some time in the oven brings out all of a gourds best flavor qualities. this recipe will work for any of your leftover fall gourds, but for this recipe i used a small sugar pumpkin. 

white cheddar + pumpkin frittata
serves: 4
prep time: 15 minutes
active time: 15 minutes
bake time: 45 minutes
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
ingredients: 2 cups pumpkin or squash cubes (.5 inch cubes). 8 eggs. 1 cup diced brown onion (about .5 medium onion). 1 tbs minced garlic. 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 2 tbs brown sugar. 1 tbs finely chopped sage. .25 cup whole milk. 1 cup white cheddar cheese. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp pepper. rimmed baking sheet. parchment paper. 8-9 inch oven safe pan. 2 cups of arugula and juice of .5 lemon optional for serving. 

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. line your baking sheet with parchment paper. toss your pumpkin with 2 tbs olive oil, half the salt and pepper and the brown sugar. make sure everything is lightly coated. roast the pumpkin for 20-25 minutes till its starting to brown at the edges and feel a bit crispy to the touch. 

while your pumpkin is roasting, whisk your eggs with the milk, the cheese and half the remaining salt and pepper. set the egg mixture aside. 

when you have about 5 minutes left on your pumpkin, heat the remaining oil in the oven safe pan on the stove over medium heat. when the oil is hot, add in the onions and garlic. add in the remaining salt and pepper. cook until the onions start to brown. 7-10 minutes. 

when the pumpkin is done, immediately lower the temperature of your oven to 325 degrees f. 

add in the cooked pumpkin and sage. stir everything to combine. 

pour in the egg mixture and cook the eggs, stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan till the eggs begin to set up. about 5-7 minutes. 

you should start to see chunks of cooked eggs in the runny egg mixture. 

pop the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the frittata is set and no longer giggly in the center. 

toss your arugula if you are using it with the juice of half a lemon. top your frittata with the arugula and serve hot. 

xo, a

white cheddar + pumpkin frittata
serves: 4
prep time: 15 minutes
active time: 15 minutes
bake time: 45 minutes
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
ingredients: 2 cups pumpkin or squash cubes (.5 inch cubes). 8 eggs. 1 cup diced brown onion (about .5 medium onion). 1 tbs minced garlic. 4 tbs olive oil, divided. 2 tbs brown sugar. 1 tbs finely chopped sage. .25 cup whole milk. 1 cup white cheddar cheese. 1 tsp kosher salt. .5 tsp pepper. rimmed baking sheet. parchment paper. 8-9 inch oven safe pan. 2 cups of arugula and juice of .5 lemon optional for serving. start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. line your baking sheet with parchment paper. toss your pumpkin with 2 tbs olive oil, half the salt and pepper and the brown sugar. make sure everything is lightly coated. roast the pumpkin for 20-25 minutes till its starting to brown at the edges and feel a bit crispy to the touch. while your pumpkin is roasting, whisk your eggs with the milk, the cheese and half the remaining salt and pepper. set the egg mixture aside. when you have about 5 minutes left on your pumpkin, heat the remaining oil in the oven safe pan on the stove over medium heat. when the oil is hot, add in the onions and garlic. add in the remaining salt and pepper. cook until the onions start to brown. 7-10 minutes. when the pumpkin is done, immediately lower the temperature of your oven to 325 degrees f. add in the cooked pumpkin and sage. stir everything to combine. pour in the egg mixture and cook the eggs, stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan till the eggs begin to set up. about 5-7 minutes. you should start to see chunks of cooked eggs in the runny egg mixture. pop the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the frittata is set and no longer giggly in the center. toss your arugula if you are using it with the juice of half a lemon. top your frittata with the arugula and serve hot.