how-to: open a pomegranate

whenever i felt like eating a pomegranate, i used to cut it in half and slowly pick all of the seeds out.  by the end my hands would be red and i was lucky if i got half of the goodness out of the tough-skinned fruit, but i recently found out there is a much simpler way to open a pomegranate, where you can get all the seeds out without making a mess.  all you need is a knife and a large bowl of cold water. Read More  Read More

dragon fruit lemonade

i had never seen a fresh dragon fruit before this saturday when i bought some at the silver lake farmers’ market.  i’ve tried the dried slices they sell at trader joe’s, but many people haven’t heard of it outside the context of a vitamin water flavor. they are a bit expensive (i got 3 for $10), but worth it for their tropical flavor, crunchy seeds, and beautiful colors.  the man who sold them to me suggested this recipe... Read More

pesto tomato eggplant appetizers

this sunday i walked past a stand at the farmers market with all different kinds of eggplant.  i got excited and inspired to make something delicious and beautiful with them, as well as the many tomatoes i already had in my bag. it doesn’t hurts if your food is incredibly adorable either. Read More  Read More

spicy carrot apple and ginger soup

carrot apple and ginger juice was one of my favorite drinks when i used to work at a juice bar. and i always heard of people making carrot ginger soup, so i put the two together and made up a sweet and spicy soup perfect for autumn time. it has several different layers of spicy, from the soothing and warming spice of the ginger to the hot and sharp spice of the pepper.  it warms you from the inside out just like any great soup should. if you want... Read More

how-to: grow herbs indoors

i’ve recently had a few people ask me what plants are good to start out with if you want to grow your own herbs, here are some plants that are nearly impossible to kill. Read More  Read More

toasted buckwheat porridge

i find buckwheat tasty.  i’ve posted before about using buckwheat flour and adding it to granola bars, you can even sprout it and eat the greens in your salad. it’s a gluten-free grain that has been associated with reducing cholesterol, improving circulation, and might even be able to treat type II diabetes. this is a simple way to cook it up as a hardy breakfast, especially great on those cold foggy mornings. Read More  Read More