real coconut kitchen

I love that there are so many fresh, healthy and flavorful eats in my area of Los Angeles. You can find tasty yet nourishing food almost anywhere you go, and that truly just makes my heart sing. Real Coconut Kitchen is a plant-focused, 100% gluten, grain, and dairy free restaurant serving up vibrant food in a chic Malibu setting. Their recipes truly define what it means to be a conscious kitchen- doing good for both your body and the world as a whole. Real Coconut sources organic produce, pasture-raised eggs and chicken, and wild-caught seafood from local farms and fisherman, and this quality commitment really shines through in every dish.

I’ve gotten to dine at Real Coconut Kitchen on a number of occasions now- from a quick smoothie & baked good to several lavish lunches on the outdoor patio, I’ve sampled quite a bit of the menu at this point, and there are many standouts. The fish tacos are light and crispy, with a zesty jalapeno radish salsa, served on housemade coconut flour tortillas. Seasonal salads are always a hit- can’t go wrong with nourishing veggies in my book! My bestie Rachel of Rachel Mcconn Wellness got us hooked on their Fried Chicken Bites (and even created her own version at home!)- the coconut buttermilk and grain-free plantain batter are anything but traditional, but super delicious all the same. I’m a big fan of their smoothies and shakes- from the Deep Green health infusion to indulgent-tasting Mint Choco Chip (sweetened with dates!), there’s something for everyone. My son thoroughly enjoyed his vegan blueberry lemon donut as well!

Besides the stellar food, another impressive aspect of The Real Coconut family is their focus on conscious food innovation. Their menus focus on low impact and nutrient dense hero crops: coconut, cassava, plantain, hemp, and marine phytoplankton to name a few. I love that they proudly support local & international farmers and agricultural programs, recognizing the impact each ingredient choice can make along the way. In addition, they continually strive to minimize their environmental impact, through reducing food waste, recycling and composting programs, repurposing cooking oil for biodiesel, and using low to no plastic, whenever possible. Talk about impressive! They also have a Market, where they sell some of their packaged items like plantain flour bread, cassava flour bagels, coconut yogurt, coconut flour tortilla chips, and more, so you can stock up your pantry at home as well! PS- the original Real Coconut Kitchen location is in Tulum. Perhaps a Mexico trip is in order soon?!

real coconut kitchen food

tropical juice

For a refreshing juice or smoothie on the east side, definitely stop by Tropical Juice in Highland Park. This no-frills shop whips up everything from green juices to ice cream milkshakes to seasonal fruit bowls to Mexican style desserts out of its beautiful and brightly colored stand on Figueroa. The fruit cocktail- a bowl of diced cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, cucumber, pineapple, and coconut topped off with lemon, salt and chile- is especially refreshing on a hot summer day. I’m also a fan of the jugo verde- made of parsley, celery, cucumber, kale, pineapple and spinach- so healthy! Everything is super affordable as well, so feel free to add it to your daily routine ;) Can’t wait to stop by again next time I’m back in my old stomping grounds.

brown butter peanut butter pretzel rice krispie treats

brown butter peanut butter pretzel rice krispie treats

I love a sweet and salty treat- it’s such an addicting and comforting combo for me. I can’t help but reach for more! Add in a delicious, childhood goodie like rice krispie treats, and you’ve got yourself quite the tasty (yet easy!) dessert! I’d been craving rice krispie treats lately, and while there’s nothing wrong with the tried and true classic, I wanted to shake things up a bit. Since I love adding mix-ins to my baked goods, I figured I’d toss in some creamy peanut butter and crunchy pretzels to take these to the next level. Plus, I browned my butter before adding the marshmallows to the pot, which really kicks things up a notch. That nutty, caramel flavor from the brown butter is just oh so good in these rice krispie treats. Feel free to swap out a different nut butter if you’re not into peanuts, or use gluten free pretzels if you need. I kept things classic in this case, and I must say- they’re super delish! The peanut butter glaze is just a lil extra somethin’ somethin’ on top. Totally not necessary, but a welcome addition for sure :) A few lil tips and tricks to pass along to make these extra tasty: 1) Instead of melting all the marshmallows into the browned butter, save 1-2 cups to mix in at the end with the cereal. This ensures you get ooey gooey pockets of marshmallow goodness in your finished product! 2) Use your empty butter wrapers or a greased spatula when spreading the treats into the pan, to prevent them sticking to everything! 3) Be careful not to pack down the rice krispie treats too hard in the pan! Just a gentle press, otherwise you’ll end up with thin, hard treats, and no one wants that! I hope you enjoy :)

Brown Butter Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Krispie Treats:

Peanut Butter Glaze:

Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper & grease with butter or cooking spray. Melt the butter over medium heat in a very large pot. Once melted, continue cooking for a few more minutes, constantly stirring. Mixture will bubble and foam, and you’ll know it’s browned when it’s a golden color and smells nutty. Careful not to burn it! Add all but 1 cup of marshmallows, and stir until completely melted.

Remove from heat, then immediately stir in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and salt. Lastly, fold in the Rice Krispies cereal, crushed pretzels, and remaining marshmallows. Make sure everything is evenly coated in the peanut butter marshmallow mixture. 

Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula (or the butter wrappers), gently spread mixture to fit the pan, careful not pack it down too hard. Allow treats to set for at least 1 hour at room temperature before slicing. Make the glaze in the meantime, if using. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. You may warm the peanut butter first if need be to get it to a runnier consistency. Lift the rice krispie treats out of the pan using the parchment paper, drizzle the glaze on top, and cut into squares. Enjoy! These are best the day they’re made, but will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. 

brown butter peanut butter pretzel rice krispie treats

xi'an famous foods

Let’s talk about a classic New York spot for delicious, fast-casual Chinese food, shall we? Xi’an Famous Foods, which has several locations around the city, is super popular for good reason. The chain of restaurants focuses on Western Chinese fare, and I’m particularly fond of their hand-ripped (or pulled) noodles! They’re perfectly tender yet chewy, and come offered in a variety of sauces and soups (think stewed oxtail, spicy beef, & pork belly). I’m partial to the spicy cumin lamb version: Xi’an’s wide hand-ripped biangbiang noodles topped with sauteed slices of spicy cumin lamb, seasoned with a proprietary sauce consisting of soy sauce and vinegar, and served in lamb broth. BRB, drooling!

For a tasty vegetarian option, definitely check out the spicy & sour spinach dumplings. These are classic boiled Chinese dumplings, stuffed with a filling of ground spinach, eggs, wood-ear mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles, and then wrapped with green flour wrappers made with spinach juice. They’re served in a sour and spicy sauce, and garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds- yes please! The spicy cumin lamb burger is another fave of mine- a bit different than your traditional burger, of course, but delicious nonetheless. I’m a big fan of the warm & crispy flatbread-like bun it comes on. Pro tip- get an order of the spicy cucumber salad, and add some to the burger for an extra flavorful meal! If you’re craving Asian cuisine in NYC, I highly recommend checking out Xi’an Famous Foods for a quick, comforting and satisfying meal.

oneg bakery

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve drooled over Instagram photos of the chocolate babka from Oneg Bakery (now called Williamsburg Heimishe Bakery by Oneg) in Brooklyn. The babka looked absolutely to die for- like rich, gooey, chocolate heaven. It honestly felt like a tease being so far away in LA, so on a recent trip to New York, I knew I had to stop in. This unassuming classic Jewish bakery in South Williamsburg has gained quite the reputation for its decadent chocolate babka. Sold by the weighted slab, you can buy as much or as little as you want, and indulge that sweet tooth to your heart’s desire.

I walked over one afternoon with my son, and could hardly contain my excitement. There are a few other tasty looking Jewish delicacies available as well- think challah, rugelach and hamantaschen- but I was on a mission for babka! One extra thick slice of ultra chocolatey babka, please! We took it to go, and I am mediately dug into it upon getting back to the apartment. Wow, just wow! I hardly have words. This babka is not for the faint of heart, and only for the truest of chocolate lovers out there. Doughy layers overflowing with gooey chocolate, with a nice crisp crust. What could be better?

To no one’s surprise, my son was a huge fan as well. I loved watching him dive right in, becoming a total chocolatey mess in the process. He kept saying “more”, I finally had to cut him off for fear of a sugar crash. PS, Oneg’s babka freezes well too, so don’t be shy about getting an extra large piece so you can enjoy delicious babka for days on end. Yum!