Archive for the ‘Vegan Optional’ Category
pineapple flambé
While in Portland, I got the chance to experiment with my friends’ outdoor pizza oven. We took advantage of the season and played with flambéing different fresh fruits. For the Pineapple Flambé I added star anise and vanilla to help develop a more complex flavor. With flambéing fruit, you light alcohol on fire to add to the cooking […]
Filed under: Dessert, Vegan Optional | 1 Comment
Tags: greek yogurt, pineapple, rum, star anise, vanilla
I have recently encountered several savory dishes featuring watermelon, which inspired this dish. The salad balances textures (the soft chewiness of israeli couscous, the crunchy bite of watermelon and the creamy feel of cheese) and flavors (the toastyness of the couscous, the sweetness of watermelon and the saltiness of the cheese), plus the fresh and spicy flavor of […]
Filed under: Salads, Sides, Uncategorized, Vegan Optional, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment
Tags: arugula, basil, ricotta salata, summer, watermelon
veggie “pork” fried rice
I have developed a theory that all the world’s most popular foods successfully blend ingredients from multiple major food and flavor groups. If you think about pizza and burritos as examples, they both meet this standard. Both incorporate vegetables, a protein, grains, and some source of fat. Both have strong flavors: pizza has more of […]
Filed under: Mains, Vegan Optional, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment
Tags: carrots, celery, garlic, ginger, honey, peas, rice, tofu
I have experimented with granola lately and my coworkers have been my guinea pigs. I really tried to push the boundaries with this granola, and I hit the mark for one colleague and missed for another. I was happy that it was bold enough to inspire strong reactions, so it felt like a successful experiment! […]
Filed under: Breakfast, Vegan Optional | Leave a Comment
Tags: cardamom, coconut, ginger, granola, orange, pistachio
ricotta & cherry tomato toasts
This is a super simple recipe I developed awhile ago, and revived to share at a weeknight dinner in honor of a friend’s birthday. It is a recipe that can be mostly prepped ahead and quickly put on the table. The crunch of the bread, the creaminess of the ricotta and the tang and sweetness […]
Filed under: Starters, Vegan Optional | Leave a Comment
We were deep into a lazy summer Sunday when we started to make dinner plans. Given the heat, our need for a nap, and all the opportunity still left in the day (going to the pool!), we decided to order takeout pizza. I offered to make a salad, and felt inspired by the day to […]
Filed under: Salads, Vegan Optional | 2 Comments
Tags: balsamic, basil, mozzarella, salad, summer, white peach
spring market salad
Spring is here! The sun shone more days than not this past week in SF. Asparagus and strawberries are in the markets. Jasmine is blooming in my neighborhood. I feel that rush of adrenaline (Seattleites know what I’m talking about) that only spring can create. In honor of the arrival of spring, I have created […]
Filed under: Mains, Salads, Uncategorized, Vegan Optional | Leave a Comment
Tags: asparagus, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, english peas, portobello mushroom, Spring
most simple lemon vinaigrette
Recently, I bought my first bottle of really nice olive oil. Not the kind that you splash in a hot pan to make sauce or sauté something. Rather, the kind that you gently drizzle over salads or vegetables, seasoned with little or nothing else, so that the complexity of the olive oil can shine through. […]
Filed under: Salads, Vegan, Vegan Optional, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment
Tags: extra virgin olive oil, lemon, salad, vinaigrette
Thanksgiving is a great holiday for folks who love to cook. Given that a meal is central to the holiday, Thanksgiving offers an excellent opportunity to experiment, cook old favorites, and share your craft with those you love. Though it may seem to present a lot of complications for those of us who choose to […]
Filed under: Dessert, Holidays, Mains, Salads, Starters, Vegan, Vegan Optional, Vegetarian | 3 Comments
Tags: Thanksgiving, veggies
chipotle butternut squash soup
From summer to fall — quickly! The seasonal tide has turned in San Francisco, and there is nothing I like more than a pot of soup on a rainy Sunday evening in autumn. When I develop recipes, I tend to look for base flavors that can accomodate experimentation. For soups, butternut squash is the perfect […]
Filed under: Soups, Uncategorized, Vegan Optional | 2 Comments
Tags: autumn, butternut squash, chipotle, creme fraiche, soup
veg here 