BAKED HERB + PISTACHIO FALAFEL

We ate our last lunch of a quick trip to NYC at Carnegie Deli. There was a line outside, which I'm guessing is due to an Anthony Bourdain or Seinfield episode because I know there is better food in New York. My dad, as you'll gather from a few headnotes in our cookbook and snippets here, likes his food straight forward (although, I did bring raw chia date brownies for plane snacks and he LIKED them! Heavens to Betsy). A few days in New York for this man necessitates pretzels, pizza and a hot pastrami sandwich.

My dad was my date to the James Beard dinner in town - an event I attended hesitantly seeing this month is more travel heavy than average. Thanks to a few friends coaxing me, I knew I would regret it if I didn't make it happen - something I may get to experience once in a lifetime. We shopped around to find me a new dress, he found a bagel, I found a salad bar (and a dress!), we communicated mostly in sarcasm and jest, as my family does, and the day was really nice. That evening, I sat around a table of collegues from my publishing house, amid a room full of cookbook and journalism professionals. I was taking it in, but mostly just nervous, my legs shaking in high shoes I couldn't walk far in. I knew my odds were quite slim, but when you are the small fish in a big pond, the magnitude of the pond itself is enough to make your legs wobbly. Regardless of what is even happening in said pond, but you just swim anyway. Winners gave a little speech, think of a food version of the Acadamy Awards. It crossed my mind for a split second, what would I say if I did win? Every underdog has their chance, right? The people who build me up: My husband who had slipped a homemade card in my purse reminding me, albeit humorously, how proud he was, my mom checking in all day wanting the details, my sister responding to my dozens of picture texts helping me choose a dress, my dad who had made the trip across the country to go with me, and a complimentary and supportive publisher. I had encouraging notes and emails from long time friends and blog friends alike. You know the phrase moms say about raising children, "it takes a village"? I felt like I had my village cheering me on. You must listen to the village. Your own voice will question and doubt and make your legs wobbly, but your village has pom poms and megaphones and big red finger sponges telling you you're great. I am so thankful for my village.

A friend and I were emailing about cookbook business and she mentioned "the ubiquity of blogger cookbooks." While there is certainly a trend to it, I find that I garner a ton of wisdom and inspiration, both personally and food wise, from blogs. It is such a pleasure to see personal work all bound up in a pretty package. I am excited to be cooking out of the new book from Green Kitchen Stories, Vegetarian Everyday. It is every bit as wonderful as their site. Filled with super gorgeous vegetarian recipes, many vegan and gluten free. I am going to try their cauliflower pizza crust and dark danish rye bread next, and the homemade vegetable chorizo sounds so unique. I really like how light these falafel taste and feel in your tum as opposed to a breadcrumb-heavy, deep fried alternative. So glad I have leftovers.

I know you worked your buns off for this, David and Luise, and the book is absolutely lovely. Many congratulations to you! 

BAKED HERB + PISTACHIO FALAFEL // Makes about 20

Recipe barely adapted from Vegetarian Everyday by David Frenkiel & Luise Vindahl

David and Luise suggest a simple cashew nut dressing in their book which is a blend of soaked cashews, oil, lemon juice, and salt. I had some tahini sauce to use up, so I went that route instead. Just use half the amount of water called for. A fresh tzatziki would be refreshing here too. The original recipe uses 2 cups pistachios, I scaled it down a bit due to preference which is why mine yields a bit less than thiers. Your call. Don't be shy with the herbs, these falafels can take it. 

• 12 sprigs of mint
• 12 sprigs of parsley or cilantro
• 1 cup shelled pistachio nuts
• 2 cups chickpeas, cooked or canned
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 small yellow onion
• 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 T. buckwheat flour (or another flour of choice)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• hearty pinch of salt 

• / tomato chili salsa /
• 2 cups diced tomatoes (I used baby tomatoes)
• 1/2 a small red chile, seeded and finely chopped (one jalepeno works)
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T. fresh chopped oregano
• pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

• collard leaves, cabbage or pita bread for serving
• fresh herbs for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375'. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or oiled foil. 

Pulse the herbs in a food processor. Add the pistachio nuts and pulse again to chop. Add the chickpeas, garlic, onion, oil, cumin, flour and baking soda and blend for thirty seconds, scraping down sides when necessary. You want the mixture a bit rough. 

Using your hands, form 20 small round falafels. Place them on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake them for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned. 

Stir all tomato chili salsa ingredients together in another bowl. Allow ingredients to sit for flavors to blend. 

Make your wraps with the collard, cabbage or pita with a generous spread of the sauce and the tomato chili salsa. Falafels will keep for about a week covered in the fridge. 

GRILLED ASPARAGUS PLATE + CILANTRO PEPITA PESTO

We're home! We'll do a small travel post on Belgium/Amsterdam, but I have been anxious to cook in my kitchen. We had an apartment rental the last leg of our trip, so I was able to make a few simple meals, but it's just not the same as your home kitchen. My hope was that in time away, I would be inspired to cook and create. Taking a break, it being impossible to cook even if I wanted to (most of the time), seemed the very thing I needed. I want to read more books about nutrition, to test more ideas and see them through, I want to be fearless in the recipes I write and to stay curious about food by learning from other authors and chefs. I want this work I do to be a reflection of the boldness I am focusing on this year. There is a Henry David Thoreau quote I like, “I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” 

I re-stocked our empty fridge the night we came home. It makes for a pretty hefty tab, but starting fresh feels so good. We are both in the mood for lighter fare after eating out so much (and in anticipation of a few work trips this month). In order to keep from salad burn out, I've been big-batching indoor grilled vegetables to have at the ready (you could very well use an outdoor grill, but ours is charcoal and I'm not up for that whole process quite yet). The sauce is the kind of thing I like keeping a big jar of in the fridge. I make more than I need and repurpose it through the week. It makes an excellent sandwich spread, tossed with noodles and tofu, or warmed grains. We had it on eggs or put a schmear under some avocado toast. I thin it with more citrus for an easy salad dressing. Clearly I like it and the recipe makes a generous amount. I haven't used pepitas in awhile and forgot what a wonderful flavor and crunch they have. Cheers to Spring produce. I welcome you.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS PLATE + CILANTRO PEPITA PESTO // Serves 4

The given recipe will give you a full 16 oz. jar worth of sauce. Maybe that sounds like a lot to you, feel free to half it. I mention other uses above and when the weeks are busy, I am grateful to have something tasty to jazz up simple meals. It doesn't have any dairy in it so I believe it would freeze well, even in ice cube trays, for later use.

• 1 bunch asparagus, about 1 1/2 lbs. (medium thickness stalks)
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 cup finely minced red onion
• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas

• // cilantro pepita pesto //
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup toasted pepitas
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 jalepeno (sort of seeded. you want a few for heat)
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle powder, to taste
• one large bunch (about 4 super packed cups) cilantro, ends cut, stem is fine
• juice of two large limes
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• splash of water

 Heat your grill, or indoor grill, over medium heat.

Cut off the dry bits of the asparagus and use a vegetable peeler to gently shave the end stalks. Toss the asparagus in the olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Grill the asparagus, covered, turning a few times, for about 7-9 minutes. Time will vary based on thickness of the stalks. I like mine on the snappy side.

To make the pesto, pulse the garlic, toasted pepitas and sea salt in a food processor to chop. Add the jalepeno, chipotle, cilantro and lime juice and run the processor to combine. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive olive and a splash of water. Taste and adjust as you wish. Add more chipotle for heat, citrus juice and/or salt to brighten it, water if you prefer it thinner.

Serve the asparagus on a generous pillow of the cilantro pesto. Garnish with the minced red onion and toasted pepitas. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SPICY LENTIL SUMMER ROLLS + TRAVEL SNACKS

From our door to Paris with one layover, we had about 14 hours of travel time. I'm a multiple mini-meals lady, so one cardboard box of vegetarian mush on the flight over wasn't going to cut it for the whole stretch. Per request, I wanted to share a typical travel snack pack. I keep a few things in mind when packing food for the road/air. Bear with the stream of consciousness.

First off, food will likely be at room temperature for a few hours so choose items that are alright to be out awhile. This covers most vegetarian options, but worth saying. Those foods should have a good constitution - greens that hold up dressed, like kale or a broccoli salad, rice or noodle bowls packed with vegetables and sauce, wraps or sandwiches with lots of crunchy items inside. I try to keep the choices lower in salt (planes keep you puffy as is). While I am all about reusuable containers on a normal basis, storing food in plastic bags or disposable containers (I steal these from salad bars and tuck them away for circumstances like this) are easiest here. Something you don't mind throwing away or recycling. Lastly, bring an empty reusable water bottle and fill it up past the security check. Sure you get water on the plane, but I like to drink more than that wimpy cupfull once or twice a flight. It's nice to have throughout the trip as well. I loved Sarah of My New Roots recent post about travel foods too. It reminded me that I forgot to make these peanut butter bites.

This likely sounds high maintenance to a few of you, but it is totally worth the few moments of planning ahead to have fresh, light food while traveling. I went to bed at 2am the night prior but at least I had good snacks! Hugh would never take the time to pack food, but appreciates it greatly when the pretzels and peanuts have worn their welcome. Minimal bit of time invested, big reward.

sprouted kitchen

My backpack full of snacks:

kale salad: chopped lacinato kale, hard boiled eggs, parmesan, thinly sliced celery and lemon vinaigrette (extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, white of a scallion, honey, salt and pepper)

summer rolls: recipe to follow

"favorite things" trail mix: roasted/salted pistachios, montmorency dried cherries, dark chocolate chips, toasted coconut flakes

maple chocolate chip cookies: I'll post this recipe eventually, good heavens. A version of these.

good greens bars: these are the emergency snack. Most "energy bars" are full of lots of soy and crap. These have the most virtuous list I've seen. Not my first choice of whole foods focused snacks, but they don't take up a lot of space and plug up hunger when you've gone through your fresh items.

sturdy fruit: apples, bananas, oranges

SPICY LENTIL SUMMER ROLLS // Makes 6

I made these the late afternoon before leaving, and everything held up fine a full day later. I did not pack a dipping sauce. As you can see my snack bag was quite full as it was, and I have had sauce taken by security (what is my life?) but a peanut sauce would be so tasty if you aren't dining on an airplane.

I made used the end of my homemade sriracha, but the bottled sort works great too. Carrots and beets were the last vegetables in my fridge, a combination of sprouts, cucumber, lettuce or sweet peppers would be great here depending what you have.

sprouted kitchen

• 6 rice paper wraps (you can typically find these in the asian section of well stocked markets)
• 1/2 cup cilantro sprigs
• 1 1/4 cup grated carrots
• 1 1/4 cup grated beets
• 1 large avocado
• 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
• 1-2 Tbsp. sriracha (see note above)
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• pinch of salt

sprouted kitchen

Set up your roll workspace. You need a large bowl of warm water and a damp dish towel to work on. Set out your cilantro, carrots, beets, avocado and in a small mixing bowl, combine the cooked lentils with siracha, sesame oil and pinch of salt. Taste and adjust heat as desired. Remember this is what flavors the entire roll.

Working one roll at a time. Put the wrap flat into the large bowl of warm water, being careful to not let it curl up, until soft, about one minute. Lay the wrap down on the dish towel. Down the center, like a burrito, layer the cilantro, small handful of the carrots and beets, a few slices of avocado and a modest 1/4 cup of the lentils. Fold over the top and bottom ends over the filling, tuck the right flap over and then roll to close. Repeat with remaining wraps.

Enjoy or if traveling, store in plastic wrap for easy transport.