Special Passover Meatless Monday: Coconut Macaroons with Winter Strawberries

Coconut Macaroons with Winter Strawberries

In honor of the forthcoming Passover holiday, check out my new "Farm to the Table" recipe on WeHo Patch for Coconut Macaroons with Winter Strawberries.

If there's such a thing as a healthy dessert, then this is it! These delicate, tasty treats are free of flour/gluten and refined sugar (they're sweetened with maple syrup or agave nectar). Although coconut has gotten a bad rap in the past due to it's high saturated fat content, the kind of fat in coconut is not typically stored in the body. In addition, coconut is high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

I paired these lovely little cookies with the sweet, vibrant winter strawberries that popping up are all over my local farmers market, but any fresh fruit works, too.

Here's the direct link to my recipe for Coconut Macaroons with Winter Strawberries

Family Portrait: The Diva and The Adorable Monster

Photo by Jay Brody

A little bit of Saturday fun for you -- here's a great portrait of me and my baby, The Adorable Monster, taken by Jay Brody, my brother-in-law.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon & Parmesan

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon & Parmesan

I just can't get enough of the gorgeous spring asparagus that's in season right now at my farmers market! It's thick, sweet, and juicy.

Here's my favorite way to cook it up. First, I roast it in the oven, which really brings out the sweet flavor. I serve the asparagus with with a light shaving of parmesan reggiano and slices of lemon. It's simple, elegant, and delicious. A great starting appetizer or side dish to any meal. Enjoy!

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon & Parmesan
serves 4 people
cooking time: about 20 minutes
vegetarian, gluten-free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of asparagus, tips snapped off
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• parmesan reggiano for grating
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Place the asparagus in a roasting pan and top with the olive oil. 
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
4. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the asparagus is lightly caramelized and tender, but not overcooked.
5. Remove from the oven and arrange the asparagus on a serving platter. 
6. Grate some parmesan reggiano on top and garnish with the lemon wedges.

Source for Ingredients

• asparagus and lemons from the West Hollywood Farmers Market 
• parmesan reggiano from Trader Joe's

Celebrate Denny's Baconalia with Bacon Brownies with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Bacon Brownies with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

There are few things I love more than bacon (just check out my posts about Zingerman's Bacon of the Month Club).

So when I heard that Denny's recently launched Baconalia, their menu honoring all things bacon, I jumped at the chance to share my favorite bacon recipe. While I love using bacon in a variety of ways -- from throwing it into breakfast scrambles, to cooking it with corn and lima beans in a succotash, to sous vide cooking pork tenderloin in bacon fat -- my favorite is recipe is a dessert.

I love combining bacon, chocolate, and caramel (Denny's has a new Bacon Maple Sundae, so they're on the same wavelength).

Meatless Monday: Baby Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Baby Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

For this special edition of Meatless Monday, click on over to West Hollywood Patch to view my recipe for Baby Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette.

This lovely salad combined roasted baby beets with a Greek-style goat's milk feta cheese, organic mixed baby greens, and sunflower seeds. The whole salad is topped with a light citrus vinaigrette. It's a healthy, delicious recipe that's perfect for lunch or a starting appetizer for a dinner party.

Going forward, I'll be writing a regular column called "Farm to the Table" for Patch featuring weekly recipes based on my finds at the West Hollywood Farmers Market. So stay tuned -- I have some great stuff planned!

Here's my recipe for Baby Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette