The Lunch Pact: Instagram art & cooking project

The Lunch Pact is one of my creative side projects. In addition to providing a outlet for me to experiment with digital collage (using an iPad, Apple Pencil, and Procreate app), the goal is ultimately to create an alternative to a traditional food blog that inspires creativity with bite-sized tips for prepping meals and minimizing food waste. Learn more about the pact here and see what’s cooking on Instagram.

Before launching The Lunch Pact on Instagram, I explored related concepts via a 6-week extracurricular course, Entrepreneurship Essentials (E2). E2 was an intensive customer discovery bootcamp led by gravitytank, a design-led innovation consultancy (bought by Salesforce in 2016), which spanned the process of finding a customer, understanding their needs, building a prototype to address those needs, and re-engaging with customers to refine the solution. In addition, I developed a “produce planner” prototype using Ruby on Rails as part of an app development course (demoed here).

See what’s cooking…

PSA: these cookies can be dessert AND breakfast. Combine 3 very ripe mashed bananas with 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 cup finely chopped dates, 1.5 cups rolled oats, 1/3 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate, 1/4 cups chopped walnuts and a pinch or two of
TIL buckwheat is not actually related to wheat, despite its name. Get your groats for days by making @mynewroots’ chocolate buckwheat granola. Seriously. This recipe makes a ton. Serve with yogurt, milk or chia pudding for guilt-free and #glute
Rollin’ with my homies (and by homies, I mean eggplants). Eggplant rollatini is easier than it looks. The sauce is a great way to use up extra veggies, and leftover pesto is a great mix-in for the ricotta filling . . . . . Recipe loosely improv
Getting ready to toast to 2021...munching on ricotta toast in the meantime. Super easy breakfast or snack. The one pictured has ricotta, honey, pine nuts, crushed red pepper flakes and salt . . . . . #bye2020 #ricotta #toast #toasttuesday #redpepperf
Keep cool as a #cucumber this weekend! A cucumber vinegar salad is a great, easy-to-toss-together sidekick for a hot weather meal. To assemble: toss the following ingredients in a bowl - 2 medium cucumbers, sliced - 1/2 cup vinegar (e.g., white or ci
If you’re part of the “tired of doing dishes” club, clean your blender by using it! Fill about halfway with hot water from the tap and add a tiny drop of dish soap. ‼️ With the lid on, run the blender for ~10 seconds. Pour out the h
Wishing a BERRY happy Mother’s Day to all with this almond flour muffin recipe 💕 Recipe adapted from @foolproofliving 👇 - Preheat oven to 325 degrees F - Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl: 2 cups almond flour, 1 tsp baking powder
Weekend baking project? Wine not? A wine bottle serves as a makeshift rolling pin. Use a chilled bottle to keep the dough cold and easy to roll out . . . . . #wine #baking #vino #bottle #savignonblanc #malbec #chardonnay #cabernetsauvignon #dough #co
Rise and brine? If you’re thinking about getting on the bread-making bandwagon @ciaosamin’s Ligurian Focaccia from #saltfatacidheat is a great place to start! Before baking, the dough is covered with a salt and water mixture, creating eve
Green thumb not required when it comes to green onions / scallions...re-grow, don’t throw 🌎 After using the green tops, save the ends of the bulbs. Place roots-down in a small jar or glass with just enough water to cover the roots. Set on a su
Pizza Brei: kosher-for-Passover pizza pie made with a matzah brei-like crust. It’s is a definite upgrade from schmearing sauce and cheese over the ordinary unleavened square! Recipe inspired by @spikethechef. Thanks also to @thesporkful for sha
“Socially distance” your fruits and veggies in the fridge to keep ‘em fresher longer. High-ethylene producing fruits cause certain vegetables to degrade faster (some examples above) . . . . . #fruit #fruits #vegetables #veggies #car
Treat yo’ self to this one-ingredient “ice cream” - simply made by blending frozen bananas till they reach the consistency of soft serve. Add a splash of (non-dairy) milk if your blender / food processor is struggling. Great way to
Most greens can be pulsed into pesto, presto. Improvise any recipe. Instead of basil, use spinach, kale, broccoli florets, parsley, cilantro...you name it. Purée with olive oil, garlic, Parmesan or other hard cheese (if not #dairyfree), and nu
Consider this a bouquet for your fridge. Storing bunches of asparagus or fresh herbs in water, like cut flowers, keeps them fresher longer. How to: 1. Snip off the bottom of the stems 2. Fill a jar with ~1 inch of water (or enough to cover the stem e
No spiralizer? No mandolin? No problem. Use a standard veggie peeler to create thin ribbons of zucchini and other vegetables. (Works for hard cheeses and chocolate too.) Use the veggies like noodles or toss in a salad . . . . . #zoodles #peeler #mand
#socialdistancing got ya feeling nutty? 🤪 Take a break to make spiced nuts for yogurt, salad, or snacking. Recipe below adapted from @giadadelaurentiis. Experiment with whatever seasoning you have in your pantry Recipe: - Pre-heat oven to 250 degr
They say patience is a virtue...including when making caramelized onions. Cook onions low and slow with a little butter and olive oil. Don’t over-crowd the pan. Add a pinch of salt. Stir often. It can take at least 20 min to reach caramel brown
The greatest thing AFTER sliced bread - make breadcrumbs with the “heels” (ends) of a loaf. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Tear bread into smaller pieces and bake for ~10 min or till completely dried out. Use a food processor or rollin
Keeping our cool with (Kusama-inspired) fro-yo dots. A healthy-ish snack or dessert AND great way to use up yogurt that’s nearing its expiration. Dollop yogurt onto lined baking tray and freeze for ~1 hour before enjoying. Optional: Add sweeten