#WhatRobinFavors – July top five

I may have not looked so chipper here if someone would have told me that my iced Aiya matcha latte would spill all over the floor ten minutes later. 😅 Good thing I had a whole pack of their to-go packets. Made a new one shortly after! 👏🏼

July favorites! 🥳 July was jam packed which made it difficult to choose just five things to share.

Food: Cauli-oat bakes, you probably could have guessed this one. I’ve been hooked on these bakes because they taste delicious and it feeds all of us! My top bakes have been my mixed berry cauli-oat bake and my cacao cauli-oat bake. I know adding riced cauliflower to oatmeal can weird some people out but I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

Drink: Iced matcha latte, Aiya matcha to-go packets have changed my matcha game. I love having these packets in my backpack for times when I’m out with Poppy and need a quick pick me up. You can add them to milk with manuka honey or simply mix with water! There is no wrong way to use these packets. Here’s how I’ve been enjoying my Aiya matcha recently: 1/2 cup nut milk, 1/2 cup filtered water, 1 tsp manuka honey, and one Aiya matcha to-go packet. Mix together and pour over ice. TOO EASY!

Exercise: Sprint intervals. I have been perfecting this sprint interval series for ten years! I used to think the only way to run on a treadmill was distance but then one day I started doing sprints and I never looked back! Here’s my series below (please note that this one was written for Joel and his speed preference. Go at your own pace and what you feel comfortable with):

– warmup jog for 3 minutes

– 7.2 jog one minute

– 8.6 sprint one minute

– 7.4 jog one minute

– 8.9 sprint one minute

– 7.6 jog one minute

– 9.2 sprint one minute

– 7.8 jog one minute

– 9.5 sprint one minute

– 8.0 jog one minute

– 9.8 sprint one minute

– 8.2 jog one minute

– 10.0 sprint one minute

Item to wear: Boy brow, how am I just finding out about this?! I’ve always really been into my brows. I’ve had big brows my entire life, except for that one time in eighth grade where I tweezed them down to pencil thin. Besides that my brows have always had a mind of their own and the Boy Brow by Glossier just made styling them so easy and flawless. I bought the brown shade and I can see myself buying this product for the rest of my life.

A favorite of Poppy’s: Lion stuffed animal from our zoo trip. If you’ve seen my Instagram stories then you know the lion I’m talking about. We went to the San Diego Zoo back in December and she gravitated towards this yellow lion in the gift shop. We couldn’t resist getting it for her and about a month ago she stated really loving it. She takes him everywhere and just recently started taking her naps with him. It’s so cute to see her hug her stuffed animal so hard. She really is the sweetest baby I know! I’m just wondering what do I do when he needs a wash… there are no care instructions on his tag.

And that’s July! I can’t wait to see what August has in store for us. It’s going to be just as jam packed I’m sure with Poppy’s first birthday being August 17th. Comment your favorite things right now below or any care instructions you have for a stuffed animal. Cheers!

Blackberry and Prosciutto Pita Pizza

A little blackberry prosciutto pita pizza for your Wednesday evening eye candy. When I think of “good mood food” I think of this sweet and salty pita pizza I made a few weeks ago. This pizza also reminds me a lot of mine and Joel’s tastebuds: blackberries and ricotta cheese for me and fresh basil, red chili flakes, and prosciutto for Joel.

Ingredients:

* One 12 inch pizza crust of choice (VG, GF, Homemade) or two round pitas.

* 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

* 4 prosciutto slices

* 1/2 cup fresh organic blackberries, smashed

* 1 cup parmesan, shredded

* 1 cup mozzarella, shredded

* 3/4 cup ricotta cheese

* 1/2 cup organic blackberries, whole

* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

* 2-3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 450° F.
2. Place pizza crust, or both pitas, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top of the pizza crust or both pitas (1/2 tbsp each).
4. Use a fork to mash a half cup of blackberries in a bowl. Use the fork to ladle the pulp onto the pizza. Spread it around like you would pizza sauce and make sure you have mostly pulp and not a lot of the blackberry juice.
5. Top the smashed berries with 1 cup parmesan and 1 cup mozzarella.
6. Use a spoon to dollop the ricotta over the pizza.
7. Top with fresh blackberries and sea salt.
8. Bake for approximately 8-10 mins, or till the crust has began to brown and cheese melted. Broil for a minute to get the pizza a little crispy.
9. Remove from the oven, top with prosciutto, and sprinkle the chopped basil on top. Slice and enjoy!

You can sub any berry for blackberries and I bet it’d be amazing! I’m going to try this with raspberries next. What’s your favorite berry?

 

Chocolate Chaga Covered Stuffed Dates, in collaboration with Four Sigmatic.

“Literally the best dessert I’ve had, EVER.” 👏🏼 Frozen chocolate covered stuffed dates aren’t new to the gram but they are new to the Plotnik home. Those were Joel’s exact words after first bite and he’s not wrong. These frozen chocolate CHAGA covered stuffed dates (with crunchy coconut cashew almond butter) and topped with flakey himalayan salt are the best desserts ever. Don’t save them for just dessert though, eat them anytime of day or night.

Ingredients:

• 10 soft dates
• 1/4 cup chunky coconut cashew almond butter (or other nut butter) Use “whatrobineats” for 15% off!
• 4 oz of your favorite dark chocolate
• 1 packet Four Sigmatic Chaga Elixir
• Pinch of himalayan sea salt flakes

Instructions:

• Pit your dates and split them in half. Scoop in as much of the nut butter as you can and close the dates back up.
• Melt your dark chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat (or in a microwave safe dish in 30 second increments). Once melted, stir in Four Sigmatic chaga elixir. Pour chocolate chaga mixture into a small ramekin.
• Roll, or dip, the dates in the melted chocolate chaga mixture, sprinkle flakey pink salt on top, place the date on a plate covered with parchment paper, and place in the freezer to harden. Let harden for 30-60 minutes and enjoy!

Click here for my Four Sigmatic GIVEAWAY!

Perfect Soft Boiled Egg in 6 minutes, in collaboration with Mikes Mighty Good Ramen.

Your girl mastered the perfect soft boiled egg to top my Mikes Mighty Good Ramen. No need to go out for ramen anymore, I HAVE ALL I NEED RIGHT HERE. 

Felt fancy the other day eating my ramen because of this duo right here. I’m not sure what was better: the soft boiled egg or the insanely rich and flavorful broth from Mikes Mighty Good Ramen Miso Ramen. I love Mikes Mighty Good Ramen ramen because it’s SO easy to throw together and top with whatever I want or nothing at all. Their ramen packs a punch and every flavor I’ve tried is a knockout.

Soft Boiled Egg: Bring water in a medium size pot to a boil then lower the heat so that the water simmers gently. Lower in the egg. Start the timer. After six minutes remove the egg and run it under a cold tap for 15 seconds (or set in an ice bath for 5 minutes to cool).

Vanilla Grain Free Cake, in collaboration with Driscoll’s.

I’m so torn. 😫🍓 I thought my cashew butter cacao mug cake was the best thing I’ve ever made… but then I made this vanilla grain free cake. It’s moist (not mad about this word) and topped with a peanut butter chai frosting, my strawberry chia seed jam, and Driscoll’s strawberries. Don’t knock the combo until you try it.

Vanilla Grain Free Cake:
* 2 + 1/2 cups almond flour
* 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
* 1/2 cup maple syrup
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
* 2 eggs
Frosting:
* 1 + 1/4 cup powder peanut butter
* 2 scoops vanilla chai lactation booster (may omit and add 2 more tbsps powder peanut butter)
* 2 tbsp manuka honey
* 1/2 cup nut milk (may need more depending on desired consistency)
Toppings:
* Strawberry chia seed jam (made with fresh Driscoll’s strawberries, recipe below)
* Chopped Driscoll’s strawberries (would taste great with blackberries too, Driscoll’s berry of the month)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare your 8-inch pan by cutting a circular round of parchment paper to fit the base of your pan. Spray the pan with nonstick spray and place circular parchment round inside the cake pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla until well incorporated. Add almond flour, himalayan pink salt, and baking soda. Mix until batter is formed, then pour into prepared pan.
• Bake about 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool, completely before frosting.
• Prepare the frosting while the cake is baking. Combine all frosting ingredients in a medium size bowl (you may need to add more nut milk depending on your desired consistency). Frost cooled cake, top with chia seed jam, and fresh strawberries. Enjoy!

Peanut butter, chai, and strawberries: thoughts?