Monday, February 28, 2011

Why?

Why don't people make awesome music like Heart anymore?



It's true. The last day of our VEGAN GLUTEN FREE month. I have to say - it was relatively easy. I don't know that I'll go back to eating as much gluten quite honestly. I feel good. And I think my butt's gotten smaller ;-)

Love you, mean it

Emily

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Hot Chocolate & Mint

The genius of this may hit you now...






Or later.


If you don't believe me - ask Nylon:


Love you,
Mean it

EMILY

Monday, February 21, 2011

Let's Save it



See you tomorrow!

love you, mean it

emily

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Rainy Day Music



rainy day music, rainy day recipe

love you, mean it.

barton

Friday, February 18, 2011

Are you ready for the country?

Honestly, I have to say I feel so much more inspired by Fall/Winter fashion week than Spring/Summer.  I can't help it - it's the Norsk blood in me.  These are the last teetering few of my favorites from Fashion Week F/W 2011 (though, I keep pulling out more "last" favorites all the time):




Chris Benz.  CONSISTANTLY one of my favorites for the last 5 or 6 seasons.  Free flowing 70's silhouettes, styles and layering are back in a big way.  I'm this close to sprinting out to buy some platforms. Real talk.

Golden age Project Runway star Daniel Vosovic's third runway show was inspired by what can be described best as Sexy Quakers.  Goody Proctor never looked so good...

Anna Sui has become one of my favorites in the last few seasons.  Maybe because her looks are so on point right now?  Her prints are also always genius.  The real star of her show was her amaze-ballz selection of dye-cut tights featured throughout.  Check out more here.

Next to MJ, the cutest boys in fashion right now.  This season's Proenza Schouler was really hit and miss for me.  There would be looks that would come down the runway that were almost there and then the next one would scream: NAILED IT!


Elie Tahari and Marc by Marc Jacobs respectively.  So Jane Fonda and So loving it!

See more fashion week coverage here at New York Magazine.  Despite the ad's, they have my favorite Fashion Week reports.

Love you, mean it

Emily

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Just Wrong

Sometimes you make something so bad there are few words to describe how bad it actually is... BUT I'm going to try anyway.

I'm pretty sure this is what the natives were wearing when 
Robot Columbus parked his space boat in the new world.
Cushie Et Ochs F/W 2011


A rejected costume from the Fifth Element.
Jeremy Scott F/W 2011


Commissioned by Helena Bonham Carter to wear to the next Oscars.
Marchesa F/W 2011



Not only is this super offensive, it also looks really heavy.  
Poor little model.
The Blonds F/W 2011


Oscar the Grouch's Sexy Girlfriend:
Richie Rich F/W 2011


This picture was taken right before her hat started 
attacking the audience.
The Row F/W 2011


This look was inspired by an angry jellyfish.

Richie Rich F/W 2011



Love you, mean it

Emily

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Fashion Brownies

So in efforts to provide less clutter on the interweb with useless blog entries, I've decided to combine today's memo into one food and fashion extravaganza (slash plain ol' blog entry)!  Peppering a recipe with my favorites from fashion week thus far:

Fashion week (as you know) started Thursday because like you and I - Fashion knows that Monday's suck and clearly should not be the beginning of the week.  In celebration of this blessed event I've decided to bake some brownies.  Cause nothin' says fashion week like mowing down a whole plate of adorable gluten free / vegan brownies.  I know right?!

organic by john patrick f/w 2011

Mini Cupcake Brownies

1/2 c canola oil
3/4 c + 2 tbsp garbanzo bean flour
1/4 c potato starch
2 tbsp arrowroot
1 c sugar (or 10 tbsp + 2 tsp agave nectar)
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 c brewed coffee or hot water
2 c vegan / gluten-free chocolate chips (such as Tropical Source)


cynthia rowley f/w 2011

Preheat oven to 325˚ F.  Mini-cup up 3 dozen mini-muffin cups (say that 3 times fast - yeah, it wasn't hard for me either).


nicole miller f/w 2011

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, potato starch, arrowroot, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cocoa powder.  In a large bowl mix together apple sauce, canola oil and vanilla.

Slowly add flour mixture, stirring to combine.  Stir in coffee or water until it forms a batter.  Fold in chocolate chips.


doo.ri f/w 2011

Place 1 tbsp batter into each prepped muffin cup.  Place in oven for 12 - 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool on wire rack.  Tune into Style.com or the Cut and go at those muffins like you're LL in front of the paparazzi.

jason wu f/w 2011

Love you, mean it

Emily


all photos courtesy of the Cut and Style.com

Friday, February 11, 2011

Monday, February 7, 2011

Deep in the Heart of...

Just in case you've missed me (I sure as hell missed you ;-) - I just got back from a week long stint in Austin, TX!  It was a long over-due trip to visit a dear friend which included (but was not limited to): bats, two-stepping, taxidermy, country drives, topo chico, live music, ghost hunting, antiqueing and snow.  But you don't have to take my word for it...













Love you, mean it

Emily


all photos celebration anniversary gym © 2011

Have a Heart

Day 7:





One week into our experimental month of gluten free / veganism.  Today I had oatmeal for breakfast (controversial for people with actual wheat allergies) with maple syrup and black berries.  Took a really long walk after that (plus flats with no arch support = bandades) with the help of a soy latte.  Ate sushi for lunch from Manpuku and very narrowly escaped eating tempora (opps!).  Got some AHhh - wait for it - mazing jeans at Slash (it's about time someone realized girls with big bottoms often have tiny waists).  Annnnd stopped into Nabolom for a banana-walnut-chocolate muffin - yumm!  Rounding that out with some homemade pizza for dinner makes a pretty kick ass day.

AND because it's monday:



Sleigh Bells is playing at the Independant May 30th and 31st.


Love you, mean it

Emily

all photos celebration anniversary gym © 2011

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Thank god its Sunday?

What a week.

Internships in full swing, jobs to juggle, Vegan/Gluten free diet galore, Design Conference to boot, and Money to Burn?


So far so good on the Vegan/GF front. I've had a few slip ups (why I ordered a spicy tuna roll, I cannot explain) but mostly, the transition has been smooth. I very much enjoyed shopping for the week, and even saving some money by being so cautious about not getting hungry and/or not having food with me.

Buckwheat for breakfast has been saving my life!! Its got tons of protein and some fiber to get things moving. Yeah. I said it.

Hummus is also a life saver, but I think we already knew that.

Food being extremely yummy (or salty for lazy people) is beyond important when it comes to being vegan. I was always told this fact, but it has become very clear in the last week. Planning ahead is all but even more important.

Recipes that I'm looking forward to:

From Gluten Free Girl:
Pizza Dough (plus a how to make it)
Emerald City Salad


From Smitten Kitchen:

Mushroom Soup (I'm going to make it with lentils... I hope it works!)




 Love you, mean it.

barton

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Vegan February

Team Emily Barton over the last 5 years (or so) has time and again had the conversation about the challenge of upholding a Gluten Free and Vegan diet simultaneously. Each of us is one, and combining forces would be an adventure. This year is our year and finally we have set the dates, combined our diets and constructed a game plan.

FEBRUARY(ish) 2011 = GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN

My hope is to document some of the difficult times and successful endeavors of this culinary adventure as well as provide a source for those who are beginning (or in the midst of) becoming gluten free. Its a tough, but rewarding road for those whose lives are made harder by the consumption of gluten.

When I think about how difficult adding a vegan element to my already challenging GF diet, as I depend greatly on goat cheese and chicken to survive, I remind myself that this is not about the struggle, its about being aware of my food again. Being gluten free doesn't bother me anymore. Yeah, bread sure looks good, but I don't crave it and I've conditioned myself not to want it anymore. I prefer being happy and healthy everyday to having a slice of pizza for instant gratification and paying for it for the next week. The focus for me is to connect back to the healthy foods, to be aware of what I eat and to develop even better habits for every day eating.

I get approached often by people trying out a gluten free diet. Its hard to explain the detox without freaking out my friends, but its the reality of what happens when bread is taken from a diet. Its very clear that the body goes through withdrawal. The gluten has a way of filling the stomach quickly, as well as taking time to digest, leaving the feeling of full for a long period of time.

So my first recommendation for the new gluten free is to always ALWAYS have snacks with you. Its so difficult, especially at first, to keep yourself on track and when hunger sets in, its especially hard to justify saying no to a vegan donut. trust me. The first few months, I went without even getting hungry (this is good for your health in general) If you aren't famished, you wont make any irrational decisions, or justify cheating. I never cheated (on purpose... but thats a whole other story) because I knew cheating on the gluten free diet meant that my health was in jeopardy, that I was risking my comfort, sanity and small intestine. So I just didn't. But ice cream? I ate.

My second is to treat yourself when you're feeling the need. There are amazing companies popping up everywhere that make great cookies, cupcakes and other devilishly good things. If you're feeling blue and need some positive reinforcement, go for it. This isn't about feeling a loss its about creating a new way of eating in order to give your body what it needs.

Some of my favorite companies (some are not solely Vegan)

Food for Life - I love their brown rice bread. You've gotta toast it until its toasty. YUM.
Mariposa - Oh, chocolate chip cookies how I remember them being.
Crave - Pumpkin pie to die for
Rudi's Bakery - Their bread is unreal. Seriously, I thought I was eating real real bread
Babycakes - Vegan and Gluten free. I'll be baking out of their cookbook a lot this month.
The Sensitive Baker - A LA stop I always make sure I visit. Their goods are amazing.

My first dinner as an official gluten free vegan included some of my favorite comfort foods:

Roasted sweet potatoes and yellow potatoes
Sauteed Peppers and Onions with Braggs
And Steamed Artichoke with vegan Aioli (Veganase and Red Wine vinegar)



Love you, Mean it.

Barton