fried okra with aleppo pepper

i tried my hand at cooking okra two summers ago with great success when i made this super simple okra and miso marinara over soba noodles.  but i kept hearing that fried okra is one of the tastiest ways to prepare this veggie – which is often misunderstood as slimy and strange.  i started off with a light breading of mostly garbanzo bean flour and some aleppo pepper for taste, which is an amazingly flavorful but mild pepper i find similar... Read More

savory brussel sprouts

i don’t understand why brussel sprouts get such a bad rap.  if cooked right they can be just as delicious as any other green veggie, all you need to do is steam them a little to soften them up and then sauté away with your favorite flavors. to me, lemon is a requirement when cooking brussel sprouts.  pepper always goes well with lemon and of course i like to put garlic in just about anything i can.  when sautéed, these little sprouts... Read More

salt and pepper croutons

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... Read More

spicy carrot apple and ginger soup

carrot apple and ginger juice was one of my favorite drinks when i used to work at a juice bar. and i always heard of people making carrot ginger soup, so i put the two together and made up a sweet and spicy soup perfect for autumn time. it has several different layers of spicy, from the soothing and warming spice of the ginger to the hot and sharp spice of the pepper.  it warms you from the inside out just like any great soup should. if you want... Read More