Testing TikTok

I admit it - I've fallen into the TikTok trap. Since our first lock down happened, I joined all of the millennials flocking to the app and have learned so much from it. From beauty tips and painting tutorials to drink ideas and recipes (maybe even a dance move or two) it's been a great source of entertainment for me this past year! Today I decided to start a series where I try out some of these videos that I watched from some of my favorite creators, as well as two of the viral recipes that I've seen everywhere. 

Just a note- in most of the videos there aren't real "recipes" so I've tried to get the steps and ingredients as close as possible. I didn't really measure anything and just eyeballed it and everything worked fine!  Now let's get to the recipes.

Coffee

The Anna by AnnaxSitar

Ingredients

Coldbrew, Chai Tea Concentrate, Cream or Milk, Heavy Cream, Vanilla Syrup, Cinnamon

Directions

In a glass filled with ice, add cold brew, chai tea concentrate, and cream or milk. In a separate container, whisk together heavy cream and vanilla syrup to make cold foam, and pour over the drink. Sprinkle on some cinnamon, grab a straw and enjoy!

My Thoughts

One thing that TikTok taught me that I'm so grateful for is how to make cold foam. It's surprisingly easy- just mixing heavy cream (usually with equal parts milk but this time Anna went full cream!) with a flavor. I'm not typically a fan of dirty chais (which is chai mixed with a shot of espresso) but this version I loved! It tasted like a spiced iced coffee and was creamy and delicious. LOVE- 10/10

Breakfast

Tortilla Hack

Ingredients

Large tortilla, 4 toppings of choice (some examples- scrambled eggs, sausage/bacon, hash browns, cheese, fajita peppers and onions)

Directions

Prepare toppings as desired. Cut a slit in the tortilla from the center down to one side (if the tortilla was a clock, cut from the center of the clock to 6:00). In each quadrant of the tortilla, add a topping. Starting at 6:00-9:00 quadrant, fold up to 12:00. Then, fold both of these quadrants to 3:00. Finally, fold all three quadrants to 6:00. You should have a wrapped up triangle! Add this to a grill pan, waffle iron, George Foreman grill, or whatever you have on hand to cook both sides and crisp up the tortilla.

My thoughts

I've made this a few times with different ingredients each time and it's definitely a favorite of mine now! I love all of the layers you get in the tortilla by folding, and you can be really creative with what you add. My favorite so far is cheesy eggs, vegetarian sausages, corn salsa mixed with fried onions and peppers, and Trader Joe's hashbrowns. Sooooo good! Dan also said this is one of his favorite things that I've ever made!

Lunch

Spring Roll by Tabitha Brown

Ingredients

Cucumber, Carrots, Sweet Red Bell Pepper, Avocado, Cilantro, Basil, Red Onion, Rice Paper, Coconut Aminos

Directions

Dip rice paper in warm water to soften, then add all of your sliced up veggies. Roll up and dip in coconut aminos.

My Thoughts

This was SO delicious and fresh. I love spring rolls but don't make them very often. This combination was really good- I love the crunchiness of the veggies and all of the flavors that mixed so well. Instead of coconut aminos I tried the Gyoza Dipping Sauce from Trader Joe's and it was sooo good. I also have to recommend Tabitha Brown for the best vegan food- she has so many delicious recipes and it was hard to narrow it down to just one thing to make.

Dinner

A Better TikTok Pasta

Ingredients

Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Garlic, Olive Oil, Gouda Cheese, Pasta, Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

In a baking dish, combine tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, and minced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil. Make a hole in the center and add in the entire wheel of gouda. Top with more olive oil, and back at 350 for 30 minutes, then 400 for 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, mix up, top with pepper flakes and eat!

My Thoughts

This is an adaptation of the famous Feta pasta that is going around (origins are disputed but we're not supposed to call it that). I saw this version with Gouda and had to try it because 1- feta is impossible to find now, and 2- gouda is SO much better. This was such a simple dish to make and was delicious- creamy and flavorful and ready so quickly. Next time I would probably cook for longer since some of my tomatoes didn't burst, but I loved this and can't wait to make it again.

What dishes should I try next??