Melting Sweet Potato Bowls with Mint Chimichurri

Melting Sweet Potato Bowls with Mint Chimichurri
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The bowl is mightier than the plate – it’s just a fact. Bowls can hold so much more. The potential spill factor is much lower. And most importantly, you can wrap your hands around a bowl and be one with your food. A very attractive option especially when it’s cold and/or rainy outside. Bowls, like mugs, just scream cozy. And for that reason, I thought a grain bowl was in order as we head into April and its many showers. So without further ado, allow me to present these Melting Sweet Potato Bowls with Mint Chimichurri.

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Pinto Pot Pie with Dill Puff Pastry

Pinto Pot Pie with Dill Puff Pastry
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When I was in university, I briefly flirted with vegetarianism. It was actually a fairly simple transition for me. I’ve always been more of a carb and cheese person than a meat person. But whenever any holiday approached, I would get lax in my resolve. I would bend the rules to allow a hunk of glazed ham here and a slice of prime rib there. I wasn’t proud of it but in my defense the vegetarian options on most holiday tables, well, suck. It’s not your host or hostess’s fault, by the way. For pretty much all of human history, feasts have been organized with roasted meats at the center. But making something festive and vegetarian-friendly doesn’t have to be a herculean effort and this Pinto Pot Pie proves that.

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Sweet Potato Tempura Onigirazu

Sweet Potato Tempura Onigirazu
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I, like most of the world, have a nearly insatiable taste for sushi. I didn’t have my first piece of maki until I 16 but I have more than made up for lost time in the 16 years since. As with most of my favorite foods, I have tried my hand at sushi in the past. My attempts have been serviceable but nowhere near restaurant quality. It’s the rice, I can’t get it right. And, of course, my lack of dexterity holds me back as well. My maki rolls lack structural integrity, so much so that I often find myself eating the evidence of a poorly executed roll, leaving me prematurely full and my serving platter woefully empty. This is why I love these Sweet Potato Tempura Onigirazu. They don’t require a deft hand or perfectly seasoned sushi rice and they crush my sushi cravings, without destroying my confidence.

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Braised Red Cabbage with Kielbasa & Forbidden Rice

Braised Red Cabbage with Kielbasa and Forbidden Rice
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Okay, this is admittedly an intensely moody dish for the first weekend of spring. I know everyone is busting out the verdant greens and sunny yellows. And here I am with a bruise of a bowl. But I can’t help it. Even in the dead of summer my favorite colors will always be purple, black, and pink. Black is always central to my aesthetic because it accentuates color so well. But in spite of my lack of enthusiasm, as we move towards sunnier palettes, I am happy to see the return of spring. Today’s Braised Red Cabbage with Kielbasa & Forbidden Rice may not reflect that, but please know I feel it in my heart.

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