How Do You Feel?

A silly question to ask if you guys like chickpeas, but hey, you never know! Some of you told me your favorite dishes and they sounded so good. The broccoli, chickpea, and sun-dried tomato dish sounded especially delicious! I’ve been loving sun-dried tomatoes lately, and I think crumbling cashews in that mix would be it for me! Yummy.

I recently came across a real purple sweet potato recently. I’ve gotten purple sweet potatoes thinking they’d be purple on the inside, but it is their skins that are rather purple and the insides are yellow (Japanese sweet potatoes). But this time I found what I had been looking for, and I wasn’t even looking for it then. Funny how that is sometimes. Actually, that’s one reason why I don’t worry about things.

Aha, purple indeed.

Speaking of potatoes (how often do I get to say that?), if you want to have your head go wild with imaginings then I think you should go check out The Peculiar Potato. Spuds, go forth!

A vegetable stir-fry with Shiitake mushrooms, zucchini, purple sweet potato, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.

Then I chopped up some green onions to make it taste a little less earthy aka like the ground.

It’s funny how I say earthy when it’s all food from this earth.

But even food from this earth can be bursting with lively flavors; take oranges for example.

There are no oranges in this recipe though, but this definitely has lively flavors going on.

I made Brendan Brazier’s recipe for “Dino Kale Wraps.” Lately, before my meals at home I’ve been really going along with what types of foods I want considering the feelings I want to get from them. Sometimes I’ll feel like I want to feel more grounded or cozy, and I’ll have something rich,warm, or smoky. Other times I want to be able to jump after I eat. I think you know what I mean.

This is a “jump after I eat” type of meal for me!
Doesn’t it make you want to jump?

Angharad’s adaptation of Moosewood’s Thai Salad  is a prime example actually. It’s got zesty lime juice, crispy tofu, sweet cold crunch from the red bell pepper and romaine, and the spicy creamy peanut dressing.

Now here’s a recipe that doesn’t look very lively, but it will have your taste buds dancing!

 I got this recipe from a friend I made at one of the themed potlucks I went to when I lived in Richmond. The theme for that one in particular was “keep cool”–you can imagine everyone was thinking of that on those hot summer days.

As soon as I tasted this soup I exclaimed at how delicious it was! And before my friend left I made sure to write down the ingredients. He was trying to clear out his kitchen before he was leaving for Maine so this soup might inspire you to make a something with random leftovers you may have, like rice! Since there’s no official name for the soup I’m just going to call it…

A Taste of Everything Soup Recipe by Brandon

It’s quite a long list, but don’t worry if you don’t have all the ingredients. This is a very loose recipe, so you’re just gonna have to go with your senses and estimate what you think seems right.

Ingredients

-Diced tomatoes

-Coconut milk (I used a can)

-Green lentils, cooked

-Rice, cooked

-Vegetable Stock

-Onions, chopped

-Garlic, minced

-Jalapeno, minced

-Zucchini, chopped

-Sriracha, to taste

-Honey

-Vegenaise

-Almond milk

-Shredded coconut, unsweetened

-Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring the coconut milk to a simmer and cook the tomatoes for a bit. Then mix in rice, and green lentils. Add the appropriate amount of vegetable stock by the kind of consistency you want for the soup. I like my soups thicker so I didn’t add too much liquid. Pour into blender, and blend. Leave that in the blender since you’re going to be adding more ingredients to it.

2. Saute the onions, garlic, and jalapeno. Then throw in the zucchini to cook. Once the vegetables are cooked throw them in the blender with the mix that’s already in there.

3. Then add the sriracha, honey, Vegenaise, shredded coconut, and almond milk if needed. Blend well. Lastly, taste the soup and decide how much salt and pepper you’d like to add, or if you want to add any at all.

This soup can be enjoyed warm or chilled.

Do you pay attention to how certain things you eat or do can leave you feeling afterwards?

For the Love of Chickpeas

Greetings, friends! I apologize for my sporadic posting as of late. A lot of things have been going on in my life, and not even my friends that are closest to me are filled in on all of that business. It feels kind of crazy actually, but I am well!

See!

For my blog I’ve been figuring out how to weave my backlog of things to share with you all so it doesn’t seem so random. Themed posts came to mind, and that’s the direction I’m going in for right now until things have settled more and the posts have caught up with my current life. Phew! I am starting to sound more like a strategist right now! Oh that is all part of my plan… not really. I think all the job searching, formal writing, and business matters have gotten to me. Anyway, like all good strategists I’ve got to get the job done! So onward with the post.

The title of this post is straightforward about my sentiments, and the recipes that you’re going to  want to make! Yes, you will want to make these.

This may be featured as a “Thanksgiving” recipe, but I actually whipped this up during the summertime.

Chickpeas were an unexpected ingredient in this recipe.

And did you know that allspice is actually a dried fruit?

I didn’t! Not until I saw this container of these peppercorn-like things in my parents’ cupboard.

So what was this mysterious (not in a cafeteria lunch way) dish I made?

Butternut Squash Mash with Mango, Ginger, and Allspice, which you can easily make veg-friendly by omitting the pancetta. If you love flavorful things, and want to taste butternut squash in a way you haven’t before then I suggest this recipe. It’s very easy to make, and can also be used as a love spell.

This pot was just big enough!
Another “warming” dish during the summertime as if South Florida heat isn’t enough.
African Bean Soup

The common addition of peanuts and peanut butter in African soups really does add something wonderful to them. This one in particular left my family wanting more. Luckily, the recipe makes eight servings, which can be eaten in one sitting.

I am, for the most part, not a fan of parsley.

However, Italian flat leaf parsley walks the fine line for me, and it crossed over to my good side in this tabouli recipe. I’ve also been trying to cook with different grains to add more variety to my family’s diet. They say consistency is key, but sometimes being so consistent can give people an upset tummy.

I added chickpeas, well, for the love of chickpeas!
Now for a sweet take on chickpeas.

I made Katie’sBlondie Batter Dip‘, and you want to know how long a batch lasted me? Let’s just say I managed to incorporate it into a lot of things…

Folding it into homemade strawberry-banana soft-serve.

Plus, eating it by the spoonful like it was pudding, you can imagine a batch didn’t last me too long.

I also made up a hummus recipe

Cilantro Hummus

This is a very fresh and flavorful hummus, which is just what I need to liven my tastes!

Ingredients

-2 cups of cooked chickpeas, reserve some of the cooking liquid*

-2 cloves garlic, crushed

-1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

-juice of 1 large lemon

-2 tbl tahini

-1/2 cup chopped cilantro, you’re gonna love it!

-2 tbl cumin

-2-3 tbl extra virgin olive oil

-atleast a 1/2 tsp of sea salt

*a big can of chickpeas can be used as well

Directions

1. Puree the chickpeas in the food processor, with about 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid to a chunky consistency.

2. Add the ingredients from the garlic to the cumin in the order in which they are listed. Blend until smooth.

3. Pour the olive oil and sea salt in the puree, and mix well.

What’s your favorite chickpea recipe? Do you even like chickpeas?

Traveling in the Kitchen

Oh gosh! There’s so much catching up to do! I’ve been back in Florida for a couple of weeks, but I have some things that I want to share with you from before I even left for Toronto. So get ready!

And hold on tight

Let’s see… how have I been enjoying the summer’s endless heat?

By making water a more refreshing beverage.

Slicing up lemons, limes, cucumbers, and a handful of mint leaves, and letting it all sit for a couple hours in a jug of water is all it takes.

One of my mom’s friends gave us mangoes from her backyard!

You can tell how delicious these were just by looking at them.

I’ve also been making smoothies.

 I made this particular one with Greek yogurt, honey, almond milk, peaches, and cinnamon.

Taste testing… not quite there yet.
Passed the test.
Yowza that was good!
I’ve also been loving strawberries in the mix.
Sadly, coconut butter is too shy to mix and mingle.
Of course I’ve been keeping up with my weekly batch of raw vegan treats.

I’ve recently made Averie’s No-Bake Coconut and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites and Kelsey’s Cocoa Coconut Energy Balls. Both should be under your bookmarks if they aren’t already.

I’m serious.
This may not be a typical cool summer meal.

I sautéed some yellow squash, crumbled tofu, and diced sweet potato with Bragg’s flavorful Organic Seasoning. Drizzle some coconut butter, and I sealed the deal. By the way that sprinkle has 24 herbs and spices that add lots of flavor. Even if I don’t know what to cook I just use some of this and I instantly have a tasty dish. Thanks to my old roommate introducing me to this it’s now one of my secret weapons.

Taken out by the poolside while the weather was hopefully cooling down (not by much).
With a nice cold glass of refreshing water.
Ahh yes… the morning is another part of the day I can enjoy outside without melting into a puddle of sweat…
And drool.
I’ve also made up a recipe recently.

Can you guess what it is? Himalayan Zucchini Bread! This is an eclectic loaf of zucchini bread inspired by the Eastern world and 101 Cookbook’s Special Zucchini Bread. Check it.

Himalayan Zucchini Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

3/4 cup almonds, chopped

2 1/2 tbl poppy seeds or even chia seeds

2 tsp lemon zest

4 peanut ginger chews, finely chopped

1/4 cup goji berries

3 tbl shredded coconut, unsweetened

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar

1 large egg, or egg replacer

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 zucchinis, grated

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour mix

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tbl curry powder

*Don’t be daunted by the long ingredient list*

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan, and dust it with a bit of flour then set aside.
2. In a bowl combine the almonds, poppy seeds, lemon zest, shredded coconut, goji berries, and ginger. Set aside.
3. In another bowl mix the coconut oil with the honey, and then add the coconut sugar. Add the egg and mix well. Stir in the vanilla and then the zucchini.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and curry powder.
5. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
6. Fold in the almonds, poppy seed, lemon zest, goji berries, shredded coconut, and crystalized ginger mixture by hand. Set a bit aside so you can sprinkle on the the zucchini loaf before baking to add a little crunch. Avoid over mixing the batter, it should be thick and moist.
7. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Don’t over bake it though to keep it moist. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for about ten minutes. Then let it finish cooling on wire rack. It’ll get moist and sweaty if you leave them in the pan.
Each ingredient is special in this recipe
That’s not all.
Wolfberries, also known as goji berries.
And somehow by the time this loaf was done baking I had flown to Asia and back.

So now that I’ve shared this recipe with you, here are some tips to go along with it. I soaked the almonds beforehand to add to the bread’s dense bite. I also thought of the recipes I’ve made where zucchini and almonds held hands in the most delicious way. I love coming up with kitchen experiments, being inspired by  places I want to travel to and let my mind go.

Check it out!

Now take a bite into a slice of this and you’ve got a spiced and moist bread, with some crunch and the most unique flavor.

Enjoy it for breakfast with coconut butter.

Recently, I’ve been letting a bag of green tea steep in a glass of cold water overnight.

And beautiful fresh mission figs, medjool dates, bee pollen, and honey over some Greek yogurt.
I hope you all have a relaxing weekend… 
Or one packed with adventures!

Being Treated By Others

Thank you everyone for the congratulations! And yes, I am very much looking forward to the future, and sharing it with you. The graduation ceremony is this Friday–whoa I can’t believe it. As for the coconut busting… I think you guys should give it a shot. Maybe let your inner Towanda out (anyone seen “Fried Green Tomatoes”?).

As I was walking up the stairs to my friends place I noticed something magical.

My friend had invited me over for lunch since she had gone to the farmer's market--look at the bounty!

She also brought back bread.

The woman who makes this bread actually grinds the wheat right before she bakes it, so this loaf was incredibly fresh!

Deliciously fresh, from the farm, and from the home.

The beets were simply steamed and drizzled with balsamic, caraway seeds, and sea salt. We made a dressing out of the cilantro with olive oil, balsamic, minced garlic, sea salt, and pepper. Lastly, the salad incorporated all of the different veggies she had gotten. For the bread we dipped it in a mixture of olive oil and black pepper.

At the store this drink caught my eye.

I remembered seeing this on a few blogs, and thought it was interesting. This KeVita drink tasted a lot like kombucha, and I went back to try another flavor: mango coconut and lemon ginger. I haven’t tried the lemon ginger, but I really enjoyed the mango coconut. The original coconut flavor didn’t do much for me though.

The nice thing about my step-dad being here is that we've been going out to eat.

I’ve talked about it on here a couple times, but I have a hard time justifying things when it involves spending money. I have no problem with necessities, but things like going out to eat are hard for me to do. I definitely enjoy it, but I guess I feel like I need my parents “okay”, since I’m financially dependent on them. I know that they wouldn’t say no, but I guess that’s the overly-practical side of me. But enough of that because the thing in life is that not every moment needs to have a reason. There are times to simply be. Let things happen. As Pablo Neruda wrote in the poem “Keeping Quiet“, “life is what it is about.

We went to another local dining spot called The Urban Farmhouse. I remember going there when it first opened back in February of last year, and it was nice to see that this place is frequented a lot. With inviting doors that are as tall as the cafe itself, and an open kitchen… you feel like you just want to sit back and relax. And then you pick up your plate of delicious food!

He got lox and cream cheese with fresh dill.

The salmon was so vibrant! Maybe because it’s caught the old-fashioned way with a hook and line.

Someone that works there highly recommended their strawberry and spinach salad to me.

Fresh organic strawberries and organic baby spinach sprinkled with healthy, fresh roasted almonds and lightly tossed with our Honey Lemon Dressing” I ordered some tofu to go with it, and a bread roll from The Flour Garden with some of the creamiest butter ever. They also have a big jar of the best animal crackers, so of course I got a handful!

Mmm roasted almonds make all the difference.

I've been inspired by the beautiful salads I've been having while dining out.

Here I made some yellow split-pea crisps to sprinkle on top of a very colorful salad. I just chopped up some red cabbage, summer squash, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and an avocado all over a bed of romaine. My dressing of choice for this salad? A dressing named for a goddess.

We also went to one of my favorite local restaurants, Ipanema. One of my friends was working there that evening so it was nice to see him, and he gave us his personal recommendations.

Housemade fettucine with roasted garlic, peashoots, arugula, pecorino romano, and pumpkin seeds.

This was delicious and worth waiting for the pasta to be done. Actually, I didn’t mind waiting at all. It was a beautiful day and we were munching on polenta fries with kalamata ketchup. I actually went on bought myself some pumpkin seeds after having this. I loved the idea of using them instead of pine nuts.

My step-dad ordered the chile-braised jackfruit huarache with pinto beans, salsa verde and crema mexicana with spanish rice.

He let me try some of his dish as well, and it was very tasty! My favorite part was the crema mexicana.

My friend got us a slice of apricot almond cheesecake to sample.

This is the place I go to with my friends when we want to have delicious desserts! A friend of mine loves their pies so much that for her birthday she ordered a whole one. I brought back a slice of their Mexican chocolate cake for my roommate to enjoy while she was busy writing paper after paper for finals. Luckily, she let me try some (I was hoping she would!) and it was very interesting. A little bit spicy, and kind of had the texture of a pudding.

The other night I pulled out the cast-iron skillet.

I had a butternut squash sitting in my kitchen for awhile, and I’ve had this recipe for these multi-grain butternut squash fritters bookmarked for awhile as well.

Beau said he finished his batch by eating them like a pancake with butter and maple syrup.

Yummy indeed.

What was the last tasty thing you ordered when you went out to eat? Or have you been craving something from one of your favorite restaurants?

Sharing the Sun with My Friends

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. It’s been a little while since my last post, and a lot has happened in the world, hasn’t it? Before I jump into my post I just wanted to share some links with you all that help towards the relief efforts over in Japan. When the news kept unfolding during the first couple of days my mind couldn’t help but wonder how the people in Japan were handling the situation. I know that Eastern thought is very different from the western mentality. While some in the west may be frantic, I had a feeling that the people in Japan were trying to be calm and collected about the situation. I think they already have a sense that the world is much bigger than they are, and that catastrophic things in nature are a part of it. Well, that’s just my thinking. Here are some links though that you all may be interested in:

Charity Navigator

American Red Cross

Search Dog Foundation

Direct Relief International

Last week I was in Florida with two close friends of mine for spring break. Oh my goodness, I wish we could all go back, but life doesn’t always work out like that. Atleast we have memories and pictures to look back on though, right?

We were ready to leave the cold weather behind.
A good way to use up the last of some Greek yogurt.
Pit stop for munchies.
Pit stop to escape a major creep that was harassing us on the highway.

We finally made it home after a lot of scary incidents. By the time we got my parents house all we wanted to do was go to sleep.

The next morning I woke up and I knew I wanted something refreshing.
Chilled oatmeal, diced apple, Greek yogurt, mixed nuts, and honey.
Papaya from our tree and an arepa de choclo from the local Colombian bakery
Then I found this gem in the cupboards.
My parents got honey from a local beekeeper.

This was one of the best honeys I’ve ever tasted. It was thick and had such a wonderful unique flavor. Whenever I get honey I try keep it local as it also helps with allergies. Later on we strolled along Mizner Park, an outdoor place for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

We stopped by a heavenly store.

As soon as I saw the words “Spice & Tea Exchange” I knew we had to go in. After oh-ing and ah-ing at all the wonderful blends of herbs and spices we settled on some to take home with us: almond cookie tea, blood orange smoothie tea, berry white tea, and black truffle salt. All of these things smelled deliciously potent, and my imagination started to get carried away.

After dinner we enjoyed some treats my step-dad brought back from the German bakery: cherry quark küchen and rhubarb quark küchen.
The next day involved the beach!
Packed some rye bread, homemade hummus, and some other goodies.
For dinner I made a cous cous, bean, and vegetable salad.

Add some goat cheese for the final ‘pow’.

Dinner was followed by spooky beauty treatments.
That was also the night before Matilda would shrink down to three times this size.

Despite it being warm, I felt like making yellow split pea soup.

You can click over here for the recipe. It’s simple and delicious.

Especially when you've got buttered rye bread for dipping.

One of my favorite parts of this trip was getting to hang out with some of my best friends.

They are the kind of people that are okay with sitting in silence, and don’t mind when I want to vent. Plus, they know how to have fun! Here’s a quote that sums up what I love about these ladies:

Your friendships should be low maintenance. Life is stressful enough with work, relationships and family. You don’t need someone in your life that you dread contact with.

-J. Harvey

Speaking of friends, I’d like to give a shout out to the beautiful, Jen! She used to write a food blog, and now she is back with a new blog! She’s also attending culinary school so it’ll be exciting to read about what she’s learning. Check it out here.

Oh and Matilda wanted me to show you guys her new look.

Stay tuned for the next recap!

p.s. my mother nominated me for a contest on Perricone’s site on Facebook, and I’d greatly appreciate it if you click this link and “like” my picture! But first you have to have “like” the Perricone MD page on Facebook. Thank you very much!

Homemade Eats

Oopsies! I have a correction to be made from my last post.

This was actually a new grain I tried!

My dad bought a box of buckwheat awhile ago and I decided to try it. This was delicious! It was much creamier than oatmeal because the grains are much smaller than oats. If you do try it, make sure to really use that amount of liquid it asks for and maybe even a bit more once it’s done really cooking. But this was satisfying to my taste buds and I enjoyed every spoonful.

Recently, some very fabulous and very inspirational ladies have passed something special along… the Happy 101 Award!

Now I’m going to list 10 things that make me happy. But before I list 10 things that make me smile, I just want to say that reading what your reasons to smile are.. they’ve reminded me how wonderful all of you are. Of course I have reminders everyday, but I just felt like I got to know all of you a little bit better through this award.

1. Music! I remember at one of my parties I overheard someone saying “this is the best dance party I’ve ever been to!!!” It’s funny because it wasn’t intended to be a dance party per se (actually every party is). Also, my exhange student and I’s farewell party before we left for Germany, there were enough people dancing that we all brought the temperature up to 80°+F.

2. Packaging. What can I say? I like to surround myself with aesthetically pleasing things, down to the bottle of shower gel. Actually, I put my shampoo in old glass bottles because they just look nicer.

3. Family and friends. I am very close to my family and I can pretty much share anything with them. I’m a horrible liar and there’s really no point in hiding things from them. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by such caring and non-judgmental people. All of you fall under this as well!

4. Random acts of kindness. I love witnessing little moments where people make someone else’s day and they expect nothing in return. It makes me think that this world isn’t so bad afterall.

5. Beautiful clothes. Fashion is a passion! Seeing clothes that can take my breath away never fails to lift my mood. Whether it’s something genius and  bizarre, or timeless and delicate – appreciating clothes is not hard for me to do.

6. The breeze. Every time a breeze goes by it reminds me to take a deep breath and slow down a little.

7. My bedroom. My bedroom is a haven and sometimes I find it hard to step out of. There’s a piece of me in everything in my room. Whenever people come into my room they always mention how comfortable it is and that they just want to lie around it all day. Hey bud, that’s my bed!

8. Antique stores. You never know what you’re going to find! It’s a place to let my imagination go wild and create stories for the people who these little treasures once belonged to. It’s especially exciting when you find something hiding all the way in the back of a shelf, dust it off, and you just feel transported back to another time and place.

9. Hellos. I’m not the kind of person who avoids eye contact when I walk down the street so when someone walks by me and gives me smile and waves hello, it makes me smile. Why should we just remain in our little box when there are millions… billions of people to greet!

10. Food. Let me be a little bit more specific… good food. I try to make the most of life and food is included. Who doesn’t enjoy biting into something delicious? I think people often think you have to be some master cook to be able to make something worthy of drooling. But this is not true. If people just put a little more thought into what they make or put together… they’d see how simple it is! When I go out to eat, I like to try new places that are usually local restaurants. I feel like more care and thought goes into the menu and if I’m paying to eat a meal I want it to be special and delectable.

And now I will tag 10 people: Neela, Maya, Gillian, Nicole, Sam, Lauren, Holly, Devan, Maggie, and Jess. Now it’s your turn ladies to write 10 things that make you happy!

Another bright breakfast

Peach slices, pomegranate arils, and granola over yogurt.

Fresh Mint and Cucumber Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette

Another winning recipe from ‘The Conscious Cook’! The tahini vinaigrette for this salad was incredible! It had a subtle sweetness to it and mixed with the nutiness of the tahnini.. yum! The salad was truly refreshing with every bite.

The tahini vinaigrette

My mom made an old favorite from Germany - Bratkartoffel mit Gewuerzsalz

Basically fried potatoes with seasoning – onions, paprika, pepper, celery, parsley, curcuma, cumin, caraway, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom.

Speaking of German things, we finally recovered the bag of missing chocolates my mom got from her recent trip!

The box of chocolates in the middle has three different flavors covered in chocolate and marzipan! A chocolate mousse, raspberry mascarpone, and caramel creme. I swear Germans make some of the best chocolates in the world. Isn’t that right Neela?

Bottle-shaped chocolates made of bittersweet chocolate – with a fine sugar crust are now world-famous.

Asbach, “the great brandy from the Rhine”, started making chocolates in the 1920’s when it was “unthinkable for women to drink alcohol in public places.” Did you know they are the only distillery in the world with a chocolate factory? Biting into this fine piece of chocolate and discovering that there really was a sugar crust inside… was nothing short of wonderful.

I took a shot at making a dessert inspired hummus.

I’ve read that some of you have tried this particular brand of hummus that specializes in dessert flavors. Well I went on to their website and spotted a pumpkin pie flavor. So what’d I do? I clicked more to see the ingredients and attemtped to recreate it! I didn’t have safflower oil so I use almond oil instead. How’d it come out? Phenomenal! It may be weird to say this about hummus, but it really livened up my taste buds and they were happily surprised.

Delicious with cinnamon raisin bread.

And with fresh cream cheese as well!

Freshest and most delicious cream cheese I've ever had!

And the freshest, biggest block of feta cheese. This is bigger than a block of tofu!

Chef Tal Ronnen's Summer Chopped Salad

I served it with chickpeas + tahini vinaigrette and buttered seasoned mashed potatoes with a slice of gouda cheese melted on top.

Green Bean and Fingerling Potato Salad with Miso Dressing

Green Bean and Fingerling Potato Salad with Miso Dressing

I told you I’m going to make as many recipes as I can from that book! The great thing about these recipes is that most of them are easy to make. I’m realizing more and more how simple and quick it is to whip up your owns dressings and sauces as well.

Old bay tofu cakes with pan-roasted summer vegetables, horseradish cream, apples, and beets

Now I didn’t do the pan-roasted summer veggies for this recipe because I didn’t have some of the ingredients and I thought those were more for some added freshness against the tofu cakes. So I opted for some romaine instead.

The taste brought me back to when I was younger and ate fish sticks - only this was obviously more sophisticated.

My next post will recap a very special event that happened in my life recently and I’m so excited to share it all with you! Until then, I’ll leave you with a sneak peak…

Hmm... what could it be?