carrot garlic soup

well it’s still raining off and on here in LA, so i’m constantly in search of foods that will make me feel warm and cozy when the sky is dreary and gray.  i’ve posted a carrot soup before, but realized after the fact how complicated that recipe is.  this one requires no sautéeing, just some light chopping, a half an hour on the stove and a little blending.  and like the split pea soup, it doesn’t require any veggie broth... Read More

chocolate peanut butter fudge

as part of my chocolate kick i’ve been experimenting with a lot of types of vegan fudge.  it’s really quite simple to vegan-ize fudge as long as you have both a dairy-free butter/margarine substitute and a dairy-free chocolate.  all it takes some light melting, sifting and stirring to create a sweet concoction no one would ever guess is vegan. while fudge can be nearly any flavor it most often involves chocolate.  i decided to make... Read More

beet and cranberry juice spritzers for valentine’s day

valentine’s day is all about red and pink things, but to me it doesn’t make sense to use nasty old food coloring when there are plenty of tasty and natural sources to create beautiful color. after months of working at a juice bar i developed a love for beet juice.  it’s sweet and detoxifying and tastes great with lemon or apple juice (but be careful, it stains!)  i paired it with cranberry juice to even out the intense flavor... Read More

maca cinnamon truffles for valentine’s day

when i think valentines day, i think chocolate.  it’s inevitable.  if you have someone to share the day with you spend it feeding each other decadent chocolate treats all day. if you don’t you try to forget by treating yourself with as much chocolate as you can possibly eat. ever since my local grocery store started carrying organic, dairy-free chocolate chips, i’ve been on a real chocolate kick.  i started dreaming about making... Read More

split pea soup

it’s been raining outside for the past few days.  soggy sneakers and jeans make me want nothing more than to curl up in bed with a big bowl of soup and a cup of tea. the great thing about split peas is they are super cheap to buy and don’t take very long to cook.  this recipe doesn’t call for an veggie broth or bouillon because simmering the peas with the bay leaves and herbs gives the soup plenty of flavor.  blending the soup... Read More

blood orange and poppy seed spelt muffins

i haven’t been able to make it out to the farmers’ market much lately, but this weekend when i arrived at the one in silver lake i was greeted by bushels of beautiful blood oranges.  i thought to myself, “what better way to use these blood oranges than with one of citrus’ best friends, poppy seeds? and where do poppy seeds feel more at home than in a wholesome muffin?” after trying my hand at all-oat crackers, i am... Read More

kidney bean and quinoa burgers

why buy overpriced frozen veggie burgers at the store when you can make them at home on the cheap?  all you need is some beans, grains, and a little corn starch to hold it together and you have quite the tasty vegan patty.  you could even get creative by adding  vegetables like sweet potatoes, corn, or zucchini. this is a pretty simple recipe, i seasoned it mostly with cumin for a zesty flavor, but feel free to experiment with your own mélange... Read More