Spicy Roasted Broccoli Romanesco, Chickpeas

I served this with yogurt, and it was one of the best lunches I've had in a long time.

Tuna with Lemon and Caramelized Red Onions, Arugula

Roasted Broccolini, Millet, Fried Egg

Scrambled Eggs with Arugula, Green Garlic, Herbs and Chevre

made with beautiful eggs from my fried piper's chickens!

Spicy Chickpeas with Preserved Lemon and Arugula

Roasted Cauliflower, Black Eyed Peas, Walnuts, Goat Cheese

Loosely based on this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, and on the ingredients I had at hand. I forgot to take a picture after I added the goat cheese, but you get the idea: I roasted the cauliflower with some garlic and rosemary, and added the walnuts for the last couple minutes just to toast them. Then tossed everything with the beans in a vinaigrette made with shallots, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar.

Salmon with Miso-Ginger Glaze and Kale with Caramelized Shallots

Trying to eat more fish...

Couscous with Asparagus, Arugula, Herbs and a Fried Egg

I dressed the veggies with red wine vinegar, finely chopped shallots, and lots of black pepper, and added in some mint and parsley. I also shaved a little Parmesan on top at the end (post photo), which was delish.

Sweet and Brown Rice, Bok Choy with Garlic, Ginger, Chili and Miso

Smashed Chickpeas, Sauteed Kale with Caramelized Shallots, Knackebrod

A quick dinner demonstrating the knackebrod addiction I picked up while in Sweden...

Chickpeas, Carrots, Cabbage & Sunflower Sprouts with Yogurt, and Stout in a Teacup

There were very few green things available in Sweden in the middle of winter, so I made this variation on one of my favorite easy meals with cabbage, and we threw some sprouts on top for a little extra green. Since we were cooking in a rented cabin we didn't have any seasonings, so this came out pretty bland (ever underestimate the power of salt!), but it was nice to have something healthy after eating knackebrod and tube cheese in the car all day. Also interesting to note: I usually make this with caraway, and I thought it would be really easy to find at the grocery store in Sweden, as caraway is such a common spice in Northern European cooking, but we couldn't find anything labeled as such. I compromised by buying cumin instead, and when I opened the package I discovered it was indeed caraway... so what do they call cumin in Sweden, if "cumin" means caraway?

Pasta with Broccoli and Pesto

When I was a Sophomore in college, I had a huge crush on a boy who was vegan. We often worked late together in the lithography studio, and most nights we'd take a dinner break and head to one of our apartments to cook. And almost every one of those nights, we made pasta with some sort of green vegetable (broccoli, green beans, zucchini, spinach) thrown into the pot halfway through, and then tossed with olive oil, sliced almonds, and salt and pepper. It was an easy meal to make and tonight, home sick with a cold, I decided easy was a good idea. I added in some homemade pesto (I always keep it in the freezer, ready to defrost), and voila: a relatively healthy meal in less than 10 minutes!

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.

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.

Chickpeas, Squash and Purple Kale with Yogurt

Inspired by the master, Yotam Ottolenghi- I cooked the squash with caraway and it was delicious!

Sweet Potato and Lentil Tacos with Goat Cheese and Arugula

This was a quick and easy meal that was super satisfying: sweet potatoes, salty lentils, creamy goat cheese, and fresh greens dressed in lemon juice to add some texture and acidity. I used white sweet potatoes, which is why you can't really see them in this picture.

Couscous with Basil Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes

(Pesto recipe here.)

Lentils and Squash

Last week it was summer here in the Bay Area- 80 degrees and sunny- and yesterday it turned cold and cloudy, with even a bit of rain. Although the weather report promises highs in the 70s for the forseeable future, my palate is starting to shift towards cozy foods like this wintertime classic. I probably eat some variation of this dish every day during the colder months, maybe with chickpeas or black beans instead of lentils, or sweet potato instead of squash, or the addition of some hearty greens or even a grain like couscous, farro, or rice. Sometimes I'll add cheese in the form of buffala mozzarella, homemade ricotta, or chevre. But the basics are always the same: roast the squash for about a half hour with spices and olive oil (I like a combination of coriander, clove, nutmeg and chilli), cook the lentils at the same time with herbs (thyme, sage, or even just a bay leaf can be great) and garlic, and combine.

Lentils with Cherry Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

The last of the cherry tomatoes from my garden...