Currently Baking {Coconut-Buttermilk Pound Cake}

June 19, 2013 By missrenaissance in Baking, Dessert, Food, Recipes Tags: Baking, Coconut, Coconut-Buttermilk Pound Cake, Dessert, Pound Cake 1 Comment

Summa, Summa, Summatime…coconut somehow screams Summer to me! It’s not only one of my favorite ingredients to use/eat in baked goods, it also makes me long for hot days spent on a tropical beach somewhere. Toasted coconut used in a deliciously rich Pound Cake is basically perfect to me!! This recipe is easy & fool-proof. The cake comes out moist & fluffy (thanks to the addition of buttermilk) with exactly the right amount of sweet-coconutty richness. NOM! I could personally devour this entire loaf in about 2 days!

Bake it, have a slice (or two) with your morning coffee/tea and dare to tell me you’re not instantly smitten. Find the recipe here.

Fashion to Fork {Gatsby Style}

June 7, 2013 By missrenaissance in Chicago, Food, Style Tags: Boutique Bites, Edible Style Guide, Fashion to Fork, Great Gatsby Video 3 Comments

Remember this Biz Spotlight from last year? Well, fast forward 9 months, and Elaina and I are becoming fast friends. A few weeks ago, Elaina approached me about shooting a video for her new series “Fashion to Fork” at my house & I was immediately convinced.

Little did I know that Elaina and her team would completely transform my living room, kitchen & roof deck into an amazing & magical vintage “Great Gatsby” fantasy world (my closet even made an appearance)! We had so much fun filming and prepping all day, and as you can see, we ate an amazing meal (with lots of bubbly) in true Boutique Bites style. You may even be able to spot me here & there throughout the video – I’m the blonde wearing a short, light-pink fringe dress.

Oh, and Elaina, any time you want to come over and transform my house while feeding me delicious food – feel free!

Have a wonderful weekend, Lovelies!!

Currently Snacking On {No Bake Flax Energy Bites}

June 4, 2013 By missrenaissance in Dessert, Food, Recipes Tags: Dessert, Energy Bites, Flax Seed, Healthy Dessert, Healthy Snacks, Recipes 2 Comments

Do you ever find yourself craving a sweet snack (it usually happens to me mid-afternoon) and nothing will satisfy the urge until you get that chocolate bar, piece of candy or whatever else it is that squashes your sweet tooth? I normally find myself reaching for a piece of chocolate (or 2 or 3) or a big cookie…but since bikini season is imminent, I thought I’d try to develop a sweet & satisfying snack alternative that won’t make me feel so guilty.

I rummaged through my pantry for ingredients that are dense (i.e. have lots of fiber and healthy fats), have amazing health benefits (flax has a great amount of omega acids), and are satisfyingly sweet on their own without added sugars (agave nectar is a great natural sweetener). Then I played around with the proportions and came up with these fun & surprisingly delicious bite-sized balls of sweet goodness. They’re yummy, have a nice texture, are SUPER easy to make (no baking involved here!), and one will usually satisfy my sweet craving for many, many hours.

Give these a try! They’re also great as a pre-workout bite or for packing on-the-go – so you won’t grab that bag of Doritos out of desperation on your next road trip!

{All images by Miss Renaissance.}

Currently Brunching {Zinque}

April 22, 2013 By missrenaissance in Food, Restaurants, Travel Tags: Venice Restaurants, Zinque 6 Comments

Happy Monday, Lovelies! For some reason I’ve been waking up extra hungry the past few days…ya know, when you crave a hearty, full-blown breakfast instead of the usual coffee & granola/yoghurt combo?! I have several go-to places here in Chicago when my big breakfast/brunch mood strikes, and I recently found the same type of gem while visiting LA.

Zinque in Venice is now one of my favorite places for delicious coffee (they use La Colombe beans) & hearty sandwiches/pastries. Their prosciutto-mozzarella-tomato panini is amazing, and so are their seasonal fruit pies (I had their pear pie last time, and as you can see in the picture – it’s a little piece of art.) The vibe & decor is decidedly simple & cool with an industrial edge. A few whimsical pieces, such as the vintage piano, keep the interior from feeling too cold though. If I lived in the Venice area, Zinque would definitely be my go-to spot for casual meetings, laptop-time away from home, or even for an evening glass of wine. They have a nice selection of regional and international wine & beer, and I hear their light dinner menu is yummy & fresh as well.

If you’re ever in Venice, check it out and tell me what you think!

{All images by Miss Renaissance.}

Currently Cooking {Chocolate-Coconut Chia Pudding}

April 4, 2013 By missrenaissance in Dessert, Food, Recipes Tags: Chia Pudding, Chia Seeds, Dessert, Healthy Desserts 4 Comments

If Brussel Sprouts are the new Beets and Emerald is the new Black, then it’s obvious that Chia Seeds are the new Flax Seed, right? These little seeds are pretty powerful. They’re high in fiber, low in fat, and can be transformed into all sorts of interesting recipes.

For my first official foray into Chia Seeds, I went with a simple but super delicious pudding. Literally, all you need to do is combine all 5 ingredients in a bowl (a whisk is best), cover the mixture with plastic wrap & let it rest in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours. That’s it!! You’ll have a super yummy, heathy, and filling dessert. I love the combo of chocolate and coconut with the interesting Chia texture!

Do you have any favorite recipes with Chia Seeds? I’d love to hear about them.

{All images by Miss Renaissance.}

Category Archives: Food

Currently Baking {Coconut-Buttermilk Pound Cake}

Fashion to Fork {Gatsby Style}

Currently Snacking On {No Bake Flax Energy Bites}

Currently Brunching {Zinque}

Currently Cooking {Chocolate-Coconut Chia Pudding}

Follow “”

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Follow “”