I Love

November wrap up

Kula grown Proteas at the Upcountry Farmer’s Market

Acacia Swimwear’s new flagship shop in Paia

Persimmons hitting the local markets!

Hanging at the pool with my husband

My custom vegan pizza at Honu in Lahaina.

I love

On my original blog, “The Grains of Paradise @ Blogspot” I had a series of posts called, “I Love”. This was a series of snapshots that I had taken over the week ( or over a month ) that really spoke to me but didn’t necessarily make it into a regular blog post, Facebook update ( or nowadays ) an Instagram post. Honestly, there is no rhyme or reason with these shots. But, that’s exactly the point. I really look forward to doing these “I Love” posts once again.

Note: I’m off to California in a couple of days for vacation so my posts may be a bit sporadic over the next week or so. Hopefully, I’ll be returning home with some fun content to share. I’ll be posting on Instagram while I’m in California if you would like to follow our adventures. @mauimandy

The photo above: A windy afternoon walk on Baldwin Beach with my husband,

A quiet, bamboo lined pathway in Makawao that leads to the Haku Maui studio.

Lunch at Fork and Salad in Kahalui. I love the Super Salad ( vegan ) made into a wrap.

The newest member of our little family, 10 month old Nalu, napping on our banister. Adopted 2 weeks ago from the Maui Humane Society.

Picking organic lettuce ( $2 a head ) at the Maui Bees Farm in Kula, HI

Ceramic Collection

For those who have been following me on Instagram for a while ( @mauimandy ), already know that I have a bit of an obsession with all things ceramic. I’m not one to really “collect” many things ( except for seashells and bikinis ) but when it comes to handmade ceramic bowls, plates, coffee cups, and dishes, I have a really hard time saying no.

My collection started pretty slowly. I discovered a beautiful bowl by Seeds and Stone at the ( now closed ) Hana Ranch coffee shop in Paia, HI. I remember thinking, am I really about to spend $50 on one bowl? Like, for a single serving salad? Well, I did and it was so worth it. I love eating out of this bowl. I love photographing food in this bowl. Sometimes I fill this bowl with lemons or heirloom tomatoes and leave it on the kitchen counter for days. This bowl was well worth the $50 I spent that morning. And to be quite honest, now knowing what I know about pottery, I think she should have charged more for it.

Shortly after that first bowl, I discovered Maui based Altar Ceramics, another gorgeous homemade product. I’ve also found incredible ceramic pieces at some local boutiques and farmer’s markets on the island. And I gotta say, Maui has some talent. I’m pretty impressed.

I now always make a point to look for pieces while traveling. I once gave up all my go-to carry on items on a return flight from Indonesia just so I could hand carry my new Gaya Ceramics across the Pacific Ocean. Thankfully they made it back to Hawaii, and through customs without a crack. Because no joke, I had no room for books, extra clothing, or any creature comforts on that EIGHTEEN HOUR FLIGHT thanks to my precious cups and bowls hahaha!

Besides the companies I’ve mentioned above, I always make a point to stop in Tortoise and General Store when I’m in Los Angeles. Lucky for me, I’ll be heading that direction again very soon. I guess that means I’ll be returning home to Maui with a very delicate carry on once again.

Above and below are some snapshots from my current collection. Mahalo for stopping by!

Salt cellars by Altar Ceramics. These are great for loose teas as well.

Upcountry Farmer’s Market find on Maui

Hands on Ceramics on Etsy

Altar Ceramics

Showroom at Gaya Ceramics in Ubud, Bali. Ended up purchasing many pieces in this shot.

Tofu Buddha Rolls

How pretty are these?! I gotta be honest though, I didn’t come up with this idea myself. Nope, I ordered something just like these pretty little rolls almost every time I dined at the Shady Shack in Bali. Lucky for us, these Buddha Rolls are fairly easy to re-create at home. No eighteen-hour flight required.

Tofu Buddha Rolls ( per serving )

• 1/2 cup shredded carrots

• 1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumbers

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage

• a handful of mint leaves

• a handful of cilantro

• a handful of chives or green onions

• coconut amino marinated + pan-fried super firm tofu. I love the high-protein, sprouted organic tofu from Wildwood

• 1 large English cucumber thinly sliced into long wide “noodles”. You can use a mandolin or you can thinly slice the cucumber with a sharp knife.

Coconut Amino Marinated + Pan-Fried Tofu ( one serving )

• 4 oz super firm organic tofu

• 2 tbs coconut aminos

• 1 tsp sesame oil

To make the pan-fried tofu, take about 4 oz of tofu and slice into 1/2 inch “sticks” . Then place tofu sticks into a shallow dish and pour about 2 tbs of coconut aminos over the tofu. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, turning once. Next, heat up a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with a tiny drizzle of sesame oil ( for flavor ). Add marinated tofu and pan-fry until golden brown ( A few minutes on each side ) Remove from heat and let cool to the touch.

To arrange the Buddha Rolls, lay cucumber noodles on a large cutting board. At one end of each cucumber noodle, pile on a tofu “stick”, whatever veggie fillings you desire and then roll to enclose fillings. Rolls can be secured with a toothpick if need be. Enjoyed with the Spicy Peanut Sauce below.

Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce - makes about 14 oz

• 1/2 cup creamy unsweetened peanut butter or almond butter

• 3/4 cup - 1 cup full-fat coconut milk ( depending on desired consistency )

• 1/4 cup of coconut sugar ( 2-3 tbs can be used instead if you want to reduce sugar content )

• juice of 1 juicy lime

• 1 tbs low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

• 2 tsp sambal ( or sriracha )

• 1/2 inch piece of fresh peeled ginger

• 1 clove of garlic

• Blend all ingredients in a highspeed blender until smooth. The sauce will thicken up ( a lot ) in the fridge. I’ve found that it’s better to reheat to thin out rather than adding additional liquids. Lasts for about 1 week in the fridge.

Hoisin Peanut Sauce - makes about 2 cups

• 1 and 1/3 cups of water

• 1 cup hoisin sauce

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1.5 Tbs minced shallot

• 1 Tb rice wine vinegar

• 2 tsp coconut sugar ( optional )

• 1 Tb sambal oelek or sriracha

*More water if needed for consistency

*In a small saucepan over med-high heat saute the minced shallot in a splash of water until translucent ( about 1-2 minutes ).

*Add water and hoisin and whisk until blended and bring to a low simmer. Add peanut butter, vinegar, sugar, and sambal and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat.

*I like to serve this with crushed salted peanuts sprinkled on top. This makes a lot of sauce so feel free to cut the recipe in half. Stores well in the fridge for several days. Add more water to thin out if needed.