Tacos w. Slow Roasted Cod in Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

This hobby led to my favorite meal of the moment…

At the bookstore I’m that person idling with 10 cookbooks at my feet, slowly flipping through one at a time. I’ll never take any of them home with me, but I like to grab flickers of flavor inspiration & soak up inventive ingredient combinations.

So, recently at the McNally Jackson Bookstore in Williamsburg I was flipping through Molly Baz’s Cook This Book when something caught my eye: a crunchy tostada, tender fish, a vibrant green salsa-ish. And I knew I had to make my own. That night these tacos were born and I simply cannot get enough of them. Don’t let the recipe intimidate you: it’s just a bit of easy prep work you can totally handle while sipping your favorite drink & chatting with a friend. The fish cooks in 15 minutes and then you’ll be happily feasting on these bright, spicy & creamy tacos that will (hopefully) blow your mind.

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Tacos with Slow Roasted Cod in Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

Serves 2-3

• 6 Tortillas, I strongly recommend Trader Joe’s Corn and Wheat Tortillas

• Hot sauce, I like it with Trader Joe’s Habanero Hot Sauce

For Fish

• 2-3 filets of fresh cod, 3/4 lb total

• 3 garlic cloves, grated or very finely minced

• 1.5 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil

• Approx. 1 tsp Coarse kosher salt

For Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

• 1 medium - large avocado

• 3-4 limes (sometimes they don’t render much juice so I like to buy extra)

• 3 small-medium tomatillos

• 1 small bunch cilantro (here’s what to do with leftover cilantro)

• 2 large garlic cloves

For Quick Pickled Veg

• 1/2 cup white vinegar

• 1/4-1/2 cup sweet vinegar, like white balsamic or sherry vinegar (rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or ACV also work)

• 1/2 tsp coarse salt

• 1/2 tsp sugar (any kind will work)

• 1-2 small Persian cucumbers, cleaned and cut into thin rounds

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

• 1 red thai chili, with seeds if you want it hotter, or use a __ if you don’t like hot pepper

Chipotle Mayo Drizzle

• 2 Tbsps mayonnaise

• 1 small can chipotle en adobo, usually in the International aisle of your grocery store (stored in a sealed jar, this lasts in your fridge a long time and is a powerful flavor addition for marinades, dressings, mayos and dips)

Turn your oven on to 300 F.

Take 3/4 lb cod out of the fridge to bring to room temp. Leave it somewhere cool in your kitchen, not cold but not hot.

In the meanwhile, let’s make our quick pickle. to a large jar add about 1/2 cup white vinegar and then fill the jar to the 3/4 mark with another sweeter variety of vinegar like white balsamic or sherry vinegar. If you have neither, rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will do. Pour all of your liquid into a small bowl.

To the vinegar in the bowl add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir well until dissolved into the vinegar (you can also do this in a small saucepan over low heat if you want to speed up the dissolving process).

In the meantime, to the empty jar add:

• 1-2 Persian or mini hothouse cucumbers, cut into thin rounds

• 1 small or 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

• 1 red thai chili, with seeds if you want it hotter, or use a __ if you don’t like hot pepper

Finally, pour your vinegar into the jar over the vegetables. If you heated the vinegar, allow it to cool before adding back to your jar.

Now, to make the avocado tomatillo salsa - the magic behind this recipe. Lightly oil a stainless steel pan, cast iron pan or cast iron griddle with a neutral oil (avocado, sunflower, safflower, canola, etc). Place over medium heat. Cut three tomatillos in half and two garlic cloves in half, and lay flat side down in your pan. It should be sizzling. Sear until browned, then flip and sear another few minutes on the other side. We’re looking to get browning on the garlic and a little char on the tomatillos (they may soften and that’s totally okay). When sufficiently charred remove from the pan carefully using tongs, set aside and turn off the pan. 

Get out a blender or food processor. To the bowl of the blender add large handful of cilantro with stems, half your avocado, juice of 1-2 limes (you can always add more later), and finally the charred tomatillos and garlic. Blend until smooth and then add a pinch or two of salt, tasting until it hits the sweet spot. This salsa should be citrusy and bright, so if you only used one lime consider adding another. Add to a jar and set aside.

It’s time to cook your fish: place your fish filets in an oven safe skillet or baking dish. Drizzle with 1.5 Tbsps olive oil, 1 tsp of coarse kosher salt (use less if you have fine salt), and 3 very finely minced or grated garlic cloves. Rub the filets with the salt, garlic and olive oil so they are evenly coated. 

Place in the oven and roast for 12-20 minutes, depending on the size of your fish filets. You want it to be flaky and tender, so try to avoid overcooking. If smaller filets finish first, transfer them to a plate and place on a plate tented with aluminum foil. When all of the fish is done, transfer it onto the plate.

While the fish cooks, your final steps to prepare:

• This is optional but really makes the dish spectacular so I recommend it. In a small ramekin or bowl, add 1 tsp chipotle en adobo with 2 Tbsp mayonnaise and juice of 1/2 a lime. Mix until combined. You could also use a pre-made chipotle mayo but homemade is way better.

• Warm your tortillas: you can do this in the microwave with this trick, but I like to warm mine over the small to medium burner on my stovetop carefully using tongs. Keep the flame low but not so low that it doesn’t reach the tortilla. It may need 30 seconds - 1 minute on each side. Look for a little charring and that it’s warm. Transfer to a plate as you warm the tortillas and cover with a clean kitchen towel or foil.

• Take the other 1/2 of the avocado leftover from making the salsa, peel the skin off the outside, lay flat side down and dice. Add to a bowl to serve with the tacos.

It’s time to serve. Uncover the covered fish and using a fork, gently flake it apart into small pieces. Drizzle with plenty of your avocado tomatillo salsa. Then build your tacos - a little fish, a drizzle of chipotle mayo, some avocado and pickled veggies. Enjoy this flavor train!

Tangy Carrot Salsa

Fight the battle against carrots that are shriveling in your fridge once & for all…

In my series ‘What To Do With the Leftover Sh*t In My Fridge’ I find easy culinary solutions for the pesky ingredients that somehow always find their way to the bottom (or back) of your fridge, only to see the day of light again once they’re past their prime.

This time around, the focus of my efforts was carrots and it took some time before I landed on the thing to save them from imminent death: carrot salsa. You didn’t misunderstand me - this 4 ingredient condiment is the thing you’ll be putting on your fish tacos & salads all summer long.

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Tangy Carrot Salsa

• 1 cup of thin carrot rounds from clean, peeled carrots

• 1/4 cup diced red onion, large dice

• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, leaves and stems

• 3 Tbsps of fresh lime juice, from 2-3 limes

• Kosher salt

• OPTIONAL: rounds of hot pepper of choice (jalapeńo, habanero, birds eye chili), Cubed avocado

If you are using carrots that have been lying around in your fridge for a while, you’ll want to revive them first by soaking them for a few minutes in an ice bath comprised of ice and water. This will give them back a bit of the moisture they lost while sitting in your fridge.
Clean and peel the carrots, and then cut into thin rounds (roughly 1/4-1/2 inch thick). A mandolin helps make quick work of this, but if you don’t have one, don’t fret — cut them by hand and don’t worry so much about your knife skills. This is a rough chopped salsa, after all. Do a large dice on a bit of red onion, about 1/4 cup. Finally, if you want a spicy salsa, cut a few rounds of your hot pepper of choice.

In the bowl of a food processor combine all ingredients with your squeezed lime juice. Pulse for about 15-30 seconds, just until you’ve created a rough chop. Don’t go too long or you will puree the mixture!

Empty into a bowl and season, adding a pinch of kosher salt and more lime if you like. You could even add some cubed avocado to this salsa before serving to give it texture and flavor contrast.

Enjoy with any meal you’d normally add salsa to (tacos, nachos, quesadillas, salads, grain bowls, toast, eggs!).

The Easiest Creamy Pinto Beans (Vegan)

Creamy, soft pinto beans are one of my favorite comfort foods…

This is how I make mine using nothing more than a can of beans and two cloves of garlic. They’re amazing on tacos, in my Shiitake Mushroom Burritos or just served as a side with some savory rice.

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The Easiest Creamy Pinto Beans (Vegan)

• 1 can Pinto Beans (I love Brad’s Organic beans)

• 2 whole cloves fresh garlic, peeled and crushed 

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Pinch kosher salt

To a pot add the entire can of pinto beans, unstrained. Add your 2 peeled & crushed garlic cloves, pinch of salt and extra virgin olive oil.

Bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer and let cook until some of the excess liquid has cooked off, 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the beans are not burning on the bottom.

Once the liquid has reduced, remove the garlic cloves and use a large spoon or spatula to crush and break up the pinto beans. This helps them to get even more creamy. Continue to cook over a lower heat if you want them even thicker. When they are done cooking, add fresh cilantro and stir. Salt to taste, mix and enjoy!

Spicy Burst Cherry Tomato Bucatini w. Corn & Burrata

This pasta is like Aglio e Olio got all dressed up for summer vacation…

I’m a sucker for something sensationally simple: perfectly al dente Bucatini generously bathed in spicy, garlicky corn sautéed in butter and cherry tomatoes burst in a little olive oil.

I know … it’s still August and asking you to turn on your ovens, even if to experience the joy of burst cherry tomatoes, may be pushing it, so do the job in a hot sauté pan if need be.

Give the pasta a little time to soak up the delicious flavors of the sauce and serve this room temperature - it’s seriously delightful and perfect for the last of your summer picnics and BBQ’s. Just make sure the pasta is al dente because no one like Soggy-Noodle-Energy. Serve the burrata right on top, on the side, or forego it if you absolutely insist (dairy free friends, I respect your choices).

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Spicy Burst Cherry Tomato Bucatini with Corn and Burrata

Serves 2-3

• 8 oz dry Perciatelli or Bucatini

• 1 heaping cup cherry tomatoes, 212g

• 3 crushed garlic cloves

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 3-4 Tbsp EVOO

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 corn cob, 1 cup of corn kernels, 120g

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 Tbsp butter

• 1/8-1/4 cup of thinly sliced hot red chilis

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• OPTIONAL: fresh basil

Preheat your oven to 375F. If you plan to burst your cherry tomatoes in a hot sauté pan, skip this.

Start by crushing three garlic cloves. Rinse your cherry tomatoes and place in a small baking dish (a sheet pan with high sides works, too). To the cherry tomatoes add your crushed garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 3-4 Tbsp EVOO and a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cherry tomatoes have burst.

Start a large pot with 2.5 Qt of water to boil, adding 2 Tbsp of salt so that water tastes noticeably salty. Cook Bucatini or Perciatelli until just al dente.

In the meantime, prepare the corn: remove the husk and silk from your ear of corn and cut in half. Stand each half up on it’s flat, cut side, and using a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the ear. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves and 1/8-1/4 cup of hot red chilis (depending how much heat you like and how hot your pepper is).

In a small sauté pan, place 1 Tbsp butter over med-high heat, occasionally swirling, until butter is very fragrant but not browning - 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili, allowing to cook for a minute or two, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add the corn and sauté, 5 or so mins, until corn is tender but maintains some bite. Add 1/4 tsp salt, stir and then remove from the heat.

Combine the cooked corn with the cherry tomatoes and mix. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Strain the cooked pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Let the noodles cool a minute or two before adding the mixture of burst cherry tomatoes and sautéed corn to the pasta. If it needs a little more “sauce”, add the pasta water and stir vigorously to combine. Serve room temperature, with a creamy ball of burrata on top, on the side or forego the burrata if cheese ain’t your thing! Hollow noodles aren’t slurp-able, but they’re so fun to eat.

Maple Citrus Plum Jam w. Ginger

Tangy, seasonal & sweet…

This plum jam recipe was born out of a collaboration with Fraiche Kiosk for their 2021 Seasonal Fruits & Vegetables Calendar. In July, plums are exquisite and now is the time to take advantage, so go on — get jammin’ [was that a dad joke?].

Print and digital copies of the Seasonal Calendar are still available here! 10% of proceeds from sales are donated to Rethink Food, a nonprofit working to reduce food insecurity in the New York area. Each month features seasonal ingredients, monthly recipes (including mine!) & Fraîche’s suggestions for a more environmentally friendly life.

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Maple Citrus Plum Jam with Ginger

• 2 lbs ripe plums, Empress or other variety

• ½ cup of maple sugar, or natural sweetener of your choice

• ½ cup water

• Juice of ½ - 1 whole lemon or lime, to taste

• ½ - 1 tsp raw grated ginger, to taste

Thoroughly rinse your plums, then cut in half and remove pits. Make sure there are no small pieces stuck to the plum flesh. Cut plum halves into quarters and add to a med-large sauce pot. Add water and sugar or other sweetener to the plums, and mix. Start the mixture over a medium heat. When it starts to simmer, turn down to a low heat and cook, stirring very often to make sure the sugars don’t burn on the bottom of the pot.

Cook about 45 minutes - 1 hour, or longer, until jam has reached desired thick consistency. Test thickness using an ice cold spoon from the freezer — when the jam sets on the cold spoon it reflects how thick the jam will be once cooled. At this point add fresh squeeze citrus juice , strained of any solids, and raw grated ginger to taste. Mix thoroughly. Let cool before storing in a jar in the fridge.

Basmati Rice w. Dates, Cardamom & Clove

There are few things more comforting than a great bowl of rice.

This sweet, savory, fragrant basmati rice is no exception. Serve it as a side with just about anything from vegetables to proteins, or add chickpeas and make this the main event, finished with a drizzle of yogurt and Tamarind chutney.

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Basmati Rice with Dates, Cardamom and Clove

• 1 cup basmati rice

• 3-4 dates, pits removed and loosely chopped 

• 11 whole cloves

• 2 whole cardamom pods, crushed 

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil 

In a pot add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 lightly crushed cardamom pods, 11 whole cloves and 3-4 dates chopped into small pieces.

Cook together for a minute or two over medium heat, letting the spices get fragrant. Then add your rice to the pot and stir to combine. After a minute, add 1 3/4 cup water to the pot.

Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked (follow directions for the brand of rice you’ve chosen).

Once cooked, remove whole cloves and cardamom pods. Add a pinch of kosher salt, mix and enjoy.

Plant Based Roasted Sweet Potato Queso-Style Dip w. Caramelized Onions

Seriously, who doesn’t love a dip?!

I’m obsessed with female owned nut milk brand Three Trees. When I worked with them last year I fell in love with their incredible, creamy milks and instantly knew it would make the perfect base for a plant based dip. I’m also going to recommend some of my favorite tortilla chips from Xochitl for their ratio of thinness to dip-carrying-capacity.

Yes, this is a plant based “queso-style” dip and I put that in quotations in case you’re someone who does not believe in veganizing: I would hate for you to miss out on this dip for that reason. It’s just a great dip trying to be great! Made with simple plants and lots of flavor, we start by roasting the sweet potato and sautéing onions. This may seem like an extra step but don’t skip it, please. The name of the game to great food is LAYERING FLAVOR. When we roast and sauté our ingredients, we impart them with flavor before we’ve even blended and seasoned our dip. You can do this up to 2 days in advance, and then blend up later. Come over and make the recipe with me here!

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Plant Based Roasted Sweet Potato Queso-Style Dip with Caramelized Onions

Serves 6-8

• 2 x medium sweet potatoes, 1 lb total

• 1 medium yellow or Spanish onion

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 small white onion

• 1/2 tsp cayennne powder

• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 2 cups Three Trees original almond milk

• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 4 Tbsps white wine or apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp chipotle Cholula, and more for serving

• Fresh cilantro

• 1 lime

• Kosher salt

• Coconut oil

• Olive oil

• OPTIONAL: 1.5 tsps corn starch for thickening

• Xochitl Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Preheat oven to 380F degrees.

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into rounds. Add to a mixing bowl with 1.5 Tbsp coconut oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Toss to evenly coat.

Lay sweet potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 mins or until golden on both sides, flipping halfway through. When finished, cut rounds down loosely into quarters for easier blending.

In the meantime, let’s make caramelized onions: take your medium yellow or Spanish onion and remove the top and bottom root end so that it’s flat on both ends. Peel off outer skin. Cut onion in half, top to bottom, and then slice into thin, half moons. Add all the onions to a large pan with a splash of olive oil. Cook 15-20 mins over low heat, stirring frequently. If the pan gets dry, add a splash of water and mix. If the onions are cooking too fast and burning, turn the heat down.

When the onions are significantly cooked down, add 1 Tbsp butter to the pan and continue to cook over low heat until they are a deep golden color. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a pot with a splash of olive oil, sauté 1  cup of loosely diced white onion. After a few minutes when the onion has started to soften, add a sprinkle of salt and 1/2 tsp cayenne, cumin powder, smoked paprika and chili powder. Mix and cook together another minute or so.

Then remove from the heat and add sweet potato pieces to the pot along with 2 cups Three Trees almond milk. Blend using a food processor, immersion or standard blender until smooth.

Taste and add a touch more salt if it needs. Also add 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 4 Tbsps white wine or apple cider vinegar and 2 tsp chipotle Cholula. Once all blended, place back in the pot and bring to a simmer, mixing frequently so you don’t burn the dip on the bottom of the pan. Once it’s bubbling, add a slurry to the pot to thicken - 1.5 tsps corn starch with 2 tsps water. The heat will activate the starch, thickening the dip, so continue to cook and mix for a minute or two after adding.

Remove from the heat and let cool a few minutes. Top with plenty of fresh cilantro, juice of half a lime, and all of the caramelized onions. You can even add another splash Cholula if you like. Live your best dip life!

Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry

Silky, creamy, coconut -y, savory greatness.

The best meals tend to be the accidental ones: one night doing my usual pantry and fridge inventory, searching for dinner, I found some coconut milk, a can of chickpeas and some leftover roasted sweet potato. Could it be a curry? Why not. And 30 minutes later I had this luscious creamy meal.

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Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry

SERVES 1

For Sweet Potatoes

• 1 Medium Sweet Potato, 8.5 oz

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

• 3/4 tsp kosher salt

• Heaping 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

• Heaping 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• Freshly ground black pepper

For Curry

• 1/8 small red onion, cut into thin rounds, 1.2oz

• 1/4 tsp ground allspice, or whole - 5-6 berries 

• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/2 tsp tandoori powder

• 1/4 tsp vindaloo spice

• 1/8 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp curry powder

• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• Kosher Salt

• 3 Tbsps neutral oil

• 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp finely minced fresh ginger 

• 1/2 cup coconut cream (full fat)

• 1 standard size can chickpeas, 15.5 oz

For Serving

• 1/2 cup basmati or other rice (uncooked)

• Fresh cilantro

• Indian tamarind chutney (I like SWAD brand, also available for purchase in NYC HERE)

• Your favorite Indian bread

First we will roast the sweet potatoes: preheat your oven to 400F. Scrub the sweet potato clean and cut into rounds, 1/4 in. thick, and then into quarters. In a bowl toss sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp olive oil. To the bowl add your spices: 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 3/4 tsp salt, heaping 1/4 tsp both smoked paprika and garlic powder, and a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper.

On a baking sheet, drizzle a little olive oil and lay sweet potato quarters out in a single layer. Place in the oven for 12-15 mins until golden on the bottom side and then flip. Place back in the oven another 5-10 mins until crispy all over. When they are done, set aside. You can also make the sweet potato 2-3 days in advance and refrigerate.

While your sweet potatoes are baking, get your rice over the heat with a 1 Tbsp of coconut oil, if you have, or olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. When done cooking, cover until ready to serve.

You can also work on the curry: cut your red onion into rounds and then into quarter rounds, finely dicing a little and setting aside for garnish.

In a ramekin or small bowl, combine all of the spices for the curry: 1/4 tsp ground ground allspice (or 5-6 whole berries crushed), 1/4 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp tandoori powder, 1/4 tsp vindaloo spice, 1/8 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

In a pot, heat neutral oil over medium heat. Add your ground spices and let them “bloom”, or cook, in the oil: doing this releases flavor compounds, and helps to distribute flavor evenly through the cooking process.

After a minute or two, when very fragrant, add onions to the pot, stir to coat and cook over a med low heat until onions are soft. Then add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly. Let them cook over med heat, about 5 mins. 

To the pot add 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp tomato paste, and 1 tsp finely minced ginger. Let cook a few minutes until the tomato paste is caramelized and brown in color.

Add 1/2 cup coconut cream and 1 tsp kosher salt. At the last moment, take your roasted sweet potato quarters and mix into the curry before removing from the heat to serve: having them maintain some of their crispiness adds a great textural difference. Mix and check seasoning, adding salt to taste.  

Serve over warm basmati rice. Finish with fresh cilantro and if you like, drizzle with this amazing tamarind chutney, which brings tartness and heat. Serve with Indian bread like naan.

Vegan Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos

A few weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with My Inner Glow. Founded by Kyle Somersall, My Inner Glow brings people together for inspired meditation based events.  When he initially approached me and asked me to cook for one of his upcoming events, I was excited to team up with him, and to put together a menu for the evening.   We started the night outdoors in a beautiful backyard in Kips Bay, Manhattan.  I served soccas, which are thin crepes made of chickpea flour, on parchment paper and adorned them with varying combinations of delicious toppings.  For the main course (wait for it...) we had tacos, which if you know me even on the most introductory level, will likely not surprise you.

I knew I wanted one of the tacos to be vegan/vegetarian friendly, so I decided to revisit a classic combination: sweet potato and black bean.  I deepened the flavor of the black beans with smoked paprika and lots of lime juice, and made them extra creamy by crushing them in the pot slightly while they were cooking.  I made the sweet potatoes spicy AND sweet with serrano chile powder.  And, because I am undoubtedly a condiment & toppings kinda lady, I topped this all off with homemade cashew cream, avocado, fresh cilantro, aleppo pepper and a squeeze of lime for good measure.  Ideally this taco is finished off with one of my favorite salsas, La Fundidora's Humo Salsa.  What is better in life than eating a warm tortilla jam-packed with deliciousness on a balmy May night in New York City?!? 

In the past year, the lowly sweet potato has managed to land itself right up there on my list of top 10 favorite foods.  Why?  Because sweet potatoes are incredibly versatile, satiating and tasty.  In this case, their sweetness perfectly offset the citrusy, savory black beans, and of course, I added some heat to them with chili powder, because to me there's nothing like the combination of sweet, savory & spicy. 

I am someone who loves to layer flavors and ingredients with contrasting mouth feel, so, of course, I added in yet another element: creamy.  Which brings me to another of my new favorite foods: cashew cream.  Insanely easy to make, delicious and dairy free, cashew cream has actually changed my life.  As a life long cheese and sour cream addict, Kite Hill's spreads were the first of the nut-based vegan cheese replacements to pull me away from my dairy addictions, and while this stuff is SO good, it's not cheap.  And while the cost of nuts can also add up, a bag of cashew pieces from Trader Joe's will cost you the same as 1 container of Kite Hill ($6.50), and will render you much more.  All you need is 1 cup of soaked cashews + water (which is free) to make more than 8 ounces of delicious, nutty cashew cream.  As I mentioned before with my Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pesto recipe, it really is an amazing tool to be able to make your own pantry staples at home for a fraction of the cost.  It will only take you a little forethought + 5 minutes or so to blend your way to cashew cream happiness!  And it's worth it - I promise.  

Tacos are best when they have lots of delicious toppings, in my opinion, so don't forget your garnishes, and feel free to add others!!  Grilled corn?  Pickled red onions?  The options are endless.  And of course, don't forget your salsa!!  My suggested salsa pairing is La Fundidora's smokey, delicious Humo Salsa, which I purchase at the Whole Foods here in Chelsea, New York.  If you can't find it, don't worry, Cholula works too!!  I like the Original flavor best, but salsa is a very personal choice, so do what feels right to you.  And most importantly, don't be afraid to eat 2 (or maybe 3) of these tacos in one sitting.

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Vegan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos

6 x Corn Tortillas

For Sweet Potatoes

• 1 Large Sweet Potato, diced

• ½ TBSP olive oil

• ¼ TSP serrano chile powder

• ¼ TSP cumin

• Heaping ¼ TSP salt

For Beans

• 1 lime - juice of 1/2 or whole, if half doesn’t bring out the lime flavor enough

• 1 can black beans

• ¼ TSP garlic powder

• ¼ TSP smoked paprika

• ¼ TSP salt 

For Cashew Cream ** PREP NOTE - You will need to soak your cashews overnight

• 1 cup raw cashews or cashew pieces - soaked overnight

• 1/2 cup water

• Pinch of sea salt

Garnishes

• 1 Avocado

• Aleppo Pepper

• Fresh Cilantro

• 1 Lime (for lime wedges)

• Suggested Salsa Pairing: La Fundidora Humo Salsa OR Cholula Original

Let's start by making our cashew cream.  Take your soaked cashews and put into the bowl of a food processor with a 1/2 cup of water and a nice pinch of sea salt (a high speed blender is ideal here if you own one, but a food processor works great too).  Allow the food processor to run for up to 4 minutes, or until the cashew cream is silky (it will take about the half time in a high speed blender).  If using a food processor, stop intermittently to scrape down the sides.  When the cashew cream is finished, pour into a jar and put in the fridge.

Next, you'll want to roast your sweet potatoes.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees while you get to dicing the sweet potato.  I like to roast it on a high temperature so that the sweet potato bits get nice and crispy.  Here is my tactic for dicing the sweet potato: cut into rounds, then pile up 4-5 rounds at a time and dice down into squares/rectangles.  Throw the diced pieces into a mixing bowl as you go.  Once the entire sweet potato is diced, add the olive oil and spices, and toss to coat thoroughly.  Next, you'll want to spread the coated sweet potato bits onto a flat baking sheet (parchment paper optional).  The key here is that the sweet potato is laid out in a single layer, without overlapping any of the pieces. This allows the sweet potato to cook thoroughly all over and get nice and crispy!  Put the sweet potato in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes check the sweet potato, and add more time if necessary.  The sweet potato bits should be golden and crispy around the edges.  It's OK if a few of the smaller pieces get burnt.  You can always separate those pieces after to avoid the bitter flavor.  When the sweet potato is done, put it to the side and turn off the oven.

While the sweet potato is in the oven, you can get the beans ready.  Empty the can of beans into a strainer and rinse off the liquid from the can.  Put the cleaned beans into the sauce pan add the spices and juice of your lime.  You can start with half a lime here, mix and then taste.  The lime should come through distinctively, so if half the lime is not enough, add the other half.  While they start to heat up, use the back of a big spoon (or a potato masher if you have) to slightly mash the beans.  You don't want a total pulp here, but mash until the texture starts to become slightly more broken down and creamy.  When the beans are ready, you can turn the heat down to low so that they stay warm.  If they start to dry out, just add a little vegetable broth or even a splash of water to loosen them.

It's almost time to build our tacos!!  Depending on how small or large your sweet potato is, and how generously you fill, the amount of tacos this renders will vary.  Grab 6-8 corn tortillas, and get ready to char them over an open flame.  Turn on one of the burners on your stove on very low, and grab a pair of tongs.  Put your first tortilla directly on the burner, hovering above the flame.  Heat and slightly char on both sides, about 45 seconds each, using your tongs to flip the tortillas.  Put the warmed tortillas onto a plate as you go.  If you don't have a gas stove, you can char your tortillas in a hot pan.

Once they're all heated, start by spreading beans onto each taco.  Next, top with sweet potato bits.  Add a dollop of cashew cream to each as well as 2 slices of avocado, a few leaves of fresh cilantro, a shake of aleppo paper, a squeeze of fresh lime juice and one of the two suggested salsas.  My favorite is the Humo Salsa, which is sold here in New York at Whole Foods, but if you can't find it, good old Cholula Original works too.

Watermelon Raspberry Juice w. Ginger, Lime, Mint & Cucumber

Nothing says summer like watermelon.

Okay, well maybe ripe tomatoes do, and cold gazpacho, and 8PM sunsets. But I digress. This watermelon juice from scratch tastes like a glass of summer and this labor day weekend, you’ll find me making a big batch and having it sans-alcohol first thing in the morning, and tinged with tequila come evening.

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Watermelon Raspberry Juice with Ginger, Lime & Cucumber

Renders roughly 32 oz. juice

• ¼ of a whole watermelon

• 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and cubed

• 1 knob fresh ginger, roughly 2 inches

• 10 raspberries, fresh or frozen

• 2-3 limes

• Handful fresh mint

To make this juice, simply run all ingredients though a professional juicer, if you have one. If not, use a blender or food processor and you can manually strain out pulp, which is only slightly laborious, but totally worth it.

Remove watermelon flesh from rind and dice into pieces that will fit into the body of your blender or food processor. Blend and then, over a large bowl, strain through a very fine mesh strainer, using a rubber spatula or just the back of a large spoon to press the pulp against the strainer, rendering all of the delicious watermelon juice. Do this a few times — you should be left with just a very small amount of pulp. Toss pulp.

Peel a large cucumber and cut in half long ways, scooping out seeds. Loosely cube remaining cucumber and add to the body of your blender. Remove skin from large knob of ginger and cut into a few pieces. Add a handul of clean, fresh mint and fresh or frozen raspberries.

Blend, and then repeat above process, straining through your fine mesh strainer into the bowl with your watermelon juice, making sure to completely drain the pulp of all liquid before tossing.

Add juice of 2-3 limes, depending on your preference and amount of juice your limes render.

Adjust to taste, adding more ginger, mint or lime as you see fit.

Enjoy solo over lots of ice with muddled mint and raspberry, or with the addition of tequila, or your spirit of choice. Cheers!

Warm Israeli Couscous Salad w. Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Israeli couscous is an absolute pleasure to eat.

There’s something inherently comforting about eating a hot bowl of soup on a cold day, and that’s precisely how I feel when I eat this warm Israeli couscous salad.  Also known as pearl couscous, this pasta-like couscous is plump and silky, with more surface area to carry flavor than regular couscous. And lest you be misled by my use of the word ‘salad’, there are no leaves involved. Only gluten-full globes of deliciousness with a mouthfeel I can only describe as delightful.

In this dish, simplicity is everything. Cherry tomatoes with sea salt and plenty of good olive oil are roasted until bursting, creating a perfectly subtle sauce right in the bottom of the baking dish. Cooked couscous is folded in and finished with shallots caramelized in chili flakes for a savory, spicy finish.  Not sold yet? You can have this dish cooked and ready to serve in as little as 30 minutes. This is one of those dishes that you are going to want to eat right off the spoon.  Be sure to eat it while it’s still warm so you don’t miss out on the joy of cherry tomatoes bursting unexpectedly in your mouth.

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Warm Israeli Couscous Salad

Serves 4-6

• 1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous (like Brad’s Organic or Trader Joes)

• 1 box cherry tomatoes

• 1 large shallot, or 2 small

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Dried red pepper flakes

• Sea Salt

• OPTIONAL: Manchego, for shaving on top

Preheat oven to 375. Wash tomatoes and put them in a baking dish with high sides. Make sure that the tomatoes are in a single layer. Pour lots of good olive oil on top and sprinkle generously with sea salt. The olive oil should cover the bottom of the baking dish. Combined with the juice from the tomatoes, it will comprise the sauce for your couscous, so don’t hesitate to be a bit heavy handed.

Once the oven is preheated, put the tomatoes in the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes. Now start your couscous in a small pot, and cook according to product specific instructions. For Bob’s Red Mill Pearl Couscous, add 1 ½ cups water to the pot with a sprinkle of sea salt. Bring to a boil and then add 1 cup couscous. Reduce to a simmer and mix before covering. Cook covered until water is absorbed, about 10 or so minutes. Remove from the heat, mix gently, cover and set aside.

While the tomatoes are in the oven, cut 1 large shallot into rounds (or use 2 small shallots). The more caramelized shallots, the merrier! Heat 2 tbsps or so of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots when the olive oil starts to shimmer. Turn down the heat and let shallots cook until they are starting to become soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add ½ tsp red chili flakes and a sprinkle of sea salt to the pan. Let cook over very low heat another 8-10 mins. When you taste your oil, it should have the heat from the chili flakes. Turn the heat off.

Once the tomatoes have been in the oven 15 minutes, take them out, give them a mix and then stick back in the oven for 10 more minutes, or until tomatoes are very soft with wrinkled skin. Once done, let cool a few minutes and then pour cooked couscous into the baking dish with the cherry tomatoes. Pour in shallots with chili oil and gently fold everything together. Taste for salt and add more as needed.

Serve warm. Top with a bit of shaved manchego for some extra pizzazz. This dish also tastes great after a day or two in the fridge, as the couscous continues to soak up all the delicious flavor.

Warm Black Sesame Cardamom Pudding w. Toasted Coconut

Can you believe this is my first published dessert recipe? Admittedly, I’m usually more of a savory gal, but when I was approached to collaborate with Three Trees and Learn From A Chef on a delicious recipe and fun, virtual cooking class, I could not turn down the opportunity. Their Black Sesame Nut & Seed milk is lightly (& naturally) sweetened with dates, has no fillers, gums or additives and gave me the perfect base for this delicious pudding. Infusing the milk with whole cardamom, one of my favorite spices, makes it feel really fresh, aromatic and nourishing. Also, did I mention this pudding is 100% plant based? In this recipe, we harness the magic of cornstarch to achieve a thick, creamy pudding and top it all off with a freshly toasted coconut topping. And as always, you can feel free to add anything else that makes your heart sing! I want you to make this recipe yours…

And in case you missed the live class, you can rewatch and learn the recipe with me here!

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Warm Black Sesame Cardamom Pudding with Toasted Coconut

1 Serving 

• 5 oz black sesame milk

• 2 oz full fat coconut milk

• 1.5 tbsp cornstarch, loosened with 2 tbsp water

• 1 dash vanilla extract

• 6 cardamom pods

• 1-2 tsp maple syrup, to taste

• 1 tsp coconut oil

• 1 cup coconut flakes

• Black sesame seeds

Measure out Three Trees Black Sesame Milk and full fat coconut milk in a measuring cup, mix to incorporate and set aside.

In a mortar and pestle, or on your cutting board, gently smash 6 cardamom pods to expose the seeds. Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Once pan eminates heat, add cardamom pods and gently toast, swirling around in the pan, about a minute until fragrant.

Pour in mixture of sesame and coconut milk. Mix to combine, and then let warm just until bubbles start to form around the edges of the pan. Then remove from heat, cover and let sit anywhere from 10-30 minutes, depending how much cardamom flavor you prefer.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, create a slurry: combine cornstarch with cold or room temperature water and whisk, scraping the bottom and sides, until you form a uniform, creamy liquid. Set aside.

Measure out 1/2 cup of coconut flakes for your topping. This renders more than 1 serving, so you can keep what remains to use in granola, on top of yogurt, or just as a slightly sweet snack. Get out a small to medium sauce pan, cast iron is great, but you can work with whatever you have at home.

Strain your infused milk through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove cardamom and loose seeds. Rinse your saucepan and dry of any excess water. Add the strained milk back to the pan and bring the temperature back up over medium heat. When the milk starts to get warm, add a dash of vanilla extract and maple syrup to taste and mix, gently scraping the bottom of the pan to make sure it’s fully incorporated. Taste and make sure it’s as sweet as you want it!

If your slurry has separated, give it a good whisk before adding. When your milk has just started to reach a gentle boil, a few bubbles coming to the top here and there, while whisking, slowly pour in the cornstarch. Your milk must be sufficiently hot for the cornstarch to activate. Once added, you should immediately see your milk turn into a pudding like texture. Remove from the heat as you continue to whisk. Add to a medium sized bowl and set aside to cool. 

While that cools, we quickly prep our coconut topping. In your pan, heat 1⁄2-1 teaspoon coconut oil, or neutral oil over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, add coconut flakes, mixing constantly to ensure they don’t burn. When most of the flakes have turned a golden color, remove from the heat and put into a small bowl. For a delicate sweetness, add a pinch or two of sugar while warm, and toss to coat the coconut flakes evenly.

Give your cooled pudding a mix before plating, to ensure a smooth texture. Top with warm toasted coconut, and any of your other favorite toppings, like seasonal fruit!

The Simplest Sauce Ever

I grew up eating this sauce. My mom always made it from scratch, imagining it just a little differently each time. I’d watch while she threw in a bit of this and a bit of that, until it tasted just right. While pasta can provide a canvas of opportunity for creativity, there’s something to be said for taking it back to basics. To this day, the sauce always starts with a few things: whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand (dangerously threatening any garment of clothes you’re wearing), garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and capers. It really is the simplest sauce ever, and rarely disappoints. This is an anti-recipe recipe: there are no measurements, and few specifics. Have fun, trust your intuition and remember, you can make this pasta YOURS: add whatever calls to you.

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The Simplest Sauce Ever

Serves 3-4

• 1 can Italian whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand (or whole fresh tomatoes, if they are in season)

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt to taste

• Fresh chopped garlic

• Red pepper flakes to taste

• Capers and a splash of the liquid 

• OPTIONAL: fresh basil

Start by roughly chopping your garlic cloves. For a whole can of tomatoes, I’d use 2-3 cloves of garlic, but adjust to your own tastes and factor in the size of your garlic cloves.

Start a sauce pan or pot over med heat, adding olive oil once the pan is hot. Next, add your garlic and sauté until fragrant, a minute or so. Then add your crushed whole peeled tomatoes to the pot and stir. Add an extra splash of olive oil, and capers with some of the briny liquid.

Lower the heat and cook the sauce down 15 or so minutes, allowing flavor to deepen. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste only after reducing. If you have fresh basil, chiffonade and add at the last minute before serving.

Serve over al dente pasta, or use for any dish that calls for a simple tomato sauce (i.e., Lasagna, Eggplant or Chicken Parmesan). If saving to use later, let cool to room temperature before packing up and storing in your fridge or freezer.

Roasted Vegetable Goat Cheese Enchiladas

Sometimes the best ideas come from a place of necessity, and when we least expect them. 

Although I took a bit of a hiatus from writing recipes, that does not mean that the cooking has stopped, and certainly not the ideas.  I found that I was deep in a place of “working” on my personal work because I felt I ‘should’, because I ‘had to’.  So I decided to take a break and return when I was ready to create from a place of joy.  By allowing joy to fuel my work, I not only feel more fulfilled, but also create work that is completely genuine.

On this particular Saturday, I woke up with a desire to cook something that was both nourishing and delicious (and let’s be honest, I also just had a hankering for enchiladas).  I had recently thrown together a chilaquiles-like dish using goat cheese and corn, and I couldn’t get the flavor combination out of my mind.  So I decided to elaborate on it: spread corn tortillas with goat cheese, fill them with sweet & savory plant-based goodness, and bake with more cheese on top.  What could go wrong?  Well, in this case, nothing.

The beauty of this dish is you can totally make it your own.  After all, no recipe is written in stone (well, OK... except if you're baking, which doesn't happen to be my forte for obvious reasons).  Want to take this dish all the way vegan?  Make it without cheese or use dairy free cheese replacements.  Not in the mood for beans?  Leave ’em out.  Prefer brown rice to quinoa?  Swap it.  Feel like adding an animal protein?  Go for it!  The only thing you definitely don’t want to miss is, well, this dish... 

It’s a perfect balance of sweet and savory, with bursts of sweet potato and corn balancing out earthy mushrooms and beans, and a smokey chipotle sauce blankets the enchiladas before they are baked with sharp cheddar on top.  When I say this is what dreams are made of, I really mean it.  This is ACTUALLY what my dreams are made of.  If you find yourself dreaming about enchiladas too, then get cooking because I promise - this dish will make all of your enchilada dreams come true.  It's literally, the whole enchilada!

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Roasted Vegetable Goat Cheese Enchiladas

Serves 3-4

• 1 medium sweet potato

• 1/2 cup loosely packed cooked white quinoa

• 1/2 med-large zucchini

• 1/2 large yellow onion

• 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

• 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed

• 4-5 Baby Bella mushrooms

• 1/4 tsp adobo seasoning

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Sea salt to taste

• EVOO

• Flavorful salsa of your choice (I used Brad’s Organic Salsa but also like La Esquina’s Salsa Roja)

• 1 small can Goya Salsa Chipotle or similar Chipotle Marinade or Enchiladas Sauce (not to be confused with Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce)

• 1 small log herbed goat cheese (or vegan alternative like Kite Hill Chive Spread or Treeline French Style Herb-Garlic)

• 2-3 slices sharp cheddar (or vegan alternative like Daiya slices)

• 6-8 corn tortillas depending how many you’re serving

• Additional toppings optional: Fried egg, sliced radish, fresh cilantro, avocado, Pico de Gallo, crema

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  We’re going to start by prepping all of our vegetables.  Remove the skin from the sweet potato and cut down first into rounds, and then down further into fourths.  In a bowl, toss the sweet potato with a splash of extra virgin olive oil, roughly 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp adobo seasoning.  Lay your sweet potato pieces onto a baking sheet in one layer, which will allow them to cook evenly and get perfectly crispy.  Bake on the top rack of your oven for roughly 15 mins.  You want the sweet potato to be golden and crispy, so leave it in a little longer if it doesn’t look ready after 15 minutes.  I do recommend setting a timer though so you don’t forget to take your sweet potato out while you’re prepping your other ingredients!

In the meantime, you can get to work on dicing the onion, zucchini, and portobello mushrooms.  If your quinoa is not already cooked, this would also be a good time to throw it in a pot and cook according to box directions.  To keep my quinoa nice and tender, I like to add a splash of extra virgin olive oil to the water after it boils and before I let it simmer.

In a bowl combine your cooked quinoa, diced zucchini, and mushrooms.  Keep your onion, corn, and black beans to the side. 

Over medium heat, add a heaping tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to a deep sauté pan.  Once the olive oil starts to shimmer and heat up, add your onions and let them cook down.  They should start to soften and become transparent.  Next you can throw in your rinsed black beans, corn and the rest of your spices.  Here I encourage you to add salt to the eye - trust your gut - but if you’re really unsure, start with a 1/2 tsp.  You can always use a spoon to taste and add salt later if needed (just remember if you’re cooking for others, not to double dip).  After 5 or so minutes of letting the ingredients cook together, add the quinoa and vegetables.  Stir everything together thoroughly so that you combine all the flavors in the pan.  You can turn the heat down a bit here so as not to overcook any of your ingredients.  This is a good time to give your filling a taste and adjust the flavors as needed.  Add more garlic powder if you love garlic, more salt if it’s bland, or more cayenne if you like more heat.  Then turn the burner off and put the pan to the side.

Prep a baking dish by brushing or spraying with a little olive oil (you can also use coconut or avocado oil if you prefer).

Now we assemble!  Before you start, notice if your quinoa and vegetables have become overly dry in the pan.  If they have, you can always add a small glug of olive oil and mix, to loosen it up. 

To soften your tortillas, dampen a paper towel and wrap around the tortillas.  Place them on a microwave safe plate and hit them with 30 seconds.  When you pull them out, they should be steamy, soft and pliable.  Now, taking 1 tortilla out of the paper towel at a time, we quickly coat (or spray) one side of each tortilla with olive oil, or your cooking oil of choice.  Flip over and smear the other side with a little goat cheese.  Add a few pieces of your roasted sweet potato and a tablespoon of your filling, being careful not to overfill your tortillas. 

Carefully roll, and place into the baking pan, seam side down.  Continue until all your tortillas are filled and rolled.  Keep in mind that it's okay if a little of your filling spills out as you transfer them to the baking dish - they don't have to be totally perfect.  You can always nudge the filling back in using a spoon.

For the sauce, if you cannot locate the Brad's Organic Salsa or Goya Home Style Chipotle Sauce (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Goya-Home-Style-Chipotle-Sauce-7-oz/199898824) that I used, you can also look in the International Aisle of your local grocery store for any red enchilada sauce and a salsa that appeals to you, and mix them to taste! You can also opt to make your own if you’re feeling really ambitious.

To mix, pour into a measuring cup 1/4 cup of Brad’s Organic salsa, and then fill the rest of the way to 3/4 cup with Goya Chipotle Sauce. Mix together, and then pour over tortillas as evenly as possible.  Place 1 slice of cheddar cheese on top of each rolled tortilla.  Place in the oven and bake on 400 for 20 mins, or until cheese is bubbling and golden.

You can serve with a fried egg to make this a delicious brunch, and top with any of your favorite toppings: radishes, crema, avocado, guacamole, pico de gallo, or fresh cilantro. The world is your oyster!

Homemade Roasted Red Peppers

Chef Tom Colicchio in his cookbook, Think Like a Chef, writes about the importance of making ingredients.

When I came to this chapter in the cookbook I was struck by the equal simplicity and importance of this idea. When you prepare a food, through roasting, seasoning, blistering, smoking, etc, before using it in your cooking or in a final dish, you find an opportunity to build flavor in a way that you can’t when you start with all fresh or raw ingredients. As a lover of condiments, which build flavor in a dish after it’s been cooked, I equally appreciate the making of ingredients. Roasting peppers under a broiler brings out their inherent sweetness and smokiness, and there must be a million and one great things that can be done with roasted red peppers. Once you make them from scratch, you’ll probably never go back to the store bought kind, unless in a pinch of course. So go ahead and roast up a whole batch of peppers to keep on hand. Put them on sandwiches, in salads, on homemade pizza and most definitely to make my Roasted Red Pepper Pesto and Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

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Homemade Roasted Red Peppers

• Red Bell Peppers

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

When it comes to roasted red peppers, surely you could use the store bought kind, but roasting your own is even more delicious and doesn't take long at all. Thoroughly wash and take off any store stickers from your peppers. I like to use Red Hollands, if you can find them. These are a beautiful bright red variety of red bell pepper, but regular works just great too. Turn your oven on to the high broil setting and let it heat up.

Cut the stem off the top of your pepper and remove the inner core along with all seeds. Place peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Once oven is hot, put peppers in. You'll need to babysit them a little bit from here on out: every 5-10 minutes, poke your head in the oven and check that the skin of the pepper has bubbled and gotten slightly charred on the side facing up. Once it has, use tongs or a clean oven mitt to rotate the pepper, allowing it to char on the next side. Continue to rotate and turn both peppers until they have bubbled and slightly charred all around.  Keep in mind - this does not mean burnt! You just want spots of charred skin - not a completely burnt pepper!

Once the peppers are done roasting, take them out of the oven and immediately move the peppers to a tupperware with a lid just slightly ajar, allowing steam to accumulate inside. This allows for the pepper to cool down enough to handle, and for the skin to become more easy to peel away from the rest of the pepper. Once cooled, take the peppers out of the tupperware and remove the skin. Cut into slices and your peppers are ready. Use immediately, or cool thoroughly and place in an airtight container in the fridge.

Herb Salsa

As a chef in 2020 it’s hard not to be inspired by Samin Nosrat. Her cookbook turned Netflix Special Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a game changer when it comes to thinking about cooking. Her food is a celebration of the very basic concept that great food can be made using intentional combinations of simple, high quality ingredients. She wrote a recipe for Basic Herb Salsa for NYT Cooking and I was very much inspired by that, as I stared at the heap of fresh herbs I’d been ignoring in the bottom drawer of my refrigerator. I made this version with the addition of scallion, less garlic and vinegar optional. It’s tangy, vibrant and of course herbaceous. I like to think this herb salsa is the thing you can pull out of the fridge to make just about anything look impressive: spread on sandwiches, over eggs, grains or chickpeas, or serve it with warm crispy bread.

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Herb Salsa

• ¾ cup Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 bunch scallions

• 1 bunch cilantro

• 1 bunch parsley

• Lemon zest of 1 small lemon

• 1 small clove garlic, or ½ med/large clove

• Salt

• OPTIONAL: Vinegar of your choice

Finely dice 1 bunch of scallions and put in a bowl.

Finely chiffonade, or slice, cilantro and parsley and add to the same bowl.

Using a microplane or extra fine cheese grater, over the bowl zest 1 small lemon and grate fresh garlic. When you zest your lemon, make sure to only zest the yellow part of the fruit and not the white, bitter pith which is just underneath.

Pour in oil and gently fold all ingredients together. Salt to taste.

Add vinegar if you want the extra acidity, but note that vinegar will dull the color of your greens over time. Refrigerate and use within a few days over eggs, added to salad dressings, or with these Charred Sweet Potato Wedges.

Grounding Lentil and Grain Salad

Is it a salad? A grain bowl? A soup?

It’s all three. Before I make a big batch of something, I try to ask myself: am I going to still want to eat this tomorrow, and the day after, and then maybe even the day after that? I find the best way to confront that is to start with a base that can be made into multiple unique dishes. Have this the first day as a warm grain bowl, all on it’s own. The next day, make it into a lunch bowl, topped with roasted chicken and/or tons of roasted vegetables, drizzled with your favorite dressing or a nice scoop of Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. Then, just when you’re getting sick of it, submerge in a bowl of warm hearty broth with a tick of fresh squeezed lemon, turmeric and extra black pepper.

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Grounding Lentil and Grain Salad

• 1 cup Israeli cous cous, cooked in 1 ½ cups water - or grain of your choice

• 1 cup red lentils, cooked in 3 cups water - or lentils of your choice

• 7-8 mushrooms (use any variety from white to bella to shiitake)

• Finely chopped parsley

• 2 garlic cloves

• Sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Turmeric

• Garlic powder

• Extra virgin olive oil

• OPTIONAL: fresh rosemary, labne or plain thick yogurt, lemon juice

For this recipe, you can make do with whatever kinds of lentil and grains that you prefer, or have on hand in your pantry.  The key is flexibility. If that’s the case, start by cooking whichever of the two that takes longer to cook, and cook according to package directions.

If you’re using red lentils and Israeli cous cous, start with the red lentils:

Rinse in a fine mesh strainer and then put in a pot with the water, a sprinkle of sea salt, 2 whole peeled garlic cloves and roughly ½ teaspoon turmeric.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender and liquid is cooked off, 15-20 minutes.  Red lentils can get mushy, so make sure to monitor them and when they are tender, take off the heat. If your lentils are finished and there is still excess water in the pot, strain.  Make sure to remove whole garlic cloves.

In the meantime, cook your cous cous.  Bring water to a boil. Then add couscous and a pinch of salt.  When the water starts boiling again, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Strain out any remaining liquid.

While your lentils and grains cook, cut mushrooms into thin slices.  Heat cooking fat in a small pan. Add mushrooms and season to taste with salt, black pepper, a little garlic powder, and a sprig of fresh rosemary if you have on hand.  Cook over medium heat until mushrooms are soft and flavorful. Remove the whole rosemary.

When your lentils and grains are finished, turn heat off and combine in one pan.  Gently fold in the mushrooms and adjust seasoning to taste. You can also opt to keep all of your ingredients separate - lentils, grains and mushrooms, and combine when serving to the ratio you prefer.

Serve warm and top with fresh parsley, a squeeze of lemon and plain yogurt.  After a few days, you can submerge all ingredients in broth for a fantastic soup.

Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Simple ingredients make beautiful food.

Sauces and condiments allow us to play with our food, and there's nothing I love more than a good sauce.  I grew up in a house where sauce was always made from scratch, and you licked the spoon (a lot) while cooking.  While I would not recommend doing that while cooking for others, I do still love licking the spoon and making sauce from scratch.  Packaged, pre-made ones are filled with added sweeteners, low quality oils, shelf-stabilizers and generally unnecessary additives. 

When you realize just how easy it is to make your own, and how much better it tastes, trust me - you'll be on board too.  This gem of a recipe came to me one afternoon while dreaming up ideas in the kitchen.  It's fast, uncomplicated, and you can literally put it on anything.  Use it as a base for a salad dressing, spread it on toast, have it with eggs, toss it with your favorite pasta, dollop it on a pizza along wiht fresh ricotta.  As they say, the world is your oyster.

Unlike most traditional pesto recipes, this one uses no cheese, so instead I blend in both pistachios and cashews to add complexity and creaminess.  Pesto also typically calls for pine nuts, but changing that up here brings a whole new dimension to the sauce, and despite being dairy free, once you taste it you will be surprised at how rich and creamy it is.  

The real beauty in this recipe, however, lies in the homemade roasted red peppers -- an ingredient which, once again, is all too easy to purchase in a jar, but not much more difficult to make yourself at home.  There is something so special about making certain pantry staples - ones we so often purchase in a jar, but can easily duplicate for half the price at home (i.e., homemade nut butters and nut milks!). Also, the depth and sweetness of homemade roasted peppers definitely surpasses that of the store bought kind.

Adding a food processor to your kitchen expands the possibility and potential for making these homemade staples, like nut butters, salsas and sauces.  Not only can you control exactly what goes into your food, you can make as much or as little as you want.  Because how many times have you purchased an entire jar of a specialty condiment or sauce only to use it once and let the rest go bad at the back of your fridge?  Make just 1 cup of this pesto and you'll be surprised that a little goes a long way, so no need to waste.  And when you get towards the end of a batch, add a little extra virgin olive oil and toss it on warm, al dente spaghetti.

Lastly, you will notice that in my recipe below I call for "a handful" of nuts and "large pinches" of salt.  This is because  my intention is to share my recipes with you in exactly the same way that I cook them, which is by feeling my way through.  While baking is a science, I do not believe that cooking always has to be.  Start with just a little salt, or a little garlic, or a little heat, and you can always add more!  Dive into this pesto with an adventurous spirit.  Cooking is about having fun after all, and reaping the benefits of a home cooked meal afterwards.

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Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Renders 1 cup concentrated pesto

• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large garlic clove, cut in half

• 2 large pinches sea salt (salt to taste)

• Handful shelled pistachios

• Handful raw cashews

• 2 Red Holland Bell peppers

• 1 cup loosely packed & washed fresh basil leaves

The first and most important step of this recipe is roasting your peppers! Surely you could use the store bought kind, but roasting your own is even more delicious -- and doesn't take long! Wash and take off any store stickers from your Red Hollands -- these are a beautiful bright red variety of red bell pepper, but regular bells will work too if you can't find them. Turn your oven on to the high broil setting and let it heat up. Once hot, place your peppers inside the oven on a baking sheet. You'll need to babysit them a little bit from here on out: every 5-10 minutes, poke your head in the oven and check that the skin of the pepper has bubbled and gotten slightly charred on the side facing up. Once it has, use tongs or a clean oven mitt to rotate the pepper, allowing it to blacken on the next side. Continue to rotate and turn both peppers until they have bubbled and slightly charred all around. Keep in mind - this does not mean burnt! You just want spots of charred skin - not a completely charred pepper!

Once the peppers are done roasting, take them out of the oven and immediately place them in a Ziploc bag and leave sealed for about 20-30 minutes (you can also use a closed tupperware here). This allows for the pepper to cool down enough to handle, and for the skin to become more easy to peel away from the rest of the pepper. 

Once cooled, take the peppers out of the bag or tupperware. They will be very soft. You should be able to easily pull the stems out from the peppers, and make sure to remove all seeds that don't come out along with the stem. Next peel the skin off the outside of the peppers. Discard the stems, seeds and peels. Cut your cleaned up peppers into large/medium slices and place to the side. If you have not purchased pre-washed basil, wash approximately 1 cup of loosely packed basil leaves. The leaves do not need to be perfectly trimmed from the stems, as it will all be puréed. Lastly, grab your large clove of garlic, remove the skin, and cut in half.

Now we can start to throw our ingredients into the food processor. Add your 1 handful of pistachios. 1 handful of raw cashews, 2 large pinches of sea salt, garlic clove, roasted red pepper, clean basil and olive oil - and purée away!!! This recipe can be adjusted as you go, so if you prefer more olive oil, add more olive oil. If it's not salty enough, add another pinch of salt. Really love garlic? Throw in another clove! And when it's all done, go have fun and get creative with this sauce! 

Grilled Tomatillo Salsa

If you know me, you know I’m a salsa addict.

Then it should come as no surprise that when I wrote the recipe for my Crispy Pork Tostadas I needed to dream up the perfect salsa to go with it. While this tangy tomatillo salsa goes excellently with savory pork, like any great accessory, it goes well with many things — from eggs, to roasted veg or garlic chicken.

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Grilled Tomatillo Salsa

Renders roughly 16 oz.

• 5 tomatillos, halved and grilled

• Approx ½ - ¾ grilled jalapeño, without seeds for less heat

• 1 ½ tbsp lime juice

• Yellow onion, rounds grilled then diced, approx 1 cup

• Large handful of clean cilantro leaves

• Pinch of coarse kosher salt, adjust to taste

First prep all your ingredients. Clean your tomatillos and jalapeño. Halve tomatillos. Cut 3 or 4 onion rounds, approx 1/2 inch thick. Remove the top of the jalapeño, and cut in half lengthwise, removing seeds if you prefer your salsa less spicy.

On a grill or on my favorite Lodge cast iron grill pan, grill tomatillos, onion and jalapeño, doing this in rounds if the grill gets too crowded. Once everything is finished grilling, place it aside to cool while you rinse your cilantro in cold water. If you don’t have access to a grill or cast iron grill, you can use a regular cast iron pan or use a baking sheet with a wire rack and place in the oven under the hi broil setting, blistering the ingredients evenly all over.

Once cool enough to handle, dice grilled onion.

In a food processor or blender, add a large handful of clean cilantro leaves. Add grilled tomatillos, 1 cup of diced grilled onion, 1/2 of your grilled jalapeño (start with less at first if you need to be gentle with heat, and then add more to taste). Add lime juice and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lime, cilantro, jalapeño or salt as you see fit.

Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Grilled Peach Pico

Pico de gallo gets a summery makeover.

Swap tomato for peach and you get a sweet and savory accent that goes great with these Crispy Pork Tostadas, or any other savory taco you feel like whipping up.

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Grilled Peach Pico

Renders 4-5 servings

• 1 whole grilled yellow peach, approx 1/2 cup diced (2-3 large rounds of fresh pineapple or mango also works, depending on season and availability)

• 2-3 large rounds yellow or spanish onion, grilled then diced, approx 1/4 cup

• Pinch of coarse kosher salt, adjust to taste

This take on pico de gallo could not be simpler. Make extra if you want and keep in the fridge, up to 3 days.

Rinse 1 yellow peach and cut down the middle, removing the pit. If you can’t find peaches in season, use 2-3 large pieces of fresh mango or pineapple.

From your onion, cut 1-2 large rounds, choosing larger middle pieces.

For both onion and fruit, you want large flat rounds that will allow the greatest possible surface area in contact with the grill surface.

On a grill or on my favorite Lodge cast iron grill pan, place peach cut-side down and onion rounds, allowing them to char well and then turning over to char on the other side. If you don’t have access to a grill or cast iron grill, you can use a regular cast iron pan or use a baking sheet with a wire rack and place in the oven under the hi broil setting, blistering the ingredients evenly all over.

Once everything is finished grilling, place aside until cool enough to handle.

Dice peach and onion and mix in a bowl, with a pinch of coarse kosher sea salt.