my grandmother used to make turnip greens (turnips and collards soaked in bacon grease and love) almost weekly when i was growing up. she has a knack for making something out of nothing, particularly in her kitchen. a few empty pots and pans quickly evolve into the most magical meals before anyone even realizes they are hungry. her goal is to make sure each and every body that walked through her door left the house with a belly full of comfort food. this black-eyed pea & collard greens dish is inspired by her, packed full of fiber, protein, and antioxidants.

black-eyed peas & collard greens

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups black-eyed peas, dry

1 head of cabbage, de-stemmed & chopped

1 bunch of collard greens, washed and chopped

1 tbs. cumin powder

salt

2 tbs. olive oil

water

apple cider vinegar

1. soak peas overnight. rinse well & drain.

2. heat olive oil in large pot. saute onions until translucent.

3. add garlic and saute 5 more minutes.

4. add cumin powder, salt, peas and cabbage.

5. cover ingredients with water.

6. bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes.

7. add collard greens and cook 15 more minutes.

8. serve in bowl with 1-2 tbs. of apple cider vinegar.

Kitchari (pronounced kitch-a-ree) is a traditional Ayurvedic porridge native to India. It is made with mung beans, rice, vegetables, and a variety of spices aimed to cleanse the digestive system and remove toxins from the body. The type of vegetables can vary, depending on the season and your dosha – Vata, Pitta, or Kapha. During the winter, I eat sweet potatoes just about every day, as well as leafy greens, so I included them both in the recipe. This dish is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and is nourishing for all body types.

If you would like more information on your own constitution, you can take a short quiz here for free.

Kitchari

2 tbs. coconut oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs. ginger, grated

1 tbs. fennel seeds

1 tbs. turmeric powder

1 tbs. cumin powder

1 tbs. coriander

2 tsp. cloves

1 cup mung beans, soaked overnight and rinsed

1/3 cup brown rice or basmati rice

5 cups water

seasonal vegetables, chopped (sweet potato, cauliflower, collard greens, cabbage)

Salt

1. Saute onion in coconut oil in large pot over medium heat until softened and slightly translucent.

2. Stir in garlic, ginger, and spices and cook for about 5 minutes.

3. Add rice, mung beans and water. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.

4. Add vegetables and salt. Simmer for about an hour.

garlic and beans. a rockstar combination in my book and a staple in my house this winter. because southwestern flavor is one of my favorites, i made a chili over the weekend using an assortment of beans (black being my favorite), mixed it up with a variety of spices, and topped it off with slices of avocado.

1 onion (diced)

4 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 anaheim pepper (chopped)

2 red bell peppers (chopped)

3 tbs. chili pepper

3 tbs. cumin

1 tbs. paprika

3 tomatoes (pureed)

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups dried beans (soaked overnight)

2 tbs. salt

1. Saute onion in olive in large pot for 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, peppers, and spices. Stir well and cook 5 more minutes.

3. Add tomato puree, vegetable broth, beans, and salt. Bring to a boil.

4. Add extra broth if needed to cover beans.

5. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

6. Let cool. Enjoy with toppings (avocado, chives, mustard).

sweet potatoes won my heart years ago when i discovered they can be eaten without marshmallows and brown sugar. i have enjoyed them roasted, baked, sauteed, plain, doctored with herbs and butter, dipped into loads of mustard or simply thrown into soups (as you can see here). the options are endless. one of my go-to sweet potato recipes is below…simple, delicious, and easy to throw together for a surprise visitor or after-school snack.

Garlic Sweet Potato Fries

2 large yams (peeled & cut into 1/4 inch wide strips)

2 tbs. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

6-8 cloves garlic (minced)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Place sweet potato strips in a bowl and toss with oil, salt & pepper.

3. Place in a single layer onto baking sheet.

4. Bake for 30 minutes in oven, turning once after 15 minutes.

5. Turn off oven and let potatoes sit inside for 10 minutes to dry out.

6. Remove from oven and transfer to a platter.

7. Sprinkle garlic on top.

8. Serve with mustard or your choice of dip.

similar to opening my eyes in the morning, grapefruit is a part of my daily routine this time of year and the first thing i reach for in the morning.  lately, i prefer mine in the form of fresh squeezed juice made right here in my home. usually, i make enough to last for 2 or 3 days. other times, i dig into the juicy fruit with my clever grapefruit knife and relish every bite.

not only is grapefruit incredibly delicious, it is also highly nutritious with numerous health benefits. for starters, this pink fruit is one of the most beneficial alkaline-forming foods, supporting your body’s natural homeostasis by helping to remove acidic waste accumulated in the body. grapefruit is also a supreme source of vitamin c, an antioxidant that prevents free radical damage to cells, strengthens the immune system, and boosts the production of collagen (which speeds up the healing process of wounds and injuries). grapefruit also contains bromelain, a powerful enzyme known to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain caused from osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis. lycopene, another antioxidant found in this succulent fruit, helps to regulate blood sugar levels, prevent cancer by neutralizing harmful free radicals, and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

since soups were first introduced and implemented into my repertoire of recipes a couple of years ago, they have become a regular go-to dish for dinner. i favor a hodgepodge of vegetables and beans with hearty texture and delectable seasoning. cooking beans is simple once you get the hang of it: soak in water overnight and cook for 1 hour the following day. they can be mixed with a variety of spices and herbs to concoct a savory soup full of color and flavors that fill your house with appetite-inducing aromas.

Autumn Bean Soup

Beans

1 cup beans (black, pinto, kidney)

5 cups water

1. Soak beans overnight.

2. Rinse beans and add to large pot with water.

3. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.

4. Set aside, saving liquid from beans.

Soup

2 tbsp. coconut or olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. fresh ginger, chopped finely

1 tbsp. allspice

1 tbsp. cumin

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 red bell pepper, cubed into small pieces

2 carrots, chopped

1 sweet potato, cut into bite-sized wedges

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion. Cook for 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, ginger, and spices. Stir. Cook 5-7 more minutes.

3. Add red bell pepper, carrot, and sweet potatoes.

4. Add 2 cups of reserved bean liquid. Bring to a boil.

5. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are soft.

6. Add beans and cook for 15 more minutes.

7. Let cool. Enjoy.

fall is my favorite time of year: cozy sweaters, impromptu dinner parties that require no less than a dozen candles, warm blankets & hot tea, an excuse to be in my pajamas by 6 pm every night. but most of all, i love this season because of the introspective quality it bestows. i swiftly dive into hibernation the moment november arrives. the kitchen becomes my playground, providing me ample opportunity to try out new recipes that warm the body, nourish the soul and fill the house with ambrosial aromas that last for hours. this past weekend, i made a perfectly flavored baked apple crisp with just the right amount of sweetness.

Apple Crisp

6 apples (peeled, cored and sliced)

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup almond meal

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

½ cup oats

1 cup almond meal

¼ cup quinoa flour (or spelt flour)

¼ cup coconut sugar (or maple sugar)

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

¼ cup melted coconut oil

¼ cup coconut flakes

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Place the sliced apples in a 9×13 inch pan. Add maple syrup and stir.

3. Mix almond meal, cinnamon and nutmeg in bowl.

4. Sprinkle over apples. Stir well.

5. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir well.

6. Crumble evenly over apple mixture.

7. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 55 minutes.

if i had to choose a single candy to eat partake of, avoiding all others, from this day forward, these toffee-like clusters would come out on top. the walnut and chocolate chip-filled delicacies are made with brown rice syrup, a low-glycemic sweetener that keeps these confections from becoming overly sweet with its soft, caramel-like flavor. the recipe i used was adapted from one i found in this book.

Sweet Caramel Clusters

1 cup brown rice syrup

1 cup crunch all-natural, almond butter (unsweetened)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup grain-sweetened chocolate chip cookies

1. heat the brown rice syrup and almond butter in a medium-size saucepan.

2. stirring constantly, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.

3. continue stirring to avoid burning.

4. remove from heat.

5. stir in vanilla & walnuts.

6. let cool 10 minutes in saucepan and add chocolate chips.

7. spread mixture onto parchment paper and set in refrigerator for 1 hour.

8. store in refrigerator in sealed container for up to 1 week.

known more as a dish for winter nights than summer days, i cooked up a batch of black & pinto bean chili as a hearty addition to nacho night. i use a different recipe each time i make this hodgepodge. for this particular meal, i wanted more of a texas-style flavor so decided to stick with fewer spices and more chili powder. all ingredients were fresh and from the local farmer’s market, when possible.

Bean Chili

2 cups of dried black beans

1 cups of dried pinto beans

8 medium size tomatoes (washed and cut in quarters)

2 onions (diced)

2 red bell peppers (diced)

1 hatch pepper or anaheim chile pepper (finely diced)

4 cloves garlic (chopped)

10 tbs. ground chili

10 tbs. ground cumin

3 tbs. ground paprika

2 tbs. ground coriander

1 tbs. salt

2 tbs. olive oil

soak beans in water overnight (or at least eight hours). using a strainer, drain and rinse beans well and place in large pot covered with water. bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for an hour. drain and rinse beans well and set aside. heat oil in a large pot over medium heat for 5 minutes. add chopped onions and spices and cook until slightly wilted. add pepper and garlic, stirring occasionally. in a blender, puree tomatoes and add to pot of vegetable mixture. bring to a boil and add beans. simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. season to taste. top with slices of avocados, cheese or onions.

this was the first raw dessert i ever made four years ago. it was love at first bite and remains my favorite sweet treat to date. thanks to the tangy lemons, this pie curbs just about every one of my cravings during the summer months. the abundance of avocados give it a creamy texture with loads of health benefits (which you can read here). it is a breakfast staple every morning as long as it is in my house.

raw lemon icebox pie

crust

1 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts

3 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 cup coconut flakes

2 tbs. raw honey

blend all ingredients in food processor or vitamix blender. add raw honey to the dough-like mixture & combine with hands. place mixture in pie pan and spread evenly. set in fridge.

filling

2 cups ripe avocados

1 1/2 cups lemon flesh (no seeds)

juice of 1 lemon (no seeds)

2 cups pitted dates

2 tbs. raw honey

blend all ingredients in food processor or vitamix blender. pour into pie crust and spread evenly with spatula. sprinkle coconut flakes on top. place in freezer for 1 hour.

*i store mine in freezer and let sit in fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

this blog hosts a post about a farmer’s market at least every couple of months (if not more), but the joy these outdoor frolics produce mixed with the frequency they occur here in southern california are enough to write home about. yesterday, i headed over to ocean beach for their weekly fruit-filled gala for some food and fresh air.

when my grandmother’s blackberry cobbler is nowhere in sight, chewy chocolate chip cookies are my dessert of choice. i love taking a time-tested formula that has been perfected over the years and transforming it into a cleaner, healthier version of its kind. this particular cookie was inspired by the recipe found on the back of a sunspire chocolate chip bag, undergoing a few tweaks here and there, which resulted in my new favorite chocolate chip cookie.

chocolate chip cookies

1/3 cup sunflower oil

2 tbs. dark molasses

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 organic eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1-2 cups grain-sweetened chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Mix liquid ingredients. Stir in flour & coconut sugar. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Drop teaspoons of mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

last summer, this chocolate milkshake was my breakfast of choice. every morning included cacao and avocados until the creamy smoothie wore out its welcome here in my abode. these days, i am leaning toward more fruits and veggies for a pick-me-up. it takes minutes to make and not much longer to digest. if you’d like to try it, throw these ingredients into a blender and enjoy!

• 1 orange
• 1/2 avocado
• handful of blueberries
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1 tbs. coconut oil
• ice

nothing sounds better to my taste buds right now than a homemade chai latte, iced or hot. after trying jyoti bihanga’s sensational version of the beverage a couple of weeks ago, i came home and scavenged the internet, looking for a recipe that would satisfy my appetite. and just like that, she appeared on my favorite food blog.

soup was not on my list of favorite foods growing up, simply because i had not yet been exposed to all the wondrous variations available to me. combining an array of fresh vegetables and beans in one pot seems a little more than brilliant. i made this black bean soup over the weekend and could not have been more delighted with the outcome. the recipe can be found here.