Recipe: Vegan Tahini Pad Thai Noodles

Over the past couple of days the weather has been screaming summer with the temperature around 25 degrees everyday and the sun bringing us loads and loads of shine. These nights I couldn't really bring myself to 'cook' my dinner. With my boyfriend already complaining about feeling too hot I decided to stick to cold noodles... Now I'd say this was a success. Having recently gotten back from Spain our cupboards were quite empty I rounded up some ingredients that were lying around the house and decided to make a Tahini Sauce which would be mixed together with some veggies that both my boyfriend and I loved... And so now we are just a tad obsessed with these noodles on those days where you just want something 'cold' for a change.

Tahini Sauce

Ingredients:

- 2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 4 Tbsp Tahini
- 1/3 Cup of Hot Water
- 2 Tbsp Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp of Grated Ginger

Directions:

1. Heat up a pot of Boiling Water and pour this into a large bowl.

2. Next place a smaller bowl, (I use a glass measuring jar) into the large bowl of Boiling Water.

3. Now place your ingredients starting with your Hot Water, then Sugar, then Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Grated Ginger, Tahini, Vinegar into the measuring jar and keep stirring. The heat from the Large Bowl of Hot Water should keep the sauce at a liquid temperature. Just keep stirring.

Noodle and Assembly

Ingredients:

- 1 Package of Udon Noodles
- 1 Cup Bean Sprouts
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Snap Peas
- 1 Small Hand full of Chopped Cilantro
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Red Cabbage
- 1 Block of Firm Tofu
- 1/2 Cup of Chopped Chinese Cabbage
- 1/2 Cup of Chopped Cucumbers
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- Sprinkle of Toasted Sesame Seeds (Optional)

Directions:

1. Cook the Udon Noodles in a pot of boiling water, once cooked drain the noodles under cold water and keep them in the cold water so they don't stick.

2. Cut your veggies (Cucumber, Red Cabbage, Cilantro, Snap Peas, Chinese Cabbage).

3. Dice up Tofu into Cubes.

4. Dice the Garlic and heat it up in a frying pan with 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil.

5. Once the pan is heated place the cubed Tofu into the pan and fry until it is Golden Brown on the outside, add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Now its time to assemble everything... First I drain the noodles and place as much as I would eat into a bowl, then I place in the Chopped Veggies (Cucumber, Red Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Snap Peas) and give a good toss. Next I place the Sprouts on top and layer on the Fried Tofu. Finally I pour on the Tahini Dressing, and Garnish with the Cilantro and a sprinkling of Toasted Sesame Seeds.



Now look at that! Finished and it is perfect to prep ahead of time to store away in the fridge to a night in the week where there is just no time, all you have to do is assemble the ingredients. I really hope you will give this one a try, I for one am in love with this Tahini Pad Thai.

xoxo
Coco

Review: Chanel #647 Lilis

The weather has been incredible over the past couple of weeks, for me at least... I have just gotten back to Amsterdam from the super sunny Spain, and surprisingly Amsterdam is just as sunny and gorgeous as Spain. It feels as if summer is really coming... finally. And since I have a couple days free I decided to celebrate by doing my nails! Exciting that I have finally had the time to sit down for 30 minutes to do and worry about nothing but these little guys. So which colour now... well in the end I picked one of my All Time Faves... Chanel #647 "Lilis". What makes this colour a "Fave"? Well first off I got this nail polish for myself on my 18th birthday, (I know I know spoiling myself at such a young age) the first birthday I spent away from home. I was very home sick then but this colour somehow brought some warmth to me in my little room. This colour is one that will give you energy on those days that you just don't feel like getting out of bed. And now when I pulled it out of my drawer it seems perfect for these sunny days of May.

I personally would describe Chanel #647 as a "Coral red". It is not truly as protruding as a "Red" polish since it has a"Coral" undertone and so it is much more wearable for everyday, and much more cheerful than a simple red polish. Under the sun this colour becomes more of a "Coral Pink" shade. Im not the best at describing colours, and I may be colour blind and I just don't know but to me this is what I interoperate this colour to be. In simple words this colour makes me Happy. Super happy. 

I love the way this polish applies on to the nail. It is really creamy, and is opaque on the nail with just one coat. Of course if you decide to go with 2 coats it is even better. Chipping wise I'd say like most Chanel polishes don't  have the best resistance to chipping. But then again it really depends on how much work you are doing with your nails. If I were sewing or trying to scrape things with my nails then most likely it would chip within that day. I personally like to apply an extra coat of Deborah Lippmann's Top Coat which prevents the polish from chipping since I am a bit more active and clumsy with my nails. This Top Coat usually keeps my nail polish on chip free for around 4 days 5 days depending on the polish. 

Overall I highly recommend this nail polish for anyone who is looking for a colour to brighten their mood or just a colour that brings a pop of warmth and energy to their look. For around 24 Euros and 28 USD it is really a treat, but is is well worth it and I believe in treating your self once in a while cause you deserve it. 

lots of love xoxo 

Coco

Coconut Goji Bliss Balls Recipe

Hello everyone! I have just recently gotten back from Spain and believe me when I say I have missed my food processor and blender oh so much, I really have. Today I will finally be sharing this recipe and I am super excited for all of you guys to try this one. These little bombs are perfect for a "Pick-me up" or I personally love having one or two with a cup of coffee in hand. They are packed full of protein, healthy fats, and will keep your body energized. I have seriously been meaning to post this recipe much earlier, since these little guys are simply divine.
Now onto the recipe...

Ingredients:

- 1/2 Cup of Almonds
- 1/2 Cup of Walnuts
- 2 Tbsp of Pine Nuts
- 1 Tbsp of Chia Seeds
- 1 Cup of Dates
- 2 Tbsp of Goji Berries
- 1 Tbsp Cacao Nibs
- 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1/4 Cup of Shredded Coconut

Directions:

1. Place the Almonds, Walnuts, Pine Nuts, Chia Seeds, Goji Berries, Cacao Nibs, and Chia Seeds into a food processor and Pulse well until you reach a crumble like consistency.

2. Next place your Dates (make sure your remove all pits), and Coconut Oil into the food processor.

3. Blend again until your mixture becomes sticky and when you press the mixture it sticks together.

4. Now roll your mixture into little balls and roll them in the Shredded Coconut.

5. Keep them in a container in the fridge for 30 minutes before eating.

* If they don't stick as well add in a couple more dates, or 1 Tbsp of Maple Syrup



This recipe usually makes around 8 to 10 balls, you can easily double or triple the recipe depending on how big your food processor is. For my boyfriend and I we can easily devour the whole batch in one sitting. They are seriously addictive. I absolutely love these little bombs, and I hope you will too! I will be posting other recipe and blog posts soon so be sure to check back soon and let me know how it goes!!!

xoxo
Coco