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. Celebrate the glory of summer berry season in this beautiful and beautifully simple pie. A mix of fresh blueberries and blackberries is folded into a whole-grain pie crust for a super summery, super […]
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 […]
Gluten Free Cherry Loaf Cake
This one-bowl gluten-free cherry loaf cake is swirled with chopped cherries and finished with a slick of tart lemon glaze. A lovely dessert or snack anytime, this sweet and summery quick bread is always welcome. This nicely-textured gluten-free cherry quick bread relies on Greek yogurt and a simple mix of oat and almond flours (see […]
Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
This recipe for simpler gluten-free cinnamon rolls is adapted from a traditional yeasted dough cinnamon roll recipe and uses gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour without any complicated extras. Soft, buttery, and kissed with spice. For an easier version of my oat flour cinnamon rolls, make this gluten-free cinnamon rolls recipe that is based on a […]
Chocolate Sorbet
This rich and creamy vegan chocolate sorbet gets its smoothness from a blend of cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Easy to make with or without an ice cream machine! Easiest Chocolate Sorbet Recipe Woke up today to more sun and brilliant blue skies, feeling the air coming in warm through the window screen. Thinking: The […]
Rhubarb Gin Cocktail (aka Rhubarb G&T)
For a gorgeous twist on a classic, try my rhubarb gin cocktail, also known as a rhubarb gin and tonic! Homemade rhubarb syrup is swirled with good gin and bubbly tonic water for a refreshing, pretty in pink cocktail. If you love a classic gin and tonic, you might want to give this beautifully hued […]
Cherry Jam Recipe
This easy cherry jam recipe can be made as sweet as you like, but try to rely on the natural sweetness of the cherries so that the gorgeous fruit flavor shines through. I made this jam to tuck into a wedding cake but it is perfect with - everything! Today: bowls and bowls of buttercream. […]
Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Lusciously moist banana cake with chocolate frosting is the simplest recipe that always manages to impress! A tender crumb, silky smooth chocolate frosting, and a kiss of spice make this a cake to remember. This beautifully simple cake is made from a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, plus brown sugar for an extra […]
Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Tomatoes
Fresh mint brightens up this pearl couscous salad with feta and tomatoes that features soft couscous dressed in a roasted cherry tomato vinaigrette. Add briny feta cheese and toasted pine nuts for a little crunch. Pearl Couscous Salad with Feta and Tomatoes Recipe There was a lot of cake last weekend - did I mention […]
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting
This gluten-free chocolate cake with caramel frosting is rich, tender, and very chocolatey. Topped with a fluffy crown of buttercream, made with my delicious homemade salted caramel sauce, this dessert is perfect for celebrations or whenever you want a special treat. Take your regular gluten free chocolate cake up a notch and make this winner […]
Lentil "Meatballs"
All about how to cook meat as a vegetarian - it is possible! - with some tips and practical advice. Plus a delectable recipe for vegetarian lentil meatballs. I've noted before that I am a vegetarian (it's been ... nearly half my life at this point; no, I don't think it's necessarily 'just a phase,' […]
Quinoa Salad with Feta and Mint
Fluffy quinoa salad with feta and mint is so refreshing, packed with fresh lemon juice, salty feta cheese, chopped mint, and sunflower seeds for a bit of crunch. Enough for a vegetarian main, or pair it with fish. Naturally gluten free! Best Quinoa Salad with Feta and Mint Recipe How do I love quinoa? Let […]
Rhubarb Compote
Four-ingredient rhubarb compote makes the most of rhubarb's fleeting season. Sweetened with just honey and sugar, this beautiful compote is wonderful stirred into yogurt, spooned over ice cream, spread on muffins, and more. Beautiful rhubarb is the star of a silky smooth, not-too-sweet compote that is as versatile as it is easy to make. A little […]
Nettle Pesto
Bright green fresh nettle leaves make a light, floral nettle pesto with plenty of garlic and parmesan cheese. Swirl it into pasta, or add it to toast, quiche, and more. Simple Nettle Pesto Recipe "Bring home some nettles," I told my husband a few weeks ago as we parted ways on a sunny San Francisco […]
Baked Halibut with Lemon
Tender and flaky baked halibut with lemon celebrates spring with fresh flavors. Serve this fish during halibut season for the best-tasting dinner. I'm having a fling with spring, it's true. A little rain here and there - Wednesday night I met my friend Anne for wine in the lower Haight and what I thought was […]
Low Sugar Strawberry Jam
A recipe for a beautifully hued, low sugar strawberry jam that's also made without pectin. You can make this a refrigerator jam or follow canning processes to preserve it. I LOVE making homemade jams and preserves from seasonal produce (rhubarb jam, rhubarb compote, and persimmon jam, anyone?). I also love experimenting with my tried-and-true recipes to come […]
Lower Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
These perfect lower sugar chocolate chip cookies are sweetened just with brown sugar and packed with semisweet chocolate. They need less sugar than regular cookies, but you won't be able to tell! These are classic chocolate chip cookies with less sugar than regular chocolate chip cookies, but I dare you to be able to tell. […]
Honey and Lemon Cake
A mostly-vegan honey and lemon cake that's bright with fresh lemon juice and the floral sweetness of honey. [Easter table, April 2012.] UPDATED TO ADD ON 4/19: Oops, I forgot that honey isn't technically considered 'vegan'. Still, 'non-egg, non-dairy honey lemon cake' doesn't quite have the same ring ... so I think I'll just edit […]