I’ve been holding out on you. Though it wasn’t intentional.
Remember Bitchin’ Sauce, the original version? Conceived 3.25 months ago. Well, she has a sister. And her name is Chipotle. It’s never good to play favorites, but she might just be mine. Her personality is bold and spicy. But she’s not the overbearing type. I think you’ll like her. Read more
You know her as Naturally Ella. I know her as Erin, my business partner, my friend, the person I talk with most these days. Hallie knows her as “Enin!”. She hasn’t found her Rs yet. She also knows her as the author of The Easy Vegetarian Kitchen—the book she affectionately wrote notes in while her father wasn’t looking. The book that makes her new favorite meal—fried rice. In a few short weeks, one lucky little boy will know her as mama. Erin is having a baby (!), which is cause for a celebration sans wine. So a bunch of lovely people have gathered via the WWW to send Erin off into motherhood with quick and easy vegetarian recipes. Read more
Definition: Bitchin’ Sauce (nerb—noun + verb) is a bitchin’ (for lack of a better word) sauce sold at the San Diego farmers market. It comes in 3 varieties—original bitchin’ sauce, chipotle, and pesto. It’s both vegan and gluten-free. And the taste? It’s oh-em-gee out of this world! Almonds give the sauce its creamy base. While lemons provide a lovely kick at the end. Its only downfall—you can’t get it in Chicago. Hence my friend Amy’s question:
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When we lived in Oak Park, IL, when we were young and alive, when we didn’t have enough money to take the train downtown to Chicago, I stood next to the continental divide sign, legs spread wide, imagining I was standing on two magnets pulling water to opposite ends of our coasts. Would I spilt in two like the water? Turns out I’m not that malleable. Not nearly as malleable as a recipe. We’re straddling two seasons right now, standing in muddy, dead grass with glints of green over a slice of Butternut Bánh Mì Pizza, between winter and spring. Read more
I really wanted to like jackfruit, a fruit that can be purchased in a can and stored in the pantry, that has the texture of meat, that takes on the flavor of just about anything. But every time I tried it, it was too acidic and salty, and I like acidic and salty food. And I couldn’t get past the fact that it’s often used as a stand-in for meaty protein, yet it lacks much protein. Or the fact that it wasn’t filling enough. But, if I’m anything, I’m persistent (when it involves solving a recipe or design problem). “I’m going to try those BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches one more time.” “Oh, Mel. No. More. Jackfruit.” Oops, I did it again. And I got it right this time. Kev approves. Read more
Never have I ever been a night or morning person, run a marathon, or liked queso. Drippy cheese is not my thing despite growing up in Texas (home of the best Tex Mex and queso), despite growing up with a mom who made queso with Rotel tomatoes, despite marrying into a family that tops their tacos with white queso. After being away for two years, I flew to Texas twice in the span of two weeks, consuming a diet of chips and salsa like a bear before winter. Never have I ever liked queso until Austin, TX at Picnik over a bowl of creamy vegan queso and almond flour tortilla chips with my sister. That’s when it all changed. Read more
There are several different methods for preparing winter squash to be puréed. You can cut it in half, place skin side up on a baking sheet, and roast for 40+ minutes. You can place a whole squash, with knife-pierced slits, in a baking dish filled with water, and bake for a similar amount of time. Or you can steam the squash on the stovetop in 20 minutes. I’ve tried them all, and I keep going back to the same method—the stovetop steam. Read more
Cheers to the simple things. I signed almost every book this way. Telling you this makes it sound cheap. Though I hope it’s not. Words matter. And these 5 words matter greatly to me. I thought a lot about what I might write. Permanently. In pen. Can I tell you how terrifying it is to write in a book that’s not yours? Are you sure you want me to sign this thing, I kept thinking to myself. That’s beside the point. Read more
