Meet Monique
Girl behind the blog. Ambitious by nature. Passionate about pancakes, life, and laughter. Here to inspire you.
Food Photography
Popular Posts
Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing {vegan & gluten-free} 
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies {flourless, no butter} 
Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter + Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies {my favorite cookie ever} 
Healthy Chicken Chickpea Chopped Salad 
Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies with Sea Salt {vegan, gluten-free & healthy} 
Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies 
Kale, Edamame, and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette 
Best Ever Vegan Avocado Chocolate Birthday Cake with Vegan Chocolate Ganache 
Vegan Detox Green Monster Smoothie {with kale, strawberry, cucumber, & banana} 
Strawberry Coconut Chia Seed Banana Bread
Maple Butternut Squash + Apple Soup
Soup is one of my favorite things during the cold winter months. I literally dream about the days where I can sit with a good book, a cup of soup, and a slice of crusty bread to soak up all that warm comfort left on the bottom of my bowl.
And of course in between eating pie for breakfast (there were leftovers!) and shoveling Christmas cookies in my mouth; my soul craves soup. Perhaps because it’s the only thing that isn’t made up of purely sugar and butter. Goodness, my body needs a break from that. And this soup? Well, it leaves me full, warm, and richly satisfied.
The butternut squash is roasted in the oven to bring out it’s natural sweetness. Meanwhile the apples, carrots and onions are sauteed with a bit of cinnamon. Lastly the maple and milk are added. The soup is easily pureed into a fairly thick and creamy delight which ends up being quite delicious paired with croutons, or a warm crusty bread for dipping.
It’s really quite perfect in between those overindulgent family get-togethers, cookies exchanges, and peppermint lattes.
Enjoy!
The Best Apple Crisp You’ll Ever Have {with brown butter, vanilla bean, + bourbon}
I hope you all had a magical thanksgiving full of good food and major amounts of pie to put a smile on your face. Sorry I have been so busy lately traveling that blogging has been difficult.
My Thanksgiving was lovely and full of laughter. We had roasted turkey, green bean casserole, blueberry brie cheese over italian crackers, sour cream mashed potatoes, and an incredible sweet potato casserole with a oatmeal pecan brown sugar streusel. Three days later I’m still not sick of the leftovers.
I wish I would have snapped photos of how beautiful everything turned out, but I was too busy running around the kitchen and enjoying time spent with good people. However, I have to admit that I tried to make some of the dishes healthy because I knew that I had to have dessert; which on Thanksgiving is actually more like my main meal. This year’s included a ridiculous chocolate ganache pie with a toasted marshmallow topping and this stupidly good apple crisp served warm and topped with vanilla bean ice cream.
I was in a food coma for a good 36 hours.
Obviously worth it.
Gluten-free Blueberry Apple Crumble
Here’s the deal.
I read a couple of chapters of the Hunger Games this weekend and decided that these adolescent fantasy books have become way too addicting. It’s hard for me to date anyone whose skin doesn’t sparkle in the sunlight.
I’m trusting you’ve seen Twilight to get that joke. If not, ignore my interest in vampires and just eat this blueberry apple crumble.
Deep Dish Bourbon Apple Cherry Pie
You know why I really love the holiday season? Parties!
Eating obscene amounts of Hors d’oeuvres and matching my nail polish to my lipstick is completely normal.
Dressing up in things that sparkle and sipping chocolate peppermint beverages make cold nights divine.
Eating cookies for dinner? You bet!
I’ve been to three holiday parties in the past week. Not to mention several breakfasts and lunches with my co-workers. I love the fact that these people know how to eat! Our brunch the other day consisted of Dunkin’ Donuts (I even got the pumpkin one!), cinnamon-peach whole wheat French toast (totes good), apple filled croissants, sausage egg bake, and three different types of breakfast burritos.
It won’t be long until I’m putting sweets in the office kitchen. In the meantime, I’ll continue to eat my co-workers peanut M&M’s out of her automatic candy dispenser. I’ve decided I want an automatic cinnamon roll dispenser. 
Another thing that lights up my holiday season: Pie. Creamy, sweet, crunchy, dreamy, fruity, nutty, warm, chocolatey! Pie can be all things.
Pie + Booze? Oh my. Let’s devour it! Continue reading
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Turkey, Caramelized Onions & Apple
Thanksgiving comes with family chaos and a ton of laughter.
The end result is learning that no family is perfect. You’re not either. Yep, we’ve got some pretty funky quirks! It’s all apart of Thanksgiving though – The crazy aunts. Drunk uncles. Awkward cousins. Happy bellys. Warm pumpkin pie. Catching up.
What were you thankful for last Thanksgiving? Chances are this year is different. You’ve had 365 more days. Things have changed for you and me, big time! Did you get a new job? Did you meet someone special? Did you have a baby? Did you live through a tragedy? Did you reach a goal?
Write it down! Savor it. Close your eyes, reflect and smile for just a moment.
The truth is, you’ve got to appreciate it all. Cherish it even. This is your history; these will be your memories forever. Celebrate with turkey, wine, and good pie! Drink and eat for your accomplishments and other’s ambitions! Don’t forget to take plenty of snapshots. Be sure to remember it.
These moments will never come again. Maybe that’s what makes them so beautiful.
Upside-Down Salted Caramel Apple Pecan Cake
Good things come to those who wait.
Think about it. Good things usually don’t happen in a moment.
They take time to evolve; to become beautiful. Sometimes even to reach their potential.
