Anyone else experience vacation anxiety? Why do I feel like maybe I’m somehow “in trouble” when I’m away on a trip and not replying to emails? I swear this has to be a uniquely American feeling, that you shouldn’t relax for more than five business days in a row or else. Or else what? I’m not entirely sure. But something. The last two years I’ve had the privilege of taking 2-week long vacations, by the end of the first week on both trips I was itching to check-in on work stuff (ew?). By the middle of the second week I feel like my nervous system resets enough where I’m able to really relax, but there’s definitely something weird about that, right? And by that point I’m usually boarding my flight home. My husband experiences the same thing!

This trip to the Azores was an absolute dream come true, I must have said 25 times while I was there “I can’t believe we’re actually here!”, it really was that spectacular. I bring up the work anxiety stuff because I do think most people (Americans) experience this and while you’re clicking through my stories on Instagram you don’t know that I’m toiling with weird guilty feelings half the time. Thank goodness for the Brick and an outgoing email response!

Living on the West Coast, I don’t make the trek to Europe often, so when one of my college best friends said she was getting married in Portugal, I knew it was my chance to make my way to the Azores. I’d been to mainland Portugal once before (Lisbon and Cascais), and have always wanted to return. The Azores felt like mainland Portugal but even more magical, there were moments that felt like stepping into a dream. I keep telling people it’s a cross between Hawaii, Europe, Ireland, and Iceland: endless views, effortlessly good food, Europeans smoking cigarettes on the beach, crazy lush fauna, rolling green pastures, easygoing vibe, more cows than people, hot springs, volcanic activity, all of it.

My approach to travel (just so we’re on the same page here..)

My husband and I are absolutely ballin' on a budget. We seek out exciting locations and high-low our way into making trips work financially. We look for comfortable, convenient accommodations that don't eat up the whole budget, paired with natural beauty to explore and good local food. We're not seeking out high-end restaurants or 5-star resorts (ocassionally, yes but not the priority). Usually it's a lot of driving, hiking, exploring on foot, hotel breakfast, and finding local spots to grab a bite later. When flights cost what they cost, can you blame us?

On to the itinerary

We went in with almost no itinerary (see: none). We visited São Miguel and split our stay between Ponta Delgada and Rabo de Peixe. Ponta Delgada, where the airport is, has more of a city feel, but is still very quaint. Rabo de Peixe was much quieter and near the beaches, closer to the town of Furnas which has the renowned Parque Terranostra and lots of geothermal activity to explore.

The Azores are known for all-four-seasons-in-one-day weather, so I packed a rain jacket, long sleeves, hiking boots. Of course none of which we needed, since we lucked into nearly perfect weather the whole trip. Pack accordingly, but also don’t be surprised if you don’t need any of it.

The first night, we chased a view at Lagoa Azul, but the higher we drove, the foggier it got, so no luck. On the way back down we stumbled into a small town mid-festa, its streets were decorated with intricate flower-petal tile designs, all different from each other. We ended up at what looked, to us, like a church fundraiser, eating grilled chorizo and drinking Superbock for 3 euros total. An ideal welcome to this beautiful island.

The next morning, on a last-minute whale-watching we saw thousands of dolphins and one elusive whale. The 8-10’ swells diddd have half the boat seasick. Once I got past the rollercoaster of it, I was very into finding that damn whale. Bring a snack; the tour runs about three hours.

After the tour, we headed to Bar Caloura for lunch, jumpin’ with a wait, but worth it. A traditional Portuguese spot with an emphasis on fresh-caught fish (the fishermen were literally right out back on a little boat). We had Azorean cheese and bread, grilled triggerfish (best fish I've ever had?), garlic prawns, and a bottle of vinho verde. A meal I could happily eat every day of my life. The restaurant sits in a cove right on the ocean, with a concrete pier behind it where everyone sunbathes and jumps into the calm water. Even I jumped in off the dock — huge feat for a scaredy cat like myself. There was even a shallow man-made pool for kids (and, again, me). Dream. DREAM.

That afternoon we booked it down to Ponta de Ferraria which is a natural OCEAN(!) hot spring?! So the geothermal volcanic water is mixing directly with the ocean water inside this little cove. It was a bit intense in there, but there were ladders to get in and out and ropes to hang onto since the waves are flowing in and out.

From here I’ll just give a rundown of where we stayed, what we did, and what we ate with links and descriptions —

Where we stayed

Casa do Contador, Ponta Delgada

• This was just right for us, in the center of Ponta Delgada and walking distance from everything. They provided a basket of breakfast every morning that included fresh bread, pastries, cheeses, meats, milk, jam, butter, nutella, fresh juice, eggs, and fruit. We could make breakfast in the room and pack sandwiches for our daily adventures without worrying about stopping for lunch. They also had a lovely pool out back, and when we were checking out they told us we could come back throughout the entire day to use the pool and showers as we wanted.

Maison Emeraude, Rabo de Peixe

• A three-room homestay hidden behind the high stone walls of the village, this place was an oasis. We loved our hosts, Frank and Miguel, they were kind, attentive, and fun to chat with. The rooms were works of art; decorated by the pair after years of being antique dealers in France. Every morning they prepared a beautiful breakfast for us out on their patio.

Things we did

Cascata do Salto do Prego - on the southwest coast of the island this is about a 2 mile hike up to a stunning waterfall that ends in a large swimming hole. Stunning. I wore my bathing suit under my hiking clothes so I could jump in!

Cascata do Limbo - The beauty of this little waterfall and the trails leading up to it really took my breath away. This is in the same town as our favorite beach we found, Praia dos Moinhos, and a very short easy hike that was lined with overflowing blue azaleas. Stunning.

Volcanic Beings - Recommended to me by a friend who said it was her favorite thing she did during her 3-week trip to the Azores. An intimate and immersive tour through a family owned dairy farm, led by Mandarina, the farmer’s daughter who grew up loving and befriending these cows. We met 5-day old calves and learned about the herds routines, the cows’ names and unique personalities, and what it takes to be an organic dairy farm. Incredibly special experience.

Parque Terra Nostra - A curated garden showcasing all the beauty that the Azores has to offer. In the center of the gardens there is a huge natural ferrous hot spring warmed pool that’s about waist deep and the perfect temperature with lots of people swimming.

Ponta da Ferraria - oceanic geothermal hot spring! Wear your water shoes.

Parque de Grena - After exploring Parque Terra Nostra we wanted to check out some of the nearby hot springs and completely stumbled upon this incredible park. It felt like stepping into the Pacific Northwest. Super lush, green trails and huge trees. We hiked all the way up to the very top to check out one waterfall, and hit a second one on our way down. Yes, getting in and swimming in all of them is required.

Praia dos Moinhos - We went to this beach three times during our trip. Very near the blue azalea waterfall hike and in a very quaint little town. Black sand beach in a protected area with warm water and mellow waves. There was also a little snack bar to source your Superbocks from.

Where we ate

Nonna’s Teeth - unexpectedly great Neopolitan style pizza in the center of Ponta Delgada. Super thin crust with fresh ingredients and a wood fire stove.

Bar Caloura - to me, it’s a must if you’re in town. There’s a board of fresh caught fish listed for you to choose from and the platter is enough for two people. The restaurant sits right on the water and you can go for a dip before or after your meal.

Restaurant Ponta do Garajau - this was a recommendation from our Volcanic Beings tour guide, Mandarina. We went here on the day before leave and were so bummed we didn’t know about it sooner. Very locals vibe in there and easily the best meal we had, just effortlessly good classic food. Another round of triggerfish, this time fried, ugh, so delicious!

O Grelhador - Another place we found on the last day that we wished we’d known about sooner. A churrasco spot run by a husband and wife that served up the best Portugese barbecue chicken I’ve ever had. We both ate our entire plates in silence, I wish I could relive this meal weekly. Finished the meal with Azorean pineapple, and not exaggerating the most delicious pineapple I’d ever tasted.

Queijaria Furnese - The place to have a meal if you’re in Furnas for sure. Super generous portions and serving up loca beef by weight. Delicious and well loved.

The Takeaway

If you can find a flight to the Azores between May and October and you've ever wanted to check it out, book it. It's hands down the best vacation we've ever taken. Beauty everywhere, great food around every corner, kind people, and lots of adventure if you want it. It also very clean and well cared for, you can tell that Azoreans really love their home.

At the end of last year, I made a list of trends I thought were going to be on the rise in 2026, one of them being buckwheat. I was planning to do a video essay on my predictions for this year, but of course, never really got around to it, and now here we are discussing 8 months into the year.

A lot of the list reflects what I think is accurate for the times we’re in (hello food costs in 2026, damn!) Accessible foods that are still super delicious, nutrient-dense, and versatile.Things like cabbage, sea vegetables, nutrient hacking plates (think: here’s a glowy-skin dinner spread, etc.), ‘peasant foods’, and buckwheat.

In general, we’re seeing trends move away from a laser focus on protein toward a more balanced approach, making space for grains and other previously villianized foods to come back into the conversation. Maybe it’s just a correction from our recent obsession with charcuterie boards and keto, but I hope it reflects a broader understanding that food doesn’t need to be expensive, exclusive, or hyper-optimized to be worth eating, or to be genuinely nutritious.

Buckwheat is an ancient, gluten-free pseudograin and a prime example of a humble food that happens to be a source of complete protein, a great source of minerals like magnesium and manganese, and, of course, fiber. I file it under a ‘makes me food good after eating it’, which these days can be a tall order. Despite its name, it’s not part of the wheat family and is gluten-free.

I’ve had a seasonal buckwheat pancake on my client menu forever because they’re the go-to buckwheat dish everyone knows and loves and they’re perfect to prep! One of my favorite buckwheat recipes is this five-spice zucchini buckwheat bread with walnuts. Most recently, I’ve started enjoying cream of buckwheat in place of cream of wheat (a childhood staple my grandma always made for me) and a savory creamy cacio e pepe buckwheat porridge as a breakfast option. I also add it to my granola! Truly so versatile.

For this salad warm buckwheat groats soak up a toasted fennel & black pepper vinaigrette and are paired with fresh sweet cherries, shaved fennel, salty halloumi, fresh mint, and toasted hazelnuts. It is an entree salad if I’ve ever seen one!

Cherry, Fennel, & Buckwheat Salad

Ingredients

1 cup buckwheat groats

1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 cup pitted and halved cherries

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

Splash of red wine vinegar

Pinch of salt

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces halloumi, sliced

5 ounces arugula

1/4 cup torn mint leaves

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Toasted Fennel Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed in a mortar and pestle

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

How to

1. Cook the buckwheat: Bring a small pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the buckwheat groats and cook according to package instructions until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Make the toasted fennel vinaigrette: Add the red wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, and fennel seeds to a high-walled jar. Stir well to combine (I am using a micro whisk here, works great). Stream in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Lightly dress in shallot in a splash of red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt to mellow the flavor.

4. Dress the cooked buckwheat in a couple of tablespoons of the vinaigrette and set aside.

5. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear the halloumi for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

6. Assemble the salad: In a large bowl combine the arugula, fennel, shallot, dressed buckwheat, cherries, mint, hazelnuts, and halloumi. Season lightly with salt and dress with the remaining toasted fennel vinaigrette.

When I talk about warm or warming foods, especially in the summer, I’m thinking less about temperature and more about supporting digestion. A bowl of summery congee, a room-temperature grain salad with roasted vegetables, or a nourishing breakfast bar can all be both postpartum and warm-weather appropriate. I don’t subscribe to every postpartum food rule because I believe nourishing food should feel approachable and genuinely appealing, so if kitchari doesn’t sound particularly appetizing in 90 degree weather, I get that.

During a season that’s already full of change, postpartum meals and snacks should feel like foods you actually want to eat and not foods you’re forcing yourself through because they’re “good for you.” I want nourishing yourself to be the easiest choice, so you’re reaching for something satisfying and supportive instead of finding yourself elbow-deep in a bag of Doritos during a 2 a.m. feeding.

Many of these snacks are easy to eat one-handed, which is one criteria I try to keep in mind. Another plus to many of these is that they can be made ahead in batches and snacked on throughout the week. Lastly, they all still feel like you’re getting to enjoy summer eating too, but with some added benefits for postpartum healing.

Raw Cheddar or Parmesan Stuffed Dates

The easiest, breeziest snack of them all. The salty-sweet combo is satisfying, and 2 or 3 of these is the perfect little breastfeeding snack. In the summer especially, I like to keep my dates in the freezer. Because of their high sugar content, they never fully ‘freeze’, but instead become chewy like a candy which I love.

Protein Pesto Pasta Salad

I make a toasted pepita pesto for Postpartum Provisions because pepitas are very nourishing, delicious, and typically not an allergen. When toasted, pepitas have a bit of a cheesy quality that adds a lot of umami to the pesto. I also love pesto for postpartum because I pack mine with spinach and/or dandelion greens, so it is a simple way to boost vitamin A, K, C, iron, etc. Linking my recipe for pepita pesto here.

For the pasta salad I like to use Brami for the fiber and protein but any short pasta you like works.

4 cups cooked pasta + 1 cup pesto + 1/4 cup mayo + 1 cup chickpeas + 1 cup roasted cherry tomatoes and fennel + arugula.

Keep in the fridge all week and always have something on hand in a pinch.

Probiotic Ranch

Ranch can fall under the category of health food if you make it good for your gut. This ranch is made with yogurt, labneh, and buttermilk — all sources of probiotics. It is thinned out with lacto-fermented sauerkraut brine so you’re getting the good bacteria from every angle. The recipe I share here doesnt include it, but for an extra little something I’ve been making ranch with Barnacle Foods Kelp Ranch seasoning because it’s delicious and packs a little mineral boost thanks to the kelp.

Summer Fruit Salad

This is where we start breaking the true ‘rules’ of postpartum cooking, but I think an exception can and should be made for fresh in season fruit, especially in summer. Fruit is hydrating, antioxidant rich, and fibrous — all things we want to prioritize in postpartum nourishment. Fruit is particularly great here for hydration, which is one of my pillars of postpartum cooking; “eating your hydration”. I love making a summer fruit salad with peaches, cherries, berries, basil, olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, salt, and a pinch of pepper.

Mango Sticky Rice Chia Seed Pudding

Read more

When I talk about warm or warming foods, especially in the summer, I’m thinking less about temperature and more about supporting digestion. A bowl of summery congee, a room-temperature grain salad with roasted vegetables, or a nourishing breakfast bar can all be both postpartum and warm-weather appropriate. I don’t subscribe to every postpartum food rule because I believe nourishing food should feel approachable and genuinely appealing, so if kitchari doesn’t sound particularly appetizing in 90 degree weather, I get that.

During a season that’s already full of change, postpartum meals and snacks should feel like foods you actually want to eat and not foods you’re forcing yourself through because they’re “good for you.” I want nourishing yourself to be the easiest choice, so you’re reaching for something satisfying and supportive instead of finding yourself elbow-deep in a bag of Doritos during a 2 a.m. feeding.

Many of these snacks are easy to eat one-handed, which is one criteria I try to keep in mind. Another plus to many of these is that they can be made ahead in batches and snacked on throughout the week. Lastly, they all still feel like you’re getting to enjoy summer eating too, but with some added benefits for postpartum healing.

Raw Cheddar or Parmesan Stuffed Dates

The easiest, breeziest snack of them all. The salty-sweet combo is satisfying, and 2 or 3 of these is the perfect little breastfeeding snack. In the summer especially, I like to keep my dates in the freezer. Because of their high sugar content, they never fully ‘freeze’, but instead become chewy like a candy which I love.

Protein Pesto Pasta Salad

I make a toasted pepita pesto for Postpartum Provisions because pepitas are very nourishing, delicious, and typically not an allergen. When toasted, pepitas have a bit of a cheesy quality that adds a lot of umami to the pesto. I also love pesto for postpartum because I pack mine with spinach and/or dandelion greens, so it is a simple way to boost vitamin A, K, C, iron, etc. Linking my recipe for pepita pesto here.

For the pasta salad I like to use Brami for the fiber and protein but any short pasta you like works.

4 cups cooked pasta + 1 cup pesto + 1/4 cup mayo + 1 cup chickpeas + 1 cup roasted cherry tomatoes and fennel + arugula.

Keep in the fridge all week and always have something on hand in a pinch.

Probiotic Ranch

Ranch can fall under the category of health food if you make it good for your gut. This ranch is made with yogurt, labneh, and buttermilk — all sources of probiotics. It is thinned out with lacto-fermented sauerkraut brine so you’re getting the good bacteria from every angle. The recipe I share here doesnt include it, but for an extra little something I’ve been making ranch with Barnacle Foods Kelp Ranch seasoning because it’s delicious and packs a little mineral boost thanks to the kelp.

Summer Fruit Salad

This is where we start breaking the true ‘rules’ of postpartum cooking, but I think an exception can and should be made for fresh in season fruit, especially in summer. Fruit is hydrating, antioxidant rich, and fibrous — all things we want to prioritize in postpartum nourishment. Fruit is particularly great here for hydration, which is one of my pillars of postpartum cooking; “eating your hydration”. I love making a summer fruit salad with peaches, cherries, berries, basil, olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, salt, and a pinch of pepper.

Mango Sticky Rice Chia Seed Pudding

Read more

Pepitas are a staple in my cooking because they’re a decent source of plant based protein (15 grams per 1/3 cup), a good source of iron, magnesium, zinc, and usually not a concern for allergens. I also just love the taste and the fact that they’re so much more affordable than nuts. I always opt for raw, unsalted pepitas. Although, I do love a walnut pesto!

The pesto pictured above is made with 1/3 cup olive oil and is on the thicker side. I want the option to thin it out with olive oil as desired. If you prefer a looser pesto, make it with 1/2 cup olive oil. I use a mix of greens (usually spinach) and fresh herbs (usually basil).

I toast the pepitas beforehand so they have a nutty flavor that adds a lot of body to the pesto, which is important since I don’t use cheese in this version. This is the pesto I use for my clients because it is genuinely nutrient dense, delicious, and well loved.

ingredients

1/2 cup pepitas

5 ounces leafy greens and herbs combined, such as spinach and basil

2 cloves garlic (roasted preferably, but raw works too)

Zest and juice 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, optional

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil

how to

1. Toast the pepitas in a stainless steel pan over medium heat, swirling frequently to prevent burning, until toasted and browning, 5 to 6 minutes. Cool the pepitas before making the pesto.

2. To the bowl of a food processor add the pepitas, greens and herbs, zest, juice, red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast if using, and salt. Process for 30 to 60 seconds, scraping down the sides as necessary until the greens are completely broken down and there are no large pieces of pepita remaining.

3. Stream in the olive oil and pulse 5-6 times to combine, being careful not to over process which can turn the olive oil bitter.

4. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Ten years ago, when I moved to Breckenridge, Colorado, I’d only ever been camping because my parents made me. Ironically, in the two years I lived there, I never actually camped. We’d come to realize you needed gear to camp and to get gear, you needed money, we had neither. Instead, I used that time to warm myself up to the idea that spending time outdoors (not wandering around a mall) could actually be enjoyable.

I remember the day the RV rolled into our driveway, it was right before the summer of 8th grade started. My siblings and I were literally jumping with joy. Problem was, I’d just really settled into my AIM addiction and was slowly but surely aging out of the kind of forced family time my parents had in mind. Somewhere in the back of their minds, they knew that too, because the RV was the perfect antidote to unlimited dial-up internet access. Let’s just say, I didn’t go quietly.

The thing was big enough to sleep eight people. We’d blast Cher and watch VHS movies on a TV that was held in place with bungee cords while we bounced around the ‘living room’ area of the camper and cruised down the highway. Seatbelts, who? We’d spend weekends at RV parks, riding bikes, making friends with whatever kids happened to be there, playing lots of pool in the park’s game room (lol), and, in retrospect, mostly just fucking around. Which is pretty much the point of camping, right?

These days I’m itching for an excuse to get out of reception and just chill for a few days.

I’ve married someone very outdoors-oriented (see above: moving to Colorado from the NJ suburbs). Thanks to our access to insane nature here in California, I’ve even started to enjoy it myself. The big trees really soothe me. We get a few camping trips on the books every season, and in recent years, we’ve managed to pull together an annual 4th of July Sequoia group camp. There are often ambitious menus, and I’ll typically prep a lot beforehand so we’re getting the best of both worlds: good food in good trees. We’ve done fresh naan with yogurt-marinated half chickens on the grill, crunch wrap supremes, and Chile Colorado, to name a few.

No matter what though, I make granola. It’s pretty much always this recipe. It’s tradition! I’ve stolen the ratio for this granola from my friend because it is perfect and have made it my own with the mix-ins.

Last year, I shared my recipe for the ultimate Summer Pasta Salad with Creamy Shallot Vinaigrette if you want to check that out. It’s mayo-free and the dressing is 10/10.

This trip we’re rolling 13 deep and even have a few people flying in for the occasion. Because of the number of mouths, we’ve kept the menu a bit tamer this time around. Here’s what we’re making:

Breakfasts

Bacon/Taylor Ham, egg, & cheese breakfast sandwiches (obviously)

Chia seed pudding, yogurt, fruit, granola (for balance)

Lunches

Chicken Quesadillas

Hot dogs & burgers

Dinners

Pepperoncini Chicken Caesar Salad wraps

Steaks, Grilled Veggies, Polenta

Treats

Brown Butter Banana Bread Blondies

Farmers Market Fruit Popsicles

Veggies + Hummus

Guac, Salsa + Chips

Lots of Fruit

Toasted Hazelnut, Buckwheat, & Coconut Granola

ingredients

4 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups coconut flakes

1/2 cup buckwheat groats

1/2 cup pepitas

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup maple syrup

how to

1. Preheat the oven to 300˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, hazelnuts, coconut flakes, buckwheat, pepitas, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Mix together to evenly combine.

3. Pour in the olive oil and maple syrup. Use a rubber spatula to evenly coat the dry ingredients in the olive oil and maple, ensuring there are no dry spots remaining. Dry spots = dry granola = sad granola.

4. Pour the granola onto the prepared baking sheet. It will feel like a lot for the sheet tray. Spread the mixture to the corners of the sheet tray and press into an even layer. This is what’s going to give the granola clusters.

5. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Turn off the oven and crack the door. Leave the granola in the oven to cool completely.

6. The granola will set into a sheet as it cools (which is what we’re looking for). Break this into large clusters and store in a cool, dark place in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.

Every so often I’m reminded that the option to add steak to my salad exists; and similarly I’m reminded that sirloin is a perfectly good (great, even) option for grilling. It happens to be a bit more budget-friendly than some other more popular options like hanger (my fav) and ribeye. It’s a leaner cut and so it can err on the drier side, but that’s why quick high-heat cooking works so well here. I marinated the sirloin in a lime-soy situation for this dinner. I’ll share that below.

Basil is one of the smells that most reminds me of summers in my childhood. My grandparents’ garden always had robust basil plants and they would hang the leaves to dry and eventually crush for homemade dried basil. I loved being a part of that process and seeing the containers with handwritten “dried basil” or “dried parsley” at my house. When I finally decided it was time to put my talents from watching countless hours of Food Network to the test; one of the first “recipes” I ever came up with was a basil lemonade. We were always busting out a lemonade stand, so I knew a thing or two about simple syrup. Basil infused simple syrup?? I blew my own 11 year old mind with that one. Point being, it is and will always be my favorite and why I love this dressing so much.

The joy of summer cooking is in the effortlessness; nothing requires much intervention; a little salt and evoo goes a long way. Dreamy! This salad is simple and hits all the summer notes with grilled sirloin, juicy peaches, creamy avocado, tangy feta, and scallions. The real star, however, is the basil vinaigrette. This dressing is one of my very best, and I think you’ll agree. Vibrant green, ultra fragrant, a little sweet.

I threw my peaches on the grill for this because sometimes I like a little extra caramelization, but I’ll leave that to you!

Something(s) I am loving

The custom hutch my husband built!!!

My husband is a multi-talented guy with an impressive skill set, and woodworking happens to be one of them. He’s built a lot of furniture in our apartment, but this was his biggest and baddest yet.

These Free People barrel leg overalls from my most recent Nuuly

These are the most comfortable overalls and the color is chef’s kiss. They’re the perfect thing for me to work in or just cruise around looking casually cute in. Looks like another foster fail, as these won’t be going back to Nuuly.

This Utility Knife in Shisho Green from Hedley & Bennet

Pretty much all of my knives are in the 10-ish years old range and while knives don’t “go bad”, sometimes you just want a hot new bombshell to enter the knife rack, right? This little knife is a perfect size for most prep work and just a joy to use, super sharp and efficient. Plus, it looks cute!

This Week at Postpartum Provisions

Breakfast, choose 1

Caramelized Banana French Toast Amaranth Porridge - toasted hazelnuts, almond milk

Golden Potato and Asparagus Frittata - Yukon golds, ghee, turmeric

Entrees

Chickpea Paprikash - hungarian paprika, coconut milk

Zucchini, Lamb, and Cashew Pilaf - warming spices, bulgar, basmati rice

Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl with Avocado - citrus-miso vinaigrette

Soup

Farmers Market Miso Vegetable Soup - snap peas, bok choy, soft tofu

Summer Tomato Basil Soup - bone broth

Treat

Tahini thumbprints - summer berry compote

Behind the Menu

I cook with a lot of different grains for Postpartum Provisions: rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and amaranth. Amaranth is a pseudocereal so not actually a grain but instead comes from a plant and is related to spinach, quinoa, and beets. Amaranth is prized postpartum ingredient because it is a complete plant protein and is high in iron which many new moms are sorely lacking in after pregnancy.

Nearly 80% of women enter pregnancy with iron deficiency and as blood volume expands in the second and third trimesters, this deficiency can become exacerbated leading many women to be considered anemic by the time they enter their third trimester. And of those women, about half have postpartum anemia. So, this is a consideration I take when writing my postpartum menus.

Amaranth porridge is similar to cream of wheat but it has a more nutty and earthy taste and the cooked grains maintain a little “pop”. You can also cook amaranth leaves (they’re similar to spinach). I do a ratio of about 1 part amaranth to 3 parts liquid.

If you’d like to see any of the recipes from this week’s menu, leave me a comment below!

Grilled Peach & Steak Summer Salad

Serves 2 generously

Ingredients

Steak

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons tamari

2 tablespoons honey

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 16-ounce sirloin steak

Salad

2 large ripe peaches, cut into ½-inch wedges

3 cups arugula

3 cups crunchy lettuce, like little gem or romaine

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large avocado, cut into ½-inch pieces

3 scallions, thinly sliced, about ⅓ cup

½ cup feta in brine, drained and crumbled

1-2 tablespoons pickled fresnos (optional!)

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Basil Dressing

Makes 1 cup

1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, about 1.25 ounces

Read more

It’s time for me to admit that I suffer from West Coast MDW depression syndrome. On the East Coast, Memorial Day weekend is the gateway to summer, and there is an undeniable buzz in the air leading up to it. Everyone is making plans, writing their Costco shopping lists, and maybe even getting a spray tan in preparation for the official kick-off to the season we wait all year for.

Here… not so much. Mostly everyone leaves town, though I’m sure those Angelenos with backyards are celebrating with barbeques and bevs. But many of the rest of us are packing up and leaving. So, for the last few years, my husband and I have tried to find something fun to do to push through the FOMO. Sometimes we get over to Jersey for a quick dip with friends and family, but this year, somehow, flights to KAUAI were half the price of going to Newark. Felt like an obvious choice.

We’d been to Kauai before in November 2024, and I wrote up a newsletter detailing our trip and approach to “high-low” travel. You can check out our itinerary and more details here. We were excited to return to places we’d loved during the first trip, but quickly learned that many of our favorite, more ‘local’ spots were either straight up closed Saturdays and Sundays or online hours would show them open only for us to arrive and find a hand written “closed” sign taped to the door. Who could blame them; it’s their weekend, too! We still managed to eat our weight in poke and katsu.

I was really hoping to make our way back to the fruit farm tour we did on our last visit; seeing as it would be a new season with different fruits to highlight. Sadly, it seems the tour has closed down. Otherwise, we kept our itinerary almost identical to the last trip, except we squeezed in a trip to Common Ground Kauai, a regenerative farm and food experience on the north shore of the island. We learned about regenerative agriculture being the future (and the past) and were served dinner made only from ingredients sourced from the Hawaiian Islands.

reading corner

I’ve been in a 4-person strong book club for the last 3 and a half years, and we’ve read 33 books together! Which doesn’t include all of the books I’ve read on my own in between. Since reading is such a big part of my life, and in my opinion, a key component to being almost healthy(!) I thought I’d start sharing the books I’m currently reading or have just read. Especially, since I know how valuable a good book rec can be.

I just finished:

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

I read this on my own, outside of my book club, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it after finishing! Before I began reading, the book fascinated me from the premise alone. A matrifocal society where the women do most of the labor and the men stay at home and raise the children. The book focuses on haenyo, or “sea women,” female free divers who venture out into the open ocean to harvest sea creatures by hand to sell. Even just the idea of that seems insane to me! The diving is just the tip of the iceberg. This story follows two friends, Young-sook and Mi-ja, as they come of age as haenyo on Korea’s Jeju Island during the Japanese colonialism, WWII and US occupation, and the 4.3 incident that changed the lives and families of everyone on the island permanently. Loved.

Currently reading:

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

This was my pick for book club this round and I am loving it so far. Tradwife influencer becomes real life tradwife, such a great premise. Pretty sure everyone’s reading this right now.

This week’s Postpartum Provisions Menu

Breakfast

Mango Sticky Rice Chia Seed Protein Pudding - Greek yogurt

Chipotle Adzuki Bean and Cheese Breakfast Burritos, (6) (wraps contain gluten)

Mains

Lentil & Farro Salad with Miso Lemon Salmon -slow roasted salmon, roasted fennel, carrot, and radishes, fresh herbs

Confit Zucchini & Tomato Bone Broth Cannellini Beans - confit zucchini and cherry tomatoes, parmesan rind and lemon broth

Spanakopita Turkey Burgers - roasted potatoes, tzatziki, feta, lemon, dill

Soups

Thai Salmon Chowder - potatoes, corn, coconut, cilantro

Spring Green Minestrone - market vegetables, basil-lemon pistou

Treat

Five-Spice Zucchini-Walnut Buckwheat Muffins - gluten free

Behind the Menu

As the weather gets warmer, the postpartum go-tos (soups, stews, braised meats) can be a little less appealing because these are foods that are generally associated with cooler months. I try to incorporate summer produce and seasonal menu items that don’t feel too heavy while keeping true to best practices for postpartum cooking. Although salads aren’t usually recommended because of the raw ingredients, I get around that with cooked salads like this farro and lentil salad with roasted veggies.

Braised beans, a mainstay on the menu, are made with hydrating summer vegetables like zucchini and tomato. I’m leaning into grilling season with turkey burgers that are filled with antioxidant rich dark leafy greens and herbs. I also always make an exception for yogurt because it is a probiotic, so this mango sticky rice chia seed pudding is a perfect warm weather menu item.

This chia seed pudding is a cross over between a rice pudding and a classic chia seed pudding, with sticky rice folded in. I also care a lot about layering texture, so this has blended mango, cubed mango, chewy glutinous rice, and a crispy coconut crumble for a really tasty bite. It has healthy fats from the coconut milk, lots of fiber from the mango and chia, protein from the greek yogurt, and some carbs for energy from the rice.

Mango Sticky Rice Chia Pudding

Makes 4 generous servings

ingredients

1/2 cup glutinous rice

1 15-ounce can coconut milk

Read more

R&D corner

Three years ago I peaked professionally when I developed the Alfalfi Coast for Alfalfa. Inspired by pizza, of course, this salad has fresh peaches, pepperoni crumbles, pizza panko breadcrumbs, fresh mozzarella, herb roasted chicken, and a hot honey basil vinaigrette. It is.. my greatest work to date.

It is a summer seasonal and this week when we shot new photos for the website and socials I was reminded of how goated this salad really is. If you have an Alfalfa in your area, mark your calendars for June 10th.

Something(s) I am loving

The Perfector Salicylic Acid Body Wash

Not one single soul is asking for skin care recommendations from me.. but as someone who’s been battling the dry LA climate for 8 years I think I’ve found a body wash solution. I genuinely feel cleaner and my skin is softer/less “tight” feeling.

Fat and the Moon Bod Oil

On the same moisturizing note I have finally treated myself to a restock of this fancy little body oil. What can I say, it smells amazing and is worth the $36 to me. I’m clearly on a skin rehydration journey.

Mill Food Recycler

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a dinner hosted by Mill at Little City Farm here in LA, it was lovely. And most importantly Mill is an extremely cool upcycling waste bin. It turns your scraps into grounds you can toss into your garden or compost bin. I was able to snag a $200 off code for anyone who’s interested!

The Brick

One of my favorite content creators refers to our phones “demon devices” and I couldn’t agree more. I, like you, am in a tenuous relationship with my phone and need SPACE from it. I’ve programmed my brick to automatically block off my mornings so I can start my days in peace. And of course its main function of just tapping and ‘bricking’ my phone for when I want to get stretches of work done, sorta like right now.

Stainless Steel Rondeau

Lastly, I am planning on burdening my small apartment kitchen even further by finally purchasing a 10-quart rondeau cooking vessel. The dutch ovens in my life can only do so much. I’m eyeing up one from Made In (I have many of their products and love them a lot).

A little Postpartum Provisions update

I’ve been planning to restructure Postpartum Provisions for a while because I want to be able to support more moms without sacrificing quality or my sanity. Up until now, I’ve mostly worked with one client at a time, cooking multiple times per week for each family. Which has been… not very sustainable long term.

So I’ve shifted to a weekly menu model with a set minimum order. Clients can choose from a curated seasonal menu each week, then add additional items à la carte to build a bundle that works best for their needs. In addition to that I’ve wanted to share more of my postpartum recipes for folks that aren’t in my area. So, that’s what I’m doing here — sharing one or two recipes from each week’s menu so you can enjoy them yourself (postpartum or not!).

Two fun new partnerships

I’m excited to share that I am now offering In Season Juice as part of my weekly deliveries. And while “cold” and “raw” aren’t typically recommended postpartum, I don’t adhere to that too strictly and I wanted to have something fresh, energizing, and antioxidant rich to round out my offerings, especially in the warmer months.

Additionally, I’ve partnered with Oaktown Spice to now include tea blends in my freezer provisions deliveries!

This week’s Postpartum Provisions menu

Breakfast

Cinnamon Toast Oats - golden raisins, toasted buckwheat, almonds

Golden Potato and Asparagus Frittata - ghee, turmeric, yukon golds

Entrees

Chicken Paprikash (df) - pastured chicken thighs, coconut milk

Zucchini, Lamb, and Cashew Pilaf- warming spices, bulgar, basmati rice

Bone Broth Gigante Beans with Pepita Pesto

Soups

Lime leaf & Lemongrass Chicken Soup - with coconut milk

Creamy Zucchini, Pea, & Basil Soup - with hemp seeds

Weekly Treat

Black sesame, cherry, cacao bliss balls

Behind the Menu

We are right at the start of cherry season and I am really embracing it full on. I’m putting down a bag of both fresh and frozen cherries weekly and they’re showing up all over my recipes. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a Cherry Garcia household but I’ve always loved the combination of cherry and chocolate. One of my go-to smoothies is a cherry, chocolate protein, coconut, and chia situation which is where the idea for these bliss bites was born from.

I like tart cherries for postpartum because they’re a nice source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Sometimes I make tart cherry tahini thumbprints or tart cherry lactation chocolate chip cookies. Black sesame is, of course, a go-to in my postpartum pantry and is recognized as powerhouse of postpartum nutrition and galactogogue in many cultures. Black sesame seeds are rich in healthy fats and minerals including calcium, non-heme iron, and zinc. Also, black sesame paste is just straight up delicious. These little bites are deliciously dense, tart, nutty, and lightly chocolate-y. I keep them in my freezer and ocassionally enjoy them straight from there, but mostly from the fridge. Addicting.

The lime leaf and lemongrass soup is inspired by one of the best soups we’ve been gifted in this lifetime, tom kha gai, hailing from the food utopia that is Thailand. I am lucky to live walking distance from LA’s Thai town, and I frequent it regularly. Last weekend, my husband and I did what I call the “Thai Town Circuit”. Walked down to Tabula Rasa to split a bottle of orange wine with our friends and then over to Ruen Pair for a Thai feast. So, when writing my menu this week, I wanted to include what I think of as a fantastic ‘warm weather postpartum dish’. Which is this lime leaf and lemongrass soup, and of course pulls heavily from tom kha gai. I hesitate to call it tom kha because it is not authentic, but the flavors are very reminiscent.

Black Sesame, Cherry, Cacao Bites

Makes 10 bites

Recipe notes:

I use fat, juicy Medjool dates for these types of recipes which I know can be difficult to source in some areas. If your dates or cherries are dry, soak in warm water for about 15 minutes to soften and strain before proceeding.

I use a Cuisineart 14-cup food processor that’s pretty powerful and helps me achieve a completely smooth texture. If your processor isn’t that strong, no worries you just may have a flew flecks of cherry or dates throughout your bites.

Lastly, I use a purple #40 scoop for portioning pretty much all my bites. You can always just eyeball it (the scoop equals 1 and 2/3 tablespoons), but you may get a slightly different yield.

Read more

Spring cooking always feels like a relief, like, oh finally, I can put the root vegetables down and get back to green. It brings a kind of renewed energy and a chance to shed a layer, in clothing, in mood, and definitely in the kitchen. The braising is behind us, at least partially, and we can let the freshness of the season’s ingredients do more of the heavy lifting.

This springy pea-stina is the kind of recipe that bridges the gap between cooler days and full blown spring. It’s warming and comforting but not heavy because much of the body of the dish comes from the blended vegetables. It’s simple and pared back with only a few seasonal ingredients but tastes more complex than it looks.

Pastina is nicknamed Italian penicillin for its reputation as the ultimate remedy food. It’s just the thing to make when someone’s sick, run down, or just in need of something soothing. In the winter, I make a classic version with soffritto (carrots, celery, and onion) simmered in stock until soft, then blended into a sauce and stirred back into the pasta to thicken and fortify the dish. This version follows the same idea, just with spring peas, leeks, and basil.

This is currently on my spring client menu, but I wanted to share the recipe for anyone who wants to make a bowl for themselves or for someone they love.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about cooking with intention and how comforting simple food can be. Dishes like this remind me that you don’t need much when the ingredients are good and the method is thoughtful.

A little from last week

Earlier this week I sous-cheffed a micro-wedding with my friends Sara & Katie. The menu had a seafood tower, lemon sorbet, and Calabrian carrot rigatoni. It’s always so fun to cook with friends and celebrate love in an intimate setting. This one was in a backyard in Highland Park and felt pretty magical.

I also spent some time developing a new smoothie recipe for Alfalfa for an upcoming collaboration and have been toying with a few salsa roja variations to potentially bring onto the menu.

Speaking of collaborations, Alfalfa just launched a new menu item with Sara Tane and Barnacle Foods: the Buffalo Goddess Remix. It’s a long-standing Alfalfa favorite but with a punched-up ranch dressing made with kelp that brings a ton of umami. We had a lot of fun developing it together in the Alfalfa kitchen a few weeks ago, and it’s exciting to see it out in the world. I always love when my worlds collide.

Lastly, Sara and I teamed up to make our favorite trainer at the gym a postpartum meal package. It was really fun to work with another chef on postpartum meals because I’m usually flying solo, and it’s always interesting to get another perspective on what those meals can look like.

We’re working on a little collaborative newsletter to share more about what we made, so keep your eyes peeled. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek.

New Spring Menu Offerings at Postpartum Provisions

Pepita Pesto Chicken & White Bean Pot Pie

Lemon Braised Chicken with Leeks, Fennel & White Beans

Spring Lamb & Green Vegetable Stew

Carrot Cake-Kefir Pancakes

Spring Pea Italian Penicillin (Chicken and Pastina Soup)

Farmer’s Market Green Minestrone

Green Lentil Enchilada Stew

Spring Basil Pea-stina

Makes 4 generous servings

ingredients

1 tablespoon salted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving
1 small leek, thinly sliced into half-moons and thoroughly rinsed
Kosher salt
1–2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Zest of 1 lemon
1 (16-ounce) bag peas (fresh or frozen)
1 quart low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup snugly packed fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
4 ounces pastina or stelline
1 (1-inch) parmesan rind, optional
2 ounces freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
Whole-milk ricotta, optional
Freshly cracked black pepper

how to

1. Melt the butter and olive oil together in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and season with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add 1½ cups of the peas and 1½ cups of the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the peas are just softened. Transfer the mixture to a high-walled container (like a large measuring cup), add the basil, and blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth and creamy.

3. Return the pot to the stove and add the remaining 2½ cups stock and 2½ cups water along with the parmesan rind, if using. Season with salt as needed and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the pasta and cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is nearly al dente and most (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed.

4. Stir in the reserved pea-leek sauce and reamining 1 1/2 cups of peas and simmer for another 1–2 minutes, until the pastina thickens slightly. It may look a bit loose at this point, but it will continue to thicken as it cools.

5. Remove from the heat and grate in the parmesan, stirring until melted.

6. Ladle into bowls and top with ricotta if using, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, more parmesan, black pepper, and fresh basil.

I like these as a breakfast option because they can be eaten one-handed on the go and are satisfyingly dense in a good way. They’re kind of like a really good crab cake, where there’s just enough flour to bind everything together, and the rest is all the good stuff. I also really ride for this recipe because it packs a surprising amount of nutrition into what would typically fall into ‘treat’ territory. There’s a solid dose of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and minerals tucked into these little breakfast bars. Plus, we love a baked good that can do double duty and serve as breakfast or dessert. All they need is a swipe of cream cheese frosting to transform from a nutritious breakfast option into dessert. I will also sometimes eat them with a dollop of vanilla yogurt in the morning.

This is the kind of carrot “cake” even an almond mom could love, meaning I’m pretty certain they qualify more as a vegetable than a cake. Love and light to all the almond moms out there.

a note about the quinoa

Slightly steppy, but you do need cooked and cooled quinoa to make this recipe. So go ahead and start that up now — then meet me back here.

& a note about modifications

You can sub in almond or oat flour for the whole wheat if that’s your preference. I use fresh ginger and turmeric when I make these but you can sub in ground for both. Also, you can swap the butter for refined coconut oil. This cake is very forgiving.

A fun life update

In November I took a trip to Vietnam and Thailand and fell absolutely in love with the scooter culture there. The desnity of Bangkok and Hanoi makes Los Angeles look relatively sleepy in comparison. We were whipping around everywhere on scooters, I actually don’t remember any other form of transport except for a few shuttles we’d arranged and of course the terrifying overnight sleeper bus we rode to start our scooter tour of the Ha Giang loop. More about the Ha Giang loop here.

However, I couldn’t stop thinking about how fun it would be to navigate my neighborhood on a scooter, especially considering we have such good year round weather. A few weeks ago a scooter purchase was made and my husband and I are now the proud owner of this little beauty. It’s really been sparking joy as of late. Plus, it only takes $6 to fill up the tank (but maybe that’s more like $8 now..)

carrot cake quinoa breakfast bars

Makes 9 generous portions

Ingredients

¾ cup (85 grams) whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Read more

Have you noticed the uptick in banana recipes lately? It’s funny how trends take off and how we tend to latch onto them either consciously or subconsciously. I’ve come across so many banana recipes on my feed from banana cream matchas and lattes to banana pudding tiramisu and caramelized banana ice cream sundaes.

I thought about it and realized that I started putting caramelized banana and black sesame oats on my menus sometime last fall. Before that, I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time I’d even bought a banana. Banana and black sesame makes sense to because of the peanut butter and banana thing we all get down with, plus it looks cool. But it got me to thinking..

I’m often trying to determine whether I’m actually ahead of a trend or just another casualty to the perpetual slow drip of content I consume. Sometimes it’s genuinely hard to tell.

Either way, keeping up with food trends is big part of my job not just for my own content but for my clients as well. As a culinary consultant, I’m usually working a few months ahead of a launch, so having a sense of what people might be excited about is part instinct, part research, and part vibes. I don’t always get my way when pitching something slightly ahead of the curve for a menu, but I shoot my shot!!

These banana bread blondies were originally developed for my client, Alfalfa, to celebrate their new store opening and a kickoff to spring. The launch was scheduled for mid-April, and I started pitching ideas back in December. Which means somewhere in the back of my mind I thought bananas we’re going to be having a moment this spring. The question is, where did that thought even come from?

For the dessert we knew we wanted something fruit-forward, playful, and a little elevated. I sent over about 6 options, but secretly I was gunning for one of two things: a brown butter banana bread blondie or an Earl Grey and blackberry olive oil cake (you’ve probably noticed the recent wave of Earl Grey desserts floating around your feed too).

Unlike recipes written for the internet, recipes developed for a corporate kitchen will be scaled and executed across multiple stores by different bakers which is completely different thing. They need to be essentially bulletproof — clearly written, easily replicable, and forgiving enough that they turn out the same way even when interpreted by different hands.

Ultimately, the team decided there was already too much going on with the store opening to introduce a new dessert, so the idea was scrapped. Considering these blondies are perhaps one of the best things I’ve ever made, I couldn’t let the recipe go to waste. I asked if I could share it here and they had no issue with it.

I’ve made these blondies 6(!) times while trying to get the perfect consistency. Desserts with bananas in them love to be cakey which is exactly what you don’t want for a blondie. The first few tests were either too cakey or too buttery and rich. This recipe I’m presenting is the glass slipper of banana bread blondies — fudgy, chewy, banana-y, and sweet enough. When I finally nailed the recipe I brought them to a friend’s superbowl gathering we ate the entire tray between the 6 of us.

I’m currently working on a newsletter about food trends to keep an eye on as we move through 2026 (yes, I should have written it in January but alas). I’ll also get into some of the cultural and economic reasons behind them.

As for bananas, my working theory is this: they’re cheap, readily available, and always technically in season. Basically, there’s no exclusivity. At a time when people are feeling increasingly fatigued by influencer culture and the out-of-reach lifestyles it tends to portray, combined with the rising cost of everything, bananas feel refreshingly accessible. Notice how many fewer charcuterie and grazing boards you’re seeing in your feeds these days… Coincidence?

Brown Butter Banana Bread Blondies

makes 16

do not ignore this step!

There is one absolutely critical step in this recipe and it’s the handling of the banana. To make sure these are fudgy the first thing is that the bananas need to be spotty but not totally brown. I’ve learned the hard way that an unripe banana will not caramelize and will instead turn into a gloopy, starchy nightmare. The banana gets mashed and cooked down until it’s caramelized and reduced in volume by half. This step cooks out the moisture and concentrates the sugars to make sure the blondies don’t come out cakey.

Above is what the banana mash should look like after being mashed and cooked down.

This recipe is specifically for a 9x9-inch pan, if you want to make them in an 8x8-inch I think it will work, just lower the temperature to 350˚F and increase the bake time to compensate for the thicker blondie.

Ingredients

12 tablespoons salted butter

2 medium spotty bananas (roughly 230 grams), peeled and mashed

170 grams all purpose flour

Read more

In a recent newsletter, Low Lift Ways to Add Nutrients to Snacks and Meals, I mentioned the seed crunch I keep on hand, my go-to sprinkle of salty, mineral-rich goodness. It goes on salads, roasted vegetables, soups, dips, avocado toast, scrambled eggs, really whatever needs a little texture.

Pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds are all good sources of magnesium, non-heme iron, and zinc. Sesame seeds have the added benefit of calcium.

Quinoa is a complete protein with all 9 amino acids as well a source of iron, zinc, mangesium, and folate.

I like to pulse all of the seeds together to create a crumbly texture before folding in the quinoa and seasoning with tamari, olive oil, and about a tablespoon or two of whatever seasoning blend I’m feeling (this can be switched up).

Here is the full recipe —

Umami seed crunch

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1/3 cup raw pepitas

1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup hemp seeds

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

1/3 cup cooked an cooled quinoa*

2 tablespoons tamari

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon seasoning of choice (Italian seasoning blend, zaatar, furikake, taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, etc.)

*if you don’t want to use quinoa, just swap with another 1/3 cup of pepitas or sunflower seeds

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.

2. Add the pepitas, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, white and black sesame seeds to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse about 10 times until the larger seeds are mostly broken down and the mixture appears “dusty”.

3. Transfer the processed seeds to a medium bowl and add the quinoa, tamari, olive oil, and seasoning blend. Mix well to ensure the entire mixture is moistened.

4. Spread into an even layer on the prepared sheet tray.

5. Bake for 25 minutes, mixing once halfway through.

6. Cool completely on the sheet tray to crisp up completely.

7. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to a month.

I’d love nothing more than to be able to cook nourishing and delicious meals for every new mom out there. Unfortunately, I haven’t figured out how to scale Postpartum Provisions to that level just yet, haha.

While I’m certain most new parents would be grateful for just about anything you bring them, I’d like to share some guidelines to follow so you can make something as grounding and restorative as possible for your postpartum loved one.

Traditionally, women were cared for by their female relatives and community members while they recovered from pregnancy and birth. They prepared meals, encouraged extensive rest and bonding, and provided care for older children. Modern day, many new families live far from that kind of built-in support. Work schedules are tight, and community looks different, which often leads to new parents having to navigate on their own.

So, even if can’t move next-door to provide full-time support to the new mom in your life, but you can probably make her a few tasty things to stock up her fridge (or freezer!) with. Sharing my general rules of thumb below.

My “Postpartum Pillars”

Carbohydrates
Energy-dense fuel that hits the blood stream swiftly. Carbs replenish glycogen stores, support milk production, boost blood sugar. Prioritize grounding carbs like rice, oats, potatoes, roasted squash, sourdough, lentils.

Protein
Protein supports tissue repair, muscle recovery, immune function, and stable blood sugar. It also keeps new parents satiated when meals are unpredictable and breastfeeding is demanding an extra 300-500 calories/day. Protein needs to be prioritized, but remember to balance with hydration and fiber to avoid a blockage.

Fat
Healthy fats support hormone regulation, enrich breastmilk, improve nutrient absorption, and prevent energy crashes. Olive oil, grass-fed butter, ghee, pasture-raised meats, nuts and seeds, fermented dairy like kefir and yogurt, egg yolks, tahini, coconut milk, avocado. This is nottt the time to opt for low-fat.

Fiber
Gentle, steady fiber supports digestion. Prioritize cooked vegetables, oats, chia, lentils, legumes, avocado, sweet potato, dates, berries, stewed apples and pears.

Minerals
Technically minerals fall into the micronutrient category but I’m giving them a promotion. Iron is needed to replenish blood loss, zinc for tissue repair, iodine and selenium for thyroid support, sodium and potassium for hydration. Things like broths, slow-cooked meats, leafy greens, beans, seaweed, organ meats, mineral-rich seeds, and cacao.

My Go-to Postpartum Ingredients

Read more

And to be honest, a lot of our food simply isn’t as nutrient-dense as it used to be. Between depleted soil and crops bred primarily for flavor, some nutritional value has been lost along the way. That makes finding easy ways to layer in extra micronutrients and vitamins feel worthwhile to me!

I’m not really into sacrificing my enjoyment of food for it to be “healthy”. With that being said I’m always aiming for two things, I want my food to:

1. Taste really good

2. Make me feel really good

All of these little additions accomplish that!

Umami seed crunchies

I’m officially entering into my “I put that sh*t on everything” territory with these umami seed crunchies. They’re flavorful, crunchy, nutrient dense, and addicting. Seeds are super mineral rich so I put them in the same category as multivitamins. Not actually, but I do use this as an excuse to eat probably way too many pepitas.

I make umami seed crunchies with pepitas, sunflower seeds, black and white sesame seeds, hemp seeds, and quinoa (quinoa is a seed). I pulse the seeds in a food processor to break down to a crumble texture and season with tamari, olive oil, maple, and any flavorings I’m in the mood for. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 25 minutes. Addicting to say the least!!

Seeds are great sources of magnesium, non-heme iron, zinc, and calcium. They’re also anti-inflammatory!

Full recipe for the umami seed crunchies here!

Veggies in ground meat

This one isn’t new information, but it still deserves a mention. I’m a weeknight dinner warrior like the rest of us, which means I’m interfacing with a lot of ground meat M-F. I honestly don’t think there’s a better or easier way to boost fiber and nutrients at dinner than hiding vegetables in your ground meat. Meat sauce, meatballs, meatloaf, there’s always room for a little veg tucked in there.

I do it for the nutrition, but also for texture. With drier meats like chicken and turkey, shredded vegetables add much-needed moisture and tenderness.

As a general rule, I add about 4 ounces of shredded vegetables per pound of ground meat when making meatballs.

For meatloaf, I usually do 8 ounces of mushrooms per pound of meat (see my 5-spice mushroom meatloaf).

And if I’m making a bolognese-style meat sauce, world’s my oyster. Mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, sweet potato - all fair game. Some weeknights, my turkey bolognese ends up being close to 50% vegetables, and I love it!!

Cooking beans with kombu

I learned this one in culinary school, and it is one of my favorite ways to add some mineral-umami goodness to my beans. Like all seaweed, kombu is nutrient-dense and sustainable. Full of minerals like iodine, iron, and calcium (all of which are a bit tough to get for plant-based eaters). It also helps break down the complex carbs in beans that can make them difficult to digest.

I also like to throw kombu into my tamari and shiitake braised beef, for the same reasons listed above - mineral umami, baby!

Cooking grains with some stock aka bone broth

This is becoming increasingly more common as more people get on the bone broth bandwagon, and I love it. What a simple way to add not only flavor but nutrient density to your grains. I will also sometimes use bone broth to make simple pasta sauces.

My fool proof recipe for chicken stock is here!

Adding quinoa/buckwheat/millet to granola

This one is such a sleeper, as are crispy grains in general. They are so good when crisped up in the oven and work really well in granola. They add fiber, up the protein, and make for a really great clustery crunch. You do have to use fully cooked quinoa and then add those to the granola mix before baking as a heads up. For buckwheat you can just use the dried groats!

Adding frozen vegetables to bowls of pasta

Justice for frozen vegetables because you know who’s always there for you when you have nothing to eat? Pasta, butter, and frozen veg. I crave butter pasta basically 24/7 and am constantly fighting the urge. And when I do give in, I try to invite a frozen vegetable to the party so the whole situation feels a little more balanced.

Frozen peas are my go-to. They’re a surprisingly solid source of plant-based protein and fiber - ½ cup has about 4 grams of each. Adding them to a bowl of plain white carbs (which would otherwise fly through your system in ~45 minutes) helps slow things down, stabilize blood sugar, and keep you fuller for longer.
1 cup pasta + ½ cup frozen veg (peas or broccoli) + 2 tablespoons butter = perf

Bonus points for a splash of stock to loosen the butter into a silky little sauce.

Flax meal wherever I can

Flax meal is made up of roughly 35% fiber, with about 3 grams per tablespoon. It’s also a good source of plant-based omega 3 fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. Consumption of flax meal is linked to improved heart health, digestion, and some studies even say overall longevity.

I sprinkle flax meal over yogurt with fruit, bake it into my postpartum treats, mix it into granola, blend it into smoothies, and add it to my seedy crackers, etc., etc. You truly can’t taste it. I keep mine stored in the freezer to prevent rancidity and preserve freshness.

Abundance of fresh herbs

Fresh herbs are one of the best earthly gifts we have in this life, and I cook with them as much as possible. Nutritionally, fresh herbs have many of the same benefits as leafy greens, including vitamins A, C, and K, plus polyphenols (the same magical anti-inflammatory, antioxidant compounds that make olive oil so good for us).

I never miss an opportunity to toss a handful of herbs into salads, fold them into eggs, toss them with roasted vegetables or pasta, or pile them onto sandwiches. It’s one of the easiest upgrades you can make, and of course makes food taste better.

When I’m feeling especially on top of things, I’ll prep herbs ahead: wash them, spin them dry, pick the leaves from the stems, and give them a rough chop. I store them in deli containers with a damp paper towel at the bottom, and they’ll keep for about 5–6 days.

Subbing fruit or veggies for sugar in baked goods

I have the disease of always thinking I can and should (and will) reduce the sugar in a baking recipe by at least 30%. You can’t always do this of course, so know your limits. When I do, depending on the baked good, I’ll often cut back on sugar and replace some of it with shredded zucchini, pumpkin purée, or applesauce.

Sugar isn’t just for sweetness, it also provides moisture. You can’t pull out a significant amount of sugar without replacing it with something, or you risk throwing off the texture and ending up with a textural nightmare of a final product.

Baking is a science, so I don’t want to lead you astray, but as a general rule I’ll do a 1:1 replacement of sugar with fruit or vegetable purée, capped at about ⅓ cup total. Beyond that, things can get dicey.

Well, well, well. Welcome in. I’m sitting down to write this as an attempt to finally break free of the viscious cycle of pinging back and forward between consuming Heated Rivalry content and despairing over America’s fascist take-over. Last week I could hardly even open my email, nevermind actually write a response! Sorry, just keeping it real. But seriously, it’s been an emotional time, and I’m sure most of us are feeling a bit low after the last few weeks of pure chaos we’ve had to endure.

Things I’ve been doing that are helping:

• Cooking, of course

• Junk journaling (like scrap booking, so meditative)

• Lots of exercising

• Reading

• Getting outside

• Computer work at a coffee shop instead of at home

• Calling my senators, donating, etc.

Winter is the time to hunker down and fiber up, and this dish is perfect for exactly that. Everyone’s on a bean kick right now because they’re finally realizing that in order to actually digest all the protein they’re consuming, they need fiber to move things along. Fiber is also what truly keeps you full. It slows digestion, stabilizes your energy, and makes your meals go the distance so you don’t risk a crash. And let’s not overlook the fact that beans are wildly affordable at a time when grocery prices are at an all time high.

In college, I studied dietetics, and I’m pretty sure roughly 70% of my nutrition classes revolved around fiber. Why it matters, how it supports digestion, and how essential it is for keeping your system running smoothly, preventing disease, etc. Years later I’ve forgotten how the exact pathway for how glucose gets converted to glycogen to be stored in the liver but I definitely remember the emphasis put on dietary fiber. Now I try to bring this into my cooking, because somewhere along the way fiber got swept under the rug as our culture became hyper-focused on protein above all else. As always, everything in moderation, miluvs.

Spanakopita is a forever favorite food of mine, sign me up for herby greens and flaky crust all day every day. This dish has the same flavor profile as spanakopita but with beans making up the bulk of the dish for an easy week night dinner. I use fresh spinach here and break it down in my food processor so it melts completely into the dish. However, I do think frozen spinach could be a good sub here if you dont want to go through the hassle of processing fresh spinach. Also, if you don’t have a food processor just hand chop to the best of your abilities.

Spanakopita Beans Skillet

10 ounces baby spinach

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more

1 bunch scallions, root ends trimmed and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1/4 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped, (about 1/3 cup), plus more to garnish

Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon zest and 2 to 3 tablespoons juice)

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans

1 cup chicken broth

5-ounces feta in brine, crumbled

preparation

1. Add half of the spinach to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times, scraping down the sides as needed, until finely chopped but not puréed. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining spinach.

2. Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch cast iron skillet or other oven-proof pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the scallions and season with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Add the chopped spinach and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook until the spinach has lost about 75% of its volume, is dark green and nearly paste-like, and most of the moisture has cooked off, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the dill and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beans, lemon juice, and chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Stir in most of the feta, reserving a couple tablespoons for topping, and mix until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

6. Top with the remaining feta and a drizzle of olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until bubbling around the edges.

7. Serve hot over toast, tossed with orzo, alongside a protein of choice, or just enjoyed on its own.

And don’t forget ….

I make a lot of recipes for myself, for Postpartum Provisions, for Almost Healthy, for clients, you name it. As a result, my fridge is almost always crowded with the newest bombshell to enter my kitchen, and there aren’t very many dishes I make on repeat. This little number is one of the exceptions.

It’s a favorite in our house because it really hiiiitsss the spot, is a total flavor bomb, and happens to be gluten- and dairy-free, which is how we aim to eat most nights. Not because I’m the allergen police, but because it works well for my husband, and I’m sure my bod benefits from a night off my drug of choice (dairy) (I add sour cream to my serving, lol). I need to just say this, the rice is bonkers good, even if you skip the chicken entirely — make the rice.

When I first made this recipe, I debated adding carrots but wound up skipping them. Big mistake, huge! In this updated version, I added them (phew) and amped up the flavor a smidge from the original. I use skin-on, bone in chicken thighs, but I’ve also made this when I’ve removed the bone and left the skin on. If you go this route, just pull 10 minutes off the cook time.

The recipe calls for just 10 ingredients (including the s&p) and comes together in a single dish. You’ll notice there’s no oil or butter listed, this is intentional. I use the rendered fat from the chicken skin as the cooking fat and it adds great flavor to the entire dish.

If you’re unsure about skipping the oil or using boneless, skinless thighs or breasts, just add a few glugs of olive oil to get things going. I start the chicken skin-side down in a cold, heavy-bottomed pan like a cast iron and set the heat to medium-low. This slow, gentle approach renders the fat gradually, resulting in evenly crisp, deeply golden skin that doesn’t shrivel up or burn. As the skin crisps, the rendered fat releases and coats the pan, becoming the base for sautéing the aromatics, carrots, and rice, YUM!

An entire jar of pepperoncini is used including the brine which tenderizes and flavors the chicken while adding acid and heat throughout the dish. I just love a recipe that intentionally uses every last drop of an ingredient!!

One note before the recipe —

I feel compelled to share how deeply heartbroken I am by what’s unfolding across our country. I can’t help but think that the “2026 is the new 2016” trend we’re seeing is rooted in our collective yearning to return to a time before this administration altered the fabric of American life so profoundly.

The violence, hatred, and outright abuse we’re seeing directed at our neighbors, colleagues, and friends is shocking. It’s no wonder so many of us feel mentally transported back to a time when this wasn’t our daily reality.

So, to be absolutely clear for anyone reading: I wholeheartedly reject this president, this cursed administration, and the weaponization of our federal agencies to abuse both citizens and non-citizens alike. I encourage you to donate to organizations working to help those directly impacted by ICE’s actions, particularly in Minnesota, where communities are being intentionally terrorized daily. I will also match donations for any new paid subscribers to Almost Healthy.

Thank you, and remember - love thy neighbor because what the actual hell is this!!!!

Link to donate

Resource Guide

Pepperoncini Chicken & Rice Bake

ingredients

1 12-ounce jar sliced pepperoncini in brine

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 6 to 8 depending on their size

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced, about 1 cup

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, about 3 cups

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

1/3 cup minced fresh dill, plus more to serve

3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

preparation

1. Strain the pepperoncinis, reserving the brine. Measure out ⅓ cup brine and set aside the remaining brine.

2. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the ⅓ cup pepperoncini brine with ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Arrange the chicken thighs skin-side up so the meat sits directly in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

4. Remove the chicken thighs from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the thighs dry on both sides with paper towels.

5. Arrange 3 to 4 chicken thighs skin-side down in an unheated large, heavy-bottomed pan (such as cast iron). Set the heat to medium and cook undisturbed for about 12 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crispy. Repeat with the remaining thighs (it’s fine if the pan is slightly warm for the second batch, just not ripping hot).

6. The chicken skin should render about 2 tablespoons of fat into the pan. If the pan looks dry, add a glug of olive oil to sauté the aromatics and carrots.

7. Increase the heat to medium and add the shallots and carrots, seasoning with ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté until the shallots begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute.

8. Add the sliced pepperoncini, rice, and dill. Stir to combine. Add the chicken stock, remaining 1/4 cup pepperoncini brine, and remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt.

9. Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the rice. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a snug-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and fluffy and the chicken is cooked through and golden brown.

10. Serve with plenty of fresh dill and more freshly cracked black pepper.

It’s that time right after the holidays when, after 12 days of uninterrupted cookies first thing in the morning, you might be craving something a little more grounding for breakfast. No one wants to think about getting back to real life, but if easing back in sounds appealing, these breakfast freezerritos are a great project to tackle this week.

A while back I posted about these and so many people asked me for the recipe so I thought it was time! I make these for my postpartum clients and they’re great because they’re filling, sneakily nutritious with about 20 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber, and an easy option to keep in your freezer for a one-handed breakfast that will keep you moving throughout the day.

The sofrito recipe is linked below and is something I always keep on hand in my freezer for when I’m making a batch of beans. It’s an extra step if you don’t already have some made, but it’s a prep item you can do once every couple months that takes comes together in like 5 minutes with a food processor. I prepare these beans from dry, but if you absolutely cannot do that, just sub in canned here.

When I can, I always prefer making beans from scratch because they’re significantly more digestible than canned beans. This is because beans contain difficult to process sugars called oligiosaccharides. Dry soaking beans in water leaches out these water-soluble oligiosaccharides and other digestion disruptors like lectins (sometimes called anti-nutrients because they block the absorption of other nutrients). The critical step is to strain off and discard the soaking water and add fresh water to start cooking the beans. Don’t cook your beans in the soaking liquid, it will defeat the purpose! For bonus points, throw a piece of dried kombu into the cooking water. Kombu contains enzymes that help further break down oligiosaccharides for an even better digestive experience. Sea vegetables are the future, btw.

I don’t add a sauce to my freezer burritos because I’m looking to reduce sogginess wherever I can. I’d rather just douse my burrito in a sauce after reheating than risk tearing the tortilla or mushing everything up. I really love the creamy jalapeno sauce from Siete. And on the topic of sogginess - my last and potentially most crucial tip is to make sure all your ingredients are cooled down before assembling. Heat create steams which invites unwanted moisture to the party.

This recipe makes 8 burritos, if you have a hoard of people to feed I’d absolutely double this recipe to save yourself on the prep.

Freezerritos

Makes 8

ingredients

Sofrito Black Beans

8 ounces dried black beans

1/3 cup sofrito

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 dried guajillo pepper (optional)

Read more

I probably make chicken stock every other if not every week. It is foundational to the meals I cook for my business which means I’ve had a lot of opportunities to tweak this formula over time. I aim to make a super gelatinous, near-solid chicken stock that I can use in smaller quantities but will still impart a rich, velvety texture to the dish. I like to roast my chicken parts and vegetables before simmering to add a depth of flavor to the stock as well as a golden color that I prefer.

I always use chicken feet in my stock because they’re super rich in collagen and are generally pretty cheap compared to other parts of the chicken (although now that the words out, they’re getting a bit pricier). In addition to the feet, I almost always use backs and wings.

I keep it simple in terms of aromatics because I want to be able to use the stock in a variety of dishes and I don’t necessarily want everything to taste like garlic or thyme. So I stick to the holy trinity: carrots, celery, and onion. I do a 2 to 1 ration of chicken parts to veg, by weight. For 4 pounds of chicken, I’ll use 2 pounds of vegetables.

I use a ratio of 1 pound of chicken parts to 2 quarts of water. For this recipe, that means starting with 4 pounds of chicken and 8 quarts of water, which reduces down to about 4 quarts of finished stock. In my experience, 1 pound of chicken per 1 quart of finished stock produces the ideal stock for me!

I skim my stock as it simmers, removing the scum that collects around the edges of the pot. These “impurities” are just bits of fat, protein, or occasionally blood that leach out of the bones as they cook. They’re harmless to eat, just not exactly appetizing.

Some cooks take this a step further and blanch their bones first by bringing them to a full boil to draw out as many impurities as possible, then discarding that water and starting the stock again with fresh water. Totally valid to go there, but it’s more effort than I’m interested in. If you’re looking for maximum clarity, go for it.

Personally, I’m not aiming for a clarified, crystal-clear stock, so mine usually ends up a little cloudy. That happens when the stock occasionally creeps up to a boil instead of staying at a gentle simmer the entire time and I’m totally cool with that. I make stock as a means to increase nutrient density, build flavor and body, not win points for presentation. This isn’t a fine-dining restaurant!

This recipe yields about 4 quarts of thick, concentrated stock. It requires roughly 6 hours of simmering (not including the time it takes to come up to an initial simmer which is usually around 30 to 40 minutes), plus about 35 minutes of roasting, all before you even get to straining and cooling. It’s real stock, made the long way, and it’s worth every minute!!

To store my chicken stock I opt for cambros, heavy duty quart or pint deli containers, or souper cube silicone freezer trays.

Chicken Stock Ratios Cheat Sheet

The Foundation

1 pound chicken parts —> 1 quart finished stock

Water

1 pound chicken parts —> 2 quarts starting water
(Reduces by half during cooking)

Read more

I probably make chicken stock every other if not every week. It is foundational to the meals I cook for my business which means I’ve had a lot of opportunities to tweak this formula over time. I aim to make a super gelatinous, near-solid chicken stock that I can use in smaller quantities but will still impart a rich, velvety texture to the dish. I like to roast my chicken parts and vegetables before simmering to add a depth of flavor to the stock as well as a golden color that I prefer.

I always use chicken feet in my stock because they’re super rich in collagen and are generally pretty cheap compared to other parts of the chicken (although now that the words out, they’re getting a bit pricier). In addition to the feet, I almost always use backs and wings.

I keep it simple in terms of aromatics because I want to be able to use the stock in a variety of dishes and I don’t necessarily want everything to taste like garlic or thyme. So I stick to the holy trinity: carrots, celery, and onion. I do a 2 to 1 ration of chicken parts to veg, by weight. For 4 pounds of chicken, I’ll use 2 pounds of vegetables.

I use a ratio of 1 pound of chicken parts to 2 quarts of water. For this recipe, that means starting with 4 pounds of chicken and 8 quarts of water, which reduces down to about 4 quarts of finished stock. In my experience, 1 pound of chicken per 1 quart of finished stock produces the ideal stock for me!

I skim my stock as it simmers, removing the scum that collects around the edges of the pot. These “impurities” are just bits of fat, protein, or occasionally blood that leach out of the bones as they cook. They’re harmless to eat, just not exactly appetizing.

Some cooks take this a step further and blanch their bones first by bringing them to a full boil to draw out as many impurities as possible, then discarding that water and starting the stock again with fresh water. Totally valid to go there, but it’s more effort than I’m interested in. If you’re looking for maximum clarity, go for it.

Personally, I’m not aiming for a clarified, crystal-clear stock, so mine usually ends up a little cloudy. That happens when the stock occasionally creeps up to a boil instead of staying at a gentle simmer the entire time and I’m totally cool with that. I make stock as a means to increase nutrient density, build flavor and body, not win points for presentation. This isn’t a fine-dining restaurant!

What is worth the extra step is trimming and cleaning your chicken feet. You can use super sharp kitchen shears to trim the nails and any discoloration off the chicken feet.

This recipe yields about 4 quarts of thick, concentrated stock. It requires roughly 6 hours of simmering (not including the time it takes to come up to an initial simmer which is usually around 30 to 40 minutes), plus about 35 minutes of roasting, all before you even get to straining and cooling. It’s real stock, made the long way, and it’s worth every minute!!

To store my chicken stock I opt for cambros, heavy duty quart or pint deli containers, or souper cube silicone freezer trays.

Chicken Stock Ratios Cheat Sheet

The Foundation

1 pound chicken parts —> 1 quart finished stock

Water

1 pound chicken parts —> 2 quarts starting water
(Reduces by half during cooking)

Vegetables

½ pound vegetables per 1 pound chicken

Seasoning

1½–2 Tbsp kosher salt per quart finished stock

Chicken Stock

Makes 4 quarts

ingredients

2 pounds vegetables cut into 1-inch pieces (a combination of carrots, celery, and onion)

1 pound chicken feet, trimmed

3 pounds mixed chicken backs and wings

2 tablespoons high heat oil

8 quarts filtered water, plus more

6 to 8 tablespoons kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Add the vegetables and chicken parts to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and toss to coat evenly. Roast until the chicken is deeply golden and the vegetables are well browned, about 35 minutes.

3. Transfer the roasted chicken and vegetables to a large stockpot. Add 8 quarts of water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low and maintain a steady simmer for 6 to 7 hours. As the stock cooks, skim and discard any foam or impurities that rise to the surface and collect around the edges of the pot.

4. About every 1½ hours, the liquid will reduce by roughly one-third. When this happens, add 2 quarts of water to maintain volume. Over the full cook time, you’ll add water three times, for a total of 6 additional quarts added to the initial 8 quarts.

5. After the final addition of water, continue to simmer the stock for 1½ hours, for a total simmer time of about 6 hours.

6. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large Cambro or a second stockpot. Carefully strain the stock, discarding the solids.

7. Allow the stock to cool, uncovered, at room temperature for at least 1 hour (up to 3), then transfer it to the refrigerator to cool completely overnight.

8. Portion the stock into quarts, pints, or 1/4-cup portions. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.