This recipe for gluten free Guinness chocolate cupcakes has long been a favorite! Naturally gluten-free, deep and dark chocolate cupcakes are infused with Guinness or gluten-free stout and topped with a tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting. Perfect for Saint Patrick's Day celebrations. There is so much to love about this recipe, from the "damp" cupcakes (as […]
Weeknight Dinners for Busy Folk
[Abbotts Lagoon, January 2013.] Note: I had planned earlier in the week to post this today, but after all the crazy sh*t that has been going down especially last night and today in Boston, I hemmed and hawed ... is it 'appropriate'? Isn't food trivial in the face of these terrible things? And then I […]
Peanut Butter Cookies with Milk Chocolate
Nutty and sweet peanut butter cookies with milk chocolate need just a cold glass of milk for the ultimate afternoon snack! Packed with whole wheat flour and plenty of chocolate, you will love this classic combo turned into a handheld cookie. I tailored these cookies a bit to my personal taste - whole wheat pastry […]
Easy Egg Salad Recipe
Pop those leftover hard-boiled eggs into this easy egg salad recipe. You can pile it on bread, or eat it with a little lettuce, and may I recommend adding avocado? The days of cookbook-writing are winding down (2-ish weeks to go - yikes!) and I have been trying to incorporate more vegetables into my daily […]
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Little bits of chocolate pack gluten free chocolate chip cupcakes with crunch and loads of chocolatey flavor. Perfect for a kid's birthday party, or just because! Similar to my gluten free chocolate chip cake (a gorgeously vanilla-scented loaf) and my recipe for gluten free banana chocolate chip cake, these adorable cupcakes are packed with mini […]
Gluten Free Poppyseed Bread
Sweet and tender, this gluten free poppyseed bread is always a hit! Loaded with crunchy poppyseeds, you can bake this recipe in a standard loaf size or as three mini loaves. Adapted from my mom's classic poppyseed bread recipe My mom makes poppyseed bread around the holidays every year, and it was only a matter of […]
Whole Wheat Brownies
Rich whole wheat brownies are just like your favorite brownie recipe, but made with whole wheat flour or whole grain oat flour for a gluten-free option. Plenty of butter and melted bittersweet chocolate make these little morsels stand out. Who doesn't love brownies? This whole wheat brownies recipe has been a back-pocket recipe for years […]
A Winter Drink
When it comes to drinking alcohol in the winter, I am pretty simple. I want good, dark glasses of red wine, preferably sipped slowly in front of a fire with a dog at my feet and a book in my hand (if that's not possible, I'll take the book and my blue chair near the […]
Gluten Free Coconut Banana Bread
This recipe for gluten free coconut banana bread produces a beautiful loaf with a dense, moist crumb that's swirled with shredded coconut and a hint of warming cinnamon. An easy one-bowl recipe that plays off of a traditional gluten-free banana bread to make something truly special. Another recipe for the banana bread files, this gluten […]
Chewy Cinnamon Molasses Cookies
You will adore these easy, chewy cinnamon molasses cookies! Inspired by a favorite cookie from a bakery in my hometown, these cookies are totally gluten free with the addition of almond flour.
Flourless Almond Butter Cookies
The perfect little sweet bite, these easy flourless almond butter cookies are the cookies that started my gluten-free baking journey! Creamy almond butter, maple syrup, and a handful of other ingredients are all you'll need to quickly whip up this recipe. Perfect in the holiday cookie tin or anytime, these super simple, super delicious gluten-free almond butter […]
Vegan Sweet Potato Mac + 'Cheese'
Tuck creamy roasted sweet potatoes into this gorgeous vegan sweet potato mac and cheese dish for a satisfying and filling dinner! Easily make it gluten free with gluten free macaroni. The Bay Area currently is experiencing a string of brilliant days (weeks?) of sun and clear skies that have seemed to stretch on endlessly. This […]
Velvety + Rich Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake
A rich and velvety gluten free lemon pound cake that stays moist and tender for days! A blend of oat and almond flours, cream cheese, and plenty of butter makes this lemon-spiked pound cake worthy of any occasion. This beautiful gluten free lemon pound cake is generously infused with lemon for a bright, fresh pop […]
Nearly There (+ flourless cookies)
[Today, December 2012.] Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year and also the most hopeful, at least for me: from here on out the days get just the tiniest bit longer until spring. Some years I have celebrated the Solstice at the beach, sunning myself along the Sonoma County Coast with brother and dog. […]
Gluten Free Chocolate Cream Pie
This gluten free chocolate cream pie features a smooth and decadent chocolate filling balanced on a crisp hazelnut-chocolate crust. It's finished generously with homemade whipped cream. I was going to make a chocolate cream pie as part of my 'sweets buffet' that will be on the table for a party this season, but I've decided […]
Flourless Ginger Cookies
Crisp and gingery (gluten free) flourless ginger cookies made with brown rice flour and plenty of warming spices. Flourless Ginger Cookies This recipe was featured in my NPR story on flourless holiday baking, but I wanted to share it here, too, as it's so very good. The brown rice makes for a tender, melting foil to […]
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Tuck roasted butternut squash puree into this delightful butternut squash mac and cheese casserole for color and flavor. Lots of sharp cheddar cheese plus salty parmesan balance the sweetness of the squash for a lovely vegetarian main dish. Easily made gluten-free if needed! This butternut squash mac and cheese is a beautiful, sweet-and-salty recipe that I adapted […]
Flourless Apple Tart
A rustic gluten free and flourless apple tart that features juicy in-season apples perched on a nut meal crust. Sweetened just with maple syrup, this is a light and refreshing dessert. Gluten Free Flourless Apple Tart This is a lovely, gluten free vegan option for Thanksgiving, or any time you want to make good use […]
Spiced Gluten Free Pumpkin Blondies
Studded with chopped walnuts and scattered with semisweet chocolate chips, gluten-free pumpkin blondies are thick and chewy, with just enough give to make them more cake than cookie. Warm spices and smooth pumpkin make these a perfect fall bake. Pumpkin blondies, where have you been all my life?! This beautiful batch of fall goodness is […]
Lasagna with Sweet Potatoes, Chard, and Arugula Pesto
Feeling quiet this week - thinking of the East Coast, as it slowly restores power and digs out from under the devastation nature wrought and attempts to find a sense of balance again; thinking about change (today is my last day of work); thinking about lots of things. The sun is shining in San Francisco […]
Gluten Free Banana and Blackberry Bread
Banana and blackberry bread is buttery and sweet, studded with juicy berries, and gluten-free if you want it to be! Each bite tastes like summer, but if you use frozen blackberries you can enjoy it all year round. I love baking with bananas, and this blackberry banana bread is a favorite! My fam LOVES blackberries, […]
Banana Nut Bread with Oat Flour
One-bowl banana nut bread with oat flour may become your new favorite banana bread! Naturally gluten-free, sweetly spiced, and so easy to make, this recipe is an instant classic. If you love oat flour banana bread, chances are you'll also love banana nut bread with oat flour! Just like my go-to oat flour chocolate banana […]
Silky Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Silky and rich, this homemade salted caramel sauce is an absolute dream. Pour it over ice cream, drizzle it into coffee drinks, add it to frostings, or use it to top a gluten free caramel cake - it's a wonderful addition to so many dishes. If you love the richness of caramel and the quintessential sweet-salty combo, […]
The Tuesday Treat: Favorite Birthday Cake
For an explanation of The Tuesday Treat, see here.
Popovers
A classic popovers recipe inspired by a trip to Acadia National Park. Perfectly light and fluffy and especially amazing served with freshly made jam! Popovers Recipe Sunday morning, cool and damp, awake before 7:30 to fog and tea. I laced up my running shoes (only slightly battered) and drove out to Bear Valley. I'd promised […]
The Tuesday Treat: Roasted Strawberry Morning Cake w. Buttermilk + Cornmeal
For an explanation of The Tuesday Treat, see here.
Homemade Wedding Cake (Advice, How-To, & Tips)
Here's everything you need to know about how to make a wedding cake, with lots of tips, tricks, and recipe suggestions from someone who has done it more than once! Congratulations! You're getting married! Or you're making the cake for someone special. If you've ever wondered if making your special occasion cake from scratch is […]
Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
Chock full of vegetables simmered in a tomato-based broth, this vegetarian minestrone soup is my take on a classic Italian recipe. Pure comfort food, it's fresh, hearty, and deliciously satisfying! A gorgeously flavorful and simple soup, vegetarian minestrone relies on garlic, onions, carrots, kale, tomatoes, and chickpeas to create a nourishing, brothy soup to cheer […]
The Tuesday Treat: Red Velvet Cake
For an explanation of The Tuesday Treat, see here. Red Velvet Cake, adapted from "The Confetti Cakes Cookbook," by Elisa Strauss, via the New York Times When I offered to bake Miss RJ's 6th birthday cupcakes, I suggested chocolate cupcakes topped with strawberry buttercream - who could resist that combination? But the birthday girl had […]
Quinoa 'Greek Salad'
When we were in Maine, we ate piles and piles of tomatoes grown in the backyard garden. Such richness! I ate cherry tomatoes like candy (though they were better than candy) just because I could. Even when tomato season reaches its zenith in California and my farmers' markets are overflowing, there is nothing - nothing […]
The Tuesday Treat: Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
For an explanation of The Tuesday Treat, see here. Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting When we were kids, my brother's favorite ice cream flavor was peanut-butter chocolate (I think mine was Jamoca Almond Fudge, at least for a time). It took me years to realize the genius of this combination, but once I […]
My Yosemite (+ Cooking on the Trail)
[Before the knife's edge, Clouds Rest, August 2012.] Hard to believe it's been four weeks now since we woke up before dawn, shouldered our packs sleepily downstairs and set off for the mountains, with a brief detour to pick up a friend and grab a (large) coffee for the road (along with a packet of […]
Blueberry Blackberry Pie
A classic method is used to make this blueberry blackberry pie, which features blueberries and blackberries folded into a tender whole-grain crust. A mix of fresh blueberries and blackberries is folded into a whole-grain pie crust for a super summery, super simple pie that somehow manages to perfectly straddle the line between being a sweet […]
Gluten Free Black Raspberry Pie
Fold fresh berries into a tender gluten free crust to make this black raspberry pie. You can make it with all-purpose flour if you wish, and if you can't get black raspberries, red raspberries make a fine substitute. But if you have access to wild berries or grow them yourself, definitely use them to make […]
Gluten Free Lemon Bundt Cake (Lemon Cloud Cake)
This gluten free lemon bundt cake is the kind of bake you want on the tea table - light, bright with citrus, and so fork-tender you'll be reaching for slice after slice. A simple, homemade gluten free cake flour gives it a delicate crumb that's balanced by the richness of cream cheese and butter. Each […]
Les Vacances
[Near Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, August 2012.] Hi from vacation-land, where it's been sunny and hot with bits of cool breezes here and there and the most gorgeous mountains you ever did see. There's been cooking, many nights over a little camp stove at altitude but also in a lovely granite-lined kitchen in Sonoma […]
The Tuesday Treat: Milk Chocolate Pudding
For an explanation of The Tuesday Treat, see here. Milk Chocolate Pudding, from Gourmet February 2007, with one small adaption Milk chocolate. Pudding. I love both of these things so it makes sense I'd love them when they're married to each other. This pudding could hardly be simpler - just a bit of stove time, […]
Strawberry & Rhubarb Jam
Strawberry & rhubarb jam is probably the loveliest and most fragrant of jams. Bright pink and perfectly sweet-tart, it is wonderful on toast, cake, or just eaten with a spoon. I don't know if it's because of the honey or the strawberries or both, but this strawberry & rhubarb jam smells deliciously buttery when it's cooking […]
The Tuesday Treat: Caramel Cake
Caramel Cake, adapted from Gourmet I wrote about this cake last year, calling it "simple and sweet," and the same description still holds. It's simple. It's sweet. And it's utterly lovely. A buttermilk-infused white cake with a gentle yet sturdy crumb bolsters a thick swath of rich caramel frosting. I served this cake with raspberries […]
Fresh Strawberry Cocktail (Easy Summer Drink)
This beautiful strawberry cocktail can be served with or without alcohol and is gorgeously colored and flavored by loads of fresh strawberries! Enjoy this drink as a refreshing summer mock/cocktail spiked with fresh mint or basil from the garden. This strawberry cocktail is the ultimate summer sip! Pretty in pink strawberry puree is the base […]
The Tuesday Treat: Tahini-Sesame Seed Cookies
For an explanation of The Tuesday Treat, see here. Tahini Sesame-Seed Cookies, via A Sweet SpoonfulLately, in addition to being obsessed with leafy greens and cherries, I've also been obsessed with sesame seeds. I throw them into stir fries with abandon, and if I'm frying tofu that tofu will be fried in sesame oil with […]
For Summer ... (+Tofu Salad)
[A visitor, July 2012.] It was sort of nice having the 4th of July holiday in the middle of the week this year. Three-day weekends are nice, of course (essential, really), but when one presents itself I have a tendency to schedule a trip out of town or pack it full of activities. A mid-week […]