Fusilli Pasta with White Beans, Cherry Tomatoes & Wild Arugula (Gluten Free)

So... I made this for dinner last night.

And it turned out so fabulous!

It was one of those great moments where I was working with the dregs of my last grocery store run, combing through the cupboard. What can I make with this stuff? I always keep a quality gluten free pasta on hand for just such cooking emergencies. This is a new one I tried out last night and really loved—Bionaturae Organic Fusilli. It had the texture of "normal" pasta and held up well.

So that was a start. Then I sorted through the last of my veggies:

Organic heirloom cherry tomates
Organic yellow bell pepper
Organic wild arugula

That had the makings of a tasty pasta. I grabbed a can of organic white beans. I love throwing them into pasta because of their great, creamy texture. Plus, they add some protein to veggie meals. Other cupboard staples include garlic, chili flakes, extra virgin olive oil, white wine and parmesan reggiano.

The final ingredient?

Some fresh basil clipped from the plant on my porch, which miraculously hasn't died yet. There you have it. Now here's how I threw it all together to make this tasty little dish.

Fusilli Pasta with White Beans, Cherry Tomatoes & Wild Arugula (Gluten Free)
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
Vegan (if served without cheese); gluten free

Ingredients
1 bag of fusilli pasta (12 oz.), cooked per package instructions
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
pinch of chili flakes
1 yellow, red or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups wild or baby arugula, tightly packed
1 can white beans (15 oz.), drained and rinsed with cool water
1/2 cup dry white wine
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)
grated parmesan reggiano for garnishing (optional)

Directions
1. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes, and stir for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and bell pepper and continue to cook, until beginning to soften (about five minutes). Then add the arugula and cook for another minute or so, until beginning to wilt. Add the white beans, stirring to combine, and cook for another minute.

2. Add the white wine to the pan and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. Toss the pasta with the vegetable and bean mixture, adding a little reserved pasta cooking water if needed to create a little sauce.

4. To serve, spoon the pasta into bowls and top with grated parmesan. Enjoy!

Curried Heirloom Carrot Soup

Still winter... though you wouldn't know it based on the SoCal weather!

Even so, I've been in winter comfort food mode. One of my favorite things to make this time of year is root vegetable dishes. I always keep carrots stored away. They're such handy ingredients in so many different dishes. Check out these beautiful organic heirloom carrots.

I whipped them up for lunch, turning them into a lovely little soup. This soup is vegan—instead of cream, I add a few peeled potatoes to give it a creaminess. Though I did serve it with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt (totally optional). Curry powder gives the soup an unexpected twist.

Did I mention this recipe is easy peasy?

And it's hearty enough to be the centerpiece to a meal. Keeps great in the fridge, and it's even better the next day, if I so say so myself. What else is there to say?

Curried Heirloom Carrot Soup
Serves 4 to 6 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock (plus more for desired thickness)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
about 1 tablespoon maple syrup (possibly more to taste depending on the sweetness of the carrots)
salt and freshly ground pepper
good olive oil for drizzling
creme fraiche or plain Greek yogurt for garnishing (optional)

Directions
1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until softened (about five minutes). Add the garlic and curry powder and saute for another minute, or until fragrant. Add the carrots, potatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil and then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about twenty minutes.

2. Remove from heat and puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer to a regular blender and puree in batches. Season to taste with maple syrup (for extra sweetness), salt, and pepper. Note: more stock may be added to achieve desired consistency.

3. To serve ladle the soup into bowels and drizzle with good olive oil. Top with a dollop of creme fraiche or plain Greek yogurt if desired. Enjoy!

Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Patties

Happy new year!

May we all have a fantastic 2015, filled with cooking and great food!

I've been meaning to share this recipe. It's an updated version of my Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Burgers. A little easier than the original. I can't stop making these suckers. They can be eaten by themselves, or foisted onto a bun and eaten like a veggie burger. They're chocked full of healthy ingredients, like kale and sweet potato.

They're also kind of "anything but the kitchen sink" recipe. You can substitute in any vegetables you want to play around with. In this recipe, I mention adding flax or hemp seeds, but I've also made them with pumpkin seeds. You can change it up however you like. If you want to make these vegan, leave out the egg. And I make them gluten free, but you can use any sort of all purpose flour.

Seriously, I love this recipe! They can be made ahead of time, and they're great leftover, especially for breakfast with a sunny side up egg. Enjoy!

Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Patties
Makes about 8 patties
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Vegetarian (with easy vegan conversion); dairy-free

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa, prepared per package instructions
1 14 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 sweet potato, cooked and skin removed (this can be done quickly in the microwave)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup fresh kale
2 tablespoons flax, hemp and/or pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and freshly ground pepper
flour for dusting (I use gluten free all purpose flour)
grapeseed oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add the kale, chickpeas, and kale to a food processor and pulse a few times until chopped. Place the veggie mixture in a mixing bowl with the sweet potato, quinoa, flax/hemp/pumpkin seeds, cumin, and egg. Season to with salt and freshly ground pepper. 

3. Mix together well (I use my hands). Shape the mixture into individual patties.

4. In a heavy-bottomed saute pan or cast iron skillet, heat two tablespoons of grapeseed oil over medium high heat. Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, drench the patties in flour and then fry up until nicely browned, turning once. Transfer the patties to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. 

5. Remove from the oven and serve with ketchup and/or hot sauce. Enjoy!

Advance Preparation: The patties can be shaped up to 3 days ahead of time and kept tightly wrapped in the refrigerator until you're ready to brown them. They can also be made in advance and then reheated in a low oven or on the stovetop. 

Cherry Clafoutis (Gluten Free)

In case you missed the memo...

...it's cherry season!

This short season only lasts three weeks. I may have been overdoing it slightly. My husband came home last week with an enormous bowl of cherries. They were a

mix of Bing and Rainier, super sweet and tart and amazing. We ate as many as we could over the weekend, but it quickly became clear that something else had to be done with all these cherries.

Enter the clafoutis!

I have my own recipe that I make from time to time when I want to whip together a quick, yet delicious desert. I've made it with blackberries (you can see the recipe here). But this week, I made it with cherries. That's the classic way to make clafoutis.

My recipe is gluten free (though you can use regular flour if you desire). It's also milk free, though you can use regular milk if you'd like. I do use butter in the recipe, but you can substitute nondairy butter like Earth Balance if you'd like.

Did you know that cherries have tons of health benefits? You can read about a few of them here. The clafoutis came out delicious! So enjoy...

Cherry Clafoutis 
Serves about 6 people
Cooking time: 50 minutes (including baking time)
Gluten free; vegetarian

Ingredients
1/2 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pits removed
confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9-inch gratin dish. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and a pinch of salt.  Whisk in the eggs, butter and lemon zest until smooth. Add the almond milk and whisk until light and very smooth (about 3 minutes). Pour the batter into the gratin dish and add the cherries.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the clafoutis is set and golden. Let cool slightly. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired and cut into wedges. Enjoy!

Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend. I've had some excellent meals—Park's BBQ (my fave Korean BBQ joint), Hungry Cat (killer fresh seafood), and last night we dined at Night + Market (super spicy amazing Thai). It wouldn't be a holiday without excellent eating, right?

After I returned from Italy, I made this soup as part of my post-trip detox. I shared photos on FaceBook and received many recipe requests. 

So... here it is!

My Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup. It's a nice variation on traditional broccoli soup, which is usually loaded with cream and often topped with cheese. This healthier version gets its creaminess from potatoes (a very traditional Indian ingredient). The Indian spices and flavors like ginger make sure this soup packs a big bunch.

Did you know that many of the spices in curry are super good for you? In fact, I might have a turmeric addiction. I eat it every single day, adding it to scrambled eggs for breakfast and other dishes throughout the day. 

So without further ado... here you go!

Vegan Curried Broccoli Soup

Serves 4 to 6 people

Cooking time: about 30 minutes

Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

2 bunches of broccoli

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

4 cups vegetable stock
1 russet potato, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons curry powder

salt and freshly ground pepper

pinch of chili flakes (optional)

chopped cilantro for garnishing (optional)

Directions1. Remove the tough lower stalks from the broccoli. Roughly chop the florets and stalks. 

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until beginning to soften, about five minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chili flakes (optional), and curry powder. Stir to combine and cook for another two minutes.

3. Add the stock and potato and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for about fifteen to twenty minutes, or until the potato and broccoli are tender. Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. 

4. To serve, drizzle with good olive oil and top with cilantro. Enjoy!

Healthy Yogurt Dill Potato Salad

Summer has arrived in Southern California!

It's going to be 100 degrees this week.

Needless to say, I haven't been wanting to cook lots of hot food. I had some friends coming over for dinner, so instead of my usual roasted potatoes, I decided to make potato salad. I used a mix of heirloom potatoes, but normal red ones or Yukon golds will do. Other fun ingredients included dill and shallots. I like to leave my potatoes unpeeled for a more rustic feel to the dish.

This recipe is simple yet delicious.

My big substitution was using nonfat plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a lighter yet still yummy flavor. I often sub yogurt for sour cream. It's one of my recipe tricks. This dish is perfect of summer entertaining, or just a fun addition to lunch. I love it as a side dish with anything grilled.

Summer Yogurt Dill Potato Salad
Serves 6 to 8 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Vegetarian; gluten-free

Ingredients

2 pounds small yellow, red or white potatoes

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon or whole grain mustard

1/4 cup shallots, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup fresh chopped dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. To cook the potatoes, add them to a large pot and cover them with 1 1/2 inches of water. Season the water with salt (1 teaspoon for every quart of water). Bring water to a boil then reduce to a low simmer. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and add to an ice bath or rinse them with cool water. 

2. Once cooled, chop the potatoes into cubes and add them to a large bowl. Toss them with the vinegar and a little salt (the vinegar really brings out the flavor in the potatoes). 

3. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, shallots and dill. Add the dressing to the potatoes and gently stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with more dill and a pinch of paprika, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes: This recipe can be made a day in advance. The flavors really blend together that way. Keeps for up to three days in the fridge.

Vegetable Frittata with Red Chard, Cherry Tomatoes & Goat Cheese

Sorry it's been a little while since I've posted a new recipe.

I blame it mostly on my traveling. Forgive me. A few short weeks ago, I attended the 2014 Sirenland Writers Conference in Positano, Italy, where I studied with Meg Wolitzer (one of my favorite authors!). It was an unforgettable experience—the location, the food, the company, and yes, the workshop. You can read my nifty little article about the experience on Shelf Pleasure:

Click here for the link to my post on Shelf Pleasure

Me with Gina Fattore in front of the Positano View!

I had many lovely meals abroad, but I'm happy to be back home and cooking in California. I made this frittata before I left and got so many requests via FaceBook to share the recipe that I thought I should post it here. Frittatas and homemade muffins are my staple brunch items. Is there anything better? I tend to make my frittatas loaded with lots of farmers market veggies.

In this case, I used some gorgeous, deep green and red leafy chard and delicate yellow cherry tomatoes. I finished it with crumbled goat cheese and fresh thyme. I always make my frittatas in my prized cast iron skillet (bought years ago at Target for 20 bucks).

This recipe is a great base. Though I used chard and cherry tomatoes in this case, feel free to substitute any vegetable combination. I always let my ingredients dictate the dish.

Want to make the whole meal? These tasty little muffins complete the picture:

Click here for my Raspberry Walnut Kefir Muffin recipe

Vegetable Frittata with Red Chard, Cherry Tomatoes & Goat Cheese
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
Gluten-free

Ingredients
8 eggs
2 heaping cups chard, thinly chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 shallot or small onion, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots or onion and saute for a few minutes, until softened and translucent (about four minutes). Add the chard and continue to cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl and beat until the yolks and whites are mixed together and the entire mixture is slightly frothy. Season with a little salt and pepper.

3. Pour the egg mixture into the cast iron skillet over the vegetables. Place the halved cherry tomatoes cut side up on top of the egg mixture, gently pressing them down. Top with the crumbled goat cheese, fresh thyme, a little salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.

4. Continue cooking stove top for a few minutes until the frittata begins to set. Finish the frittata under the broiler until cooked through. Enjoy!

Raspberry Walnut Kefir Muffins (Gluten Free)

Happy Monday!

I had a fun and delicious weekend that included dinner at Pace Restaurant (yum) and a trip to the Studio City Farmers Market yesterday. I snapped up a lot of great items, from local fresh fish and shrimp, to sugar snap peas and spiky artichokes, to gluten-free buckwheat bread. 

But onto this week's recipe...

My new favorite ingredient is... kefir!

It's fermented milk made with a yeast and bacteria starter, kind of like yogurt. It contains healthy probiotics, yeasts, enzymes... all that good stuff. Sometimes I make smoothies or drink it with a little raw honey. It's also a great substitute for buttermilk in any recipe and has a nice tangy flavor.

I've been baking it into cornbread, and just this weekend I made Raspberry Walnut muffins with it. Boy, were they tasty! Moist and tangy and delicious! The flour mix for my gluten free muffins is the same as my gluten free cornbread (1 cup cornmeal and 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour). 

I made these muffins with raspberries and walnuts, but you can let your imagination run wild and create all kinds of flavor combinations of fruit and nuts (or even dark chocolate chips if you're feeling feisty).

Raspberry Walnut Kefir Muffins (Gluten Free)

Makes about 7 muffins

Baking time 20-25 minutes

Vegetarian; gluten free

Ingredients

1 cup gluten free cornmeal
1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 cup unsweetened kefir
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or regular milk
1/4 cup olive oil or coconut oil (melted)
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl (cornmeal, flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder). In a separate bowl, beat the egg. Then mix in the maple syrup, kefir, milk, and oil with the egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until combined, but be careful not to over beat the mix. Fold in the raspberries and walnuts.

3. Grease a muffin tin. Pour the mix into the muffin slots and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with butter. Enjoy!

Quick Curried Carrot Soup (Vegan)

I've been in a soup-making mode...

I love it for lunch. I love it for dinner. Leftover the next day?

Even better as the flavors soak together. I've been into vegan purees lately using my immersion blender. I swear there's nothing easier to have in your cooking repertoire than vegan purees. They're so tasty—so seemingly fancy—yet so simple that they impress at dinner parties.

Feeling a little under the weather?

Soups are healing for the throat and the winter-weary soul.

Another great tip?

Serve them with a quick cast iron skillet cornbread. I make mine gluten-free and with fresh blackberries (frozen would work great too). Soup and cornbread are a hearty, healthy complete meal.

I almost always have bags of baby carrots in my fridge. They're a great snack, especially with hummus. But they're also great roasted (check out my recipe for Honey Rosemary Baby Carrots) or pureed into a quick soup. Of course, you can use normal-sized carrots too. It's just a bit more prep work peeling and chopping them. The only other big ingredient is a bit of curry powder. The spicy, gingery flavor gives this soup and little bit of added flare. It also comes out of the pantry.

I make this soup all the time. It's basically one of my pantry staples. So I thought I'd finally photograph and write it up for you lovely readers.

You can also swap out carrots for butternut squash in this recipe for a different sort of soup. A great tip—Trader Joe's sells peeled and cubed butternut squash that takes the work out of the prep.

Serve with Gluten Free Blackberry Cornbread

Quick Curried Carrot Soup (Vegan)
Serves 4 to 6 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients
1 pound baby carrots
4 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon curry powder (or more to taste)
1 bunch fresh thyme tied together with kitchen twine or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
good olive oil for drizzling

Directions
1. Place the carrots, garlic cloves, stock, and thyme into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.

2. Remove from heat and fish out the bunch of thyme if using fresh thyme. Stir in the curry powder and maple syrup. Puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer to a regular blender and puree in batches. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Note: more stock or water may be added to achieve desired consistency.

3. To serve ladle the soup into bowels and drizzle with good olive oil. If desired garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Blackberry Cornbread

I use Grammarly for proofreading because I'd rather be proofing dough than proofing blog posts.

For this Monday, I thought I'd share my recipe for Gluten Free Blackberry Cornbread. Over the weekend, inspiration struck. I wanted something with dinner that felt decadent with my blackberries, but not too dessert-like. 

Adding them to cornbread baked in my cast iron skillet seemed like the perfect match. This cornbread works great as a side dish to any meal, but especially chili or soups. The leftover slices are yummy for breakfast the next day too.

Gluten Free Blackberry Cornbread
Prep time: 10 minutes; Baking time: 25 minutes
Serves about 4-6 people
Gluten free; vegetarian

Ingredients
1 cup gluten free cornmeal
1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 cup milk or unsweetened almond or rice milk
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh blackberries

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl (cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder). In a separate bowl, beat the egg. Then mix in the maple syrup, milk, and olive oil with the egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until combined, but be careful not to over beat the mix. Fold in the blackberries.

3. Grease a pyrex dish or cast iron skillet. Pour the mix into the dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve with butter. Enjoy!

Honey Rosemary Baby Carrots

Happy September... though it doesn't feel like fall here at all. It still feels like the peak of summer in Southern California. Even so, I've been wanting to eat more fall flavors.

What's more fall-like than root vegetables?

I roasted baby carrots with olive oil and sprigs of rosemary, and then tossed them with a smidgeon of honey. The resulting dish, though simple, was quite wonderful. The sweet honey and herbaceous rosemary flavors really compliment the tender carrots. This little side dish is sure to impress, perfect for the fall season and for the upcoming winter holidays.

Honey Rosemary Roasted Baby Carrots
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
Vegetarian; gluten-free

Ingredients
1 pound baby carrots (1 bag)
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon honey

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Toss the carrots with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet with rosemary sprigs. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until tender and browned.

3. Remove from the oven and pick out the rosemary sprigs (you may use them for garnishing if desired). Toss the carrots with honey. Check seasoning (salt and pepper). Enjoy!

Summer Gazpacho with Feta (Gluten Free)

Summer is in full swing... and tomatoes are coming on strong.

(So is corn by the way... check out my corn on the cob recipe in Parade Magazine)

I just celebrated my birthday over the weekend (the big 34) with a low key celebration. My hubby got me some fantastic gifts. Caught the horror film The Conjuring (I'm a sucker for a scary movie) and dinner at a little place called Rascal (I'm obsessed with their curry flavored tater tots). I can't believe it's already August—this year has flown by!

When the temperatures soars, I love to make chilled gazpacho. Traditionally prepared with bread, this recipe forgoes that glutenous ingredient. I just blend fresh vegetables with a little balsamic vinegar and serve it with extra virgin olive oil and feta cheese for the perfect summer treat.

Summer Gazpacho with Feta (Gluten Free)
Serves 4 people
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus about one hour chilling time)
Vegetarian; gluten-free

Ingredients
4 cups tomatoes, quartered
1 cup cucumbers, roughly chopped
2 bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
1 medium red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled

1 jalapeño, halved and seeded (optional)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

for garnishing:
extra virgin olive oil
feta cheese (I prefer goat's milk feta)
fresh cracked pepper

Directions
1. Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, jalapeño, red onion, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil in a blender and puree until combined but still a little chunky. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

2. Chill the soup for at least an hour in the refrigerator (may be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge).

3. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Crumble some feta cheese on top and drizzle with olive oil. Finish with a little fresh cracked pepper. Enjoy!

Fox News Features My Recipe For Chickpea Quinoa Burgers

So I woke up this morning... and checked my blog traffic.

It was a tad elevated, so I checked where people were coming from and realized that Fox News is featuring my recipe for Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Burgers on their website. It's also been featured by Meatless Monday and was included in their Meatless Burger E-Cookbook. The version published here is vegan, but feel free to add one egg white to the mix in order to bind them together better.

And if you feel up to it... hop over and help get the rating up on the recipe!

I guess people aren't loving the meatless burger concept over there?

Here's the link to my recipe on Fox News!

Black Bean Spinach Pepper Potatoes

Wishing you a delicious Monday!

Ever have leftover baked potatoes and wonder what to do with them?

They just sit around unhappily in the fridge.

This happens frequently in my household. I love to fry them up in my cast iron skillet with spinach, bell peppers and black beans. I often top this hash with salsa for a delicious vegan lunch. It's also great with a sunny side up egg for breakfast, or served with fish or meat for dinner. You can whip this dish up from scratch by simply precooking some potatoes in the microwave or oven first. 

Black Bean Spinach Pepper Potatoes

Serves 2 people

Gluten-free; vegan

Cooking time: about 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 large russet potato, cooked and chopped

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

3 cups baby spinach

1 14 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

salsa for garnishing (optional)

fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cumin reduce the heat to medium. Saute for one minute until fragrant. Add the peppers and potatoes and cook until the peppers are beginning to soften (about three to four minutes). 

2. Add the baby spinach and quickly wilt. Fold in the beans and cook for another few minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Serve topped with fresh salsa or chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Cherry Almond Roasted Cauliflower

Rainy Los Angeles endures...

...but I kind of enjoy it. This is our version of winter, I suppose, and I shouldn't complain. Only the Adorable Monster's fluff does not do so well in the rain. No dog park runs for him lately. He's currently snoozing on the sofa, the first of many naps he'll take today.

My day consists of revising. I'm hard at work wrapping up my new novel for my agent. Doing my final polish pass. I'd love to finish it before the holiday, so I'm hunkered down working a ton.

But I am still cooking—a girl has to eat, right?

Here's a delicious recipe for cauliflower, quietly one of the most versatile vegetables. In this case, I roast it in the oven, then toss it with curry powder, lemon juice, dried cherries, and slivered almonds. The resulting dish is spicy, a little sour, sweet, rich, and crunchy—all at the same time.

How can you say no to that?

While it works great as a side dish, it's substantial enough to be stand alone too.

Cherry Almond Roasted Cauliflower

Serves about two people
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower, cut into smaller florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup roasted slivered almonds
chopped cilantro for garnishing (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until tender and slightly browned.

3. Remove from the the oven and toss right away with the curry powder and lemon juice. Check seasoning for salt and pepper, adding more if needed. To serve, toss the cauliflower with the almonds and cherries and garnish with the cilantro. Enjoy!

My Chickpea Quinoa Burgers Featured by Meatless Monday

Divas, I have exciting news!

My recipe for Chickpea Quinoa Burgers is being featured by Meatless Monday this week (and my photograph graces their homepage). I also received great news that Meatless Monday is including it in a Meatless Burger e-cookbook that they're putting out. I will share more information on soon.

This is a great veggie burger recipe—free of soy and animal products. Also, it's super delicious. I make them all the time. The ingredients include great fall flavors like yams and pumpkin seeds. I first developed my own recipe recipe when I couldn't find a commercially produced veggie burger that I liked.  I love these burgers both with and without buns. They're great leftover too.

So enjoy—and remember one day a week cut out meat.

Here's the link to my recipe on Meatless Monday

Bourbon Caramel Brownies

Happy Columbus Day!

I'm deep into the revise on my new book, so it's not a holiday for me. But I'm hitting up a Florence + The Machine show at the Hollywood Bowl tonight. She's amazing—very excited!

The weather has also finally cooled off, making me believe that it really is fall.

For this holiday, I was thinking... chocolate... caramel... dessert...

I love these brownies and baked them recently for the Cookies for Cody charity bake sale. I just realized that I never actually shared the recipe, so what better day than today?

P.S. Check out my new feature article "The Career Path Less Traveled" for WHOLE LIFE TIMES! It also happens to the their food issue—you can download a free copy!

Bourbon Caramel Brownies

Makes 9 brownies

Baking time: about 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

bourbon caramel sauce

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup bourbon

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. To make the bourbon caramel sauce, cook the sugar over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and caremalized. Add the bourbon and stir to combine. Then, add the butter and cream and stir to combine. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce comes together.

2. To make the bacon brownies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. Whisk together the eggs, vanilla and sugar until smooth. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring to combine. Add it to the eggs/vanilla/sugar mixture and stir to combine. Then, sift together the flour and cocoa powder, and fold into the wet mixture. 

4. Spread the batter into a parchment-lined 8 inch square pan. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top (note you may not use all of the caramel). Bake for 20-25 minutes.

5. Let cool in the pan. Cut into 2 inch squares (should yield 9 brownies).

Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad

It's been a whirlwind of family and travel!

First up was Portland with my husband and his family. I LOVED this city—more restaurants and food trucks than I could count. I feel like I barely scratched the eating surface Favorites included Ox, Woodsman Tavern, and Salt and Straw for homemade ice cream in unusual flavors.

I can't wait to return for a more extended trip.

My parents just arrived in LA yesterday for a few days, before we all jet off to Hawaii. We'll be visiting the beautiful island of Kauai for the first time. We've rented condos, so we'll be cooking in residence as I like to call it. My chef brother is also flying out from SF.

Should be some yummy food coming out of our kitchen!

I will report back.

In the meantime, here's a great recipe for Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad. It's simple and clean, really showcasing corn in its purest form. I paired it with red bell pepper and arugula, with a touch of lemon juice and cilantro. This makes for a great side dish (I served it with BBQ chicken).

Late Harvest Raw Corn Salad

Serves 4 people
Prep time: less than 10 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
2 cups baby arugula
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
pinch of cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Place the corn, pepper, arugula, and cilantro in a bowl. Add the pinch of cumin, lemon juice (more may be added to taste), and olive oil. Toss well to combine.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!