When I taught this black bean brownie recipe in February of 2009 (yes, 10 years ago!), the idea was trending so much that I thought the recipe would get lost in all the black bean brownie hysteria. Â But just like fashion, sometimes trends make a comeback or sometimes when you take something out of the closet that has been sitting there for a while, it looks fresh again. Â That’s what happened with this recipe which I hadn’t made in many years.
I need you to be open-minded about this one. 😉  First off, by “raw tacos” I do not mean raw animal protein.  That would be ridiculous and awful.  I mean a raw, plant-based taco-like mixture that is super quick and easy to prep, healthy and, I think, delicious!
I promise this is the last time I will complain about the weather. Â But really, for LA, this rain and sub-60 degree temperatures are cramping my style. Â I want my money back! I am drinking more hot water and tea than ever to stay warm and relying on more cooked food than raw. Â I know that spices have a warming thermal nature, so I decided to flip through my friend Kanchan’s (on Instagram she is @chiefspicemama) cookbook, “Spice Spice Baby: Â 100 Recipes with Healing Spices for Your Family Table.” Â I was instantly drawn to her recipe for “Anti-Microbial Spiced Chai” which not only looked cozy and delicious, but I happened to have all the ingredients on hand.Continue reading
Â
Â
I saw sugar snap peas at the farmers market for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I immediately bought them without thinking twice. Â I am crazy for these crunchy, sweet pods and I often snack on them plain or dip them into hummus or a basic vinaigrette. Â The season for local sugar snap peas is short, so I’ll be buying them weekly until I don’t see them anymore. Â Continue reading
To hasselback a potato (or anything for that matter) means to slice it in an accordian style so that the slices fan out resulting in crispy edges and soft interiors. Â You can stuff anything you want in between the slices or nothing at all, but the results are absolutely delish. Â I love sweet potatoes more than regular potatoes, so I knew a hasselbacked sweet potato would be my kind of recipe. Â I taught this in a class a couple years ago and everyone flipped for them. Â We all stood at the counter pulling apart layers of sweet potatoes with our fingers and forgetting that I had cooked other recipes!
I’ve become soft. Â That’s what my East Coast family and friends tell me. Â LA has had an unusally cold and rainy winter and I can’t get warm. Â By “cold,” I mean below 60 degrees, but above 40 degrees. Â I know my friends in the midwest have NO sympathy for me. Â I wouldn’t either. Â But what to do if you feel cold? Â Make a warming soup.Continue reading
Desserts, as opposed to healthful, naturally sweetened snacks, aren’t a regular thing around here.  My family never got used to dessert after dinner.  We didn’t do it when I was growing up, so it didn’t happen when I had my own family.  If someone wants something sweet after dinner, there’s always fresh fruit, dried fruit and, more recently, freeze-dried fruit.  There are enough sweet foods like muffins and Bliss Balls happening throughout the day, not to mention a few chocolate chips in pancakes, chia pudding for snack, or a handful of granola on top of oatmeal.  My kids and I are all pretty sensitive to refined sugar, so desserts aren’t an ideal thing to serve when homework and deadlines are happening.
I’m not sure why chili seems to be one of the most popular foods to serve on Super Bowl Sunday. Â I suppose in most parts of the country it is very cold out (sending warm thoughts your way Chicago and neighboring cities/states!), so chili is a perfect cozy dish. Â And the Super Bowl is a pretty long event, lending itself well to dishes that can stay on the stove or in the slow cooker for hours. Â Plus, I think any kind of a DIY topping bar situation is great for a party. Â I guess those are all great reasons!
