Little. Baby. Tomatoes.

As stated in my previous blog post, my new proximity to the local farmer's market has been both awesome and problematic. I simply cannot pass up beautiful summer produce, and this is especially true when it comes to tomatoes. I have written before about my undying devotion to the summer tomato, and now that the only thing between me and a ripe 'mater is a short walk, I find myself with an excessive abundance of colorful tomatoes.

Now, not just any tomato will stop me in my tracks. Plain ole' beefsteaks or romas don't do a whole lot for me. I am sure it is possible to grow a delicious roma tomato, but I can't shake the many experiences I have had trying to make my grocery store-bought tomato taste like something. Anything. So when it comes to picking them out locally, I stick to one rule: the more colorful (and in some cases, ugly) the better.



But today's recipe makes use of the most beautiful varieties I have found lately - tiny, adorable, perfect little globes in all shades. Growers have been bringing red/green, purple, bright orange, yellow and green striped. They have delightful names like chocolate cherry, orange blossom, and banana gold, and they also happen to be intensely sweet. They pop in your mouth and taste like a burst of summer. How can I pass them by?



I have been bringing these beautiful little treats home by the bagful, and figuring out the best way to enjoy them (other than eating them right from said bag). Because they are so incredibly delicious on their own, I like to do put them in dishes that allow their flavor to shine.



I have also been coming home with a lot of bread from Lorraine's, so my go-to dish these days is Panzanella - Tuscan bread salad. I cannot get enough of this dish. I have made it 4 times in the last week, and yet my mouth waters just thinking about making it again. The juxtaposition of the super sweet tomatoes with the salty olives, rich olive oil, and acid from the vinegar is a pretty amazing combo. Throw some fresh basil on that and you got a slice of summer heaven.



My recipe is not traditional, but I make it how I like it. It is usually made with larger tomatoes, but the baby heirlooms work perfectly here, preventing the soupyness you might get from lots of seeds.  I also like to toast my bread so it doesn't get soggy. The measurements are rough because this is one of those "throw some stuff in a bowl and eat it" dishes. Play with it and see what you like. Feel free to also add garlic, cucumbers, or even feta to yours. Enjoy, then make it again, and enjoy again.

BABY HEIRLOOM PANZANELLA

Ingredients
1/2 loaf rustic white or whole wheat bread, cut into bite-sizes pieces
2 pints local baby tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup green olives
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
sea salt
black pepper
large handful fresh basil (about 15-20 leaves), roughly chopped
small handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Toss bread pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

2. In large bowl, carefully combine tomatoes, olives, onion, olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Cool toasted bread and add to tomato mixture. Add basil and parsley, stirring to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Throw in a splash of olive oil or vinegar if needed as bread soaks up dressing. Devour.

I'm a Burg girl now....(and why I have 5lbs of okra in my fridge)

Hello fellow foodies. Thank you visiting my blog after a long summer hiatus. It was a busy one, but I am happy to say that since my last post, I have become an official Lynchburg, VA resident. This move has been a long time coming, and I am excited by the possibilities it brings to my life, my family, and my cooking.

When Geoff (husband) and I were looking for a place to live, we decided we wanted to be close to the downtown area. We were lucky enough to find a house in a beautiful historic district just a couple blocks from downtown restaurants, bars, and most importantly, the Lynchburg Community Market.

This means, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I am merely 3 block from local produce - which is both awesome and potentially dangerous. For the 2-3 weeks we have been in our home, I have been obsessing over the summer produce, bringing home multiple tote bags overflowing with tomatoes, basil, fresh corn, okra, parsley, dill, summer squash and zucchini. Because it is late in the season, I feel this irrational sense of urgency to scoop up everything I can before it is too late - nevermind my budget or carrying capacity. Sure, I may drop most of my grocery money in one morning, and it may take me half an hour to haul my vegetables three blocks, but summer is almost over, and I am going to soak up every last bite!

This past trip, I came across some tiny young zucchini and squash. I have cooked baby zuchhini before with the blossoms attached, and I remembered them being so sweet and tender that they needed very little else to create a delicious summer side dish. When I cooked the blossoms, I stuffed them with goat cheese and herbs, so I decided to use these baby squashed to make a deconstructed version of that dish.



This Young Zuchhini With Chevre & Basil is so simple, yet it tastes of summer in the way I want all my dinners to taste in August. Fresh. Herby. Light. Sweet. Serve with fish or meat from the grill, corn on the cob, and a tomato salad for a truly summerific spread. Enjoy.

YOUNG ZUCCHINI W/CHEVRE & BASIL
Ingredients
1lb young zucchini/squash
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
2 oz crumbled goat cheese*
handful fresh basil

Instructions 
1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Chiffonade the basil by stacking the leaves, rolling them tightly and then slicing thin with a sharp knife to get little ribbons.



3. Remove stems from zucchini, slice in half lengthwise (and again for larger ones). Toss in good amount of olive oil and spread onto large baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.



4. Broil for 7-10 minutes until edges are brown.
 

5. Transfer to a serving dish, top with crumbled goat cheese and basil and drizzle with additional olive oil. Devour.

 

*A note about goat cheese. When I say "crumbled" I do not necessarily mean that you should buy it that way. Although store-bought crumbled goat cheese exists, it is usually incredibly over-priced. Next time you shop, compare the prices between the block or roll of goat cheese and the crumbled variety by looking at the ounces. Chances are, you will pay the same amount for 8oz of solid cheese as you will 4oz of crumbled. So buy the regular kind, and crumble it with your hands. It's an expensive ingredient, so don't get tricked my packaging. Or just buy local and you won't have a problem. :)

It's Asparagus Season - AHHHHH.

Spring is here, people! And when I say "here," I mean everywhere. In the past few weeks, I have checked out produce in Florida, North Carolina, New York, and Virginia - and I can say with certainty, Spring has sprung!

Why is this a big deal? Tank tops? NO! Spring vegetables! Asparagus! Peas! Leeks! Peppers! Avocados! Fennel! Bah!!!!! My enthusiasm is insane, but I can't help it. For the next few weeks, farmer's markets across the country are going to be filled with one delicious surprise after another. After the consistent kale and acorn squash of winter, everything will be new and exciting. So I urge you to get out there and see what your farmers have to offer.

 If you have not stopped reading this blog post due to the excessive use of exclamation points, you would enjoy my latest article about asparagus in The Burg. What a delicious writing process this was.

The article includes a few recipes from early blogging days, but what is new is my Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg & Parmesan. I am not even sure you can call this a recipe. I did a quick Google search, and confirmed the fact that thousands of people have made this before. But I chose to share it with you on the off chance you have not encountered this miracle combination because it is SO FREAKING DELICIOUS. I can brag on it because I did not invent it, but I certainly did eat it 4-5 times this week and take a pretty picture of it. The salty, lemony flavor of the asparagus dressed in the rich creamy egg and nutty parmesan is a winner. I give it a 10.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS W/POACHED EGG & PARMESAN
Ingredients
1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt & pepper
1/2 lemon
2 eggs (preferably local)
parmigiano reggiano

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450. On large baking sheet, toss asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast asparagus is tender but not mushy, and edges are brown. Remove and dress with lemon juice.
2. Poach eggs, keeping the yolk runny.
3. Plate asparagus, and carefully top with poached eggs. Season with a little salt and pepper. Grate some fresh parmesan on the top. Break yolk directly before eating every single bite.

Enjoy and Happy Spring!
Ashley

St. Paddy's Day. Skip the corned beef - hit the cabbage hard.

In honor of today's holiday, I am reposting a recipe I originally developed for The Burg. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage - how much more satisfying can you get? My version is a bit different, using Savoy cabbage that is browned for a more meaty flavor.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

COLCANNON
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
Sea salt
½ head Savoy cabbage, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
Flat-leaf parsley to garnish (optional)

Directions:
1. Put your potatoes in large pot and cover with water. Salt heavily. As Mario Batali says, your cooking water should taste “of the sea.” Heat to boiling, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain and mash to desired texture.

2. While potatoes are boiling, heat butter over medium-high in large, high-sided skillet. Cook onions for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add cabbage and black pepper; sauté until edges are brown and a little crispy, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

3. Add mashed potatoes, vegetable stock and olive oil to cabbage mixture. Combine thoroughly, taste for seasoning, and add salt if needed. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Broccoli - Give it a makeover

My new Burg article on Broccoli talks about some ways to makeover that familiar green vegetable. It also spends 3 entire paragraphs discussing roasting, because roasted broccoli is god's gift to our dinner table.

Check out my recipes for Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Lemon & Feta as well as a great way to use those stalks - Broccoli Stems with Pecorino Romano!

Broccoli – Rethinking an old standby (originally printed in The Burg)

Broccoli is one of the most ubiquitous green vegetables on the American table. It has been there since we were kids, alongside mashed potatoes and a piece of grilled chicken. In my experience, it also tends to be one of the few vegetables that kids are willing to eat – simply because of its familiarity.

And yet, even though this veggie is an old standby, I find that sometimes we don’t use it to it’s full potential. When I was young, my mother would serve me boiled broccoli with little flavor that completely disintegrated when I put it in my mouth. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t exactly ask for seconds.

And then, when I became interested in cooking, I discovered something that made broccoli a vegetable that I now crave, as opposed to tolerate: roasting.

What’s so special about roasted broccoli? I have no idea. All I can say is that by giving the broccoli crispy brown edges, and keeping some of the firm texture of the vegetable, a whole new flavor is created. It reminds me of popcorn. And as proof of its power, I once made simple roasted broccoli for my father-in-law, a former broccoli nonbeliever, and I am told he know requests it for dinner. That is evidence enough for me.

To create your perfectly roasted broccoli, simply remove the florets from the stems, cut into somewhat equal size, toss in olive oil (about 2 tablespoons for each head), salt and pepper, and roast on 425 for 12-14 minutes. It can be eaten as-is, or tossed with any number of different ingredients for a delicious side dish. My recipe for Spicy Roasted Broccoli with Garlic, Lemon, & Feta is quick, easy, and completely satisfying.

Of course, there are many other ways to cook broccoli florets. Boiling is not the enemy to this vegetable, but what is important is to do it briefly to allow the texture and the flavor to remain intact. It can also be fried, sautéed, stir-fried, steamed, or eaten raw.

But what about the stems, do we just throw them away? Heck no! Although they may seem tough and fibrous, their insides are tender and tasty. After peeling the thick skin from the stems with a pairing knife, slice or shred the tender stalk and use it much like cabbage or zucchini. Or, you can cook the stems to make broccoli stock for the classic cheddar broccoli soup. My recipe for Broccoli Stems with Pecorino Romano is not really a recipe at all – just a way to eat the stems that allow their bright flavor to shine though.

Broccoli in all its forms goes well with a number of flavors & ingredients, including butter, almonds, pasta, cauliflowers, mustard, garlic, lemon, chiles, capers, red pepper flakes, cheese, anchovies, olive oil, rice, scallions, soy sauce, ginger, and more. It is a staple in Italian cuisine as well as many Asian foods.

Broccoli is a vegetable that certainly deserves a second look. I hope these recipes help you transform this familiar vegetable into something new and exciting for your dinner table this week.

SPICY ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH GARLIC, LEMON, & FETA
Ingredients1 Head Broccoli, stems removed and florets evenly cut
6-8 cloves garlic, thoroughly smashed and peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
1/2 lemon, zested
2 oz Feta cheese

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Toss broccoli florets, garlic cloves, olive oil, red pepper flakes & sea salt in large mixing bowl. Spread out onto large baking sheet evenly.

3. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until edges are brown and crispy.

4. Meanwhile, in the same mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, & anchovy paste.

5. Once broccoli is cooked, transfer to mixing bowl and toss briefly with anchovy mixture, lemon zest and feta.

BROCCOLI STEMS WITH PECORINOIngredients
2 heads broccoli stems
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
1. Peel fibrous layer from broccoli stems and slice into thin rounds.
2. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve.

A Day at the Vineyard & Brown Rice Risotto

Hello, friends! Happy holidays to you all. I hope you are all enjoying a long vacation with close friends and family.

It's been too long since I posted. Although my goal is to post at least once a week, I got caught up in the end-of-the-year chaos. It happens. Aside from the usual Christmas shopping and travel-planning, the end of the semester is a busy time for college instructors (my day job). Final grades are due, and then there is the never-ending stream of emails from students who never really came to class all semester but are suddenly interested in passing. So, once the emails were ignored and the grades submitted, Geoff and I packed up our stuff and our "special needs" dog Tommy, and headed to Tallahassee for a week of Christmas festivities. 

That went by in a flash, and now we are about 600 miles north in Geoff's hometown in Central Virginia - a beautiful part of the country home to many local vineyards and breweries. If you read any of my traveling blog posts, you probably know that I have a serious love for wine, and lately my husband has gotten into it at a much higher level than myself. So, the fact that his parents live in a town surrounded by lots local vineyards is pretty freaking cool. 

I also love that we get to spend our summers here (we run a summer theatre festival) because it allows me to take advantage of the amazing Virginia produce.

OK love note to Virginia section is now officially over. <3

This week, we were fortunate enough to spend the afternoon at Ankida Ridge Vineyards, the newest local vineyard in Amherst County. We met the owners, Christine Vrooman and her son, Nathan, last summer when we invited them to pour their newly bottled wine at our outdoor production of Twelfth Night. We later found out that this event would be their public debut, which made us feel super special. Their wine was a hit with the audience, and more importantly (well to me, anyway), I loved it. 

They are currently selling two varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are not necessarily considered to be the norm in Central Virginia. Almost all of the vineyards in the area focus on sweeter wines - Viognier, Gewurztraminer, Rosé . The reds tend to either be Cabernet Franc (not my fav) or a some sort of blend that includes Cab Franc. Ankida is doing things their way, and I like it. They have already been given rave reviews by a number of wine enthusiasts, including Dave MnIntyre of The Washington Post. In other words, they are makin' it happen.

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Savignon, and Chardonnary fermented in french oak barrels

2010 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir ready for tasting

On Wednesday, we drove the windy mountain roads up to their tucked-away winery. It is a beautiful location, even in the dead of winter. I can only imagine what it must look like in the fall.

The view from the vineyard

Young Chardonnay planted in rows

Christine and Nathan walked us through their process, from growing and picking the grapes, to fermenting and bottling. It was informative and super interesting, and it didn't hurt that we were able to taste some wine while we were there. Also, they had cheese. I love cheese. 

Christine. She knows her wine.

Geoff and his parents. It's a very serious moment.

Geoff smelling the Cabernet as it ferments

Cheese.

Cab Franc made with grapes from Donald Trump's vineyard

We left there with some bottles of chardonnay, so I decided that a creamy risotto would make a perfect pairing to the crisp, dry white wine. 

Before I move on to the recipe for today, a quick disclaimer. Risotto purists, stop reading now. I do not stir this risotto constantly, I do not add the broth a thumb-full at a time, and I use BROWN RICE. I know, it's a crime. But I like it, and it's healthier, so deal with it. 

Risotto can be made with a number of different vegetables and protein, but I went with what I already had in the refrigerator. A big, sturdy head of winter radicchio added a pop of color and a lot of flavor, and topping it all with a poached egg made it a meal. Although I don't usually eat eggs, I have been reading one of my new Christmas books, An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler. She worked with Alice Waters for years, and writes her book more as a narrative than a series of recipes. She, like Alice, promotes simple, local, seasonal food, and somehow she makes a poached, local egg sounds absolutely delicious. I still have no desire to eat a factory farmed, genetically modified egg, but a local brown egg from Horse and Buggy Produce with a bight golden yolk will do just fine.

Enjoy this risotto as a main dish with a small green salad, and feel free to top it with whatever protein you have on hand.

Brown Rice Risotto with Radicchio & Poached Egg

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups short-grain brown rice

1 small head radicchio, minced

3/4 cups dry white wine

6 cups vegetable broth

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (good quality)

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
black pepper

4 teaspoons white vinegar

4 local free-range eggs

Instructions

1. In saucepan, heat vegetable stock to slow boil.

2. In large, wide-sided skillet, heat oil and butter over medium. Add onions, saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and radicchio, saute for 3-4 more minutes. Add brown rice, stir to combine, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until rice starts to toast - about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in wine and cook until liquid has evaporated.

4. Stir in 4 cups vegetable stock, cover, and let cook for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring frequently. When liquid as evaporated, and rice is still chewy, add more broth. Continue to do this until rice is soft. If 6 cups of broth is not enough, begin to add hot water.

5. When rice is almost done, boil water and vinegar in a saucepan and poach eggs for 3 minutes.

6. Season the risotto liberally with black pepper, and taste. Depending on the broth, you may not need to add salt, but adjust as needed. Add parmesan and parsley to risotto and stir to combine. Pour into individual serving dishes, top with a poached egg, a garnish with a sprig of parsley or additional grated parmesan.

Cleaning Out the Fridge and Fried Rice

One of the things I hate, most of all, is throwing food away. My contempt for this activity exists on many levels. 

First is the obvious fact that there are millions of people in this world that don't have enough to eat. To throw away my food while they have none, well, it hurts. Rationally, I understand that I can't exactly box-up my old leftover butternut squash soup and send it to Liberia, but it still sucks.

The second, less powerful but still significant reason is the small fact that I paid for that food. With my money. So essentially, I am throwing my cash in the trash. And that ain't cool.

Lastly, throwing away food makes me feel like a failure in the kitchen - like I didn't plan enough, wasn't resourceful enough, or creative enough to put it to use.

Did I mention that I hate throwing away food?

Luckily, I am able to prevent this from happening the majority of the time by throwing together some "clean out the pantry" dishes. These are meals that have a multitude of interchangeable ingredients centered around a few kitchen staples and usually include the use of leftovers from previous meals. Things like grain salads, pizzas (using any leftover roasted/cooked veggies), and soups can usually be thrown together from whatever you have sitting in your fridge.

To make room for my produce delivery today, I wanted to clean out all the veggies I bought this week, along with the big container of cooked brown rice I made on Monday. I always make a big pot of grains in the beginning of the week to throw in lunches, but I didn't end up using it all this week. So, I decided today was a perfect day for my Easy Fried Rice. Awesome name, huh?  It is what it is.

You start with cooking your protein. I prefer to use tofu for this. It has a similar texture to egg, which is used in traditional fried rice. I go vegan as often as possible, but if you want to use egg, fry it up first in a little oil and set aside before starting the rest of your dish. Or, use a little tofu and a little egg - it's delicious.

Then you cut up whatever veggies you have on hand - and I really do mean whatever you have. Today I used carrots, turnip greens, bean sprouts, mushrooms, peas, anaheim peppers, garlic, ginger, and green onion, but I have used all kinds of veggies in the past, including zucchini, spinach, corn, summer squash, bell pepper, red onion, arugula, cabbage, bok choy, kale, chard, broccoli, green beans, you name it!

The few ingredients I always like to have in there are garlic, scallions, peas, and greens of some kind. The first three add a lot of flavor, and the greens up the health factor of this dish significantly.

Ok, so you cook your vegetables on high in a little oil, starting with the sturdiest vegetables first (carrot, onion, green beans) and then adding the quicker cooking vegetables a little later. You want them to cook evenly. Add your minced garlic and ginger, then you throw in your rice, scallions, tofu, and soy sauce, cook a little longer, and serve.

The key is to make small batches at a time and to cook on high, to get the "stir-fried" taste and to keep the texture of the vegetables and the rice firm. Big batches will yield a big pile of mush.

This is a perfect weeknight dinner, because it is a complete meal in a bowl, AND because it only uses one cutting board and one wok. For those of you out there without a dishwasher, like me, you know the value of a one-pot meal. The task of doing the dishes by hand after a completely homemade meal can be a daunting one.

This is also a good dish if you are trying to introduce tofu to a non-believer. It plays a minor role here, but tastes good as part of the whole package.

The recipe below is an approximate one. No need to bust out the measuring cups here. For the veggies, "handfuls" will work just find. Enjoy!

Easy Fried Rice
Tofu Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 block extra firm tofu, diced
sea salt
black pepper

Rice Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup shredded turnip greens (or any green)
1/2 cup anaheim peppers, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup bean sprouts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
3 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
cilantro for garnish (optional)
chili sauce for garnish (optional)

Instructions
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large wok on medium/high heat. Swirl oil around the bottom of the pan, and immediately add tofu and season with salt and pepper. Cook tofu on medium high until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to bowl and set aside.



2. Heat another tablespoon of oil in wok and turn heat to high. Add carrots, greens, and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms, bean sprouts and frozen peas, cooking for 3 more minutes.





3. Create a well in the middle of your pan by pushing vegetables aside. Put a small amount of oil in the middle, and place your garlic and ginger in the oil. Fry for 1 minute. Stir in rice and 1/2 cup green onions. Cook for 3-4 more minutes, stirring when needed to prevent burning. Rice should get a little crispy.



4. Add soy sauce, stir to combine, and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Transfer to serving bowl immediately and garnish with cilantro and chili sauce.

Kid-Friendly Week: Sweet Potato Fries w/Lemon, Rosemary, & Thyme

I love sweet potatoes.

I am hoping you have yet to notice that most of my blog posts begin with the statement "I love (insert vegetable here)." While the writer in me feels the need to change this and create more innovative, attention-grabbing opening lines, I am also inclined to embrace the repetition and call it my "signature phrase." It's completely intentional and endearing. Right?

Anyway, I DO love sweet potatoes. I have been known, on occasion, to make an entire dinner out of a baked sweet potato with whole lot of Earth Balance, and a little salt. Completely satisfying.

Kid-Friendly Week: Mashed Cauliflower

This week, a friend asked me if I had an kid-friendly vegetable ideas. I don't actually have kids unless you count our new dog Tommy who acts very much like a small child minus the talking part.

However, I do have a young brother who was one of those picky kids - the kind who has a very specific list of foods he deems to be edible, and a long, long list of foods that will never pass his lips. It can be a challenge, especially if your kids didn't grow up trying all kinds of food.
 
The good news is, there are a number of healthy, veg-centered dishes that help fill vegetable quota for the day, and can hopefully increase the variety your kids are eating without them necessarily knowing it.

This Week's Burg Article: Don't Fear the Fuzz

Looking for something different to do with all that early autumn okra?
Check out my new article in The Burg!

Simple Grain Salad with Cashews & Mint

Hello friends. It's been a while. I've been away for the summer, in a place where the chance to cook a meal is a rare occurrence, and the chance to cook one well is non-existent. So, I am happy to be home and to refocus on cooking healthy, veg-focused food. I can't wait to try new things, perfect old recipes, and to take advantage of the local summer produce while it lasts.

This morning I was looking through my fridge, and seeing a bunch of leftovers that didn't call to me. How can I accumulate this many leftovers in only 4 days? Not entirely sure. Is there a leftover fairy that visits my home in the night and leaves half-eaten dishes in my fridge? Possibly. Anyway, I won't get a chance to hit the farmer's market until Saturday anyway, so today's recipe is one of those "clean out the fridge" ones. However, I can tell you, sometimes those can be the best, and it is a great feeling to re-purpose something into a new, tasty dish. Also, I hate throwing away food. I am morally opposed to it. Not really, but it does hurt my heart a little.

Southern Comfort - Vegan Style

It's been a while, my friends. I hope you have been eating some great food!

I took a little time off. When the metaphorical plate gets too full, its best to rank the items in order of importance and say goodbye to the potatoes. Just came up with that, but I think it makes sense. The past couple months, my plate was overflowing with activity, so I decided, with some sadness, that cooking would have to be put on hold. So, while I taught my classes, planned my wedding, trained for a half marathon, and organized a fundraiser, I subsisted mainly on microwaved sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Not at the same time.

Thanksgiving Warm-Up

Who says it can only come once a year?

Thanksgiving! It is the holiday that all foodies (and really any food-lovin' people) await with great anticipation. It also happens to be the holiday that vegetarians and health-conscious individuals find the hardest to navigate. Stuffing soaked in chicken broth, greens cooked with ham, pies galore, and of course, the centerpiece of it all - a huge roasted turkey served with gravy made from its own juices.

Ra-ta-touille!

I just got this month's issue of Vegetarian Times in the mail. The cover features autumn produce. Not so fast,my friends.