As I get back into sharing more recipes in this space, I have a few recipes that have seen heavy rotation in my cooking over the last two years. Early on, I became obsessed with this Gochujang-Glazed Eggplant from Eric Kim. I’ve made endless amounts of riffs throughout every season. However, this delicata squash version...
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Cauliflower with Cream and Breadcrumbs
I am a lover of vegetables cooked in cream. The cream thickens perfectly while the vegetables become quite tender. Add a few favorite flavors and the end result is my idea of a perfect side dish. LARDER: Rye Breadcrumbs This simple topping can be made with any type of bread, but the rye flavor is...
Tortellini Soup with Greens
During the wild weather here in Northern California, I stocked up on a few items to make quick meals on the camp stove if we lost power. Now that the storms have passed, I’ve started to use these items in my everyday cooking. I always find pasta comforting and have been drawn to tomato-based tortellini...
Fried Delicata Rings
This recipe originally appeared in the vegan Winter issue of Casual. If you want to make me happy, feed me a snack of fried food, preferably with a beer or cocktail. It’s the mix of crispy and salty that gets me every time, and so when one of my favorite restaurants in Sacramento—Magpie—had fried delicata...
Amaranth Porridge with Maple-Meyer Lemon Curd
During the winter months, it’s inevitable that I end up with a plethora of lemons, both Eureka and Meyer. Northern California is swimming in citrus this time of year, which makes the rainy days of winter seem brighter. This amaranth porridge has been around in my house for years, starting with using millet as the...
Roasted Sweet Potato Sorghum Salad
This post is in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. It’s the time of year when I like slightly warm salads. Roasted vegetables tossed in my favorite greens with a tangy dressing; it’s hard to go wrong. I like to bulk up salads using whole grains, like in this sorghum sweet potato salad. Arugula Salad When...
Vegan Barley Risotto with Squash and Chermoula
This post is in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. Risotto is a go-to recipe on this site and in my kitchen. Something is comforting about a big dish of creamy grains loaded with vegetables on top. This vegan version uses a simple cashew cream for added flavor in the risotto and a rich squash topping,...
Carrot Barley Stew with Kale Sauce
This post is in partnership with Bob's Red Mill. Most of my broth-based soups have two parts: the soup base and a flavor stir-in. I’ve been making this kale sauce off and on and decided it would be perfect as finishing in a soup. Because the kale sauce brings the flavor, I keep the barley...
Farro e Ceci
This post is in partnership with Bob's Red Mill. Since March, pasta has become increasingly harder to source at some of the local grocery stores. This has led to an increase in making pasta in some areas but in other areas, I’ve started adapting some of my most-used recipes that call for pasta. In this...
Delicata Squash Pasta with Egg and Goat Cheese
Post in partnership with Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs When the temperature drops below 90 degrees here in the valley, I call that the start of fall. This creamy delicata squash pasta is my kick-off to the season (just don’t be surprised if more tomato recipes still show up because I’ll be happily eating them...
Oat Crepes with Harissa Beans and Tomatoes
This post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. About this time of year, my meals revolve around the easiest way to eat as much summer produce. Typically the answers to that are grain bowls, but I like to change it occasionally, like with these oat crepes. Tomatoes In our produce pick-up and even in our...
Caramelized Zucchini Frittata
This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. I’m actually surprised I haven’t shared a version of this zucchini frittata before. Usually, in the beginning of August, I open my refrigerator to see a small pile of zucchini. I’m never sure how I accumulated so many without realizing it. But they are there...
Tomatoes with Pistachios, Cumin and Scallions
With the summer heat still lingering around California, my meals revolve heavily around fresh produce and components (usually vegetables, fruit, and beans). This tomato salad started as a topping for a bean/rice bowl, but I added and changed a bit to make it stand on its own. The oil draws from chhonk (a spice blooming...
Peach Salad with Maple Pistachios and Chile Butter Dressing
Summer salads are a daily occurrence in our house. This peach salad brings enough heft that it can hold it’s own as a meal or be a delightful side salad. Grain Alternatives I typically make this type of salad with grains I have leftover from dinner the night before. For the grain, I like something...
Ricotta Gnocchi with Rosemary Sweet Corn and Poached Egg
This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. Pasta in the summer is about as easy as possible, but I like to take it one step more and make light ricotta gnocchi. The balance of rich gnocchi with vegetables like fresh sweet corn is a filling and delicious summer meal. The Gnocchi Given...
Asparagus Pasta with White Beans
As we’ve continued to hunker down at home, our bean intake has increased. It’s not that we weren’t eating them before, it’s just I’m cooking many more meals than I had been. So, all this bean-ness is spilling over to the website. That said, the beans in this asparagus pasta are secondary to everything else....
How to Cook Dried Beans
When it comes to dried beans, many questions abound. Do I need to soak them? Won't salt harden beans during cooking? Are beans toxic? And if you do a simple search on the internet, there's a lot of differing opinions that would lead you down any one path. And so, I've written up how I...
Red Cabbage Tofu Potstickers
A note about culture/this recipe: I'm sharing this recipe for the filling. I did not grow up with potstickers but have a deep appreciation for the cultural history/process of making them. If you're interested in learning more about Chinese cuisine, I highly recommend following Lisa Lin. When I slow down, I find I cook more...
Tofu Bok Choy Soup with Noodles
Keeping records of anything online for an extended time can be a very humbling experience. Essentially, all your growth in a particular area is out there, and unfortunately, on the internet, it should stay out there, or else the internet overseers get grumpy. What does all of this have to do with a recipe for...
Turkish Eggs with Harissa Butter and Avocado Relish
This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs. More often than not, I think about how lucky we are to know and have the influence of global cooking. There are endless flavor possibilities, ideas, and fun to be had. I preface with this because these Turkish Eggs are not traditional (but calling this...
Carrot Cavatelli with Dill and Ricotta
A pasta that just screams spring, this recipe is made from white wheat flour and carrot juice then paired with an easy topping of garlic butter, ricotta, and dill. Whether you try your hand at making your own pasta or use store-bought, it's a delicious recipe for the warmer weather. The Pasta On a whim,...
Carrot White Bean Soup with Herbs
When it comes to broth-based soups, I have three parts I focus on to make it great. There's the flavor base, the core ingredients, and finally, the final add-ins. This white bean soup has all my favorite parts. Onions and garlic form the base, the carrots and white beans bring the bulk, and herbs, miso,...
Miso Butter Brothy Beans with Scallions
There's never a week that goes by that I don't have a couple of different kinds of cooked beans stashed in my refrigerator. I mostly use them in dishes with many other flavors, but occasionally I like a bowl of comforting beans. These brothy beans doctor up the original bean broth for a cozy meal....
Berbere Butter Braised Carrots with Polenta
This post is in partnership with California Grown. During these times, I’m relying on vegetables that store well and cook easily. These braised carrots are extremely flexible in terms of assembly. Swap out the polenta, change up the spices, even make it vegan! California Grown Carrots It’s no secret that I really love carrots. I...
Baked Cabbage and White Beans
I, too, am lured by the wonders of tasty looking recipes on the internet. Different ideas or fun combinations get stuck in my brain. Usually, in the form of recipes that make me want to try something new. One of the more recent? This caramelized cabbage. Most likely because I like roasted and grilled cabbage,...
Bean and Cabbage Tacos with Pickled Onions
Hi. Things are going to be a little different around here for the foreseeable future. I don't really plan content too far ahead and I get a lot of inspiration from what I have on hand. That being said, the recipes are going to be really pantry heavy and probably pretty simple (since I have...
Crispy Scallion Asparagus Pizza
This post is in partnership with California Grown. I’m finding myself wanting to spend nearly every minute outside as the weather gets warmer. This feeling also includes cooking and in the case of this recipe, using the pizza oven. I love asparagus for the ease in this recipe and the chili oil takes the whole...
Bitter Greens Salad with Miso-Citrus Vinaigrette
Everyone should have a low-stress salad in their back pocket. There are many ways you can go with a salad like this, but this version has become a favorite. I’ve served it at pop-up dinners and also meals with friends. What works with it is the combination of something bitter (the greens), something sweet (the...
Harissa Sweet Potato Ricotta Toast
This post is in partnership with California Grown. I’m slow to transition out of winter produce, especially with sweet potatoes. I love sweet potatoes (which is probably obvious). This toast is a delightful savory breakfast that’s easily adaptable for a different time of year. California Sweet Potatoes February is always an interesting time in California....
Arugula Delicata Squash Pasta
I was the type of kid who put chips on her sandwich (and by kid, I mean fully functioning adult). It’s a texture thing. I like the crunch paired with the softness of the sandwich. This delicata squash pasta is similar in that it’s not really pasta but a salad with pasta in it. The...
Berbere Sweet Potato Farro Bowls
This post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. See below for more information. There’s nothing like a hearty grain bowl filled with vegetables, grains, and beans. It hits all the points and makes for such a delicious and filling dinner. This particular bowl has some of my favorites (roasted sweet potatoes! farro!) with a bit...
Creamy Carrot-Coconut Soup
I'm popping in to share a recipe from a new cookbook I can't put down. To be honest, it's hit and miss with new cookbooks. I'm always looking for a book that challenges my ways of thinking about ingredients whether that's in a new way to cook or new-to-me flavor combinations. Bryant Terry's Vegetable Kingdom...
Lentil Bites with Broccoli Pesto and Rice
As I continue to work within more of the meal plans, I’m finding ways to use old favorites to create new, delicious meals. These lentils bites have long been a solid staple in my repertoire. The same could be said for the broccoli pesto. So what happens when you combine the two? You get this...
Midwinter III Meal Plan
While winter started awhile ago, I feel it most in January. The holidays are over and the sense of the long winter starts to set in. My penchant for cozy meals really comes out. Soups, stews, and pasta are nearly a weekly occurrence. This week’s plan really shows that. There’s a chili recipe and a...
Pasta and Chickpeas (Pasta e Ceci)
During a recipe testing and dinner one night, my son decided his tomato soup was boring and starting adding cooked pasta I had made for a different recipe. We ended up talking about spaghetti-os (something I didn't eat as a kid but knew about). All of this led me down the rabbit hole of making...
Vegan Tempeh Chili with Beans
It might be my midwestern upbringing, but I’m a chili fan. It’s warming and filling- you can’t ask for much more. This chili is using one of my favorite tempeh products, and it comes together in about 30 minutes. Serve with cornbread (or peanut butter sandwiches if you’re like my husband). The Tempeh When my...
Midwinter II Meal Plan
When I first started planning meals, I found I would over plan and buy too much. I'd schedule every weeknight dinner, but inevitably, something would come up, and I'd have to shift things around. In return, I'd feel some emotion towards that, and it was usually negative. This feeling led to now, where I keep...
Sweet Potato Noodle Bowls with Arugula
In the cold, rainy (or snowy) days of January, there’s nothing quite like a comforting bowl of noodles. If I could, I’d eat at the excellent ramen places around town, but that’s not always an option. And so, I’ve made these cheater bowls that are big on flavor but light on time. The base: vegetable...
Midwinter I Meal Plan
I find meal planning to be a fun puzzle and it's where I get extensive use out of my components and base recipes. I think in terms of meal planning/prepping, recipes are too limiting. It’s much easier to mix and match based on what you already have on hand. There’s a freedom that comes from...
Miso Carrot Pasta with Arugula
When it comes to pasta, I’ll try almost anything as a sauce. It’s led to some interesting fails but also some fantastic, funky ideas. This carrot pasta uses two of my favorite components, which makes this an easy 15-minute meal during the week. Carrot Puree I always feel like I overdo on carrots but for...