I’ve been on a big-time salad kick the last few weeks. The holidays tend to bog me down with heavy winter foods and starting in January I always crave salad. Not just a weak little side salad — I want a real, meal-sized salad. Salad dressing is one condiment I never buy. It’s easy to …

You would be hard-pressed to find a dessert that exemplifies love more than these petit chocolate rose pots de crème. These are perfumed with delicate rose and enriched with a deep exquisite 100% dark chocolate. The texture is smooth and melting and lingers on the tongue thanks to a good dosage of cream and egg …

Chewy, soft-baked pillows of goodness. Yeah, I said it. You’ll be saying it too once you devour six of these right off the cooling racks. They are really tasty and oh, so easy. Let’s face it, no one has much extra time these days so an easy cookie recipe is really great when you just …

This is one of my all-time favorite combinations. Crisp fennel, roasted beets, crunchy apple, smooth creamy fresh chèvre, and toasty pecans all topped with a tart, tangy, gingery cranberry dressing. The colors in this salad are stunning and the flavors will blow you away. I like to eat as seasonally as I can, so as …

This chewy sourdough pizza crust is definitely on our family’s monthly rotation! Some of you may know this about me, and some of you may not… I started my cooking career fresh out of high school in a chain pizza shop. I used to really load up the toppings for the customers there (I’ve always …

I’m a big fan of winter squash. I love growing them, I love eating them, I love the way they look around the house and decorating my table and front door. They are so colorful, bright, and beautiful! But what I love most about winter squash is the deep sweet flavor that you get when …

This quick, fun, winter treat recipe will teach you the best-tasting way to eat snow! Is it snowing yet where you are? We’ve had two small snowstorms this winter in the Willamette Valley. They are not completely abnormal, but they only happen once every year or so. It’s a wonderful place to live for that …

This is a recipe I come back to time and time again. You might call it a “signature dish.” I make these curried lamb meatballs with soaked farro pilaf for friends and family alike and it’s always a huge success because it’s visually stunning, easy to prepare, and tastes amazing. A surprising amount of lamb …

Sweet potato sourdough pancakes could easily become a staple around here. My daughter loved them, although I’m honestly not surprised. Sweet potato slathered with organic raw butter was one of her favorite first foods. Here, the sweet potato adds a natural sweet earthiness and deep flavor to the sourdough. It makes these pancakes more tender …

Taking care of your teeth is as important as what you eat! That’s why I want to share this easy recipe for a naturally whitening, remineralizing, and detoxifying toothpaste that you can make anytime in the comfort of your own home. It’s easy, cost-effective, and so beneficial. Please note that I am not a medical doctor …

I love roasted holiday turkey, I really do. But I love roasted turkey leftovers even more! There is something so satisfying about enjoying all the hard work of the holiday cooking marathon while settling into a big plate of reheated leftovers. With that said, I know of one way that I always appreciate the leftovers even …

You know that perfect cookie, the one of your dreams? The very one that you secretly devour whenever you get a chance? Yeah, well let me introduce you to mine – the snowball! I’ve always loved shortbread because, you know, I love butter. So take a shortbread dough and add buttery pecans as well. Oh, …

Sometimes I just really need a sweet treat that feels guilty. That usually includes chocolate! And while these chocolate peanut butter honey cups feel guilty, they really aren’t all that bad! Because peanut butter cups have always been a favorite of mine, I really missed them when I went refined sugar free in 2013. I …

I harvested a hefty crop of winter squash this year. I grew two standout varieties that I’m really happy with. The first is a small winter pumpkin called Winter Luxury and it’s a real beauty. Weighing just around 5 pounds, it is easy to handle and makes a great pie pumpkin. The second, my absolute favorite, …

To fruit cake or not to fruit cake? That is the question! When you taste this spicy cake you will instantly realize why people have been making fruit cakes for centuries. Naturally sweetened and packed with the healthy nuts and fruits of the season, this spiced fruit and nut cake seems more like a full …

Every autumn the Pacific Northwest starts pumping out some really good apples. I love fresh crunchy apples, but my heart really melts for warm apple crisp. In this recipe I use local, organic heirloom apples and top them with a crispy cookie-like crust of pecans, oats, flour, and butter. The secret to this recipe is …