Seared Albacore Tuna and Avocado Salad

I took a last-minute, surprise trip to the Bay Area this past week, and am now sitting at SFO waiting for my flight to board and take me home to Idaho. Still sounds a bit weird, "leaving SF to fly home." The Bay Area will always be one of my homes, but it is no longer where I live. I was reminded of this over the weekend, seeing friends and family who used to be my everyday and are now my special occasion. I miss them constantly, but now I get to cherish every visit.

It has been an amazing, fun and busy week, and to top it all off, my mother and I snuck in a quick bite at Delfina Pizzeria before I left. Like visits with old friends, meals at Delfina used to be frequent as well, and the Tuna Conserva was always my favorite dish on the menu. Marinated butter beans, so creamy and sweet, albacore tuna with pieces of radicchio mixed in, and a pile of spicy watercress... You know what I ate! Not only was it delicious, but it also reminded me to write another installment of my tuna salad series.

Despite the current weather in San Francisco, it is getting warmer! And with the change in weather I have been craving lighter and brighter dishes. Plus now that Daylight Savings Time is keeping the sun out until after 8pm, before I know it my watch reads 6 o'clock and it's already time to start getting dinner on the table.

The Man calls anything with tuna and greens "Niçoise". Typically he's referring to my Radicchio White Bean Salad or even my Seared Ahi and Avocado Salsa, and apparently he qualifies this dish as Niçoise as well... (Don't tell the French.) Affectionate moniker aside, any sort of tuna with salad is great for the aforementioned spring and summer days that seem to fly by. And this is one of my favorites!

Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe, I've altered her seared tuna and served it with greens to make a refreshing and satisfying entrée salad. It is fast and simple enough for a weeknight, yet impressive enough for company.

SEARED TUNA AND AVOCADO SALAD

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for grilling
• 1 teaspoon wasabi powder
• 2 teaspoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
• 8-12 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 2 scallions, white and green parts sliced
• 2 ripe Hass avocados, diced into 1/2 - 1" cubes
• 1.5 pounds fresh Albacore tuna steak
• 5 oz salad greens (spring mix or arugula is best)
• 1/2 small head red cabbage, chopped
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, wasabi powder, Bragg Liquid Aminos, Tabasco, lime zest and juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the red onion and scallions. Set aside.

Heat your grill over high. Brush the tuna steaks with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your steak. You want to sear the tuna on each side, but not let it cook through. Transfer to a cutting board and slice diagonally. Add the tuna and avocado to the marinade and toss to coat.

Toss the salad greens and cabbage in a large bowl. Place the tuna and avocado mixture over the greens, drizzling any remaining dressing on top. Garnish with sesame seeds, and serve!

Serves 4

The coffee cream diet, grief, and the Tea Latté

I gave up drinking coffee after my father passed away. During the time he was sick with cancer and I was his caretaker, I existed solely on coffee with cream. At least a pot a day. All of my food energy was dedicated to finding something he would eat, and I lost track of eating myself. I was faced with the fact that, barring any scrambled-egg-induced miracle, my father wouldn't be around come fall, and that's enough to make anyone feel sick. And before little more than a month had passed, I had unknowingly lost 30 pounds.

I don't recommend the "coffee cream diet" as a viable means of weight loss. Just to clear that up. After my father passed away I had a lot of work to do- emotionally as well as physically. My body was a skinny wreck, and replacing coffee with real food was a priority. So it got the boot.

I know some of you are thinking "I thought she was allergic to cow's milk!" as well as a slew of other father and weight related thoughts. I told you this new blog is going to be more personal... Yes- I am allergic. But before my dad's cancer I could get away with eating small amounts of the things to which I am allergic. Or maybe I just ignored the side effects. But the stress and lack of eating angered my allergies, and they emerged out the other side a lot bigger and badder than they had been five months previous. Not to be ignored.

But back to the coffee. Let's be honest, the process of grieving and healing during the winter is a whole lot easier with a deliciously frothy warm beverage in your hand. Since I was off coffee, off cream, and allergic to soy milk as well, I needed to find a suitable and equally comforting drink to enjoy. As much as I love mint and green teas, they can fall flat in comparison to a hot milky beverage on a cold rainy day. Sometimes I crave the satisfying creaminess that hot water with a tea bag lacks. Almond and rice milks are becoming more common in some areas, and a Chai latte using one of these milks at a coffee shop can be a real treat. So at home I developed the habit of making a tea latté that is slightly less sweet but equally as delicious on a day when you need a comforting extra boost.

If you have an espresso machine with a milk steamer, feel free to use that to heat and froth the milk, and steep your teabag in the milk after it is hot. Otherwise, I use a Rösle Milk Frother that my wonderful Uncle Walter gave me a few years ago.

I now drink coffee again, and am happy to live between Ketchum and Lakeville, both places that embrace the non-soy non-dairy milk craze with open arms. The people here also embrace friendliness, so sometimes the smiling face behind the counter while ordering my standard-fare almond milk latté is practically comforting enough. I also eat food again. Plenty of it. Quite happily. And have a pile of discarded skinny jeans to prove it. Getting healthy again was part of the inspiration for Anne food., so this one's close to my heart.

TEA LATTÉ

• 8 ounces almond milk (I prefer Califia Farms' unsweetened or coconut varieties)
• 1 tea bag (Mighty Tea Leaf's decaffeinated African Nectar works well, or any black tea)
• a small splash of almond extract
• a small splash of vanilla extract
• a small squeeze of agave nectar, honey, or 5 drops Stevia leaf extract, if desired (omit if you use sweetened almond milk)

Heat your milk in a sauce pan (or in a mug in the microwave) until hot (about 2 minutes in the microwave if your milk is straight out of the fridge). Pour the hot milk into a mug if it's not there already, add the tea bag and let steep according to tea bag specifications. Remove the tea bag, and add flavorings and sweetener if desired. Submerge the tip of the frother just under the surface of the milk to create a vortex and incorporate air into the milk.

Serves 1

Chickpea Deviled Eggs

A twist on a classic! I made these protein-packed treats as hors d'oeuvres to bring to a party last weekend, and they were a total hit! They would also be a smart and delicious snack to keep on hand in the fridge. The chickpeas lighten up the eggs, and the red onion, lemon juice and cayenne add a needed zing to cut the richness! Keep in mind that as delicious as a fresh egg can be, it's true what they say: older eggs peel much more easily when hard boiled.

CHICKPEA DEVILED EGGS

• 10 hard boiled eggs, peeled
• 1/2 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I use Eden Organic's)
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 3/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• freshly ground black pepper
• 20 parsley leaves for garnish

Slice the eggs in half. Set the whites aside, and transfer the yolks to a bowl. Add the chickpeas, onion, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, water, salt, and cayenne to the bowl, and mash well with a fork until combined, leaving bits of the chickpeas intact.

Spoon the yolk chickpea mixture into the hollow of the egg white halves. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and a parsley leaf. Keep refrigerated until approximately 1/2 hour before serving.

Note: Makes more yolk chickpea filling than will fit into the empty halves. I saved the remaining mixture and spread it on toast with capers and additional parsley for a snack the next day!

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

The Man was supposed to go to Hawaii for an epic hike adventure with a friend from college a few weeks ago, but had to cancel last minute because he got sick. He and his friend take a yearly boy's trip dedicated to some sort of crazy athletic competition (read: attempt to hike crazy mountain to see who's faster, accidentally get hypothermia and descend in an epic blizzard), so he was seriously bummed about about having to stay home in bed and battle a sinus infection instead of a crazy climb (don't tell him I said that- I'm sure it would have been wildly successful).

I felt really badly that he couldn't go. He has been working so hard and was looking forward to this trip for months. But we made the most of it, indulging in my latest obsession that is the Parenthood series on Netflix. And I baked cookies. And we ate half the batch in one night.

Since my adventure at Turner Farms I've decided that maple syrup is the most flavorful sweetener, so naturally these are sweetened accordingly. I used coconut oil as well- the wonder fat. You really can use it for everything- as makeup remover, an intense lotion, hair cream... and cookies! And pecans are the Man's favorite, so those went in too.

This recipe was the first of my test kitchen stay-at-home weekend baking project. The second recipe didn't go quite as well. The texture was so blah that I ended up putting them in the freezer, which did in fact help them tremendously. Actually, they were sort of tasty frozen, as are grapes. But that's a story for another day.

CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN COOKIES

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• a good pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks (70-100% cacao)
• 1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the wet into the dry, and whisk to combine. Stir in the chocolate and nuts.

Scoop batter by the spoonful onto a baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches between each ball of dough. Bake for 9-12 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool on your cookie sheet before serving.

Yields 14 cookies

Chicories, Tuna, and the Radicchio White Bean Salad

I adore chicories. The often-speckled, red, purple and green lettuces couldn't be more beautiful. Or more delicious. Radicchio and Belgian endive are the most common chicory leaf varieties, widely available in most grocery stores. But if you happen upon something Italian-sounding that looks slightly less familiar (treviso, tardivo, bel fiore, fiero, puntarelle, castelfranco) at the farmer's market or specialty grocer's, give it a try!

Sautéed, stewed, roasted and grilled- the hardy texture of the chicory leaf allows for a variety of cooking methods, and the bitterness of the greens (or reds...) make a nice foil for rich salad ingredients when served raw. Try pairing the greens with egg, walnuts or bacon, or in this case, creamy white beans and Pecorino cheese. And not only do the flavors create balance, but radicchio's crunch also makes a nice textural juxtaposition to the beans in this salad.

I've included canned tuna as an option in this recipe. Including the tuna turns this salad into a super-fast, full meal. If you do decide to go the route of the canned tuna, here are some additional thoughts on the stuff since it came up... All canned tuna is not the same!

First, what's it packed in? Oil or water? I prefer canned tuna packed in olive oil (olive not vegetable oil!) because it stays nice and moist, and I'm not a fan of dry tuna. I find that using the olive oil-packed variety allows me to use significantly less oil overall, as I'm not having to make up for the dried out tuna.

Secondly, chunk or solid? Chunk tuna has flakier pieces of varying sizes, and solid has larger, firmer pieces with less flakes. You many have a preference... Go with it.

Next, there are two varieties- canned white tuna, and canned light. Canned white tuna is always albacore, a larger fish with lightly colored flesh that is mild in flavor and has more omega-3 fats. Canned light is a mix of smaller tuna species- mainly skipjack, but it can also include the slightly larger yellowfin, and big-eye. Light tuna is slightly lower in fat, with pinkish flesh that is stronger in flavor.

Why all the tuna talk? Familiar with that hot button issue of mercury content in canned tuna? While the olive oil and chunk size are strictly preference, the white vs. light debate is important when it comes to the mercury conversation. Because mercury builds up in fish over time, the larger albacore (white tuna) has a higher mercury content than the smaller fish in the light variety. So what's the mercury takeaway? According to the Environmental Defense Fund, one serving a week of light tuna is perfectly safe for adults. And up to three servings a month of white tuna should also be fine.

I love this salad- it's quick and simple for a weeknight, keeps well, and transports easily. Plus, it's the Man's favorite. So sometimes I make it with the tuna, and sometimes without! It's delicious either way.

RADICCHIO WHITE BEAN SALAD

• 1 head radicchio, chopped
• 1 (15 oz) can of white beans, rinsed and drained (larger Cannellinis or smaller Great Northern beans, whichever you prefer)
• 2 cans tuna (optional)
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves, very roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese
• 3 anchovy filets, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Whisk together the anchovy, mustard, lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Combine the radicchio, beans, tuna (if using) and parsley in a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top, and thoroughly combine. Add the cheese to the salad and toss to coat.

Serves 4

Grilled Padróns

Warning: this recipe is not nightshade free!

I had my first Padrón experience while working at Chez Panisse, and they soon became one of my favorite little bites. For years I grilled them up at practically every barbecue, but unfortunately my nightshade allergy now prevents me from eating them. However, they are so simple and delicious, I want to share this easy 3 ingredient recipe for you to enjoy.

Padrón is a municipality in western Spain, north of Portugal, famous for their small green peppers. While usually mild and sweet, occasionally you will come across one that is wildly hot and spicy. There's no rule of thumb to help you determine which young peppers are likely to set your mouth on fire, but like most peppers, the more mature they become, the spicier they will taste. And if you do get a spicy one, be sure to have some bourbon and/or sugar on hand- it has been proven that the alcohol and sweetness cut the heat!

If you can't find Padróns, pick up some shishitos or jimmy nardello peppers instead. The Spanish shishitos and Italian jimmy nardellos would be just as good with exactly the same preparation. In fact, Shishito peppers are quite the rage in here in Ketchum. Globus Restaurant in town serves a bowl of Shishitos with black sesame that my friends discovered a few months ago. Unfortunately I couldn't taste the hot commodity (four bowls later...) but my friends were so inspired that we decided to have a regular get-together named after the little guys. No matter what else is on the menu, little peppers are sure to make an appearance. Long live Shishito Nights!

Note: as you can see there aren't any measurements with this recipe. The Shishito Nights crew has taught me to never underestimate one's pepper-eating abilities. Get as many Padróns as you see fit.

GRILLED PADRÓNS

• Padrón peppers, rinsed and dried thoroughly
• extra virgin olive oil
• coarse sea salt, to taste (I recommend Fleur de Sel or Maldon)

Heat your grill to high. Meanwhile, toss your peppers with a good splash of olive oil until well coated, then spread them in a single layer in a grill basket. Grill uncovered, turning occasionally, until the peppers start to char and blister, about 5-10 minutes (if you don't have access to a grill, cook the peppers directly in a hot oiled pan for a similar result). Remove to a serving bowl and toss with the salt. Serve hot.

Meyer Cranberry Gin Spritz

Spontaneity is the best. I'm a planner, so being spontaneous sometimes comes slightly less naturally to me (as the Man can attest to) but I wholeheartedly admit that some of the best things in life occur quite naturally, and often last minute. We had just gotten back from Ketchum, and in an effort to counteract the hermit-like tendencies that the Man and I have in the remote forest of northwestern Connecticut, I decided we needed to have some friends over for cocktails. Right then!

We didn't have a whole lot laying around since we had just been out of town, but there was a Meyer lemon in the freezer that I had tossed in there on our way out the door two weeks before, as well as a bag of frozen cranberries from Thanksgiving. The truth is out- I hoard leftover ingredients in my freezer! Seriously, freeze what you can't use, and it will likely come in handy later (a chopped onion and fennel tops for some soup, 1/2 orange for a smoothie...). And when it is time to cook, be inspired by what you do have and just run with it. I never would have concocted this drink had I not been limited by ingredients, but it was fantastic! I'm often so much more creative when there are stipulations attached.

For those of you unfamiliar with Cynar, it's a liqueur made from a variety of herbs and plants, primarily the artichoke featured prominently on its label. Cynar is classified as an Italian Amano, which is simply a bitter herbal liqueur commonly drunk after dinner as a digestif. If I had to compare Cynar to something, I suppose I would say Campari. The flavors are different, but it fits the same bitter profile.

MEYER CRANBERRY GIN SPRITZ

• 1 meyer lemon, diced
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 6 ounces gin
• Cynar
• 12 ounces sparkling water
• ice cubes

In a small sauce pan over low to medium heat combine the lemon, cranberries and maple syrup with 1/4 cup of water. Let simmer until the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened. Taste for sweetness, and add a splash more maple if necessary. Let cool.

For each cocktail combine a large spoonful of your syrupy fruit mixture, 1 ounce gin, a splash of Cynar and 2 ounces sparkling water in a rocks glass. Stir, and taste. Add a few ice cubes and serve.

Makes 6 cocktails

Seared Ahi and Avocado Salsa

Magical teleportation machine- take me back to Marin! Because if you love fish (which I do) and it's a Saturday (which it is), the Marin Country Mart Farmers' Market is the place to be. But I'm in Connecticut...

As I've said before, Santa Rosa Seafood has the freshest fish around, which is reflected in the popularity of its stand at the market. Don't let the lines deter you! The amazing owners and employees are efficient, and it is well worth the wait. It's almost even worth the drive from Idaho! If I'm desperate enough when I return to the Gem State next weekend, maybe I'll give it a try. I've been known to drive out of my way for quality ingredients but this would take the cake. Friday night comes along- "Honey, I'm driving to Marin for some fish! See you tomorrow night!" Let's hope I don't get that obsessed. For the Man's sake at least, if not for my own.

But regardless of location, if you have fresh tuna available to you, and you need to cook a meal quickly on the fly, searing Ahi is a great choice because it doesn't need to marinate and cooks up in just a few minutes per side. Which also makes it an excellent dish for those beautiful warm days when all of a sudden it's 9 pm and you need to get dinner on the table pronto.

My trick to turning a simply grilled protein into an exciting meal is an inventive salsa. A fruit salsa pairs nicely with most fish and meats, but this time I felt like something savory. The creaminess of the avocado marries beautifully with the creamy tuna, and the salty capers and acidic lemon juice balance it all out.

I love to serve this dish with a radicchio salad because it has a slightly bitter bite to it. I'll share my favorite soon. Here's a sneak peak... But you could also serve it on a bun or grilled bread for a delicious burger or sandwich. 

SEARED AHI AND AVOCADO SALSA

• 1.5 pounds Ahi tuna steaks
• 1 avocado, cubed
• a fist-full of flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 cloves of garlic, mashed
• the juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add all ingredients except the tuna to a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside to let the salsa flavors meld while you handle your fish.

Heat the grill over high. (Or if you don't have access to a grill, splash some olive oil in a skillet, and sear the Ahi stovetop, uncovered, over high heat.) Rub the tuna steaks with olive oil, and sprinkle both sides with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on the grill, lower the lid, and cook for 2-3 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fish. You want to sear the tuna, not cook it all the way through.  Transfer the fish to a cutting board and slice against the grain. Spoon the avocado salsa on top, and serve.

Serves 4

Spice Rub Baked Cod with Lemon

This is one of those recipes that doesn't require any measuring, which I love. And it's insanely simple, which I love. And super quick, which... you get the picture. The only requirements are that you have some really fresh wild True Cod, and a nice Meyer lemon.

Alaskan True Cod (aka Pacific Cod) is the best choice because it isn't overfished for the population, and is caught using sustainable methods. True Cod from BC, Washington, Oregon and California are also caught sustainably, but you want to avoid the cod from Japan. Japanese True Cod isn't fished sustainably; some methods endanger birds and marine mammals, and others result in a lot of bycatch. Plus, they're over fished. So stick to the States for this one!

As for the lemon- there were beautiful organic Meyer lemons at the market yesterday, so that's what I chose. A Meyer is a cross between a traditional lemon and either a mandarin or an orange. As expected, the resulting fruit (native to China) is sweeter and less acidic than your typical Lisbon or Eureka lemon. You could certainly use a traditional lemon in this recipe if you prefer, but using the Meyer balances out the spices quite well. And this way you can cut up the lemon slices and eat them right along with with the fish! The man declared this an Anne food. staple during dinner last night- cooked lemons and the edible garnish (that should be the title for my book)... But it's true! They become even sweeter in the oven...

SPICE RUB BAKED COD WITH LEMON

• 12 ounces fresh, wild, skinless True Cod
• 1 Meyer lemon, 1/2 sliced into rounds, the other 1/2 left whole
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ground cumin
• paprika
• cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse your fish as needed, and pat it dry. Splash some olive oil and squeeze half your Meyer lemon into a roasting pan (metal, glass or ceramic). Add your fish to the pan, rubbing both sides with the oil lemon mixture. Season both sides with salt and pepper and lay it to rest.

Give the fish a light sprinkle of both paprika and cayenne pepper. Repeat with the cumin, but apply more liberally (you want about twice the amount), and rub the spices into the fish so that it is evenly seasoned. Cover the fish with your lemon slices, and dust the slices with a bit more cumin.

Bake in the top half of your oven for about 10-15 minutes (depending on the thickness of your fish) until the flakes easily separate when poked with a fork. Serve warm.

Serves 2-3

Marzipan Lace Cookies

Honey isn't vegan. It's an animal product made by bees, which eliminates it from the vegan category by definition. Yet 'honey and veganism' is the subject of great debate, and some vegans eat honey as an exception to the rule.

While I am not vegan (I eat fish, eggs, sheep and goat milk products, and honey!), I do cook many vegan dishes, particularly on the dessert front. Since milk, cream, and/or butter are in practically all desserts, and I can't eat cow dairy, I accept that eating something sweet after my meal in restaurants is not an option for me (unless of course there's a sorbet). So I make desserts myself! And while my dessert recipes are largely vegan, some of them do contain honey, such as my Marzipan Lace Cookies. So if you are a vegan who breaks the rules, or are an equal opportunity eater, these almondy cookies are for you! Dairy-free and delicious.

I adapted this recipe from one I found online a handful of years ago for a frosted sugar cookie. Ingredients changed, you know the drill... When freshly baked they have a beautiful dense chewy texture in the middle, and a delicate crispiness along the edges. The key to the lace is heating your pourable honey until it's significantly less viscous that it comes straight out of the jar. If you don't heat the honey the cookies will still be delicious, they just won't spread as much to create the lacy edges.

MARZIPAN LACE COOKIES

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour
• 1/3 cup pourable honey, heated in the microwave until quite runny
• 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, heated just to liquid
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 pinches finely ground Celtic sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of your ingredients in a food processor, scraping down the sides as needed. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto a heavyweight cookie sheet, spacing them at least a couple of inches apart. Bake for 5-10 minutes until the edges spread and show color, and the centers are beginning to firm. Let cool on the cookie sheet before serving.

Yields 20 cookies

Simple Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

On Sunday I shared the Roast Squash with Sage Hazelnut Pesto that I cooked for the Man's birthday dinner last year. Along with the squash, green beens were another request, as was a juicy pork chop.  Since the squash has many intense flavors, I wanted to make the beans a little special without complicating things too much. My favorite straightforward way to jazz up green beans is with sautéed shallots. They are very flavorful, super easy, and incredibly versatile (summer BBQ, Thanksgiving, Christmas- you name it). I grilled the pork with a little salt and pepper, added a simply dressed green salad to the plate, and birthday dinner (Man food!) was ready. 

SIMPLE GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY SHALLOTS

• 12 oz green beans, topped and tailed as needed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add the green beans to a pot of salted boiling water, and blanch for 1-3 minutes until crisp tender. Drain and then shock in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and cook until golden brown, tossing occasionally. Add the green beans to the pan, and toss with the shallots. Cook just until the beans are warmed through (only a couple of minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4

Creamy Berry Smoothie

Fast, easy, and straightforward. And PINK! If you want to start your Valentine's Day with a sweet and healthful treat, my Creamy Fruit Smoothie sure is the right color! In the post for my (Fig and Vegetable) Roast Chicken a few days ago I mentioned all the chocolate recipes that have been exploding left and right this week. So you know what to cook for dessert, and you have your chicken dinner all planned out, but what about breakfast? No need to wait until nighttime for the festivities and romance to start! Just think how many brownie points (mmm, chocolate...) you'll get if your lady isn't even out of bed and is surprised with a thoughtful and loving breakfast. Men: hint hint. Did I mention it's easy?

I tend to keep a lot of ingredients on hand in my freezer, like frozen fruit and greens. And while I usually pack my smoothies with greens and flax, every once and a while I just need something sweet and fruity. The banana and chia seeds make the smoothie creamy, and the berries do a great job at amping up the color! I used frozen fruit in this one, but fresh would make for a wonderfully delicious version when the season is right and the fruit is in season.

CREAMY BERRY SMOOTHIE

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup mixed strawberries and raspberries
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth in texture.

Note: the longer you process the smoothie, the creamier it will be. As the chia seeds break down, they thicken the mixture.

Serves 1

Ingredients... and my yogurt breakfast

It's all about the ingredients. When I make something super simple, good ingredients are more important than ever. Take olive oil for example- if I use olive oil to sauté onions that are going into a soup, the flavor of the oil isn't going to hold a lot of weight once the soup comes together. But if I'm making a simple vinaigrette, the flavor of the oil greatly impacts the taste of the salad.

And the same goes for my yogurt breakfast. Many mornings in Connecticut (as I did in California) I whip up a quick breakfast of yogurt topped with some tasty and healthful toppings to start me on my day. It's quick, portable if I need to take it on the road, the Man loves it, and it's yummy. In Ketchum I make eggs. Why? No good yogurt! (Though eggs are great too, don't get me wrong.)

Here's the scoop. I can't digest the protein in cow's milk, but, like many people in the same situation, can digest both sheep and goat milk. Goat milk yogurts are a little risky in my opinion, and I've had some that are downright terrible. While I love the tangy taste of chèvre and other goat cheeses, store-bought goat milk yogurts are often too strong for me. There are definitely exceptions- my mother's friend from the farmers market used to make the most amazing goat yogurt once a year for about a month after the kids are weaned. But since her blackmarket goat yogurt was only available for a short period of time I had to look elsewhere. To the sheep. Much less tang. Creamy. Yum.

In California I loved Bellwether Farm's plain sheep milk yogurt. It is made just an hour up the road from my old house, in Sonoma County. I bought it at the San Rafael Farmers Market for $2 per container. It's also available at Whole Foods and a variety of other local places, but I liked my weekly chat at the yogurt booth (plus it's way cheaper!).

Back east I eat Old Chatham Sheepherding Company's plain sheep milk yogurt which coincidentally is made about an hour away from my new house, in Old Chatham, New York. Cream at the top. Thicker in texture than the Bellwether. Each different, both delicious.

Cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, whatever it may be, the key here is plain. Plain yogurt might seem a little daunting, but when you mix in your own fruit you don't need the added flavor and sweetener. Give it a try, and if it isn't sweet enough once you add the toppings, drizzle a little honey or maple syrup on there. That way you can control the level of sweetness.

On to the toppings. As for unsweetened coconut flakes, Bob's Red Mill and Let's Do Organic both provide great products. I like Spectrum a lot, and they make a great ground flax seed. Keep it in your freezer, as the oils can go rancid if it's kept for too long in the pantry. A ton of companies seem to make raw cacao nibs these days, but I most frequently purchase Navitas Naturals out of convenience.

I order a lot from Vitacost as you may have noticed from all the Vitacost product links I give with my recipes. They're a great resource for healthful ingredients that are typically expensive, but at a much lower cost. And while I'm all about going to the store, connecting with people etc, it's a really smart and economical way to stock up on the best pantry staples.

Enough writing- here's breakfast.

YOGURT BREAKFAST BOWL

• 6 oz plain yogurt
• fruit of choice, cut into bite-sized pieces (1/2 peach or nectarine, 1/2 banana or 1/2 cup berries)
• a small handful nuts, toasted until fragrant, and chopped (pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts...)
• 2 spoonfuls unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted until golden (keep an eye on these as they burn quite quickly!)
• 1 spoonful ground flax seeds
• 1 spoonful raw cacao nibs

Yogurt in bowl. Fruit on yogurt. Then flax, nuts, flakes, and nibs. Grab a spoon. Eat. The end.

Serves 1

Creamy Green Smoothie

Funny how things change. I originally posted this recipe almost a year ago (345 days to be exact) at which point I was in living in Marin, sick in bed, and apparently it felt like spring. I'm now in Ketchum, not sick, it's 18 degrees outside and the groundhog just declared six more weeks of winter. And yet after revisiting this recipe it seems like the perfect snack for the current day as well!

Here's the original post:

It feels like springtime in Marin, and I've been sick in bed for the last two days. This afternoon I needed a yummy treat that soothes my throat, gives me the nutrition I need to get healthy, and makes me feel better about not spending the day outdoors!

Sometimes I use berries with my greens, but today a creamier drink was what I had in mind. The banana, pear, and chia seeds all increase creaminess, and the ground flax lends a slight nuttiness to the smoothie.

CREAMY GREEN SMOOTHIE

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 frozen Bosc pear
• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 1 tablespoon Vitamineral Green
• 1 tablespoon ground flax
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 splash vanilla extract
• 1 splash almond extract

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix. Blend on high until smooth. Pour into glasses and enjoy.

Serves 2

Spinach Almond Pesto

Every Wednesday night we have a family and friends company spaghetti dinner. Typically I'm on Caesar salad duty, and spaghetti with marinara sauce and ground beef is the main fare. Not being able to eat typical spaghetti or tomato sauce, I usually just stick with the salad, but last night I was surprised by a bag of brown rice quinoa pasta, and decided to mix things up so that I could partake in the pasta festivities for once!

Spinach almond pesto may sound like a slight departure from the usual basil and pine nut variety, but with a scarcity of basil and an abundance of almonds this was the obvious solution to feed a large crowd. And yes, to answer a question posed earlier that day, even "normal people" without my dietary restrictions will like it.

I served the pesto alongside a giant bowl of spaghetti and a pan of sautéed vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms and onion), but it would be delicious with grilled chicken or a dipping sauce for fresh vegetables.

SPINACH ALMOND PESTO

• 1 cup almonds
• 2 cloves garlic
• juice from 1 large lemon
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 13 ounces spinach
• a large handful of grated Pecorino Romano cheese (2-3 ounces)
• 2 pinches of salt
• 2 pinches of freshly-ground black pepper

Put on your earmuffs so you don’t lose your hearing, and combine the almonds and garlic cloves in a food processor until coarsely ground. Remove your muffs, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and water so you have some liquid in the bowl. Add the spinach one large handful at a time, pulsing to incorporate as you go along. If you add the spinach slowly enough, you shouldn’t need any additional liquid. Once the spinach is combined, incorporate the Pecorino, salt, and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serves a crowd

Marinated Feta and Cara Cara Salad

Albeit a bit late, but winter is finally here. Last week however, it felt like summer, and I wanted to make a dish that was suitable for the warmer weather but used seasonal winter ingredients. Enter cara cara oranges. This red fleshed navel orange is sweet and complex in flavor, and low in acid, which makes it perfect for salads with subtly acidic dressings.

The original inspiration is from Seattle chef Matt Dillon, but I've altered his recipe as I found it a bit unbalanced. The result is a sweet and crisp winter salad with peppery arugula, creamy feta cheese, and crunchy roasted almonds.

I suggest using Marash pepper, a naturally oily Turkish red pepper flake that is fruity and musty in flavor. If you can't find Marash, feel free to use regular crushed red pepper flakes which are slightly spicier and less complex.

MARINATED FETA AND CARA CARA SALAD

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon anise seeds
• 1/4 cup whole almonds
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Marash pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 ounces sheep's milk feta, crumbled
• 1/3 cup parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/3 cup oregano leaves, chopped
• 2 cara cara oranges
• 5 ounces arugula

Toast the coriander and anise seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Transfer the seeds to a mortar and pestle, and roughly crush. Set aside. Repeat the toasting process with the almonds and let cool. Coarsely chop the nuts and set aside.

Whisk the oil and vinegar together, then add the seeds, nuts, Marash and salt. Gently toss in the feta cheese and herbs, and let marinate.

Meanwhile, remove the pith and peel from the oranges by slicing off the top and bottom of the fruits to expose the flesh. Set the oranges on an exposed end, and follow the contour of the fruit with your knife from top to bottom to remove the pith and peel. Then slice each orange horizontally.

Arrange the orange slices on a serving platter and pile the arugula on top. Spoon the feta mixture on top, and pour as much marinade over the salad as desired.

Serves 4

(Actually) Green Juice

This one's for Katherine, and those of you who have been requesting more juice recipes! As a follow-up to my Autumn (Green) Juice, here's a juice whose color reflects its content. I generally prefer to eat my fruits instead of juicing them, but I do add a small apple to this bad boy. Lacking the sweetness of root vegetables, this juice is rather like drinking the cabbage patch without it.

(ACTUALLY) GREEN JUICE

• 8 large lacinato kale leaves
• 1/3 large cucumber
• 1/2 medium fennel bulb
• a handful of mint
• 1 small apple (Fuji, Braeburn or any sweet variety)
• 1 small lime
• a large knob of ginger

Push the ingredients into the tube of an electric juicer.

Serves 1

Creamy Tahini Dressing

When I come across a recipe, I tend to be pretty good at determining whether or not it's going to be tasty by reading the ingredients and directions. Earlier this week I tried a salad recipe I found that sounded good in theory, but all of the flavors were a complete disaster together. Even the dressing was lousy.

While my lunch that day was somewhat mediocre, there was a silver lining in that I salvaged the remaining dressing and turned it into something delicious. The next day I tossed it with butter lettuce, roast veggies and toasted nuts for a much improved salad lunch! Or you could use it as a dip!

CREAMY TAHINI DRESSING

• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• a squirt of honey, to taste
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

Autumn (Green) Juice

As the leaves on the trees change color, apparently so does my green juice.

I am not big into the juice cleanse craze, and think that maintaining a lifestyle of eating whole unprocessed foods on a daily basis is a much preferable way to keep your body running smoothly. That being said, pumping the body full of nutrients with a freshly pressed vegetable-based juice to supplement an already healthful diet doesn't seem to have any downsides!

I steer clear of most sugar, so I warn that this recipe might be better suited to the advanced vegetable juice drinker! Most days I find that the beets add plenty of sweetness, but when I'm craving something sweeter I'll add an apple to the mix. Fruits are full of important vitamins, but they're also full of sugar, and the fiber in a whole piece of fruit is important in regulating blood sugar levels. So when I do add fruit to my juices, moderation is key or else I'm bouncing off the walls and crashing down shortly thereafter.

AUTUMN (GREEN) JUICE

• 6 large lacinato kale leaves
• 1/3 large cucumber
• 2 handfuls fennel fronds and stalks (or 1/2 fennel bulb)
• 2 red beets
• 1/2 Meyer lemon
• a large knob of ginger
• 1 apple (optional)

Push the ingredients into the tube of an electric juicer.

Serves 1

Banana Sundae Celebration!

The first post from my original food blog is the first post on Anne food. too! And it reads..

Here we go! My first real blog post. Right off the bat I'd like to thank everyone who has repeatedly suggested I start a food blog, because having people to share my cooking and recipes with makes them that much more satisfying!

To celebrate finishing my portfolio and getting my website up and running, I thought it would be appropriate to kick this whole thing off with a sweet treat! One of my favorites, for which I always have the ingredients in my pantry: banana sundaes. Feel free to use whatever toppings you like such as fresh berries or chocolate sauce, this is just what I had on hand.

Being allergic to cow dairy yet not willing to forgo the pleasure of creamy frozen desserts, I'm a big fan of making my own simple ice creams. An added bonus is that they are actually healthful!

BANANA ICE CREAM SUNDAE

• 1 banana, frozen
• sliced almonds
• chopped pecans
• unsweetened coconut flakes
• raw cacao nibs

Cut the frozen banana in chunks and place them in the food processor. Turn it on and let it run for a few minutes, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. At first the banana will look like a disaster, but will soon form smooth ice cream.

Meanwhile toast the nuts and coconut flakes in the toaster oven at 350 degrees until lightly golden. Watch the coconut flakes like a hawk as they burn insanely quickly, and will be ready in a fraction of the time it takes the nuts.

Spoon the ice cream into a bowl, garnish with your toppings, and dig in!

Serves 1