homemade filipino turon

Turon is a Filipino dessert that I don't get to enjoy often enough, except on occasion at the bf's family functions. This past weekend I learned how to make it from scratch and it's so much better than the store bought turon will ever be because you can customize it and put as much filling as you want. Not only can you make turon to your liking with ease, they are bonus, freezer friendly! Now I can enjoy a wonderfully delicious homemade turon whenever I want. Masarap!

Auntie Nida's Turon

1 package of lumpia/eggroll wrappers (can usually find at Asian markets)
Approximately 15 plantains that have just turned yellow
1 can of jackfruit (the bottled kind are too soft)
1/2 cup of sugar
Small bowl of water (for sealing)

Unwrap all plantains and cut plantain in half lengthwise. Open can of jackfruit, drain all liquid and empty jackfruit into bowl. Cut the jackfruit in half lengthwise if it's too wide for your turon. Place one lumpia wrapper on a flat surface so it looks like a diamond shape. Take one cut plantain and cover all sides in sugar. Place sugar coated plantain (flat side up) on lumpia wrapper towards the bottom of the diamond corner. Take a strip of jackfruit and place on top of plantain. Fold the bottom corner of your wrapper over the plantain and jackfruit. Roll once, then fold over the right and left sides of the wrapper (like you would a burrito) and continue rolling to close. Once you've rolled almost to the edge, dip your finger in the water and wet the last corner of the wrapper to seal it.

To freeze: Place turon on a parchment lined baking sheet making sure that none of them touch and place into freezer. Once frozen, you can place them in a ziplock bag and stick back into the freezer. Use within 2 weeks.

To cook (works for fresh or frozen): On low-medium heat, fry in oil until golden brown. If you want the sticky sugar on the outside, coat turon in sugar (brown or regular white) then fry. Enjoy immediately.

mixing it up

Mixing patterns can sometimes be a bit tricky, but this striped tank was a no brainer to pair with my wool herringbone pants. I think it's even cuter that the stripes are different in the front and back. It was a perfect, kick-back outfit for hanging out in the quaint city of Tiburon.

StyleMint tank, BCBG necklace, Marathon military watch

T. Babaton Joshua pant, Jack Purcell sneakers

point bonita lighthouse

Right over the Golden Gate Bridge is Point Bonita, a lighthouse located in Marin Headlands. I don't actually recall ever going to this lighthouse growing up, and am so glad I finally went to check it out. It doesn't matter if you're visiting or from the area, the Headlands is a great place to check out for it's breathtaking ocean views (or a hike if you're up for it), and this charming little lighthouse can definitely compete for having some of the best views yet. 

The lighthouse is open Saturday-Monday from 12:30pm - 3:30pm. Tip: Get there early, the line forms fast and parking fills up quickly. Find more information about planning a visit here.

sunshine in seacliff

StyleMint tee, Gap jeans (old), Marathon Military watch

Jack Purcell sneakers, NARS Funny Face lipstick

Seacliff is one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Francisco even though there's not much to do (aside from going to the beach and hiking), but I love walking around the neighborhood gawking at and checking out the amazing houses. Some of the houses have gorgeous views of the ocean and the Golden Gate bridge, namely the ones on Scenic Ave., hence the name. If I had an infinite amount of money this would be my number one choice neighborhood to live in, and of course, it'd be in a house right along the cliffside. A girl can dream.

arugula, fennel, and beet salad with orange

I was originally inspired to make this salad from this recipe I pinned on my Pinterest page.

What better than a salad that has three of my favorites in it- beets, fennel, and arugula. Beets are slightly sweet in taste, and have a hearty texture. I'm gaga over fennel... it has a clean anise flavor and gets sweeter as it cooks. Arugula is peppery and crisp. What happens when you combine three of your favorites, and add some oranges? Divinity. Try it.

Salad Fixins'
Organic arugula
Roasted beets
Cara Cara and Navel oranges (use any you want, even blood orange, but sweeter = yummier)
Roasted fennel (I like mine roasted, but with a slight crunch so it still keeps it's anise flavor)

Dressing (tasty on it's own, but if you like dressing here's what I did)
Whole grain mustard
Good extra virgin olive oil
Good balsamic vinaigrette
Salt & pepper
Honey (or any sweetener you prefer)
Fresh lemon juice
(Add all ingredients to your liking and whisk!)

Enjoy!

cashmere and lace

Nordstrom cashmere sweater, Anthropology lace top

James Jeans, Dolce Vita shoes

Cozy cashmere, lace, and navy flats. 'Nuff said.

I've been addicted to this new song by Bruno Mars, When I was Your Man lately, and this live version from Jimmy Kimmel is the best. I love it when you can see the passion and soul of an artist when they perform live, and with a voice like his, it's definitely not hard to get caught up. Have a happy weekend!

san francisco's ferry building

San Francisco has so many great places- one of my favorites is the Ferry Building, particularly on Saturday mornings for the Farmer's Market. There are tons of Farmer's Markets all over the Bay Area, but this one is really special. It's held right outside the Ferry Building along the waterfront where you can catch breathtaking views of the Bay. You can enjoy walking around to check out all the vendors, and also visit the shops and restaurants inside the building. Every time I go I make sure to stop by Miette (tip: if you love this location then definitely check out their Hayes Valley location) specifically for one thing, their rose geranium macaron. Out of all the macarons I've tried, I always go back to this one as my favorite. It's actually what inspired me to make my own macarons a few years back. Another favorite I like to hit up is Hog Island Oyster Co. not just for the obvious (oysters), but their grilled cheese sandwich. It contains three different kinds of cheeses and comes with the perfect complement, pickled veggies. Also, don't forget to stop by Cowgirl Creamery for a good selection of cheeses and Il Cane Rosso for fresh seasonal eats. The Ferry Building is a definite recommendation whether you're visiting or local. 

Fresh juices

The yummiest chilaquiles I've ever had

Year round, seasonal produce

Get your fungi on

View of the Bay Bridge

Cutest bakery/confectionary shop

The best macaron known to mankind

heart-shaped donuts

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and what better way to show your honey how much you care by making homemade heart-shaped donuts! I used this recipe for the dough (and used a heart-shaped cookie cutter in place of the traditional donut shape) and another recipe for the strawberry glaze. My favorite part of the process was surprisingly, not eating them, but making the dough. It was exciting to find the dough all fluffed up from rising overnight, and the same excitement came after cutting all the hearts out and seeing them rise again. I added fun sprinkles on some of the donuts to make them a bit more festive for the occasion. The only thing I'd do different this time is probably make some with a chocolate glaze on top and some with a cinnamon sugar coating to mix it up a little.

after the rain

Talula Trooper jacket, James Perse sweater,

Bebe black denim (old), Kamik rain boots

After a pretty long dry spell, we're finally getting some rain again. It rained for a good portion of the morning but by noon the skies had cleared and the sun came out. I know Hunters are one of the more popular rain boots, but I think Kamiks are just as nice, if not nicer. They are super comfortable and come in really pretty colors like eggplant purple and gemstone teal (yes, I made those names up). They also carry them in wild, fun prints too! This jacket is also a great staple to have and in this dirty army green color it's the perfect neutral to wear with just about any outfit (although if it was an all day downpour and I had to walk blocks in the rain this jacket wouldn't do). I just realized that I'm wearing two Canadian brands and they just so happen to be my favorite brands. Gotta love Canada, eh?

a short and SLO holiday

Last week I took a short trip down to San Luis Obispo for work. SLO is a quaint college town, and what I love about visiting besides the obligatory visit to Firestone Grill (for their amazing tri-tip sandwich) is the short drive to the coast, Pismo Beach. The weather was gorgeous while we were there, and before heading home I made sure to stop by the coast for a bit. This time, we happened upon this gorgeous lookout spot where you could see the ocean and beach from the cliffside. It appears that it's a good spot for surfing, fishing, and parachute jumping off of cliffs, but we just soaked in the sunny weather and breath-taking view. If ever in the area, I would definitely recommend checking out the quaint town of SLO as well as checking out Pismo Beach and having some clam chowder at the famous Splash Cafe. After that, go exploring and head a little North along the coast and you may just find yourself at the best lookout yet.

chocolate butterscotch pot de creme

I've been wanting to make this dessert ever since dinner a few years ago at Town Hall. It's the most delightful cream dessert. Smooth, silky, rich, sweet, and even better homemade. I found the recipe here and while it was pretty spot on, I would add more butterscotch chips to the recipe especially since you only use a bit of the butterscotch on top of the chocolate layer. Because the recipe doesn't require you to actually cook this in the individual ramekins themselves, it means you can put it in any cute jar or pot you want and that's exactly what I did. While the name itself Pot de creme (poh-de-creme) sounds super fancy and a bit intimidating it was an easy recipe to follow and is sure to impress guests at your next event. I took mine to yesterday's Super Bowl party (let's not even talk about how the niners played), but was sure to save a few at home to enjoy for myself- wonderful.

that little black dress

Wilfred dress and cardigan, tights from Japan
Dolce Vita booties, Kate Spade sunnies, NARS Funny Face lipstick

The versatility of this dress is endless. What initially drew me to it was it's simplistic, minimalist shape, and once I put it on it was all over from there. It's made entirely of silk and is what easily takes this dress from day to night in an instant. It's also perfect to wear year round- tights, booties and a chunky sweater in the winter, a denim jacket and flats in the spring, a statement necklace and sandals for summer, and a scarf and boots in the fall. I can't wait for it to carry me through the seasons.