TwoFaced Tuesday: Cocoa

"TwoFaced Tuesdays" is a joint venture between CupcakesOMG! and Jenna from The Paleo Project. Each week, we select one secret ingredient and put our own paleo spin on it. You can catch up on the entire series here. Also, if you have any special ingredient requests, you can always tweet us (@MHeraldo and @ThePaleoProject) using the hashtag #TwoFacedTuesday.

To preface, you don't have to eat paleo to enjoy today's TwoFaced recipe (or any of our other recipes, for that matter). If you could give a rat's ass about eating within the confines of any one diet, please skip ahead to the pretty pictures.

This weekend, I coaxed Jenna into featuring cocoa as our secret TwoFaced Tuesday ingredient. 

"I want to make a dessert," I told her. She was all "awesome." And I was all "cool." And then we went on with our lives. But even as I started whipping up my UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS concoction, I couldn't help but feel like I was setting a bad example.

The phrase "paleo dessert" is kind of an oxymoron. After all, the paleo lifestyle is one that supports all things natural, nutrient-dense, and righteous, whereas dessert is pretty much anything that isn't. It's indulgent and makes your thighs jiggle. And while I'm a bajillion percent all about the occassional "paleo-friendly" indulgence, it should still be considered just that: occassional. And also indulgent. And also "paleo-friendly." Because many of my friends are giving the whole paleo thing a go (which is awesome btw), I'm picking up on lots of leeway people are giving themselves in the name of paleo but in the practice of doin'-it-wrong.

What I'm trying to say is that the fundamentals of paleo are this: 

• Eat meat. Eat tons of meat. 
• Also, eat veggies. Lots and lots of veggies. Avoid white potatoes and corn, where possible, but just eat lots of veggies.
• Have a little fruit. One apple and a handful of berries a day at most. It's sweet because it has sugar in it. So don't eat too much of it.
• Enjoy seeds and nuts, but not too many because they're high in calories and if you eat too much you might shit your pants.
• PLEASE use healthy, natural fats like olive oil or coconut oil. 

Tell me where on the list you see "eat nut butters, nut flour, and maple syrup like it's your job." Oh you don't see it? THAT'S BECAUSE IT ISN'T THERE!! 

Sorry, I really shouldn't yell, but I don't want y'all to get the wrong idea. Paleo can take many forms, but if you're leaning toward the side that encourages maple syrup and coconut flour on a daily basis, the fact is, you're not eating paleo. However, if you consider these to be only infrequent treats, then by all means, enjoy your paleo cookies, paleo bread, or, the delectable creation I bring you today, paleo chocolate pavlova.

Pavlova is basically a large meringue cookie, made with egg whites and sugar. It's pretty easy to make, but it looks real fancy-like, guaranteeing to impress anyone you serve it to.

To make it more "paleo-friendly", I swapped the white and brown sugars for honey. Then I whipped it with the egg whites until it formed stiff peaks.

This is a stiff peak. That's what she said.

After adding the [unsweetened] cocoa powder to the mixture, I then spread it out onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Oh, and so that you get it the right shape, you'll trace a bowl on the parchment paper and then flip it over, using the outline as a guide for the pavlova.

After it bakes for a while, you can top it with yummy things like...

...whipped coconut cream...

...and dark-chocolate-covered raspberries (sorry, no link...that recipe should be pretty self-explanatory)...

...and a few dark chocolate shavings.

Ya know, for effect.

The end result is this rich combination of a chocolate souffle and a gooey brownie.

You want a piece of it right now, don't you?

Now, off with yourself to see Jenna's interpretation of cocoa!!

Paleo-Friendly Chocolate Pavlova
Makes about 8 slices

• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 3/4 cup honey (Kyle thought it was a bit sweet, so try experimenting with 1/2 cup)
• pinch of salt
• 2 TBSP good unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 pint raspberries
• 4 oz. high quality dark chocolate (at least 70%)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Using an 8-inch wide bowl, trace the bowl onto a piece of parchment paper. Place it upside down on a rimmed cookie sheet (this will serve as a guideline later). 
2. Combine eggs whites and honey in a large glass bowl. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water to create a double boiler (don't get water in the mixture) and whisk until the honey is completely dissolved in the egg whites and the mixture is slightly warm, about 3 minutes.
3. Add a pinch of salt to the mixture. Whisk egg whites and honey mixture with a stand or hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes.
4. Gently fold cocoa into egg whites until mixture is not longer streaky. Don't over mix.
5. Using an offset spatula or a flat spatula, gently spread out meringue onto the parchment paper, careful not to touch the edge of the circle you traced earlier. The meringue will spread out a bit while it cooks. Make a small well in the center of the pavlova to avoid rising.
6. Bake until the pavlova is dry to the touch, about an hour. While that's baking, melt the chocolate and dip the raspberries in it. Set in fridge to set.
7. Let pavlova cool on the parchment on a wired rack for another 30 minutes or so.
8. Top with whipped coconut cream, chocolate dipped raspberries and shaved dark chocolate.

What's in My Purse--Real People Edition

What you see before you is not a staged photo. These are the literal contents of my purse, as of last night. For the past several weeks, I had "clean out purse" on my to do list, making about as much progress on that one as "get car inspected" and "lose 10 pounds." So last night, as I was embarking on this challenge, I thought it would be fun to do that thing where people take the crap that they carry around in their so-called purse, take a picture of it, and then share it with unsuspecting readers. Although, unlike so many of those "What's in My Purse" blog posts where everything is nice and neat and nary a gum wrapper is in sight, I present to you what I'd like to think MOST ladies' purses look like:

These are the contents of a person with allergies, asthma, and combination skin (please see the half-used blue face blotter). It's imperative I carry around Kleenex with me at all times because I will, without a doubt, have a severe allergy attack if I don't. And also asthma. Do I throw away these used items? No. Is it gross? Yes. However, much like a boyscout, I pride myself on always being prepared, hence the half dozen band-aids, specifically reserved for the blisters any of my 5-inch heels will probably give me. And the matches, just in case I need to light a fire under someone's ass.

 Yep, there was indeed an unwrapped tampon in my purse. Not because I would have used it in this capacity, but again, in the hopes of being prepared, I once put a wrapped tampon in my purse. When I [obviously] didn't use it, it wiggled itself out of its wrapper and took up residence as that weird, awkward thing I shouldn't have probably shown to anyone. But that doesn't embarrass me half as much as the scrunchie. OMG, I promise it's only for tying my hair back in a low bun at night to sleep. It was the advice my hair colorist gave me...I swear!!!

Okay, so I think most ladies carry around some kind of lotion during the winter months, so this is okay, right?? Nothing fancy--just a rich, thick lotion to prevent my hands from turning into that of an 80-year-old. Those earrings in the corner are the ones I wore for Halloween this past year (yes, that's how long it's been since I've cleaned out my bag...longer, really). That thing stuck to the back of the one? An eyeball eraser. It was part of the decor at the Halloween party I went to, and when I lost the back of the earring, I remembered the ol' high school trick of using an eraser to replace the back of your earring. Works like a charm!

So anyway, that's the crap in my purse. Or should I say, the crap that WAS in my purse. Because now, it's free of trash, eyeball erasers, and unwrapped tampons. But check back with me in a few weeks. Who knows what kind of weird shit I'll have in there by then.

What weird crap is in your purse??

Lady in Red (and Black and White)

{Dress: ManRepeller, Blazer: Zara, Jewelry: Arden B., Express, Shades: Thierry Lasry, Shoes: Sam Edelman}

photos by Monique Dolbin

Welcome back, to pictures of me wearing cute outfits! Today's installment has two exciting components.

First of all, I get to blogger-model my amazing red Man Repeller dress. Literally, this dress was designed by Leandra Medine, of Man Repeller fame. Sadly for all of you, the dress was only available for a limited time, but just so you know, the proceeds went to charity and the fabric is a divine silk. Jealous??

To be honest, I don't see what's repellent about it: it's red, it's got dainty straps, and it shows some leg. I'm pretty sure those are all surefire ways to propel men your way. I decided it needed a little help in the form a black and white tuxedo jacket and heels with spikes on 'em. Now that's how you keep the boys away.

The second component to this post is to unveil the special offer from the amazing photographer who snapped these shots of me looking super glam for CupcakesOMG! readers (read: you too can look amazing in your own pictures!).

 

As I mentioned earlier this week, Monique is a fantastic photographer who recently launched her professional photography business. As part of this launch and new partnership with CupcakesOMG!, she's put together a super cool offer for folks looking for anything from great Facebook or LinkedIn pictures, gifts for family (or other strangers who want pictures of you--that's your business to be weird), headshots, or just something for you to look at when you're feeling blue and say, "damn, I look good." 

Monique will be holding 30-minute mini-sessions at a set location in the DC and NoVA area for CupcakesOMG! readers!!! (dates TBD). You can select from four options:

• $45 for 2 images
• $75 for 4
• $110 for 6
• $150 for all

That's it! The price includes the sitting fee and the images. Availability is limited, so if you'd like to reserve a spot, reach out soon via Monique's website. Of course, if you'd like a longer session with multiple looks, you can always reach out to Monique for more inquiries.

I've gotten several questions over the last few days regarding my make up, and yes, I did do it myself. And yes, I agree--it does look great. So for an even extra exciting offer, I will be available for make-up applications for another $25. 

I mean, really, who DOESN'T want pictures of themselves walking and smiling and holding their designer coffee-drink in the big city???

I mean, really???

TwoFaced: Red Pepper

"TwoFaced Tuesdays" is a joint venture between CupcakesOMG! and Jenna from The Paleo Project. Each week, we select one secret ingredient and put our own paleo spin on it. You can catch up on the entire series here. Also, if you have any special ingredient requests, you can always tweet us (@MHeraldo and @ThePaleoProject) using the hashtag #TwoFacedTuesday.

In today's first order of business: do you guys like the recipes that Jenna and I are coming up with each Tuesday? I mean, for weeks now, we've been toiling away for hours in the kitchen, whipping up innovative and delicious Paleo-friendly recipes to suit your every whim. Your EVERY. WHIM. 

And because we both crave constant validation and admiration, we're gonna keep going, knowing that, at some point, you will give us the approval we so desperately need/want/expect. So with that, we bring you complementary recipes. Yes, we're taking TwoFaced one step further this week by not only using the same star ingredient, but also two dishes that are designed to be enjoyed together. Don't get it yet?? Please, to see the roasted red pepper walnut dip I made below:

The ingredients are simple and yet full of flavor. Whirred up real good in a food processor until creamy, it's the perfect dip that will get you to eat your veggies...or, ya know, the thing that Jenna made. (And yes, this makes two dips in a row for TwoFaced Tuesday, but screw you! The SuperBowl is nearly upon us and everyone knows the SuperBowl is all about dips. And that's it.)

 I don't even LIKE red peppers and I LOVE the dip. Just sayin'.

 On a separate note requiring praise and admiration, how great is my manicure??

Yeah, they're nail polish stickers. Pretty great, right?

Be sure to check out the fantastic recipe Jenna made that would pair amazingly with this dip!!

Roasted Red Pepper Walnut Dip

Adapted from Everyday Paleo

• 1 cup walnuts
• 6 oz. roasted red peppers (about half a jar)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil (you can also use coconut milk--you might need more to get the right consisitency)
• 1 Tbsp. chives
• 1 clove garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Add walnuts to food processor. Pulse nuts into fine crumbs.
2. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until creamy and dip-able. Add more oil or coconut milk to reach desired consistency.
3. Serve with sliced bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, or Jenna's recipe.

In the Navy

{Dress: ASOS, Coat: Express, Hat and ring: H&M, Shoes: Sam Edelman, Sunglasses: Thierry Lasry}

photos by Monique Dolbin

If you're stalking me on Facebook like a good reader would, you would have seen a sneak preview of these amazing photos Monique Dolbin from Life in Focus took of me. Is that narcissistic to say about pictures of yourself? That they're "amazing?" Regardless, that's what they are...and it's not at all because I'm so incredibly bloggery-modelesque. Well, not entirely, anyway. They're amazing because Monique has an amazing eye for composition, lighting, and color.

I used to work with Monique a few years ago. Since then, she's taken up photography, at first as a hobby, and more recently, as a professional. She's still building her business (complete with a package tailor-made for those of us who have gone/are still going through our quarter-life crisis), so she asked me if I'd like to take a few pictures in D.C. to round out her portfolio. And who am I to say no to the chance to have my picture taken?? Not Melissa, that's for sure!

You always hear people say that such-and-such photographer was "so great" to shoot with. Listen. I've shot with a few photographers in my day, and for the most part, they fall into one of two categories: bored out of their mind or creepy and inappropriate. I couldn't be happier to report that Monique is neither of things, and truly was SO GREAT to work with. She sat down with me first to chat about the day and what we would accomplish (and gossip about a few former coworkers, nbd). She gave great direction and immediately made me feel comfortable, which, btw, is key when it comes to getting your picture taken, whether it's engagement pictures or, ya know, narcissistic solo photos!

 Let's face it: you gotta be comfortable to let someone get this close to your face.

You can check out more of my shoot with Monique here and here. 

P.S. More pictures from my shoot with Monique to come later, along with an exclusive offer for CupcakesOMG! readers!!