Slicing Pretty Avocados

This post is for anyone who has ever asked me how I slice avocado. I get the question most often on Instagram (they show up in a lot of my photos), and thinking about it now, I suppose I do have pretty strong opinions about how to go about it. I like the slices thin versus thick, sometimes fanned out a bit (but not too much ;). And minimal fussing and handling is key. In the video, you'll notice that I do all the slicing with the avocado in my palm. It's not the safest method (by a long shot), but I do include a demonstration of another, less perilous method, with very similar results later in the video. A couple of tips I forgot to mention - you want to use beautifully, perfectly ripe avocados. If you have a hard time choosing, I posted some avocado buying tips on this page a while back, and it's still true that I spend more time choosing the avocados for guacamole than actually preparing it. Have fun and send pics! -h

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Fridge Crawl #01 - What's in my Refrigerator Right Now

Hi everyone! So, you know that photo series that I do on Instagram? The one where every month or so, I take a snapshot of the inside of my refrigerator? Today I thought it might be fun to try a video version of it. With the photos it's kind of cool because you can really see how the contents and ingredients evolve and change depending on the season. I'm hoping this will translate to video as well. In case there are questions related to the specifics - products, recipes, etc., I'm including links here. Also(!) If you shoot something similar (photo or video) tag it #fridgecrawl - It would be fun to highlight other refrigerators from around the world in the future :)! -h

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REFRIGERATOR:
Monogram Counter-Depth French-Door Refrigerator (link) #notsponsored

TOP ROW:
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Homemade Green Powder //
Pickled Turmeric Eggs // Recipe
Wildflower Bee Pollen //
Five Minute Tomato Sauce // Recipe //
Matcha // (Link)
Amla & Fenugreek Chutney // Flower To Fruit (Oakland, CA)
Macrobiotic Rice Blend
Sacha Inchi nuts // (Link)
Cave-aged Chandoka // (Link)
Eggs (Link)

MIDDLE ROW
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Figs in something boozy + flower extract
Coconut Milk
Prash // (Link)
Vitamin C Honey
Job's Tears
Creme Fraiche // (Link)
Miso // (Link)
Plain Greek Yogurt // (Link)
Coconut Cream & Mango Cream(!) // (Link)
Coconut & Avocados & Hemp Hearts
Chyawanprash // (Link)
Homemade Savory Power Powder
Big bag of Flax
Sheep's Milk Yogurt // (Link)

BOTTOM ROW
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Camu Camu Powder // (Link)
Coconut Water // (Link)
Wingspan Rose // (Link)
Vida Juice Jun Tonic // (Link)
Almonds Soaking // Recipe //
Baby kale & wasabi arugula & micro greens
Leeks & lots of brussels sprouts

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MUSIC // Erykah by Otis McDonald // http://ift.tt/2hwPD8z

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Coconut Baked Oatmeal

Baked oatmeal is one of my signature breakfast and brunch moves, for all the typical reasons. Make ahead, check. Adaptable, check. Many five year olds love it, and most forty year olds too. Check, check. There are versions of it in my last two books, and I'm constantly riffing on the general concept based on what is in season, and what I have on hand. This version is extra special - banana, coconut, vanilla, coconut milk, and some winter citrus, all baked into fragrant, golden-topped magic. The concept couldn't be simpler. In fact, I suspect many of you have everything you need on hand right now. Butter your baking dish, layer of fruit, top with dry ingredients, finish with wet ingredients. Bake. The secret wink I included in this version is a final drizzle of warm coconut milk accented with a splash of rose water.

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Make Ahead Vegan Samosa Shepherd's Pie

This recipe uses a number of my favorite techniques: mashing, slathering, and drizzling. Imagine a Shepherd's pie meeting the flavors of an Indian samosa. That's where we're headed. Shepherd's pies are typically lamb or meat based, but this is a veg-friendly version. You make a hearty, flavor-packed, vegan base using split peas (or lentils), chopped mushrooms, spices, and crushed tomatoes. Layer this under a thick slather of mashed potatoes and baked until the top is golden and a bit crusted. If I know the week ahead is going to be a crusher, I'll assemble everything over the weekend, and all I have to do is pop it in the oven a bit later in the week. Give it a go, this has been on repeat all winter.

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I forget to mention this in the video, but you can certainly create smaller, individual pies - they're cute, and people love getting their own. And you can absolutely swap in sweet potatoes, just give them a quick peel first.

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Travel: Tucson Gem Show

I haven't done a travel post in quite some time, but we're going to change that trend starting now. I went to Tucson, Arizona last week - in part for the desert sunshine, and, in part for the Tucson Gem Show. It's huge. And it's not just one show, it's actually a multi-week event that spans more than a dozen venues. The fact that I keep thinking about? Some of world's largest tents are deployed. Think about that. People come from all over the world (and I mean allll over), to buy, sell, and exhibit every conceivable gem, rock, fossil, and mineral imaginable. I made a little video of my adventure, and will put some of the reference links and details inside the video description. XO to (the incredibly talented) Tura Sugden for being a great travel partner, and for the cameo appearance ;)...these double chocolate cookies also had a moment.

Also! Thank you to everyone who has sent nice notes about the videos. I figure if I make enough of them this year, I'll get better at it. And playing around with the different formats is exciting (and crazy-making). If nothing else, maybe it will inspire some of you to play around and experiment with something new this year, even if you're not so great at first.

A few of you have asked where to find a list of all my videos in one spot. I keep an up-to-date list on this You Tube page. If you subscribe on You Tube, you won't miss any, but I'll also continue to make sure they live here as well, and that any recipe videos are alongside their corresponding recipe. xx! -h

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Healthful Double Chocolate Cookies

A lot of people have baked these cookies over the past decade. People love them because they're free of any added refined sugar, egg-free, no butter, and gluten-free. They're studded with generously with chocolate, and they're fantastic. The number one question related to them is how to make them nut-free - so kids can take them to school. I took a trip to Tucson last week (I'll post the video soon :), and took the opportunity to remix the recipe. The originals are favorite travel snacks, and I was confident that experimenting with a chocolate version wouldn't be a bad idea. The new version is double chocolate (chips and cacao), and made with crushed sunflower seeds, in place of almond meal. Enjoy! -h

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An Excellent, One-pan, Protein-packed Power Pasta

One-pot meals are the savior of weeknight cooking, and this pasta is one of my go-tos. It's pasta and lentils simmered in crushed tomatoes, finished with lots of chopped kale, saffron, swirls of tahini and chopped almonds. I made a video of how it comes together, but the jist is to simply place most of the ingredients into a big pan or skillet with boiling water, simmer down until the pasta is tender, and plate in shallow bowls with your favorite toppings (I include a list of suggestions). Variations couldn't be easier once you get the hang of the technique. The recipe is included here, and you can also see how I pull it together in the video. As I mention in it, you can easily do a vegan version of this, or use whatever gluten-free pasta you like. I think the reason I always come back to this recipe is because you've got greens, protein from the lentils, and a range of whole healthful ingredients all in one pan. It's a total crowd-pleaser, and leftovers are A+ as well.

Also! A few of you have asked where to find a list of all my videos in one spot. There will always an up-to-date list on this You Tube page. I'm also posting the shorter ones to Instagram. If you subscribe on You Tube, you won't miss any, that's probably the safest bet. In addition to the recipe videos, I'm super excited to post more travel videos. I'm working on one from a trip to (beautiful, sunny!) Tucson, Arizona last week, and a separate video of what I made to take along with me as travel snacks. So, if you subscribe or follow on one of those channels, you'll likely get the heads up. I also link in the 101 Cookbooks newsletter (sign-ups are sprinkled all over)....The videos are far from perfect (especially the ones I'm in laugh/cry), but they're so fun to make, and my hope is that I'll get better at it over the course of the year - 2017 goals! ;) xx! -h

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