The Bombest. Quinoa. Recipe. Ever…plus a little voting thingy

Yes, you read that correctly! There I was traipsing around in my jam-jams a couple of weekends ago with no intention of whipping up anything spectacular when, whoops, I did. I made something awesome. So awesome that, despite the super huge queue of recipes that I really need to get to posting, I’m bumping this one to the top. Well maybe not the top top, because I’m not quite done here. Speaking of those other recipes I’ve yet to post, I thought I’d do a little polling to see what ye olde readers are yearning for these days. (In case the … Read More

Recipe: Parmesan-roasted baby kale & cheddar quesadilla (kale-sadilla?)

A quick post tonight since I promised I’d publish the cheesy dipper (or should that be Cheesy Dipper? it does sound quite proper) pictured with yesterday’s Curried Carrot Soup. This is really more a method than anything else. And a great way to sneak a little green into an otherwise guilty pleasure and still please both kids and picky husbands (or wives), alike. (Side note: sneaking healthy stuff into our future behbeh’s food might be motivation enough to start popping those little guys out. I can’t wait for our kids’ technicolor appetites. They will love Brussel sprouts.) Parmesan-Roasted Baby Kale … Read More

Recipe: Curried carrot soup w/ Greek yogurt & toasted walnuts

It seems we’ve been on a soup streak here lately, and that is A-ok with me. I love soup — to the point that I don’t even discriminate against the canned stuff. I know it’s a sodium bomb and full of all sorts of processed crap, but on a cold day with crusty hunk of sourdough or a drippy grilled cheese, I’m not super picky. If given the choice, however, a velvety, seasonal soup like this one — which can still be made start to finish in less than an hour — is an easy winner. Sweet, subtly spicy and … Read More

Recipe: Black bean, kale & farro soup with smoked olive oil (no bacon! whaaaat?)

Here’s a recipe that’ll knock your socks off. It’s a soup — no biggie — chocked full of veggies — no biggie — that would be excellent kicked off with a little rendered bacon — duh. Few soups wouldn’t benefit from getting things started with a little smoky, salty, fat. Except for I’m out of bacon. And, as you can read more about in a post I’m hoping to get to tomorrow, we’re kind of trying to limit bacon intake in this house, among other things, at least for a little while. Something to do with wanting to live a … Read More

Recipe: Bleu cheese & apricot pastry bites — and a few last thanks…

Holy crap, it’s almost 2013. This year, more than any other in recent memory, I’ve taken little moments here and there to survey everything Chris and I have been able to pack into our compact Bay Area life, and darned if I don’t feel like a pretty lucky lady. It’s super easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of seemingly important, demanding, utterly crucial activities, isn’t it? Like, “ohmygod, I have to go to World Market right this minute to buy those 75% off Easter cheese puffs,” or  “if I don’t put in three 12-hour days this week, this stuff is … Read More