tuscan chickpeas

healthy comfort food. serves 4 with bread or rice.

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (from the can, shake well before opening)

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth

• 1 cup fresh basil, chopped

• 2 tbs nutritional yeast or Parmesan

• 1 tbs Dijon mustard

• juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• 4 tbs tomato paste

• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 3 cups spinach/kale/etc. (frozen works well)

• salt and pepper to taste

Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add all remaining ingredients except for spinach. Mix well and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and stir in spinach. Cook until wilted and serve with your choice of carbs.

shrimp tacos

pairs well with a margarita. makes 8 small tacos.

• 1 pound raw shrimp; peeled, deveined, and chopped

• 2 tsp each chili powder and cumin

• 1/2 tsp each garlic powder and onion powder

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 2 tbs corn starch

• 8 street taco tortillas

• for serving: avocado, red onion, cotija cheese, lime wedges

coleslaw ingredients:

• 1 bag coleslaw mix

• 1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt

• 1/2 cup chopped scallions

• 1/2 cup cilantro

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• juice of two limes

• 1 diced jalepeno (optional)

• 1/4 water, if needed to thin the dressing

combine the shrimp with all seasonings and the corn starch. in a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbs avocado oil. cook the shrimp through - 7-8 minutes.

to assemble the tacos, add some coleslaw to each tortilla. top with shrimp and your preferred toppings.

peanut butter blossoms

these might be my favorite Christmas cookies.

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (plus another 1/4 cup for coating the cookies)

• 1 egg

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 24 Hershey kisses (pro tip: place in the freezer while you bake the cookies)

Combine the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and mix, and then add the vanilla and peanut butter. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients.

Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350. Line your baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

Roll the dough into 1-tbs. balls. Coat in sugar, place on baking sheet, and press down slightly. Give yourself about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the tops of the cookies just start to crack. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before pressing a Hershey kiss into each one. Remove from baking sheet and allow to cool fully.

matzo ball soup

the food of my people. makes ~6 servings.

• 1 tbs olive oil

• 6 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• 1 tsp each ginger, turmeric, black pepper, thyme

• 10 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 pound chicken breasts

• 1 tbs fresh chopped rosemary

• 1 cup pearl/Israeli couscous

• salt to taste

• 1 box matzo meal and ingredients (usually eggs and oil)

Prepare the matzo ball mix according to package directions and let the mixture sit while you prepare the soup.

In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, carrot, and celery until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and spices, and saute for another minute.

Add the broth, chicken breast (yes, raw), and fresh rosemary. Cover and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add the couscous and the matzo balls. I use a small cookie scoop and then roll them firm. Simmer for 20 minutes. Shred the chicken and return to pot just before serving,

sunday sauce

not just for Sundays.

• 1 pound pasta, prepared according to package directions

• 1 pound meatballs or Italian sausage links (optional)

• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp dried basil (can sub fresh, julienned)

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Parmesan rind (optional)

• A glug of red wine (I like cabernet sauvignon - optional)

• Parmesan cheese for serving

In a Dutch oven or stock pot, heat a bit of olive oil over medium. If using, sear the meatballs/sausage on all sides. Don’t worry if there are little brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Add the tomatoes and half a can of water. Mash the tomatoes gently with a fork, whisk, or potato masher. Add the seasonings, and the red wine and Parmesan rind if using.

Once bubbling, lower the heat, cover, and allow to simmer for up to three hours, stirring occasionally.

Before serving, remove the Parmesan rind. Toss with pasta and drown in Parmesan cheese.