In the Kitchen With SI Swimsuit: Carbs, Vegan Cake and More

This quarantine has brought out the Julia Child in all of us. From peanut butter cookies to sourdough bread, from soup to caramelized shallot pasta, everyone seems to be cooking and baking all day. For many in New York City, this means cleaning out kitchen storage spaces (aka the oven) to make way for the newest breakfast casserole or that banana bread that seems to be on everybody's Instagram story. Many SI Swimsuit models love to cook and we’ve been getting some amazing inspiration from their creations in this recurring column.

This week in the kitchen, Vita Sidorkina made a healthy Raw Vegan Chocolate Cake (yay, chocolate); Kelsey Merritt replicated an L.A. staple, Jon & Vinny’s Spicy Fusilli; and Brooks Nader seared some tuna for a fresh and healthy weeknight meal. So we decided to give you a roundup of our favorite SI Swimsuit model recipes of the week.

Vita’s Raw Vegan Chocolate Cake: This recipe calls for raw almonds, cashews, cacao powder, coconut butter, dates, maple syrup, coconut oil and more. While I have never ventured into the world of vegan desserts, this cake makes me so want to try. Vita swears by this recipe courtesy of MyPlantCake. The best part is this recipe is no bake. So just assemble and stick in your freezer and you’ve got yourself a chocolate cake masterpiece.

Photo courtesy of MyPlantCake

Kelsey Merritt’s Spicy Fusilli: This recipe hails from L.A. hot spot Jon and Vinny’s. I was lucky enough to dine there last March and this pasta (and ricotta and orange blossom bruschetta) were consumed in excess. Kelsey whipped up this recipe at home and you can, too. Trust me, it is beyond delicious and will satisfy those carb cravings.

Photo courtesy of Jon & Vinny's

Brooks Nader’s Pan-Seared Tuna: Sick of avocado toast? Here’s a new way to use that avocado you have sitting around. The recipe is from celebrity chef Tyler Florence and Brooks has been whipping this up at home quite frequently. Stock up on ingredients at your local supermarket and then all you need is a mixing bowl and a skillet and you will be a professional(ish) chef in no time.

Photo courtesy of Brooks Nader