December 10, 2025Inner Qi Circle

Halle Burns, Vegan Cook

Sign: Leo
Fave flower: Lavender
Fave The Qi tea: Shark Tank Mocktail

Find recipe below

Holiday creativity vibe check: Are you…
A) roasted-watermelon chaos
B) no-bake cinna-roll delulu
C) matcha-ice-cream fever dream
D) something totally brain altering?

I think I’m E) Butterfly Pea tea and yuzu marmalade science project from your tea tasting.

I love when food science projects can be tied into recipes. I’ve been wanting to make ube noodles ever since, and maybe toss them in a vegan lemon butter sauce? I think they’d turn pink 🪾👛

You’re the Bob Ross of cooking — what “happy little vegan accident” ended up inspiring you the most this year?

I wonder if Bob Ross thinks we are comparable. If I had as many creative ideas as him, I hope my hair would look like his. This year has been a big transition for me in life, so I think my cooking style shifted a lot, too. I feel like in college I was constantly making snacks and small bites, but now I always crave easier, savory dinners. Noodles and dough have become a weird obsession of mine. I like to knead.

What’s the most unhinged holiday recipe request a fan could give you… that you’d actually make?

What happened to jelly desserts? Like these??

I think old food trends have been making a comeback for a long time. Snack plates, water pies, 60’s homemaking styles. A plant-based jelly cake would be a challenge. And an excuse to buy cute spoons.

Is kale still that girl in 2026?

Kale will be in my heart forever, girl or not. I think its thickness is what makes it so great — you can use it as a wrap or in a leafy salad. I like playing with my food, and the best kale salads are hand-massaged with good oil and seasoning. I love it.

You’ve mentioned finding beauty in monotony — what’s one small, everyday moment in your kitchen or life that feels grounding to you?

Oh someone’s been peeking at my YouTube videos! Thanks for asking — I have no idea who’s watching those anymore. Weirdly, washing dishes has become kind of therapeutic for me. I don’t have a dishwasher in my apartment, and I use so many when I cook. Getting the water temperature just right, using my industrial-size soap dispenser and a sponge, and balancing all of them on a towel so my cat doesn’t knock them over is an art form. It gives me strength.

If we made a Halle x The Qi holiday broth for a cozy hot-girl walk, what ingredients and intentions would you infuse it with?

Oh…can the broth be savory? I’d mix The Qi’s Shangri La Rose blend with flavors like miso, sweet potato, cinnamon, shallots and mushrooms. And maybe take shots of it pre-walk, since I like to have both hands free when I wander. We should do that.

What place in the world makes your creativity feel the most alive? What would it taste like?

My creativity would taste confusing. Someone said that thinking of what creativity is is like trying to hold water. I’m trying to give myself less rules and be less afraid of trying new things. Comfort is comfortable, but it’s not as exciting as I’d like it to be. So maybe my creativity would also taste risky. It would be in a place I’ve never been, and then lead me right back to a place I know everything about.