Food By Ayaka -

Sautéed Garlic Lemon Kale With Pine Nuts

I love vegetables. Bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes… they’re all so refreshing and delicious! There is one category of veggies I don’t eat too often though, and it just happens to be the most important: greens. Dark green leafy vegetables are great sources of nutrition, according to the USDA. They’re low calorie, yet packed with…

Blueberry Almond Scones With Almond Glaze (Vegan)

Scones are underrated. You see them at coffee shops, and maybe enjoy one with your afternoon tea if you’re British, but for the most part, they’re just not popular. I used to agree with the general consensus that scones are boring until, one day, I actually tried one. Panera was out of my go-to cherry…

Baked Double Chocolate Donuts (Vegan)

Cake donuts may be less popular than their fried counterparts, but they’ve always had a special place in my heart. I definitely have my dad to thank for that, since he almost exclusively ate old fashioned donuts when I was growing up. Yes, plain, unglazed, old-fashioned cake donuts. He loves them, and so do I….

Creamy Cauliflower Coconut Soup (Vegan)

Soup is one of those foods that just gets overlooked. Nobody dislikes it, but it’s also not anyone’s favorite food. Part of the reason for this is because soup is seasonal. It’s great during the colder months of the year, but not ideal for the summer. We all know that. In my opinion, however, there’s…

Orange Cupcakes With Fresh Orange Buttercream (Vegan)

When you think of fruity desserts, what fruits come to mind? Apples, bananas… maybe berries? I’d be willing to bet that lemon is somewhere on that list. From lemon bars to lemon meringue pie, the classic yellow citrus has come to be very popular, and for good reason! It provides a tart freshness that just…

Vegan Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Cherry Tomatoes

Have you ever heard of gnocchi? It’s a potato-based pasta that originated in northern Italy. I first tried during my middle school years, when I went on a European tour with my school’s choir. We didn’t visit Italy, but we were served gnocchi at one of our group dinners in Slovakia. I was hesitant to…

Vegan S’mores Tartlets

We may be in quarantine, but I’m still excited for summer. So what if I won’t be making any beach trips or attending any concerts? There’s plenty of summer activities I can participate in alone. Soaking up the sun, backyard campfires… don’t forget about s’mores! Nothing screams summer more than the combination of toasted marshmallows,…

Blueberry Banana Pancakes With Blueberry Sauce (Vegan)

With the coronavirus quarantine going on, many people are sharing productivity tips for working at home. They say you should get up early, exercise, then stick to a strict work schedule. That’s not really my style. I see this time as an opportunity to step back from life and relax a little. In fact, my…

Spicy Sesame Peanut Noodles (Vegan/Gluten-Free)

Hello everyone! So much has happened since my last post, namely the coronavirus pandemic. Here in Ohio, we have been in quarantine since mid-March. It looks like I’ll be finishing my senior year of high school from home! Though this whole situation is quite scary, it’s also an opportunity to take a step back from…

Tempura Green Beans With Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce

I was a picky eater as a kid. Foods couldn’t be touching on the plate, salad had to be dressing-free, and condiments other than ketchup were off limits. Despite my mom’s best efforts to get me to try new foods, I was set on eating French fries and PBJ sandwiches for the rest of my…