Late summer is my favorite season for two reasons— fresh tomatoes and fresh corn on the cob. Personally, I like to eat corn on the cob raw and I’m surprised how many people look at me like I’m from another planet when I tell them this. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to give it a try— just husk and munch. I’m also surprised how many people think that boiling corn is the only way to cook it. If you ask me, boiled corn on the cob is dreadful. It’s usually over-cooked, chewy, and just plain tasteless. I can’t think of a better way to ruin a beautiful vegetable.

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Have you ever experienced a summer that seemed to disappear before your eyes? Earlier this summer, I distinctly remember thinking about how great it was going to be spend my weekends trying new veggie burger recipes, in search for the perfect home-made patty. And this weekend, I realized that Labor day is just around the corner and I am no closer to creating that one, spectacular veggie burger recipe that will become a part of my summertime repertoire for years to come.

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Have you ever fallen in love with a bunch of beautifully fresh, vibrant parsley only to discover, two days later, a sad handful of wilted herbs gone bad too soon? There’s nothing more disappointing than a pile of pathetic greens in the veggie drawer.

Here’s the best tip ever for storing fresh herbs for a very long time:

1. As soon as you get the herbs home, remove the rubber band around the stalks and pull off all the loose, wilted bottom leaves from the stalks. (See below.)

2. Place the herbs, like a bouquet of flowers, into a drinking glass or other upright storage container.

3. Fill container with water so the stems are in the water, but the leaves are not.

4. Place glass and herbs in a plastic bag and tie loosely the top, or use a rubber band to close the top of the bag.

5. Store upright, in the refrigerator.

6. Change the water every couple of days. Be sure to remove any wilted, slimy stems when you replace the water.

I’m not kidding—I’ve had herbs stay fresh and delicious in my fridge for 7 weeks. It’s unbelievable. This method works well with all fresh leafy green herbs.

Sometimes the most simple things bring the most pleasure. I love summer for many reasons, and near the top of that list is blueberries. And strawberries, and blackberries…

Fresh, ripe berries by themselves are delightful, but when paired with a simple “cream” made of blended bananas and ground cinnamon, they are devine.

Here’s how you make can make it for breakfast at your home:

1. Buy the most beautiful, fresh berries you can find (preferably organic). Wash them, gently pat them dry (or let them air dry while you are making the cinnamon banana cream), slice the strawberries, and put them all in a bowl.

2. To make a delicious, non-dairy cream, blend a banana with a pinch (or more) of cinnamon, and a tablespoon or two of nut or seed milk. I used fresh hemp seed milk, because that’s what I had in the fridge. Use more or less milk to achieve your desired consistency.

3. Pour your cream over the top and enjoy!

I remember feeling this way last summer— overwhelmed. But in a good way. As the growing season progresses, it’s always thrilling to see what new vegetables arrive in my weekly CSA delivery. This year, we had an abundance of food from our local Grant Family Farms in the first week. In one of our early deliveries, I was so excited to see fresh dill arrive along with huge bunches of parsley and cilantro. Woohoo. There are few things more exciting to a cook than fresh herbs.

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While I was trekking through miles and miles of booths at the Natural Products Expo West this past Spring, I discovered a great company with a very awesome product. Element Bars, based in Chicago, offers tasty energy bars made with natural, whole ingredients. What’s really cool about this company is that they have built an online portal where you can design your own energy bar— completely customized to your tastes. Sweet!

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I recently returned from a trip to Oregon. This trip was a well-needed retreat for me— a chance to get away, spend quality time with friends, and ask deep, contemplative questions about what the future holds. It was also a time for me to let go of all the shoulds and what ifs in my life and practice just being present in each moment. I am learning to allow the future to unfold, which is quite different than my usual M.O.— trying to make everything happen. More »

I’ve got a secret. I realize it may be too soon in our relationship for me to tell you this, but I don’t think I can keep it to myself much longer. You’re bound to find out sooner or later.

I have thing for chocolate. Not just a thing, really. It’s a full-blown, OMG, lose-my-mind-at-the-first-sight-of-it, kind of a thing. Don’t get the wrong impression though, I can’t stand the cheap, waxy kind. You couldn’t pay me any amount of money to eat a Hershey’s Kiss. I love the dark stuff. And French words like ganache, pots de creme, and torte send me to the moon and back. I’ll stop short of saying I’m a chocoholic because I mostly avoid the stuff (really I do)— but once in a while, when I let go and allow myself to indulge, there’s nothing better on this planet than a deep, dark, luscious, smooth chocolate dessert.

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I don’t know about you, but now that days are hot and summertime is officially upon us, I’ve got a hankerin’ for a good burger. As we fire up our grills for the season, I’m on a mission. I want to make to the most outrageous, delicious, veggie burger on the planet. I have to admit, before now, I’ve never made a homemade veggie burger. I’m not sure exactly why. Perhaps because it’s just too easy to pull out a frozen veggie burger and slather it up with all the juicy fixins— ketchup, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, avocado, green chili— and voila— summertime burger! But still, those boxified veggie burgers can’t possibly be as good as homemade veggie burgers, can they? I’ve had some good ones, and some bad ones. I guess it’s the principle of it— I rarely eat pre-packaged, pre-made foods, so why do I settle for frozen veggie burgers? I’m certain home-made burgers would be better for us, and would probably taste a whole lot better too. But let’s face it, when it’s 4pm on a Saturday afternoon, and your friends call you over for an impromptu BBQ, what are going to do? Run inside and whip up a homemade veggie burger? Probably not.

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As we get closer to Summer, I see new produce at the market every week. Yesterday, for the first time this season, there was broccoli, asparagus, Napa cabbage, and one of my favorite vegetables— Kohlrabi. I think it’s safe to say that most American’s have never even heard of it. It’s not standard eats, but it should be.

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