spooky juicy

Happy Halloween!! I wanted to share this "spooky" looking juice I made::

scarily nutritious!

This purpley foamy goodness included:

red cabbage, kale and spinach stems, 2 celery stalks, small pear, spiralina & lemon juice. Yum!

Kale Massacre Salad

I call this bad boy the Kale Massacre Salad because a) there is NO WAY you will not massacre this thing when you make it and b) when you finishing beasting on it, your plate (or in my case, Tupperware that I brought it in to work) will look like some one went on a kale killing spree, with green blood and guts and all. Mmmm. Well, now that I got you hungry, here's the recipe:

So much green goodness!

3-4 kale leaves (depending on the size of the kale and the size of the salad you want to make) pulled off the stem and ripped into little bite-sized pieces

1 hand full of parley, torn into smaller pieces

1 hand full of fresh dill, torn

2t apple cider vinegar

*I let this mix of greens and herbs sit in a container in my fridge overnight to help break it down so its easier to digest. you could also combine all of the ingredients at once, but I like to let the herbs really mix in with my greens

In the am, I added...

juice of 1/2 a lemon (the leftover half from my lemon water!)

1/2 avocado (I scoop out all the meat and then use my hands to really coat all the leaves)

1-2 T nutritional yeast

1/2 Tground flaw seed

1/2 t spiralina

a handful of raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sprouts (I used a mix of lentil sprouts and pea shoots)

salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste (I like a lot of cayenne in this one :)

1/2 piece nori seaweed, cut into thin strips

dulse seaweed* (I impulsively picked up this kind on my way to work and added it in at the last minute...ohmygod so good! I'm afraid I may have munched a little bit too hard on it as an afternoon snack, not because there is any lack of health benefits, but it is a bit pricey. I'm thinking of ordering it in bulk from the same company I purchased from today because I'm already hooked! It has an amazing salty, smokey, (dare I say) meaty flavor. I think it would be amazing on an avocado sandwich, in miso soup or a veggie stir-fry with mushrooms! Woah slow down!)

destroyed.

Linky-link October

Love this! I'm the "black charger"

The art of wearable communication via Ted Talk

Fruit labels that magically turn into (fruit) soap!

NY Mag Twelve takes on falafel, but they forgot my fav, which is from Tahini

Cultural Faux Pas in New York

"don't interfere with others' privacy. New York is a very crowded place. The way people deal with it is to create their own space. Thus, what outsiders often see as aloofness and isolation is, in fact, a sign of community; there is a shared ethos that everyone respects others' privacy and expects others to respect his own."

linky-links

I wish I had my own studio :( One of the downsides of living in NYC.

I would love to make a vegan version of this genius no-roll sushi.

Sabrina Ward Harrison is one of my most favoritist artists and this is her house!

The article "The Tyrany of Trends" really examines the dynamics of sustainable fashion.

LOVE Here is Everything I Learned in New York! A few great quotes from this piece::
But eventually, I realized there is only one bad decision, the decision I moved to New York to avoid: Doing nothing at all. That is unforgivable.

Some of my favorite conversations have been with cabbies, because there is a curious intimacy that develops when you both know you will only share 10 blocks together in this lifetime.

New York is a lonely place. But in New York, you’re never alone.

Lower East Side from Django's Ghost on Vimeo.

One Hundred Years of Fashion::

via the streets i know

Happy September!!

these make me really happy and I want to make/ eat them.

photo fun.

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I like the idea of using my own photos (of which I have boxes and boxes of) as wall art.

minimal.

I'm finally moving into my new place on Monday!! All I can think about is how I'm going to decorate my amazing (and extremely teeny-tiny) new space. This is the smallest apartment I've ever lived in, and it's forced me to re-evaluate all the crap I've accumulated over the years and think about what I actually NEED in my life. I want the space to be comfortable and inspiring in decor, while also minimal in actual stuff.

Image source
Image source
Like my last place, this one has ZERO closets. Me and my roll rack don't give a damn!
Via Emmadime
Love how the white-on-white makes the shelves blend in with the walls
via daydreamily
Image source
I like the idea of using a blanket like this as a couch covering
Uhh rentals! If I ever buy a place, my kitchen will look like this! via pinterest

Get ready for tons more apartment inspiration coming your way! Maybe even some DIY'S too!

leftover steel-cut oat and broccoli scallion pancakes

I have been so crazy busy this week-between looking for a roommate, searching for an apartment and then signing the lease (I literally feel like I batted an eye lash and all this happened)-I have been so exhausted. Too exhausted to even go food shopping or cook food! (I know! And those are like, my two favorite activities!!)

So when I went to take a dinner break from sorting/ packing all my stuff, I didn't really have much to work with. I was actually craving falafel, or something similarly warm and crispy, but I didn't have ANY of the ingredients needed to make falafel:( What I did have was a big container of steel-cut oats I cooked up the week and a random array of vegetables. I just kinda grabbed whatever looked good and started mixing things together with the intention of making some sort of stir-fry or veggie burger. The outcome of concoction tasted JUST like the scallion pancakes I used to eat from the chinese restaurant near my house when I was younger-only wayy better (less greasy + more flavorful)

just like take-out, only better

Here's what I mixed together. The measurements are complete estimates because I just used what was leftover!

~1c steal-cut oats, cooked and cooled

~1/3c daikon radish, grated (or chopped, but I like to grate my veggies with a cheese grater, which is obvi not ever used for cheese;)

~3 scallions, chopped (white part included) plus leave some aside for a super-shmansy garnish

~1/4 broccoli florets, chopped into tiny pieces, excluding the stems (sorry stems!)

-1T ground flax seed mixed with 2T water, set aside to turn into a gel

-1T brown rice flour, or whatever flour you have on hand (all purpose would work)

-1 pinch of cumin

-1 pinch of cayenne or other spiced pepper (I used a lot because I love heat)

-salt and pepper to taste

-olive oil for pan (although cooking spray would work if you are trying to cut down on oil)

Mix all the oats and veggies in a bowl. Then add your spices and binders (flax "egg" and flour) While the oil is heating in the pan, use your hands to form a ball of the "dough" and then plot it into the pan. Let it crisp up a bit before using a spatula to flatten it into a pancake shape. Cook until both sides are crispy and brown, about 8 minutes total, depending on the size of your flame and how crispy you like it (or how hungry you are.) Serve with some chopped fresh scallions on top. Viola!

This would make a great appetizer to go with an asian stir-fry. Wow, I should really go grocery shopping!

what's wrong with wool

So by now we know not to EAT meat and definitely not to WEAR fur or leather (gross) but what about wool? This seems to be fuzzy (pun intended) topic because many people think that the sheep are simply given a "hair cut" every now by a nice shepherd which is then woven into a little sweater by someone's grandma. Well, sorry to break it to ya, but not only are most of the sheep raised in horrific living conditions, non-organic sheep's wool is dowsed in harmful (to us and the sheep) chemical pesticides and insecticides. In addition, one of the world's largest sources of wool, Australian merino wool, practices a technique called mueling- essentially cutting off chunks of flesh to ensure the greatest wool output. When the sheeps are no longer needed/ usable for wool production, they are shipped of for slaughter. This is all illustrated nicely in this video by PETA narrated by Pink:

While organic wool seems like a great alternative to conventional, it unfortunately comes with a heafty price tag and isn't nearly as widely available. I'm still a firm believer that second-hand is the most eco way to go because you don't have to factor in the impact of production, packaging, shipping etc. let alone labor practices and inhumane treatment of animals. One eco-company that I'd like to highlight is Vaute Couture. Created by Leanne Mai-Ly Hilgart, these gorgeous coats are artfully made out of inovative fabrics such as recycled soybean pod fibers! I'm still always on the lookout for ways to stay warm without harming animals or the environment.

What are your thoughts on wool?

best fucking friends

Etched re-claimed brass on recycled chain

Today I made these necklaces for my best friend (well, one is for me;) in honor of her 21st birthday and 90th day sober. I'm so proud of you baby girl!

For inquiries contact: berleenyc@gmail.com