Olivia Frescura

los angeles beauty & lifestyle blog

Dairy Free “Irish Cream” Recipe with Torani Chestnut Praline Syrup + GIVEAWAY

Irish Cream has always been a nostalgic drink for me, although I don’t drink it a ton. When I was a kid, my dad used to have Irish cream on airplanes – I thought it smelled amazing and definitely made him let me eat the ice cubes after he was finished on more than one occasion. 🙊 Now, while I don’t have it often, (I’m more of a bar goer than an at home drinker) it’s a wintery drink that I lean on more than, say, eggnog.

If you follow me on social, you know that I recently became lactose intolerant, so I’ve been challenging myself to create non-dairy versions of a lot of old favorites. So, when Torani sent over their new Chestnut Praline syrup- I knew what I wanted to make…something both boozy and dairy free. Traditional Irish Cream has a bit of cocoa in it- which I replaced with the Chestnut Praline, because the nutty and caramelly flavors are perfect for this time of year. You’d be surprised how similar it tastes to traditional Irish cream. I gave some to my parents for a blind taste test and they both said it tasted exactly like it!

Chestnut Praline Irish Cream (Dairy Free) Recipe

  • 1.5 oz Irish Whiskey (I used Powers)
  • 3 oz coconut creamer (I use Trader Joe’s)
  • 4 oz coffee, cold
  • .5-1 oz Torani Chestnut Praline Syrup, to taste

Mix all ingredients and pour over ice.

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Torani’s NEW Easy Pour Spout bottles (image provided by Torani)

Torani’s got you covered for the holiday season- the syrups make holiday drink making simple- whether they’re boozy or not! The possibilities are endless. Torani’s original line is made with real, simple, ingredients like pure cane sugar and natural flavors. The sugar free line is sweetened with Splenda-with all of the flavor and none of the guilt.

Lacking in inspiration on what to make? Try my recipe and have #AToraniHoliday at home.

Torani also just launched new 375ml Easy Pour Top Bottles…which 5 of you will have the chance to win! 5 Winners will receive a 3-Pack of  (Regular or Sugar Free) Vanilla, Salted Caramel, and Hazelnut Syrups in the new pour bottle.

I’m hosting the giveaway on my instagram @oliviafrescura this time – so click the link to enter and make sure you’re following me! Giveaway ends January 1 at 12:00AM PST. So enter now for your chance to win! U.S. entrants only.

**This post contains products that I have received for free and a brand-sponsored giveaway– for more information, please read my Disclosure Policy**

Classic Moscow Mule Recipe with The Ginger People’s Bottom’s Up Ginger Beer

Classic Moscow Mule Recipe (adapted from The Ginger People)

5 oz The Ginger People’s Bottom’s Up! Ginger Beer

2 oz Vodka

1 oz Lime Juice

Fill copper mug with ice. Pour vodka over ice, add lime juice, and top with ginger beer. Stir and garnish with a lime wheel.

Moscow Mules were one of my first signature drinks (after amaretto sours…and…yikes, vodka red bull 😬), which is no surprise because I love anything ginger. It’s also one of the few drinks I make at home because it’s super easy. My friends The Ginger People sent over their Bottom’s Up! Ginger Beer, which is made with fresh unfiltered ginger juice, so, naturally , I had to use it for a mule. And since it’s cooling down in LA, I like warming up with some ginger, because obviously, it’s still not cold enough for hot drinks.

I tried The Ginger People’s Moscow Mule Recipe, which is 2 oz vodka, 3 oz ginger beer, and 1/2 oz lime, but adapted it for more ginger beer and lime.  One, because it makes it an easy sipper- it’ll go down fast, and 2, because when I’m at home drinking, I’m not necessarily trying to get hammered…or am I?

Vodka not your style? You can also trade vodka for tequila, whiskey, or rum, depending on your preferences. But, then it’s not a Moscow Mule… #sorrynotsorry

You can find Bottoms Up at Whole Foods, Cost Plus, etc. Want more cocktails? Check out my Owl’s Brew post from a few months back! What’s your signature drink? LMK in the comments ⬇️

**This post contains products that I have received for free – for more information, please read my Disclosure Policy**

Inside Les Coulisses, DTLA’s New French Restaurant Inside Belasco Theater

Les Coulisses DTLA Interior (photo courtesy of Les Coulisses)

There’s a new restaurant in town, Les Coulisses, adjacent to the historical Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles.

I stopped by before the official opening (November 1st), to sample some of the food and drinks that are going to be on the menu. Since I work downtown, this is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from me, and new food options in Downtown are always exciting!

First off, the venue is gorgeous- the interior is very sexy, over the top French boudoir with a twist. With vintage decor from TINI on Fairfax- by where I used to live! The mirrors go up the whole walls to the high ceilings, mirror selfies are encouraged (I made that up, but I encourage you 😉).

The food is French, which one could assume from the name, which means “behind the scenes”…fitting for a place next to a theater!

Head Chef Frances Li (formerly of Maré in West Hollywood), modernizes French cuisine and adds a bit of an LA twist with lots of fresh produce. No French Onion soup to see here! I’m not complaining… I’m lactose intolerant…Now, onto the important part: the food & drink!

Sipping on a Bellini at Les Coulisses

Beverage wise, I sipped on their Bellini, and then had a few Moscow Mules (which I think have taken over Amaretto Sours as my drink of choice. The Bellini is essentially a peachy wine. It’s not just prosecco and peach juice mixed together, surprisingly! It was very good and super up my alley as I always drink Stella Rosa Peach when I want wine at home. The Moscow Mules were pretty standard, but they did have signature cocktails as well.

As far as the food goes, the menu is sorted by Table (appetizers), Garden, Field & Sea, and Sweets. I liked everything that I tried, aside from the octopus because I don’t like seafood, but sometimes I try it out at events to see if my palate has suddenly changed…it hasn’t worked yet but it’s always worth a shot.

Swipe through to see some snaps of the food. The first few images were provided by Les Coulisses, but unfortunately I have to take credit for the terrible flash food photos…you bet I bought a portable light right after this! #foodporn coming soon…

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The Oxtail Agnolotti was my absolute favorite,  my friends Kait and Thu were there with me…we all got multiple bites of this one! This is what I’d order when I’m back for a full meal.

I also really liked the Ribeye with Bone Marrow…which says a lot because I typically don’t enjoy a ton of steaks, but this one was flavorful and tender.

A surprise favorite was the Roasted Carrot and Farro Salad. This isn’t something I’d typically think to order, but it was a fresh and light option that tasted great.

On the dessert menu (aka my favorite part of a meal), I really loved the Chocolate Hazelnut Torte and Apple Napoleon. Both were delicious in their own right. If you love Nutella, the cake is an elevated, decadent treat. The Apple Napoleon has perfectly spiced apples, cream, and crispy layers of pastry.

There’s even a few fun menu items that I didn’t get to try, but are up my alley too! Burrata crostini (that is well worth the Lactaid), fried brussels sprouts, and moroccan spiced chicken tagine…just to name a few!

If you’re in the area, definitely give Les Coulisses a shot- I was impressed with everything and will definitely be back!

PBJ.LA at Grand Central Market, Downtown Los Angeles

I need to get back into blogging what to do around LA. I always just tend to share on my instagram in the moment, but I know that tons of you aren’t LA locals, but may want to figure out where to go when you visit LA (aka not the Hollywood Walk of Fame). Anyways, enough of the rant…DTLA’s Grand Central Market has been adding a lot of fun new vendors, including PBJ.LA. They opened a few months back and I knew I had to try their reimagined peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. The best part? They’re crustless. So yes, a fancy uncrustable.

They have various types of sandwiches, all with high quality nut butters and artisanal jams. The word nut butter really makes me cringe…but it is what it is. They’re all housemade and organic as well. They have both classic and reimagined flavors, including savory options like The Italian (Toasted pine nut butter with sage, basil cherry tomato jam, arugula, EVOO, balsamic).

I’m a basic bitch and just got something simple: The Old School ($5) with Strawberry Jam (Peanut Butter, Strawberry or Grape Jam).

They also have drinks, including various flavored almond milks and some purple potato chips on the side.

I liked the sandwich, but it’s honestly not much different from an actual uncrustable, besides being organic & fresh, the taste is essentially the same. But, I always think it’s worth a try!

Starbucks Sweet Cream Cold Brew Inspired Recipe with Torani + GIVEAWAY!

I turned into a major coffee person after the past few months since my espresso machine broke (who wants to get me a new one? 🙋🏻). So, I’ve been leaning on going out for coffee or making my own at home. I’ve become obsessed with trying to recreate my favorite coffeeshop drinks at home, which is super easy with Torani flavored syrups! Torani’s regular line is made with real, simple ingredients like pure cane sugar & natural flavors.

I’ve been playing around with the Torani caramel, pumpkin pie, and vanilla flavored syrups at home, but, I’ve always loved their vanilla syrup, so I wanted to create something with that. Since I make cold brew, a copycat Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew seemed like the perfect recipe to try out!

Starbucks Inspired Vanilla Sweet Cream #ToraniColdBrew Recipe

  • 8oz Homemade Cold Brew (linked to my past recipe- steep 24hrs instead of overnight!)
  • 2oz cream or whole milk
  • Torani Vanilla Coffeehouse Syrup to taste (2 pumps)

Pour all ingredients over ice in a glass & stir. Adjust cream & syrup flavors to taste.

This recipe is basically entirely up to your taste. So, if you like your coffee strong, use less cream. If you like it sweeter, use a lot more cream! If you don’t drink dairy, use almond, soy, or coconut milk! It’s super simple to get authentic coffeeshop style flavor with Torani. I’m obsessed with mixing up my morning coffee with Torani flavors because it makes mornings a little more fun.

Now…what’s in it for you? Torani has generously offered to giveaway a year supply of flavor syrups to one of my readers! (U.S. only) Be sure to wait for the rafflecopter widget to load, submit your entries, and share with your friends…good luck!

NOTE: You have to enter your address + 12 flavors you choose if you win as mandatory entries. The rest are entirely optional for bonus entries. The more entries, the better chance you have at winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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**This post contains products that I have received for free – for more information, please read my Disclosure Policy**