Lemony Harissa Potato Salad

Have you made your own harissa yet?
Hopefully with the Sticky Harissa Chicken or the Harissa Spaghetti I was able to convince you that homemade harissa is the THING and something you really want (and need) to have in your refrigerator at all times.
If that wasn’t enough, then maybe this Lemony Harissa Potato Salad will do the trick.

Sunflower Sesame Seed Brittle

Today I have a brilliant little recipe for you guys, which doesn’t involve a lot of ingredients or effort for that matter.
What could possibly be better?
A sweet and irresistible brittle, packed with healthy fats. Paleo, vegan, and gluten-free: a treat that everybody can enjoy.
Hurray!

Eggplant Parm Rice Casserole

This is dope.
So dope, it’s going to send you into a tailspin.
The cheesiest, tomato-iest, eggplant-iest, DOPEST casserole tailspin of your life.
For realz.

(Paleo) 3-Ingredient Vanilla Ice-Cream with Ginger Pecan Crunch

When I was little, my mom and I used to make vanilla ice-cream with pecan brittle for special occasions.
I remember melting the sugar in the pot and watching the temperature on the candy thermometer climb as the melted sugar bubbled away.
I loved that ice-cream. I loved that ice cream very much purely because it was made at home and I also remember that it used to be very crystallized and I always ended up having a brain freeze after that. Ouch!
It was sweet, rich, with an awesome crunch. Perfection.

Thai-Style Pulled Pork

Happy Birthday Dad, [almost]!
I swear that this recipe has nothing to do with my personal love and veneration of Thai cuisine and everything to do with making something nice, spicy, and meaty for Dad.
I know, how thoughtful of me.
Just because my kindness happens to come through via my Thai-food obsession, it doesn’t mean that this post is about me.
It’s my way of celebrating Dad’s birthday and definitely the best way I know to give gifts. Edible gifts, foods that are gifts, gifts that can be used to make food, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera…
So this is my way of saying — through the language of food — HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
And if this gifting opportunity for Dad doubles as a chance for me to have Thai-flavored pulled pork sandwiches, it’s totally a win-win situation.

Quinoa Pizza Crust

Everyone loves pizza.
It's America's favorite food: Fun to make, fun to eat, and it’s guaranteed to make people happy.
Beautifully crispy, covered in tomato sauce, oozing with mozzarella cheese, and sprinkled with fresh basil.
What’s there not to love?
Unfortunately — despite looking (and smelling) awesome — the vast majority of pizza is far from being healthy. Made with dubious ingredients and greasy beyond belief.
So as with so many things, sometimes it’s best to make your own. Maybe even experimenting a bit in the process.

(Paleo) Pecan Sweet Potato Muffins

I am, without a better way to put it, swimming in pecans.
Dismayed by the price of nuts everywhere in my hood, but determined enough that this wasn’t going to keep me from baking with them, I asked a friend out in the ‘burbs — a place where people would never ever pay $6.99+tax for a microscopic 6 ounces of pecans — to see if he could better.
He came back with three pounds for less then $20 from Costco.
Which is, to put it mildly, awesome.

Sunny-Side Up Eggs with Provencal Tomatoes

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, everywhere!
Ripe and ready, the globes of goodness are now in full array at the farmers’ markets.
The almost unbearable summer heat has spurred the Cherries, Dates, Beefsteaks, Romas, San Marzanos, Oxhearts, Brandywines, etc. to an awesome state of rich, sweet succulence.
The availability of locally grown tomatoes is one of the reasons I love summer.

Avocado Lime and Basil Smoothie

Guys, I think I’m onto something.
Like I know that if you glance at this recipe's ingredient list, it looks like a weird combination of ingredients for a smoothie: Basil? Lime? Avocado?
Wait, what?
But believe me when I say that this is the REAL DEAL.
It’s so smooth, bright, cheery, and refreshing: the perfect antidote to the heat wave we're all experiencing right now.
[On a side note can I just say that I’m so done with this summer. Seriously I’m done. Fall can’t come soon enough. I want to pull out the sweaters, scarves, warm coats, and the fresh smell of hot coffee. Summer begone.]

Farmers Market Hash with Eggs

One of my many escapes in life is to go to Farmers Markets.
It’s definitely one of my favorite weekly activity and a great way to get inspiration.
I love how people grow produce and share it with the rest of the world. And by shopping there I feel like I give back to the local community and receive the best in return.
I love the easy-going pace–browsing around, building meals vegetable by vegetable.
Ideally, I buy fruit and veggies and make something amazing with what I buy. Something similar to a “Chopped” challenge in which I’m the only contestant and where I get to choose my ingredients.