Duck Fat Roasted Radishes & Leeks With Lemon & Herbs

Okay, fine. I’ll say what we’re all thinking. Um, so I’m supposed to eat a plate full of radishes? Isn’t that like eating a plate full of sprouts? I’ve always admired the radish as a pretty garnish, but I’ve never really considered it to be a full on side dish. I would incorporate these cheery little roots into salads in order to add some color, but that was it. I’ve been treating the radish like my cheap, last minute, arm candy wedding date. She’s pretty. She’s available. She looks good in pink. But, that’s it. She’s not the hardworking, salt of the earth veggie that I’d take home to meet my Mom. […]

Citrus & Fennel Salad With Tahini Dressing

Dudes. Dudettes. Polar Bears. Information-Mining Google Robots…

I don’t know exactly how to address this little love letter to citrus, so, I’m just throwing it all out there. I’m experiencing a little bit of citrus fever. It’s a hopeful sunny burst of color exploding out of the dreariness of winter.

Okay, I’m lying a little. Winter here in California is currently not dreary, even though we’re promised some rain towards the end of the week. But, for now, I just went out for a sunny walk wearing only a t-shirt. Oh, and pants. Didn’t forget those. But, still. The sun was shining, I was warm and sweaty in just my t-shirt (and pants), and I had to use all of my self control to not pilfer all of my neighbors’ citrus trees. There are sooooo many! They are all dripping with citrus. How are citrus tree-owning people not jamming and canning and peeling and eating and slicing and dicing and marmalade-ing their way through this season?! How about lemon curd? Don’t even get me started. […]

The Greeña Colada Smoothie

I am slutty for coconut.

You guys have probably figured this out by now. I can put it in a salad, I will sprinkle it on your donuts, and I will most certainly use it to make nutella. There is simply no shame in my game.

However, I have not publicly declared my love for pineapple. This is a love that  runs deep through my Hawaiian veins. It is some serious affection. I will eat it until the acid makes my tongue start to burn.I have vivid memories of sitting with my Papa in his kitchen and having him sprinkle salt on pieces of freshly cut pineapple, and then, as he would say, “we went eat it up.”  He is a good eating partner. I remember being small and always placing myself strategically near him if he was eating something like poi with dried shrimp or was cutting up a fresh tuna into sashimi. I am no fool. I would bat my big eyes, reach out my chubby kid hands, and a piece of fresh sashimi always seemed to land in my finger tips. I knew how to work that glorious system. Honestly, I think he just loves to share the things that he loves with me. It was a source of pride for him to see his tiny granddaughter developing a serious taste for all of the flavors he had grown up with on the islands. […]