My brown butter breakfast blondies are gluten free, but you’d never know it- chewy in the center, crispy around the edges, and filled with toasted nuts, oats, nut butter, and coconut- they taste like the dreamiest peanut butter cookie. Brown butter and brown sugar add a lovely butterscotch note, and a touch of flaky sea salt brings the perfect salty bite to balance out the sweet. These go especially well with coffee, and have just enough feel good ingredients to make them passable as a breakfast food, but honestly, I’d be surprised if the batch lasted until dinner.

Brown Butter Breakfast Blondies

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 C raw almonds, chopped

1/4 C raw peanuts, chopped

1/4 C creamy unsalted peanut butter

1 1/4 C sugar

1/2 C dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp kosher salt

3 eggs

1/3 C rolled oats

1/4 C oat flour

1 1/4 C almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 C unsweetened large coconut flakes

1 large pinch Maldon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and line a 9 x 9” baking dish with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang on two sides of the pan creating a sling.

In a frying pan melt the butter over medium low heat. Once the butter has just melted, add the chopped almonds and peanuts, and let the butter continue to cook and toast the nuts. The butter will sputter and foam, and sound mad as hell, but keep going. Make sure to keep a careful watch as it browns, as the butter and nuts will go from nutty and golden to burnt in the blink of an eye. The whole process will take about 5 minutes or so from start to finish. Strain the brown butter and nuts through a fine mesh strainer, collecting the butter in a large mixing bowl. Set the nuts aside in a small bowl.

Add the peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt to the brown butter, and whisk until everything is mixed completely together. Incorporate the eggs, one at a time, making sure it is completely mixed in before adding the next one.

Stir in the rolled oats, oat flour, almond flour and baking powder, stirring just until incorporated. Transfer batter to the baking dish, and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the toasted nuts, coconut flakes, and flaky sea salt over the top.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the blondies are golden brown and the edges have started to come away from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Remove the blondies from the pan using parchment paper handles to carefully lift them out. Cut into squares.

I feel like pandemic times are as good a reason as any to get back into shrub making. If you’ve never made shrub before, it’s as simple as macerating fruit in sugar and then adding the sweet juices to vinegar. It will keep for up to a year in the fridge, but I guarantee it won’t last that long.

My rhubarb rose and ginger shrub is tart, sweet, slightly floral, and has a bit of spice from the ginger. I love to mix it with ice cold fizzy water for a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage, or add it to a drink of the adult variety. So the next time you find yourself staring at a crisper drawer full of lack luster fruit, consider making shrub to give it a new lease on life.

Rhubarb Rose and Ginger Shrub

Ingredients:

1 lb rhubarb, sliced into 1/2” pieces

1 Tbsp dried rose petals (food grade)

1/4 C ginger, sliced into 1/4-1/2” thick slices

2 C sugar

2 C apple cider vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, rose petals, sliced ginger, and sugar, stirring until everything is coated in the sugar. Cover with with a towel or lid and let sit at room temperature for 1-2 days. Stir occasionally to make sure all the sugar has dissolved. At the end of the two days, the mixture will be soupy from the fruit releasing all their juices. Strain the juice into a large air tight container and add the vinegar. Refrigerate for 3-6 days until desired tartness is reached. The longer the shrub sits in the refrigerator the more mellow the vinegar will be.

*BONUS RECIPE: Don’t throw out the rhubarb mixture after straining out the liquid. Since the rhubarb is so hearty it doesn’t break down as much as other fruits do when making shrub, which makes it the perfect thing to make a quick and easy jam with. Place the discarded rhubarb mixture in a pot with 1 C of water. Bring to a boil over medium-medium high heat. Once boiling reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rhubarb is very soft. Blend it together using a stick blender or a larger blender until smooth. I like to push the jam through a fine mesh sieve to make it extra silky, but this step is not necessary! In less than 30 minutes, you’ll have a delicious fruit spread for toast, yogurt, or cocktails!

These al pastor burgers have all the big bold flavors of my favorite Mexican taco meat that you can make with minimal pantry ingredients from the comfort of your own home. Which, let’s be honest, is how we’re all celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year. Charred pineapple, onion, garlic, and a blend of guajillo and ancho chiles make up a sweet and spicy paste that flavors the ground pork patties. Once cooked to perfection, the burgers are topped with a garlicky cilantro mayo, zippy cabbage slaw, creamy avocado, and pickled jalapeños for some extra kick. Juicy and delicious, these al pastor burgers are the burger-taco hybrid of my nostalgic dreams.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Al Pastor Burger

Ingredients:

8 oz sliced pineapple rings

1 small onion, halved with the skin on

3 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp guajillo chile powder

1 tsp ancho chile powder

1/2 tsp ground Mexican oregano

3 tsp + 1 pinch kosher salt

1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 tsp agave nectar

1 lb ground pork

3/4 C cilantro stems, packed

1/2 C mayo

4 Tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice

3 C green cabbage, shredded

4 hamburger buns

1 avocado, sliced

pickled jalapeños

Place pineapple rings and onion cut side down, on a baking sheet or oven safe pan and broil on high for 7-10 minutes until the pineapple and onion are charred in places. When the onion is cool enough to handle, peel the outer layer of skin off, and trim the ends. Set half the pineapple and onion aside, and finely chop the rest.

In a food processor combine half the onion, half the pineapple, 2 cloves of garlic, guajillo chile powder, ancho chile powder, oregano, 1 tsp salt, vinegar, canola oil, and agave nectar. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Transfer chili paste to a sealable container.

In a large bowl combine the ground pork, chopped pineapple and onion, 1 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper, and 3 Tbsp of the chili paste. Mix until everything is thoroughly combined and form meat into 4 patties. Set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes until it is time to cook them.

In a food processor combine cilantro stems, mayo, 1 clove of garlic, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp lime juice. Blend until smooth.

In a large bowl combine sliced cabbage 1 tsp salt, and 4 Tbsp lime juice. Stir to combine and let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the burgers for 5 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Serve on a toasted hamburger bun slathered in the cilantro mayo and topped with a heaping pile of slaw, avocado slices, and pickled jalapeños.

Sourdough Chocolate Ginger Granola

Ingredients:

1/4 C sourdough starter discard

1/4 agave nectar (honey or maple syrup will work too)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 C canola oil

2 tsp cocoa powder

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 C rolled oats

3/4 C raw cashews

1/2 C raw almonds

1/4 C sweetened coconut flakes

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 C crystallized ginger, chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine sourdough starter discard, agave nectar, vanilla, canola oil, cocoa powder, and brown sugar. Stir until everything is incorporated.

Add rolled oats, nuts, coconut flakes, sesame seeds, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix everything together until all the dry ingredients are coated in the wet. Transfer the granola mixture to the baking sheet and spread out in an even layer.

Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to keep the granola from browning too quickly. Remove from the oven when the granola is golden brown, and let cool completely. Once the granola has cooled, mix in the chopped crystallized ginger.

Store in an airtight container.

Tuna Nicoise Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes

1/2 C + 3 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp + 1 pinch kosher salt

1/2 lbs green beans or haricot vert, trimmed

4 eggs

4 4 oz ahi tuna filet

4 tsp Trader Joe’s everything but the bagel seasoning

Persian or English cumber, sliced

cherry tomatoes, halved

Arugula, kale or spring greens

Nicoise olives

capers

3 Tbsp shallot, minced

1/4 tsp garlic, grated

2 Tbsp dijon mustard

1/4 C white wine vinegar

pepper

chives, minced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet and season with 2 Tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Toss to coat thoroughly and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and their skins have started to crisp.

While the potatoes are baking, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove immediately with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once the beans are completely cooled, transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Add the eggs to the pot of boiling water and cook for 7 minutes. Remove immediately with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Peel the eggs once cooled, and set aside.

Make the dressing by combining the minced shallot, grated garlic, dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, 1/2 C of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper into a large sealable jar. Seal lid and shake until the dressing has emulsified and is thick.

Season each tuna steak with 1 tsp EBTB seasoning, making sure to coat all sides of the fish. Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Cook fish 2 minutes per side, and 5 seconds around the edges to sear the tuna completely. Remove from the pan and slice into 1/4-1/2” slices.

Plate salads by arranging a large pile of greens on plate, and top with sliced tuna, green beans, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, 1 halved egg, capers, and olives. Drizzle salad dressing over the top and garnish with a sprinkling of chives.

Makes 4 servings.

My spring risotto embodies all the lovely things happening outside around us while we’re hunkering down at home. It’s bright, comforting, and full of those lovely spring vegetables that I am ever so grateful to keep getting in my grocery deliveries. Tender asparagus and baby peas stud the creamy, lemony, rice, with roasted radishes adorning the top. Their tops get crisped to perfection and provide a lovely bit of crunch to the dish.

Every spoonful of risotto is a ray of sunshine, and I hope making it is as good for the mind as it is for the soul. Or just get really stoned and eat that bag of frozen risotto you panic bought from Trader Joe’s a month ago. Definitely no judgement here. #selfcare

Spring Risotto

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-1 1/2” pieces

1 bunch radishes with greens

1/4 C + 2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp + 3/4 tsp kosher salt

pepper

8 C unsalted chicken stock

1/4 C shallot, minced

1/3 C onion, minced

2 C Arborio rice

1 C dry white wine

1 C frozen peas

1/4 C lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

1 1/4 C parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place asparagus and radishes on a large baking sheet and season with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss to coat thoroughly, and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the asparagus and radishes are tender but not mushy , and the radish greens have become crispy. Set aside.

While the vegetables are roasting, heat the chicken stock. In a large sauce pan, combine the chicken stock and 1 Tbsp of salt. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium-medium low heat. Once the stock is simmering, reduce the heat to low to keep warm.

In a large dutch oven heat 1/4 C of olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and onion, and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring to combine. Cook until the onions are translucent and tender, approximately 5-7minutes. Add the rice, stirring to coat in the oil. Cook the rice for 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously, until the outer edges of the rice have become translucent.

Add the white wine to the pot and cook until it has completely evaporated, approximately 2 minutes. Add one ladle, or 3/4 C, of chicken stock to the pot, and stir continuously until the rice has completely absorbed the liquid before adding another ladle of broth, about 2-3 minutes. Continue to add the stock in this manner, until the rice is al dente and the risotto has a loose, creamy, consistency. You will most likely use all of your stock to achieve this consistency, and it will take about 25-30 minutes to incorporate all of the stock. The rice should still have a bit of a chewy texture to it. Do not overcook it.

Stir in the frozen peas and cooked asparagus to the rice. Add the lemon juice, zest, and butter and stir until everything is combined and the peas have cooked all the way through. Gradually add in the parmesan cheese, and stir until it has melted into the rice. If the risotto thickens up, add a little more stock as needed to maintain the creamy, yet fluid, consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve the risotto in bowls and top with a few of the cooked radishes and more parmesan cheese if desired.

Asparagus and Egg Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus, woody part of stems trimmed

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp koser salt

pepper

1 baguette, cut into 6” pieces

butter, room temperature (I like to use cultured salted butter, but regular unsalted or salted will work as well)

2-8 eggs

2-3 small radishes, sliced thin

chives

dill fronds

sumac

Maldon flake salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place asparagus on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat thoroughly. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender but not mushy. If your asparagus is thicker it may take a little longer to cook than if you have thin asparagus.

While the asparagus is cooking soft boil the eggs. Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil. Gently add eggs and boil for 7 minutes. Remove immediately and submerge in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Peel, slice in half, and set aside.

Assemble the sandwiches by spreading a liberal amount of butter on both sides of the baguette. place a few asparagus spears inside, and top with 4 egg halves. Add a few radish slices and fresh herbs on top. Sprinkle with flakey salt and sumac and top everything with fresh dill and chives.

The chocolate sourdough pasta is silky as can be, and its subtle bitterness pairs perfectly with Italian sausage and garlicky mushrooms. And don’t skimp on the parmesan cheese. I know it feels like end times and all, but treat yourself. You deserve it.

Chocolate Sourdough Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Sourdough Chocolate Pasta Dough (adapted from Make It Dough’s Sourdough Discard Pasta)

90 g sourdough starter discard

100 g double zero flour

60 g semolina flour

4 g kosher salt

25 g cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s special dark chocolate cocoa powder)

1 egg + 1 yolk

5 g olive oil

Chocolate Sourdough Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb Italian sausage, bulk or removed from casings

1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced

10 sprigs thyme

1/3 C dry white wine

8 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 tsp kosher salt + more for seasoning pasta water

pepper

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 C reserved pasta water

chocolate sourdough pasta noodles

Make the sourdough chocolate pasta dough by combining the sourdough starter discard, double zero flour, semolina flour, salt, cocoa powder, egg, egg yolk, and olive oil in a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix everything together with your hands and knead until a shaggy ball of dough forms. Continue kneading by hand or with the dough attachment on a stand mixer until the dough is smooth and elastic, approximately 15 minutes. You know the dough is ready when it springs back after touching it. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for two hours. Then place the dough in the fridge to continue resting for another 2 hours.

Sprinkle a large rimmed baking sheet with a few large pinches of semolina flour and cocoa powder. Mix it together with your fingers. Slice off a 1/4” thick slice of pasta dough, and flatten it out in your hands. Dust the dough with a bit of the semolina/cocoa mixture to keep it from sticking in the pasta machine.

Run the dough through on the thickest setting of a pasta maker one or two times to flatten it out. Fold the dough into thirds, like you are folding a piece of paper to fit in an envelope. Place the dough in the pasta machine with the folded edges running vertically. Run through the machine on the thickest setting one or two times, until smooth.

Repeat this process until you roll the pasta out to the thinnest setting on your pasta machine. Keep the sheets of pasta covered in the flour mixture and covered with a towel or plastic wrap to keep from drying out while you cut them. Run the sheets of pasta through the pasta cutter side of your pasta machine, or cut by hand with a pizza or pastry cutter into your desired size (I cut mine into fettuccini). Place cut pasta on a drying rack to dry out a bit before cooking.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and season generously with salt.

In a large sauté pan, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and brown sausage over medium-medium high heat, approximately 10 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving the grease in the pan, and set aside to drain on a paper towel lined bowl or plate.

Add the mushrooms and thyme to the pan, stirring to coat in the grease. If the mushrooms look dry, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the mushrooms until they have started to brown, then add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Let the wine cook out, approximately 2 minutes, and then add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic has softened, another 2-3 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs, and add the sausage back to the pan, stirring to combine.

Add the chocolate pasta to the boiling water, and cook until al dente, approximately 2 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 C of pasta water. Add the pasta water and butter to the mushroom and sausage mixture, and cook until the sauce is silky and has thickened. Toss the pasta in the sauce, making sure to coat each noodle.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve with a generous amount of parmesan cheese on top.

Hummus

Ingredients:

Chickpeas

1 C dried chickpeas (or 2 15 oz cans of chickpeas)

6 C water

2 tsp kosher salt

Hummus

1/3 C lemon juice

3 cloves garlic

1/3 C tahini

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1/4 C cold water

2 C cooked chickpeas

1 C reserved hot cooking liquid

Optional Garnishes:

olive oil

sumac

za’atar

fresh herbs

chickpeas

Chickpeas Instant Pot Cooking Method:

Place the chickpeas, water, and salt in the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and make sure valve is set to sealing. Using the manual or pressure cook function, set timer to 40 minutes. When the time is up, quick release the pressure valve. You want the chickpeas to be extremely soft, almost to the point of falling apart, so if they aren’t done after 40 minutes, re-secure the lid, making sure the valve is set back to sealing, and pressure cook for an additional 15-20 minutes. Quick release the pressure valve once the time is up. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid.

Chickpeas Stovetop Cooking Method:

Place the chickpeas, water, and salt into a large pot or dutch oven. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the chickpeas are extremely soft, almost to the point of falling apart. Approximately 2+ hours if using dried chickpeas, and about 20 minutes if using canned. Drain the chickpeas, reserving 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid.

In a food processor or blender add the lemon juice and garlic, and pulse/blend until the garlic is minced and the lemon juice is frothy. Add the tahini, salt, and cumin, and blend together. Slowly stream in the cold water while the food processor or blender is running, and blend until the tahini is smooth and has increased in volume. Add 2 C of the cooked chickpeas and the reserved cooking liquid. Blend until the hummus is creamy and smooth. Garnish as desired with olive oil, sumac, za’atar, fresh herbs, or more chickpeas and serve with warm pita bread or veggies.

Wedges of green cabbage, red potatoes, and carrots get tossed in a garlic parsley butter and roasted to perfection along with salty, smokey kielbasa sausage. A hearty, comforting meal for when you need it most.

Sheet Pan Kielbasa Dinner

Ingredients:

2 lbs green cabbage, cut into wedges

2 lbs red potatoes, cut into wedges

1 lb carrots, cut into 2” pieces

12 oz kielbasa, cut into pieces

2 tsp kosher salt

pepper

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 C olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 C parsley leaves, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Arrange vegetables and sausage on a large baking sheet. Season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Set aside while you make the garlic herb butter.

In a small sauce pan combine butter, olive oil 1/2 tsp salt, garlic, and parsley. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted, and mix everything together. Spoon butter mixture over the vegetables.

Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and have started to brown, and the kielbasa is cooked through.

This cabbage salad is the opposite of overcomplicated. Crunchy purple cabbage is marinated in a garlicky olive oil and vinegar dressing, and topped with roasted sunflower seeds. And that’s IT. The great thing about this salad is that you can stop here and eat it in all its simple glory, or use it as a base for a larger salad or condiment to a bigger meal. There is no wrong option.

Make a batch and keep it in your fridge for effortless meals all week long!

Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

6-7 C purple cabbage, sliced thin

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1/2 C unseasoned rice wine vinegar

1/2 C olive oil

roasted sunflower seeds

In a large bowl combine cabbage, salt, rice vinegar, and olive oil. Mix thoroughly until all the cabbage is coated in the dressing. Let the cabbage marinate at room temperature for 30+ minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has wilted slightly. Serve with a generous sprinkle of roasted sunflower seeds on top.

Craggy pieces of tofu get a seasoned breading and are pan fried until crispy and golden brown, then everything gets tossed in a sweet and savory sauce, coating every crunchy nook and cranny. The sauce is pure magic and made with ingredients I bet you already have lying around your pantry. Aromatic ginger and garlic, soy sauce, honey and brown sugar for sweetness, toasty sesame oil, tangy sherry vinegar to balance everything out, and a touch of sambal olek for heat.

Crunchy, sticky, and sweet, it’s truly better than takeout.

Honey Sesame Tofu

Ingredients:

1 16 oz package super firm tofu

5 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

2/3 C vegetable oil

1/2 tsp garlic, grated

1/2 tsp ginger, grated

1/4 C light soy sauce

1/4 C sherry vinegar

1/4 C honey

1 Tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1/4 tsp sambal olek

1/4 C water

green onions, sliced

toasted sesame seeds

In a large bowl, combine 4 Tbsp cornstarch, garlic powder, ground ginger, salt, and white pepper. Whisk dry ingredients together until fully incorporated.

Tear the tofu into large pieces, approximately 2-2 1/2” chunks. Pat tofu dry to remove any excess water. Transfer tofu to the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat each piece completely.

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-medium high heat. Once the oil has started glistening and is very hot, add the tofu nuggets to the oil in a single layer. Pan fry for approximately 7-10 minutes. Flip the tofu after about 3 minutes or so and then fry for anther 3-4 minutes on the other side. Be sure to keep an eye on how quickly the tofu is cooking, and adjust the stove temperature as needed. Continue to flip and baste the tofu with the hot oil until the nuggets are crispy and golden brown.

Remove the tofu with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside while you make the sauce.

Wipe out pan the tofu was cooked in, removing any excess oil. Make the cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 Tbsp cornstarch and water together in a cup, stirring until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add grated garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sherry vinegar, honey, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, samba olek, and cornstarch slurry to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce comes up to a boil and thickens. Once the sauce is thick and bubbly, add the tofu to the sauce, and stir until the pieces of tofu are completely coated in sauce.

Serve with rice and top with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

The thing I love about this soup is that it tastes decadent without feeling like you’re slurping up fondue. Not that I wouldn’t slurp up some fondue if given the chance. I clearly keep my bar set pretty low. But you should definitely keep your bar set high and make this soup. Panera, who?

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

8 C broccoli, florets and stems cut into small-medium sized pieces

1 C onion, diced

2 C carrots, thinly sliced into 1-2” long matchsticks

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 C all purpose flour

4 C chicken stock

1 C half and half

1 1/2 C shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 C shredded cheddar cheese + more for topping

in a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add broccoli, onions, carrots, garlic, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Stir to combine, and cook until the onions have become translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top, stir to coat the vegetables in the flour, and cook for another 2-3 minutes to cook out the flour taste. Add the chicken stock and half and half. Stir everything together and bring up to a gentle simmer. Once the liquid has slightly thickened and the broccoli has become tender, add the cheese, stirring until it has completely melted into the broth. Pulse the soup a few times with an immersion blender to puree some of the soup, leaving several large chunks of broccoli.

I like to serve this with toasty garlic croutons, a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, and a generous sprinkle of more cheddar cheese.

A mix of eggplant, onion, and peppers are cooked in a smoky spice blend of harissa, cumin, and smoked paprika, broiled until charred- just teetering on burnt, and then cooked in a rich tomato sauce with hearty French green lentils. A bit of preserved lemon, along with a large dollop of tahini yogurt dressing and fresh herbs, keeps things light and bright.

This one pot, vegetarian meal can easily be made vegan by substituting a dairy free yogurt in the tahini yogurt dressing, or by omitting the yogurt all together and thinning the tahini sauce with a bit of hot water until it is a saucy consistency.

Super easy, super adaptable, and so, so good- you’ll definitely be eating this eggplant and lentil stew until we all thaw out.

Eggplant and Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 C onion, diced

2 1/2 C eggplant, diced

1 C red pepper, diced

1/2-1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp harissa powder

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 C preserved lemon, minced

2 14.5 oz cans crushed fire roasted tomatoes

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 C French green lentils

2 C water

tahini yogurt dressing

mint leaves

cilantro

Preheat oven broiler on high.

In a large dutch oven or oven safe pot heat olive oil over medium-medium high heat. Add onion, eggplant, red pepper, salt, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and harissa powder, and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Place pot in the oven and broil for 15 minutes. Be sure to keep a close watch while the vegetables are under the broiler, stirring every 5 minutes, until the vegetables are nicely charred in spots.

Remove pot from oven and place back on the stove. Add garlic, preserved lemon, fire roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils and water. Stir to combine, and bring up to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to keep at a gentle simmer. Cover the pot, and cook until the lentils are tender, approximately 40 minutes.

Serve with a large spoonful of tahini yogurt dressing and lots of fresh mint and cilantro.

I know anchovies are an extremely polarizing ingredient, but let me tell you, they are the secret to taking a good pot of marinara sauce to a great one. You could leave them out if you want, but I’m going to urge you to try it. There is no fishy taste or smell, and they completely dissolve in the sauce almost immediately upon hitting the heat. What you are left with is a magical hint of umami, much like the flavor that a good dose of parmesan will impart on a dish.

The sauce starts on the stove just to soften the onion and garlic, wake up the dried herbs, and incorporate the tomatoes. Then the whole pot goes in the oven for 30 minutes, where it reduces down and the flavors concentrate into a rich sauce that tastes like it has been cooking all day. Add some fresh basil and puree the whole thing into a smooth and silky sauce. Buon Appetito!

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/3 C onion, diced

scant 1/4 C garlic cloves, minced (approximately 1 head of garlic)

3-4 anchovy filets

1 Tbsp fennel seed

1 Tbsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp kosher salt

28 oz can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes

28 oz can tomato sauce

1/2 C basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large oven safe pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, anchovy filets, fennel seed, oregano, and salt, and sauté until the onions have softened and are translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Break up the whole tomatoes with a potato masher, or your hands as you add them to the pot. Stir to combine everything and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has visibly reduced by about 1/4. Remove from the oven and add basil leaves. Using an immersion blender or a stand alone blender, puree the sauce until smooth.

This vanilla sugar is stupidly simple to make, and really stretches the life of those expensive vanilla beans. Use it in place of regular sugar, for an extra punch of vanilla flavor. Just be sure to plan ahead, as the sugar needs to infuse for 1-2 weeks before using. I promise it will be worth the wait, and the weight.

Vanilla Sugar

Ingredients:

2 C sugar

1 vanilla bean

Pour sugar in a large airtight container. Using a sharp paring knife, split the vanilla bean in half. Scrape the seeds into the sugar, and stir to combine. Place the empty vanilla pod into the sugar, and seal the container. Give the container a few gentle shakes to make sure the vanilla seeds are well dispersed and the vanilla bean is completely submerged in the sugar. Let the sugar infuse for 1-2 weeks before using.

My actions are small, but sustainable changes for my daily life. One of my biggest goals is to reduce the food waste in our house. As someone who cooks A LOT, I sometimes get overambitious in how many meals I’m going to cook, and then life happens, and I have a vegetable drawer half full of limp produce. It’s a sad state of affairs, and even though I am an avid composter, I still feel terrible throwing food away.

One of my solutions to this problem is to freeze my more undesirable vegetables and vegetable scraps to use at a later time. I already save all my chicken bones for broth, so why not my veggies too? My Instant Pot zero waste bone broth uses all those otherwise wasted food scraps to make delicious bone broth in a fraction of the time it would take to make on the stove. And the best part, is that you always have the ingredients on hand to make it.

Carrots, celery, alliums, and mushroom stems are the best scraps for saving and make the most flavorful broth. Just be sure to wash and dry everything before freezing so you don’t end up with any gritty bits floating around in that liquid gold. Take some chicken bones, some veggie scraps, a couple bay leaves, a handful of peppercorns, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and some water and pressure cook the shit out of everything for 2 hours, leaving you with a super rich and flavorful bone broth. You know, a broth full of that jiggly collagen and gelatin, and all the good stuff that people charge astronomical prices for at the grocery store, promising healing and fantastic hair and nails. You know the stuff.

I’m not promising any medical miracles, but I promise you that doing something to help protect our planet, no matter how small of an act, is better than doing nothing. And while one person alone can’t possibly change the world, I find hope in that there is strength in numbers, even if it’s just tackling the world’s problems one pot of bone broth at a time.

Instant Pot Zero Waste Bone Broth

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs frozen pre-washed vegetable scraps

1 C frozen pre-washed mushroom stems

2 1/2 lbs frozen chicken bones/scraps

2 dried bay leaves

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (*optional)

8-10 C water

*Note: This recipe is based on a 6 qt sized Instant Pot

In your Instant Pot, add vegetable scraps, mushroom stems, chicken bones, bay leaves, peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, and water. Secure the lid and make sure valve is set to sealing. Using the manual or pressure cook function, set timer to 2 hrs. When the time is up, quick release the pressure valve. You will know the broth is done when the bones break in your hand with very little effort. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large pot or bowl. Portion the bone broth into smaller freezable containers. Yields approximately 3 quarts of bone broth.

Chocolate Tahini Granola Bars

Ingredients:

1 1/3 C rolled oats

1/4 C oat flour

1/4 C unsweetened flake coconut

1/2 C puffed quinoa (puffed rice cereal can be substituted)

1/4 C amaranth seed

2/3 C hazelnuts, chopped

1/2 C mini chocolate chips

1/2 C sprinkles

1 tsp kosher salt

1/3 C tahini

1 Tbsp date syrup

1/4 C honey

1 Tbsp coconut oil, unmelted

1 Tbsp olive oil

Maldon flake salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9 x 13” cake pan with parchment paper so that there is overhang on at least two sides.

In a large bowl combine rolled oats, oat flour, coconut, puffed quinoa, amaranth, hazelnuts, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, and salt. Stir until the ingredients are mixed together. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine tahini, date syrup, honey, coconut oil, and olive oil. Heat over medium-medium low heat stirring continuously until the mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over the oat mixture. Mix everything together and transfer to parchment lined cake pan. Spread oat mixture out evenly and firmly press into the pan. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges have started to brown. Let cool completely, and then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cutting. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container.

It turns out that homemade nut milk is super easy to make, leaps and bounds better than anything you can buy at the grocery store, and a hell of a lot cheaper to make yourself. Cashew has been our nut of choice for its high fat content and buttery flavor, which lends itself to the creamiest, dreamiest milk. I like to lightly sweeten the milk with date syrup or whole dates and I always add a pinch of salt to enhance the sweetness of the dates.

This recipe makes a big batch, approximately 6-7 cups, and will last approximately 1 week in the refrigerator. Give this recipe a try as is, or swap out the cashews for your favorite nut. You’d be nuts not to try it! (Sorry I just could nut resist!)

Cashew Milk

Ingredients:

2 C raw cashews

6 C hot water

pinch kosher salt

2 Tbsp date syrup (4 pitted medjool dates will also work if you can’t find date syrup, or add your favorite sweetener to taste)

Place cashews in a large bowl and cover with water at least 2” above the cashews. Let sit overnight. The longer the cashews soak the easier they will be to blend, and the creamier the milk will be. Drain the cashews and put into a blender. Add hot water, salt and date syrup. Blend on high for about 2-3 minutes until the cashews have liquified and the mixture is completely smooth. If you have a small blender you may want to do this in two batches to prevent your blender from overflowing.

Strain the milk through a fine mesh sieve to remove the cashew pulp. I like to strain my milk 2 or 3 times to remove as much as possible, but if your blender obliterates the nuts like mine does, leaving the pulp in will yield a slightly thicker, debatably creamier, milk. It’s really up to you as to how creamy you want your milk to be. If you like it thinner just add more water until it is to the consistency of your liking.

Season to taste with more sweetener if needed. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Be sure to shake your milk vigorously before each use, as the cashew pulp will settle at the bottom over time.

I love to eat it with sliced veggies, toasted pita or naan chips, and as a base for a delicious wrap or grain bowl. It would be an excellent marinade for chicken or lamb, or spooned over shrimp or fish tacos for an Indian flare. I may or may not be eating it with pretzels as we speak, which is also an excellent delivery vehicle for shoveling as much of this stuff into your mouth as possible.

Make some today and use it all week. Or better yet, a double batch, because I promise you, it won’t last long.

Curried Yogurt Dip

Ingredients:

2 C whole milk yogurt

1 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp lime juice

2 tsp coriander seed

1 tsp cumin seed

2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 C olive oil

1/2 C + 1 Tbsp green onions, sliced

cilantro leaves

Combine yogurt, salt, lime juice, and 1/4 C of sliced green onions in a mixing bowl. Set aside while you toast the whole spices.

In a small frying pan, toast the coriander and cumin seed over medium heat until fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder, and grind into a fine powder.

Return spice mixture to the frying pan and add curry powder, garam masala, olive oil, and 1/4 C of sliced green onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the green onions have frizzled and the oil and spices are bubbling.

Spoon 2/3 of the green onion curry oil into the yogurt and stir to combine. Drizzle the remaining oil over the top and swirl gently into the yogurt, leaving some visible streaks of the oil. Top with remaining tablespoon of sliced green onions and a few cilantro leaves for garnish.