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

white pizza with roasted garlic coconut cream and sun dried tomatoes

i love pizza in all it’s forms.  sure it’s traditionally topped with red sauce and gooey strands of cheezy goodness, but also layered with pesto instead, or no sauce at all.  with this recipe i had the idea that rather than worrying about not only making a sauce but also a cheese substitute, i could make a combination of the two. the sauce is made creamy by a little coconut milk, while all the flavor explodes from the roasted garlic,... Read More

whole roasted garlic clove focaccia bread

i love making my own bread.  there really isn’t any comparison between a fresh, out of the oven, loaf and store bought varieties.  but bread can be tricky to get right -  either it is too dense, the crust isn’t thick enough, or it comes out lopsided.  focaccia is a simple bread to make that’s always soft on the inside with a crunchy crust. adding italian herbs to focaccia is fairly normal, but i stepped it up a notch by adding... Read More

twice-baked yams

even though it’s still hot in LA, we are halfway through september and i’m already thinking about autumn foods. my favorite are yams, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. i wanted to do something that really accented the yam in all of it’s glory, i wasn’t even interested in adding other vegetables. just a few herbs and you can enjoy these tasty little tubers in all their sweet, creamy, toasty glory. Read More  Read More