MULTI-GRAIN SOURDOUGH BOULE
Brown Butter Syrup
BROCCOLI QUICHE
Give your holiday leftovers a makeover! Chunks of random cheese? Small rations of veggies? A couple of sprigs of tarragon ordinarily destined to die a slow death? Even that carton of cream can have a new purpose. Quiche it! Just pull out the scale and load it up with varying bits of cheddar, swiss, and gouda until you have about 4 oz for your pie. Substitute the broccoli for whatever veggies you have from your feast- any combination of cauliflower, brussel sprouts, peas, and such will do. With leftover veggies, you can toss them right in and skip the steaming. And feel free to use half-n-half instead of the milk or replace half of the milk with cream. Bake it up and avert leftover ennui!
Gluten-Free Flourless Peanut Butter & Oat Cookies
A flourless gluten-free cookie made with ingredients that are already in your pantry. It’s unbelievable, but these flourless delights really do bake up to be, well… cookies! Make them without the oats for a flatter and crunchier confection or swap the oats for chopped nuts, coconut, or chocolate chips. The oats really are just an add-in in this recipe and don’t add to the structure. But I like to add them for the nutrition boost and to balance out the sweetness. Top with chocolate if desired.
Mushroom Bourguignon Pot Pie
The the mushrooms’ earthiness collaborates with the toasted flour and brown butter to deliver a deeply flavored bourguigon without the beef. This recipe requires a few steps, especially if you’re making your own crust… But consider making big batches of the filling and freezing it using the method for freezing soup. When ready, thaw the filling, assemble, and bake!
TOMATO PASTA SAUCE
This everyday dish can be adorned with summer’s bounty and upgraded with fresh pasta or kept simple with dried herbs and boxed spaghetti. Make it as mild or spicy as you'd like and pair with the herbs of your choosing. Blend smooth for a luxuriously creamy texture or leave it chunky for a more rustic and tomato-y bite.
VEGAN LEMONGRASS NOODLE SOUP
Personalize this lovely dish by garnishing with your favorite accompaniments. Add punch with chives, turn up the heat with chilies, or keep it mellow with sweet basil.
Noodle soup typically starts with a pre-made stock spiked with fish sauce and finished with crisp yet tender vegetables. This recipe skips the fish sauce for a vegan concoction. And, instead of cooking all the vegetables at the end, I incorporate half the veggies- cabbage, carrot, and tomato- into the water for a long simmer and create a flavorful broth. Then, I finish the soup by quick cooking veggies for some crunch. If, however, you use pre-made stock, you can add all the veggies at the end.
EASY WHEAT BREAD
This half whole wheat and half white bread is every bit as delicious as its all white counterpart, and with a food processor, these loaves come together with little fuss. When the dough’s on its first proofing, go ahead start up a batch of soup. By the time the soup’s been prepared and done simmering, the bread is almost ready!
KALE & TOMATO SOUP
Inspired by my Gran's cabbage rolls, which were always served with mashed potatoes and tomato gravy, this soup is reminiscent of those childhood flavors without all the calories. I switched from cabbage to kale when I started growing it, but this stew tastes delicious no matter what brassica you choose.
ALMOND & CASHEW MILK
GREEN TEA & FRUIT SMOOTHIE
With a little caffeine, fruit, and protein, this smoothie is the perfect pick-me-up to ward off that afternoon crash! You'll need tea ice-cubes; so this recipe requires some pre-planning. I like to brew a quart or 2 of tea in advance, freeze 1/3 into ice-cubes and refrigerate the rest. Acidic fruits pair wonderfully with the green tea and avocado. Boost the flavor with fresh herbs, ginger, and turmeric.
VEGAN COCONUT & FRUIT SMOOTHIE
A vegan version of my basic fruit & dairy smoothie, but in this version almond and coconut milks team up for a dairy-free delight! High sugar fruits mellow its lower sugar and acidic counterparts while the coconut milk adds a creamy texture. Avoid adding ice as it will dilute your creation and leave you reaching for sweeteners. Instead, freeze 1/3 to 1/2 of your ingredients. I like to keep the fruit in the freezer. For a quick breakfast, blend up the fruit and nuts the night before and freeze in ice trays. In the morning, add your cubes to the milks and blend!
BASIC FRUIT AND DAIRY SMOOTHIE
More of an outline than a recipe, this will get you on your way to creating nutritious and flavorful smoothies using whatever you have on hand. Balance is key to blending up the best results... The higher fat and creamy dairy adds depth and texture while high sugar fruits mellow its lower sugar and acidic counterparts. Avoid adding ice as it will dilute your creation and leave you reaching for sweeteners. Instead, freeze 1/3 to 1/2 of your ingredients. I like to keep the fruit in the freezer. For a quick breakfast, blend up the fruit and nuts the night before and freeze in ice trays. In the morning, add your cubes to your dairy ingredients and blend!
GRILLED VEGETABLES & NOODLES
For an at-home "stir-fry" that rivals your favorite Asian restaurant, break out the grill! A grill basket is essential for this endeavor and makes this dish much easier. I add eggs for protein because I always have them, but grilled tofu is an obvious vegan substitute.
BREAKFAST ESPRESSO SMOOTHIE
With a double dose of espresso, banana, and a serving of nuts, this breakfast concoction gets you moving! I've tested this recipe with canned coconut milk, full fat Greek yogurt, and half-n-half, and the results have been equally delicious. I'm a cream, no sugar kind of gal... A cappuccino or dark brew with half-n-half. Black coffee drinkers may want a dairy ingredient with less fat while our cream and sugar friends should add honey or sugar or even increase the amount of dairy or banana.
MELON & THYME SORBET
After a holiday weekend, it's not uncommon for a 1/2 of a watermelon to be taking up residence in the fridge. Take that bulky melon and reduce it to sorbet! You need 4 cups of melon puree for this recipe, which is roughly 1/2 of a medium watermelon or 1 whole sugar baby, honeydew, or cantaloupe. If you start pureeing your fruit and find that you don't have 4 cups of puree, make a 1/2 recipe. Due to the high water content in melons, this is NOT the time to substitute sugar for corn syrup. The melon needs the assist from corn syrup's viscosity to produce a soft scoop. Table sugar yields an unscoopable block of ice. If, however, you want to substitute sugar, add it to taste and make frozen pops instead of sorbet!
Maple Vanilla Frozen Custard
A divinely unvirtuous delight... Leave your inhibitions behind and succumb to the bliss. Maple, that fleeting flavor that retreats almost as soon as it hits your tongue, is amplified with a little booze and complimented by sweet cream. This frozen concoction is best unadulterated or with the simplest of accompaniments. Pecans or walnuts pair harmoniously, but don't mix them into the custard. Instead, freshly toast as needed, salt lightly, and sprinkle on top.
YOGURT & HERB DRESSING
ASPARAGUS SAGE QUICHE
This pie takes full advantage of spring's bounty- a lot of asparagus and a little fresh sage! With its combination of milk, eggs, and cheese, quiche is calorie rich yet nutritious. Make it a little lighter by using skim milk or rush into decadence and replace half the milk with cream. And don't forget to serve with a side salad.
