The pairing of chocolate and hazelnuts conjures up creamy, sweet Nutella for most palates. This recipe is about to rearrange your tastebuds. Found in prehistoric China, the hazelnut has shared a long, sacred history in Scandinavia, Scotland and Ireland. It entered the confectionary scene in Italy in the 1800s and has been a staple ever since. For our modern twist, we matched it against rich, dark chocolate and tangy orange zest with a sprinkling of sea salt for a delightful endnote.     Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment, refrigerate. Break apart chocolate into smal ..read more

One pan dinners are a go-to for family night, but in most cases a bit too real for guests. This recipe will change your dinner parties. Hearty Swiss chard leaves wrap a savory treasure of salmon and snappy vegetables bathed in lemon-thyme butter. Recyclable foil packets jazz up the presentation and keep everything in place, while minimizing cleanup so you can spend time with friends outside your kitchen. Perfect al fresco with fresh greens tossed in a light vinaigrette.    Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine butter, chives, lemon juice, thyme and lemon peel. Set lem ..read more

I value my organic produce. I know my farmers well and I’d venture to say they have one of the hardest jobs I can think of.  Providing humans with one of life’s basic necessities would be an immense physical and mental responsibility. So at the end of preparing a meal, I look with guilt upon my bowl of scraps — head of an onion, tops of carrots, core of cabbage, colorful stalks of chard, ribs of kale. I sort what I can for our horse and place the rest in a storage container in the freezer. When the lid no longer fits, the stock pot comes out and I make stock. It’s the base of many soups a ..read more

I’m a fan of intensely-flavored seared vegetables. The quick, high heat retains the vegetable’s integrity, while producing a delicious, caramelized essence. Snap Peas make their crunchy, edible-podded debut in spring, however if you miss their limited season, you could easily substitute broccoli, brussels sprouts or green beans. Please reference this article for revised nutrition information.   Heat oil in a large skillet on high. Add snap peas in a single layer, tossing every minute until spotty. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, stirring continually until fragrant. Remove from heat. Ad ..read more

Lasagna is a comfort food everyone should have in their arsenal. A statement defended by the dish’s long, albeit varied, history starting around the Middle Ages. The combination of melted cheese layered between hearty noodles warms you inside & out, while serving as a low-fuss dish to share. Strips of grilled zucchini form our noodle base, while swiss chard fills the inner layer with its spinach-like taste & excellent texture. Sun-dried tomatoes add a bit of zing to the marinara sauce, while creamy ricotta and grated parmesan mix together for a nutty, yet sweet counter flavor. I love t ..read more

In many ways, peanut butter is as American as apple pie. Truth be told, peanuts are native to South America. Ironically, Spanish & Portuguese explorers brought the legume to Spain, where it was traded to Asia and Africa, and from Africa it landed in North America in the 1700s. However, it was Dr. George Washington Carver in the early 1900s who propelled the highly, nutritious peanut into a household staple. The iconic Peanut Butter Cup followed in the roaring 20s, invented by Harry Reese, a former dairy employee of Milton S. Hershey. A hundred years later, here’s our low-carb take on the c ..read more

I grew up within walking distance of an abandoned apple orchard. Fall would arrive bringing crisp air, crunchy leaves, and an annual stroll through the woodlands to rows of gnarled trees laden with fruit. I would fill a basket and make the decision enroute home what the day’s bounty would yield. Apple sauce if the apples were particularly blemished … pie and cake if time was plentiful … apple butter if I felt chilled … or galette if I was looking for a snack. Native to France, galettes can be sweet or savory, rustic or refined … in essence, a flakey crust with an exposed, caramelized filling ..read more

Tomato soup is best fireside, right? Except winter is not this vegetable’s season. What we stumble upon is either imported or grown indoors, drastically altering their naturally-balanced essence. Roasting solves this dilemma, producing a concentrated, intense flavor. Plum or Roma varieties are best, but in the heart of winter, no one can afford to be picky.   Before you begin, please note you will need an immersion blender or processor for this recipe. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Toss tomatoes, onions and shallots in 2 tablespoons olive oil and ..read more

Horiatiki or Greek Village Salad is a traditional mix of chunky tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onion and olives dressed in red wine vinegar & olive oil, sprinkled with oregano and topped with a wonderful slab of briny feta. Crisp & refreshing it almost calls for a lazy, seaside lunch in the afternoon sun.  While paying homage to tradition, my California Greek adds a little more substance through mixed greens, roasted tomatoes and a robust dressing. I like to think of it as the more formal, dinner version.   Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with ..read more

In my humble opinion, picnics are ubiquitous with summer & no al fresco dining experience is complete without crisp, crunchy vegetables & an accompanying dip. Here’s one of our favorites. A simplified version of Greek Ktipiti, this recipe combines the briny tang of fresh feta with the sweet, slightly smokey undernote of roasted red bell peppers. Cutting the traditional heat allows the flavor of an accompanying crudités to shine through, although you could always jazz things up with a dash of hot sauce or pinch of red chili flakes.    Before you begin, please note you will nee ..read more