we are at the very peak of stone fruit season.  apricots have been around for a while, peaches are just now getting good and cherries are the sweetest they can be right this very second!  for these few weeks of the year we can see nectarines, pluots, and apriums next to white, yellow and doughnut peaches, alongside baskets of red and rainier cherries.  so i gather them up while i can!

i often think of baking them into tarts, pies or cakes, but i must admit i feel guilty cooking such beautiful, fresh fruit.  i’m usually tempted just to eat it as is – raw and unaltered – to preserve its subtle sweetness and soft juicy texture.  but i wanted to find a recipe that accented these qualities while making the fruit more portable and even more palatable.

since the ripening of stone fruit makes me think of summer, and they have a similar texture to tomatoes, i decided to turn the fruit into a salsa i could enjoy all summer long as harvests yield different varieties.  instead of fresh cilantro i used big fresh basil leaves, which are so sweet smelling i melt whenever in the vicinity.  these compliment the sweetness of the fruit quite nicely, and the presence of all the other classic ingredients – garlic, onion, and a little salt, oil and citrus juice – leaves no question that this is still a true salsa.

mixed stone fruit salsa
3 c chopped mixed stone fruit
1/2 c chopped red onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 tbsp minced basil leaves
1 tsp kosher salt

you can pick whichever stone fruits you like, cherries, plums, pluots, peaches, apricots or apriums.  i just grabbed an assortment at the farmer’s market.

chop up all of the assorted stone fruit, removing any stems or pits, dicing everything up into small cubes.  mince the jalapeno (removing the stem, seeds an pulp first), onion, garlic and basil.  mix this all together with your lemon juice, olive oil and salt.  enjoy immediately or let sit in the fridge for about an hour to let the flavors meld together.

yields about 4 servings

sometimes inspiration will carry me to the kitchen to bake something, but when i open the cupboards the ingredients are dismal.  i wanted to make granola bars but as i eyed the most discouraging amount of oats i had ever encountered, i thought it might not happen.  just then i spied small amounts of different seeds and nuts all over the cupboard, so instead of sulking away empty-handed, i got a little creative.

i toasted them all up in a dry frying pan, tossed them with some kosher salt, vanilla and agave, then baked them into bars.  and, of course, finished them off with a drizzle of semi-sweet chocolate.  the result is a toasty, crackly, just-sweet-enough bar that flakes and pops as you chew it.  the hint of salt compliments the treat’s sweetness and toasty crunch really well.  it reminded me slightly of the taste of fresh popped popcorn, but tucked into a hardy and healthy snack.

sweet and salty seedy nut bars
2 c variety of whichever seeds, nuts, light grains or dried fruits you have on hand
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c agave syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

this recipe is really simple and versatile.  you can use pretty much any nuts or seeds you have on hand, light grains like oats, buckwheat or quinoa, and most dried fruit.  i used a mix of flax seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, dried shredded coconut, quinoa, oats and buckwheat.

pan fry all the ingredients in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes tossing every minute or so.   you should hear snap, crackle, popping.  if you have fruit or chocolate chips or something you want to add to the bars that shouldn’t be toasted, then add it in after this step.

once done, pour the toasted ingredients into a large bowl and drizzle the vanilla extract and agave over it – it may sizzle a bit.  mix well and turn out onto a pan covered in parchment paper.  form into a rectangle shape, as thick as you’d like your bars long.

bake at 325F for 10 minutes, take out and let cool for a few minutes.  then cut with a large sharp knife into bars – or little squares if you’d like – and return them to the oven for 10 additional minutes.  take out and let cool for a while before you attempt to handle them.  the agave leaves them malleable while still hot but they eventually harden into a very crunchy bar when completely cooled.

once they are cooled you can drizzle them with chocolate – which is what i prefer.  depending on your taste, you might like it without any chocolate or completely dipped in it.  personally, i think this minimal but even coat is perfect to contrast the saltiness within the bar.

to melt the chocolate, heat it up in a double boiler over low heat on the stove.  i do this by putting the chocolate in a large ceramic bowl over a small pot which is filled with about 1/2 inch of water, so that the bowl isn’t submerged in it.  this way when the water boils under the bowl, only steam will heat it up, not direct boiling water.  this will keep the temperature high enough to melt the chocolate but low enough to assure it won’t burn.

with the bars laid out on parchment paper (you can use the same piece you baked them on), coat a spoon with the melted chocolate and quickly shake from side to side over the bars to drizzle them thoroughly.  repeat until they are coated to your liking.

again, let cool thoroughly – at least an hour – before you attempt to handle.  the chocolate can stay soft for a long time.

enjoy for a snack, on a hike, with friends, in copious amounts!

yields 6 bars

sunchokes – also known as jerusalem artichokes – are the root vegetable of a plant similar to a sunflower.  they look like and are often confused for fresh ginger root, but are more like a potato.  they are probably associated with artichokes because of their earthy, subtle artichoke-like flavor and creamy, buttery texture.

i love to roast them in the oven slowly over moderate heat until they are melt in your mouth delicious.  almost like juicy little baked potato bites with sweet and savory undertones.  especially when they are tossed with the aromas of lightly flowery lavender and pungent garlic.

sunchokes roasted with lavender and garlic
about 1 lb sunchokes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp lavender
1/2 tsp sea salt

when roasting, i like to get mostly little sunchokes so they cook faster and all take about the same amount of time.  as you can see they can grow quite large, but when they are that size i prefer to chop them up and use them in a stir fry.

on choosing which spices to use, you can use anything you’d like, even just the classic combination of salt and pepper works well.  i love the pairing of lavender and garlic, especially with the earthy flavors of the sunchokes, but make sure to ground the lavender well to make sure it’s flavor can spread out.   with a mortar and pestle i grind the lavender and sea salt together.

wash the sunchokes well, peeling off any partiuclarly dirty bits.  some people peel them entirely, but i prefer the crispiness the skin has when roasted.  then toss with the olive oil, lavender, salt and garlic until they are evenly coated.

lay on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and bake for about 1 hour at 350F, turning every 20 minutes.  they should get very soft and tender.

let cool and enjoy every last bite.

yields 2-3 servings

my latest vice is oriental snack mixes.  i could eat a whole bag in one sitting, what with the crispy rice crackers, wasabi peas and – my favorite – the toasty tasting sesame sticks.  i love the stuff so much i decided to try my hand at making them myself.

and it’s easier then i thought.  a simple combination of flour, spices, sesame seeds, oil and water, toasted for a few minutes in the oven and enjoyed in copious amounts.  great as a quick snack on the go, added to a trail mix, or crumbled over a salad.

toasted sesame sticks
1/3 c sesame seeds
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c unbleached flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
5 tbsp sesame or olive oil

1/2 c watertoast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over high heat, shaking every few seconds until they are toasty brown and making crackling noises.

sift together both flours, salt and spices, then add the toasted sesame seed.  mix in the sesame oil until well incorporated – it should be a crumbly, powdery consistency that isn’t yet wet.  lastly, mix in the water and knead until even.

turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out until it’s as thin as you can get it.

cut the dough evenly into thin strips, the easiest way to do this is with a pizza cutter.

lay out on a baking sheet, covered in parchment paper if you have it, and bake at 325F for 12-15 minutes.

yields about 4-6 servings

like the daikon radish or momotaro tomatoes, shishito peppers are special japanese treats that – lucky for us – are easily grown in california.  and lucky for me, the local japanese family farm i work for carries them.

most of these miniature peppers are very mild, almost like a bell pepper with just the tiniest bite of spice that is not at all hot.  one in every 20 or so might be spicier, but cooking helps reduce the heat of the pepper.

and there are so many ways you can enjoy shishitos!  eaten raw with hummus, chopped up for a very mild salsa, tempera or over the grill are all great, but i love the simplicity of this recipe.  the whole peppers are lightly blistered in some sesame oil, then sprinkled with salt and sesame seeds.  the perfect appetizer or snack, best enjoyed with a cold beer.

sesame-fried shishito peppers
2 cups of shishito peppers
2 tbsp sesame oil
sesame seeds
sea salt

wash the peppers, but leave them in tact.  the stems give you something to hold when you bite them.

heat the oil up in a large pan over high heat for a few minutes.  toss one pepper in to see if the oil is hot enough.  when the pepper sizzles and pops you know the oil is hot enough.

throw the rest of the peppers in, reduce the heat to medium-high and try to stand back a bit.  the peppers are filled with air and will pop when they heat up, which might splatter hot oil on anything that’s near.  it would also be a good idea to throw on an apron to keep the oil from getting on your clothes.

flip every 30 seconds with a spoon, spatula or tongs.  after about 4-6 minutes the peppers should become lightly tanned in spots.  cut the heat and scoop them off individually onto a paper towel-covered plate.  let the oil cool before disposing of it.

while still hot, sprinkle the peppers with sesame seeds and sea salt to your taste.  enjoy immediately.

yields 2 cups

my dad bought a dehydrator many years back, probably after being convinced by an infomercial that making his own jerky would change his life.  but several years later it ended up sitting in the cabinet unused, along side the super slicer and turbo cooker.  being that i was in the market for a good dehydrator the past few years, for preserving fruit and making my own raw food treats, i happily accepted it as my mom did some spring cleaning.

and being the granola snob that i am – very particular about the level of sweetness, texture, quality of fruits and combination of tastes – i’m happy that now i can just make it myself.  i usually make it just like this, with some oats and some type of seed or nut, sweetened with maple syrup and dried to the perfect crunchy texture.

this is a simple 5-ingredient recipe to make a raw granola, but if you don’t have a dehydrator you can toast it in your oven over the lowest heat.  feel free to experiment with your own flavors and let me know how it goes!

raw maple flax granola
2 c rolled oats
2/3 c flax seeds
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
1/2 c maple syrup

in a blender, add 1/3 c of the oats and 1/3 c of the flax seeds.  blend until they are a fine powder.  then mix it together with the rest of the whole oats and flax seeds.  this helps to make more of a doughy consistency so the granola sticks together in bigger chunks rather than flaking into individual oats.

sprinkle in the salt, then lightly drizzle the oil and toss in so it’s as evenly distributed as possible.  i use olive oil because it’s raw, it’s healthy, i have a lot on hand and it’s such a small amount that you can’t taste it.  you can use any type of oil you’d like, i also suggest coconut, flax, hemp, avocado, or walnut.  then you can get a healthy dose of good saturated fats or essential fatty acids as you snack on this treat!

finally pour in the maple syrup and mix it in.

depending on your dehydrator, you may want to put this on parchment paper that you’ve cut down to fit, or you may have something like a baking sheet that you already know fits.  since i have a circular dehydrator i trace one of the trays over parchment paper, cut out the shape and poke some holes through it with the tip of a knife to make sure air can get through.

spoon the granola mixture onto the paper or baking sheet and press down no more than 1/2 inch thick.  dehydrate for 6 hours until slightly dry, then break up into large chunks and dehydrate 6 more hours.  if you are using your oven, turn it on the lowest heat (probably about 200F) and press the granola out on a cookie sheet.  bake at this heat about 20-30 minutes, break up into chunks and bake some more.  then store in a dry jar or bag.

this is a perfect breakfast with sunflower seed or oat milk.  it also makes a great snack for a picnic or a hike.  and you could make it lots of different ways.  it’s very good with sesame seeds, hemp seeds or any kind of nut.  try it with cinnamon and raisins, or bits of dried fruit.  oh, and enjoy!

yields about 3 cups

this post was featured on foodgawker.com

i appreciate a good onion ring when i taste one, but it’s hard to find a place that doesn’t fry them up in the same oil they cook the chicken fingers in.  similarly, the heavy all-flour batter typically used is way too thick, requiring a longer cooking, which results in an over-cooked onion inside.

i took a stab at making my own with some delicious results – using corn meal instead of flour makes for a much lighter, fresher, crispier onion ring while adding herbs give a savory punch of flavor the average ring lacks. don’t forget to serve them with the delicious curry tomato dipping sauce from yesterday.

herb and corn meal onion rings
1/2 a large onion
1/3 c corn meal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp basil
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp oregano
1/2 c corn meal
2 tbsp flour
1/2 c water
1/2 tsp salt
1 c veggie oil (peanut, canola, corn, etc.)

when breading onion rings you need both wet and dry breading mixtures.  since the onions are moist when they are first cut, they need to be tossed in the dry ingredients first so the wet ingredients will stick to them, then again in the dry ingredients to create a thick enough crust to withstand frying.

mix together the 1/3 c corn meal, 1 tsp salt and the herbs for the dry breading and the 1/2 c corn meal, flour, water and 1/2 tsp salt for the wet breading.  slice your onion (i used a yellow onion but you can use white or red) about 1 cm across to create rings.  have all of these things on hand, along with a plate covered with a paper towel, before you start frying.

heat up the oil on high heat in a small sauce pan.  let it heat up completely before you start frying, which should take 1-2 minutes.  break apart the onion slices into rings and toss a ring in the dry ingredients, then wet, then dry again.

lightly shake the ring before frying it, since excess corn meal will fall off in the oil and eventually burn and smoke.  gently drop the ring in the hot oil and be careful not to burn yourself.

cook for about 1-2 minutes on both sides until golden brown.  when it’s done scoop it out of the pan and onto the paper towel.

let cool and enjoy immediately!  dip in your favorite sauce or try out the curry tomato dipping sauce i posted about yesterday, they were a perfect pair.

i’ve been getting a lot of requests lately for gluten-free recipes. most of the veggie dishes i post are in fact gluten-free, but greens and soups aren’t in high demand from the gluten-free crowd. someone who is gluten sensitive really wants to enjoy all of the things flour addicts enjoy everyday – breads, cookies, baked goods, and in this case, crackers.

i first got turned onto making my own crackers by smitten kitchen’s spelt everything cracker recipe and have been experimenting with my own flours ever since.  i find oat flour works well, and it’s easy to make from the old fashioned oats you probably already have in your kitchen.  just some water, salt, and a rolling pin and you have your own homemade gluten-free crackers without any nasty preservatives.

all-oat crackers
2 c old fashioned oats
1/2 c water
1/4 tsp salt (plus some for sprinkling on top)

begin by blending the oats in a blender or food processor to create your oat flour.

after a minute or two you should have a fine oat flour.

in a medium bowl dissolve the salt in the water.  slowly mix in 1 and 1/2 cups of the oat flour until it forms a dough – the rest will be used for rolling it out.

lightly flour a large flat surface with some of the remaining oat flour.   turn the dough out onto the floured surface.  lightly flour the top and begin the roll out with a rolling pin.  to roll it out as thin as you can or else the crackers will be tough and hard to chew.

once rolled out, lightly flour the bottom of a baking sheet.  divide the cracker dough in half and gently lift half of it onto the baking sheet so it is smooth and flat.  lightly brush the cracker dough with water – this helps give the finished product more of a crunch.

then lightly sprinkle the sheet with salt and additional oats.  score with a knife or dough scraper so they will break apart easily into neat little cracker once baked.

pop in the oven at 350F for 20 minutes, or until dry and beginning to lightly brown.  you can always break off a little piece and taste it as a test.

once done do repeat with the other half of the dough. they go great with hummus or a vegan cream cheese!

lately, whenever i go home, my sister will give me a ridiculous amount of bread from her work.  my favorites are the rosemary or kalamata olive loaves, but there was so much this last time that i couldn’t eat it all before it went stale.

thankfully, that is the perfect time to make croutons – after the bread is too hard to eat but before it starts growing fur.  it just requires a little oil, some of your favorite spices and a little oven time and you have got yourself a pan full of salad’s best friend.  but as we found, when the salad runs out they are still the perfect little snack all on their own.

salt and pepper croutons
6 c bread cubes
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp thyme

i had 3 ciabatta rolls that seemed to have gone stale all to quickly. they worked perfect for this!  each one made about 2 cups of bread cubes.

chop the bread into cubes – however large you’d like your croutons.

put the bread cubes in a large bowl and evenly drizzle the olive oil over them. mix in the salt, peppers, and thyme evenly as well.

lay out on a cookie sheet and bake at 350F. every 10 minutes take them out and stir them up so they all bake evenly. total bake time should be 30-40 minutes, or until they get toasty brown.

then they are ready to throw on top of a salad, soup or snack on just as they are!

yields 6 cups

when i go to the movies i drool over the smell of fresh popped popcorn, but i can’t eat it all slathered in butter.  i prefer to pop some myself, season it or add earth balance to my liking, and sneak it in the theater.  it also comes in handy when i’m at home enjoying a dvd and want a good movie snack to munch on.

homemade popcorn
2 tbsp vegetable oil (i used peanut, but canola or soybean oil would work well)
1/2 c popcorn
2-3 tsp salt
other seasonings (optional)

start by adding the oil to a large pot over medium heat.  add 2-3 popcorn kernels as testers to see when the oil is hot enough.  when they pop you’ll know you can add the rest of the kernels.

it’s best if the pot has a glass lid so you can watch the progress, but keep the corn from popping right out.

keep lifting up the pot and shaking it every few seconds to keep from burning.

after 1-2 minutes the rate of popping will slow and most of the corn will appear to have popped.  turn off the heat and add salt and seasonings to taste.  i used sea salt and fresh ground lavender.

this is perfect to pop and throw in a bowl for a movie night in, or to pack up and take to a movie night out!