christmas cinnamon buns

i was away for the holidays, celebrating in the boston area with my boyfriend and his family.  during that time we were in the process of transferring the website onto a new server and working out the kinks inherent in any major shift.  if you’ve experienced problems with the site, just hold in there, all will be fixed soon. i worked up quite a few recipes that are currently on deck to be posted, but since it’s been a busy week back... Read More

maple cookies with marmalade glaze

my kitchen activities have been adapting to the cold and windy days lately.  i’ve been making weekly pots of stew, roasting nearly every veggie, sprinkling cinnamon and maple syrup in most dishes i make and preserving the glut of citrus i’ve happened upon in the form of marmalades and candied peels.  it takes a bit more time, but when it’s dark and cold outside i don’t mind snuggling up to my nice warm stove, eagerly awaiting... Read More

pomegranate and dark chocolate chunk scones

scones have become my go-to baked good as of late.  i like how they can be a hardy catch-all for whatever ingredients seem to be lying around, they aren’t overly sweet, they keep well and i’ve already got a killer recipe that can flex to my specifications.  all you really need is a pastry cutter, some cold butter, flour, sugar and a hefty tablespoon of baking powder.  Everything else is adaptable. i used to make vegan scones by mixing... Read More

spring fruit and rosemary oat cobbler – on the grill

happy memorial day!  this recipe would be perfect if you’re celebrating today with a barbecue: after the winter – the season of lots and lots…and lots of oranges, and maybe a few apples or pears – even once the weather warms up it takes a while for the good fruit to start coming back.  but when it does, the cherries and peaches can bring tears to my eyes.  even the first ones of the season are sweet and juicy and smile-inspiring. ... Read More

chocolate chip gingerbread cupcakes with cardamom infused frosting

this recipe started as a far cry from what it ended up as.  it began with a gingerbread persimmon upside-down cake that was a true disaster.  all the persimmons stuck to the pan, the cake wasn’t sweet or moist enough, and most of all it had no chocolate.  but 4 or 5 tries later and the result is an amazingly fluffy and moist squad of cupcakes with little chocolate chips tucked inside of them. to top them off is a recipe i’ve been playing... Read More

vegan thanksgiving: apple cinnamon stuffing

i spent a lot of time playing around with recipes for a turkey substitute.  the idea of a tiny seitan loaf stuffed with tasty stuffing and surrounded by roasted vegetables excited me to no end.  i thought i would finally find a lovely way to bring the whole vegan thanksgiving dinner together with a main dish, so it felt like more than a bunch of side dishes. but whether it was too crunchy, too chewy or not flavorful enough, i couldn’t find... Read More

the natural goodness of ginger

ginger has been used for thousands of years in chinese medicine to treat stomach disorders like persistent nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness, loss of appetite or anorexia.  but it also treats mild lung disorders, like upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis or a simple cold and cough.  it reduces toxicity which means it is anti-bacterial, and explains why ginger is always served with sushi – to battle the bacteria in the raw... Read More

naturally sweetened yam and asian pear sauce

last year i made homemade pumpkin applesauce, a real fall favorite.  packed with cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar, it was a decadent traditional treat made fresh with organic ingredients.  but i’m on a low sugar kick lately and wanted to make a much lighter version. instead of brown sugar, i sweetened it with the fresh juice of fuji apples – the first of the season.  and since asian pears and yams are in abundance at the farmers’... Read More

simply cinnamon tea

summer is the season of iced tea.  and what better than a naturally sweet, caffeine-free tea that’s easy to make on the cheap.  all you need is a few sticks of cinnamon, some water and some time on the stove. depending on how much sap the cinnamon bark contains, the tea will vary in sweetness.  experiment yourself and see what you come up with. Read More  Read More

a raw oat breakfast for two

i’ve been working at my local juice bar for a few months now where we make all the milk for our smoothies fresh daily.  we make coconut milk by blending the meat and the water – we make almond, oat and buckwheat milks by simply soaking, blending and straining the grains or nuts. the pulp that’s left over after straining is a shame to throw away as it’s just as nutritious as the milk but is loaded with all the fiber. as such,... Read More