Write · Bake · Create
I write to make sense of the mess that makes us human. And when my mind needs a break, I bake.
Pull up a chair. Let's chat over tea & a cookie or rosé & charcuterie... depending on the time zone.
Get a printable recipe card now, & be the first to read new essays and recipes before they post on Substack.
Love & OtherLessons
A collection of essays on being human, published on Substack.
The pendulum swings.And the mess is what makes us human. Real magic lives in the moments on the other side of pain.I don't have a shortage of experiences I once dreamt of. Life has graciously handed me quite a few dreams-come-true.
My essays gravitate toward lessons learned in the tough moments:
matters of the heart & the moments that tug at the strings.I share the paralyzing pain I've endured, from heartache to deception,
as proof that even in unimaginably hurtful moments, there is still a life ready to be lived.
Tough times drive humans to explore the why. The why eventually becomes the lesson we likely didn't intend to learn.
Pull Up A Chair
And join the table.Your printable recipe card lands in your inbox right away.
After that, every new essay and recipe reaches you first, before publishing on Substack.
Recipe Cards
Satisfying a different sense. Print or save in your digital recipe rolodex.
When words begin to consume my thoughts, I trade the keyboard for the kitchen.
An antidote for recentering myself: being present.
Using my hands & prepping for what's next requires me to focus on what's in front of me.So when my mind needs a break, I bake.
The Table
A seat waiting for you.A curated pause. Beyond the food and the artfully styled room is the effortless ease of being in good company.
This is your invitation to slow down, savor, and belong. No forced small talk.
Just a serene space designed for busy women to laugh, unwind, share stories & feed their souls.
Our first seating is reserved for early 2027 in a fairytale, outdoor dining space located in California.Limited seating. Pricing & precise location will be available soon.
Hi, I'm Sarah.
I'm a solo-traveling, selectively extroverted, at times overly emotionally intelligent, single woman. My current title is Fiscal Operations/Process Improvement Office Manager in a Forensic Psych. Mental Hospital. Before this, my career was in Aesthetics & Cosmetic Dermatology.Going from aesthetics to mental health made one thing abundantly clear:
if we do not take our mental health seriously, no amount of botox, weight loss, laser, or filler (the list is endless) will dilute what your mind can't resolve. Looking good externally while feeling like shit in your skin is a mind-fuck. Really.I write to process. I bake to clear the noise my mind consumes. This little corner of the world is where both come to the table to be processed, laughed about, & enjoyed togehter.Relating & connecting with like-minded women has healed my heart more than once. Sharing stories has been a beautiful chapter in my growth. And I know sharing your stories will be for you too.One thought, expressed the right way, creates the holy shit moment you need to not feel so alone in this insane world.Take what resonates. Leave the rest.Thank you for being here.
No Bake Protein Bars
When I cant find words, but still need to create, I bake.
I dont always nail it; but when it works, it worth sharing.
I blended the oats so the crust is more of a solid - it tends to stick together better.
I am not a huge oat fan - after the first no-blend, full oat go-around, fine oat is where it's at for me.Ingredients:1 cup rolled oats
½ cup peanut butter or almond butter
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp honey -*Sub agave for vegan option
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp chia seeds
⅓ cup chopped dark chocolate
½ tsp vanilla
Make the Oat Crust First:
1 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
½ tsp vanillaInstructions:
Mix all crust ingredients until slightly sticky.
Press firmly into a parchment-lined loaf pan.
Put in freezer 10-15 minutes to firm up - this ensures separation of the filling and crust so it's actually a bar, not a oat nugget.
Chocolate Protein Filling:
⅓ cup peanut butter or almond butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
¼ cup chopped dark chocolate
optional: chopped dried cherriesInstructions:Warm nut butter x coconut oil x honey until smooth.
Stir in cacao powder and vanilla. (I didn't use vanilla in the filling and it was fine)
Add seeds x chocolate
Spread over chilled crust.
Refrigerate 1–2 hours, then cut into squares.*LEAVE IT IN THE FRIDGE AFTER YOU CUT INTO SQUARES
Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mindless days lead my hands to the familiar.
Growing up, my mom had a rule - "homemade cookie dough or no cookies at all". I followed her script.
I like big cookies. Not too soft, not too burnt. A nice chew and a little crunch.
Trial and error taught me this little chem lesson: mix wet and dry ingredients separately.
When it's time to combine, mix the dough well, but not aggressively well.
Throw it in the fridge for 30 min before baking.Ingredients:1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter - soft
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt (I don't add since I use salted butter - you do you)
1 1/2–2 cups chocolate chips (70% cocoa chunks and semi sweet chocolate chips)
The dry ingredient instructions:
Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and (if you are not using salted butter OR if you just like adding more) salt.The wet ingredient Instructions:
Mix SOFT, not melted, soft - think room temp but softer - butter with the brown sugar and cane sugar. Should look like a smooth, buttery brown situation.
Once buttery brown, add vanilla extract and room temp eggs.
Mix until fully combined.Combine wet and dry ingredients
Slowly mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Mix together well, not aggressively, just enough that the dough comes together.
Fold the chocolate chips and chunks into the dough.
After dough is mixed instructions:
Throw the dough in the fridge for 30 min before baking - I like to roll the dough into balls (~ 2.5 tablespoons each) before putting in the fridge - totally up to you how you want to do it.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F)The baking Instructions:
Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper
Bake 6-8 cookies at a time for 9-11 minutes (I always check at 9 and usually leave in for another min)Let cookies cool and ENJOY!Hopefully now - "homemade dough or nothing at all" - makes a little more sense.
Tomato, Red Bell Pepper, & Feta Soup
Tomato soup is my comfort food.
Grilled cheese on the side - of course! I'm not a serial killer.
And whipping it from scratch somehow makes me feel like I've made it as an adult.
This recipe is phenomenal.
The bell pepper adds a sweetness to the tangy tomato, and the feta gives a creamy, sharp undertone.
I will NEVER eat store bought, pre-made tomato soup again.
One lazy evening, when I didn't have energy for a full cook sesh, pre-made tomato soup happened - the difference in flavor profile was unavoidable! I couldn't even fake enjoyment.
Once you have better than ordinary, basic is blasé.*I use a food processor - a standard blender or immersion blender work just as well.Ingredients:6–7 ripe tomatoes (Roma or vine)
2 large red bell peppers
1 medium red onion
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 fresh red chili - (I use red pepper flakes)
4 oz (about ½ block) feta cheese (I prefer feta in brine. Seems to have a sharper flavor)
3 tbsp olive oil
Fresh basil - ladies small handful (I don't use basil - I have had so many overpower dishes with basil and rosemary - I can't)
Salt & black pepper to taste
Optional: pinch of smoked paprika
Roasting Instructions:Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Slice tomatoes in halves/quarters, bell peppers into strips, onion into quarters.
Put it all on a large baking sheet with garlic cloves and chili (or the red pepper flakes - gives it a smoky taste)
Drizzle with olive oil
Season with salt & pepper.Roast for 25 minutes.Add the feta to the baking sheet at the 15-minute mark - it only needs the last 10 min to soften and brown (slightly).
Blending Instructions:Take the sheet out of the oven and let everything cool for 5 -10 minutes -or until its not pipping hot.
If you're using a food processor - insert the S blade.
Load about half the roasted mix into the bowl. Overfilling makes it hard to blend the ingredients evenly.
Pulse 5 - 6 times to break it down.
Then switch to Puree/High for 1–2 minutes until smooth.
Repeat with the rest of the baked ingredients.If you like creamer - more feta.
If you like spicier - more red pepper flakes.Since coming out of the oven, the soup may have cooled a bit.
I'm not huge on homemade meals being microwaved - throw the soup in a pot and warm it to your preferred heat.Finish with feta crumble and a drizzle of olive oil.Eat & enjoy with your grilled cheese on sourdough! You are officially an adult!