savory hand pies – with leek, apple and sheep’s cheese

i’ve been wanting to make a pie lately, perhaps in the spirit of thanksgiving.  but i’ve been craving the savory variety and wanting them small enough to be hand-held.  i had two large leeks i knew i wanted to use and my instinct was to mix them with some type of strongly flavored cheese – which ended up being kashkaval, a hard sheep’s milk cheese i got at the armenian market near my house – but you could easily substitute... Read More

light potato leek soup

the skies have been overcast most days here, which is LA’s version of winter i guess.  on days like these only one thing comes to mind – soup.  if it’s accompanying dinner or my stomach is a little upset, it’s nice to reach for something lighter.  like this classic, which features a rich, flavorful broth stewed with fresh oregano and thyme, and made slightly thick by pureed potatoes. Read More  Read More

spaghetti squash with broccoli and leek

sometimes you want a nice pasta dish without having that heavy, starchy fullness it can leave you with.  that’s where spaghetti squash comes in.  it takes a little longer to cook than regular pasta, but it tastes and feels a lot lighter, can be prepared any way pasta is, and is a gluten-free, low-carb, low-calorie alternative. i got this particular squash at the organic vegetable stand i work at, so i saw fit to toss in other veggies from... Read More

a plethora of organic goodies

baby purple kale i recently got a job at an organic vegetable stand at the echo park farmers’ market (happening every friday).  i work for a great family farm with the most amazing selection of all organic vegetables.  they carry a ton of lettuces and dark leafy greens, turnips, daikon, radishes, beets, green beans, all different types of onions, fresh green garlic, herbs, vine-ripened tomatoes, and much much more. at the end of the day i... Read More

vegan thanksgiving: leek and mushroom stuffing

thanksgiving is notoriously a gorgefest of tasty foods, one that i don’t want to be left out of just because i’m vegan.  in the coming weeks before thanksgiving i will be posting several thanksgiving recipes so we can all enjoy the holiday, and hopefully even show our loved ones that vegans don’t only eat salad. to kick it off is one of my favorite thanksgiving dishes, stuffing!  it’s a mix of brown rice and sprouted whole... Read More