Here are the recipes we made. Please let me know if you get a chance to make them before the zucchini glut ends. I am enjoying my second tomato salad with the new dressing.

Here is the book event that I was telling you about. I think there are some tickets left!

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This crowd-pleasing muffin is a great recipe to have on hand. Not just because it’s easy and impresses everyone (even Ezra) but also because it’s the perfect way to use up any past-their-prime berries or chopped stone fruit you may find on your hands as we near the end of summer. It’s based on the Lemon Olive Oil Cake from earlier this year and could be dressed up with a frosting and enjoyed as a cup cake. Every time I make these Ezra gives me the thumbs up and exclaims “they’re just like the shop muffins” which to him is the ultimate compliment. They are quite “white” but don’t be fooled they’re still 100% whole grain and full of nourishing ingredients.

I will be going live (for paid subscribers) this Friday at 12:30pm EST to make a surprise zucchini recipe along with a variation of these muffins that I think you will love. I’ll talk you through all the different ways they can be made.

Enjoy these last weeks of summer and bring your questions on Friday or comment here and ask away.

Sending love,

Amy

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One-bowl Blueberry Muffins

Makes 10

2 eggs

½ cup whole milk yogurt or coconut yogurt

⅓ cup maple syrup

⅓ cup melted ghee, extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil

Zest of one small lemon or orange, optional

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup (100g) blanched almond flour

1 cup (100g) brown rice flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a muffin pan with 10 muffin liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk eggs and add yogurt, maple syrup, ghee or oil, zest, vanilla and salt. Whisk until emulsified then top with almond flour, rice flour, baking powder and baking soda. Using a spatula to lightly stir the dry ingredients together on top of the wet mix then stir everything together. Fold in blueberries. Scoop into lined muffin pan and bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutes then remove muffins from pan and place on a rack to cool. Store in an airtight container in a cool spot for up to 3 days.

Zucchini picked straight from the garden or sourced direct from a farmer are a completely different vegetable from one that’s travelled and sat in a store for an extended period. Fresh and local zucchinis are buttery beyond belief, sweet and flavorful. Every year it surprises me how little effort is required to turn them into something delectable. You may have seen grated zucchini recipes I’ve shared in the past (in my books and old blog). I often turn to cooking down piles of grated zucchini until they are soft and velvety and almost spreadable, this method is particularly good for large zucchinis that are not as tender or flavorful as their smaller and more delicate siblings. It’s scrumptious stirred through pasta, dolloped on rice or served with bread or toast. I kept planning on creating a recipe using the cooked down zucchini—which we can call Zucchini Butter—but each time I made it we ate it all with whatever we were serving for dinner.

Last week I got another extra-large zucchini from our CSA, so I set about turning it into a new recipe. As I cooked it down using my usual method (find it below) I gathered the herbs from the garden that hadn’t completely gone to seed and blended up this addictive dip. It gets it’s creamy body and slight sweetness from a combination

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I am now well “buzzed” and refreshed from the matcha and excited for you all to have the recipe. The only downside to knowing this formula is not being able to order one out as 99% of the alt milks out there are full of bad ingredients. Rarely do …

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I took a quart size mason jar of this breakfast sprinkle on our beach trip recently (you may have noticed it in the packing photos) and felt grateful every morning when adding it to my breakfast. It’s everything I want on fruit, yogurt or my Summer Chia Breakfast Pudding. I made a new batch this morning at the same time as I made breakfast for the kids and dogs, what I mean to say is that it’s easy and doesn’t require much thought—especially if you keep these super foods on hand. As simple as it is to make the flavor and nutritional reward is big—omega fatty acids from flax and hemp along with fiber, protein and minerals. The super fruits provide ample antioxidants, vitamin C and iron. When prepared correctly and combined in the right ratios—the flavor is too good to resist.

Although I suggest keeping it in the fridge you could travel with it no problem it just keeps fresher longer in the fridge or in a cool, dark place.

I’m running behind this month due to flooding from a major storm—this old house sprang some new leaks! Along with being away off-the-grid. I will be doing a livestream on Sunday August 2^nd @ 11am EST. I hope you’ll join me. I’ll be showing you how I make, store and travel with this along with the instant iced matcha latte recipe that I can’t wait to show you!

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Happy summer dear friends.

I’m spending a few weeks at the beach and wanted to share what I bring to a summer rental in the way of food and kitchen tools. Although I’ve been coming to this off-the-grid 1940’s beach cottage for many years, it serves me well to refer to a packing list before leaving home—especially since we’re now packing for two kids along with our two older dogs. I’ve shared lists before. This one though is more detailed with suggestions for amounts and links to the recipes I wil be making (along with my very rough pesto recipe below). The photos are not extensive; the lists are. Take or leave what works for you depending on how equipped you like to be and how much room you have.

Using this list as a guide has helped me maximize precious beach time and minimize time spent searching for decent ingredients in overcrowded supermarkets. Of course, it’s different if you’re going somewhere with an awesome food co-op nearby. However, if you’re in a remote place it feels so good not have to navigate busy and hot towns unless you want to. No matter what kind of place I visit (this is more important than ever with kids) I always make sure

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Today I almost used too much water. It is 2 cups water like the recipe states and the batch makes 3 cups. I used slightly over 2 cups water so it was a bit thinner but perfect for today. If you want a thicker soup reduce the liquid by 1/2 a cup.

Lovely to spend sometime in my kitchen with you this morning…

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Our CSA is in full “green” swing. Last week my fridge contained three huge bags of juicy, deep green spinach along with Japanese turnips greens, tender chard, green garlic, scapes and cilantro. I knew there was no way we could get through the week’s bounty without a plan. I cannot depend on the children to help with eating the greens unless its kale (for kale chips) or arugula and pea shoots for salad—everything else is on me. So an alternate plan to use some of the bounty was essential.

Before the kids came along, I thought nothing of eating a bowl of lightly steamed greens daily. Now, it’s an added item on the dinner menu and adds even more dishes to the already bursting load waiting for washing in the sink. However, with the arrival of truly stunning local vegetables I am enthusiastically re-committing to daily greens with or without the support of the whole family.

You may wonder: Why am I sharing a soup recipe just as summer begins? Well, it’s a great way to cook these generous bunches of greens that are in abundance at the farmers market or in your garden. You could use this method for tender kale and chard too (I’ll explain the slight difference in the livestream). If you’re reading from the southern hemisphere you’ll be well into soup season and may appreciate a new recipe around about now. We have had a cool June so soup hasn’t felt stifling for me to eat soup. On hotter days I have sipped the emerald soup room temperature from a jar on the go and really enjoyed the rejuvenating boost it provides.

Within days of picking spinach loses up to 50 % of its vitamin C content so it’s good to

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June has been an explosion of change, insight, revelations and amazement and to cap off these whirlwind few weeks—our baby (Mr. Moon) turned 3! It is also the third spring birthday in our little family (plus aunts, a grandfather and some close friends) so I feel like I’ve been on a birthday cake roll. I’m excited to share more cake insights soon but in the day-to-day it’s this breakfast recipe that has sustained us. Or, perhaps more accurately, it’s the recipe that has saved many a morning with the busy shift into summer. It’s kind of like a combination of my famous

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I’m enjoying a delicious, warm muffin and hoping that you’ll get to make them soon! Please find the recipe below along with the egg free version that I’m not completely thrilled with but I do believe it’s a good jumping off point for anyone wanting to go in that direction.

Many, many thanks for your suppo…

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Lately, I can’t seem to follow any kind of rhythm when it comes to making dinner. I usually have a grain or a bean soaking as a starting point to help guide our meals but for some reason, I keep forgetting to soak anything or is it that I’m refusing to follow even the vaguest of meal plans? When, seemingly suddenly, dinner time arrives, soba noodles have been my savior—I grew up eating them and to my surprise my children love them too. They’re surprisingly satisfying even when eaten very plainly. For the kids I toss the warm noodles with olive oil and tamari, and we eat them with a green salad and or steamed vegetables and maybe a jammy boiled egg on the side. It’s the quickest, easiest dinner that they dub “noodle the poodle” after a dog in the Hairy Maclary children’s book series that’s getting its second life through Theo.

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When recently discovering my shiso plant coming up in the garden and inhaling it’s unusual scent, I was reminded of how good the pungent, minty herb tastes with these salad ingredients. The earthy soba noodles paired with bright rice-vinegar-pickled cucumber, fresh ginger, tamari and toasted sesame all mellowed out by large slices of creamy avocado—it’s makes for a delicious warm wether meal. After a very chilly and wet spring I am more than ready for meals that can be served room temperature.

Don’t forget I’ll be making the Chive + Feta muffins with Sweet Corn live this Sunday, May 31st @10:30am EST. Please join me and as always bring your cooking questions.

Amy, xo

PS. I enjoyed doing this interview over on Well Nourished last week. Thank you Lauren!

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RECIPE NOTES:

Soba noodles are usually made with a combination of buckwheat and wheat flour. 100% buckwheat noodles are gluten free. They are stickier and can clump when cooking so I like to help keep things moving with a long chopstick when boiling them. I really like these buckwheat and brown rice noodles too (pictured above).

Shiso, also known as perilla, is a member of the mint family. Find shiso at farmer’s markets in summer through early fall, at Japanese grocery stores or grow your own.

Soba salad with avocado, pickled cucumbers and shiso dressing

Serves 4 to 6

Pickled cucumbers:

2 medium to large Persian cucumbers

3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

Sea salt

Dressing:

2 tablespoons tamari, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

1 small clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons peeled and finely grated ginger

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

10 shiso leaves, plus more to garnish

Salad:

1 8oz pack soba noodles

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 ripe avocadoes

Toasted black sesame seeds to garnish

Pickle the cucumbers:

Shave the cucumbers on a mandolin or cut them as fine as possible, you should have about 2 cups. Place them in a bowl and add rice vinegar and a large pinch of salt, mix to combine and set aside.

Make the dressing:

In a small bowl combine tamari, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger. Drizzle in oils and mix well. Stack the shiso leaves and roll them up tightly, then finely slice them into thin strips. Stir them into the dressing.

Make the salad:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain, rinse thoroughly with cold water and drain again. Place noodles in a large bowl, drizzle with dressing and mix until evenly combined. Add cucumber pickles and their juice and mix again, season to taste with sea salt or tamari. Add scallions and avocado and gently toss to combine. Season to taste and garnish with black sesame seeds and shiso leaves.

This salad was originally developed for the Food Network’s Healthy Eats Blog.

I’m not intending to create a baking Substack but you might think otherwise with the amount of muffins and cakes coming out of my kitchen these days. It’s been a cold spring and having the oven on feels good right now. This recipe was written in my note book a few years ago. I recently found it when looking for a savory muffin to serve with soup. It has mashed sweet potato whisked into the batter and I happened to have white sweet potatoes on hand. I never use the white variety for meals but they’re great for steaming and using in muffins or grating into waffles. The creamy white color keeps baked goods light-colored which signals “store bought” to Ezra. This recipe is a version of my sisters version of my mother’s version of

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Fennel is one of the few vegetables Ezra will eat regularly. He’s liked it since he was a toddler and prefers the stems to the bulb, which is fine with me since I’m often buying more stem than bulb anyway. Ezra starts with the tender parts of the long stems and then chews on the stringy bits. On a recent Friday night, we happened to be right by Feast and Floret a restaurant in Hudson (New York), as they were opening for dinner. It had been a while since we’d tried eating out as a family; so, we decided to be brave and see if we could all stay seated for the duration. It ended up a success , we enjoyed a really lovely time (though we were in and out of the restaurant in under an hour) and an extremely delicious meal. For part of my meal, I ordered their shaved fennel salad with pistachios, feta and olives. I was surprised when Ezra devoured the entire bowl and thought I was immediately inspired to try this at home. Since I usually have these ingredients on hand (always plenty of fennel bulbs) I made a variation of the salad the next night. He gobbled it up—despite the fact that during our meal at Feast and Floret he had declared that they were much better cooks than me!

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This is my version of the Feast and Floret salad with a spring twist, using chives and mint—the only edible plants that have come back in our garden so far this spring. I recently ate the salad with basmati rice and a jammy egg—which was a lovely, light and easy meal. On my last post a reader asked for a spring bowl recipe, and I think the aforementioned combination is a simple and elegant solution that I know I’ll be repeating.

Let me know if you like it!

Amy, xo

Note:

When I say “trimmed fennel” in the recipe I mean not only stems removed but also any tough outer layers of the fennel. Weigh it after trimming. I used 3 small-medium bulbs to end up with 3 cups shaved fennel.

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Spring shaved Fennel Salad

Serves 2 to 4

250 g trimmed fennel bulbs

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup salted and shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

60 g feta, broken up (1/2 cup)

8 Castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly torn

3 tablespoons torn mint leaves

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Flakey sea salt to taste

Quarter fennel bulbs, core and shave on a mandolin. You should end up with 3 cups of shaved fennel. Place in a medium size serving bowl and immediately toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Add pistachios, feta, olives, mint, chives, olive oil, red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. Gently toss to combine, taste and season with more salt to taste. Serve immediately.

I made an extra tart ahead so you could see the finished product as it cuts best w…

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I can’t believe I’m sharing another sweet recipe. As a follow up to my last post, I had been intending to share something celebrating spring ingredients. But this tart is so incredibly delicious and addictive that I simply cannot keep it from you for any length of time and especially not until it seems more seasonally appropriate.

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Anyone who’s tried this tart gasps before immediately eating another mouthful—it’s suitable anytime, yes, some friends even say they ate it for breakfast as they couldn’t wait for morning tea! And, it’s beyond mouth-watering when eaten with yogurt. I love it with coconut yogurt, but your favorite thick Greek is great too. I began the development of this recipe when Theo (my youngest) plucked a bag of salted Brazil nuts from the shelf at Tierra Farm a few weeks ago, I thought ok fine I’ll enjoy these instead of the raw ones I usually buy and use as my daily selenium intake (apparently one nut a day provides all the selenium you need). By the time we’d clambered into the car with our haul of nuts, I was dreaming of a salty, buttery tart. As I buckled Theo into his seat my mind was swirling with flavor combinations—should I add caramel-y dates or tart berry preserves? Or maybe both?

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Moist, fragrant and bright this cake is perfect for morning tea or snack time and since it’s made with yogurt, olive oil, almonds, maple and tea—it could even pass as a breakfast treat. I made this cake for my friends at Rishi Tea to feature their incredibly fragrant Earl Grey. I can’t take credit for the idea to pair a lemon olive oil cake with a bergamot infused glaze, it was theirs. Honestly, I wasn’t really that inspired to create this recipe—I felt like the combination of flavors wasn’t anything special but boy was I wrong! I decided to try infusing coconut oil with the Earl Grey allowing it to cool before sweetening it with raw honey—it is nothing short of addictive and I can’t wait to use it with other desserts.

For the cake I turned to the Easy Almond Cake chapter (in Whole Food Cooking Every Day) and started playing around with the ratios of flour to almonds and added yogurt, lemon and additional leavener.

It’s a lovely bright cake for anytime of year and great while we await fresh berries later in the spring.

Happy Spring!

Amy xo

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NOTES:

Since I happen to be sharing this recipe right before passover I was remembering flourless almond cakes I’ve eaten during passover. In my search to find a lemon one suitable for passover I found this post that could be helpful if you’re looking for a dessert recipe to serve. This glaze is great on most flourless cakes—especially citrus.

I know many of you will ask about egg substitutes and I’ve not yet tried replacing them but you could follow the vegan version for the Easy Almond Cake base recipe. Generally you need to increase the flours and the leavener when leaving out eggs. Egg free cakes that are also gluten free can’t take so much liquid, in my experience.

I like the rustic look of the cake baked in folded parchment paper but if you prefer you can cut a parchment circle for the base of the pan and oil the sides.

The glaze will thicken as it cools so I like to wait until it’s the consistency of maple syrup before pouring over the cooled cake, that way it won’t run off the sides too much.

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LEMON OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH EARL GREY GLAZE

Makes one 8-inch cake

Cake:

1 cup (100g) blanched almond flour

1 cup (100g) brown rice flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup whole milk yogurt or coconut yogurt

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon flakey sea salt

Glaze:

¼ cup extra virgin coconut oil

2 tablespoons Rishi Tea & Botanicals Earl Grey tea leaves

¼ cup raw honey

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Make the cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, folding to fit the sides and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the almond flour, brown rice flour, baking powder and baking soda. Use a whisk to combine and break up any lumps of almond flour; set aside.

In another medium bowl whisk eggs, add maple syrup, olive oil, yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Whisk well until emulsified and add dry mixture. Stir with a spatula until combined and pour into prepared pan. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a rack until cool enough to handle then carefully lift cake out with excess parchment paper. Allow cake to cool to room temperature before serving.

Make the glaze:

In a small pot over medium heat combine coconut oil and Earl grey tea leaves. Once mixture begins to simmer remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to steep. Strain into a small bowl and whisk in honey and lemon juice, continue whisking until emulsified. Set aside to cool to room temperature while the cake cools.

To serve:

Place your hand on the surface of cake and flip cake and cooling rack over, while holding the cake on your palm remove parchment paper and place cake bottom down on a cake plate. Pour glaze over surface of cake, spread it out so it drizzles down the sides. Slice and serve with tea. Left over cake keeps well for a couple of days in a sealed container in the fridge.

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Here is the video and recipe below. Today I substituted the parsnip with 1/2 cup diced daikon and 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn—which I almost forgot to add but, I think it ended up better than the original. I also tried cutting the mochi in slices and it works fine. As you can see it’s really easy.

Hope you mak…

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Ashwagandha (the adaptogenic herb) isn’t something I always have on hand but when my friend Grace from Furnace Creek Farm sends me some of hers—organically grown, dried and ground in Pennsylvania—I can’t help wanting to drink and eat it. At first I started adding it to my houjicha latte—the earthy, caramel-y flavors pair well and the subtle sweetness of my favorite nut milk balances it perfectly. Since not everyone has houjicha or homemade nut milk on hand I took to the challenge of creating something you could make in a moments notice—no soaking, straining or planning. Of course you need a good ashwagandha and your local herb shop or herbalist should have advice but if you can I highly recommend seeking out some from Furnace Creek Farm. I’ve never found one as fragrant, flavorful or enjoyable. Grace grows an impressive variety of herbs on her farm and sells them online here and at a couple of Farmer’s markets in New York City. If you make it to her farm stand you’ll be rewarded by the unique warm teas and elixirs she creates with her specialty roots and herbs. I first met her a decade ago at Union Square Farmers market whist shopping for clients and couldn’t help but linger and sample everything. I am still surprised by her ability to make such elevated herbal infusions from what she grows.

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Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that can help reduce cortisol levels and the way we process stress as well as boost energy and improve sleep. Since we’re experiencing a seasonal shift (as well as a lot of global stress) its feels like a good time for this warming and soothing drink. The little bit of spice and touch of sweet make it a perfect post lunch (or dinner) drink, it’s also caffeine free. In case you’re curious about the houjicha latte—I’ll post the recipe below too.

I’ll be cooking the Simple Vegetable Mochi Melt live this Thursday March 26^th @12:30 EST. Feel free to cook along and bring all your cooking questions. I hope to see you.

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I find these kinds old school macrobiotic recipes so soothing and comforting. I’m not sure if it’s the stickiness of melted mochi or the subtle and clean Japanese flavors? Maybe both? Part of the ease and simplicity of this recipe is that it can be made with veggies you probably have sitting in your fridge, if not you can substitute with other root vegetables or squash cup for cup. Frozen sweet corn makes a delicious addition too. I do love the way cabbage melts when sautéed and steamed but I’ve loved this recipe with leeks and chickpeas too. Cooked chickpeas or beans are great to stir in if you want the added protein. I used to make this in the oven in a casserole dish, roasting the vegetables first then adding cooked chickpeas and grated mochi before covering tightly to melt it. I made it that way recently and decided that the ease of a quick, nourishing stove top meal was more appealing.

Here I am assuming you know what mochi is—if not it’s a cooked and pounded sweet rice product that I buy vacuum packed at well stocked health food stores. You can find sprouted brown rice mochi—the sprouting increases nutrient absorption so it’s a great option if you have the choice. Being a cooked whole grain, I think it’s an ideal pantry staple as it takes minutes to cook—unlike brown rice. It also lasts years unopened.

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Back in the early 2000’s when I was living in the East Village you could find it fresh in the refrigerated section of a few local health food stores (anyone remember Prana?). I don’t recall the brand, but I do remember a cinnamon raison flavored mochi that you could slice and cook in a waffle iron—it was delicious. In those days I didn’t eat any concentrated sweeteners, so this was a treat!

I don’t always use mochi melted like in this recipe. Sometimes we cut it into

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