It’s almost Memorial Day–a holiday honoring those who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces.  It is a patriotic day for those in the United States.  But Memorial Day has also come to represent the unofficial start of the summer season.  With this, you have vacations, family gatherings, camping adventures, pool parties, and […]

When I was little, I strongly disliked cooked carrots.  I still don’t love them, but their sweetness makes them an incredibly important vegetable in the cooking world.  And when it comes to baking, they are one of the only vegetables to have their very own cake.  I came to enjoy carrot cake later in life. […]

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 […]

Everyone needs a great sangria recipe in their life.  Considered a “punch” by definition, this delicious and refreshing white wine sangria recipe is perfect for a casual warm weather get-together.  My recipe is fruity, light, and refreshing with just a touch of sweetness. Many ask for recommendations on what type of wine works best for […]

I recently traveled to the Southwest, the Arizona desert to be exact.  For only a few short days I was celebrating two very different, yet wonderful things: a milestone birthday of a parent and 26 years of friendship with a remarkable group of women, #solidsix. It was an emotional trip, to say the least, filled […]

Quail eggs have long been considered a delicacy in many parts of the world including Asia, Europe, and North America.  Surprisingly, in other countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, a hard-boiled quail egg is not unusual or considered exotic.  In those countries, quail eggs can even be seen as garnish on a hot dog. […]

If you are a chocolate lover, keep reading. There is nothing more delicious and decadent than a molten chocolate cake.  It is simple but delightful.  A molten cake is a combination of two things, a flourless chocolate cake (often referred to as a decadence cake) and a soufflé. Its name refers to the lava-like chocolate […]

Smoothies (a category that includes protein shakes) are thick beverages made from blended raw fruit or vegetables with other ingredients such as water, ice, dairy products, or sweeteners.  I was late to the smoothie fad.  While smoothies were popular in the early 1990s, they have been around a lot longer than that, in particular on the […]

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 […]

[Updated Recipe] Almost no one turns down a brownie.  Honestly, why would they?  Brownies are a delicious, easy-to-eat, simple pleasure.  Limitless variations of this classic treat exist: from dense, gooey, fudge-like squares, to light, cake-like frosted treats.  Although the brownie supposedly was created in 1893 by The Palmer House Hotel, the first well-known brownie recipe […]

I wanted to write a post about Poke bowls because of their current popularity and also because Poke (pronounced POH-keh) will always remind me of Hawaii, a special place and the home to my uncle Ben, who passed away unexpectedly last week.  I must confess, it’s been a sad week for me.  Loss is always […]

Bananas are delicious.  A perfect food, some would say, loaded with vitamin B, that even comes in their very own traveling case.  We buy bananas to eat them, but bananas are tricky.  In the grocery store, it takes time to select the perfect bunch, I often grab them last as it takes some thought.  Not […]

Power bars, protein snacks, and energy drinks are all some of the products you see on store shelves selling “power” and “energy.”  Don’t be deceived: most don’t have either; many are not healthy; and most of us avoid equating sugar with energy.  A good friend of mine from college, a marathon runner, a mom of […]

To me, hearty soups are good all year round, not just on a rainy winter day.  Soups are comforting and soul-healing, they say.  They are also not all that hard to make. The word “soup” comes from the French “soupe” (meaning “soup” or “broth”), which derived from the Latin word “suppa” (meaning bread soaked in broth) and also from a […]

It’s almost Easter and this is a treat for all ages.  This is not my recipe, but I have been making it for years and had to share it.  The original cake recipe is called “Umbrian Chocolate Cake“, or in Italian Torta di Cioccolato di Olio di Oliva, and comes from the cookbook Ciao Italia in Umbria.  The author, Mary […]