The weekender banana pancake (Vegan, GF)

Chocolate and popcorn are frequent fliers on my cravings list. My Spanish host Mom even called me "la chica de las palomitas" or "popcorn girl", a title I wear with pride. But we've all been there when out of nowhere a craving attacks and something you wouldn't normally go for is stuck in your mind. Mine this Sunday was pancakes, and I wanted them something fierce. Similar to bagels, pancakes are one of those foods that give me anxiety and guilt. Of course I am happy to indulge and I know that a happy life is lived in moderation, but I knew there had to be healthier way to satisfy my stomach. There is something so comforting and right about this spin on the classic banana pancakes, they are the food form of relaxation. 

Inspired by this Deliciously Ella recipe, here is a warm, hearty breakfast perfect for starting a cold Fall morning with protein and a little something sweet. 

The cutest little beggar 

Some adaptations made to her recipe: 

• Sub out the cup of water for almond milk, it will make the batter a bit sweeter and creamier. 
• Swap 2/3 cup of ground almonds for almond meal. Cheaper and easier to find (Trader Joes)
• Include some unblended oats in the final mixture for added texture (about 1/4 cup)
• Add in some of your favorite nuts & things for added protein and taste (chopped pecans, coconut shavings, dried fruit, chia seeds)
• Top off with chocolate/carob chips b/c why not??

With love and pretending like it's the weekend,

Sarah Belle 

Not your #basic pumpkin bread (Vegan, GF)

Skies are cloudy with a high chance of sweater weather- do you know what that means?? Pumpkin errythang. I am admittedly #basic in a lot of ways, but let it be known I am not pumpkin spice latte drinker. Point for Sarah.

 With a chewy and gooey center, melted chocolate chips, and reduced(ish) guilt I cant get enough of this crumbly confection. Inspired by this recipe by the holy Minimalist Baker, check out the Fall approved vegan, GF, oats, chocolate chip and pumpkin bread. 

Heads up: It really is best to wait to eat this bread at least a few hours, if not the next day. It needs time to settle and become more dense, the gluten free flour makes it pretty crumbly otherwise. Impatient? Grab a fork and go to town. I paired it with my favorite cold weather tea; Trader Joes Candy Cane Peppermint Green Tea and my fave mug from Sarabeths in New York.

With love and crumbles,

Sarah Belle

Up next: Gap Inc Rotational Management Program

The who: Moi

The what: Rotational Management Program Trainee

The where: San Francisco, CA

The when: October 10th 2016- July 2017

The year of waiting is over, here goes everything. There are so many words, emotions, thoughts, and over analyzations happening in my brain right now so I will just settle for YAY!

Get my look:

Overalls: 1969 Denim Flare Overalls in White 

Tshirt: Classic Logo Tee in Grey Marl

Jacket: 1960 Raw Hem Denim Jacket

Necklace: Anthropologie, similar here

Nails: Sable Collar Essie

With love and pride,

Sarah Belle

Winter '16 through my iPhone

Yes, I know this is a little pretentious but we're going for it!! I made a little movie montage of the season of Winter, 2016. Winter is loosely defined here, less of the actual months of winter and more what winter term is (or was??) at school. What you will see here is January, February, and March packed into under 4 minutes of footage.
I didn't consciously do this, but the moments I captured weren't necessarily highlights. There are hugely important events that I didn't capture on film... but tbd on whether or not that is a disappointment. Being truly present captures memories on its own. This little compilation of clips is something organic, unplanned, and most definitely edited by an amateur.  
One of my favorite things about this little nest is how well it captures me in the moment. It is such a helpful self reflection tool that serves as inspiration, nostalgia and historian all at once. These videos are capturing life so authentically during a year of such dramatic change- there is much reminiscing to be done already! Soon (vague as can be) I hope to publish Spring, Summer, and Fall leading up to New Years 2017. 
Click on the picture below to see through my iphone's eyes.

With love and nostaglia,

Sarah Belle

Buttered popcorn cookies (Healthiness factor: 0%)

Karl the fog is officially dominating Bay Area weather, Kim K got robbed, and my last vacation pre 'real life' is over: it must be Monday! Thus I present: emotional eating and sugar. 
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook brought this recipe into my life and I knew I just HAD to try it. No shortcuts, no vegan substitutes, no regrets- the full monty.
I used gluten free flour if that counts for anything??

Disclaimer: If I were to do this again, I would actually sub out the popcorn for some good old chocolate chips. My popcorn to cookie ratio was off and any undercooked kernels that find their way into your batter make for a really unpleasant surprise. Lesson learned: don't mess with the classics.

With love and dough,

Sarah Belle