Side Dishes

Thumbnail image for Meyer Lemon Rosemary Biscuits

Meyer Lemon Rosemary Biscuits

February 14, 2013

I’d never heard of Meyer lemons until I moved to Sacramento. I read an article about growing citrus trees in pots and immediately began daydreaming about gazing out my kitchen […]

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Thumbnail image for Spinach Dip or Cilantro Salsa Recipe

Spinach Dip or Cilantro Salsa Recipe

January 30, 2013

Get your licking finger ready! This is that kind of recipe. If you have visited my blog, you may have guessed that I’m a fan of color. While the rest […]

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Thumbnail image for Persimmon Pomegranate Salsa

Persimmon Pomegranate Salsa

December 10, 2012

I recently found this letter that my 8-year-old self wrote to Santa. I apparently thought both Santa and the Abominable Snowman were real. Funny to think I was ever that […]

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Thumbnail image for 5 Pepper Salsa Recipe

5 Pepper Salsa Recipe

September 12, 2012

If I could only eat one type of cuisine for the rest of my life I would choose Southwest food largely because of salsa. Tangy, tomato-y, spicy—salsa makes everything taste […]

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Thumbnail image for Food Literacy Sandwich: Garden Pesto Tomato & Egg

Food Literacy Sandwich: Garden Pesto Tomato & Egg

September 2, 2012

September is Food Literacy Month. The nonprofit I founded, California Food Literacy Center, is celebrating—and so am I! Last week, the California Senate declared the month Food Literacy Awareness Month […]

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Thumbnail image for Spiced Peach Jam Recipe

Spiced Peach Jam Recipe

August 26, 2012

I met Susan while giving a talk about food literacy at a women’s giving circle in Sacramento. I knew right away she was a kindred spirit. When she started talking […]

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Thumbnail image for Cheese Plate Fruit Pizza Recipe

Cheese Plate Fruit Pizza Recipe

August 1, 2012

If you think you know what fruit pizza is, think again. This isn’t the ultra sweet stuff made from cookie dough. This is a pizza—four kinds of cheese, yeasted pizza […]

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Thumbnail image for Green Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

Green Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

July 24, 2012

Salsa! America’s number one condiment is a fabulous way to use summer’s bounty. As tomatillos and peppers ripen, throw a fast batch in the food processor and you’re minutes away […]

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Thumbnail image for Huevos Ahogados Recipe and Herbivoracious Book Review

Huevos Ahogados Recipe and Herbivoracious Book Review

July 14, 2012

Take your taste buds around the world with this new cookbook. Herbivoracious, written by food blogger Michael Natkin, offers flavor, fun, and creativity in this full-color, vegetarian recipe collection. Any […]

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Thumbnail image for Squash blossom, Mushroom and Cheddar Cheese Curd Quesadilla

Squash blossom, Mushroom and Cheddar Cheese Curd Quesadilla

July 5, 2012

Quesadillas are a great way to enjoy the fresh flavors of summer vegetables. Topped with the first ripe heirloom tomatoes of the season and stuffed with chewy cheddar cheese curds, […]

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Thumbnail image for Minted Watermelon Cucumber Salad

Minted Watermelon Cucumber Salad

July 5, 2012

Sweet summer watermelon kissed by refreshing mint and studded with crisp cucumber tastes so divine you’ll think you’re committing a sin. But you’re not! All the healthy, local ingredients for […]

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Thumbnail image for Breakfast Toast of Grilled Apricots, Figs and Caramelized Onion

Breakfast Toast of Grilled Apricots, Figs and Caramelized Onion

July 5, 2012

Perk up breakfast with some farmers’ market tricks. Take simple toast (made from mouth-watering, freshly baked bread) and top it with the sweet essence of caramelized onion, and instead of […]

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Thumbnail image for Korean BBQ Veggie Kebabs with Brown Rice

Korean BBQ Veggie Kebabs with Brown Rice

June 29, 2012

It’s summer! It’s also BBQ time. Time to break out the grill and pilfer the harvest from your garden! As a vegetarian, I’m always looking for new ways to create […]

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Thumbnail image for Huevos over Brown Rice

Huevos over Brown Rice

June 18, 2012

It’s hot outside! It’s too hot to cook up my usual morning oatmeal or even to boil water. Yet, with three hungry guys helping rebuild my home office, I’ve got […]

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Thumbnail image for Asian Slaw Recipe with Cabbage, Carrot and Cilantro

Asian Slaw Recipe with Cabbage, Carrot and Cilantro

February 21, 2012

I’m a fan of foods that go “crunch.” Such veggies are easy to find in winter, especially cabbage and carrots. In this Asian slaw, I combine the two with cilantro, […]

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Thumbnail image for Farmers Market Carrot and Raisin Citrus Salad Recipe

Farmers Market Carrot and Raisin Citrus Salad Recipe

February 8, 2012

Hello, color! Want to put some spark on your plate? Ignite some passion with this refreshing and simple dish. I grew up eating this salad. As a picky child, I […]

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Thumbnail image for Chilaquiles Casserole Recipe

Chilaquiles Casserole Recipe

January 30, 2012

Chilaquiles: in my opinion, a food from the gods. This is such a simple dish with great pleasing power. I first discovered chilaquiles from local Mexican food expert, and my […]

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Thumbnail image for Flowering Kale Caesar Salad Recipe

Flowering Kale Caesar Salad Recipe

January 19, 2012

Introducing: the world’s prettiest vegetable! Flowering kale. Traditionally used as an ornamental landscaping plant, this lovely lady is fit for your kitchen table, too. Flowering kale packs the same healthy […]

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Thumbnail image for Potato & Roasted Garlic Soup with Rosemary Pesto Recipe

Potato & Roasted Garlic Soup with Rosemary Pesto Recipe

January 9, 2012

The winter farmers’ markets in Sacramento are bursting with flavor! I’m a firm believer in taking full advantage of the local bounty. I’m a locavore. I have no excuse to […]

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Thumbnail image for Grandma’s Lefse Recipe: A Scandinavian Holiday Tradition

Grandma’s Lefse Recipe: A Scandinavian Holiday Tradition

December 20, 2011

I’m a proud Scandinavian. Eating lefse, a potato-based flatbread, for the holidays is one of my favorite traditions. This week, I finally had time to sit down with my grandma […]

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Thumbnail image for Tomato Bread Salad Panzanella Recipe

Tomato Bread Salad Panzanella Recipe

August 7, 2011

  There’s nothing more delicious than a fresh garden tomato in the peak of summer. Why bury the flavors behind spices or sauce? Let the bright, juicy tang spring through […]

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Thumbnail image for Eggplant in Marinara with Roasted Green Tomatoes: Seasonal Recipe

Eggplant in Marinara with Roasted Green Tomatoes: Seasonal Recipe

July 18, 2011

Who’s the executive chef at my house? My garden! I allow her to dictate my meals. Today, she gave me eggplant—lots of gorgeous, deep purple, glowing chubby eggplants. And she […]

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Pineapple Guava Applesauce Recipe

October 19, 2010

Traditional applesauce recipe gets California twist   Applesauce colors my childhood memories. I picture the pale ruby sauce in large mason jars steadfastly lining the basement shelf. I never had […]

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Baked Mexican Sopes with Fresh Corn Flour Recipe

Thumbnail image for Baked Mexican Sopes with Fresh Corn Flour Recipe September 27, 2010

Baked Mexican Sopes with Fresh Corn Flour Recipe   That bag of masa harina sat in my cupboard for months. Each time I opened the door I would reach right […]

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Purple Potato Wedges with Apple, Gorgonzola & an Amber Ale Marinade

February 26, 2010

Baked potato for dinner? Sounds perfect to me! Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t always agree. My latest solution: add blue cheese and beer. Instant success! If you like bold, knock-you-in-the-mouth flavors, […]

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Complete Farmers’ Market Meal: Double Jack Quesadillas with Honey & Seasonal Fruit Salsa

February 16, 2010

Utter delight awaits with this flavor-packed, blissfully fresh meal. Intensely delicious, bursting passionately with wet, bright aromas, this dish will have you licking your fingers and mumbling sweet nothings under […]

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Thumbnail image for Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins

October 29, 2009

Open up and say, “Ahhhh!” It’s pumpkin season, and that means bliss upon your palette. I never met a pumpkin recipe I didn’t like, and I have never failed in […]

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