we've had a good run

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE COMMUNITY OVER AT OUR NEW HOME, LIONESSE.COM!

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Hello hello!

I’m writing today with bittersweet news. It’s time to say goodbye to Milly’s Kitchen.

I had no idea when I started this blog 6 (!) years ago how many creative, inspiring, big-hearted people it would bring into my life. Or how simply taking the time to share recipes and my thoughts would help me grow and evolve personally.

In the last few years, with the mind-bending political situation in the US and the #metoo movement, I’ve felt posting recipes and pictures of food wasn’t fulfilling me like it used to. While I will always believe in the importance of sharing food and gathering around the table as an act of love and community, I felt like I needed to do more.

I think I’m a pretty decent cook. And I love hearing about you cooking and enjoying my recipes. But let’s be real: the world is drowning under a tsunami of cookbooks and food blogs at the moment. Which is why a little voice inside me kept whispering that my talents could be put to better use elsewhere. Then it grew a little more insistent. Until finally it was yelling: YOU GOT TO CLOSE THIS SHOW DOWN AND BUILD SOMETHING NEW, GIRLFRIEND!

Which brings me to the sweet part: I’ve launched a new online journal and community devoted to empowering women to live big. It’s called Lionesse and it’s all about connection, confidence, sisterhood and self-love. All of which we need now more than ever.

I’ll still be writing about food and travel and sharing some of my favorite recipes. (Because food is life and who would I even be if I wasn’t sharing recipes?) But we'll also be talking: Sex. Creativity. Politics. Money. Motherhood. Self-Love. And more. I hope this new platform becomes your go-to online spot for all things fierce and feminine.

If you've been following along here at Milly’s Kitchen for all or part of the last 6 years, I'm sending you a HUGE thank you and a heartfelt hug. Your support has been a gift. And I'm keeping this blog live so you'll have access to all the recipes and guides posted here indefinitely.

I can’t wait to connect with you over on Lionesse!

XO,

Olaiya

dump your plans in the trash + roasted figs with mozzarella

Hello BBs!

I’m writing you this week from atop the folding zone of a Brussels laundromat. (Behold the sexy and glamorous life of a world traveler!) Beau and I are here staying with friends and getting a little rest after all the excitement and chaos of Paris last week.

The photography and creativity workshop we hosted there was such a good one! We spent 5 days shooting, eating, drinking and sharing real talk with some amazing women.

This year we were able to rent my friends Zoé and Blaise’s photography studio. Which turned out to be an absolute game changer.

First, because I didn’t have to schlep a suitcase full of equipment and props from home. I HATE schlepping. (You know the person who will risk breaking a leg carrying 8 grocery bags in from the car rather than make 2 trips? Yeah, thassss me.)

Second, because I didn’t have to spend a small fortune buying props in Paris. Ok, tbh, I kinda sorta actually looooooove shopping for ceramics and linens and tableware in Paris. (Duh.) But then we’re back to that whole schlepping problem. So…

Third, and most importantly, because working in someone else’s space with someone else’s props and backdrops was a CRAZY HUGE CREATIVITY BOOST.

When I’m shooting at home, I always have a general sense of how I want things to go. But working in a new space I had no preconceived vision of how the shoot might unfold. I didn’t even plan out what I’d be styling and shooting with our guests. I decided to keep things fresh by just hitting my fave Paris market and working with whatever produce looked especially photogenic that day. (Ok, I might have run out of time to plan it all out in minute detail like I usually do and decided to wing it.) In the end it was sort of a cross between Top Chef and Project Runway—but for food photography!

And it turns out planning nothing changed everything.

Instead of creating a shot list and laying it all out in my mind, and then literally laying everything out in the studio, the whole day felt like play. I was able to ask the group: What if we tried this backdrop? How do you feel about this color linen? Let’s see if this plate is speaking to us…

Improvising each step opened up space to experiment. And in case you didn’t know, experimentation and play are the oxygen creativity needs to breathe. The whole process led to unexpected results. Zoé and Blaise shoot mostly bright and natural. I like the chiaroscuro of strong light, hard shadows and moody jewel tones. Working with Zoé’s tools pushed me out of my usual habits and rhythms and forced me to create in a different way.

And I gotta say, I’m feeling the results.

I like to think of this as the universe reminding those of us with control-freak tendencies (oh, hello👋🏽) that creativity needs both structure and improvisation to take form.

So the next time you’re struggling to come up with a fresh idea or wrap your head around what your next design, photo shoot, blog post or pitch might look like--try loosening the reins for a day. Wipe the slate clear. Head to a new space. Pick up a new set of tools. And see what magic might arise.

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Roasted Figs with Mozzarella (a recipe to improvise)

• 8-12 large or 15-20 small firm-ripe figs
• fruity olive oil
• dry white wine
• 1 lemon or small orange
• honey
• crunchy or flaky sea salt
• 2 balls fresh mozzarella
• sliced and toasted bread (optional)

Preheat your oven to 500°F/260°C.

Slice 8-12 large or 15-20 small firm-ripe figs in half and place in a roasting pan. Drizzle with a tablespoon or so of fruity olive oil and about 1/4 cup white wine (use water if you don't do alcohol). Add large strips of zest cut with a vegetable peeler from a small lemon or orange then squeeze the juice into the pan. Drizzle with a little honey and top with a pinch of salt. Roast for 10-15 mins (until bubbling). Add a little water at the end to deglaze if the sauce gets too thick.

The roasted figs are delicious over vanilla ice cream, yogurt or cake. (Or eaten warm straight from the pan lol.)

But to make this salad, tear 2 balls of fresh mozzarella into large pieces. Arrange on a serving platter and salt lightly. Arrange the figs and zest over the mozzarella. Drizzle with the juices from the pan and a little more olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with crunchy salt and serve as a salad or on slices of toasted bread (which is an especially delicious breakfast).

Makes about 4 servings.

peach-plum buckle

I’m celebrating!

I baked this cake in honor of the fact that I am officially done with diets. Hopefully forever.

As I wrote here I have tried pretty much every form of controlling my body known to (wo)man. Starting with disordered eating in my teens all the way through the latest vegan, paleo and keto crazes.

We’re talking ALLLLLLLL the diets. And the un-diets. And the cleanses. And the “lifestyle overhauls”. Always seeking to be thinner. Smaller. To take up less space.

But I am done with that.

I am done feeling ashamed that I’m not a size 4. I’m done feeling like a failure because I don’t fit the beauty standard laid out by the diet industry. And fashion magazines. And mainstream advertising. I am done waging war on a body that keeps me healthy and strong. That allows me to experience the joy of playing tennis and lifting weights and hiking in the forest. I’m ready to start treating my body like the miraculous gift that it is.

Oddly, Instagram is largely to thank for this new-found liberation. I’ve started following fitness bloggers who value strength and self-acceptance over thinness. (Whassup @shethrivesblog and @anniemiller.co!) And brands that use models of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. (Hello @chromat and @universalstandard!) And plus size models who show me that you can be sexy and self-confident at any size. (Yes @jenniferatilemile and @jessicavanderleahy!) And anti-diet crusaders who have made me rethink my attitudes toward how I feed and care for myself. (Thank you @susanhyatt and @thefuckitdiet!)

Following all these women who choose to celebrate the female body in all its amazing forms has helped me realize I don’t need to change a single thing about my beautiful body.

And neither do you.

I know that if you are currently feeling the body shame I felt for years, this message is going to sound like a pile of blissed-out bullshit. I have been there. I mean let’s be honest: I’ve lived there for most of my life.

But something has shifted in me lately. Maybe because I’ve gotten older and a little bit wiser. Maybe because I’ve been spending a lot of time in Europe where I feel more balanced and at ease with myself. Who knows. I’ll take it however it comes.

If some part of you thinks you might want to make peace with your body, I highly recommend you check out the bloggers and Instagrammers I linked to above. Taylor Gage and Caroline Dooner have been especially valuable to me on my path towards greater self-love and acceptance.

And wherever you’re at on the path towards loving and cherishing yourself, celebrating yourself with a cake is never a bad move.

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Peach Plum Buckle

• 225g (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for the pan
• 250g (1 cup plus 4 tablespoons) sugar, divided
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 215g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 70g (3/4 cup) almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 firm-ripe peaches, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 225g (8 oz.) plums, pitted and halved (if small) or sliced cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (if larger)

*Notes: I love, love, love this cake! I've been making versions of this one since way back in 2006. I almost never make recipes twice. So I guarantee you it's a good one!

- I made this version with cherry plums because we have a cherry plum tree in our front yard. I had never heard of cherry plums until we moved into this house so I don’t think they’re particularly common. I’ve made this with tons of different kinds of plums though and it’s always delicious.

- You can use any variety of stone fruit you like: peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, cherries, sour cherries (mix these with a little extra sugar if you go that route). Whatever.

- This cake magically gets better and better as it sits. I leave mine covered with a tea towel on the counter and on days 2 and 3 it is PHENOMENAL. (Did I mention I love this cake?)

Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat it to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment. Butter the parchment. Then flour the pan, tapping out the excess flour.

Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife. In a small bowl rub the vanilla seeds into 1 cup of the sugar until they are well distributed. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt to remove any lumps. Using a stand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add the cup of vanilla sugar. Beat until well blended. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

Transfer the batter to your pan (it will be VERY thick). Spread the batter evenly in the pan then arrange the fruit over the batter, pressing it down slightly.

Bake the cake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 80-90 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a small knife between the cake and the pan to loosen it. Then turn the cake out onto a large plate. Remove the parchment paper. Place another large plate or serving platter on top of the cake. Using both hands, hold both plates firmly together and flip the cake again, plum side up. Cool completely before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings

Adapted from Bon Appetit