Buckwheat and Banana Pancakes, Paltrow style

Gwyneth Paltrow, actress, mother, food lover, recently launched a newsletter named GOOP. The blog-like newsletter, which contains the tagline "nourish the inner aspect," is basically a weekly compilation of all of Mrs. Martin's favorite things. The fashion icon shares tips on everything from putting together a great outfit to eating right and staying healthy. She even shares her favorite recipes, which is, in my opinion, the best part of the whole thing! A couple of weeks ago, she offered up a recipe for vegan buckwheat and banana pancakes that sounds wonderful! GP describes them as a "combination of nutty buckwheat and sweet, sticky banana." Yum! I think most people are either waffle fans or pancakes fans, but very few like them both equally. I'm definitely on team pancakes, and banana pancakes are one of my favorites.

Right now, GOOP is only available via e-mail, but there will be an archives section added to the site soon. See below for the complete pancake recipe and, to subscribe to GOOP, click here.

SERVES: 3 or 4 (makes about a dozen pancakes)
TIME: 15 minutes

1 1/4 cups soy or rice milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus more for serving
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or white spelt flour (substitute rice flour to make pancakes completely gluten-free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bananas, thinly sliced

Mix all the wet ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a slightly bigger bowl. Add the wet to the dry and stir just enough to combine – be careful not to over-mix (that’s how you get tough pancakes).

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Ladle as many pancakes as possible onto your griddle. Place a few slices of banana on top of each pancake. Cook for about a minute and a half on the first side or until the surface is covered with small bubbles and the underside is nicely browned. Flip and cook for about a minute on the second side. Repeat the process until you run out of batter. Serve stacked high with plenty of maple syrup.

Pottery excitement: Whitney Smith

I love, love, love, love, LOVE Whitney Smith's pottery. Can I say love one more time? I can't stop looking at her Web site. Every piece is just so lovely! If I had to pick one as my favorite, I don't know which one I'd choose! Maybe the Bird Cupcake Stand ($68) or the Dogwood Flower Dessert Plate ($34) or the Bird Cake Stand ($115). There are so many choices! If this little sneak peek has got you drooling, check out Whitney's Etsy page and Web site to view the full collection. You can also view her blog by clicking here.

Baked in Brooklyn

It seems like everyone is talking about Baked these days. There is the hip bakery, the new cookbook, and the interesting flavor combinations. I admit it, I've bought into the hype! I just received my copy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and I'm awfully excited to start trying out the recipes, especially the sweet and salty cake and the green tea smoothie. But here's one thing that you may not know about Brooklyn's latest culinary hunks: they don't only sell delicious brownies and mouth-watering cakes at their shop, but they also have the cutest little bird mug for sale AND it's available online, too! Want to check out their goods and dream about marrying them? Click here to view the Baked Web site and dream away. :-) If you're interested in making their Sweet & Salty Cake for yourself, you can click here for the complete recipe.

LARABAR: Yummy and good for you!

Larabar, creators of what have to be the world's healthiest fruit and nut bars, have recently introduced two new flavors, both of which are, like their previous snack bars, inspired by classic desserts. The two new additions, Peanut Butter Cookie and Coconut Cream Pie, fit in nicely amongst the older bars like Banana Bread and Cinnamon Roll.

For those of you who don't know, Larabars are made of all natural ingredients. There are only a handful of ingredients on the wrapper and you'll be able to pronounce and recognize each one! That's because there are no added sweeteners or chemicals in Larabars AND, for those of you shun dairy products, they're vegan! I tried the Coconut Cream Pie bar last night and I have to say, it may be my new favorite flavor! It was pretty tasty. Don't get me wrong; It's not a candy bar, if that's what you're craving, but it is a pleasant and healthier alternative. For more information, click here.

Chocolate with Bacon?

Being a vegetarian, I won't be sampling any chocolate bar with the word bacon on its packaging, but I had to post it because it's just so odd! I will admit, that after I thought about it for a minute, I decided that it probably does have a really great flavor, but maybe that's because I'm a sucker for all things sweet and salty. At the very least, it would be interesting! If you prefer a little less meat with your chocolate, Vosges offers a slew of interesting bars. There is chocolate with mushrooms, chocolate with wasabi, and chocolate with curry, among others.

For truffle lovers, the Aztec Collection offers up chilies and cinnamon, while the Zion Collection includes allspice, pumpkin seed, and ginger. Don't even get me started on the ice cream and brownies, both of which include equally unusual items in their ingredient lists. If you're tired of boring old chocolate, then definitely check out Vosges Haut-Chocolat. You can find their stores in Chicago, New York, and Las Vegas or you can click here to order items online.

Jessie Steele Aprons at Sur La Table

I can't seem to bake anything without getting sugar and flour all over my clothes, so I'm always sure to put on an apron first to protect myself from the mess I'm about to create! If you're a cooking slob like me, check out the super cute aprons ($40 each) at Sur La Table (my favorite is the red cherries version, seen above). They're so adorable that you won't mind covering up your outfit while you're in the kitchen. Frankly, I wish some of these were dresses, so I could wear them outside of the house! Oh, well. Click here to view Sur La Table's complete apron collection.

This just in. I just discovered that these aprons are also available via the designer's Web site. Click here for more info.

Halloween Spider Cake

I couldn't let Halloween weekend come and go without posting a little something sweet for all you monster mashers out there. This Frosting Web cake from Country Living would be the perfect addition to any Halloween celebration. It keeps with the theme, but isn't too kid-like for an adult get-together. You can use any variety of layer cake for the base. The top and sides are then covered with chocolate glaze and melted white chocolate. Click here for the recipe and for instructions on creating the web.

Cakework at Dean & Deluca

I just stumbled upon this beautiful Cakework creation on Dean & Deluca's Web site. This lovely almond cake is filled with layers of vanilla cream and raspberry filling, wrapped in a chocolate casing, and topped with marzipan pears. It sounds wonderful! And, at $160, it's also quite a bargain! (That last part was sarcasm.)

Cakework, which like so many of my favorite bakeries, is based in San Francisco and are known for their unique, highly sculpted wedding cakes that not only look amazing, but also taste great. The fact that they can create a cake that is not only interesting to look at, but also delicious, is probably due to the fact that each cake is wrapped and decorated in chocolate instead of yucky fondant. Luckily, for all of us that live outside California, they'll deliver cakes to almost anywhere. Click here for more info or, to order their chocolate wrapped cake, visit Dean & Deluca's Web site.

cuppacakes by +wondermilk

These gorgeous cupcakes are from Malaysia-based bakery cuppacakes by +wondermilk. There are so many beautiful cupcakes on their Web site that I had a hard time choosing which two to post! The fact that these cupcakes are so pleasing to the eye is not really surprising when you consider that the bakers behind cuppacakes are all trained graphic designers! Cuppacakes by +wondermilk is actually a design consultancy, a cupcake shop, and an art collective all in one! Unfortunately, the cuppacakes cafe is in Malaysia, so I don't think I'll be sampling these any time soon. If you live in Malaysia, check out their adorable store. Or, if you don't feel like leaving the house, call their cupcake delivery service! To view more of cuppacakes by +wondermilk's lovely creations, visit their Web site and click on the design gallery.

Little Circles of Heaven

When I started this Web site, my friend Nancy asked me if I was familiar with her chocolate chocolate chip cookies. When I replied that it wasn't ringing any bells, she said "ask Dean about them." Curious, I asked Dean if he remembered Nancy's cookies, thinking that there was no way he would still remember, considering that it was years ago. Here is his reply:

OMG. How could I ever forget those cookies. They were the absolute BEST!!! They were little circles of heaven.

After that endorsement, I knew that I had to have the recipe!

Here are the specifics. Straight from the source:

1 box Duncan Hines devil's food cake mix (yes, the brand does make a difference!)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

I usually end up eating half the batch as they come out of the oven.

Mix it all together, bake in oven at 350 for 10-12 minutes. The cookies look wrinkly.

Also extremely tasty with peanut butter chips and, separately, teeny tiny marshmallows for smores cookies. I also like them with the standard chocolate chips and loads of shredded coconut.

Easy Decorating Tips

Rachael Ray has a whole slew of really simple, cake decorating ideas over at her Web site. All the cakes are decorated with easy-to-find, everyday items, like butter cookies, After Eight mints, and maraschino cherries. They look wonderful and she makes it all look so easy; I think I might even be able to pull off one of these! Click here for more candy-inspired decorations, as well as tips for adding textural designs to your frosting, using only silverware.

Old-Fashioned at Miette

I don't know what kind of cake this is, but I want it! That was the first thought that went through my mind when I saw this cake on Miette's Web site. It's called an Old-Fashioned and, after doing a quick search, I discovered that it's a chocolate cake with a meringue frosting that is topped with a candy-coated peanut. It has a sweet retro feel, hence the name, and you can never go wrong with red, black, and white. Actually, all of the cakes at Miette are quite lovely.

Also, a friend of mine bought me some of their peanut butter cookies once and they were surprisingly good! There was a lot of flavor packed into that little cookie!

Miette is based in San Francisco, but you can order some of their less delicate products, like the peanut butter cookies, via their online store.

Would You Like Some Bread with Your Sprinkles?

A coworker of mine, who was born in the Netherlands, told me that she puts these chocolate sprinkles on bread and claims that it's a really great treat. To which I replied: Sprinkles on bread? Okay, if you say so.

Wanna try them for yourself? You know you do! Visit The Little Dutch Girl for more info.

Vegan Desserts: You've Come A Long Way, Baby

Who says that there aren't any good vegan desserts? Morons, losers, politicians who think they know a lot about foreign policy simply because they can see Russia from their house. Well, guess what? They're all wrong! At least, Desserts Magazine thinks so. They've dedicated an entire issue to, you guessed it, vegan desserts! Check it out at your local magazine rack or visit their Web site where you can browse through a free copy of the current issue! (The Web site seems to be down at the moment—too many vegans storming the site!)

Election Fever

Just in time for the election in November, Moonstruck Chocolate Company, creators of the world's cutest truffles, has put together yet another adorable treat. Their new Election Collection is the perfect solution for all you frustrated voters out there who can't stand another minute of you know who! Imagine the pleasure you'll get from biting off the head of that elephant . . . uhhh or donkey . . . whichever the case may be. Actually, after reading the ingredients, I'd much rather eat the cinnamon and almond-flavored donkey (mmmm) than that boring old dark chocolate elephant (yawn) any day.

Now, this whole truffle discussion could easily transition into a full-fledged political rant, but I think I'll take a tip from my edible friends and keep my mouth shut! Let this be a lesson to all of you. The next you feel like engaging in a little partisan bickering, just act like a little animal-shaped truffle instead. If these two inanimate objects can live together in peace and harmony, so can the rest of us.

You can order yourself a little election night diversion online or, to find a store near you, click here.

Hershey's Bliss

Earlier this year, Hershey's introduced a new bite-size chocolate candy called Hershey's Bliss. Let's face it, given the size, shape, and even packaging of the new Bliss candy, it seems pretty obvious that Hershey's probably created these chocolate bites to compete with the classic Dove Miniatures and, I have to say, it worked! I'm not a huge fan of plain chocolate candy, but these are quite good! They have a much richer flavor than the Dove chocolate and in a completely informal and unbiased taste test that I conducted, the Bliss won, easily! Of course, I've only tried the dark chocolate variety, so maybe the other flavors wouldn't stand up to further scientific testing. All I know is that I actually look forward to eating them, and really, that's all that matters! Well, that and the fact that there's only 20g of sugar in six pieces! That helps, too!

As an added incentive, Hershey's has a $1 off coupon on their Web site right now for any of the Bliss products. Just click here and print away!

Messy Goodness

Geez louise, does that cover look good or what?? The title alone is composed of four of my all-time favorite adjectives: sticky, chewy, messy, gooey . . . well, uhh, four of my favorite dessert-themed adjectives, anyway. With a title like that, how can you go wrong? For more info on Jill O'Connor's newest cookbook, Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey, click here.

Birds, Birds, and More Birds

Every time that I'm involved in the planning of baby shower, which seems to be quite often lately, I fantasize about serving these cupcakes!! I wish I was talented enough to recreate them. If you're good with a pastry bag and want to try your hand at assembling these little sweeties, you can find directions here, at Martha Stewart's Web site. And, because you know Martha is into the whole matchy matchy thing, you'll also find a recipe for some delicious looking Bird's Nest Cookies and another for a Hummingbird Cake. All the makings of an exclusively bird-themed shower, if you're so inclined. Frankly, I love birds, but it is possible to overdose on cuteness, so it's probably best to just pick one. A little cuteness goes a long way!

Lemon Mascarpone Mmmmm

My mom made this delicious Lemon Mascarpone Pudding over the weekend. It doesn't look like much in the picture, but trust me, it was sooo good!

It features two of my favorite dessert components: a cookie crust AND lemon curd. Just add some mascarpone cheese and you've got the perfect summer treat! Oh, and my mom put it in a bowl, instead of parfait glasses, so everyone was free to scoop out as little . . . or as much as they wanted. For the complete recipe, visit Relish magazine's Web site.

It is my dream to one day meet this cake and I will work until I make that dream come true

It's official. Bakery Bar is my new favorite Web site! For one thing, they are the creators of what has to be the cutest cake I have ever seen!! I stumbled upon it on Sunday and I can't stop thinking about it!! I mean look at it!


How can you not fall in love with it?? Unfortunately, realistically speaking, my palate isn't quite so excited, given that it's completely covered in fondant. Topic: Why oh why can't someone invent a delicious tasting fondant?? Discuss.

For more lovely, albeit fondant-covered goodies, check out their Web site. There's a whole lot more to see!

Ultra Mentha Lip Shine

This lip shine by C.O. Bigelow is like a little mint candy for your lips. It has such a delightfully minty fresh flavor and smell that it's almost good enough to eat . . . and sometimes I'm tempted to do just that! Just the other day at work the guy that sits next to me actually said "stop eating your lip gloss!" while I was reapplying. Not that I was actually eating it. Although, the saleswoman at Bath and Body Works said you could use it as a breath freshener, so if you want squirt a little in your mouth go right ahead. I won't judge you for it!

Dog Town Bites

photo courtesy of designsponge

A traveling cart of organic, gourmet dog treats! Part of me thinks this is totally lame as a dog will pretty much eat anything, and doesn't know the difference between an expensive dog treat and week old pizza that it’s pulled out of the garbage. I have to say, I think fancy dog treats are a little too yuppy for me. On the other hand, the part of me that goes "ahhhhh...that's so cute" over anything animal related loves this idea! Also, these treats look so yummy, I'm actually tempted to eat one! Okay, not really, but I probably couldn't resist buying one for my dog, if I had one. If you live in New York City, click here to find out when the Dog Town Bites cart will be in your area. Mail order is also available via their site.

How to Win Friends and Impress People

I made this chocolate cloud cake a few years ago for a party and people are still talking about it! Apparently it made a lasting impression. Frankly, I think it's the only reason I get invited anywhere! People are only using me to get to this cake! If you are an individual who's interested in winning friends and impressing people, then just click here for the chocolate cloud cake recipe (courtesy of England's sex kitten with a spatula, Nigella Lawson).

The Best Thing about Getting Married? The Cake!

I know about five people who've gotten engaged this year, so I've been looking at a lot of wedding stuff lately. Josef’s French Pastry Shop is a favorite among Grosse Pointers (see the movie Grosse Pointe Blank or the book Middlesex for more on Grosse Pointe), so it’s not surprising that they have an impressive array of wedding cakes available. They’re all beautiful, but I found this eight foot cake especially impressive. Wow! If ever a cake was awe inspiring it is this one. It's almost enough to make a girl want to get married. Almost. Click here for more info.

Is There a 12-step program for Yogurt Eaters?

I bring Stoneyfield yogurt to work every day. It’s much healthier than other yogurt. They never use any artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, or preservatives, which means that the yogurt doesn’t contain any yucky high fructose corn syrup. One of my co-workers decided to give it a try and now she’s completely hooked on the Chocolate Underground flavor! She can’t stop talking about how much it tastes just like chocolate pudding! Eager to share this newfound treasure with others, she, in turn, mentioned it to her friend, who has become similarly addicted. Unfortunately, now every time my friend goes to her local grocery store they are completely sold out of Chocolate Underground! This stuff is like crack. Delicious, chocolatey crack! Mmmmm.... They carry Chocolate Underground (and my other favorite Caramel Underground) at Whole Foods market, but to find a grocery store in you area visit their Web site.

A Passion for Desserts

A Passion for Desserts by Emily Luchetti is my absolute favorite dessert cookbook! Not only are the recipes delectable, but there are also tons of beautiful pictures that accompany most of the instructions, which I like because cookbooks without images bug the crap out of me. The desserts take quite a while to prepare because everything is made from scratch, but it's well worth the effort. Besides, I kind of look at baking as a mini craft project, and I don't mind spending hours in the kitchen. If you have a couple hours to kill, try it some time. It's so much more rewarding than making something from a box mix!

Achatz Pies

Achatz pies are, quite literally, the best pies in Michigan! Okay, so they are the best pies in metro Detroit. I don't really know what's going on in the rest of the state. Seriously, these pies are the best! While Achatz is famous for its award-winning four berry pie, I have to say that the banana split concoction is my favorite. It's orgasm inducing! Hey, I take it where I can get it, even it is from a pie. Unfortunately, my fave is not available by mail order, but many of their fruit pies can be delivered straight to your doorstep. Click here for details.