pupcake: the cupcake for dogs!

we don’t know how old angie is exactly.  when we adopted her some people thought she was a little under a year, some thought a little over, so we decided the day we took her home would serve as her birthday.  this year on august 2nd we celebrated her 2nd birthday and 1st anniversary of her adoption! normally she doesn’t get treats like this, but we figured that this was an occasion.  i whipped up this mild, light cupcake that is dog-friendly... Read More

bok choy coleslaw

the beginning of the grilling season has pulled us outdoors and commanded we try to grill anything we can.  but to go along with the charbroiled treats, i’ve been quite a fiend for coleslaws and tasty raw salads which clear the palate nicely.  i usually skip the mayo, using oil, lemon juice and honey for flavor instead. because i sometimes find it tough to find the standard cabbage in the spring and summer, i have found myself searching for... Read More

roasted rainbow heirloom carrots with pesto

when these beautiful spring carrots showed up at the farmers’ market i was unsure how to showcase them.  i eat a lot of carrots but they are rarely the star of the recipe, so i needed to find a special way to highlight these beautiful shades all on their own. i first got the idea for roasting and tossing with pesto from the gastrobus at the los feliz farmers’ market.  they serve an organic “tapas-style” brunch every sunday... Read More

sweet pickled carrot and daikon radish

some of my favorite recipes are the ones i gather from the mung farmer i work for.  we nearly always have daikon radish and i have learned to love it raw, in stir-fry and even soup, but i was wondering how she generally uses it.  when i asked my boss, Mai, she told me this super simple recipe that she and her family use for a quick sweet pickle that goes with nearly anything!  just mix equal parts sugar, vinegar and water, pour over thinly sliced... Read More

carrot top and green garlic pesto

  there are way too many misconceptions about vegetables out there that simply must be squashed.  every week at the farmers’ market i cringe at the people who rip the tops off of their beets, carrots, turnips or radishes because, “they aren’t edible…right?”  certain parts of veggies are perhaps more bitter than others, but that just means you need to know how to treat them right. the farmers i work for usually... Read More

fresh coconut curry – and how to make homemade coconut milk

i have been working at juice bars for over 2 years now where we make fresh coconut milk daily.  its a tasty treat that isn’t too hard to whip up, just takes the confidence to swing around knives large enough to crack open the young thai coconut’s shell.  at one place i worked they required us to wear a chain mail glove on one hand to prevent the loss of any digits – a small price to pay for the light, sweet, creamy taste of freshly... Read More

veggie pot pie

i used to be obsessed with chicken pot pies when i was younger, the small microwavable kind.  now that i’m all grown up and can make them for myself, i prefer to enjoy a slice of a full-sized pie, piled high with tasty veggies in a savory gravy sauce, surrounded by a crispy homemade crust with spices baked right in.  i packed this dish with lots of rich, deep, savory flavors – from cumin, black pepper, liquid aminos and a bit of red... Read More

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

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

raw seaweed salad

there’s not too much to wakame seaweed.  it’s a little salty, has a subtly sweet flavor, and contains small amounts of fiber, iron and calcium.  but what makes it special is the presence of a compound called fucoxanthin, which has been associated with helping to burn fatty tissue. you can get a big bag of dried wakame super cheap in china town (i found mine for $2.19) and use it in salads, soups, or even just with rice.  for this recipe... Read More