zucchini parmesan.

Should you decide (like me) that because the weather feels remarkably fall-like for July (was last week perfect or was last week perfect), that you want to go all in and just consume comfort food, might I suggest this dish.  An excellent way to utilize that summer produce (notably zucchini which everyone is bored of by early August) in a way that feels remarkably rich and comforting.   

While it is comforting, this is not particularly rich.  It is not loaded with cheese (though there is some), its not filled with oil or eggs.  It's a simple baked dish filled with layers of roasted zucchini and tomato sauce.  I don't know how it happens to taste so decadent (but not in  a I can only eat one bite kind of way) but it does!  And it's awesome.   

Zucchini Parmesan

Recipe adapted from the NYTimes

The original recipe called for making fresh tomato sauce with farmers market tomatoes.  Normally I'm into that thing but when I make fresh sauce, it's an all weekend affair involving 20 pounds of tomatoes and a lot of cursing.  I wasn't going to do that for this dish.  I used canned tomatoes and it was great.  Though if you want to use fresh, by all means do so.    

For the Sauce

1 28 oz can tomatoes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste)

Salt and pepper

⅛ teaspoon sugar

2 sprigs fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 cup ricotta (optional)

For the Zucchini Parmesan

2 to 2¼ pounds zucchini

 Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (pepperoncini), to taste

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan

To make tomato sauce, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add 

garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar and basil sprigs. Increase heat to medium-high. When tomatoes are bubbling briskly, stir and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and are beginning to stick to pan, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on consistency. Remove basil sprigs; taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in chopped basil and ricotta (if using).

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment. Trim ends off zucchini and cut in half crosswise, then into lengthwise slices, about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. Season on both sides with salt and pepper and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Arrange zucchini slices on baking sheets in one layer and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Roast for 12 minutes, until lightly browned and easily pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees.

To assemble the dish, oil a 2-quart gratin with olive oil. Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce over bottom of dish. Arrange a third of the zucchini in an even layer over tomato sauce. Spoon a third of remaining sauce over zucchini and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat with 2 more layers, ending with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Drizzle on remaining tablespoon olive oil. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbling and browned on the top and edges. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

swiss chard fritters.

These are not going to win any beauty contests.   But what they lack in looks they make up for in taste.  And isn’t that all that matters?  

I’ve been revisiting a lot of my cookbooks over the last couple of weeks.  With the farmer’s markets practically bursting with produce, they’ve become a good resource for inspiration.  And the pages I have marked serve as reminders of the dishes that previously called to me but have never been made.   It’s fun uncovering recipes that called to me but I never got around to making.

These fitters were one of those dishes.  Something that I thought could serve as a good veggie side to poultry or fish dish (we actually ate them with these turkey zucchini burgers ) but also stand alone as a vegetarian main if served with an egg on it and a tomato salad on the side.   They are incredible.  Very earthy (in a good way!) with a nice flavor punch.  The addition of the herbs provides a nice level of brightness and freshness that I can’t get enough of.  

So yes, they aren’t pretty but we love them.   

Swiss Chard Fritters
Recipe from Jerusalem 

400g (14oz) Swiss chard leaves, stalks removed
30g (1oz) flat leaf parsley
20g (3/4oz) coriander
20g / 3/4oz dill
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 eggs
80g (3oz) feta, crumbled
Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil for cooking
Lemon wedges, for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the chard & simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze until the chard is completely dry.  Place the chard in a food processor along with the herbs, nutmeg, sugar, flour, garlic, and eggs. Season with salt and pepper and pulse until you have a somewhat smooth green batter. Crumble in the feta & gently fold it through.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Spoon in 1 heaped tablespoon of the batter for each fritter. Press down gently on the fritter to flatten it to about 2 1/2 inches wide. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown or rather green. Transfer to some kitchen paper & keep warm while you fry the rest of the fritters in batches. 

Serve warm, with lemon wedges and/or yogurt sauce.

butternut squash and caramelized onion galette.

For the better part of the last week I've had an insane amount of election related anxiety.   I just want this thing to be over.  I know Hilary is a very polarizing candidate (actually I this the same could be said about the Donald) and I can understand why people may not like her - she can feel standoffish, secretive, and untrustworthy but, I feel that a lot of people treat her differently because she is a woman and that really bothers me.  As someone who works in a predominantly male-oriented field, I've observed on a first-hand basis the different standards that exist for men and women.   It's infuriating.   If Hilary was a man, so much of what has been said about her would never have been said.  She wouldn't be called nasty or angry - she would be considered passionate or a true leader.   Double standards suck.

These two candidates represent two very different paths for the future of America.  And one of those paths - the path where we close ourselves from the world, where we no longer allow people to come to our country to fulfill the American dream, the one where LGBT's have no rights, and women can't make their own decisions is in danger of becoming a reality.  I don't want that.   I don't believe that is what's best for us.   Trade is good, allowing gay's to marry is good, bringing refugees into this country is good.   Moving forward is good.  Showing the world America is a progressive leader is good.   

So tomorrow night Tyler and I are going to hunker down on the couch, watch the election coverage, eat this tart (which is fall at its finest), and (hopefully) watch history be made.  #werewithher      

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette 
Recipe from Seven Spoons

This tart is one of the best things I've made in recent history.  I served it with roast chicken and vegetables but it would also make a great side for Thanksgiving (something vegetarians would appreciate it).   

A couple of notes.  The squash, onions, and dough can be prepared a day or two before you want to serve it. Just assemble the filling and bake on the day of (thus making this the ideal party food).   You can also divide the dough in half and make two 9-inch galettes.   

For the Pastry

2½ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour, including 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour if you like, plus more for work surface
1/2 teaspoon (2 g) table salt
16 tablespoons (227 g) or 2 sticks, unsalted butter
1/2 cup (64 g) sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt, strained
1 tablespoon (15 mL) white wine vinegar
1/3 cup (79 mL) ice water

For the Filling

2 small or 1 large butternut squash, about 21/2 pounds (1134 g)
3 tablespoons (45 mL) oil
1½ teaspoons (5 g) tsp table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (14 g) butter
2 large sweet onions, such as Spanish or Vidalia, halved, thinly sliced in half-moons
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) sugar
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional
2 cups (180 g) grated Italian Fontina cheese (or a combination of Fontina and Gruyere) 
1 teaspoon (4 g) chopped fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp (4 g) water, for glaze (optional, but makes for a croissant-looking finish)

To make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the whole sticks of butter and, using a pastry blender, break up the bits of butter until the texture is like cornmeal, with the biggest pieces the size of pebbles. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, vinegar and water, and pour this over the butter-flour mixture. Stir with a spoon or a rubber spatula until a dough forms, kneading it once or twice on the counter if needed to bring it together. Pat the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic and chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or up to two days.

To prepare squash: Peel the squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch chunks. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the olive oil into one or two smaller baking sheets, spreading it to an even slick. Lay the squash chunks on the baking sheet in one layer, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon (2 g) of the salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and roast in a 400 F oven for 30 minutes, or until squash is tender, turning the pieces occasionally so that they brown evenly. Set aside to cool slightly. Leave the oven on.

While the squash is roasting, melt the butter and remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy frying pan, and cook the onions over medium-low heat with the sugar and remaining teaspoon of salt, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the cayenne pepper, if using.

Mix the squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

To assemble the galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 16- to 17-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the squash-and-cheese mixture over the dough, leaving a 2 to 2½-inch border. Fold the border over the squash and cheese, pleating the edge to make it fit. The centre will be open. Brush the outside of the crust with the egg-yolk wash, if using.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the galette from the oven, let stand for five minutes, then slide onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Makes 1 hearty 12-inch galette, serving 8

saag paneer.

As I near the last days of my twenties, I've begun to realize that I've grown old.  9 years ago when I was a 21 year old baby, I was a hell of a lot more spontaneous.  I drank beers on Wednesday nights just because the weather was nice.  I lived a little (or maybe a lot).  But now - I've become diligent.   I make sure I get my required 10,000 steps a day.  I eat my vegetables and drink my green juice and I run because it's good for me (my shopping habits on the other hand have not become quite as responsible) .

I worry I am starting to sound boring.
I worry I've become set in my ways.

While I don't see myself spending my Tuesdays evenings at the bar, I do plan on trying to push myself out of my comfort zone.  30 does not mean old.  Your thirties are supposed to be the best years of your life - you're a little more sure of yourself and still young enough to go out and try new things.  Changes will happen via baby-steps, but what better way to start then via my cooking?

While my love of ethnic foods knows no bounds, I usually shy away from making it at home because I am convinced someone else can always make it better.  But in an effort to challenge myself, I figured it was time to finally tackle something new i.e. Indian food.

Indian recipes are usually filled with so many spices that I become slightly nauseous at the idea of filling my cabinets with a plethora of things I will never use again - but it wasn't until I fell into the rabbit hole of saag paneer recipes that I discovered only a handful of spices were required.  This is why I found myself turning 1 1/2 pounds of spinach into one delicious dish.  Comforting, spicy, absurdly flavorful, and frighteningly easy.  A new staple has been discovered.  

Saag Paneer 
Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks

I don't know if what I made is traditional in the slightest but the bones of the traditional version lie here. And even if this isn't traditional, I don't care.  It's too good.

Serves 4 (as a main) to 6 (if serving with other things)

1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, well washed and dried (if you aren't using baby spinach, make sure you remove the thick stems)
2 tablespoons ghee, clarified butter, or unsalted butter
8 oz paneer cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt plus more to taste
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4]2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne (depending on your heat level - I would start with 1/4, taste, and add more as necessary)
Pinch of cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper 
1 cup buttermilk
Generous splash of cream

Chop the spinach and set aside in a large bowl.

While you're chopping spinach, cook the paneer in one tablespoon of the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Make sure the paneer is in a single layer and use a spatula to flip it regularly so all sides get deeply brown. This typically takes 7 minutes or so. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat the other tablespoon of butter in your largest soup pot. Add the onions and salt, and sauté until the onions soften up, five minutes or so. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and nicely combined - a minute or two.  Add the tomato paste and a splash of water and stir everything together.  

Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the spinach to the pan all at once, if possible. Cook, stirring all the while, until the spinach is collapsed and wilted, a couple of minutes. If you need to add the spinach in batches (adding more spinach as it collapses), that is fine too, just do it as quickly as possible.

Stir in the buttermilk and cream and heat gently while stirring. If the mixture seems dry, add more buttermilk a splash at a time . Taste and add more salt and also some freshly ground black pepper if necessary.  Add more cayenne if you prefer it spicy.  

Spoon the spinach mixture into a Vitamix or a food processor.  Pulse the mixture until it forms a chunky paste (kind of like pesto).  Return the spinach to the pan and stir in the paneer and another splash of buttermilk or cream if it looks dry.  Serve immediately with naan or rice.   

roasted carrots with tahini sumac sauce.

I know I've been neglecting this space as of late, but when you are less then a handful of days from your big day and you decide that making 7 batches of cookies for the wedding was a sane thing to do you can see why I may be a little tied up.  

But I have finally finished the cooking dough making (hip hip hooray!) so let's talk about carrots.  

If there is one cookbook I return to time and time again it's Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi.  I am no vegetarian by any means, but we do treat meat as a once or twice a week treat so I come to rely on cookbooks that make vegetables front and center.  Yotam does that and he does it in a way that makes the vegetables feel new and different so when he came out with a second book called Plenty More, you can pretty much guarantee that I purchased the book almost the day it came out.   I have about half the book marked off (so many projects to tackle soon!) but the recipe that kept catching my eyes was one for Middle-Eastern carrots.  

I took inspiration from Yotam and roasted carrots with warming spices (Zatar!) and then served with a sauce that is a little sweet and a little spicy with a wonderfully bite of tahini.  A sprinkle of mint over the top provided the perfect amount of freshness.  This recipe makes for a killer lunch but it would be pretty awesome as a side dish on Thanksgiving.  

Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sumac Sauce
Recipe inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi 

Serves 2 generously  

For the Carrots

1 bunch of carrots peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces  
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Zatar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika 

For the Sauce

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon tahini
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1 - 2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon aleppo pepper
1/4 teaspoon sumac
1/4 teaspoon Zatar
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Mint for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the carrots with the olive oil, zatar, salt, and smoked paprika.  Dump the carrots on a baking sheet and roast on a sheet pan for about 40 minutes until tender and blackened in spots. Remove from oven and set aside.

Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a bowl except for the mint and water.  Stir to combine.  Add 1 teaspoon of water and stir to combine.  If the sauce still seems thick, gradually add a little more water until the sauce is thick but smooth.  

Dollop the sauce on a plate.  Top with carrots.  Sprinkle with mint.  

white beans and spinach over toast.

If you were to send me a coupon, it's pretty much a guarantee that you will get me to visit your website.  From there, I will probably spend 45 minutes of my life on-line shopping and then I will probably purchase something I don't really need.  I will convince myself that it only makes sense to buy this item because it's on sale or a good deal or because I would be doing a disservice to the entire marketing industry if I did not buy it.  

This is how I ended up purchasing 4 pounds of heirloom beans about 2 weeks ago.  

(The marketing industry and online retailers love me.)

No one needs 4 pounds of heirloom beans.  But, when the beans are 20% off and come from a company called Rancho Gordo and when you've read about how good there beans are, you can easily convince yourself that such a purchase is a really smart investment.  

And to answer your question, the beans are awesome.  

I've only tried one of the 4 varieties thus far which was a white bean.  The closest comparison I can think to make is a mini cannelini but I don't think that does it justice.  I think this particular variety would be incredible in soups and I am itching to make a meat and bean chili (sorry to the Texan's who think this is sacrilegious) in the next couple of weeks with some of the other types.  For this first batch I made a very traditional Italian preparation of spinach, beans, and parmesan to be served a top toasts.  It's nothing fancy but it's particularly comforting and with beans this good, simple is better. 

White Beans and Spinach over Toast

Think of this as a jumping off point.  Kale would be lovely and so would swiss chard.  And it goes without saying though I will remind you, putting an egg on it wouldn't be a bad idea.  And splurge on the good bread.  Thick, chewy, delicious bread.  

The beans can be found here and if I wasn't clear before, they are insanely good.  Totally worth buying. 

Serves 4

4 - 8 Slices of thick-cut bread (depending on the size of the bread.  
About 2 cups (or 1 15 ounce can) of white beans
About 1 pound of spinach, washed and thinly sliced  
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes plus more if you want some extra heat
1/4 cup chicken broth (or your bean liquid)
1/4 cup parmesan or pecorino romano plus more for sprinkling at the end  
Salt and pepper to taste  
A drizzle of Mike's Hot Honey (optional)

Toast your bread in a 350 degree oven until golden brown (a toaster also works though you can't cook all of the slices at the same time).  

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add red pepper flakes and cook another 10 seconds. Stir in spinach, beans, and broth and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the parmesan.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Spoon the bean-and-spinach mixture over the toasts.  Sprinkle with additional cheese and pepper.  Drizzle Mike's Hot Honey over the top if you choose.     

corn risotto-stuffed poblanos.

I've been on a bit of a decluttering frenzy over the past couple of weeks.  Cabinets that I have not seen the back of in months solely because they are filled to the brim with half-finished bags of 6 different types of rice are finally seeing the light of day.  I'm trying to teach myself to use the items I have on hand instead of procuring new items all the time.  It's going to take me awhile to have such behavior feel instinctual but eventually I'll get there.  

This recipe was finally tackled after I realized that I had 5/6 of the ingredients on hand, it would help me finish some of my almost empty bags of rice, and in making it I could finally cross it off my list of recipes I have to try where it has been languishing for over a year now (in my defense it's a very long list that is ever expanding).  This is exactly the kind of thing you should be making right now when we are in the throws of March and that weird in-between time where it isn't quite winter and it isn't quite spring.  It's fresh tasting (corn! peppers! cilantro!) yet the kind of thing your body gravitates towards this time of year (namely starchy comfort food with some cheese thrown in for good measure).  It's incredibly satisfying and utterly filling for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike and did I mention it reheats brilliantly? It does which is why the leftovers make the perfect next day lunch. If you're smarter then me you wont wait a year to make this.  

Corn Risotto-Stuffed Poblanos
Recipe adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

This is the kind of the thing that begs to be made on a Sunday afternoon.  You have dinner for that evening and enough leftovers for lunch the next day!

Serves 4 generously (This also halves easily.) 

8 large fresh poblano peppers
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups short-grained rice, such as arborio or carnaroli
¾ cup beer, preferably light or medium in color
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 large size cobs or you can use frozen corn as I did)
¾ - 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ cup crumbled queso fresco, ricotta salata, or another crumbly cheese
3 tablespoons sour cream mixed with 1 Tablespoon milk and a pinch of salt, for serving
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Prepare peppers: Lay several chiles at a time on their sides on the racks atop a gas burner, and turn the flame to high.  Using tongs, rotate the chiles frequently until their skins are blistered, about 4 to 6 minutes each. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, and cover them with foil or plastic wrap.  Repeat with the remaining chiles. Should you not have a gas burner, you can do this under a broiler. Or you can skip this step altogether if the pepper skins don't bother you.

Make risotto: In a medium saucepan, heat the stock to a low simmer.  On a separate burner, heat a larger saucepan over medium heat.  Once the saucepan is hot, add the oil and heat through; then add the onion, and sauté until it is softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the rice to the pot, and stir it for a minute or two, until it becomes slightly toasty.  Pour in the beer, scraping up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan.  Let beer simmer for roughly a minute -- it will mostly disappear.

Ladle 1 cup of warm stock into rice mixture, and simmer until it has been absorbed, stirring frequently.  Add the remaining stock, ½ cup at a time, allowing stock to absorb before adding more, and stirring often.  Along with the final addition of stock, add the corn. The total cooking time for the rice is about 30 minutes, after which it should be creamy and tender.  Though risotto is traditionally supposed to be on the loose side, you can leave this one ever-so-slightly thicker, so it can be easily stuffed into peppers.  Once the stock is added and the risotto is tender, stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, the salt, many grinds of black pepper, the paprika, and the chile powder.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Remove risotto from the heat.

Assemble and cook poblanos: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Remove chiles from bowl, and gently (very carefully my peppers were very tender) rub off the skins, which should now remove easily.  Cut a slit lengthwise in each chile, and remove the seeds and membranes as best you can.  Leave the stems on -- they're cute.  Fill each chile with risotto through the slit.  Arrange the chiles tightly in a baking dish, and sprinkle with crumbled cheese.  Bake the chiles for 10 to 15 minutes, until bronzed a bit on top.

To serve: In a small dish, whisk together the sour cream mixed with milk and salt.  Drizzle the mixture over hot chiles.  Garnish with cilantro.  Eat them while they're hot.

sweet potato-quinoa burgers

This recipe was stumbled upon.  I wasn't thinking about sweet potatoes or quinoa or burger alternatives but, while browsing the cookbook selection at Anthropologie (they have one of the best curated selections ever) and searching for the quintessential French bistro napkins I am obsessed with (I still haven't found them), I discovered it and proceeded to make it that evening.  

This is probably the best veggie burger I have ever encountered.  It doesn't crumble or fall apart after one bite (the way most every veggie burger has the habit of doing), it feels and tastes substantial which is why even hardcore meat eaters will love it (the boy gave it two thumbs up).  The combination of spices works amazingly well with the sweet potato and quinoa and that elevates the burger from boring to bold.  Served with your favorite burger fixings and you have one epic (vegetarian friendly) burger night.  


Sweet Potato-Quinoa Burgers
Recipe adapted from The Kinfolk Table Cookbook 

I loved the idea of this recipe, I absolutely detested the fussiness of it. I streamlined things, upped the level of spices, and basically made it much more user friendly.  

Makes 6 burgers

1 pound (455 grams) sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces/100 grams) quinoa
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
1 cup (240 milliliters) water
1 cup (4 ounces/115 grams) chickpea flour
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (3 grams) ground corriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin 
1 - 2 tablespoons basil or cilantro or a combination of both 
1 teaspoon sesame seeds plus additional for sprinkling the burgers with 
For serving: Buns or english muffins, sliced avocado, roasted tomatoes, fontina cheese, or whatever burger accompaniments you love (this is just what I love!).  

Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Arrange the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for about 45 minutes or until tender.  Transfer the sheet to a rack to cool the potatoes for about 10 minutes.  

Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa under cold running water in a fine mesh-sieve until the water runs clear.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium sauce-pan over medium -high heat until shimmering.  Add the quinoa and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until the quinoa is beginning to dry and turn golden. Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender.  Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer to a bowl. Cool completely.  

Peel the potatoes and add the softened potato to the bowl with the quinoa.  Use a fork to smash the potato and mix to combine with the quinoa. Add in the corriander, cayenne, paprika, cumin, basil or cilantro, sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Add the chickpea flour 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.  The mixture should be a little tacky but soft.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 5 hours or overnight.  

Remove the mixture from the fridge, form 6 patties about 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.  Sprinkle the patties with sesame seeds.  Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Place 3 of the burgers in the pan and cook the burgers for about 3 minutes per side or until well browned.  Remove from the pan and repeat with the other 3 patties.  Serve with condiments of your choice. 

green pancakes with lime yogurt sauce.

I am not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination  To me, bacon is the greatest food that has ever existed.  I also have an unrequited love affair with Shake Shack cheeseburgers, and roast chicken is one of the simple pleasures in life, but when spring produce arrives with abundance at the farmer's market, I unintentionally ignore meat and give the green stuff the attention it deserves.  (Maybe you can call me a seasonal vegetarian?)  I've basically lived off of vegetables for the past 10 days (I needed a little vacation cleanse) and when there are dishes like this to be made and eaten, it's easy to live off glorious produce.  These pancakes and hearty and satisfying.  The kind of thing that reminds you of being a kid when your mom when try and sneakily hide vegetables in dishes you would eat, accept here the greens are front and center.  Spinach gets to shine and it pairs beautifully with a creamy yogurt sauce.  A little lime zest and cumin adds the appropriate amount of zing.  This is a beautifully elegant spring dinner.  

Green Pancakes with Lime Yogurt Sauce
Recipe adapted (barely) from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

For the Lime Yogurt

1 cup Greek yogurt
Grated zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon chile flakes or smoked paprika 
1/4 teaspoon cumin

For the Pancakes

1/2 lb (about 8 cups) spinach, washed
3/4 cup self-rising flour 
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 egg
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teasspoon ground cumin
2/3 cup milk
6 medium green onions, finely sliced
2 fresh green chiles, thinly sliced
1 egg white
Olive oil for frying

To make the lime yogurt sauce. Combine the yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper, cilantro, and chile flakes.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. 

Wilt the spinach in a pan with a splash of water. Drain in a sieve and, when cool, squeeze hard with your hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Roughly chop and put aside.

Put the flour, baking powder, whole egg, melted butter, salt, cumin and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the green onions, chiles and spinach and mix with a fork. Whisk the egg white to soft peaks and gently fold it into the batter.

Pour a small amount of olive oil into a heavy frying pan and place on medium-high heat. For each pancake, ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan and press down gently. You should get smallish pancakes, about 3 inches in diameter and 3/8 inch thick. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until you get a good golden-green color. Transfer to paper towels and keep warm. Continue making pancakes, adding oil to the pan as needed, until the batter is used up.

To serve, pile up three warm pancakes per person and add a dollop of yogurt sauce on top.  

three-bean chili and cheddar jalapeno corn muffins.

I think the below email that I received today from the boy says all there is to say about this chili (and it also sums up my sentiments exactly). 

Your chili is the bomb.com.  Even better the second day after it marinates over night.  

This is comfort food at its best - super easy, super delicious  and (surprisingly) super healthy.  I promise you wont miss the meat in this and because its vegetarian you can eat it on a daily basis and not feel guilty at all.  I am guessing this will be on heavy rotation for the rest of the winter.  Hibernation food at its best.  

The corn muffins are completely unnecessary, but to me its sacrilegious to eat chili without a side of cornbread. The cheddar and jalapeno add-in's elevate the muffins from plain to special which is always a plus in my book.  

Three-Bean Chili

1 15-oz can black beans
1 15-oz can kidney beans
1 15-oz can pinto beans
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
16 - 18 ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
1 chipotle chili in adobe, diced plus a teaspoon (or more) adobe juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon unsweetned coco powder
1/4 cup cilantro, diced (plus more for garnish)
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes - Diced jalapenos, sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot on medium heat, when hot add diced onion and garlic, cook, stirring occasionally until the onion and garlic is lightly browned and softened.  Add the chipotle and juice to the pot and cook for another minute.  Add the beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cocoa powder.  Turn the heat down to medium low and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.  Garnish and eat! 

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffins
Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, yogurt, or milk (but not skim milk here)
2 tablespoons oil or butter
1 1/2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup jalapenos, diced
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder

Grease a 12 cup muffin tin.  Heat your oil or butter in the microwave until good and hot.  Set aside.  Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl along with the jalapenos, cheese, and chili powder.  Add the egg, oil/butter, and yogurt/milk to the dry ingredients.  Stir until well combined.  Portion the batter out into the muffin tin.  Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and the muffins pull away from the side of the pan.