Baked Crispy Chicken Wings

We went on a Big Bear cabin trip earlier this year and I was determined to find a way to make crispy chicken wings. However, I hate deep frying so I did a google search to see if I can find a way to bake the wings. Do the wings compare to wings you might get at a Buffalo Wild Wings or similar restaurant? Absolutely! These wings are easy, delicious, and perfectly crispy! Now I can enjoy one of my favorite comfort foods at home.

Recipe Adapted from Just A Taste

Ingredients:
~2 lbs chicken wings (about 20 wings, I prefer all "mid joint pieces")
Olive Oil
Salt
Black pepper
Garlic Powder

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top of it, set aside
3. Clean the wings and pat dry with paper towels, place in a bowl
4. Drizzle some olive oil on the wings (~ 1/2 to 1 tablespoon)
5. Lightly season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
6. Toss the chicken wings to coat well and place them on the baking sheet, "pretty side down"

7. Bake for 25 minutes, flip all the wings over, and continue baking for another 25 minutes
8. The house will smell amazing and the wings will be perfectly crispy! Toss in your favorite wing sauce and enjoy! Today, I tossed mine in premade Frank's buffalo wings sauce.

Healthy Vegan Raw Carrot Cake Balls

My sister found this recipe on instagram and I am now a believer in healthy raw desserts! So delicious, so healthy, and so simple to make with only 4 ingredients. It tastes exactly like carrot cake! These are a good guilt-free alternative  when you are craving sweets and they also make a good pre-workout snack.

Recipe from @maja_lalalala on Instagram

Makes approximately 20 balls

Ingredients:
2 medium carrots grated
1 cup dates
1 cup nuts*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
about 2 tablespoons shredded coconut** (enough to coat the cake balls, I didn't really measure how much I used)

1. Peel and grate the carrots
2. Pit the dates
3. Combine shredded carrots, dates, nuts and cinnamon in a food processor. Mix until you have a sticky dough mixture.
4. Using a tablespoon, measure out the "dough" and roll it into a ball.
5. You can use ground cinnamon or shredded coconut to roll the balls in.
6. Voila! I hope you try this recipe so you can enjoy these delicious healthy bites!

*I used unsalted mixed nuts but I think any type of nuts would work for this recipe 
** The shredded coconut we got from Trader Joe's was too long and big so we put it in the food processor to make it smaller...this made a prettier coating for the cake balls 

Goodbye my friend

Earlier this week I lost a friend to cancer. I've been thinking about her every day since I found out. Throughout the day I would forget and then my thoughts would gravitate back to her. We were high school friends and roommates during our freshman year of college. I remember our conversations about love, our dreams, korean dramas, and Youtube beauty guru stuff. We didn't see each other often, maybe once every few months for a new foodventure or lunch at our favorite restaurants (Jazz Cat Cafe or Boiling Point) to catch up on each other's lives. More importantly, every time we hung out we are always able to pick up as if we talked all the time. We shared so many common interests and I admired her for developing not one, but two cool blogs. 

She was only 25. It shouldn't be this way. I keep thinking that I would get the news that she was in remission and that she would be ok. I can't believe that she's gone. I'm a nurse, I see devastating stuff all the time but this hits so close to home. My heart hurts for her and her family. She is one of the most optimistic and strong people I know. When she told me about her diagnosis, she never once asked why this was happening to her. She took it head on and was so full of life even after her surgery. She will continue to motivate me everyday. Because of her, I will strive to live life to the fullest and not keep putting things off to do later. 

Thank you for the memories, our foodventures, and your friendship. Rest in peace, Kristine.