not your mama's potato salad

It may not come as much of a surprise, but I don't really like mayonnaise. There's something about it's smell, texture, and taste that just doesn't do it for me. When making a dressing, a salad, or a sandwich, I am always looking for a good alternative for mayo. I love using mustard, instead of the traditional mayo--another good substitute is Greek yogurt. I love taking traditional dishes, that are known for being heavy or not incredibly flavorful and recreating them. By being a bit creative and thinking just a little bit outside the jar, you can really make some yummy dishes.

As I've mentioned before, one of the people I love cooking with the most is my mom. She is an incredible cook and when we work side by side we create culinary harmony. Whenever I am home, we always cook up a storm. I love taking advantage of my beautiful large kitchen at home (sorry apartment), and the fresh ingredient that we always have. Thanks to my garden, we are always fully stocked with delicious and fresh veggies, fruit, and herbs. Last weekend, I was home, spending the weekend with my family before my sister went back to school. My mom and I, up to our usual tricks, spent a large amount of the weekend in the kitchen. This post (and a few more to come) are all recipes from the weekend- so keep your eyes out for delicious mommy-daughter recipes coming your way!

My mom also loves getting creative in the kitchen and putting her own spin on recipes. When she introduced me to this incredible potato salad, I had to eat it to believe it. We had a huge bar-b-que on Saturday night, and what goes better with a summer bbq than potato salad? Now, I am not a huge fan of the traditional mayo-y potato salad, but this one really takes potato salad to a whole new level of gourmet. Thanks to my mom (and a little help from Ina Garten), I can now say I like potato salad--at least this one! Summer is rolling to a close, but there are still a few warm days left for bbq's and potato salad on the side. Try out this twist on an old classic, I promise you'll love it!

Fresh Herbed Potato Salad

2 lb small red or white boiling potatoes
3 tbsp dry white wine
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
8 tbsp olive oil
8 tbsp chopped herbs of your choice (we used basil, parsley, chive, rosemary, and thyme)

lil potatoes

freshly picked, beautiful herbs

 Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the potatoes for about 25 minutes, or until they are just cooked through
Drain the potatoes and place in a bowl, with a towel over the top, allowing to steam for 10 minutes
Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters (bite sized) and place in a bowl
Toss the potatoes with the white wine and allow the wine to soak in for at least 10 minutes
Combine the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, and slowly whisk in the olive oil
Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes
Add the herbs to the potatoes and toss
Serve at room temperature and enjoy!

yum.

buying and cooking local

If you hadn't noticed by now, I love cooking seasonally. Not only are ingredients fresher, better tasting, and readily available, but by cooking seasonally, you can also do your best to eat local. It can be very hard when eating out, to guarantee that you are eating local. While more and more restaurants these days cook with local ingredients, and adjust their menus for the season, it is still a slow growing trend, even here in New York. Check out the green market website here to learn more about buying and cooking local. You can read all about why buying local is not only awesome, it is delicious, good for you, good for farms, and good for the city. The website elaborates on each reason, but below is their top 10 reasons to buy local food. Definitely check it out, some might surprise you!

10 Reasons to Buy Local Food

1. Local food tastes better
2. Local produce is better for you
3. Local food preserves genetic diversity
4. Local food is safe
5. Local food supports local families
6. Local food builds community
7. Local food preserves open space
8. Local food keeps taxes down
9. Local food benefits the environment and wildlife
10. Local food is an investment in the future


All sorts of yummy foods are in season right now. I promise to have a green market post soon- and, if you live in New York, and you don't shop at the green market, you're missing out! They are in every neighborhood in the city, so check out their website if you're not sure where the closest one to you is. The colors of the veggies and fruits right now are just amazing, and their taste is even better. For example, garlic scapes. If you don't know them, get to know them! They are the curly top of garlic plants, which are just as edible as garlic. They have a slightly milder flavor, almost in between a scallion and garlic.

When one of my wonderful friends came over this week to cook dinner with me, we used some delicious green market veggies, that we had each picked up last weekend. We both love the market, and often run into each other there on Saturdays. We often cook together, and always make delicious dinners. This week's meal was inspired by the market, and brought to you by local farmers. The fresh ingredients, purchased from the market, give the dish amazing flavor and brightness. I promise, you won't be missing your marinara sauce here; this is a different kind of pasta, and it is delicious.

Farmer's Market Summer Pasta

beautiful, just in time for summer.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium handful brown rice (or whole wheat) spaghetti
1/2 a shallot, chopped
2 garlic scapes, cut into inch long pieces
1 yellow summer squash, cut into thin strips
3 large carrots, shredded with a vegetable peeler
2 cups of raw kale, cut or torn into bite size pieces
2 large sprigs of Rosemary
1 medium lemon
1/8 cup white wine
Sea salt and pepper to taste


Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium heat on your stove, before adding in the spaghetti
Cook spaghetti until aldente and drain
While your pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat
Add in shallots, and cook for a few minutes until they begin to turn translucent
Next, add in the garlic scapes and cook for two minutes before adding the yellow summer squash
Add in the carrot, and last the kale
Remove the leaves of the rosemary from the stem, and add to your pan as well
Add a good splash of white wine to the pan, and the juice of one whole lemon
After the liquid cooks down, add the drained spaghetti to the pot as well
Season the pasta with sea salt and pepper, to taste, and enjoy!

thanks to my favorite farmers

rainy day food

There is nothing like a rainy day to make you want to stay inside and cook something warm and delicious. After a jump start into summer weather this month, we've been hit recently with some cold and rainy days. Now, I'm definitely a fan of the summer sunshine, but there is something nice about a rainy weekend day that just makes me want to cuddle up with a good book, and a cup of something hot. This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of doing just that. My weeks (and most weekends too) are very busy, so I definitely cherish a day to do nothing more than read, cuddle, blog, and cook.

One of my favorite kitchen tools is my immersion blender. This bad boy is seriously amazing. It is useful for so many things, but one of my favorite things to use it for is making soup. Who ever invented this thing deserves a big thank you. The immersion blender takes the hassle out of blending- it is a stick blender that you can stick right into a pot. It truly takes the mess out of making soup. There is no need to pour the soup into the blender, and back out again- the immersion blender comes to you. Essentially, you can use it to make anything you would use a blender for, but my soup repertoire has definitely been elevated thanks to my blender. I encourage you to get one of these- they're pretty cheap, and wonderfully useful. Any kind of soup you might want to make- butternut squash, carrot ginger, roasted red pepper, cauliflower...the options are endless.

Thanks to a beautiful produce supply provided to me by my parents this weekend (could a girl ask for a better birthday present?), I had some delicious looking broccoli that was calling my name on Sunday. Combined with some every day ingredients I had in my kitchen (and the wonderful skills of my sous chef, my boyfriend), the soup came together deliciously. I paired it with a delicious avocado and tomato quinoa salad. The quinoa provided the perfect base for the creaminess of the avocado and the sweetness of the tomatoes. It was a perfect match with this delicious soup. This meal was the perfect cuddle up meal on a rainy day. I definitely encourage you to check out one of my favorite kitchen tools, and make some delicious soup of your own!



Broccoli Garlic Soup and Avocado Tomato Quinoa Salad

1 tsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 medium-large onion, diced
2 medium heads of broccoli, given a rough chop (stems and florets!)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water (more if needed)
1 tbsp dill
1 tsp bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
A sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

broccoli cooking...

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat before adding the garlic and onions
Allow the garlic and onions to sweat out, and as they start to become translucent, add the broccoli
Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes before adding 2 cups of stock and 1 cup of water to the pot
Turn the heat down to low, and add the bay, dill, salt, and pepper
Cover  the pot, and cook for about 20 minutes
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and test to see if the broccoli is soft with a fork (make sure both the florets and stems are soft)
Use your immersion blender to blend the large chunks out of the soup, in the pot itself (turn the heat off for this step so it does not bubble up and burn you)
I like my soup thick, but depending on your desired thickness, add in the last cup of stock and cook on medium heat until the soup has reached your desired texture
Spoon into bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese
enjoy!

the delicious end result.

1 avocado
1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 lime
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

a delicious and classic combo.

Bring water and quinoa to boil over high heat, before covering and turning down to a simmer
Cook your quinoa for 15 minutes or until fluffy
Meanwhile, cut open 1 avocado and dice it into small cubes
Combine the avocado and tomatoes in a bowl
Dress them with the juice of 1/2 a lime and season generously with salt and pepper; toss well
Once your quinoa is fluffy, season it with cumin, garlic powder, basil, salt and pepper
Allow the quinoa to cool. Once it has reached room temperature, combine with the tomato and avocado
enjoy!!

the perfect forkful.

birthday season

April is full of birthdays. Both my sister and I are born in April, as are a smattering of cousins and friends. For whatever reason, spring time rolls around, and the birthdays just keep coming. Last weekend, I was able to go to Boston, where my sister goes to college, to celebrate her 19th birthday. I had a wonderful weekend, and though I'm usually against buying birthday cakes, I ordered her a delicious cake from Rosies, a local bakery --rather than carrying a cake all the way up to Boston.

This weekend, Friday was my good camp friend's birthday, and Saturday was my college friend's birthday- oh and mine! Saturday my parents came in for the day, and a few of my best friends from home and camp were in to celebrate. I was so lucky to have not one, but two delicious home-made birthday cakes for the day. An orange-almond vanilla cake from my mom, and a chocolate marshmallow cake from my boyfriend. Both were seriously amazing. My entire day was filled with amazing food, lots of sunshine, and a lot of  time spent with my wonderful friends who made the day perfect. Thank you to everyone who helped me celebrate!

Jumping back in time, Friday night I had a delicious birthday dinner at my camp friend's apartment. Her roommate and I made some delicious food- it was a wonderful birthday celebration. We were going with an Italian theme, so I decided it would be a great excuse to try out a new recipe. It was a definite winner. This eggplant dish is easy, but definitely an impressive dish. Just a little (seriously, very little) work goes into this dish, but your friends will love it. You can prep it in advance, and finish cooking it off when you're ready to serve it. It is the perfect pot-luck dish! Happy birthday to all of my spring chickens!!

yum.

Eggplant Rollitini

One large eggplant
1 bag of frozen spinach, thawed and patted try with a towel
1 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella

baking

filling

rolling

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Line a baking sheet with tin foil, and spray it with non-stick cooking spray
Cut the eggplant in half, long ways, and then slice it into 1/8th inch thick slices (should be about 8-10 slices)
Lay the eggplant on the prepared sheet and sprinkle with salt
Bake the eggplant for about 10 minutes, flipping the eggplant over half way through (you will know it is done when the eggplant is soft and just starts to turn translucent)
Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the spinach, ricotta, garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and egg
When the eggplant is done, place it in front of you on a cutting board and line the entire slice with a thin layer of the spinach mixture
Once the spinach has been spread out evenly, roll the eggplant around the mixture and place each roll seam-side down a baking dish, sprayed with non-stick cooking stay
Repeat this for each of the eggplant slices, packing the rolls in tightly next to each other in the dish
Cover the rolls with the tomato sauce, and cover the dish with tin foil
Bake the rolls for 20 minutes before removing, sprinkling the top with the mozzarella cheese, and placing it back in the oven, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Finish the dish off by broiling for about 3-5 minutes until the cheese starts to brown
Remove from the oven and enjoy!

a twist on a classic

I eat a lot of quinoa. I think its a delicious and versatile ingredient to keep around your kitchen. You can dress it up or dress it down, pair it with cheese, herbs, veggies- you name it. While quinoa acts very similarly to a grain, it is actually a seed and it is filled with protein. Plus, it's gluten free. It often makes its way into my weeknight dinners, and tonight was no exception. This is a recipe that I came up with a while ago, and have since reused and revamped it.

Stuffed peppers are a classic dish- but this definitely puts a spin on the old classic. By stuffing the peppers with quinoa rather than meat and rice, the flavor levels are really elevated. I'm a huge fan of Greek food, and this is dish was inspired by my favorite Greek flavors. I definitely encourage you to make this dish for a yummy weeknight meal or to impress your friends. Play around with the ingredients- I promise, it will be delicious. I've added in basil, spinach, pine nuts, almonds, even chick peas into the mix- all work deliciously!

Greek Stuffed Peppers

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
two large bell peppers (yellow, red, or orange)
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup mini heirloom tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp feta cheese
handful fresh chive, chopped
large handful fresh dill, chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil

pre-stuffing

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
Bring quinoa, broth, and water to boil in a small pot. Cover the pot and bring down the heat to low, letting the quinoa simmer for about 15 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy
Once the quinoa is done, season with salt, pepper, cumin, dill, and chive
Mix in the broccoli, tomatoes, and feta cheese
Cut the tops off of the two peppers, and remove the seeds from the inside
Scoop the quinoa mixture into the peppers, packing it in tightly and filling to just above the top of the pepper
Drizzle the tops of the peppers with olive oil, and place them in a baking dish
Fill the dish with about an inch of water and place into the oven
Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, until the tops begin to crisp, and then cover with tin foil and finish baking for another 10 minutes
The peppers will be done when they are soft to the touch (test with a fork)
enjoy!!

beauty.

been craving pizza?

Just because I can't eat gluten anymore, does not mean I need to give up pizza. For those of you out there who might be missing that amazingly delicious cheesy first bite of hot pizza, all is not lost. First of all, for those living in New York, there are many yummy delicious places that make gluten free pizza (Those of you who are not in the city- don't be afraid to ask, more places have gf dough these days!). A few of my favorites are from Keste and Slice, however many more are popping up all over the place.

That being said, I also really like making my own pizza. At a delicious local pizza place, Viva, which is across the street from my apartment coincidentally enough, you can not only buy gf pizza, but gf dough as well. They have three different options: chickpea flour dough, cornmeal dough, and brown rice dough. My favorite is the corn meal, which is a bit corny (in a good way), but also tastes similar to regular dough. (In future posts, look out for me being a bit more adventurous and making my own from scratch, but this is pretty yummy for now). Brands that make GF products, such as Bob's Red Mill, also have flour mixes that you can make at home if your local pizza place isn't slinging gf dough these days.

Recently, I've had two double pizza dates with very close friends of mine and my boyfriend. On the first, with one of my old roommates from NYU and her wonderful boyfriend, we made pizza with dough from Viva. On the second, with one of my oldest camp friends (who thank goodness lives in the city now) and her boyfriend, who I love, we got a bit more creative and made a cauliflower crust for our pizza. Both were delicious in their own special, yummy way. I love making pizza with friends- its a great way for everyone to be a little creative, and have fun, while ending up with a delicious outcome. Not a big shocker, but I love lots of herbs and veggies on my pizza. I definitely encourage you to get creative with your pizza, like I did here. Find some good friends, and crank up the oven--it's pizza time.


Summer Squash and Ricotta Salata Pizza & Tomato, Mozzarella, and Herb Pizza


1 large ball of dough, halved (1/2 for this recipe and 1/2 for the recipe below)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 yellow summer squash, sliced into thin rounds
1/4 yellow pepper, cut into strips
A good sprinkle of rosemary and thyme
1/4 cup ricotta salata cheese
1/4 cup of any good shredded cheese (we used a blend here- asiago, romano, parm, or mozzarella would work!)

pre-oven

ready to eat!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
On a cookie sheet that you've sprayed with cooking spray, or other flat baking pan, roll out your dough until it is a 1/4 inch thick
Top dough with tomato sauce spreading around so it forms a thin, even layer on the dough
Sprinkle cheese on top of the sauce
Place squash on top of the dough, and then place the yellow pepper
Sprinkle the rosemary and thyme on top of the veggies
 Put the pizza into the oven for about 10 minutes, depending on how dark you like your crust
Remove from the oven, slice and serve
enjoy!


1 large ball of dough, halved (1/2 for this recipe and 1/2 for the recipe above)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
One large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch thin rounds
two large tomatoes (heirloom or beefsteak work nicely, but whatever you have that is fresh will work here!
1/3 a cup of mushrooms, sliced
Thyme, Rosemary, Basil, Oregano (fresh or dried) to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

delicious.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
On a cookie sheet that you've sprayed with cooking spray, or other flat baking pan, roll out your dough until it is a 1/4 inch thick
Top dough with tomato sauce spreading around so it forms a thin, even layer on the dough
Sprinkle any fresh herbs and garlic that you like onto the pizza
Lay down your thinly sliced mozzarella
Next, add any veggies that you like. Here, we used fresh tomatoes, sliced, and mushrooms
Top the entire pizza with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
Put the pizza into the oven for about 10 minutes, depending on how dark you like your crust
Remove from the oven, slice and serve
enjoy!

Oh, and we made kale salad too

Veggie Lovin' Cauliflower Crust Pizza

1 large head of cauliflower, chopped
2 cups of cheese (we used a yummy Trader Joe's shredded cheese blend)
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
A few sprinkles of basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary (fresh or dried)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
1 cup of mini heirloom or grape tomatoes, halved
1 large roasted red pepper, chopped

ricing!

crust, pre-bake

crust, after baking

veg attack

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
On your stove, bring one large pot of salted water to boil
Toss in the cauliflower and let it cook until soft (test with a fork, about 8 minutes)
Drain all water from the cauliflower and put into a bowl to cool
Using a food processor or immersion blender, finely chop the cauliflower until a fine consistency ("rice like") is achieved
Mix the egg, cheese, salt, pepper, and spices into the cauliflower
On a well sprayed cooking sheet, spread the cauliflower mixture (it might look like mashed potatoes at this point) out in a thin layer
Bake the crust for about 25 minutes or until it starts to brown
Pull it out and top with sauce, veggies, and cheese
Put the pizza back into the oven and broil for about 5 minutes until the cheese starts to brown
enjoy!

the finished project

To note, this pizza definitely did not keep its pizza consistency so well, but that aside, it was delicious. I would definitely make it again, but perhaps tweak the crust so that it held together better.  I found a ton of recipes online, with lots of great pictures of real pizza-like crust, but we didn't quite get there.

something fishy

If you haven't noticed a trend yet, I absolutely love fish. While salmon is a regular in my kitchen, I am pretty much willing to cook with, and eat, any fish that comes my way. Because I don't eat meat, fish is one of my regular go to's, whether eating out or cooking in. I think that a lot of people are afraid of cooking fish; it has a strange consistency, is a little bit smelly sometimes, and can be a little tricky to handle. But, if you give it some spice and some love, I promise you, you'll be cooking fish in no time. It has nice flavor and texture when cooked, and there are so many different kinds to try. Though seemingly intimidating, it is actually relatively simple and quick to cook. Plus, when treated right- fish is incredibly delicious.

A couple of nights a week, I try to have fish. I'd like to say it's because of all of the nutritional value and protein, but really, I'm just a sucker for it. I love experimenting with different recipes, pairing it with various spices and sauces. One of my favorite ways to prepare fish is by crusting it. While I've done a ground almond-bread crumb crusted fish before, I was itching to try out something new. I've always wanted to crust a fish with sliced almonds, so last week I put it to the test. I put together this recipe (with the cooking help of my boyfriend), and let me tell you, it was a tasty success. It looks fancy, but it's really just a few simple steps to a mouth watering dinner. Impress your friends with this one --and try pairing it with this salad for a wonderful weeknight dinner.

dinner is served!

Almond Crusted Snapper with Warm Summer Squash Salad

2 fillets of snapper
1 splash of olive oil
1 egg white, beaten
A pinch of parsley
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/4 cup toasted almond slices

egg wash

almond crust

Rinse off the fish and be sure to remove any remaining bones or scales
Beat egg white with parsley, salt and pepper until it is fully combined and starts to get a little frothy (30 seconds with a fork should do the trick)
Soak the fish in the egg wash before topping the top side with almond slices. Press the almonds into the fish so that they stick well to it
Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan over high heat
Place the fish, skin side down in the plan and cook for 4 minutes
Once the fish begins to cook through, flip it over with a spatula and cook for another 4 minutes
Remove from the pan and enjoy!


1 yellow summer squash, cut into thin rounds
4 cups mixed greens
1 cup heirloom tomatoes, cut into quarters
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 good squeeze of honey or dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees
Slice your squash into thin rounds
Place them onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray and top with another spritz of cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Put your squash into the oven and roast for about 20 minutes or just until they start to become translucent and are not quite browning
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, and salt and pepper
Toss greens, tomatoes, and squash in a large bowl with the salad dressing and enjoy!

sister sister

For those of you who don't know, my sister is basically the coolest most wonderful person on the planet. Now, I know I'm biased, however, a lot of sisters hate each other so you'll just have to take my word on this one. My little sister is my best friend in the whole world, and probably would be yours too if you had the chance to meet her. At the moment she's busy studying and saving the world at college in Boston, but this weekend she visited New York. My cousins, aunt and uncle all came down from Boston for the weekend, and on Sunday my parents came in, so it was one big family reunion. We had a delicious brunch, and went to the Knicks game (Linsanity anyone?). I'm one of those dorks that basically can't get enough of spending time with my family, so this weekend was wonderful.

To top it off, my sister and her boyfriend spent the evening with me and my boyfriend last night at my apartment, giving them a perfect chance to make their sugar pie, honey bunch debut. Since my parents had come in that morning, thus making their standard delivery of 4 bags of produce, I had lots of veggies in my fridge, to say the least. Another great thing about my parents visiting is that they never seem to come empty handed. And since my dad shares the same love for produce that I do, he always brings me all of my favorites (well, to be honest, all veggies are my favorites). With tons of delicious produce to choose from, I decided to feature the beautiful eggplant and zucchini that had arrived earlier, pairing it with fresh basil and garlic. The results, pure deliciousness (and some board game fun as well).

the first of many games played

Cheesy Herb Baked Zucchini and Eggplant, served along side Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

3/4 eggplant, sliced thinly

1 medium zucchini, sliced thinly

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 cup of pasta sauce of your choice

2 cups of spinach

4 cloves of garlic, minced

8 (or so) leaves of fresh basil

A few pinches of salt and pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

building the layers- delicious fresh basil.

...and it grows

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
Pour 1/3 of the pasta sauce into a baking dish
Place thinly sliced eggplant along the bottom of the dish, so that they overlap and cover the entire bottom of the pan
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, herbs and 1/3 of the garlic
Top eggplant with the fresh basil leaves
On top of this layer, add another 1/3 of the tomato sauce, spreading evenly with a spoon
Next, put 1/2 of spinach on top and sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese
Repeat layering, using the slices of zucchini (and any leftover eggplant) instead of eggplant
Bake covered for 45 minutes, finishing off with 5 minutes uncovered, and 2 minutes uncovered under broil

The finished masterpiece

2 Cups uncooked pasta (I used gluten free, brown rice pasta)
A sprinkle of salt
1 cup miniature heirloom tomatoes (cut into fourths)
1 cup red pasta sauce
Fresh Herbs of your choosing


Bring salted water to boil in a large pot, adding pasta and cooking until done
Once your pasta is drained, add it back into the pot with a splash of olive oil at the bottom of the pot (so that the pasta doesn't stick)
Stir in pasta sauce, tomatoes and herbs

enjoy!!

paired with pasta, a perfect Sunday night dinner.

always room for soup

Sundays, are soup days. At home, Sunday is a big cooking day for my mom. Sunday is the one day of the week that she can cook all day long, and be (mostly) uninterrupted. Growing up, cooking with my mom was (and still is) something that I loved. One thing that is almost always on my mom's cooking list on Sundays, is soup. I have to say, my mom makes pretty kick ass soup. While growing up I was partial to her chicken soup with matzo balls, as I grew up I learned that my mom was a lady of many talents, as she whipped up delicious butternut squash soup, carrot ginger soup, split pea soup, chili, and more. 

These days, because lets be honest aren't we all turning into our mothers, I have adopted Sundays as my cooking day. Especially in the winter, it is the perfect day to stay inside, and making some delicious yummies for the upcoming week. I love making soup, and have to say that I now do it just the way my mom does it. Make a huge batch, put it in single serving size ziplock containers, and freeze all but one or two. Honestly, if you look in my freezer (or my family's at home) you'll find at least 8 containers of different kinds of frozen soup. It is the perfect last minute lunch to grab and defrost at work, or warm up quickly one night for dinner. 

This soup was inspired by one of my wonderful camp friends, who now lives in New York (so I get to see her a lot). She first made this for our friends when we all made shabbat dinner one Friday night at her apartment. I absolutely love cooking, and having dinner with my camp girls, who are some of my closest and most special friends.

Here's my take on her delicious soup --by slow roasting the veggies, and adding herbs and nutmeg, the layers of flavor in this simple soup are seriously awesome. 

Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup

1 large head of cauliflower

7 cloves of garlic, peeled and whole

1/2 onion (sweet or yellow), chopped

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups water

1 tbsp dill

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp bay leaf

beautifully roasted veggies

Preheat the over to 300 degrees

Give the Cauliflower a rough chop, removing all outside greenery, but keeping the stem (it is delicious roasted!)

Place the Cauliflower on a baking sheet with a baking sheet with the garlic and onion. Drizzle with olive oil

Roast for 1 hour and 45 min to 2 hours- roasting it a bit longer, and letting it brown will give the soup an even richer flavor

In a large pot over medium heat, bring broth and 2 cups of water to a slow boil, adding herbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and vegetables

Once the soup has reached a rolling boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for another 30-34 minutes (test cauliflower with a fork to see if it has reached a soft texture)

With an immersion blender (stick blender), puree soup until smooth (I like to leave a few chunks in there!)

Add any remaining spices (or salt to taste) and slowly add in last cup of water, if needed (depending on desired thickness)

 enjoy!!

Look at all those herbs, yum.

*Soup will stay well frozen. If you make a large pot and want to save some, place in freezable plastic containers until ready to eat. Day of, place in fridge to defrost. Once you're ready to eat, defrost in microwave or on the stove and enjoy

more than just sugar

I know what you're thinking, who taught this girl how to eat? Yes, I'll admit, I have a slight sweet tooth (okay, slight under-exaggeration). But I promise, as much as I love sweets, I LOVE produce. In fact, if produce wasn't so healthy, I would say I have an unhealthy obsession. I blame it on my father. In my house, my dad is known as "the fruit man." Growing up, he would come home multiple times a week from work, arms bulging with bags full of fruits and veggies. I had produce with every meal, and still do. These days, it's pretty hard to find a fruit or vegetable that I don't like (okay, you got me--I do not like honeydew). During the summer, I spend my Saturdays wandering through the stands at the farmer's market, getting inspired by the beautiful greens, reds, oranges, and purples (I promise, starting in spring, this blog will seriously get vegged up). I'll eat 'em raw, steamed, roasted...you name it.

So anyways...enough with the veggie rant, there will be plenty of recipes to come that will express my love. 

My favorite time of day is around 7pm, when I get home from work, and have time to cook dinner. Nothing relaxes me more then cooking a delicious dinner for myself, and those that I love.  I'm fortunate to have many wonderful friends who enjoy coming over for a home cooked meal (or cooking with me and sharing new recipes), in return for their wonderful company. Thus, without further ado, the first of many delicious week night meals (starring produce).

YUM.

Herb Crusted Salmon and Steamed Lemon Kale, with Blistered Tomatoes

Fillet of fresh Salmon (1 fillet per person)

1 tsp of olive oil

1/2 a lemon

A sprinkle of salt and pepper

1/4 tsp of rosemary, fresh or dried (off the stem and chopped if fresh)

1/2 tsp dried dill

Take your fillets out of fridge and let them come to room temperature

Once fish is at room temperature, drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Zest a teaspoon of lemon rind onto the fish (a microplane works Wonderfully for this--thanks Mom!)

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, rosemary, and a good amount of dill

Heat a skillet over high heat and coat with nonstick cooking spray

Place the fish skin side up into the pan and let it cook on high for two minutes

Once a crispy top has been achieved (try not to lift it up before two minutes to ensure a nice crust) flip fish and lower the heat to medium-low, allowing the fish to cook for 5-7 more minutes, depending on how thick the fish is

Once done, remove, and serve with fresh lemon!

1/4 onion, diced (one whole shallot, diced also works beautifully here)

1/2 tsp olive oil

3 cups of kale, taken off of the stem and cut into ribbons

1/2 a lemon

A sprinkle of salt and pepper

1/2 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat a large sauce pan adding a drizzle of olive oil when hot

Add chopped onion or shallot and cook over medium heat for around 5 minutes

Once onions have browned, add a generous splash of water to the pan

Add the kale to the pan, toss and cover

Once the kale starts to cook down (around 3 minutes), add the tomatoes to the pot as well

Cook together for 3-4 minutes before removing from heat

Sprinkle veggies with salt and squeeze the rest of your lemon juice over the kale

Enjoy!

check out those herbs!