Recipe

Spring is here and garlic scapes are in season!

Garlic scapes are the long, curly, flower buds of the garlic plant that are typically picked and tossed by commercial operations. (Removing the flower bud allows the garlic bulb to mature in the ground.) The more savvy and local farmers at your co-op or farmer’s market know better; garlic scapes are delicious and can be found in the spring season and used for all sorts of dishes including stir-fries, salads, soups, and yes, even pesto.

As someone with an Italian heritage, I feel that a richly flavored marinara sauce is a must in my household. Sure, you can buy the stuff that comes in cans and jars, but a delicious, homemade sauce is just as easy to whip up, and much more satisfying.

If you’re like me and generally need to round out a meal with a naturally sweet treat that does not leave you craving more, this is the recipe for you! Chia seeds, when mixed with liquids, become gelatinous – meaning that a little go a long way to fill you up. There are many health benefits to eating chia seeds, which are gluten-free and contain lots of protein, fiber, and healthy omega 3 fats.

Growing up, my sister and I were vegetarians, in a family full of meat-eaters. So, our dinner plates often seemed incomplete because our family didn’t really know how to work around our diet restrictions.

However, one night, my mother was making tuna noodle casserole, and decided to switch things up a bit, in order to fit our needs. She made a separate, vegetarian-friendly casserole dish that has been one of my all-time favorite go-to comfort foods ever since. It’s one of those things where you really can’t help yourself. I’m known to go for seconds (okay, thirds).

Stir fried foods make great lunches: They're so easy to whip up in a moment’s notice! If you want to give your stir fry a slight Asian twist, try this easy recipe. It should be enough to make two servings and tastes fantastic. If you don't have the exact vegetables I list, that's okay, too: You can substitute them with your favorites and keep the seasoning the same instead. You can also pair this recipe with noodles or quinoa instead of rice, if you so choose. It's all a matter of preference and availability.

Base ingredients:

I am constantly searching out inventive ways to prepare eggplant. While eggplant parmesan is a classic, it can be a bit pricey and it takes quite some time to make. Messing around in the kitchen I decided to take one of my favorite seafood stews and turn it into a vegan dish. And I must say, the eggplant is so good that meat eaters are easily fooled.

If you haven’t heard of quinoa, the superfood, by now, it’s time to get out from underneath that rock. For those of you who are still unsure of how to say it (let alone spell it), it’s pronounced “keen-wah.”

As the seasons change and the weather gets cooler, we start to crave more warming and nourishing foods. Unfortunately, the change in seasons also tends to bring more busyness to our lives - school functions, late hours, and holidays all colliding at the same time. It’s a double-edged sword -- craving the heaviness of winter foods while also unable to spend hours in the kitchen.

As the weather gets colder in the Northern Hemisphere, we often find ourselves looking for warming soups, stews, and other hearty meals. This recipe is perfect for a warm fall meal! Since fall is the season of the Vata dosha (light and airy), warm hearty meals are also particularly beneficial for grounding. Whip up this recipe for a nice lunch or dinner that you and your guests are sure to enjoy!

Chickpea Turmeric Soup with Fresh Cilantro

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

½ white onion, sliced lengthwise

I am a self-proclaimed healthy eater, but I would be completely lying if I said that I never eat packaged convenience food. The easy and quick nature of something nearly ready-prepared is hard to beat, but the nutrition is often lacking. On nights when we can’t seem to possibly get everything done, I reach for an old standby: packaged ramen. Now I know what you’re thinking, “You can’t be serious! Ramen? Those heavily processed bricks of noodles?” Yes, I mean that ramen!