As the weather warms up, so does my appetite for smoothies and shakes. This shake is rich, creamy, and a fun combination of tahini, frozen banana, dried fig, cinnamon, and vanilla.

These naturally gluten-free muffins are mildly sweet and citrusy with a soft, tender crumb that is held together with almond flour, brown rice flour, eggs, applesauce and olive oil. I've opted for coconut sugar which made the batter darker. Feel free to use regular sugar if you'd like to keep the batter lighter so there's more contrast with the poppy seeds.

I'm so smitten with this breakfast, I'm not sure where to begin. Let me first start by saying it's one of those quick skillet meals that comes together in the same amount of time it takes to make oatmeal or a smoothie.

As the mornings get cooler, if I'm not having a dal of some sort, I'll probably be making this Golden Quinoa or Blueberry Ginger Buckwheat porridge. Both are great options if you're bored of your breakfast routine but still want something warm and cozy in the morning.

This dal is the meal that's most often repeated in our house. It's my favorite savory breakfast on cool mornings, it travels well in a thermos for work lunches, and it's a quick last-minute pantry-meal when I have little else in the fridge. Red lentils are simmered with onion, turmeric, chili powder and curry powder. Kale is added towards the end, and the soup is finished with ginger and lime.

The flavors of goats cheese, peas, lemon and dill make for a special meal. Yet it only takes minutes to throw this omelet together.

The warming combination of spiced black beans and sweetly fried plantains, topped with avocado, lime and crumbly cheese is pure comfort food. And it’s been an especially welcome reprieve during these recent cool, damp spring days.

I don't think there could be a breakfast more perfect than this Mediterranean mezze. With its fresh vegetables and herbs simply dressed in olive oil and lemon or vinegar, feta cheese, soft flatbread, briny olives, and warm and creamy spinach lentil soup, there's something special about savoring a sampling of several small plates in a slow, simple, and unpretentious manner.

Happy New Year! I’m offering this Breakfast Cherry Crumb Cake as a sweet antidote to all the New Year cleanses and detoxes dangerously promising to make you once again clean and pure. If you want to steer toward the middle rather than operate in the extremes this year, keep reading for the sweet origin story of this cake.

This cool sweet/tart green smoothie makes the most of tangy goat’s milk kefir (or coconut kefir) by balancing it with the sweet and uniquely tropical, fruity flavor of pineapple. I add spinach and flax seeds for some greens and fiber. And peanut butter and hemp seeds give it richness and staying power.

Yes, these pancakes really do remind me of strawberry shortcake, but they're absolutely appropriate for breakfast. In fact, they're a staple in my house and have become a go-to weekday breakfast when I need something fun and playful.

There comes a time in the middle of winter when I need a bright, fruity, tropical fix. Anyone else out there? That time has arrived for me, and this Mango Lassi Chia Pudding hits the spot. Between the fruity mango, bright hit of cardamom and lemon, rich creaminess from coconut milk and almond butter, and a salty-sweet, buttery topping of....

It's a new year -- Happy 2018, you guys! There's something about starting a new year - even though, technically, I know nothing has changed between the 31st and the 1st - that makes me feel lighter, refreshed, and inspired. But in all honesty, we don't need to wait for January for a fresh start. I'm sharing a two-minute strategy I use to reset and get clear on my intentions, any day, any month. And in terms of food, this Everyday Dal is the ultimate reset, whatever the need. It's been one of my go-to recipes for years, whether I need a warm and nourishing pantry meal or a hearty breakfast (yep!).

These yogurt bowls are a summer favorite in our house. Non-dairy coconut yogurt is topped with the best summer fruit you can get your hands on. And a Lime Cardamom Stovetop Granola is the perfect finishing touch.

Good morning breakfast tacos! If there's anything that reflects the roots of my childhood cuisine, it's tacos and chili. These tacos are a good reminder that it's the simple ingredient combos, like yogurt and salsa with eggs and tortilla, that make quick weekday meals all the happier.

It's spring and the sun is out in Madrid! I've heard even Madrid is not immune to cool and rainy spring days. But for now it's warm, and I'm celebrating with a smoothie! Today I have for you an energizing, mood-boosting, creamy and very blueberry smoothie.

Happy Spring! Depending on where you live, it may not feel like it yet. So to ensure spring sunshine in all our kitchens this week, I thought you might like to have these bright and cheerful breakfast jars. Their soft golden hue from turmeric powder reminds me of warm sunshine, and eating them is light stepping out into fresh spring air.

If you haven't tried an omelet wrap yet (remember the za'atar wrap with the arugula cherry salad?), I hope today's version will convince you. A reminder that spring is on its way, this open-face omelet is topped with a bright and creamy pea and avocado pesto. 

Hands up if you want a new grab-and-go breakfast for busy weekday mornings! These mini frittatas are a portable, perfectly portioned, and substantial meal-in-a-muffin. 

If you're ready to welcome fall into your kitchen, this skillet meal should be top of your list to make! Its sweet and smoky flavor, hearty chunks of squash, apple, and beans, and topping of....

Sometimes we get tricked into setting idealistic standards for ourselves. If you follow the health and wellness space closely, you'll probably agree that the marketing for the health trend du jour makes a convincing argument for why you too .....

Show of hands. Who likes pancakes? Banana bread? Anything griddled or cooked in a cast-iron skillet?

I had another recipe planned to share with you this week. But strawberries are everywhere now, sweet, juicy and delicious. And I couldn’t allow another week to pass by without celebrating them, especially once I made this pudding for breakfast and decided it was too good to not share.

I first became enchanted with the Mediterranean citrus and olive oil pairing when I started cooking for myself in college. That's also when my obsession with cooking shows on the Food Network began. I loved watching.....

If I had to identify one change I've made over the years that has had the greatest impact on maintaining a steady weight and feeling good in my body and about my body, it would be mindful eating - also known as intuitive eating. That's right, it's not the green smoothies, chia seeds, or coconut oil - although those do contribute to my whole nourishment - but rather the state of mind I've cultivated in the kitchen and at the table.

This quinoa porridge is a riff on one of the most popular breakfasts on the blog: Cinnamon Hazelnut Quinoa Porridge. Today's version is as delicious. It's naturally sweetened with pear and spiced with star anise and cinnamon, two spices which work wonders to enhance the pear flavor.

If you've followed for a while you know my love for persimmons. Autumn for me is not just Hibernation Preparation Season, but also Persimmon Season. I wait all year for these guys to show up. They're finally here and making their debut in this smoothie.

You might have heard of green rice? Well, when you swap out the rice for quinoa you get this green quinoa that is bright and verdant with fresh, citrusy Mexican flavors.

The origins of this soup date back two years when I made it for friends over for lunch one Autumn Sunday. I'm not a pumpkin fan, but for reasons I cannot explain now, I was uncharacteristically inspired to make a pumpkin-centric soup. I knew - for my sake - that this soup would need bold flavors to offset the pumpkin. So I used a Mexican flavor profile, confident that smokey chili powder and chipotles in adobo and perky lime would lift the pumpkin out of its one-dimensional life.

If you're in a cooking rut and dreaming of a dish at the intersection of practical and simple yet also playful and satisfying, this one-pot noodle recipe will surely become your new favorite. It's a flirty and elegant blend of crisp-chewy yuba skins (a current obsession of mine, though you can use pasta instead), cauliflower, meaty green olives, crème fraiche and za'atar.

This has been my go-to salad dressing all summer long. I make a big batch for the week and drizzle it over my favorite summer salad (shown in the video below) or a quick lunch of a poached egg over grilled asparagus, or toss it with grains, Fattoush, pasta, beans or grilled shrimp.

Large, meaty olives, sumac, and roasted lemon and garlic mingle with caramelized carrots and chickpeas. Once plated, finish with the zingy yogurt sauce for a fun, simple and streamlined meal.

I love making one-pot meals like soups, stews and curries as a streamlined way of getting everything I need into one bowl, without relatively little effort. Similar to a capsule wardrobe, there are numerous ways to mix and match staple ingredients (such as lentils, cabbage, spices, and herbs) and create seemingly limitless one-pot meal variations.

In the summer we get amazing dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes and green heirloom tomatoes from Tomatero Farm. I'm always looking for ways to highlight these tomatoes in a meal so that it feels celebratory to eat them. This flatbread is what I've been making lately.

What makes summer feel like summer? There are many factors for me, as I'm sure there are for you. But one is experiencing the ease and lightness of assembling no-cook meals that allow summer produce to shine at their very peak.

After a Sunday morning trip to our fabulous farmer's market, we came home with some halibut and sugar snap peas, which he was in charge of turning into a meal. This was the result, and he nailed it on the first try

I'm so smitten with this breakfast, I'm not sure where to begin. Let me first start by saying it's one of those quick skillet meals that comes together in the same amount of time it takes to make oatmeal or a smoothie.

If there's one thing that keeps my weekdays humming along, aside from plenty of sleep, it's having good food prepped and waiting for me in the fridge. Depending on what I choose to prep ahead, it guarantees breakfast is a no-brainer, allows me to quickly pack an office lunch….

I love this soup because not only is it full of vibrant vegetables (fennel, golden beets and dandelion greens) but the beets do all the heavy lifting. As they simmer away, they impart a subtle sweetness and turn the broth that gorgeous golden hue. No turmeric needed!

This dal is the meal that's most often repeated in our house. It's my favorite savory breakfast on cool mornings, it travels well in a thermos for work lunches, and it's a quick last-minute pantry-meal when I have little else in the fridge. Red lentils are simmered with onion, turmeric, chili powder and curry powder. Kale is added towards the end, and the soup is finished with ginger and lime.

Is it too late in the summer to be posting an okra recipe? I hope not because this is one of those simple, can't-mess-up, flexible summer meals that (I hope) will put a smile on your face as much as it does mine.

It's so gratifying to cook with summer produce at its peak ripeness because very little need be done to make it sing. Summer squash (and corn, which is also in this skillet) are the perfect example. They’re sweet, crisp, and the happiest yellow hue ever.

These lentils were inspired one weeknight when I wanted dal, a staple I've been making for a better part of the last decade, but needed something quick.

Do you know the Catalina Taco Salad? It's the crispy, sweet and tangy salad made with tomato-based Catalina dressing and all the elements of a crispy taco; corn chips (Fritos), lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, pinto/black beans, tomato and ground meat. Head to the blog for an updated (Whole Nourishment!) version of this retro salad.

If I could be a salad, I'd choose to be this one. With massaged kale, toasted almonds, dried cherries, a grain such as quinoa, feta and avocado, it's the ideal hearty, crave-worthy salad meal.

We all know Golden Milk (aka Turmeric Milk). But have you tried Golden Pasta yet? I take a favorite flavor combo you've seen a lot on the blog -- lemon and turmeric -- and turn it into a creamy, protein-rich, mac & cheese style pasta that can be dairy free and vegan if you need, by swapping Parmesan for nutritional yeast.

Miso soup meets a broth-y Mexican tortilla soup. This is a warming Mexican-Asian fusion meal to boost immunity and gut health with bright, clean flavors of ginger, lemon, and fresh cilantro and an umami richness from probiotic-rich miso.

This humble soup delivers on the WOW factor. It packs a lot of flavor and goodness into each bite. But the best part is that it's made with pantry staples such as carrots, red lentils, spices and citrus, making it a fabulous weeknight dinner solution.

This Coconut Mushroom Noodle Soup is a reflection of what I've been craving with our moody "summer" weather in Sausalito. Mushrooms float in a simple but rich and fragrant ginger coconut broth with cubed tofu. Ladle this over rice noodles and you’ve got a quick, simple and satisfying meal for your back-to-work/school routine this fall.

This veggie bowl, packed with a rainbow of colors and a slurp-worthy ginger lime peanut sauce, is an ideal recipe to incorporate into weekly meal planning. It’s appliance-free, uncomplicated cooking that helps you get real food on the table in real life.

If you're looking for a spectacular and simple green side dish, you can stop here. Broccoli and asparagus are sautéed in ghee and olive oil until crisp tender and the edges are golden brown and caramelized. The supporting cast of flavors: fried capers, lemon zest and juice, and toasted hazelnuts.

I can't tell you how excited I am to share this meal with you. You'll be especially pleased if you usually make a beeline for my Weeknight Dinner section on the homepage. But between the broccoli, chickpeas, shrimp (see veg option in recipe headnotes) and lemon turmeric ginger dressing, I think this meal is universally appealing because it ticks all the boxes in a big way:

Kitchen magic is when the simplest ingredients are simply prepped, then combined to make a flavor-packed, fortifying meal in 10 minutes. This dream scenario becomes reality with this Avocado Quinoa Bowl.

It's a new year -- Happy 2018, you guys! There's something about starting a new year - even though, technically, I know nothing has changed between the 31st and the 1st - that makes me feel lighter, refreshed, and inspired. But in all honesty, we don't need to wait for January for a fresh start. I'm sharing a two-minute strategy I use to reset and get clear on my intentions, any day, any month. And in terms of food, this Everyday Dal is the ultimate reset, whatever the need. It's been one of my go-to recipes for years, whether I need a warm and nourishing pantry meal or a hearty breakfast (yep!).

Do you need a weeknight friendly, protein-rich, cozy, quick and customizable one-skillet meal this week? If so, that's what you'll be getting with this Broccoli & Cheddar Skillet Pizza.

How are your lunches this month? Fall is all about returning to routine, and no-fuss, flexible, transportable lunches are on my mind. Whether you pack lunch for work or school, or you need a prepped-ahead meal for a midday break at home, I think you'll appreciate this Grape & Broccoli Quinoa Salad as much as I do!

The origins of this soup date back two years when I made it for friends over for lunch one Autumn Sunday. I'm not a pumpkin fan, but for reasons I cannot explain now, I was uncharacteristically inspired to make a pumpkin-centric soup. I knew - for my sake - that this soup would need bold flavors to offset the pumpkin. So I used a Mexican flavor profile, confident that smokey chili powder and chipotles in adobo and perky lime would lift the pumpkin out of its one-dimensional life.

I love making one-pot meals like soups, stews and curries as a streamlined way of getting everything I need into one bowl, without relatively little effort. Similar to a capsule wardrobe, there are numerous ways to mix and match staple ingredients (such as lentils, cabbage, spices, and herbs) and create seemingly limitless one-pot meal variations.

If you've been following along for a while you'll know my stance on cabbage. But just in case, I'll share it again. :) I believe cabbage is the most underrated vegetable, both for its easy flavor in soups and stews and its nutrient density. It's soft which make it's quick to prepare (just be sure to have a large cutting board so you can spread out). But simmer it with other soup-y ingredients, and after just 15 minutes it will provide a uniquely subtle depth and sweetness to the broth that no other vegetable can replicate.

If there's one thing that keeps my weekdays humming along, aside from plenty of sleep, it's having good food prepped and waiting for me in the fridge. Depending on what I choose to prep ahead, it guarantees breakfast is a no-brainer, allows me to quickly pack an office lunch….

Not-so-traditional recipe inspiration for the holiday season. :)

I love this soup because not only is it full of vibrant vegetables (fennel, golden beets and dandelion greens) but the beets do all the heavy lifting. As they simmer away, they impart a subtle sweetness and turn the broth that gorgeous golden hue. No turmeric needed!

This dal is the meal that's most often repeated in our house. It's my favorite savory breakfast on cool mornings, it travels well in a thermos for work lunches, and it's a quick last-minute pantry-meal when I have little else in the fridge. Red lentils are simmered with onion, turmeric, chili powder and curry powder. Kale is added towards the end, and the soup is finished with ginger and lime.

These lentils were inspired one weeknight when I wanted dal, a staple I've been making for a better part of the last decade, but needed something quick.

This is a model meal for winter comfort and efficient cooking. It's a smoky, hearty, substantial bowl that offers all the elements of a great taco, but in soup form. With the quinoa, sweet potato, ground protein trio for substance, smoky and earthy spices for depth, lime and cilantro for brightness, and toppings for crunch and creaminess, this meal really delivers.

If you click on the Middle Eastern tag or scroll through the photo summary of similarly-themed recipes at the bottom of this post, the long list reveals my love for the Middle Eastern and North African aesthetic of cooking. I can't get enough of their flirtatious play between sweet and richly savory.

Miso soup meets a broth-y Mexican tortilla soup. This is a warming Mexican-Asian fusion meal to boost immunity and gut health with bright, clean flavors of ginger, lemon, and fresh cilantro and an umami richness from probiotic-rich miso.

This humble soup delivers on the WOW factor. It packs a lot of flavor and goodness into each bite. But the best part is that it's made with pantry staples such as carrots, red lentils, spices and citrus, making it a fabulous weeknight dinner solution.

This Coconut Mushroom Noodle Soup is a reflection of what I've been craving with our moody "summer" weather in Sausalito. Mushrooms float in a simple but rich and fragrant ginger coconut broth with cubed tofu. Ladle this over rice noodles and you’ve got a quick, simple and satisfying meal for your back-to-work/school routine this fall.

What do you do when it still feels like winter in April? You make a soup that tastes like spring but keeps you warm! This Spring Greens & Beans Soup is flavored with thyme, oregano, dill, and lemon and loaded with tons of spring greens, chickpeas, orzo, and mung beans (or green lentils).

It's a new year -- Happy 2018, you guys! There's something about starting a new year - even though, technically, I know nothing has changed between the 31st and the 1st - that makes me feel lighter, refreshed, and inspired. But in all honesty, we don't need to wait for January for a fresh start. I'm sharing a two-minute strategy I use to reset and get clear on my intentions, any day, any month. And in terms of food, this Everyday Dal is the ultimate reset, whatever the need. It's been one of my go-to recipes for years, whether I need a warm and nourishing pantry meal or a hearty breakfast (yep!).

Roasted butternut squash, fennel, garlic, lime, smoked paprika and apple are the main players in this soup. A playful sweet and tart offering that feels like a warm Autumn hug.

The weather has turned here in Madrid. And this Chipotle Tortilla Soup is a bit spicy and a lot warming, the perfect hearty, cozy meal to welcome in the cold weather.

Happy Summer! I'm celebrating with soup -- a very satisfying garden veggie minestrone. My version is traditional in that it contains pasta. But it's also loaded with other good things such as green lentils, chickpeas, summer veggies, dried herbs and spices. I actually think it's the combination of all these ingredients that make this soup so darn good.

Years ago, we lived in Swaziland for four months on a volunteer stint. This was pre-food blog days, but even then I kept loose notes on what we were eating and loving, fascinated with the exotic-to-me combination of flavors and ingredients that were staples of the Swazi cuisine. One such staple we often ate for lunch was a vegetable stew with a mild, creamy tomato-based curry sauce. I'm recreating this humble Swazi stew today.

There's nothing more comforting in winter to me than a steaming bowl of chunky beans and vegetables in a rich broth. This is a loose vegetarian interpretation of Fabada Asturiana - a bean and sausage stew from the mountains of Asturias in northern Spain. It's a hearty meal that's sure to get us through the final days of winter.

Whether you're feeling run down or wanting to take proactive steps to boost immunity and ward off colds, this is a must-have soup for your winter kitchen toolkit. It's bright from lime and cilantro, sweet from coconut milk, sweet potato, and curry powder, spicy from ginger and chili, and rich in green cleansing power from kale, cauliflower, and cilantro.

I get excited about Whole Nourishment recipes. To make it on the blog they must pass the "gut check". Are they...

In the spirit of Halloween coming up, I made you an especially delicious orange and black soup. It's a smoky Mexican-inspired black bean soup, topped with.....

Are you feeling a bit chilly this week? Maybe fall has moved in for good where you live and evening temperatures are dipping quite low now. If so, you'll definitely want to make this curry soon!

This one is for all my eggplant lovers out there. How are you cooking up the plump purples this summer? Can I interest you in a fun, new way to prepare them? This is a creamy, fragrant, exotic but simple meal that I'm confident will have you hooked once you try it.

Behold a soup to fit all your needs!

Easy, one-pot meal
Light and satiating
Green
Creamy
Utterly delicious

Every time I make this noodle bowl I wonder why I don't make it more often. It's umami-rich, it's warming, slurp-y, crunchy, and noodle-y. What's missing? Nothing. But the truth is,..... 

The inspiration for this stew came after making a middle eastern stuffed cabbage dish last year from a magazine article I'd been keeping. The cabbage leaves were blanched and stuffed with rice, currants, and olives, then nestled into a tomato sauce flavored with more currants and olives and spiced with cumin and allspice. Let me tell you,....

Fed for comfort is eating well so we live with comfort in our bodies. And what’s more comforting than finding the foods we love and that love us back?

But what is best for our bodies? There’s an obesity epidemic in the Western world, so some may argue we clearly don’t know what to eat. But I argue we have a “seeking” epidemic just as rampant as obesity that misplaces our energy and focus. 

This is the sort of stew that keeps me going in the cold months. We returned from our sunny holiday and were welcomed home with cold and rainy weather! Luckily we had this stew waiting for us in the freezer.  I like to make a big batch meal like this before traveling so we have dinner the night before leaving and can freeze the rest to have something warm, comforting, and homemade to come home to. 

You might have heard of green rice? Well, when you swap out the rice for quinoa you get this green quinoa that is bright and verdant with fresh, citrusy Mexican flavors.

This apple dressing is simple and unusual. A whole apple is blended with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, water and preserved lemon. The preserved lemon acts in two ways; it adds briny acidity to balance the sweetness from the apple and it gives the right amount of saltiness so that actual salt is not needed.

This chop salad is straight forward. It doesn't require a formal recipe but it deserves to be presented in recipe form to celebrate winter's abundance.

If you're in a cooking rut and dreaming of a dish at the intersection of practical and simple yet also playful and satisfying, this one-pot noodle recipe will surely become your new favorite. It's a flirty and elegant blend of crisp-chewy yuba skins (a current obsession of mine, though you can use pasta instead), cauliflower, meaty green olives, crème fraiche and za'atar.

This has been my go-to salad dressing all summer long. I make a big batch for the week and drizzle it over my favorite summer salad (shown in the video below) or a quick lunch of a poached egg over grilled asparagus, or toss it with grains, Fattoush, pasta, beans or grilled shrimp.

Black (or French green lentils), onions, garlic, and mushrooms simmer in a white wine, lemon, turmeric sauce and are layered over garlicky mashed potatoes. Serve this with roasted Brussels sprout salad with lemon and dill, and it makes a great holiday meal.

The farmer I purchase corn from at our farmer's market says the corn should keep growing until December, if there's no rain. I'm taking full advantage, and I've recently been transforming that corn into this ginger-y, peanut-y corn dish.

In the summer we get amazing dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes and green heirloom tomatoes from Tomatero Farm. I'm always looking for ways to highlight these tomatoes in a meal so that it feels celebratory to eat them. This flatbread is what I've been making lately.

What makes summer feel like summer? There are many factors for me, as I'm sure there are for you. But one is experiencing the ease and lightness of assembling no-cook meals that allow summer produce to shine at their very peak.

This quinoa bowl is a deconstructed version of Asian lettuce wraps. You know the wraps where crunchy veggies like shredded carrots and caramelized ground meat are served in a lettuce leaf and drizzled with a tangy soy sauce?

Not-so-traditional recipe inspiration for the holiday season. :)

Meet ratatouille's sassy Sicilian cousin! Caponata is a complex, sweet and sour dish of stewed eggplant, spiked with vinegar, capers and tomato. To clarify, it's complex in flavor, not in preparation.

Is it too late in the summer to be posting an okra recipe? I hope not because this is one of those simple, can't-mess-up, flexible summer meals that (I hope) will put a smile on your face as much as it does mine.

It's so gratifying to cook with summer produce at its peak ripeness because very little need be done to make it sing. Summer squash (and corn, which is also in this skillet) are the perfect example. They’re sweet, crisp, and the happiest yellow hue ever.

When salad looks like THIS, who could resist? Just in time for summer picnics and barbecues (and 4th of July in the US), I'm sharing my take on the classic watermelon, feta and mint salad.

A friend introduced me to a Greek restaurant in San Francisco called Souvla. They make a killer roasted white sweet potato salad with a garlic yogurt dressing that takes Caesar salad to a whole new level. And I’ve recreated it at home.

Fresh herbs. Most people use them only as a garnish. But I think we should be using them much more generously. I consider herbs as their own category in a meal and encourage my clients to do the same. Did you know fresh herbs can help regulate different systems in the body? Here's the rundown on a few of the most common herbs.

Do you know the Catalina Taco Salad? It's the crispy, sweet and tangy salad made with tomato-based Catalina dressing and all the elements of a crispy taco; corn chips (Fritos), lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, pinto/black beans, tomato and ground meat. Head to the blog for an updated (Whole Nourishment!) version of this retro salad.

If I could be a salad, I'd choose to be this one. With massaged kale, toasted almonds, dried cherries, a grain such as quinoa, feta and avocado, it's the ideal hearty, crave-worthy salad meal.

Today's recipe turns Elote, a popular Mexican street food of grilled corn on the cob slathered in a lime and chili powder-infused creamy spread, into a one-bowl meal. A base of quinoa is topped with an Elote-style grilled corn salad, spiced tempeh crumbles, fresh tomato and avocado, cotija or feta, and a smoky lime dressing.

Inspired by the Waldorf salad, this Roasted Salmon Salad keeps the freshness and crunch with grapes and celery, adds lemon juice and dill for extra zing, and roasted salmon to make it a substantial meal. Serve it over a playful mix of greens, broccoli, avocado and sun-dried tomatoes, and you’ve got a great light dinner or portable lunch!

This salad was inspired by a salad I recently ate at a Burmese restaurant. With grated green mango, lime, toasted peanuts, and fried onions, it’s tangy and sweet with a bit of salty, savory and spice added for good measure.

Summer will be in full swing soon. For a lot of us, that also means a shift in cooking routine. In summer, I'm all about fresh, no-fuss meals for outdoor dining, casual entertaining, picnicking, grilling, or pool/beach-side eats. With it's fresh, tart flavors and no-cook assembly, this smoked salmon appetizer is 100% summer-worthy.

If you're looking for a spectacular and simple green side dish, you can stop here. Broccoli and asparagus are sautéed in ghee and olive oil until crisp tender and the edges are golden brown and caramelized. The supporting cast of flavors: fried capers, lemon zest and juice, and toasted hazelnuts.

The dry recycled air, sitting for long periods of time in a confined space, poor quality food, and crossing time zones all challenge our digestion, circulation, hydration, and circadian rhythm. While I'll never get used to the grind of air travel (does anyone?!), I've learned what foods to pack in my bag and how to adjust my mindset to ensure I feel the best I can while in transit and after I land.

This is an excellent winter salad platter. Arugula, cilantro, and blood oranges provide the freshness we crave in the middle of winter while roasted beets, nuts, and dollops of pesto give it substance. But what's even better about this recipe is that it's a buildable formula with endless variations. You'll soon discover it's the only winter salad recipe you'll need!

There's something incredibly warming and satisfying about mixing up a new spice blend heavy on ginger and cinnamon, warming it in ghee and tossing it with chewy brown rice noodles, snow peas (in my case frozen peas, adapted to the current winter season), crunchy toasted almonds, and plenty of bright cilantro. That's exactly what you get in this Thai Noodle Salad. It's one of many recipes in Laura Plumb's soon-to-be-released Ayurvedic cookbook that you won't want to miss!

It's finally here! A probiotic-rich, fermented salad you can easily make in your very own kitchen! This Beet and Red Cabbage Sauerkraut boasts the good-for-you bacteria that we all want in (but are usually missing from) our diet. And I'm so excited to finally be sharing a friendly, approachable, and delicious fermented recipe with you!

This apple dressing is simple and unusual. A whole apple is blended with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, water and preserved lemon. The preserved lemon acts in two ways; it adds briny acidity to balance the sweetness from the apple and it gives the right amount of saltiness so that actual salt is not needed.

This has been my go-to salad dressing all summer long. I make a big batch for the week and drizzle it over my favorite summer salad (shown in the video below) or a quick lunch of a poached egg over grilled asparagus, or toss it with grains, Fattoush, pasta, beans or grilled shrimp.

Large, meaty olives, sumac, and roasted lemon and garlic mingle with caramelized carrots and chickpeas. Once plated, finish with the zingy yogurt sauce for a fun, simple and streamlined meal.

I'm so smitten with this breakfast, I'm not sure where to begin. Let me first start by saying it's one of those quick skillet meals that comes together in the same amount of time it takes to make oatmeal or a smoothie.

Is it too late in the summer to be posting an okra recipe? I hope not because this is one of those simple, can't-mess-up, flexible summer meals that (I hope) will put a smile on your face as much as it does mine.

Fresh herbs. Most people use them only as a garnish. But I think we should be using them much more generously. I consider herbs as their own category in a meal and encourage my clients to do the same. Did you know fresh herbs can help regulate different systems in the body? Here's the rundown on a few of the most common herbs.

With the fresh, bright flavors of citrus and cilantro, sweet caramelized carrots and garlic, and creamy umami from the miso tahini sauce, this Roasted Carrot and Black Lentil Platter makes a beautiful centerpiece for the holidays or any special meal.

Do you know the Catalina Taco Salad? It's the crispy, sweet and tangy salad made with tomato-based Catalina dressing and all the elements of a crispy taco; corn chips (Fritos), lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, pinto/black beans, tomato and ground meat. Head to the blog for an updated (Whole Nourishment!) version of this retro salad.

Once you make Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (known as Salsa Verde), it's one of those sauces you'll realize you'd like to always have in the fridge. It's zippy and spicy (though you can control the spice level) and will brighten any meal you pair it with.

Full of herbs and studded with capers and Dijon mustard, the Italian salsa verde is pesto's sharper, bolder cousin.

Today's recipe turns Elote, a popular Mexican street food of grilled corn on the cob slathered in a lime and chili powder-infused creamy spread, into a one-bowl meal. A base of quinoa is topped with an Elote-style grilled corn salad, spiced tempeh crumbles, fresh tomato and avocado, cotija or feta, and a smoky lime dressing.

This veggie bowl, packed with a rainbow of colors and a slurp-worthy ginger lime peanut sauce, is an ideal recipe to incorporate into weekly meal planning. It’s appliance-free, uncomplicated cooking that helps you get real food on the table in real life.

You may have noticed just a few of my recipes call for ghee. ;-) So I'm overdue for sharing a recipe for ghee itself. It’s an all-seasons pantry staple in my kitchen and it couldn’t be quicker or more satisfying to make.

The dry recycled air, sitting for long periods of time in a confined space, poor quality food, and crossing time zones all challenge our digestion, circulation, hydration, and circadian rhythm. While I'll never get used to the grind of air travel (does anyone?!), I've learned what foods to pack in my bag and how to adjust my mindset to ensure I feel the best I can while in transit and after I land.

Guacamole, crunchy cabbage and radishes, sweet roasted corn, chipotle lime tempeh strips and a creamy garlic sauce layer up in corn tortillas to make a drool-worthy taco.

The quickest, simplest homemade harissa you can make is here! Just to refresh, harissa is a Tunisian chili paste used across North African and Middle Eastern cuisines. This homemade version has a little sweet, a little tart, some spice, and a good bit of smoke. One of my favorite go-to condiments, I reach for harissa when I need a quick hit of flavor in dishes ranging from salads to soups.

It's finally here! A probiotic-rich, fermented salad you can easily make in your very own kitchen! This Beet and Red Cabbage Sauerkraut boasts the good-for-you bacteria that we all want in (but are usually missing from) our diet. And I'm so excited to finally be sharing a friendly, approachable, and delicious fermented recipe with you!

I know it's technically fall, but can I get a one-week extension on summer? I just have to share these delectable Grilled Corn & Lime Quinoa Bowls first. Here's the flavor rundown: smoky grilled corn & juicy peaches, tangy ranch dressing, lime, and.....

How are your lunches this month? Fall is all about returning to routine, and no-fuss, flexible, transportable lunches are on my mind. Whether you pack lunch for work or school, or you need a prepped-ahead meal for a midday break at home, I think you'll appreciate this Grape & Broccoli Quinoa Salad as much as I do!

I'm excited to be teaming up again with Sonja and Alex of A Couple Cooks. Today Sonja's asked me about life in Madrid. I share what I love about living in Madrid, how I merge the somewhat unpredictable expat lifestyle with my Whole Nourishment approach to food and life, my secret to maintaining healthy habits, and a Spain-inspired recipe, Eggplant Involtini with Spanish Mojo.

Last year before we left Switzerland, I took the train west to visit a good friend in the Swiss Alps. It was a trip I'll always remember. These pink-hued Beet & Quinoa Bowls with pea pesto, red onion and a simple French vinaigrette were inspired from this trip. 

If you haven't tried an omelet wrap yet (remember the za'atar wrap with the arugula cherry salad?), I hope today's version will convince you. A reminder that spring is on its way, this open-face omelet is topped with a bright and creamy pea and avocado pesto. 

Who can say vegetables are boring with this platter sitting in front of them? This is a roasted vegetable dish that does not disappoint our winter taste buds' need for warm, roasted, buttery, bright and boldly-flavored bites of nourishment. 

This is a tomato sauce with attitude. It's bold, rich, and spicy, speckled with capers, olives, and tuna. Puttanesca is traditionally made with anchovies but tuna adds a special body to the sauce that makes this a hearty, robust winter meal, especially when layered over quinoa studded with lentils. But feel free to leave the tuna out if you're vegan.

If you saw last week's recipe, you've probably noticed a theme here. Dried cranberries and pickled onions are making a repeat appearance this week, and for good reason. This is a festive salad/grain combo side dish, perfect for....

You guys really seemed to like the Green Couscous Platter I made last year for the holidays, so I came up with another one this year that I think you'll love just as much. It makes a particularly stunning meat-free centerpiece, and is another...

This vegetable pancake falls somewhere between fritters and a frittata. Its egg base gives it more lift than a normal fritter, and the chickpea flour gives it more structure than a frittata. The inspiration for this pancake comes from
 

Making fun, fresh, and sturdy salads like this is my favorite way to cook. The process is streamlined; everything goes into one bowl, no kitchen chaos, no fuss. Yet the formula for making these salads is completely flexible. Mix and match....

If you peeked inside my refrigerator any given day you'd likely find some kind of dip, spread, sauce, vinaigrette, or salsa hanging out. Last week I made a Mexican cashew cream (a cilantro and lime version of this sauce). Other favorites are....

This is the meal from a recent dinner party I promised to share with you last week that uses the toasted pumpkin seed salsa, the creamy base you see underneath the lentils and sweet potatoes. I like to serve this meal platter-style, which is one of my go-to solutions for easy dinner parties. The components are spread out on a large platter (preferably oval or rectangular in shape) and...

As the weather warms up, so does my appetite for smoothies and shakes. This shake is rich, creamy, and a fun combination of tahini, frozen banana, dried fig, cinnamon, and vanilla.

A simple lemony, coconut-milk based custard batter that as it bakes, the creamy custard settles at the bottom and the spongey cake layer rises to the top.

These naturally gluten-free muffins are mildly sweet and citrusy with a soft, tender crumb that is held together with almond flour, brown rice flour, eggs, applesauce and olive oil. I've opted for coconut sugar which made the batter darker. Feel free to use regular sugar if you'd like to keep the batter lighter so there's more contrast with the poppy seeds.

This rustic, free-form tart is easily one of my favorite desserts to bake. If you don't like the fuss of baking projects, or even if you do, but you also appreciate simple elegance to highlight the best of the season's fruit, then this is your recipe.

Now that I've been blogging for six years, I'm realizing there are some hidden gems tucked away in the recipe archives that might be getting lost in the shuffle. I keep returning to these recipes over the years, making some fun tweaks along the way. And I'm eager to share them with you again…because they're that good. These custard cups are one such recipe.

Not-so-traditional recipe inspiration for the holiday season. :)

With almond flour and cornmeal as the base and coconut oil, applesauce and ground flax to bind and moisten, this cozy, cinnamon-spiced autumnal treat just happens to be vegan and naturally gluten-free.

This is my farewell-to-peaches peach cobbler. My favorite stone fruit guy at the farmer's market drives several hours from the Central Valley to the Bay Area every Thursday and Sunday for our markets. He's still harvesting peaches and nectarines but plums are quickly taking over and persimmons should be arriving in a few weeks.

These Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies with dried cherries and toasted pecans are one of my all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes. I turn to them when I'm craving rich chocolate along with some chew and crunch.

Happy New Year! I’m offering this Breakfast Cherry Crumb Cake as a sweet antidote to all the New Year cleanses and detoxes dangerously promising to make you once again clean and pure. If you want to steer toward the middle rather than operate in the extremes this year, keep reading for the sweet origin story of this cake.

These Chocolate Gingerbread Tahini Cookies must be the easiest, quickest holiday cookie you won't have to bake. Made sweet and creamy with tahini and honey, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and allspice, and dipped in melted dark chocolate, these are essentially a festive, edible cookie dough.

With a stir and dump technique, use of everyday ingredients such as applesauce, maple syrup, and olive oil, and fun bites of pear and chocolate chunks, this Pear Chocolate Almond Loaf is the quintessential hybrid cake; easy enough for every day cooking but sophisticated enough for a special occasion.

These naturally gluten-free shortbread cookies made out of almond flour and flavored with vanilla and almond extracts and Meyer lemon zest are so simple and satisfying, you'll want to make them on the regular.

This Berry Crumble, with a tart sweet berry base and a grain-free almond pecan topping, is one of my go-to desserts. It's always a crowd pleaser, it accommodates fresh or frozen berries, and it can be made in advance.

The dry recycled air, sitting for long periods of time in a confined space, poor quality food, and crossing time zones all challenge our digestion, circulation, hydration, and circadian rhythm. While I'll never get used to the grind of air travel (does anyone?!), I've learned what foods to pack in my bag and how to adjust my mindset to ensure I feel the best I can while in transit and after I land.

This Berry Pudding Cake is my I'm-pretending-like-it's-summer cake. If you're a cobbler fan like me, you'll love this one. As the cake bakes, it turns into a soft, spongy, cobbler of sorts. Top it with yogurt and you're set for a snack or dessert!

There comes a time in the middle of winter when I need a bright, fruity, tropical fix. Anyone else out there? That time has arrived for me, and this Mango Lassi Chia Pudding hits the spot. Between the fruity mango, bright hit of cardamom and lemon, rich creaminess from coconut milk and almond butter, and a salty-sweet, buttery topping of....

This was almost as fun to make as it was to eat. That's because the crust is simply made of toasted pecans, maple, coconut oil and salt blitzed up in a food processor. And the dark chocolate mousse filling comes together quickly in one sauce pan on the stovetop. Once the two components are layered into a pie plate, the pie goes into the fridge (or freezer, if impatient) for a few hours to set. No baking involved, naturally free of gluten and dairy, and only simple ingredients required.

What does your weekday snack situation look like? I've always found this to be a challenging mini-meal to plan. But these One-Bowl Honey Almond Snack Bites tick all the boxes required for weekday snackables -- portable, filling, and delicious.

Technically there's still a few more weeks left of summer. With Madrid's recent cool nights and daytime temps relatively low, baking a summer cake rose to the top of my list. This is what resulted. With a naturally gluten-free base of almond flour, this blackberry-studded cake is flavored with.... 

These cherry chocolate ice cream bars might be the easiest, most delicious dessert I make all summer. Fruity, rich, and creamy bites of frozen bliss, these bars are exactly what I want during Madrid's sweltering summer days.

Hands up if you like lemon bars! When summer temps hit, I crave all things lemon. Homemade lemonade, lemon bars, and lemony salads. Not too sweet nor too tart, these bars are slices of lemon custard bliss. The perfect everyday summer dessert.

These millet muffins and roasted strawberries are two tried and true recipes I've enjoyed over the years, often together. They come from Heidi's Swanson's second cookbook, Super Natural Every Day.

It's spring and the sun is out in Madrid! I've heard even Madrid is not immune to cool and rainy spring days. But for now it's warm, and I'm celebrating with a smoothie! Today I have for you an energizing, mood-boosting, creamy and very blueberry smoothie.

These cakes bites are my new favorite snack to keep on hand during the week. With a base of almond and coconut flours, coconut oil, and applesauce, they bake up with an incredibly moist, almond-scented interior with pockets of tartness from the cherries. 

Are you overwhelmed with the holiday meal planning, shopping, and prep? I am. And I'm telling you this because you need to know that even health coaches and food bloggers get stressed about holiday meals. ;-) But I have a solution, and a festive dessert to go along with it!

May I offer you a slice of this Apple Cornbread Cake? In addition to apples, cornmeal and almond flour, it boasts a heavenly combination ofcinnamon, vanilla, and lemon zest - one of my favorite Sicilian/Mediterranean flavor profiles.

Sometimes we get tricked into setting idealistic standards for ourselves. If you follow the health and wellness space closely, you'll probably agree that the marketing for the health trend du jour makes a convincing argument for why you too .....