All tagged spring

rhubarb crisp {v+gf}

rhubarb crisp {v+gf}

Mary Bell
Food & Libations

This rhubarb crisp takes less than ten minutes to throw together—an easy but seriously scrumptious dessert. The tanginess from the rhubarb mixed with the vanilla and orange zest, is the perfect complement. Finish it all off with a scoop, or two, of vanilla ice-cream. I’ve always been slightly intimidated by rhubarb, wondering how those giant celery-like stalks could be appetizing. It seemed to go out of vogue for a while, but now it’s having a moment…sort of like brussel sprouts a few years ago and now cauliflower.

5-day meal plan + grocery list | may

5-day meal plan + grocery list | may

Mary Bell
Food & Libations

I'm not someone who does an entire day of meal prep at the start of the week. I usually don't even plan out my meals. Of course, I do have a few repeat offenders that I cook from week to week that guide my shopping. But other than that, I just buy produce that looks good at the market, or whatever I’m craving at the moment, then look up a recipe later at home. It’s likely that all these items are showing up at your farmers’ market or local grocery store. If not, I have made options for substitutions in the downloadable grocery list included in the post. Once you get your groceries, you can pick and choose what days you want to cook, leaving room for flexibility.

grilled potatoes with lemon & parsley vinaigrette

grilled potatoes with lemon & parsley vinaigrette

Mary Bell
Food & Libations

Summer is in full swing here and so is the heat! I've relegated all cooking to the grill as our little kitchen gets a lot of afternoon sun and tends to collect the warm air throughout the house.  We've been making these grilled potatoes with a lemon and parsley vinaigrette, along with a giant salad every week since the heat rolled into town. The high heat of the grill gets the potatoes nice and crispy and the simple vinaigrette made with olive oil, lemon juice plus the zest, and some salt and pepper is like a bright burst of flavors in your mouth.

summer greek salad with avocado

summer greek salad with avocado

Mary Bell
Food & Libations

Saddled with this sluggish motivation this week and a persistent craving for something crisp, zesty, refreshing and vibrant, came this feel-good, healthy salad full of veggie-deliciousness.   Our productivity has suffered some what since our unbelievably comfortable couch arrived this week, but it's suffered in comfort at least. I made this salad two times in the past week, and added in some grilled potatoes (more on that later). I tossed everything (potatoes included) with a lemon-parsley vinaigrette--it's like summer in your mouth! If potatoes aren't your thing (you cray-cray!) you could add a grilled protein of choice, or perhaps some pepita seeds to "beef" it up.

Bon appetit!

sheet-pan lemon & broccoli pasta

sheet-pan lemon & broccoli pasta

Mary Bell
Food & Libations

I've been meaning to put this recipe up on the blog, as it's always in my weekly rotation in some form, especially during spring and summer.  It's crunchy, tangy, savory and all together one big sheet-pan of yum! Oh, and you'll want to serve this pasta right on the pan so everyone gets equal access to that crunchy top layer. You can prepare this dish in advance and then pop it in the oven just before serving. It can be enjoyed at room temp, making it a great companion for a pot luck or BBQ.

grilled apricot & asparagus salad

grilled apricot & asparagus salad

Mary Bell
Food & Libations

After a cold winter in New York and a month of traveling, it's been nice to settle back at home for the last part of spring in Los Angeles. Mostly I've just been enjoying reconnecting with all my kitchen tools (esp. my new Vitamix that I got for Christmas but haven't had a chance to christen!!!)...and family and friends, of course!

This dish is perfect to bring to an alfresco dinner party and can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature.  The combination of texture from the raw asparagus, sweet and tart flavors from the grilled apricots and crunch of the roasted hazelnuts creates a perfectly balanced dish. Oh, and it looks pretty too!

Bon appetit

buckwheat soba noodles with crispy tofu & veggies

buckwheat soba noodles with crispy tofu & veggies

Mary Bell
Food & Libations

I usually turn to pasta for a simple mid-week dinner, but things changed a couple weeks ago when my friend Amber came over with a soba noodle recipe from A Modern Way to Eat.  She also taught me how to knit that same evening, but I'll save that story for another time.  Anyhow, since then, I've been exploring different recipes and enjoying the fresh flavors and crisp texture unique to soba noodle dishes. Another plus is that soba noodles can be served warm or cold--meaning you can make this recipe, or any of your choosing, ahead of time.  Olympic dinner party anyone???

grilled naan bread {gf+v}

grilled naan bread {gf+v}

Mary Bell
Food & Libations

My very best friend, Heather, visited me here at our little casita in Santa Fe for a few days last week.  Both of us love ethnic cuisine and splurged on Persian, local New Mexican and Indian food.  Heather's family first introduced me to Indian cuisine at Anarbagh in Los Angeles when I was about 11 years old.  On her last night in Santa Fe we went to Raaga, a modern Indian restaurant, located in the Railyard District. I always miss naan bread when dining out at Indian restaurants ever since I started eating gluten-free a few years ago.  But, I was reminded of a great recipe that I had on hand to share with all you fellow naan lovers, both gluten-free and gluten-ful.