All posts tagged: dessert

Comfort Cooking at Home ~ Delicious, Easy, Healthy Recipes

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During this Universal Pause while we are all tucked away in our homes in one gigantic act of loving kindness and solidarity for our fellow man, we want to extend our love to you in the best way we know how~ through heart-and-soul-warming food. We wish to brighten your hearth and home with some of our favorite comfort food recipes, all gathered together here in one place for your home cooking pleasure. These are our “greatest hits” recipes that we constantly get requests for over the years. They also happen to be very simple, easy-to-make recipes with just a few ingredients that pack a huge flavorful punch. We hope our healthy comfort food recipes help to bring some joy to your table. Stay safe, healthy and vibrant! We are sending you all of our love! xoxo, Christina & Sarah || Sirens & Scoundrels Comfort Mains & Sides *CLICK ON THE DISH NAME TO BE TAKEN TO THE RECIPE* Spaghetti Squash Pasta  ~  Vegan + Gluten-Free (w/ Vegetarian Option)   Lentil & Sweet Potato Salad  ~  …

Yoga-urt: Meet Your New Obsession

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While other parts of the country are breaking out their new fall sweaters and snuggling up to pumpkin chai lattes in fuzzy mittens, our late-arrival summer is only just kicking into full swing here in LA. In honor of these last blazing days of summer, we present you with our current obsession and our absolute favorite way to beat the heat. Allow us to introduce you to Yoga-urt, the best soft serve frozen yogurt in town. It also happens to be organic, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and uses no artificial ingredients of any kind. How can the creamiest, richest, smoothest, most delicious soft serve in existence be vegan, you ask? Come take a stroll with us… Yoga-urt first popped up in Glendale’s adorably quaint Kenneth Village in 2015. We’re always huge fans of any tiny frozen-in-time hidden gem neighborhood tucked away right here inside our bustling city (hello, Montrose!), but Kenneth Village might be the sweetest and tiniest of them all. The one-block strip of Kenneth Road just west of Grandview is as Bedford Falls as …

Pizza & Poetry

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Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl // Video by  Sarah Prikryl & Christina Huntington “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” –Mary Oliver, The Summer Day As these gorgeous Spring days turn into warm Summer nights, it’s time to gather your loved ones around a long outdoor table to celebrate all the magic and wonder of being alive with the one thing everybody loves: pizza. Gluten-free, gluten-full, dairy-free, piled up with cheese–whichever way suits your fancy, build-your-own pizzas are always a wonderful way to create delicious art that you can eat. For our recent Sirens & Scoundrels “Pizza & Poetry” gathering, we brought together all the things we love most: friends, food, music, dancing and poetry. We set a long table with our favorite summer linens, flickering candles, fresh boughs of greens and mini stacks of vintage books. The invite called for guests to bring their favorite poems and a hearty appetite. On the gorgeous terrace of Domain WeHo, Scoundrel drink master Richard Swan of The Grand Bevy was on hand …

Mile-High Apple Pie (Gluten-Free)

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Time for gatherings and holiday festivities centered around family, friends and feasting! In late October/early November, we at Sirens & Scoundrels make our annual pilgrimage to Oak Glen, Ca. (Check out our Oak Glen adventures: HERE.) We wander through apple orchards for apple picking season, watch a mountain sunset and end the day at Apple Annie’s for a piece of Mile-High Apple Pie. Being gluten-free, I’m usually the one in the group observing all of the delight and minds being blown as friends consume a hot buttery piece of Mile-High Pie. I always ask, “How is it? How does it taste?” To which the reply is always, “Absolutely. Perfect.” The Apple Annie’s famous Mile-High Apple Pie is 5 pounds of pure apple. I’m told it’s not too sweet…a buttery, flaky piece of heaven, especially when served warm and á la mode. Partially out of pure eating envy and partially out of curiosity if I could replicate this masterpiece without actually having tasted it, I wanting to experiment with the idea of …

République ~ Los Angeles, CA

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If you’ve been jonesing for a little taste of the French countryside recently but don’t quite have the time or money to head overseas right now, then why not allow the French countryside to come to you? République on La Brea is the stuff all your Provence dreams are made of: long wooden farm tables inside a château courtyard, fluffy pastries overflowing from pâtisserie cases, thick creamy butter slathered over fresh-baked bread loaves still warm from the oven and just perfect for dunking those bright orange farm-fresh egg yolks into. From your very first step inside the door, you find yourself filled up with a burning desire to parlez et mangez français. Set inside the old La Brea Bakery and Campanile building, République has been restored back to most of the original architecture from when Charlie Chaplin first built it in the 20’s. The interior courtyard has been exposed with large skylights overhead so that it seems to glow from within. The vibe is relaxed, airy and casual. We went for brunch and it was the …

Kensington Presents at The York Manor

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As a native Angeleno and unabashed lover of Los Angeles, I’m always curious how transplants feel about our great city. One common theme seems to emerge when I ask people how they’ve been faring here…they like the city but miss the feeling of community. We’ve all heard it: LA is huge, friends are spread all over the place, it can be hard to find what feels like “home”. Well then, please allow us to introduce you to Kensington. We’ve written before about Kensington’s concert series at the Viaduct as the best secret party in LA (and it’s true). But they actually started out much smaller—showcasing live music on the porch of their own backyard. You really can’t get any more “neighborhood” than that. What’s remarkable is how Kensington has been able to create that same incredibly intimate feeling even as their event spaces grow and expand. Whether it’s a backyard porch, a park under the bridge Downtown or a refurbished church in Highland Park, it all just feels like hanging out at your coolest friend’s …

Banana Fritters ~ (Gluten-Free & Sugar-Free)

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I can’t think of anything better than being surrounded by nature and eating around a campfire. Some people pack granola bars in their backpacks when they go camping and call it a day.  But when my crew makes their way out into the wilderness, the cars are loaded down with everything you could possibly need to make a feast under the stars. Half the fun of setting up a camp for a few days is impressing your fellow campers with a gourmet meal by firelight or waking up in your cozy sleeping bag to the aroma of fresh brewed coffee and the sound of bacon sizzling in unison with the river rapids in the distance. It is not a secret how much I love California. We have every magical adventure you can think of at our fingertips within a car ride’s distance. I have camped out under the astounding constellations overhead in the Sequioa National Forest on many occasions. So when I got an invite from my crew of besties to celebrate our gorgeous Hayley’s birthday in the mountains, …

Nectarine Crisp ~ (Gluten Free & Vegan Option)

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When I first moved to LA thirteen years ago, one of my first jobs was manning a stall at four different farmer’s markets selling raw cheddar. It was a fairytale of a summer. On Sunday mornings, I was flanked between the fig/berry stand and the peach farmer directly across from a live bluegrass band. As we sat back and listened to some toe-tapping tunes, we snacked on fresh fruit and chatted about life. Now my favorite way to spend a Saturday morning is jumping out of bed, lacing up my Converse and heading down the block to my neighborhood farmer’s market. I head straight to the organic white tent to see what is in season at the moment. As the days turn longer, I know that peaches, nectarines & plums will be aplenty. Leading into summer, my favorite harvest is stone fruit season. Although eating a RAW, ripe, organic sweet nectarine is so decadent and delicious, when I bake, I love to cook fruit into my desserts. I find that fresh organic fruit is so naturally sweet …

Dutch Baby ~ (w/ Gluten-Free & Milk-Free Options)

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As an LA native, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have my family here. In a city full of transplants, my friends consider themselves lucky to have inherited my family by proxy. Over the years, my mom has been adopted as the resident mom on duty, lovingly nicknamed “Mama Gina”. Her meals are the stuff of legend. People are always sniffing around, asking what Mama Gina’s got cooking in her kitchen. Never a day goes by where she can’t been seen buzzing away over her stovetop, pots and pans a-bubblin’, delicious scents wafting down the street through the windows so you can actually smell the intoxicating aromas from the kitchen as you pull up. A few months ago, my mom started experimenting with a new recipe that has since become a heavy-rotation favorite at Sunday Family Brunch…the Dutch Baby. If you can imagine a giant soft-yet-crispy popover pancake soufflé baked in an iron skillet, you’ve got yourself a Dutch Baby. Now, if you can imagine that drizzled with butter, a touch of sugar and fresh-squeezed …

Chia Pudding

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The first time I saw chia pudding was a few years ago in San Francisco. My friend had ordered it at a brunch and when it arrived, it was as if a work of art had been presented in the middle of our farm table. The black and white chia pudding with apricot compote and rough chopped almonds looked like a mosaic masterpiece. Once I found out how simple it was to make, it’s been a staple in my refrigerator as a quick breakfast, an easy snack or a decadent dessert ever since. Not only is chia pudding gluten-free and can be made vegan & sugar-free, it is packed full of anti-oxidants, fiber, protein and has more Omega-3s than eating salmon. Because this super food is just hitting the mainstream, so far it is a non-GMO, usually organic, whole grain that has calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, and vitamin B1, B2 & B3! I love the versatility of chia. It soaks up the flavor of whatever you add to it. My recipe for chia …

Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Oat Cookies

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I have been asked for this recipe more than any other thing I’ve ever baked. So… I will share it with you now so you can hoard a batch for yourself as an act of self-love or wow a loved one with this bite-sized breakfast-in-bed to accompany a morning coffee. Words that describe my Oat Cookies: Quick, Easy, Healthy, Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Delicious, Addictive, Crowd-Pleaser, Snack, Dessert, Breakfast…Need I say more? Makes 12 Cookies Vegan Gluten-Free Oat Cookies   PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 25 minutes Ingredients 3 ripe bananas 1 cup chopped skinned apples (*you can also substitute chopped dried or fresh fruit like berries, dates, raisins, apricots, etc.) 1/3 cup melted coconut oil ½ tsp salt 2 cups quick oats (*you can use quick oats or regular oats; the regular GF oats give the cookies a crisper texture) 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup unsalted roasted chopped almonds (Optional) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your cookie sheet. Set aside. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add the oil, salt and vanilla. Mix in the oats. Set aside a few minutes for …

Flourless Chocolate Lava Cake (Gluten Free)

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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I am being inspired by those romantic French.  My most memorable food memory is of this euphoric Poached Pear with Chocolate Sauce dessert that I devoured in Antibes, France that literally changed my life.  There’s something about chocolate that is so decadent and no one does it better than the French. From Chocolate Soufflés to Molten Lava Cakes, French cuisine & pastry is synonymous with romantic desserts that will ignite your desire.  Being gluten-free, I have always wanted to experiment with creating a dessert that has the creaminess of a Chocolate Lava Cake but without the use of flour. Thus the Flourless Chocolate Lava Cake was born. We at Sirens and Scoundrels are always initiating fun gathering ideas and food shares. What could be more fun while celebrating this Month of LOVE than gathering your loved ones or Valentine’s date & having a decadent Chocolate Party? It’s a taste experience that will have your loved ones over the moon. Because you’ll be baking individual Chocolate Lava Cakes, you and your guests have the freedom to flavor …

Gluten-Free Apple Crumble (with Vegan option)

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If you want to be the guaranteed hit of your next winter gathering, look no further than this Apple Crumble recipe. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for some time now and it never fails to be the sure-fire crowd (and stomach) pleaser at any party. I offer it to you here so that you can spread this edible joy in a baking dish to the ones you love and feel that immense satisfaction as they come back for seconds and thirds, scraping the dish clean. Even though I eat flour, I adapted this into a gluten-free recipe for my many GF friends and to be honest, I prefer it this way now. Even when I don’t have gluten-free guests, I opt to make the GF topping because it’s lighter and melts away in your mouth perfectly. A simple switch of vegan sticks in place of butter can turn it into an instant and unexpected vegan dessert. It’s rare to find a dessert that has that same deeply soul-satisfying taste once it gets translated to gluten-free and vegan, but this …

Apple Bake

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Returning from our recent day-trip to Oak Glen’s apple orchards with massive bags of farm-fresh apple bounty in hand, our Sirens were inspired to turn our treasures into tasty treats. We invited the ladies over for a leisurely afternoon of apple baking, followed by a roundtable tasting with our Sirens and Scoundrels. There were some soul-stirring gems, as well as some disasters. (TIP: Guava and apples don’t mix.) We’re sharing the best of the bake-off with you here. Try our recipes out yourself at your next Autumn-into-Winter dinner party. Happy baking!           CLICK LINKS BELOW FOR APPLE BAKING RECIPES~ Apple Castles Gluten-Free Apple Crumble (with Vegan option) Vegan Sugarless Apple Oat Cookies >>For your baking pleasure, enjoy these Farm Fresh Folk tunes!<< Be sure to subscribe to Sirens & Scoundrels for more awesome recipes & adventures delivered straight to you! Enter your email address on our home page & hit “SUBSCRIBE”!  Follow us on Instagram: @sirensandscoundrels Words by Christina Huntington // Photography by Sarah Prikryl © 2015 Sirens and Scoundrels

Apple Castles

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Serves 4 Ingredients   4 apples 1 lemon 2 tsp cinnamon pinch of nutmeg pinch of ground ginger 2 Tbsp coconut oil 2 Tbsp brown sugar 1/2 cup pecans Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. Set aside. With a melon baller or pairing knife, cut out apple core leaving the apple intact. With a pairing knife or peeler, peel a long strip of apple skin from the very top of the apple and the very bottom, leaving the skin on in the middle. With a mandolin or knife, slice the apple into rings 1/8 inch thick. Squeeze lemon juice onto apple rings. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger together. Rub/lightly dust tops and bottoms of the apple rings. Stack the rings back into the apple shape on the cookie sheet. With the apple peel from the top and bottom, curl the skin, inside out, around your finger to create a rosette. Place the rosette in the apple stack hole on the top. Drizzle a little bit of coconut oil on each castle. Bake in the oven …