I never like to make cucumber salads the same way twice. I feel like cucumbers make for such a solid starting point. They aren’t overly powerful in the flavor department but they do come with a nice, refreshing crunch. Plus, I almost always have a couple of hand because my son loves them as a…
Recipes
Vegetable Burger with Curried Ketchup and Avocado
Post sponsored by Dr. Praegers. See below for more details. One of the things I’ve become really good at since having kid: lowering expectations. This hasn’t been easy because I’m always wanting to try new things, explore new places, and hand-make everything I can. Add a toddler to this mix and while I can still…
California Avocado Tomatillo Soup
Post sponsored by California Avocados. See below for more details. One of the reasons I love living in a desert climate: cool evenings and mornings. Even when it gets to be hot during the days, most nights and mornings are cool (sweater weather cool). This means I’m still able to happily enjoy my warm evening…
Blue Cheese Peach Pizza with Honey
This recipe is in partnership with Nugget Markets. See below for more details. There are combinations that might feel a bit over-done but I will always (and gladly) eat. One of those combinations: blue cheese and peaches. Fresh, sweet peaches paired with the earthy flavor of blue cheese is everything I could want in one…
Sesame Sunflower Crunch | Cooking Component
When it comes to textures, I’m all about the crunch. This is why I gravitate towards chips, crackers, and granola. This sunflower crunch is a mix between toasted nuts and granola. It’s simple on ingredients but the end result is a multi-use mix that adds the perfect crunch to soups, salads, and yogurt bowls. One…
Sweet Corn Polenta with Fried Egg and Sun-Dried Tomato Relish
There are a few summer staples that happen every year. Roasted tomato salsa, grilled zucchini, and this fresh polenta. Traditionally, polenta is made from dried/stone-ground corn. This version relies on using fresh summer sweet corn. The texture is different but the flavor of the polenta is all summer warmth. I usually make the polenta base…
Blueberry Chia Jam with Yogurt and Sunflower Crunch
One of my favorite coffee shops in town serves two hot food items: waffles and yogurt bowls. If I had my way, I’d eat both, everyday. The waffles are perfect and they make a homemade jam for topping which they also use on their yogurt bowls. Since it’s not cost-effective for me to eat there…
Roasted Butter Tomato Sauce Pasta
Post sponsored by the French Ministry of Agriculture. See below for more details. Since having a child, I’ve found myself eating more foods from my childhood than I ever thought I would. Peanut butter sandwiches now with fig jam. Grilled cheese sandwiches updated with romesco and avocado. And pasta by way of this roasted butter…
Pistachio Peach Salad with Ricotta Salata
There are two things I love about eating out at a restaurant. I want the meal to be something I can’t easily make at home and I want meals that spark an idea. This pistachio peach salad was inspired by a meal I had at a recent dinner in Santa Cruz. My friend Liz puts…
Crepes with Tomatoes and Butter Hazelnuts
Post sponsored by the French Ministry of Agriculture. See below for more details. One of my first forays into cooking was for my school’s international dinner night. I was in French class and within the first few weeks of class, I became obsessed with French culture. I thought the language and the art was (and…
Ricotta Toast with Butter-Fried Peppers
I’ve noticed an increase of toast offerings at local coffee shops. Avocado, vegetables, and fruit are all popular items but what caught my eye at the last coffee shop was the ricotta toast. Good ricotta is delicious (and better yet, it’s actually quite simple to make at home). Add it to toast and you have…
Loaded Summer Veg Burger with Fried Egg
Post sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. See below for more details. I feel like I’ve truly hit adulthood in the past few years, marked by a love of runny eggs. I could easily eat a ghee-fried egg and toast for breakfast every morning, just swap in and out some fresh produce depending on…
Grilled Pear Halloumi Salad
Post sponsored by California Pear. See below for more details. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of driving down interstate 5 from Sacramento and seeing all the produce grown. It can be humbling to drive among the various orchards and realize just how much produce is produced on the valley floor. I’m excited to partner…
Chickpea Tomato Bread Salad with Arugula Pesto
Heirloom tomatoes are king of the summer. There’s nothing quite like the taste and texture of a perfectly ripe tomato. Take that and add a few of my favorite items for this delicious bread salad. A peppery arugula pesto is the flavor while the toasted bread brings the texture. I could have stopped there but…