grilled corn summer salad

It's very, very dry here in Santa Fe.  I can't remember a time when I've craved summer foods so intensely.  All we've been eating is watermelon, cantaloupe and other juicy fruits and vegetables.  With freshly grilled corn, cilantro, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and lots of lime, this salad is oh so refreshing, simple and can be prepared in advance.  Enjoy it as a taco filling, alongside a grilled entrée, or scooped on top of grains such as millet or quinoa.  Finish it all off with some sliced avocado and perhaps some cilantro chutney, yum!

budapest city guide

Last year, Joshua and I (and Lola!) were in Budapest for six months for Joshua's work.  When we found out we were going there, we actually had to look on a map to see what country Budapest was in (Hungary by the way!).  I've had a couple friends visit Budapest since then, and ask for suggestions.  After some lengthy emails, I decided my time would be better spent publishing my recommendations.  So here we go!

savory herb-scented cornbread

This is the third time I've made this cornbread this month and I've had multiple requests for the recipe, so here you go!  I usually make it with dried herbs, but we are currently in Santa Fe, and I don't have my usual cooking inventory.  However, I did have some fresh herbs on hand so I used those in lieu of dried--boy oh boy was that a happy accident!

popped quinoa granola

I came across this recipe in The New York Times that called for popped quinoa in granola and I was sold!  Popped quinoa just sounds fun to say.  I've been making the same granola for about seven months now, so it's high time for a change.  I wanted something a bit lighter for the summer, with less nuts and more grains.  With a few adjustments from the original, this recipe is a hit! 

Depending on what nuts and seeds tickle your fancy, you can swap in or out what you like, as long as you keep the ratios the same.  I used sunflower seeds, but you could certainly use pepita or pumpkin seeds as well.  Since Joshua is usually the one who eats most of the granola (too many oats gives me a belly ache), I asked him what kind of nuts he'd prefer--almonds and walnuts it is! But I think it would also be great with cashews, or perhaps pecans as the original recipe suggests?  

 

Depending on what nuts and seeds tickle your fancy, you can swap in or out whatever you like, as long as you keep the ratios the same.  I used sunflower seeds, but you could certainly use pepita or pumpkin seeds as well.  Since Joshua is usually the one who eats most of the granola (I can't eat too many oats), I asked him what kind of nuts he wanted--he chose almonds and walnuts. But I think it would also be great with cashews, or as the original recipe suggests, pecans.

 

heirloom tomato galette

The heirloom tomatoes this season are more beautiful and delicious than I can remember in a long time. I've been buying them every week at the farmer's market and putting them in salads with avocado, summer pasta, or just popping the small ones in my mouth like popcorn!  Naturally, I decided to throw them into a galette, surprise, surprise! 

As most of my friends and family know, I am always making galettes for dinner parties.  You can do the bulk of the work ahead of time and everyone loves them; they warm the soul and fill the belly.  How can anyone ever tire of a comforting, savory pie? I won't go on too much about my love affair with galettes, but I will say that this recipe is muy deliciosa!  Objectively speaking, Maggie (my sister and fellow galette aficionado) along with her Italian boyfriend, Andrea (in Italy galettes are called crostatas), say this one is their absolute favorite (my potato galette ranked no. 1 for several months).

 

spiced japanese sweet potato fries

Recently I've been getting into Ayurvedic cooking, à la my new favorite cookbook, What to Eat for How you Feel by Divya Alter.  Her recipes have done wonders to calm my stomach and make me feel good in general. The philosophy of Ayurvedic cooking stresses the importance of seasonal ingredients and specific food pairings.  Both of these affect your digestive system and as a result, your mood. Some ingredients used in traditional Ayurvedic cooking can be hard to find, but Divya gives resources on where to buy specific products online.  However, in a pinch, I always use the absence of ingredients as an opportunity to improvise--hello spiced Japanese sweet potato fries!

cilantro chutney

All you cilantrophobes, kindly avert your eyes please!  This chutney is solely for palates that welcome this pungent and robust herb.  Now now, don't feel bad if you're among the cilantro (a.k.a coriander) haters; Julia Child also expressed extreme dislike for the herb.  She once said of cilantro in her food, "I would pick it out if I saw it and throw it on the floor."  But, for those of us whose olfactory nerves enjoy it (moi included), this chutney is bursting with a mélange of bright flavors. Use this recipe to accompany Indian foods, grains, roasted veggies, sweet potato fries or any vehicle that assists in getting this chutney into your mouth. 

hosting a successful dinner party

Hosting a dinner party doesn't have to be stressful, but there's definitely an art to it. I love preparing a thoughtful meal for family and friends because it's a way to express how much I care about them.  As opposed to going out, hosting a dinner at home is more relaxing for guests and offers a more intimate setting.  Use these steps to help guide your own dinner party game plan.

summer garden pasta with creamy cashew-miso sauce + tomato relish

Last week my family and I rented a beautiful home in the Montecito neighborhood of Santa Barbara.  The house was set high up in the hills and overlooked the Santa Barbara and Ventura County coastline.  We had a pool, hot tub, BBQ, a breathtaking view (pictures to come!), so naturally we didn't want to leave our lavish digs. 

Since there were usually between six and eight of us for dinner, we wanted to plan meals that were simple and could feed a large group of people.  I scoured through some of my favorite cookbooks to find some tasty, family style recipes. This pasta dish was adapted from one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks, Love and Lemons by Jeanine Donofrio.  Jeanine's recipe uses roasted brussel sprouts which would be delicious, but brussel sprouts really make my IBS symptoms flair up.  You can honestly throw in whatever vegetables you fancy and substitute ingredients depending on what's in season.  We easily doubled this recipe and had leftovers to take on our picnic lunch in wine country the following day. 

homemade almond milk

Summer is officially here...and so is the heat!  Hopefully you're cooling off at the beach, or staying inside with the air-con on full blast!  Did you know there are designated cooling centers around the Los Angeles area?

This year we've made a conscious effort to cut down on any waste we produce.  We avoid buying produce that's packaged and try to make things from scratch when we can. Our boxed milk alternatives have been one of the last things to go, although for years I've complained about the additives in these milks.  Even if you buy the more "natural" ones, they still have some sort of binder and tend to be very pricey.  I wish I hadn't waited so long!  Homemade nut milk, of any kind, is easy to make and tastes fresh and delicious.  And just one cup of almonds can yield over three cups of milk!  We calculated the cost of making our own, and it's under a dollar (about 78 cents).

no bake almond pulp, coconut + cardamom energy bites

I've been curious about making energy balls, but always thought they were more complicated.  But au contraire, they're quick and easy, and very forgiving as long as you have a mixture that is not too dry and tastes good.  You can get creative in how you choose to coat the energy balls--hemp seed, desiccated coconut, sesame seeds, cocoa powder, you name it!

The best part is that they require no baking and no extra accoutrements--they are the quintessential healthy, grab-and-go food.  Be advised: these suckers are delicious and easy to pop in your mouth one after the other, so pace yourself.

how to make pour over coffee

In the last three years Joshua and I have become somewhat of coffee aficionados.  The specificity for our coffee has sparked comments from our family that we are annoyingly picky. Sometimes I long for the good old days when we weren't so particular--any decent cup of coffee from Peet's or Whole Foods would do.  Nowadays, when we go on road trips, we lug along our various coffee accoutrements--we even have a portable hand grinder!

Although the pour over method is more time consuming than an automated coffee machine, the process has become almost spiritual and an important part of our morning ritual.  The time and care that goes into our handmade coffee makes us truly appreciate it.  Not to mention, the taste is incredible.  Mmmmmm, just writing about it brings me back to the Kenyan Roast we sipped this morning.