forage

Forage is a great spot to pick up some healthy, yet tasty ready-made food in the Silver Lake neighborhood of LA. I pop in whenever I'm nearby, whether it's for a market plate with various seasonal salads and a protein, or a house-baked sweet treat! Everything is prepared simply and consistently, and it's hard to go wrong with any of the vibrant, freshly made offerings. My husband and I stopped in for lunch, and he chose the organic free range roasted chicken with the Moroccan couscous (with beets, pickled red cabbage, almonds, golden raisins & garlic ginger dressing) and kale & arugula salad (with feta, breadcrumbs, shallots & lemon garlic vinaigrette). I went for the plate of three sides: fennel citrus salad (with arugula, celery, orange, lemon & citrus vinaigrette), roasted winter squash (with dandelion, pepitas & brown butter vinaigrette), and kale & arugula salad, as well as a bowl of chickpea soup. Never one to pass on dessert, we decided to go all in with a slice of chocolate coconut cream cake and a Mexican hot chocolate cookie. Yum- such a satisfying meal!

PS- There's a great assortment of sweets offered every day! Just check out some of the delicious (and beautiful!) offerings from when I was there, below. Apple-cranberry crisp with Speculoos crumb, Meyer lemon-glazed olive oil cake, banana cake with chocolate chunks, Mexican hot chocolate cookie, banana cream pie tart, gluten-free brownie, chocolate peanut butter malt cake, Meyer lemon sugar cookie, chocolate coconut cream cake, chocolate chip cookie, and more!

juniper & ivy

 
 

I haven't spent a ton of time in San Diego (to my dismay), but on a recent trip to the west coast, I got the opportunity to dine with good friends at Juniper & Ivy. Chef Richard Blais, best known for winning Top Chef All-Stars, whips up "refined American food with left coast edge", bringing his super fresh and creative approach to the kitchen. Just reading over the menu, you'll notice inspiration from several different global cuisines, including Asian, Italian, and Moroccan, to name a few. The four of us shared everything, and we were continually impressed with the balance and depth of flavors, dish after dish. The BBQ carrots were cooked perfectly, and I loved the jalapeño chimichurri underneath! While I'm typically not one to order pasta, this corn carbonara (with housemade coriander bucatini pasta!) was one of the best I've ever had. The runny duck egg was such a nice accompaniment. The Moroccan flavor profile of the lamb shank, with its harissa eggplant, black garlic hummus, and date jus, was totally up my alley. Dessert is always a highlight for me, and the two we ordered were so unique and tasty. I loved their take on an "almond joy" candy bar, with a light pavlova shell surrounding coconut sorbet, soft chocolate, and marcona almonds. The blueberry sorbet, served with corn semifreddo, semolina cake, and crunchy lovage meringue, was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Scroll through the slideshow to see more details about our delicious and satisfying meal. I'm dying to return the next time I'm in San Diego, as there were several other enticing menu items as well! 

matcha coconut smoothie

I've become obsessed with the matcha, coconut & bergamot smoothie from Greecologies in Soho. Anytime I'm in the area, I can't help but stop in and grab one to-go. It's SO good and I really love the unique flavor profile, but it's also super healthy to boot. Matcha is an antioxidant powerhouse- the powdered green tea has 137 times as many antioxidants as regularly brewed green tea, and in my opinion tastes way better! Plus there are little chewy bits from the dried coconut throughout the smoothie which adds a nice chew-factor. I figured it was time I created my own Greecologies-inspired version at home, and the below recipe totally satisfies my craving for a tasty matcha smoothie. Bergamot oranges can be tricky to find, so I typically make it without. Alternatively, you can add 1/2 cup brewed Earl Grey tea or a couple drops of bergamot essential oil for a delicious twist. I love experimenting with various mix-ins and toppings as well, so feel free to play around with some of the combinations below to see what you like best!

Matcha Coconut Smoothie:

  • 2 cups frozen bananas, sliced

  • 1 cup coconut milk

  • 1/2 cup coconut water

  • 2 tsp matcha powder (I love Matchaful!)

  • 1 cup greens

  • 1/2 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened

  • 2 tbsp crystallized ginger

  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • ice, optional

  • optional mix-ins: 1/2 cup Earl Grey tea, 2 drops bergamot essential oil, 2 Medjool dates, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp spirulina

  • optional toppings: 1 tbsp coconut flakes, 1 tbsp goji berries

Blend frozen banana, coconut milk, coconut water, matcha powder, greens, coconut flakes, crystallized ginger, and vanilla extract on high until thick and creamy. Feel free to add (any combination of) Earl Grey tea, bergamot oil, Medjool dates, frozen pineapple, cinnamon, or spirulina to the blender as well, and top with coconut flakes and/or goji berries, if desired. Makes 2 smoothies.

*Check out Britt and her smoothie featured on Live the Process. Photos by Bekka Gunther.

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black rice & winter vegetable salad

I know the majority of recipes I post here are sweets, but I promise I do actually eat healthy things too! A lot of them, to be honest! While my husband is obviously the better chef in the family, I love to cook as well, just on a much simpler scale. My go-to savory dishes are easy and nutritious, and I typically prepare a lot of the components ahead of time, and make extra, so that I can just throw everything into a bowl and dig in! These bowls usually involve seasonal vegetables (roasted, shaved, etc.), whole grains of some sort (homemade bread or quinoa), a protein (likely chicken or legumes), and a good dressing (tahini or avocado-based). Various textural components, like nuts or sees, add a nice crunch as well. This one was being served as a side dish to meat and other dishes, so I kept this vegan and gluten free! There are a million ways to mix it up, so feel free to use whatever tastes good and is available to you!

Black Rice & Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad:

  • 2 cups black rice, rinsed
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • 4 sprigs thyme, separated
  • 1/4 cup chives, chopped
  • 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
  • 3 cups Brussels Sprouts, rooted & halved
  • 1 celery root, peeled & cubed
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground paprika
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • 1 blood orange, segmented

Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp Sriracha
  • 1 tsp honey (or agave syrup)
  • 1 tsp blood orange zest
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Topping:

  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • 1 blood orange, segmented
  • 2 tbsp chives, chopped
  • 1/2 cup micro-greens

Preheat oven to 450 F. Cook rice according to package instructions, seasoning the cooking liquid with salt, pepper, bay leaves and 2 sprigs thyme, until just al dente. Remove bay leaves and thyme stems. Spread out on sheet tray to cool completely, topping with chives and seasoning with salt & pepper to taste.

Drizzle sweet potatoes, 2 cups of Brussels sprouts (reserving one cup), and celery root with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Shave remaining cup of Brussels sprouts on a mandolin, and add to the rice. Add bell pepper, pumpkin seeds, blood orange segments, and the cooled roasted veggies to the rice mixture.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Add to rice mixture, and stir to combine. Top with extra pumpkin seeds, blood orange segments, chives, and micro-greens. Enjoy!