Vegetarian

With more than 410,000 Instagram posts, “avocado toast” is no longer just a fad.  Nor are people just eating it for breakfast: it’s also being served for lunch and as a snack and has become a go-to alternative to grilled cheese for kids and grownups alike.  Avocado toast has staying power, most likely due to […]

You should eat some asparagus this Spring.  And they can be so much better than a lot of restaurants make them.  April to June is the typical growing season and the best time to eat them–since you can find them with tender stalks and vibrant green colors.  Thicker, older stems produce a woody and much tougher vegetable. […]

Pasta served with a shallot white wine sauce is much lighter than the cream-based alternatives that permeate Americanized Italian food.  Paired with mushrooms, the sauce has a rich, earthy flavor. Pappardelle with wild mushrooms is as simple as it gets, but don’t be fooled by its simplicity, it’s delicious. I served this dish recently at […]

There is a growing trend toward vegetarianism and veganism among young people.  I recently read that in the past several years, vegetarianism has increased substantially among those under 25 years old.  My anecdotal experience is similar.  My friend’s eleven-year-old decided to become a vegetarian at the age of six, despite no one else in her […]

Kale and quinoa salad is one of my favorite salads.  For those who are local to the San Francisco Bay Area, this is my version of the kale salad at Palo Alto’s Calafia Cafe.  Chef Charlie Ayers, originally from Brooklyn, New York, was the former Executive Chef for Google.  His food style got national recognition for […]

It’s called “The Ultimate Veggie Burger” for a reason, not just for vegetarians.  It’s for anyone who loves a great veggie burger every once in a while, my husband included. Melissa Clark’s recipe for “The Ultimate Veggie Burger” was published in the New York Times a few years ago and I’m thankful to have found […]

If you are unfamiliar, watermelon radishes are supremely beautiful. Their deep pink/magenta color is eye-catching and adds a real pop to any ordinary salad. Watermelon radishes are considered a heirloom Chinese Daikon radish and a member of the mustard family (along with arugula, broccoli, and turnips–who knew!). Typically, watermelon radishes are available during the spring and […]

Gazpacho is a raw vegetable soup served chilled.  Gazpacho is believed to have originated in the Southern Spanish region Andalusia but is commonly seen all over Spain and Portugal (where it is known as “Gaupacho”).  Historically, the most well-known versions of gazpacho (or “soup-salad” as it has been called) come from Seville and Córdoba.  Traditional ingredients […]

I discovered Cotija cheese several years ago when I hosted my husband’s 40th birthday party, which had a Mexican theme and was catered by Tacolicious, a fantastic California-style taqueria in San Francisco.  Cotija has become a staple in my house ever since.  Cotija is a cow’s milk cheese named for the small Mexican town in […]