Healthy Eating for Ordinary People

Simplest Roasted Cauliflower

2014-10-27T18:54:00.000-04:00

I had a doozy of a day today. Starting with the coffee I forgot to drink until it was barely tepid. (In case you're wondering, cold coffee just doesn't cut it when you're running on five hours of sleep.) Moving right along to a morning knee deep in spreadsheets and other unpleasantries.

Heading into the afternoon with the realization that I had forgotten my lunch and my apple at home. Lunch, for the record, is simply a protein bar. But still. One does need one's mid-day calories.

And topping it off with the unfortunate realization - as I walked in the door of the house exhausted and cranky - that I had forgotten to wash the dishes this morning.

But the day was miraculously cured of all doozi-ness when my darling 5-year-old princess ran off the school bus and into my arms and announced: "Mommy, you are the best Mommy ever." It's the small things. Oh, and it went uphill from there, ending with a small piece of apple pie that had miraculously survived the kids, and - yes, in that order - a plateful of roasted cauliflower. Simply prepared but wow. Really hit the spot.

Simplest Roasted Cauliflower
There really is nothing much to this recipe. Please use the best ingredients you can get your hands on: super fresh cauliflower (I'm partial to purple and yellow), fine olive oil and vinegar, and lovely salt. This recipe calls for one head of cauliflower, but I actually made two batches, one with each color.

1 head of cauliflower, cleaned and broken into even size florets, 1-2 inches each
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon sea salt
pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425*.

In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower, 3 tablespoons of the oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well (I use my hands).

Spread the cauliflower on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the oven to 350* and roast for about 15 minutes more, till the cauliflower is soft and getting a bit glazed.

In a small cup, whisk together the remaining tablespoon of oil and the vinegar. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and immediately pour on the vinaigrette. Gently toss to combine. Serve hot, warm, room temperature, or even cold.

Creamy Celery Soup

2014-10-11T21:00:00.000-04:00

Promise you won't hold this against me. I'm a person who tends to get just a tad carried away with her hobbies. Like, I like reading cookbooks so I own 134 of them.

I like technology so I own two iPads, an iMac, a MacBook, and an iPhone.

I am somewhat obsessed with redheads too (I am one) but I try not to collect them. Generally. Anyway, I like to think my obsessions make me charming. Lovable. Interesting.

Others in my family like to say I'm eccentric. Obsessed. Weird. (That was my five-year-old's choice of words. Later she told me I'm the best Mommy in the world. Go figure.)

One hobby that I'm not apologizing for is my knife and pot collection. I love cooking, and I love for it to be comfortable. Sure, I could make do with a rusty old knife and a battered pot. But it's so much more fun to use a pretty Japanese knife. Or even my simple but fantastic paring knife. And of course, my Le Creuset pot. (Or, pictured above, almost as fantastic, my Lodge cast iron Dutch oven.)

Creamy Celery Soup
This recipe makes about six servings. It's a light soup, so I find we enjoy large servings. This is one of those soups that I prefer with water, rather than stock. It allows the subtle flavors of the celery and dill to shine.

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
8-10 medium cloves garlic, chopped
5-6 cups chopped celery (from about 3 heads)
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
¼ cup chopped dill, plus a bit more for garnish
about 4 cups of water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion for about five minutes, till soft. Add the garlic and celery and sauté for another five minutes or so till your kitchen is fragrant.

Add the potato and dill, and mix well.

Add about 4 cups of water, more or less, enough to JUST cover the vegetables. Add the salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Lower the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. If possible, let the soup cool for ½ hour before transferring to a food processor or blender. (You can also use a stick blender if you prefer.) Puree till smooth.

Reheat gently, adding water if the soup is too thick, and seasonings as needed.

Serve hot, garnished with dill if desired.

Kale Salad with Apples, Hazelnuts and Acorn Squash

2014-10-05T19:05:00.000-04:00

If I was allowed to write about toenails on a food blog, I would have a good story to tell. But sadly, my kids have ruled this topic off limits.

They are convinced that writing about finding toenails in weird random places in your home might get people nauseated, or turn them off from your recipes.

Or that they might make people think you have a dysfunctional family. I mean, who finds toenails in random places?

So I won't. Write about toenails, I mean. I'll just jump right to this very appealing not at all nauseating kale salad. Without further ado.

Kale Salad with Apples, Hazelnuts and Acorn Squash
This recipe is adapted slightly from Food52.

1 acorn squash
1 bunch kale, cut in ribbons
2 scallions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
kosher salt to tast
1 green apple, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped and toasted

Preheat the oven to 350*. Wash and dry the squash and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.

Bake the squash for about ½ hour, more or less, till it 'gives' a little when you squeeze it. You want it slightly softened so the cutting is easier, but not baked through.

Remove the squash from the oven and turn the oven up to 400*.

Use a large knife to cut the squash from stem to pole, making two symmetrical halves. Let them sit on the counter, cut side up, for about ten minutes so they are cool enough to handle.

Use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds and wet pulp. Discard them.Peel the squash with a paring knife. Cut the squash into wedges or chunks.

Spread 1 tablespoon olive oil on a baking sheet and spread the squash in one layer. Brush some more oil on the squash and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20 minutes, mixing here and there, till browning. Remove from the oven and cool.

Meanwhile, put the kale and scallions in a large bowl. Add the oil, vinegar, and salt.

Use your hands (wear gloves if you like) to massage the dressing into the kale until it's well coated and you can feel the kale softening and wilting a bit. This will take 2-3 minutes. Set the salad aside.

Immediately before serving, add the apples, hazelnuts and squash to the salad and toss to combine.

Cream of FRESH Tomato Soup

2014-10-01T18:46:00.000-04:00

Guilt. It's a mother's curse. My day started with guilt over making my son wait out for the bus on a cold, cold fall morning.

Guilt over not wanting to drive him when the bus never showed up. Guilt over giving in - and then changing my mind - to his pleas to take a lazy day off.

I moved onto guilt over not giving into my 5-year-old's begging and pleading for an adorable and pricey set of dolls. And then a bit of guilt over making a dinner main dish that two of my four kids wouldn't touch.

And now - to top it off - I'm experiencing blogger's guilt. Guilt that I didn't photograph this soup while it was in the making. Guilt over depriving you of photos of that big beautiful cutting board spilling over with ripe, juicy tomatoes.

I was harried. And hassled. And still feeling bad about our bad start to the day. Sorry, folks. To make up for it, here's an amazing recipe from the amazing Bountiful cookbook. It made my kids happy (they ALL LOVED IT! It was a miracle!) and I hope it'll make you happy.

This is a new favorite, direct from the authors of the White on Rice food blog.

Cream of FRESH Tomato Soup adapted just a bit from Bountiful

Yes, this requires fresh tomatoes. Preferably summer ones that are fresh and inexpensive. I bought 8 pounds of local tomatoes for $3.50 in the 'reduced' bin. They were perfectly ripe and quite a steal. Please don't use canned tomatoes or dried herbs for this recipe; wait till next summer if you missed the season. Note that this makes a LARGE batch, enough for about 10 small bowls. It's a heavy soup, so small bowls will probably do just fine for you. They did for us. (Although we did lick the bowls clean.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small onion, chopped fine

8 lb tomatoes (I used a combination of beefsteak and plum), cut in chunks

1 cup vegetable stock

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

3-4 tablespoons brown sugar (depends how sweet your tomatoes are)

1 to 1.5 tablespoons kosher salt (to taste)

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup milk

In a very large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion for a minute or two, then add the celery and sauté for another couple of minutes.

Add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, parsley and basil. Mix well and turn up to high till it comes to a boil. Turn down the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes (longer if your tomatoes were firm-ish).

Turn off the heat and let the soup cool for about ½ hour if you can, so you are not working with dangerously hot soup. Transfer the soup in batches to a food processor or blender and puree till totally smooth.

Return the soup to the pot and warm it gently over a medium-low flame.

In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Ladle a bit of the hot soup into the roux. Stir to combine and then pour the entire mixture back into the tomato soup. Add the sugar, salt, cream and milk. Stir well and taste. Correct seasonings as needed.

Serve warm.

NOTE: Leftovers last for a few days in the fridge and also freeze REALLY well.

Roasted Anything

2014-09-27T21:33:00.000-04:00

Is there such a thing as a numb brain? One that is frozen from overwork and abuse? Well, I think I had one most of last week.

One evening, I got home from work with a full hour to spare till dinner. (Wow, that's a luxury.)

I opened the fridge and found - miracle of miracles - a drawer full of nice produce. (Wow, that's a luxury.)

But my brain was completely dead. Numb. Out to lunch. And I couldn't think of anything creative or interesting to do with them.

So, without a plan of any sort, I grabbed a zucchini, three beets, and an eggplant, and started slicing. I chopped and sliced, added some oil and salt, and 45 minutes later, I had this elegant platter. What do you know? My brain was good for something.

Roasted Anything
When I say anything, I don't really mean anything. So, just to be sure - here's a list of veggies you could substitute: sweet potatoes, string beans, tomatoes (sliced thick), peppers. Keep a close eye on them though. Some will get done faster than others.

1 zucchini or summer squash, scrubbed clean and sliced in ½ inch slices
2 medium beets, peeled and sliced in ¼ inch slices
1 onion, cut in wedges
1 large eggplants, washed and sliced in ½ inch slices
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400*.

Pour two tablespoons oil onto each of two large baking sheets. Brush it over the baking sheets with a brush or paper towel.

On half of one sheet, spread the zucchini slices out on the oil. Let them rest for a few seconds to soak up the oil and then flip the slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

On the other half of the same sheet, spread the beet slices and onion wedges. Again, let them rest a few seconds and then flip them over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Sorry if this is sounding familiar.)

Finally, on the second sheet, spread out your eggplant slices. Rest and flip. Salt and pepper.

Bake for about ½ hour, flipping the slices halfway through baking. They may need more or less time depending on the thickness and precise oven temperature. Be sure to check frequently so they don't burn.

Serve warm or at room temperature. (Leftovers are great tossed in a salad.)

Roasted Acorn Squash

2014-09-21T22:17:00.000-04:00

I know that I'm supposed to be hauling out the pumpkins now. Dusting off the pumpkin recipes. Buying nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon.

But I'm kind of in denial. Could summer really be over? It flew so very quickly this year.

Maybe because it was so awesome. Because we had our first family trip in years. Because the kids were delightful and so much fun to be with. Because we made wonderful memories and relaxed like nobody's business.

Maybe that's why I don't want to let go.

I will, though. Starting with this acorn squash. A sure sign that fall is here. Here's to a wonderful fall and winter. To the tantalizing smells of pumpkin and nutmeg. To warm stews and hearty soups. And to many more wonderful summers.

Roasted Acorn Squash
This recipe feeds six. Make more or less, depending how many mouths you have to feed.

3 small acorn squash
3 teaspoons butter
3 teaspoons brown sugar
fresh grated nutmeg
cinnamon
dried ginger
salt (I used pink Himalayan but you can also use any coarse salt)

Preheat the oven to 350*. Wash and dry the squash and spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil.

Bake the squash for about ½ hour, more or less, till they 'give' a little when you squeeze them. You want them slightly softened so you don't hack off any fingers while cutting them, but not baked through.

Remove the squash from the oven and turn the oven up to 400*.

Use a large knife to cut each squash from stem to pole, making two symmetrical halves. Let them sit on the counter, cut side up, for about ten minutes so they are cool enough to handle.

Use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds. Discard them.

Put ½ teaspoon of butter in the center of each squash half. Let it soften and then rub the butter all around the entire surface of the squash. Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon brown sugar over each one.

Grate some nutmeg over the squash. There's no precise measurement here; just use your judgment. Sprinkle with ginger and cinnamon to taste, followed by salt, using about ⅛ teaspoon of each.

Bake the squash, cut side up, for another 20 minutes or so, until browning and glazed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

All-Out-Minestrone Soup

2014-09-18T19:38:00.000-04:00

I have this theory I've been working out for years. Thanks for visiting and hearing me out. (Or for stopping by and skipping right to the recipe at the bottom of this page. Whichever.)

Here goes: I think you can learn everything about people's personalities by observing them in the kitchen. Do they wash dishes as they go or accumulate an awful mess of pots, pans, knives, ~~fingertips,~~ and cutting boards by the time they are through with a recipe? Might tell you something about their ability to cope with real life challenges, and about how well they manage when the 'going gets crazy.'

Do they focus on one step of the recipe at a time and move in a linear, organized fashion? Or do they bounce around from step to step to get things done more quickly (sometimes)? Might tell you something about their ability to juggle responsibilities and deal with overwhelming workloads.

People who subscribe to the mise-en-place method are usually organized but maybe a little boring.

People who follow recipes to a 't' are cautious and conservative.

People who wash dishes as they go are capable but maybe just a little obsessive.

So what about you? What's your personality in the kitchen? Do you think it relates to your personality in real life? What do you think of my theory?

All-Out Minestrone Soup
This is an all-out soup because it calls for fine ingredients, and takes just a little more effort than your ordinary vegetable soup. But it's so very worth it. Not that I know very much about Italy, but I promise your kitchen will smell like Italy if you follow this recipe.

½ lb. of your favorite dried beans (get fancy and use these, or another Rancho Gordo favorite)
2 tablespoons of your very best olive oil
3 large leeks, cleaned well and chopped
1 teaspoons dried oregano, or about a tablespoon fresh oregano minced
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and chopped coarse
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery, peeled and sliced
2 summer squash, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
2 teaspoons salt
dash black pepper
1 cup awesome red wine (something you would drink, and drink, and drink)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2-3 cups vegetable stock
Cooked small pasta shapes like acini di pepe or ditalini (optional)
Fresh parsley and parmesan for garnish

First, soak your beans in a large pot. You can use a quick-soak or overnight soak method. Cook them up until done but still quite firm. (It's ok if they're just a tiny bit raw in the center.) DO NOT discard the cooking water. Just let the beans rest in their liquid. They call it bean liquor for a reason.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the leeks in olive oil for about 5 minutes, on medium heat, till they are soft and fragrant.

Add the oregano and garlic to the leeks. Sauté for another 5 minutes or so, till your kitchen is smelling just a bit like Italy.

Add the carrots, celery and squash. Mix well and sauté for about 10 minutes more, stirring a couple of times.

Add the salt, pepper, fantastic wine, and tomato paste. Mix well and then cover the pan with a lid. (Keep the heat on medium.) Let this cook for 15 minutes, resisting the urge to lift the lid and stir. At this point, your house will smell like a wonderful combination of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs. Resist the urge to imbibe it like a strange person.

Now, pour the vegetables into the beans. Add enough vegetable stock to generously cover the vegetables with liquid. You'll need 2-4 cups, depending how liquid-y your beans are.

Simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes.

If desired, spoon some cooked noodles into your bowls. Then ladle in the soup, and garnish with parsley and parmesan.

Bon appétit!

Buttered Dilly Green Beans

2014-09-14T17:19:00.000-04:00

Is there anyone out there who owns an embarrassing quantity of cookbooks? Like spilling off the shelving unit, taking over your night table, embarrassing?

I might know someone with that embarrassing situation. Someone who spends WAY too much money fueling this habit.

The thing that makes it a little more embarrassing is that said-someone rarely actually cooks from said-cookbooks. She reads them like other people read fiction. She takes them to the beach and to the pool. Seriously. She draws inspiration and ideas from them. But she rarely actually cooks a full recipe from them.

So that's why said-someone was particularly pleased to remember that one of her 139 cookbooks had a recipe utilizing two of the few ingredients in the fridge: string beans and dill. So nice to actually be able to use one of those books and convince said-family that they are not a complete waste of space and money.

Buttered Dilly Green Beans
This recipe is adapted very slightly from The Essential New York Times Cookbook. It serves 4-6 people as a side dish. Use olive oil or margarine for a vegan version.

2 cups (about a pound) of string beans, trimmed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (more of less - depends how much you like dill)
2 tablespoons butter

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and return to a boil.

Add the green beans and continue to boil on high for about two minutes until the beans look cooked but are still bright. Test one if you're not sure.

Drain the beans in a colander. Quickly pour cold water over them to stop the cooking. Let them drain completely, for at least a few minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times, till the beans are warmed through and the butter is coating them evenly.

Toss the string beans with the dill and serve.

Ground Cherry Plum Crisp

2014-09-11T22:26:00.001-04:00

This time of year is filled with bittersweet. The bitterness of saying goodbye to the warm lazy summer days and happy times at the pool. The sweetness of welcoming in a new school year, with sharp new pencils and shiny new shoes.

The bitterness of putting away the relaxed summer wardrobe - flip-flops, careless t-shirts. The sweetness of taking out cozy winter sweaters and fleece.

And last, the bitterness of saying goodbye to peaches and plums, cherries and asparagus. And with it, the sweetness of welcoming back pumpkins and winter squash, sturdy greens, hearty stews.

Consider this post an ode to the last weeks of summer. This crisp is a celebration of a new fruit I discovered this year: Ground Cherries. (No, they are not ground. They grow in the ground. They have these soft papery husks around them. And they don't taste anything like cherries. Go figure.) And a celebration of the fruit I have enjoyed as far back as I can remember: plums. Thank you, Cedar Post Farmer's Market! You make my world a happier place!

Ground Cherry Plum Crisp
This is my standard fruit crisp formula. The ground cherries gave it an exotic, almost tropical aroma and flavor. But you can easily leave them out or swap in regular cherries. That's what I usually do when I'm not off finding exotic ingredients.

1 pint ground cherries
6 medium plums
2 granny smith apples, peeled
2 teaspoons corn starch
¾ stick margarine or butter
¾ cup flour
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup Turbinado Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350*.

Peel the ground cherries. Cut the plums and apples into wedges about ½ inch thick. Add the corn starch, mix together in a large bowl, and put in a large pie dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the margarine or butter, flour, and sugars. Use your fingers to mix the ingredients together into a coarse meal.

Pour the topping over the fruit. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the crisp is bubbling nicely. If you are using a glass pie plate, look at the bottom of the crisp. The fruit should look soft and bubbly even in the very center.

Allow to cool for at least an hour before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tilapia with Tomato Peach Salsa

2014-09-10T20:12:00.000-04:00

Well it appears that I don't know what salsa is. I've read dozens of salsa recipes. Eaten more than that. But apparently, my qualifications are not good enough.

A Very Knowledgable Person in my household, on the other hand, knows better. His qualifications include a LOT of tortillas and store bought salsa. And so apparently he is much better qualified. And said Very Knowledgable Person doesn't think this dish qualifies as salsa. Salad, maybe. But not salsa.

Well, call it what you will, this stuff is good. Really good. The tartness of the tomatoes. The sweetness of the peaches. The 'kick' of the jalapeño. Yum.

This is a ~~salsa~~ salad that totally elevates a simple tilapia dish. It would also work really well with grilled chicken. Or just plain. Eaten right out of the serving dish. Not that I would know firsthand or anything.

Tilapia with Tomato Peach Salsa

This recipe serves 6. You can easily reduce it if you have less mouths to feed.

Salsa
5 plum tomatoes, cut in small (½ inch or so) pieces
2 peaches or nectarines (I used white ones), cut in small pieces
1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed, minced super fine
1 shallot, minced
½ lime
1T olive oil
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
a few sprigs fresh mint, chopped fine

Fish
6 tilapia fillets (feel free to substitute another non-oily white fish)
1T butter
2 T heavy cream
½ lemon
1 T chopped chives and parsley
Coarse salt

First, prepare the salsa. (It needs about 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.)
Combine the tomatoes, peaches, jalapeño, and shallot in a large bowl.
Squeeze the lime over the fruit. Add in the olive oil, salt and chopped mint.
Mix gently till well combined. Allow to rest for 30-45 minutes while you prepare the fish.

Now, prepare the fish.
Melt the butter in the microwave. Use a pastry brush or paper towel to spread it across the bottom of a large (preferably glass) baking dish.
Rinse and dry the fish. Spread it in the buttered dish so the pieces are mostly not overlapping.
Drizzle the heavy cream evenly over the fish so each fillet gets about a teaspoon.
Squeeze the lemon evenly over the fish.
Drizzle the herbs over all, and sprinkle lightly with some salt.
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.

Serve the fish with salsa next to it, or mounded on top.

Lemony Summer Squash Bean Soup

2014-09-07T20:00:00.001-04:00

I know there's never a good time to get sick. But it's especially un-just when it happens on the weekend. Timed just perfectly with my days off, my only days to chill and catch some time for myself.

Don't get me wrong. My family came through for me 100%. The kids pitched in with babysitting and cleanup. My husband ordered dinner. But it pained me to sleep through the weekend. All of my plans for catching up on reading, cooking, and shopping went by the wayside. It was lousy.

I'm feeling a little better now, and aside from my wonderful family, I also have this soup to thank. It was nourishing and filling. Warm and satisfying. Just the thing for my burning throat and cranky body.

Lemony Summer Squash Bean Soup
This soup serves 6-8. It reheats well, and will last in the fridge for a few days. The beans need to be cooked before you start. For best results, use dried beans, soaked overnight and cooked till tender.

½ lb. dried small white beans (I used these.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon thyme
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium-large yellow summer squashes, scrubbed but not peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3-4 cups water or vegetable stock (make your own if you like)
1 lemon

Put the beans in a large pot and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and let the beans sit, covered, for an hour.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil over medium heat, in a large frying pan. Add the onion and thyme, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until softened.

Add the garlic and squash and cook for another 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, till the squash is warmed through but still firm.

Cook the beans, in their soaking water, for about 60-90 minutes, depending on the age of the beans. (Taste the beans to make sure they are done and that the texture is just right.) Don't drain them! That liquid is TASTY (and good for you!).

Pour the vegetables and salt into the beans. Add enough water or vegetable stock to cover the vegetables - you'll need 3-4 cups, more or less, depending how thick you like it and how much liquid is left with your beans.

Cook for about 20 minutes, just to heat the vegetables through. You want them to retain their color and firmness.

Turn off the flame and squeeze the lemon into the soup. (Use a strainer if you want to avoid pits.) Stir well.

Taste and correct seasoning, if needed. Serve right away.

Stuffed Peppers

2014-09-03T20:22:00.001-04:00

What a whirlwind of a week. What a lot of adjustments. My oldest daughters (twins) are starting high school. My baby is starting 'big girl school.' And my husband is starting his first job as a Physician Assistant after five years of school.

I'm just doing the same-old, same-old. Trying to keep up with my marathon of a life. Full time pressure-cooker job. Four kids. Workouts. Groceries. Laundry.

But somehow it all feels new. New school uniforms. New bus schedules. New friends and teachers. No more baby girl in daycare.

But there is one constant. The peppers. They just don't stop. Our CSA just keeps 'em coming. And coming.

Which is actually ok, because I really do like peppers. Do you?

Stuffed Peppers (Vegan)
This recipe makes six half-peppers, enough to serve 3-6 people depending how much they like peppers and how much other food you're giving them. Confession: I ate three halves. It takes about an hour from start to finish, with about 20 minutes of active prep.

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 onion
2 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
4 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ancho chili powder (use less if your chili is hot or you like things less spicy)

a few sprigs of oregano (or substitute ½ t dried)

a few sprigs of parsley

1 large tomato, or 2 plum tomatoes

½ cup cashews

3 large bell peppers (if yours are small, use 4)

Preheat the oven to 375*. Brush a large glass dish with olive oil.

Get your quinoa started. Measure the quinoa into a strainer and rinse well. Pour it into a small saucepan and add the water plus ½ a teaspoon of salt. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil on a high flame. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat, in a frying pan. Chop your onions pretty fine and sauté them for about 10 minutes, till translucent. Chop your garlic coarsely. Add the garlic, spices, and herbs, plus the extra ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes longer just till your kitchen smells amazing.

Chop the tomato into smallish dice and add it to the onions. Mix it up and let it cook for another minute or two. Coarsely chop the cashews and add those too.

Pour the cooked quinoa into the onions and mix well. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary.

Now, wash and dry the peppers. Cut off the tops and cut each pepper in half. Clean them out, removing the ribs and seeds. Brush the insides and outsides with olive oil and lay the peppers in your prepared pan.

Put a few spoonfuls of the quinoa mix into each pepper half.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for about ½ hour until the peppers are warmed through. (The pan should let out lots of steam when you remove the foil.) Let them sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. These are also lovely served cold.

Linking this up to Wednesday Roundup at Savory Experiments.

Heirloom Tomato Peach Salad

2014-08-30T23:00:00.001-04:00

I live a double life. Most days, when I'm in the office, I eat a protein bar for lunch. Yes, it's kind of nasty and tasteless. Yes, it's an embarrassment to the people who look up to me as a good home cook. But it works.

It gives me the calories and nutrients I need to get through my day, with a minimum of fuss. Am I proud of this habit? Not really.

But here's the saving grace. Once or twice a week I work from home. And when I do, I can usually take a 15 minute break from the never ending meetings and documents to make myself a less-nasty and usually-less-tasteless lunch.

Last night's leftovers are sometimes involved.

Beautiful produce is always involved.

This salad happened on a work-from-home day. But not just any. I had gone to the farmer's market the day before. And I had these absolutely gorgeous heirloom tomatoes in just about every color. Also some beautiful purple basil from my herb garden. Also some perfectly ripe peaches.

This salad WAY beats a protein bar. Any day.

Heirloom Tomato Peach Salad

Although the recipe has 'heirloom' in the title, you have my permission to use regular tomatoes if that's what you have on hand. Your tastebuds won't know the difference (although your plate will feel a little less pretty). This recipe makes one large serving (enough for a one-person main dish) or 2-3 side dish servings.

4 small tomatoes, cut in large chunks

2 ripe but not mushy peaches, cut in large chunks

1 scallion, minced

a handful of basil, chopped

½ a lime

1 tablespoon olive oil

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Put the cut tomatoes and peaches into a large bowl.

Add the scallions and basil.

Squeeze the lime over the salad, and then add the olive oil and salt. Toss gently but thoroughly to combine. (At this point, you can leave it sitting for about 15-20 minutes. This salad will get a little mushy if left longer.)

Right before serving, gently toss in the cheese.

Linking this up to Wednesday Roundup at Savory Experiments.

Roasted Mini Eggplants

2014-08-28T18:51:00.000-04:00

I am generally a fairly devoted mother. I drive my kids to their various extra-curricular and social activities (and I don't usually complain). I get their school supplies and uniforms in order at least a couple of days before school starts. For the most part I make sure they are happy, safe and fairly well fed.

And I'm a pretty caring wife. I make sure there is something in the house for my husband to eat when he gets home close to midnight. I look out for his dry cleaning and other minutiae. I even occasionally buy him gifts.

But there is one exception. And it has to do with eggplant.

For some odd reason, few of my offspring enjoy eggplant. (Are these guys really my flesh and blood?) And neither does my husband. (Well, he's not my flesh and blood, but I did choose him. I don't think I knew about his Eggplant Issue when I did. I'm sure I didn't.)

But I do enjoy eggplant. I really, really do.

Would a truly caring mother find another vegetable to serve with dinner? One that her children and husband didn't completely despise? Perhaps.... Would she at least show some concern for her eggplant-hating offspring and spouse when bringing a dish to the table that she knows good and well they won't touch? Perhaps....

But - and I'm not proud of this - when I brought a plate of glistening Roasted Mini Eggplants to the dinner table, knowing full well I would be the only one consuming them, I didn't feel one bit of guilt. I graciously asked if anyone wanted any. I offered to share. But when they turned up their noses, I happily ate the entire plate of eggplants. Yes. Myself. And of that I'm not ashamed.

Roasted Mini Eggplants
Yeah, you really do need mini eggplants for this dish. Sorry, guys. Try your farmers market in the summer. Or Whole Foods.

10-15 mini eggplants
olive oil
2 cloves garlic
kosher salt
pepper
about 30 leaves of basil, preferably smallish

Preheat the oven to 400*. Wash and dry the eggplants. Peel the garlic cloves and slice them thin. You'll need 20-or-so slices.

Use a knife to make a slit from the tip of the eggplant all the way almost all the way up to the stem. You want to leave the stem comfortably intact, so don't get super-close to it.

Use a pastry brush or paper towel to coat a glass baking dish with oil. (You'll need a dish large enough to comfortably hold all of your eggplants.) Then pour a few tablespoons of oil into a cup or shallow dish. You'll use that to brush on the eggplants.

Working with one eggplant at a time, brush the insides and outsides generously with olive oil. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper on the inside of the eggplant. Slip in a garlic clove or two, plus one or two basil leaves. As you go, lay each eggplant in the oiled dish.

When you're done, sprinkle some salt and pepper over the eggplants.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the eggplants look warm through and are beginning to soften. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Linking this up to Wednesday Roundup at Savory Experiments.

Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots

2014-08-24T21:05:00.002-04:00

OK, so you know you take food a wee bit too seriously when your eleven-year-old son begs you to take a family trip to Whole Foods before school starts because "this is probably the last chance I'll get for a long time."

Or when you are more likely to have fresh summer fruit in your home than you are to have clean and folded clothing for your kids to wear to camp. (True story.)

But the moment I was sure it had gone too far was when my five-year-old told me nonchalantly this weekend that her best friend's hair smells so good, "it smells like produce." I figured she was mixing up her words. "Do you really mean produce, sweetie? Or did you mean something else maybe, like shampoo or flowers?"

"No, Mommy. Like produce. Like fruits and vegetables. That's how good it smells."

Wow. I think I've taken things too far. My maybe-not-so-healthy obsession with fruits and vegetables might just be rubbing off on my loved ones. What do you think? OK? Not too cool? Would love to hear your thoughts....

In the meantime, here's a recipe from a summer-produce-obsessed gal. I saw these rainbow carrots at Whole Foods and COULD NOT resist. I have made the same recipe dozens of times with ordinary carrots, and truth be told, it tasted just the same. But isn't this just the prettiest thing?

Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots

Makes a nice large pan of carrots, enough for 4-6 as a side dish. You can also toss it with two cups of cooked quinoa to make it into a main dish.

5 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

black pepper, to taste

2 large bunches of carrots (rainbow carrots if you want to be fancy; but plain ones are JUST FINE)

Preheat the oven to 400*.

Chop the garlic coarsely. Don't mince it too fine or it'll burn.

In a large bowl, combine the garlic with the oil, honey, salt and pepper. Stir well with a fork.

Next, peel your carrots and cut them into matchsticks. Yes, I know it's a nuisance and takes longer than just dumping them into the pan whole. Play some nice music or listen to your favorite podcast. And trust me on this. Your mouth will thank me for those happy shaped matchsticks.

Put the carrot sticks into the bowl and toss them well to combine them with the honey-garlic-yumminess.

Spray a large cookie sheet with baking spray (or brush on some oil). Pour on the carrots and spread them in a nice layer so they are not overlapping.

Bake for 25-35 minutes - stirring occasionally - until the carrots are browning and developing a nice glaze. Eat anytime in the next few hours. (Or leave them on the counter and see how long they last.)

Homemade Bread (I promise... it's easy)

2014-08-21T21:20:00.003-04:00

There are so many things I love about summer. The lazy afternoons that roll slowly into evening and then night. Hours in the pool with my kids. The bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Mostly from my CSA.

But I can't stand the heat of the kitchen. And so I usually avoid it. Not by starving my family (um, not usually). I just avoid turning on the oven. I cook mostly on the stovetop and grill, or serve raw foods. But I miss my roasted veggies and baked goods. And I especially miss homemade bread.

That's why I was kind of excited when the temperature dropped this week. I fired up the oven and got to work on some homemade bread.

This is my very favorite recipe. Although it does need 15-20 hours of rising, it's the simplest bread recipe I've ever made. There is no kneading, no rolling, and almost no shaping. As long as you're somewhat organized, and home at key intervals, this bread is an absolute breeze. Like 5-10 minutes of hands-on time. Seriously. And, did I mention it's fantastic? And that it tastes like artisan bread? Yeah, it does.

Oh, you'll need a big old oven-safe cast iron pot to make this recipe. Here's the one I use. It's AWESOME.

Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread, slightly adapted from the New York Times.
Makes one generous loaf. Buy the book if you want to try variations.

2 ½ cups regular or high gluten flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ teaspoon dry yeast
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
1⅝ cups water
Extra flour for dusting

Get started on this recipe the evening before you want to eat the bread. If you want to eat it on Wednesday evening, do this first step on Tuesday evening. Use a wooden spoon to mix the flours, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the water, and stir for a couple of minutes until the dough seems even. It'll be quite a bit stickier than other bread recipes you might be used to. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and let it rest in a warm room for anywhere from 12-18 hours.

Move onto this next step when the dough is spotted with little bubbles. This can happen anywhere from 12-15 hours after you've put it up. Dust a counter or cutting board (for easier cleanup) with flour. Dump the dough onto it, giving a nudge with a spoon if needed. Sprinkle the dough with some more flour and fold it over on itself a couple of times. Cover the dough with saran wrap and leave it to rest for 15-30 minutes.

Spread out a clean cotton cloth on your counter. (I use an old - washed - pillowcase. The original recipe says NOT to use terry cloth.) Flour it generously and then quickly shape the dough into a ball, using a tiny bit of flour if the dough is sticking to your hands. Put the dough seam side down on towel. Dust your dough-blob with more flour. Cover it with another cotton cloth and let it rise for anywhere from 1½ - 3 hours till it's doubled in size.

Half hour before you plan to bake it, preheat the oven to 450*. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (I use this one) in the oven to heat up. When you're ready, put on a thick pair of hot gloves and remove the pot from the oven. Carefully turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. Cover the pot with the oven-safe lid and bake the bread for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake it for another 20-30 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack before devouring.

Kale Nectarine Salad

2014-08-19T20:58:00.000-04:00

Well, this is awkward. I've abandoned this space for close to three years. Three crazy packed years with increased responsibilities at work and at home. But things have quieted down and I have that extra space back in my life. To breathe. To workout on a somewhat-regular-basis. To cook. And to blog.

So, I'm back. And I hope you will come visit and comment once again. It feels good to open up my kitchen to you and to share my recipes and photos. Thanks for stopping by!

I will introduce this recipe with a disclaimer. I am a self-proclaimed kale addict. Raw kale especially. And with kale season in full swing, there's no stopping me. I usually prepare it 101 Cookbooks style, but lately I've been branching out. Sometimes even way out.

If you don't like kale, there's nothing for you here. Except maybe a few short words of support and encouragement: I won't hold this against you. Come back next week for something less green and less raw. In the meantime, could I convince you to give it a shot? Would it help if I admitted that I ate more than half this salad (yes, it is supposed to serve six) on my very own?

Kale Nectarine Salad
Serves 6 normal people, but if you're having me over, count me in for at least 3 portions

Like most raw kale recipes, this one enjoys a few minutes of massaging and relaxation. Who doesn't, really?

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
pepper, to taste
a couple of dashes each of cinnamon, ginger, allspice
1 small bunch kale
¼ cup walnuts
3 nectarines
¼ of a red onion
few tablespoons white vinegar
¼ cup parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, grated fresh
¼ cup bread crumbs, preferably homemade

In a large salad bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and spices. Use a fork to whisk well.

Use a chef's knife to cut the kale into ribbons. Put them in the bowl with the dressing. Use your hands (wear gloves if you like) to massage the dressing into the kale until it's well coated and you can feel the kale softening and wilting a bit. This will take 2-3 minutes. Don't skimp.

Let the kale rest. Preheat the oven to 350 and toast the walnuts for about 7 minutes, till fragrant. When they are cool, chop them coarsely and put that on top of the kale.

Meanwhile, slice your nectarines thin and put them on top of the kale as well.

Cut the onion into thin slices and put them in a bowl or cup with enough vinegar to cover them. (This takes the bite out of the onion.) Once they've been resting for about ten minutes, drain and discard the vinegar. Put the onions on top of the kale.

Last, put the cheese and bread crumbs into the bowl and give it a good toss. Eat fresh. If you have any left, it'll keep nicely for a day or two in the fridge.

2011 Year in Review... and a farewell

2011-12-31T21:55:00.000-05:00

I hate goodbyes. I always have. This is more of a 'so long, see you soon' kind of a goodbye. If you've been following my saga here (and over at my other blog) you know that life's gotten busy lately. Very busy. And I just haven't been able to find a balance that allows time for work, family, cooking, and blogging. Unfortunately, the blogging's got to go. For now.

It's been sad for me not to be able to photograph and post. I love it and I was actually becoming half good at it. I have a sweet group of followers, and I love you guys. But I just can't manage it all now - between my super crazy work schedule, my husband's insane school/study schedule, and my always hungry and always wonderful family, there just isn't enough time in the day.

Here's a sendoff to 2011 and to my blogging. For now. I will be back. When things quiet down and I can make some time for this wonderful hobby. I don't know if it'll be six months or a year. Maybe more, maybe less. But I do hope we'll meet again when I return. In the meantime, thanks for visiting and commenting. Please keep visiting this place. Please keep writing. (Fellow food bloggers, I'll still be stopping by your blogs and doing the same.) Thanks for your support. Have a wonderful year.

# 1 Reader Favorite: Zucchini Banana Bread

#2 Reader Favorite: Roasted Peaches.

#3 Reader Favorite: Lemon Mint Zucchini Pancakes

#4 Reader Favorite: Raspberry Peach Tart

#5 Reader Favorite: Pan Fried Chickpeas

#6 Reader Favorite: Chocolate Muffins

#7 Reader Favorite: Baby Bok Choy Salad

#8 Reader Favorite: Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies

A recipe...in exchange for some input

2011-10-30T18:35:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed, I sort of dropped from the face of the planet this month. I accepted a promotion at work which means I'm working super hard, super crazy hours. I have less time than ever before (who thought it was possible?) and am trying to figure out the right balance of work, family, and me-time. Blogging just hasn't been fitting into the picture, at least not yet. Thanks for your inquiries and emails. It feels good to know I'm missed.

If you happen to stop by here I'd love your input. For now, I'll definitely be posting less often. How do you feel about posts with musings and recipes only - no photos? I know that one of the things I enjoy most about food blogs is the photography. What about you? Would you be interested in posts without photos or would I lose your attention?

Thanks again for all your support. I hope to be back soon.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (adapted from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe)
This recipe makes one loaf. I usually use the large 28 oz. jar of pumpkin and double the quantities to make two loaves. They freeze beautifully, and if you slice the cake and individually wrap the slices before freezing, you've got a quick and easy snack (or breakfast) to go.

1 small can (15 oz.) 100% pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour

Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray.

Combine the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the paddle attachment to stir them thoroughly till smooth.

Add the salt, baking powder and sugar, and mix on low speed for a minute or so till the dry ingredients are combined.

Add the chocolate chips and flours and mix on low just till combined. The mixture will be quite thick.

Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and bake for an hour or so (a little less if you like your cake less dry). Once the cake is cool enough to handle, remove it from the pan and cool thoroughly on wire racks before serving or freezing.

Pan Fried Chickpeas (Secret Recipe Club)

2011-09-26T07:00:00.026-04:00

I feel I owe you an apology. I sort of dropped from the face of the earth for a couple of weeks without so much as a word of explanation.

Much as I know you've got other things on your mind, other blogs to visit, other ways to fill your evening hours, it seems rude to leave you hanging.

Life's been even crazier than ever. Just when I thought it could get no busier, it did. In a good way. I accepted a promotion at work which means I'm working harder than ever. More hours at the office. Less hours at home. More stress. Less time to cook. And blog.

If things are a little quiet around here, please understand. I'm figuring out a new balance between work, home, and personal time. I hope things will settle soon. Thanks for your patience till they do.

On to my recipe of the week. This month, I was SO pleased to get Kitchen Belleicious as my Secret Recipe Club pick. I have been following Jessica's lovely blog for quite some time and had dozens of recipes bookmarked already. It wasn't easy to settle on one, but this recipe was a natural choice. It's super easy, and my kids are WILD over anything with chickpeas.

Pan Fried Chickpeas, adapted from Kitchen Belleicious
Serves 4 as a side dish or snack

The original recipe calls for Cajun Seasoning, which I didn't have, but since we don't like things really spicy anyway, I left it out, and it was perfect. Let me know if you try it with. Here's my variation.

1 can of chickpeas (Garbanzo beans)
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for finishing
3 tablespoons olive oil

Drain the chickpeas and spread them out on a dishtowel to dry for about 1/2 hour. In a large plastic bag, combine the spices, salt and flour. Mix well. Throw the chickpeas in the bag and mix them around so they are well coated.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and then shallow fry the beans in two batches. Shake the beans around every couple of minutes to be sure they fry evenly, and remove them with a slotted spoon when they look done (mine took a bit less than 5 minutes). Let them drain on paper towels for a few minutes.

Season with extra kosher salt and ENJOY! Jessica's recipe says that these will save in a ziploc bag or container for up to 1 week, although I have no evidence of that. They were devoured in less than five minutes.

Raspberry Peach Tart

2011-09-13T22:55:00.002-04:00

I know it. I posted a Peach Tart recipe barely a week ago. It's audacious to make - and blog about - two such decadent foods, on a healthy eating site to top it off, in such a short time span.

What's even more shocking is that I made this tart only a few days after said Peach Tart. And, as long as we're baring our souls here, I have every intent of making another variation this weekend.

There, I've said it. Now won't that make the calories not count or something?

Raspberry Peach Tart, adapted from Food 52
The original recipe calls for whole milk and butter, but I wanted a dairy-free version so I used almond milk and margarine instead. Feel free to use the real-deal if you prefer.

1 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup mild olive oil
2 tablespoons almond milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract or rum
2 tablespoons cold margarine or butter
1 granny smith apple, peeled and coarsely grated
1 pint raspberries, cleaned and dried well

1/2 teaspoon corn starch

2 small ripe peaches, pitted and thickly sliced (about 1/2-inch wide)

Preheat the oven to 425*. Line the bottom shelf with a piece of foil or a baking sheet; this will protect the oven from dripping juice while the tart is baking.

Now, make the dough. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and almond extract or rum. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork. Be sure not to overwork it.

Transfer the dough to a tart pan (I used a 12-inch but a 10- or 11-inch would have been better). Press down on the dough with your fingers till it covers the bottom of the pan.

Next, make the crumb topping. In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the margarine. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the margarine into the dry ingredients until the mix is crumbly.

Now, assemble your tart. Spread the grated apple evenly over the crust.

Toss the raspberries with the cornstarch and make a lovely border out of the starched berries around the edge of the tart. You'll probably make two rows of raspberries.

In the center of the tart, inside the berry border, arrange the peaches in a concentric circle. Sprinkle all of the crumb topping over top.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until shiny, thick bubbles are erupting from the fruit and the crust is beginning to brown. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or room temperature. (It's also really nice as leftovers, eaten right from the fridge. Even right out of the pan. Trust me.)

Linking this up to This Chick Cooks and Weekend Bloggy Reading.

Corn Tabouleh

2011-09-08T16:00:00.004-04:00

I am under strict orders. Here is what I have been instructed to say. This salad is lovely. It is pretty and colorful. It looks like summer itself.

It is not, however, Kid Friendly. In fact, it is decidedly Kid Unfriendly. Children, for example, who do not like pepper will NOT like this dish. Neither will children who do not like bulgur. Or children who don't like olive oil, lime juice, or corn (is there really anyone who doesn't like corn?).

But I ask you. Should I refrain from posting this lovely recipe just because a certain almost-twelve-year-old Miss Particular doesn't happen to like any of the ingredients therein?

Wouldn't that be a shame?

So my instructions to you are as follows. Make this recipe. Soon. Before the local corn is gone. Savor it. Enjoy it. But don't serve it to your particular children. They might not be so nice about it.

Corn Tabouleh
Makes 4-6 generous servings

1/2 cup bulgur wheat
4 ears of corn, husks removed, cooked and cooled
2 peppers (I used one green and one red)
3 scallions
a handful of basil, parsley or cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil

Cook the bulgur according to the package instructions. Or, if you don't have the package, do what I did: bring some water to a boil and pour it over the bulgur so it covers it and then some. Cover and let soak for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.

Cut the corn off the cobs. Chop the peppers, dice the scallions, and mince the herbs. Combine the vegetables in a large bowl, and then add the salt, lime juice, and oil.

Add the cooled bulgur and then refrigerate for at least an hour (overnight is fine too) to let the flavors meld.

Serve within a day or two.

Peach Tart

2011-09-05T14:20:00.004-04:00

So yesterday, my house was flying with kids - friends, neighbors, and my own. Kids were coming and going, enjoying the second-to-last day of summer vacation. I ran around in the morning buying produce, restocking the pantry, and then making a few batches of soup to get us through the hectic week.

Then, there was a rare and blessed lull. The house was suddenly quiet - kids playing happily outdoors, baby napping. I decided to do what any sane person would do. I baked a tart.

I chose this one because it looked super simple (it was) and super delicious (it was).

I managed to get the pie into the oven in TEN minutes flat. Literally. But the ironic thing was this. As I put the tart into the oven, the doorbell rang. It was a neighbor coming to pick up her son. She saw the hot gloves on my hands, smelled the pie in the oven, and said "My, you sure are gourmet. You've got time to bake on a hectic Sunday?"

The irony was that I am very much not gourmet these days. And I truly don't have time to bake on Sundays. Why do I feel defensive when people accuse me of having extra time on my hands?? "This was easy!" I felt like saying. "It only took a few minutes. It was so simple that even I was able to fit into to my hassled life."

Instead I smiled and let her believe that I live a relaxed lifestyle. Wasn't that big of me?

Peach Tart, adapted just a tad from Food 52
The original recipe calls for whole milk and butter, but I wanted a dairy-free version so I used almond milk and margarine instead. Feel free to use the real-deal if you prefer.

1 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cups plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup mild olive oil
2 tablespoons almond milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons cold margarine or butter
3 large ripe peaches, pitted and thickly sliced (about 1/2-inch wide)

Preheat the oven to 425*. Line the bottom shelf with a piece of foil or a baking sheet; this will protect the oven from dripping juice while the tart is baking.

Now, make the dough. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and almond extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork. Be sure not to overwork it.

Transfer the dough to a tart pan (I used a 12-inch but a 10- or 11-inch would have been better). Press down on the dough with your fingers till it covers the bottom of the pan.

Next, make the crumb topping. In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the margarine. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut the margarine into the dry ingredients until the mix is crumbly.

Now, assemble your tart. Start on the outside and arrange the peaches in a concentric circle over the pastry. Sprinkle all of the crumb topping over top.

Linking this up to Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Real Food Wednesday and Weekend Bloggy Link-up.

This recipe was published on Culinary Kosher!

Blueberry Pretzel Clusters (Secret Recipe Club)

2011-08-29T07:00:00.046-04:00

As soon as I got my assignment for this month's Secret Recipe Club, I knew I was in trouble. You see, Keep it Sweet is a blog full of sweet things. (Never would have guessed that, right?)

Not just any sweet things, though. Fantastic looking ones, like Chocolate Covered Pretzel Bars, Banana Corn Muffins, and Cinnamon Roll Cookies.

I perused. I drooled. I deliberated. But when I saw this recipe, it was love at first sight. Blueberries? Salted Pretzels? Fine chocolate? Count. Me. In.

These things were delicious. And unusual. The combination of salty and sweet was, of course, fantastic. But what puts these over the top is the sweet cold burst of blueberry in the center. As Lauren puts it, "It is heaven biting into the creamy dark chocolate and then having a huge blueberry burst in your mouth." Couldn't have said it better myself!

Blueberry Pretzel Clusters (adapted from Keep it Sweet)

5 ounces high-quality dark chocolate
1/2 cup salted pretzel pieces
1/2 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

Gently melt the chocolate in the microwave.

Once the chocolate is completely melted, add the blueberries and then the pretzel pieces. Stir until completely coated

Use a tablespoon to drop large clusters of the mix onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Chill the chocolate in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour or until the candy is completely firm. Serve (cold) within a few days.

Linking this up to Melt in Your Mouth Monday and Happy Post.

Roasted Peaches

2011-08-21T20:12:00.005-04:00

Summer is over as far as I'm concerned. Sure, the kids are still in camp and the weather's still hot and balmy. The lawn still requires weekly mowing, and my children are all tanned and healthy-looking.

But as far as I'm concerned, summer's over and done with. I had my little bit of vacation time (no complaints; it was lovely), spent loads of time with the kids, and caught up on my cookbook reading.

Now I'm back at work. Sitting at my desk for what seems like 24 hours a day (it isn't). Spending endless hours in meetings and conferences.

The only thing that feels like summer is the produce. The lovely tomatoes. The fresh herbs on my patio. The abundance of zucchini. And the peaches. Oh, my, the peaches.

As long as there are peaches, there's still a bit of summer left for me. Here's a simple way to enjoy them.

Roasted Peaches

5 small peaches
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons sugar (use white, brown, or turbinado)
cinnamon, if desired

Preheat the oven to 425* and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel the peaches. My hands-down favorite way to do this is using the Kuhn Rikon Piranha Y Peeler. It requires ZERO fuss, ZERO water boiling, and ZERO patience. You just peel the peaches like you would any other fruit. Ingenious.

Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones. Lay them out on your baking sheet - hollow sides UP.

Put a nice large dot of butter into each peach half, and then sprinkle some sugar over the butter dots. (Use as much sugar as you like, depending how sweet you like 'em and how sweet they started.)

Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon, if you like.

Roast for about 25 minutes, till the butter is bubbling and the fruit seems to be getting a bit soft. Eat hot or warm, with yogurt, ice cream, or unadorned. (Refrigerate leftovers and rewarm before serving.)

Linking this up to Mingle Monday, Weekend Bloggy Reading, Seasonal Potluck, Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, and Fit and Fabulous Fridays.