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borscht (beet soup) with dill yogurt + pumpkin seeds
Currently, I am in the middle of preparing the biggest meal of the year, but while my stove is simmering and my oven is braising I thought I would share this recipe with you which has been my new favorite.
It also happens to have the colors of christmas, so I thought it was even more appropriate that I share this recipe today.
Borscht is a beet soup that originated in central and eastern europe. If you love beets, you will love borscht.
This version is a dressed up, spruced up version. Perfect to serve for a holiday meal, christmas (if you celebrate it) would be ideal. Of course, if you don't celebrate christmas or if you just want to make a big batch of it for yourself, that is ideal too.
Happy Holidays! XO
pine nut + peppercorn shortbread // vegan + gluten-free
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this ..... but ... here it goes ....
I do not have a single cookie recipe on this blog. Well, until now.
It is not that I do not love cookies, trust me, I do. Having a mid-day cookie is my secret indulgence. I usually pick up a freshly baked one when I am grocery shopping and nibble on it while waiting to check out. Sometimes the checkout person asks me about the half eaten cookie "do you know there is only half a cookie in there?", sometimes they giggle at my response, and sometimes they give me a look like "you couldn't even wait until you checked out to start eating that cookie".
Michael knows all about my secret mid-day cookie indulgence. I think he finds it funny.
So for my very first cookie recipe here, I thought it was appropriate to give you a recipe for my favorite cookie of all time.
Shortbread.
Hopefully you know me well enough by now to know that this cookie will not be your average shortbread. These little guys are both vegan and gluten-free. You're probably wondering how shortbread could possibly be vegan, well, I have a trick up my sleeve.
Earth Balance. I use Earth Balance butter in place of real butter. I am not saying that this is a much healthier alternative to using real butter, but for someone like me who cannot have dairy (especially butter) this makes for a great alternative. If you tasted Earth Balance and regular butter side by side, you would never be able to tell the difference.
As for the gluten-free part of this recipe, since I am fairly new to gluten-free baking I had to consult my favorite gluten-free chef, blogger, and cookbook author, Aran Goyoaga. You might remember I did a workshop with Aran back in September. Her gorgeous cookbook came out shortly after that, and it has since become a staple and reference guide for gluten-free cooking and baking in my kitchen.
I have had her recipe for shortbread earmarked for some time, and since cookie season is in full swing, I have been playing with some variations of this recipe. She made hers with pistachios (which are wonderful) but I chose to share the pine nut version that I tried the other day. I just love pine nuts in cookies. I also took her advise and added the peppercorns. They add a subtle little peppery kick. The peppercorns dress it up and make it a much more adult cookie. A really really good adult cookie.
I'm snacking on one right now ;)
mini quiches with jerusalem artichokes + chives
It's party time.
That time of year when you have two or three holiday parties to attend each Friday night up until New Year's.
I love a good party. I especially love a good holiday party. It seems like people are always in such a good mood during the holidays. Party mood, that is.
What make a party ... good? Good people, good food, good music, good alcohol, and all around good vibes. Throw in a christmas tree, some karaoke, and a guy dressed up like santa and, well, then you have a real shin-dig.
With all of the partying and entertaining that I have to do this month, I have been working on a few easy go-to recipes that I can bring or serve, whenever the occasion calls for it.
It's always good to have one or two party recipes up your sleeve. Ones that are easy to make, easy to eat, and can be made a little ahead of time.
Mini quiches are a great go-to party food. Not only are they easy to prepare, but you can also add or subtract ingredients based on what you have in your fridge or what is fresh. Only have potatoes and green onions - no problemo. Spinach and mushroom - that will do!
Bring these to a party and they will surly be a hit. Don't forget to bring a few extra santa hats for your host or hostess. Santa hats are always a hit too.
mustard marinated kale with roasted winter vegetables
Back when I worked in the corporate world, things were a little different.
I had to wake up about 30 minutes before my body wanted to every morning.
I wore high heels and starched shirts.
I would have breakfast at my desk, lunch at my desk, and I would prepare both in the little kitchen our office provided (sometimes getting odd glares from my co-workers who usually got take-out or ordered in).
On days that I was busy I would never leave my desk, and on days that I was bored I would find every excuse leave my desk.
In the winter, I would leave the office an hour or two (or three) after the sun went down. Michael and I would often get home at the same time, and on most nights we would cook.
I didn’t have as much time to get creative in the kitchen on the weeknights. Most nights I would stick to one of the several classic recipes that I knew well.
Roasted vegetables were a staple.
When I took a bite of a roasted carrot the other night, it reminded me of something. It took me a minute to pinpoint it. Usually food can take you back to a lovely place, a fond childhood memory, a memory of a beloved family member, but not this roasted carrot. This roasted carrot reminded me of my old job. It was strange. It was not necessarily a bad memory, but not a picturesque one either.
It got me thinking.
Sometimes we cook things because they are simple and easy to make. Sometimes we cook things because they taste good. Sometimes we cook things because they remind us of a person a place or a memory.
I realized, roasted vegetables are all of those things to me.
They are easy to prepare, they taste really good, and now that I've thought about it, they remind me of cold, quite nights at home with Michael when we would change into comfy clothes and catch up on our days. Maybe it is a pretty fond memory after all.
Roasted vegetable in the wintertime are good for the soul.
Kale is good for the soul too.
Marinated kale is just really good period. The marinating breaks the kale down into tender bites that are easier to eat and digest. Massaging the kale helps the process of breaking it down as well. This technique is not only good for this kale salad, but for anytime you want to eat kale raw.
The roasted vegetables make a hearty addition to the raw kale. Winter salads are best with some kind of warm element. Roasted vegetables not only warm up this salad, but they give it that nostalgic roasted taste that hopefully (for you) has a fond winter memory attached to it.
the best ever cornbread with rosemary + serrano chilies // gluten-free
I cannot leave you with a recipe for chili, and not give you some cornbread to go with it.
A piece of crusty cornbread, a warm bowl of chili, a crisp kale salad, and a really good magazine .... the perfect way to spend a chilly saturday afternoon.
There is also no better way to feed a large group of hungry friends on football sunday. A quick batch of cornbread and big pot of chili, and you’re happily feasting.
There are a few things I look for in a cornbread to consider it really good:
1 – a crusty top layer
2 – a moist inner layer
3 – not so crumbly (you know, the kind that you can barley eat because it crumbles to bits)
bonus – super yummy things to flavor it like chilies and herbs.
double bonus – vegan or gluten-free (without knowing the difference).
So if I am going to post a recipe for cornbread, you know it has to pass this test. In case you’re wondering, this cornbread scored 120% (extra 10% for the chilies and rosemary + 10 more % for being gluten-free).
When I started working on this, the first and only blog I consulted was gluten-free girl. Shauna sure does know her stuff. Her recipe for gluten-free cornbread is flawless and absolutely delicious. I did make just a few tweaks. I know that not everyone is as ambitious as she is to make their own GF flour (ahem, me) but she does include an awesome video how to do it if you are interested. I also include a milk-free option because even though whole milk does do a wonderful job, it is not an ingredient I typically use. Lastly, I used maple syrup as a sweetener which is not only better for you than white sugar, it compliments this recipe so well. And of course I threw in some extra yummy things like rosemary and serrano chilies. Killer cornbread is born.
white bean chili
I thought about starting this post with" I love chili" ... then I realized that I start almost every post with "I love .....".
I guess I just can't help myself, I love food.
Okay, but seriously, I do really love chili. Especially when it gets cold. First frost on the grass cold. First log on the fireplace cold. First time you whip out the puffy jacket to walk the dog cold.
There is something so warming and comforting about the beans and the spice. It makes you feel gooood. It's one of the most satisfying meals you can make in one pot (I'm pretty sure I say that a lot too).
I've been working on a few chili recipes recently, not just because I love chili, but because I am teaching a class on vegetarian chili next Monday at my new favorite place: Haven's Kitchen, in NYC.
It's the first class I am teaching there, so I want to be sure my recipes are super stellar. In addition to a more traditional chili, I also wanted to include a chili recipe that was a little less traditional. Something different. I am thinking this one might do.
If you live in NYC or will be in the area, check out my class and all of the other classes at Haven's Kitchen. I'd love to see you there!
spaghetti squash + lentil "meatballs" in a spicy arrabiata sauce
baked apples with pomegranates + pistachios
sautΓ©ed brussels sprouts + red cabbage with toasted almonds
sesame crusted quinoa + kale cakes
loaded homemade hummus
I started writing this post from my dark, powerless apartment in downtown nyc. Thankfully for me that was the biggest inconvenience for me and my family during hurricane sandy. We now have power again, and things are slowly getting back to normal where I live.
We are extremely fortunate. This has not been the case with many people, especially those in the boroughs of NYC + the coast of NJ. The people who have not been as fortunate have weighed heavy in my thoughts.
I am always so impressed at the way new yorkers pull together in the wake of crisis and hard times. I'm also impressed with so many of my family members and friends who have donated their time and goods to people in need without any hesitation. We all know what we have to do, and taking care of our neighbors and people in need just comes naturally to the people of this area.
Whether you live in NY or not, there are ways you can help. I found a couple of links that can point you in the direction so you can donate your time, money, or goods to people who need it most.
7 ways to donate to hurricane sandy victims online via mashable
12 ways to donate time, skills, or supplies to hurricane victims via treehugger
buy an I (still) love NY t-shirt - 100% profits go to hurricane sandy relief
It may seem a bit trivial to post about something as simple as hummus while we are still recovering from one of the biggest disasters the nyc area has ever seen. We all have to get back to some sort of normalcy, and eating hummus daily is a part of my normal, everyday life.
I eat a lot of hummus. It's pretty much my go-to snack food, and because of this I find that it's definitely better for me to be making my own. This hummus, however, is a fancier hummus. A hummus I might make if I want to impress someone, or make for a fancy party or pot luck. The toppings are more of a creative suggestion, a guileline, not a rule. Feel free to omit the toppings though if you are not in a fancy mood.
*If you have any other suggestions/links on how to help hurricane sandy victims, or want to share what you did to help, please feel free to leave that info in the comments section below*
roasted sweet potatoes, red onions + pine nuts with tahini
As you may know, I am a huge fan of Yottam Ottolenghi. His books are a constant source of inspiration for me, and I frequently daydream about having lunch at one of his London restaurants.
My first introduction to Ottolenghi was unusual. On a visit to Maine a couple of years ago, my Aunt + Uncle took me to this fabulous book store in Portland, Maine that sold just cookbooks. Just cookbooks. Dangerous.
Out of the mounds and mounds of gorgeous cookbooks, I could not tear myself away from this one vegetarian focused book with an attractive pillow-like white cover. The recipes were different. Unique. A wonderful combination of mediterranean + middle-eastern flavors. When I went to checkout, the cashier owned the book already and went on and on about what a great book it was. I couldn't wait to get home and make every single recipe.
I bought Ottolenghi's book Plenty before it was released in the US, not knowing what a hit it would end up being here. That also means my book is in grams and celcius, and although it is slightly inconvenient, I look it as a badge of honor for discovering this book before it's US debut.
After cooking my way through Plenty, I couldn't wait until I had the opportunity to eat at one of his London restaurants. This summer I had my chance, and it lived up to everything I had expected. I went to his restaurant in Notting Hill and order as many things that would fit onto one plate. I sat outside in the rain (because that was the only seat open) and I was in heaven. While I was there I was also able to pick up a signed copy of his original book, Ottolenghi: The Cookbook which features the recipes made at his restaurants, and it too has become a staple in my kitchen.
quince crisp
As soon as the temperature starts to drop, it's only natural that you and I start to crave certain things. More soups, more roasted vegetables, more blankets, more nights in watching movies, more baked fruits, more fireplaces, more crisp.
It's no secret, I love a good crisp.
Crisp is the prefect dessert for a crisp fall day. Maybe that is where is got it's name? No? Okay ... I know ... it's from the crispy top that pairs so nicely with the soft fragrant fruits hiding underneath.
I'm fairly new to cooking with quince. If you are unfamiliar with this fruit, it is best described as a cross between a pear and an apple, therefore (in my opinion) making it ideal to bake with.
Pears and apples are two of my favorite fall fruits, and now quince will obviously be making it's way to that list as well.
The thing to note about quince is that is has particularly tough flesh which means it is not so good to eat raw, and it needs to bake on it's own for some extra time before being incorporated into a crisp, or pie, or any baked dessert for that matter.
The upside to having to bake the quince longer? You will have that delicious smell of quince baking in your home for for that much longer, creating the perfect ambiance for a fall day.
acorn squash stuffed with a warm farro and pine nut salad
Since moving to nyc, I have been fascinated with the unlimited amount of choices and variety in grocery stores farmers markets, speciality stores, and produce. I walk around this city like a kid in a candy store. Anything I can think of, I can find it here. It is wonderful, exciting, and at times can be overwhelming.
Back where I lived in CT, there were not many choices. I had a Whole Foods down the street which was my go-to. There was also a small Italian speciality store that I enjoyed going to for fresh pasta and interesting produce. That was really it. I was always able to find what I needed. Comforting and predictable, but not very exciting.
Now, I live a walking distance from the Union Square Greenmarket which is one of the great food experience of nyc. It runs 4 days a week, all year round. I try to make it there at least once a week, more if I can. I always end up with way more {ahem ... pastries} than I need.
The following are some shots from my visit last week.
While I was there I picked up a few acorn squashes, some lovely herbs, a couple of gorgeous golden apples, and a few vegan and gluten-free plums tarts + corn bread {which are not pictured because they were promptly devoured}.
I had some farro at home and was looking to stuff the squashes with a warm farro salad. It seemed like the perfect lunch for these brisk fall days that we've been having recently.
raw fudge brownies with a vanilla raspberry puree
let's talk truths.
truth: I love NY
truth: sometimes I try and tell myself that the green smoothie I had for breakfast will negate the french fries I had at lunch
truth: I'm uncomfortable with the question: "what's your favorite recipe?" because I do not have a favorite recipe
truth: I love my husband more and more every day (yes, I am one of those people)
truth: I just ate an entire container of hummus and mary's gone crackers and I was not even hungry
truth: I hug my dog on average 7 times a day
truth: I make raw brownies all the time, however, when coming up with this new raw brownie recipe it took me 4 tries to get it all just right
truth: these raw fudge brownies are gooey, chocolaty, and addictingly delicious
truth: raw cacao (like the kind you use to make these brownies) has the highest amount of antioxidants per serving of any "superfood"
truth: raspberries and chocolate are totally meant for each other
truth: these brownies and the vanilla raspberry sauce are made without butter, eggs, sugar, and guilt
truth: these brownies will definitely cure chocolate cravings and impress friends
pumpkin & beet salad with a carrot ginger dressing
I love Fall.
We're only a few days in, but I have already began to embrace putting on vest and scarf in the morning to walk the dog, and I am so excited to start to see fall fruits and vegetables make their way to the farmer's markets and grocery stores.
I planted some pumpkin this summer (note: some = a lot), and I am going to have to have to get very creative with the dozens of pumpkins I am going to have this October.
Starting with this recipe right here which I created for the fall issue of a beautiful, new online magazine, Delighted.
There are a few other really good-looking recipes using pumpkin in the issue, and I will likely be trying them all. Go check them out, and be sure to browse all of the other great articles on life and style and tips on setting a beautiful table for the fall season.
garlic + rosemary socca crepes with creamy leeks and roasted tomatoes // gluten-free + vegan
Gluten-free, although it might not be a new term in the world of food, it is a new term in my kitchen. With many friends and family who have become gluten-free recently, I found myself having to come up with gluten-free meals to make at home. No biggie, right?
Well, I have found this particularly tricky since, as you may know from following my blog, I avoid dairy as much as possible mainly because of dairy allergy I discovered I had about a year ago.
Bread & cheese, two of the most wonderful and easy foods to throw together. Who doesn't love bread and cheese?
People who have to live gluten and dairy free, that's who.
I always thought to myself ... okay ... I can sacrifice most of the butter and cheese as long as you don't take my bread away from me. Please.do.not.take.my.bread.away.from.me. And thankfully, I have zero sensitivity to gluten. However, I am discovering more and more that friends, and friends of friends, and family are having trouble with the gluten. So, you know what that means. Dinners and dinner parties around here are including less and less gluten. And, you know, it might not be such a bad thing.
Luckily, there are tons of great recipes and alternatives out there for doing things both gluten and dairy free.
Sometimes I just want to take a giant piece of bread and slap some soft, tangy, gooey goat cheese on top and call it a day. I had yet to find anything that really replaced that taste and gorgeous texture. I really needed to come up something that would nix that craving.
This recipe right here might be the answer.
Let me start with the "creamy" leeks. The creaminess comes from a tofu base. I know that might not sound so exciting, but hear me out. The tofu is blanched to get rid of any bean-like taste. Then a lot of other delicious seasonings are added to give it a lovely flavor. Once you throw it in with the caramelized leeks, it's heavenly.
Socca, if you're not familiar with it, is a crepe that is made with garbanzo bean flour and then baked. It is super easy to make, high in protein, and it's gluten-free.
Slap those leeks on top of the rosemary and garlic socca, place some roasted tomatoes on top, and you have one yummy, creamy, delicious, gluten-free and dairy-free snack or party-time app that everyone can eat.
grilled pear and eggplant salad with a honey mustard dressing
As I was making {and eating} this salad, I thought to myself ... I am going to start off this post by saying I am not one who likes fruit in my salad. Then I thought ... well ... that's not really true. Ever since I had my first watermelon / tomato / feta salad, I can no longer say that I am a person who "does not like fruit in their salad".
I generally do feel like there is a place for fruit, and there is a place for vegetables. Sometimes it's keeping them separate, and sometimes they go so well together it seems like it was meant to be.
Eggplant and pear might not seem like a likely combination, but you have to trust me on this one ... these two were totally meant to be.
The savory eggplant enhances the sweet pear, the sweet pear enhances the savory eggplant. With grilled fruit, there is something about those caramelized, charred grill marks that seems to play so nicely with vegetables.
I first stumbled on a pear and eggplant recipe in last month's issue of Food & Wine magazine. I was intrigued, but I also had a hunch that this combination would be amazing. And it is. My rendition here is a little different, omitting the butter and cheese and adding some greens and a honey mustard dressing. A different, and if I might add - more healthy, way to enhance the pear and eggplant combo.
This salad would make a great starter for a fall dinner party. It's a bit of a conversation piece. Feel free to declare the eggplant and pear is the new watermelon, tomato, and feta. I surely will be.
how to make a green smoothie
Recently, I've been getting asked [a lot] what it is that I have for breakfast. My answer is: on most days, a green smoothie. Then, the question that usually follows is: aren't you hungry shortly after? To which I answer: Nope. Not with the amount of veggies and greens I'm consuming.
Because of this, I decided to post the recipe [well, actually it's more of a guideline] for how I make my green smoothie. I have to warn you though, there is no exact science to this, and some days it tastes amazing and some days it's ... well .... to be frank, not so amazing. It all depends on the freshness and/or the ripeness of certain ingredients. But the one thing remains the same is that I love the way I feel when I drink a green smoothie in the morning.
Smoothies are different than juices. There are definitely stronger arguments that smoothies are better simply because the vegetables are being consumed whole, the way they were meant to be. I also find that for a meal in the morning, the green smoothie is much more filling and will hold you over better than a green juice.
So what are the benefits when you drink green smoothies most mornings? Lots. Besides getting a boat load of vitamins and minerals from the gorgeous variety of greens, you are also getting a hefty dose of our best friend, fiber. Fiber helps us detoxify, and helps keep our insides happy. When our insides are happy our outsides look happy ... simple as that.
With that, I bring you some directions for crafting your smoothie. Play around with different ingredents, see what you like and what you don't like, and always switch things up depending on what you find is fresh, local, seasonal, and organic.
Happy Smoothie-ing!
aran goyoaga food styling + photography workshop // whistler, british columbia
I’ve long admired the food photography and styling of Aran Goyoaga of the beautiful and wildly popular blog: cannelle et vanille, and last week I had the opportunity to learn from her and learn more about her approach and technique at an ACE camp workshop in Whistler, BC, Canada. It was an incredible and wonderfully overwhelming experience. I'm still trying to take it all in ...
Aran was just as I would have pictured from reading her blog. Knowledgeable, passionate, kind and generous. It was mesmerizing watching how effortlessly she styles a photo, or how she knows just where to go to find the perfect light in a room or prop for a photo. She has a love for food and an amazing ability to see the beauty in raw ingredients. It's truly what makes her a great photographer + stylist.
As amazing as it was to watch Aran at work, it was just as great to meet and form friendships with all of the other food bloggers, chefs, photographers, and other talented people at the workshop. You learn just as much from each other as you do the instructor. We had a blast, there were a lot of laughs and great memories made throughout the weekend and I'm excited stay in touch and watch the others grow in their careers and as photographers.
These photographs were shot over three days as we took trips to the local farm, had a picnic on the top of whistler mountain, visited the farmers market, and hung out at a lake house. Some of these pictures were styled by Aran, some were styled by us students, and many were taken candidly. Whistler made for an excellent backdrop for the weekend. It was my first time, and I cannot wait to return.