I love recipes like this one. There are three components, all in their own way delicious and solid. Straight-forward roasted vegetables look like the star but I actually think it’s the chickpea crepes and the chipotle compound butter. Compound butter and do a little dance There’s nothing quite like compound butter. Butter is pretty fantastic...
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Roasted Sweet Potato Baked Eggs
Some recipes are born from a love of making some of my recipes easier. I love to whip up a good quiche or frittata but sometimes I like to keep things simple (really simple). This baked egg dish is about as easy as it gets, once you get quick at dicing. The Sweet Potatoes Don't...
5 Ways to Cook Vegetables
Preparing vegetables will always demand some extra time and care. However, these days we’re all trying to get more vegetables into our daily lives. Knowing more general ways to cook them only works in our favor. The transformation from raw to cooked never ceases to inspire and once you learn the overall cooking processes, you...
Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Chickpea Casarecce
Post sponsored by Barilla. See below for more details. There is nothing quite as delicious as a simple bowl of pasta tossed with a bit of pesto. This take with an easy broccoli pesto pasta is one of the ways I keep the pasta/pesto combination alive during the colder months when basil isn’t as abundant....
Chili Chickpea Smothered Toast
I like every recipe I post on this site. There are countless recipes that never see the light of day. They are probably good, I just don’t like them. On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are recipes I love. Like, I could eat this everyday kind of love. These chili chickpeas get that...
Saving the season: Lemons
There’s nothing quite like having an abundance of citrus. I think it accounts for about 50% of all joy during the winter months. The pucker-inducing flavor, the vibrant color, the bright fragrance: there’s nothing quite like it. And, if you’re like me, you like to have some of these flavors year-round. I use lime/lemons in...
Sunchoke Hash with Tarragon and Chickpeas
I've made mention that if I were to ever open a cafe, it would serve breakfast and lunch. These are the meals I enjoy most and the meals I feel I could endlessly create. I also love updating classic breakfast recipes to fit within a seasonal mold. During the winter months, I'm drawn to sunchokes....
Chipotle Red Kuri Squash with Chickpeas
Over the past few months, I've been sharing off-the-cuff recipes on instagram (which I save in highlights). This has primarily been because at the heart of cooking, I don't measure anything. Exact recipes aren't my thing (which may come as a surprise, given I've run this site for 10+ years). While I'm more than happy...
Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with Chimichurri
While you may be thinking to yourself in a sarcastic voice, "just what we need need, another butternut squash soup!" I urge you to think of this more as inspiration and less as a direct soup recipe. Take your butternut squash soup recipe and jazz it up. Add some spices. Use a sauce. It doesn't...
Chickpea Pasta with Chili-Butter Tomato Sauce
Post sponsored by Barilla. See below for more details. When it comes to the winter months, I always crave pasta. For the most part, It’s an easy dinner to get done in 30 minutes and it’s easy to please even the pickiest eater. Because of this, I’m excited to team of with Barilla and highlight...
Adobo Acorn Squash, Crispy Quinoa, and Chimichurri
When it comes to roasted squash, I'm all about big flavors. Give me all the spices and herbs. This adobo acorn squash is the perfect example. The squash is roasted in a great mix of spices and finished with one of my favorite herb sauces. Perfect as a side or add a cup of pinto...
Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey Butter and Pistachios
This recipe is in partnership with Nugget Markets. See below for more details. Constant inspiration is one of my favorite things about food. It takes one bite to take you down a road you might not have explored before. This is one of the reasons I’m always game to try something. You never know what...
19 Veg-Friendly Party Snacks
When it comes to the holidays, I get most excited about the parties (and the food at them!) With a little inspiration, your holiday party can be rocking some wonderful veg-friendly snacks. While you can start with a solid cheese board and some olives, step your game up with the help of some dips, bites,...
Cornmeal Pancakes with Cinnamon Persimmons
Post sponsored by Frontier Co-op. See below for more details. One of my first jobs cooking was in the kitchen at a local country club. The chef quit and they needed someone to sling breakfast for the golfers. Not one to shy away from a challenge, I jumped in. It was quite the experience that...
Beet Veggie Burger Stuffed Pita with Whipped Feta
During the busy holiday months, I’m always looking for extra quick ways to eat well. It always feels like lunch is my weak area. It’s easy to ditch cooking and head out with friends. But, I feel it when I do. And so, I like to have a few lunches that feel a bit extra...
Roasted Sweet Potato Rice Paper Rolls with Spinach
Spring rolls that are gluten free, vegan, and way delicious!
Quinoa Chard Frittata with Balsamic Onions
Post sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. See below for more details. I know most people obsess over the holiday dinners. There are schedules and multi-day prep routines. Depending on your personality, it can feel energizing or it can feel completely overwhelming. So what happens when you also have to think about having guest stay over,...
Twice-Baked Honeynut Squash with Brown Butter
I’m sliding into the holidays with a solid side dish idea, sure to start a conversation. These twice-baked honeynut squash are not only delicious but have a fun story about this newer squash variety. What is honeynut squash? Honeynut squash was developed through a challenge between Dan Barber and Michael Mouzarek. The goal: grow a...
California Green Ripe Olive Cauliflower Salad
Post sponsored by California Ripe Olives. See below for more details. If I had my way, I'd eat a big bowl of roasted vegetables for lunch, everyday. This cauliflower salad is another recipe that allows me to do just that. Shallot-roasted cauliflower tossed with salty olives and parmesan along along with sorghum. It's filling and...
Roasted Pumpkin Polenta with Pinto Beans
When it comes to fall cooking, polenta is a staple in our house. This comforting dish has cold-weather/dark nights written all over it. Best of all, this isn’t just an ordinary polenta. Rather, it's a creamy pumpkin polenta using freshly roasted pumpkins. Roasted Pumpkin Sure, you can buy the canned pumpkin but I don’t think...
Walnuts | In the Pantry
When it comes to ingredients in your kitchen, it can be easy to forget that non-produce items come with ‘best by’ dates. I’ve witnessed many a spice cabinets with bottles dating back years, if not decades. Olive oil that should went rancid ages ago. And nuts that are questionable at best. And so, I’m working...
Farro Risotto with Walnut Cream and Roasted Butternut Squash
Post sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. See below for more details. There’s nothing quite like a comforting bowl of risotto. There are endless seasonal flavors and thanks to a myriad of whole grains, many bases you can use. A creamy, vegan risotto is within reach thanks to help from a bit of farro and an...
Savory Scones with Chives and Feta
100% whole wheat savory scones that are delicious and have amazing texture? It’s not too good to be true. All you need is a bit of flour knowledge! Recently, I was part of a small workshop about local flours/grinding. It’s something I’m quite passionate about for many reasons, not limited to taste and nutrition. For...
Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Jammy Eggs
Post sponsored by Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs. See below for more details. In the realm of fall cooking, Brussels sprouts are king in my kitchen. We're constantly eating oven roasted Brussels sprouts as a side or tossing them into grain bowls. They are quick, easy, and delicious. This dish is a slight update on...
Roasted Cauliflower Recipes for Fall
More than I like to admit, I am a creature of habit in cooking. Most of the time, I return to favorite recipes. Breakfast is almost always oatmeal. And, at the market I buy the same kinds of produce every week. During the fall, it is almost guaranteed that I have a head of cauliflower...
Chickpea Curry Stuffed Pita with Dill Yogurt
I think one of the hardest things in daily cooking is making and eating a solid lunch. I have no problem with breakfast and feel solid in my dinner game. And yet, when it comes to the mid-day meal, I’m either really on it or eating out. These chickpea curry stuffed pita are one of...
Roasted Mole Cauliflower with Chickpeas
As with most recipes, the most delicious ones come from pure happenstance and whatever I happen to have on hand. This mole cauliflower came about for two reason. An assistant who made a massive amount of mole and a last-minute potluck where I needed to bring a dish. I happen to have a head of...
Spinach Quinoa Cakes with Garlicky Yogurt
There is a direct connection to having a toddler and uptick in the amount of finger foods we eat in our house. Granted, even some foods I wouldn't consider finger friendly become so but that's just life with a small child. However, sandwiches, quesadillas, and fritters are all weekly staples. These quinoa cakes have been...
Kale Breakfast Salad
Like most recipes, this breakfast salad was a complete accident. I had a couple of eggs and some kale I needed to use. I didn't feel like scrambled eggs and I believe a disappointing breakfast that was not supposed to be a breakfast salad but strangely was one. At any rate, I dug through the...
Three-Bean Vegan Chili
Growing up, I was never a fan of chili. My family would make large batches of it and I'd always strategically avoid it. I really didn't like the flavors and I was pretty much anti-anything bean. However, I might touch try it if there weren't beans but I was never really sure about it. A...
Weekend Dutch Baby with Cinnamon Apples
Post sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. See below for more details. Usually towards the end of summer, I feel like I'm falling out of love with cooking. I worry that the feeling will last. And yet, inevitably, with the return of the cooler comes the pull to be back in the kitchen. I'm called to...
Making the Most of Leftovers
Leftovers may sound like unwanted old food but moving leftovers from one meal to the next - slowly dwindling the stockpile - is a challenge and an art form in my kitchen. In fact, I don’t think I can imagine a day where I do not use some sort of leftover in a salad, smashed...
Chimichurri Chickpea Zucchini Noodles
I'm squeezing in a few more summer recipes before October hits. I feel the change to fall in the air but at least in California, summer produce is still quite prominent at the markets and stores. This recipe was voted on in my instagram stories and I'm so glad people wanted to see it. This...
Pinto Bean Tostadas with Nopales and Eggs
Today's post is a little different. Sure, there's a recipe but this recipe is to help promote an organization that is near and dear to my heart: the Food Literacy Center. September is Food Literacy Month in the state of California. What does that meant, exactly? Well, as the Food Literacy center describes it: 'understanding...
Pear Custard Tart with Cinnamon
Post sponsored by California Pear. See below for more details. It's rare that I post dessert recipes but don't be fooled, I love my desserts. This custard tart has been around for years and has made it's way through all the seasons. However, this pear version is my favorite. Using slices of bosc pears makes...
15 Late-Summer Vegetarian Recipes
I always find this time of year to be a bit strange. Sure, I'm ready for cooler fall weather but given it's still summer, I'm still into all the tomatoes and zucchini. It's like we can't be in transition, it has to be summer or it has to be fall. People throw tomatoes and grilling...
Herby Hemp Sauce | Cooking Component
I feel like the key to a solid, quick dinner is in the sauce. There are endless combinations of grains, beans, and vegetables once you get sauces involved. Plus, this is something my entire family can easily agree on: you can never had too many sauce ideas. Enter in this easy herby hemp sauce. I...
Harissa Tomato Salad with Farro
I feel like when September hits, it's easy to throw the idea of summer produce out for all the fall goodness that's about to come our way. And yet, I find September to be one of the best months for tomatoes. The mature plants are still producing and the abundance is still there. The change...
Cucumber Avocado Spring Rolls with Herbs
This is a monumental moment for this little site: I'm posting a tofu recipe. Tofu, along with mushrooms, just haven't been my thing. It's completely a texture issue. I need crunch in my life and the slight spongy texture of mushrooms and tofu just didn't work with my food views. However, over the years, my...
Pan-Fried Pears with Honey and Ginger Einkorn
Post sponsored by California Pear. See below for more details. One of my favorite things is to make a breakfast that feels like it could easily double as dessert without being heavy on the sweetness. For example, I could eat these pan-fried pears everyday. They provide the perfect example when I want something sweet for...