I must admit I am not much of a sports fan.  I was, however, inspired Sunday by “Super Bowl” fare with this recipe I made for Buffalo wings. It’s not a traditional take, instead I used Thai inspired flavors like green curry and fresh cilantro.

Now that winter is officially here roast garlic is becoming a staple in our kitchen. Since garlic is nature’s antibiotic, it’s great for wintertime when fortifying your immune system is most important.

A lot of great things have happened over the past few months and our new little guy Xander has kept me very busy.  Now that I am better adjusted to motherhood I am back and ready to write.

I spent my end of summer vacation in Burgundy, and was lucky enough to catch the end of the wild currants growing in my mother’s yard. They flourish somehow, even though they’re left untouched for a good part of the year.

When we brought cod home the other day, I knew I had to make oven-baked fish sticks to satisfy a craving. I remember my mom used to pack fish sticks in my lunches in grade school, only when she was short on time.

This month I’m doing cooking demos at the New York Botanical Gardens in a series sponsored by Growing Chefs. All of my recipes are seasonal, market and garden fresh. I’m keeping the dishes simple to create so that no matter what age or cooking expertise, you can enjoy the recipes.

Yes, the main ingredient of this recipe is made of Chia seeds! I fondly remember these from my childhood, used more commonly to grow green sprouts out of ceramic heads known as Chia pets than as a delicious, energy boosting, nutritious, sweet treat. Now the mystery is solved, we all know how it got it’s name.

I have always been a fan of truffled honey on a cheese plate. I think it’s the delicate play between savory and sweet that is so enjoyable. However, I had never  quite experienced the pairing of truffles, honey and apples until the night of my dinner at Terraza del Casino in Madrid.

My favorite kind of granola is a crunchy, light as a feather cluster that pops in my mouth with the perfect balance of nutty and sweet. The real trick to achieve this consistency is the use of instant oats.

I’ve had my fill of saccharin sweet toffee this holiday season. I thought it was about time to make a new toffee recipe using natural sweeteners that didn’t leave me feeling so “off” after indulging.

I’m always searching for delicious weekday recipes that are also nourishing, and all in one dishes are my favorites. Whenever I can, I love saving clean-up time. This dish has so many appeals, but most important it takes seconds to whip up.

When the crisp air of fall comes there’s nothing better than something hearty, healthy and warm to eat. For me, Chili goes hand in hand with thick scarves, plaid, flannel, down comforters and crackling fires. Chili can be enjoyed equally without meat or tofu.

If I were a musician, this might be my farewell Ode to summer. A classic ode is in three parts: the strophe, antistrophe and epode. In other words soaking the almonds, composing everything (such as the blending the straining the sprinkling of rose petals), and finally the enjoyment.

I don’t often eat sandwiches, but when I’ve been especially active and the weather gets colder I start to crave something heartier.

When summer is turning to fall, many of us are working on overdrive, with the “back to school” feeling in the air.  Everyone around us is starting to get sick. After a busy week of work last week, it ocurred to me that it’s time to take preventative measures to fortify my own immune system.

I usually opt for leeks in many recipes where you may use onions. They’re sweeter and more delicate, and a great way to maximize flavor. Here’s a simple, no fuss-yet satisfying way to prepare them.

This is the time of year, when zucchini is very much on my mind.  I seem to be constantly brainstorming various uses for this ever present and abundant vegetable.

My Clafoutis fixation began when a thoughtful dinner guest brought dessert. It was several years ago on a warm summer night in Brianny, a small village in Burgundy France.

A few weeks ago I find myself at the Whitehouse – on the OTHER side of the fence!  I was strolling through Obama’s fantastic new Whitehouse Garden on a sunny Saturday afternoon, walking amongst the rhubarb,the honeybees, nibbling on sorrel!

One of my most favorite ways, to help cool off in the summer, is to have a glass of iced hibiscus tea. I make it in big batches so I always have a pitcher on hand, perfect during the hot summer days and nights when friends stop by unexpectedly.

I have been really digging spring, and all the produce it has to offer. While I was just away on a yoga and culinary adventure in Italy, I had the good fortune of fava beans fresh picked from the garden.

This recipe was inspired by my urgent need to use all of the perishable ingredients possible when my fridge suddenly decided to stop cooling. It hardly even deserves a formal recipe because of its simplicity.

Yuri and I met before our last Harvest Time in Harlem class to test the recipe we received from Slow Food In Schools #4 Suginami Tokyo. We figured we should give it a good test run and work out the perfect measurements and techniques before teaching the kids. I’ve made sushi before, but never sushi with a flower inside.

This recipe is particularly timely for Passover, as there is no flour and the leavening agent is egg whites. If you use an ice cream scooper to create a dome like shape, my macaroons are like mini cakes. For an elegant decadence, dip them in your favorite melted dark chocolate and give them a dusting of edible gold.  

I made this for my last two house-guests and they’ve been requesting the recipe ever since. This is by far one of the most popular dishes in my breakfast repertoire, although note that it makes for a great lunch or dinner also.

When you have an insatiable sweet tooth, I recommend a sweet potato dish. This is the dish I came up with recently for someone who always wants sweet flavors and  whose most favorite vegetable happens to be Sweet Potatoes.

I recently had a request from a magazine to create some lighter versions of standard dressings. One of my favorite ways to lighten up dressings is to use pureed vegetables in the actual dressing to create a richer texture without the heaviness of cream or egg.

It’s all about reinventing the leftovers, creating new variations on the theme, so there are new flavors that make you look forward to the next meal. 

By popular demand…They’re pretty and tasty, and, if you use a heart shaped cookie cutter they make an excellent edible valentine.