Another Green Couscous

This one comes from Jamie Magazine and is a little bit quicker to prepare than the Ottolenghi recipe (due to the lack of caramelized onions)- I think it took me about 15 minutes altogether, and I've made it twice this week already! Full of broccoli, greens (Jamie uses spinach but I had kale), toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and seasoned with harissa, I found this to be very satisfying and quite healthy.

Chicory and Roasted Beet Salad, Curried Chicken Salad, Toast

I made the chicken salad with a bit of curry powder, toasted, slivered almonds, and a good amount of mango chutney mixed in. I dressed the chicories and beets with orange juice, and tossed some toasted pumpkin seeds in as well.

Dessert Tray

From left to right: brown butter shortbread, rose jellies, truffle balls, lime meltaways. For the truffles, I used the recipe for my favorite truffle cake, and I just rolled the ganache into balls and tossed them in the candied almonds instead of layering them.

Creme Fraiche Scones

I've been looking for a good scone recipe for years, and I think this is the one! These are slightly sweet and they would be great for shortcake too. I served them with clotted cream, homemade lemon curd, and cherry-lime-ginger jam that I made from the cherries I harvested this summer.

Finger Sandwiches

A few lady friends came over for tea and as usual I went a little overboard. I made some classic British sandwiches: cucumber and butter, egg salad with watercress, roast beef with horseradish creme, curried chicken salad with mango chutney, and salmon and cream cheese.

Winter Vegetable Salad

The latest issue of Jamie Magazine came in the mail yesterday and it's full of recipes I want to make (including a whole section on celery!). This salad was perfection: roasted root vegetables (beets and carrots in this case) and red onions, toasted chunks of bread, shredded chicken, pomegranate seeds, sunflower seeds and pepitas, and an assortment of beautiful baby chicories from the market, all dressed in a honey-orange vinaigrette. There are a lot of components, to be sure, but in all it took about 40 minutes to prepare (including roasting time), and I will definitely be making it again. I only wish my shoddy nighttime photography accurately depicted what a beautiful plate this was.

Lentil Soup

I saw lentil soup on another blog recently and decided I should make some. I improvised mine- first I made some veggie stock (carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, bay, peppercorns), then I cooked lentils in it along with some more carrots, celery, and onion, puréed about 2/3 of that, and added the rest back in for texture. I had it with some whole grain bread from Acme, and it really hit the spot!

Celery, Romaine, Apple

Pomegranate Tangerine

Chickpea and Kale salad with Cilantro, Red Onion, and Lime

Also: a little toasted coriander, cumin, and chili.

Here is why dried chickpeas are so much better than canned ones: because you can add flavor to them by cooking them with garlic, salt, and herbs, or even a little tomato. Canned chickpeas can be seasoned, but they won't take on the flavors in the same way. Also, the texture is so much better with ones you cook yourself; canned ones can be a bit mushy sometimes.

Cheater Mac and Cheese

Every now and then I find myself desperately craving mac and cheese, but don't have the time or patience to wait for it to bake. This version tastes just as good and uses so much less cheese that it's a healthy option, too, and it only takes about 10 minutes to put together. Here's how: boil pasta, drain and toss with a little butter, shaved Parmesan cheese to taste, salt and pepper, and top with toasted breadcrumbs. You'd be surprised how little cheese you need to get the full effect- you can use something other than Parmesan, but I recommend something equally strong-flavored.

Smashed, Spicy Kabocha with Yogurt

I roasted the squash with cumin, coriander, caraway, clove, and crushed chili, and a little garlic and bay leaf.

Beet, Grapefruit, Tangerine