Winter

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

January 13, 2019ALL, Entree, Salad, Winter9

This Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad With Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette is inspired by Martina McBride’s new cookbook, Martina’s Kitchen Mix. It’s a hearty savory winter salad with a touch of sweet from the apples and cranberries.

I’m one of those girls who wishes she was a salad person. I do this thing all the time where I’ll pick out a restaurant based on a salad I know they have that I really like and then we’ll get there and I’ll be like ‘dang but that (insert carb dish) looks so much better’ and guess what I end up ordering? Yup, you are correct – that carby cheesy dishes that wasn’t even on my mind when I picked out the restaurant. Ahhh well.

Seedy Farro Breakfast Bowl Recipe With Warmed Figs & Pears

January 7, 2019ALL, Breakfast, Winter13

Sharing the recipe for this Seedy Farro Breakfast Bowl Recipe With Warmed Figs & Pears along with some meal prep breakfast ideas! This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill and Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

Happy new year!! You all ready to conquer all your 2019 goals? I was so excited when Bob’s Red Mill and Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice wrote me about doing a meal prep blog post because being better about meal prepping is one of my top 2019 goals! When it comes to breakfast food, it’s so easy to toss some cereal into a bowl or grab a yogurt on the go. I decided it was time to get together a game plan for a homemade breakfast option that can be made in almost as little time as it takes to get dressed and brush your teeth. The solution? This filling and versatile breakfast bowl! Prepping grains ahead of time and leaning into dried fruit which requires zero peeling and chopping allows this bowl to come together in only a few minutes.

So now lets talk specifically about why you need this Seedy Farro Breakfast Bowl Recipe With Warmed Figs & Pears in your life. Swapping out the traditional oats for Bob Red Mill’s farro in this gives you a fiber boost while also bringing a totally addicting chewiness to the equation. And then you had sweet California dried figs (like Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice Orchard Choice), creamy milk, and crunchy seeds or nuts to create a perfectly addictive meal.

A few tips for prepping this ahead of time and eating throughout the week:

Cook the Bob’s Red Mill farro on Sunday afternoon and store it in an airtight container (it should keep in your fridge for 3-4 days). This will speed up your morning process because it just means everything will need to be warmed.
Stock up on Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice for your breakfast bowls because they are packed with flavor but require very little prep. You don’t have to worry about peeling, dicing, etc with these and they will last longer than a lot of fresh produce.
Have fun with it! As for the additional flavors, I suggest you experiment and play around with what you have on hand. I love a little crunch in my bowls so I always add some sort of seeds (here we have sesame, pumpkin, and pomegranate seeds). I also like to splash in some fresh citrus and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Play around with different kinds of sweetener, fruit, nuts, and seeds to keep your bowls interesting throughout the week.
I’ve made this with whole milk and hazelnut milk and both version were delicious! Feel free to use whatever milk you prefer and keep in mind that you can make this vegan by swapping dairy milk for non-dairy and using maple syrup for the sweetener (instead of honey).
The recipe below should make about 4 servings. You can either make this recipe all at once or make the recipe through step 2 and then warm up single servings when ready to enjoy.

Seedy Farro Breakfast Bowl Recipe With Warmed Figs & Pears

This Seedy Farro Breakfast Bowl Recipe With Warmed Figs & Pears can be meal prepped ahead of time for a quick and delicious weekday breakfast or snack!

Ingredients

1 cup farro
1 cup milk of your choice (whole milk, hazelnut, almond, etc)
1 Tbsp butter
1 package Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice California Figs (you can slice them in half if you buy the regular size figs or enjoy whole if you purchase the figlets)
1 small pear cored and sliced thin
1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
dash of salt
4 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
seeds from 1 small pomegranate
4 tsp maple syrup (+ more to taste depending on how sweet you want it)
2 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

Rinse the farro and place in a saucepan with 3 cups water. Bring to a oil and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Drain excess wate and set aside (you can also transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge at this point if you are making farro ahead of time).
In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat and add in figs, pear slices, cinnamon, and a dash of salt. Saute just until the pears are soft and fragrant and the figs are warmed through. Remove from heat and add stir in orange juice. Use right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge (and just rewarm right before serving).
When ready to serve, warm farro in a medium saucepan with milk (if only making one serving at a time, warm 1/4 of the farro with 1/4 cup of milk). Place farro in 4 bowls (if making a full batch). Serve with warmed figs and pears, seeds, and maple syrup.

Easy Vegetarian Chickpea Noodle Soup Recipe

January 2, 2019ALL, Entree, Fall, Soup, Winter34

This Chickpea Noodle Soup recipe is chocked full of healthy vegetables, hearty beans, and chewy egg noodles. This soup is a great way to get more vegetables into your meal while still enjoying the comfort of delicious pasta.

Happy New Year! Ready or not, it’s time for 2019! Can you believe this will be the last year in this decade?! I’m a bit in shock since I’m still listening to music like it’s the early 2000s (just joking…sort of). Anyhow, it’s sort of become a tradition for me to share a soup recipe (like this one and this one) as the first recipe of the year. I decided to share this Chickpea Noodle Soup recipe because it’s chocked full of vegetables (helloooo 2019 goal of eating more vegs) and beans but its not totally indulgent free because there are plenty of filling egg noodles in this as well.

Holiday Stollen Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

December 20, 2018ALL, Bread, Sweets, Winter25

This batch of Holiday Stollen Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are perfect for Christmas morning or for a lazy weekend around the holiday season.

A few Christmas seasons ago, I somehow talked my mother, aunt, and grandma into helping me make our family stollen recipe. The recipe called for several bags of flour, obscene amounts of fruit, required all of us to knead the huge pile of dough by hand, and took several days from start to finish. Needless to say, no one has suggested we make that recipe since. Even though our family recipe was beyond labor-intensive, I still loved the end result which was yeasty, boozy, and studded with just enough fruit to be sweet but not overly sweet. I made a stollen cookie in my first cookbook and although it’s a delicious shortbread, it doesn’t have the yeasty flavor I crave. After a few trial and errors, I was able to translate all my favorite parts of stollen into cinnamon roll form with these little rolls. It’s a pretty amazing hybrid with yeasty base, rum-soaked fruit, cream cheese frosting, and a touch more cinnamon than traditional stollen has (but more of other spices that a cinnamon roll usually would).

Cardamom Coffee Chocolate Biscotti

December 18, 2018ALL, Breakfast, Snack, Sweets, Winter22

This Cardamom Coffee Chocolate Biscotti recipe is perfect for the holidays or when you are planning to have friends over for tea or coffee. The biscotti can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Checking in for a quick one today and to share this amazing biscotti recipe! I made an addicting hybrid of the Spicy Double Chocolate Chip Biscotti recipe found in my Vegetarian Heartland cookbook and the Cardamom Coffee Cream Scones found in my Platters and Boards cookbook! These end results are a subtly sweet biscuit meant to be dunked in teas and coffee. I promise that the instructions look more complicated than they are – you are basically going to make one dough that splits off into two bowls (so you can add two different flavors) and then pile one part of the dough over the over so you end up with an impression looking two flavor biscotti.

Cranberry Orange Punch With Cranberry-Rosemary Ice Ring

December 9, 2018ALL, Drinks, Winter32

This Cranberry Orange Punch With Cranberry-Rosemary Ice Ring is only 6 ingredients and a totally show stopper for your holiday parties!

It’s the holiday season (*queue holiday music*)! If I wasn’t so wrapped up in binge watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 2 then I would probably be out celebrating the season at holiday parties. Jk Jk – I do plan to go to a holiday party eventually this season (next weekend, to be exact) and will most certainly be bringing a big batch of this punch to the event. I’ll be bringing this punch not only because I need alcohol to tame my social anxiety (I kid…sort of) but because it’s an easy and delicious way to serve up something festive. …View More

Vegetarian Ventures 2018 Gift Guide (All Under $50!)

December 2, 2018ALL, Round-Up, Winter, Wrap Up37

Here we are again! It’s already the holiday season and time to pick out the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Luckily for you, I’ve went ahead and piled a list of 18 gifts under $50 that would be perfect for almost every women in your life – whether she is an obsessive cook, all-natural beauty goddess, design forward homebody, compassionate animal lover, or giver that already has everything (see giving options below for more ideas for that one!).

Farro Salad with Pistachios Apricots and Herbs

November 29, 2018ALL, Entree, Salad, Side, Winter31

This Farro Salad with Pistachios Apricots and Herbs is my go-to meal prep lunch. It can be made in under 30 minutes and lasts several days in the fridge when tightly sealed. The chewy farro balances perfectly with salty pistachios, a bright citrus dressing, and sweet apricots pieces.

Hiii! I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving week (if you are US based)! I am just now getting back into the swing of things and am SO ready to start getting festive! We put our tree up over the weekend along with a bunch of lights and I’m planning to spend Sunday working on a new holiday cookie recipe for you all.

A few housekeeping things before we dive into today’s recipe. First up, did you see my instagram post about gifting my cookbooks for the holidays? Basically, since I can’t meet all of you in person and give you a big ‘Thank you’ hug, I’m offering to send a signed recipe card to anyone who emails me a proof of purchase for one of my books. I’m hoping it’ll help give an extra special touch to your gift and a small way to show how appreciative I am to you for supporting my book adventure!

Secondly, I will be signing copies of my book this Saturday in Indianapolis at the Indiana Historical Society’s Annual Author Fair! If you live in the area, I’d love to see you there! The event is from noon to 4 PM and I’ll be the awkward looking introvert in the back peddling my recipes. Hope to see you there! : )

Apple Cider Gravy From Now and Again

November 15, 2018ALL, Sauce, Side, Thanksgiving, Winter38

This Apple Cider Gravy recipe from Julie Turshen’s Now and Again cookbook is both savory and tangy. It’s a perfect gravy for a special occasion like Thanksgiving or a lazy morning with biscuits and eggs.

Thanksgiving is officially a week from today – are you ready? This is the first year we will be hosting at our new home and I’m beyond excited / nervous / overwhelmed. There will be about 15 of us and I have no idea how they will all fit into our 900 square foot home (ha). To calm my nerves a bit, I’ve started testing some of the recipes from the menu ahead time and this Apple Cider Gravy from Julie Turshen’s Now and Again. I was drawn to this Apple Cider Gravy recipe because I always think of gravy as super savory so I was very curious to see how a healthy helping of acid would alter the flavor. The results were still deliciously savory with a tint of tang that was surprisingly wonderful on top of a pile of biscuits and eggs. I dare say this could even replace our go-to recipe we’ve been making for years!

This Apple Cider Gravy is from Julie Tushen’s newest cookbook, Now and Again. I was beyond excited to receive a copy of this from Chronicle Books since I was such a big fan of her first cookbook, Small Victories. This has a similar approach in that all the food in the book is very accessible while still being creative and feeling new. Now & Again is sorted by seasons and then again by menu themes. What makes it extra unique is that Julie then gives recipe ideas on how to use the leftovers so nothing goes to waste. It also has an ideal mix of everyday recipes and special occasion recipes. I highly recommend you checking it out if you are a cookbook fan and looking for new inspiration!

Apple Cider Gravy

This Apple Cider Gravy recipe from Julie Turshen's Now and Again cookbook is both savory and tangy. It's a perfect gravy for a special occasion like Thanksgiving or a lazy morning with biscuits and eggs.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp fresh sage
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable broth (she used chicken but veg worked great for me!)
2 cups apple cider vinegar

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add onion, garlic, sage, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until everything is softened, about 8 minutes.
Add flour and, stirring often, cook until it turns the color of a milky cup of coffee, about 5 minutes.
Next, while whisking constantly, slowly pour in the stock and the cider.
Bring the mixture to a bowl and then lower heat and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 10 minutes.

20 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes You Should Try This Year

November 12, 2018ALL, Entertaining, Entree, Fall, Round-Up, Sweets, Thanksgiving, Winter82

Thanksgiving is less than a week away – do you know what you are making yet? Whether you are planning the whole menu or just looking for a dish or two to bring to the party, I’ve got 20 Vegetarian Thanksgiving that are perfect for the occasion.

Quick Starters and Appetizers

This Roasted Beet Hummus with Hazelnut Oil & Rosemary recipe is a bright and easy snack worthy of serving to guests.

Marinated Goat Cheese with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Olives

November 8, 2018ALL, Appetizer, Drinks, Entertaining, Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter29

In a hurry? Click here to JUMP TO RECIPE!

This Marinated Goat Cheese with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Olives recipe is an easy appetizer that can be made ahead of time and is a great starter to serve at your holiday parties!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Day Owl Rosè. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible. Msg 4 21+

Chai Spiced Apple Cider Cocktail

October 3, 2018ALL, Drinks, Entertaining, Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter76

In a hurry? Click here to JUMP TO RECIPE!

This festive Chai Spiced Apple Cider Cocktail recipe is a delicious fall drink that can be easily made with booze or as a mocktail.

I seem to be on a roll with chai-spiced apple recipes this season which I am not at all sorry about (because both of these makes your house smell A M A Z I N G and oh so fall). Ever since my mom moved into her beach home near Lake Michigan in May, I’ve been up to visit her at least once a month. We’ve already worked ourselves into a little Saturday routine which consists of browsing her nearest farmers market and then stopping at both a small Swedish bakery for pastries and a cute little grocery store / coffee shop for sandwiches to pack for a lazy afternoon at the beach. One the last trip up there a few weeks ago, I picked up a really delicious iced Chai Cider which should honestly be the official drink of September because it was the perfect mix of fall spices while still being a refreshing warm weather thirst quencher. As I was sipping on it, I couldn’t help but think about how simple it was – I’m sure it was just half local apple cider and half of their homemade chai mix they use in lattes. Genius! I knew I had to create my own.

10 Vegetarian Soup Recipes To Get You Excited For Cooler Weather

September 18, 2018ALL, Entree, Fall, Side, Soup, Winter93

10 Vegetarian Soup Recipes To Get You Excited For Cooler Weather featuring chilis, stews, dumpling soup, minestrone, and more!

Here in the Midwest, we are at that point in the year where I’m just so ready for cooler weather and comfort food in the form of easy and flavorful soups. Any else with me? Well here are 10 vegetarian soup recipes to add to your dinner menu in the coming weeks:

1. This Creamy Vegetarian White Chili recipe that is cozy and filling (with vegan option). Ideal for healthy weeknight meals or chilly afternoons.

Spiced Carrot Soup with Green Tahini Swirl

January 6, 2018ALL, Soup, Winter11

In a hurry? Click here to JUMP TO RECIPE!

This Spiced Carrot Soup with Green Tahini Swirl recipe is full of vegetables and topped with green tahini dressing. A perfect soup for cold weather meals.

Happy New Year! Hope you all are having a wonderful 2018 so far. I usually start off the year with a bang here at VV with a plethora of new healthy recipes to get your year going. To be honest thought, things are starting out a bit slow around here while my studio space is in limbo (the floors are getting redone next week so everything is packed in boxes in the basement). I just keep telling myself it’s going to be so great when it’s done and I’m hoping to be back into my weekly routine in the next few weeks once the construction is finished up later this month.

In other news, we are on about week 3 of freezing temperatures that hover in the negatives. I’m all about bundling up and being active in the winter but these temperatures make it hard to be outside for more than a few minutes. Instead of taking winter hikes and exploring our new neighborhood, I’ve been hulled up inside the house downing cups of tea and eating endless soup…like this Spiced Carrot Soup with Green Tahini Swirl!

The green tahini may sound familiar to you and it’s because I just shared it on a pita / egg situation with you last month. I can’t help it…this sauce is just that good. I’ve been making batches of it and then using it for dressing, drizzled on eggs, drizzled into soup, and as a dip for veggies.

The soup itself is a pretty standard pureed carrot soup that I upgraded with extra spices and a ton of toppings. I love how flavorful you can get purreed soup but often times get bored with the silky texture so I usually always like to finish them with a few crunchy vegetables and some sort of seed (or other crunchy addition).

5 from 1 vote

Spiced Carrot Soup with Green Tahini Swirl

This Spiced Carrot Soup with Green Tahini Swirl recipe is full of vegetables and topped with green tahini dressing. A perfect soup for cold weather meals.

Ingredients

For the Soup:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion diced
2 celery stalks diced
1 pound carrots diced (+ more for topping)
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup whole milk
salt / pepper to taste

For the Green Tahini:

1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
1/4 cup parsley chopped + more garnish
1 garlic clove peeled
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Za'atar optional but recommended (+ more for topping)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice

For garnish:

Sesame seeds
parsley chopped
chives chopped
chili pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

For the soup:

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add in onion, celery, carrots, and a dash of salt and saute for 5-7 minute or until soft.
Add in garlic, chili powder, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper and saute for another 30 seconds.
Next, add in vegetable broth and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to medium-low and let simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft.
Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Stir in the milk and season with salt and pepper.

For the green tahini:

Meanwhile, while the soup is simmering, In a high speed blender or food processor, blend the tahini, cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, za'atar, salt, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water until creamy and no lumps remain. If it's too thick to drizzle then add more water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

To Serve:

Scoop soup into serving bowls and swirl with green tahini. Top with chopped carrots, sesame seeds, parsley, green onions, and chili pepper flakes. Serve warm.

Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies with Cardamom Orange Caramel

December 17, 2017ALL, Sweets, Winter8

In a hurry? Click here to JUMP TO RECIPE!

This Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies with Cardamom Orange Caramel recipe deserves a spot on your cookie tray this holiday season. It’s melt in your mouth buttery and spiked with aromatic cardamom and orange caramel sauce.

Wow – how did we already get to the last VV recipe of the year? It feels just like yesterday I was whipping up this Creamy White Chili and fretting about the political future of our country. So much good has happened this year for me – I released my first cookbook, we bought our first home – but I won’t go into too much detail yet as I usually do a yearly wrap up that is still to come. For now, I need to focus on the fact that Christmas eve is ONE WEEK AWAY! I haven’t even started shopping yet. Yikes!

Have you ever had those Danish shortbread cookies that come in all sort of different shapes in the blue tin? My brother and I always received a tin for Christmas growing up and I remember so vividly fighting over who would get the sugar coated pretzel shaped one because that was our favorite. It makes me smile now because they were all the same cookie but just different shapes but I was so positive as a kid that I didn’t like the round ones, only the pretzel and square ones. Anyway, I bring this up because these taste exactly like those cookies. Well, exactly like those cookies + more because of the citrus-y caramel sauce.

Speaking of this caramel sauce, it’s good. Like lick the spoon and be-careful-you-don’t-eat-it-all-before-you-put-it-on-the-cookies delicious. The cardamom is subtle but compliments the bright citrus and sweet caramel flavors perfectly. It reminds me a bit of nutmeg in the way that most non-bakers might not be able to put their finger on what it is they are tasting but they just know they like it.

Anyhow, hope you have a wonderful holiday season and I’ll probably check in one more time before the end of the with my annual yearly wrap up. Until then, catch me on Instagram because I’m obsessed and post over there daily.

5 from 2 votes

Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies with Cardamom Orange Caramel

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

This Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies with Cardamom Orange Caramel recipe deserves a spot on your cookie tray this holiday season. It's melt in your mouth buttery and spiked with aromatic cardamom and orange caramel sauce.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Sweets

Servings: 3 dozen

Ingredients

For the cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter cold and diced into pieces
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup coarse sugar

For the caramel sauce:

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 tsp cardamom
2 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp orange extract
coarse sea salt for finishing (optional)

Instructions

For the shortbread:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 2/3 cup sugar. With the stand mixer running on low, add in the vanilla extract and salt. Next, add in the flour slowly and mix until the mixture comes together to one big dough ball.
Place coarse sugar in a shallow dish and set aside.
Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough and use clean hands to shape 1-inch balls. Roll the ball in the coarse sugar until completely coated and transfer the dough balls to the prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
Use a wine cork or your clean thumb to press a small indentation into each dough ball. Transfer to the freeze and let chill for at least 10 minutes (this will make sure the cookies don't spread too much while baking).
Bake for 14 - 18 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and use the cork to press down on the indent again if it puffed up while baking. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

For the caramel sauce:

While the cookies are baking, combine the brown sugar, cardamom, and unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil. Once boiling, continue to cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and orange extract. Set aside.
Pour the caramel sauce into the indents of the cookie and sprinkle with a tiny bit of coarse sea salt.

Roasted Grape Crostini with Chevré and Rosemary + Scenes From Fox Island

November 30, 2017ALL, Appetizer, Fall, Side, Snack, Winter5

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This Roasted Grape Crostini with Chevré and Rosemary recipe is the perfect accompaniment to your next cheeseboard or appetizer table. This post was made in collaboration with and sponsored by the generous folks at La Brea Bakery but all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

I’ve had a lot of ‘pinch me’ moments this year. After spending the previous 2 years focusing all of my time writing my book, I knew I wanted to devote this year to traveling and more freelance. When I set that goal last January I could not have even begin to guess the opportunities that were in store for me. Not only did I triple my freelance work this year but I also found excuses to go out to the west coast three times. Excuse me, you want to fly me to a beautiful cabin in the woods with some of my favorite blog friends to cook up a storm for 3 days? Uh DUH!

Last month I had the pleasure of joining some of my favorite blog friends on Fox Island for a weekend shoot which involved cooking, catching up, exploring the nearby towns, a picturesque sea view, and eating so much delicious La Brea Bakery Bread. The weekend revolved around three main meals that we each were in charge of preparing one item for: a cocktail hour, a formal dinner, and an elegant breakfast spread. Krissy and I took charge of the cocktail hour with this Roasted Grape Crostini with Chevré and Rosemary (recipe below!) and a Aubergine Spread. For dinner, Alanna made a Golden Vegetable Chickpea Minestrone, Sasha served a Fall Panzanella with Roasted Squash and Creamy Lemon Pepper Dressing, and Eva finished the evening off with a Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Drizzle. The next morning we enjoyed Natalie’s Coconut French Toasted with Poached Apples and Pecans and Trisha’s Shashuka with Chevré and Fresh Herbs. Needless to say, we did not go hungry over that weekend.

All of the food shared one common ingredient: . All La Brea Bakery bread begins with a starter from 1989 (the same year I was born! Woah!) and each loaf takes at least 24 hours to make which means more time for complex flavors to develop. We sampled an array of delicious varieties that weekend but the Sesame Semolina Loaf was my favorite. I’m pretty excited knowing that I can even find these loaves in my smallish city because that means even more french toast is in my future!

Now onto this Roasted Grape Crostini with Chevré and Rosemary recipe. I love how effortlessly this appetizer comes together, making it a perfect option when you want to impress your guests but not go to too much trouble. I like to keep the grapes in small clusters, for a striking presentation, and then just let the guests pull off the stems if they wish. Make sure to cut the La Brea Bakery French Baguette into thick slices to allow the flavors to soak into the open, airy crumb of the loaf’s interior.

Scroll below for the recipe and scroll below that for even more photos of the weekend.

Roasted Grape Crostini with Chevré and Rosemary

This Roasted Grape Crostini with Chevré and Rosemary recipe is the perfect accompaniment to your next cheeseboard or appetizer table.

Servings: 10

Calories: 125 kcal

Ingredients

For the roasted grapes

1/2 pound grapes (I used a mix of concord and red) split into small clusters
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
4 sprigs rosemary

Everything else

1 La Brea Bakery French Baguette sliced and toasted
4 oz chevre
Zest from 1 orange

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss grape clusters in olive oil and salt and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle rosemary sprigs around the baking dish.
Roast for 20 minutes or until most of the grapes have blistered but haven't burst.
Arrange La Brea Bakery French Baguette slices in a single layer on a serving dish. Divide the cheese evenly between the slices and top each one with a small grape cluster.
Garnish with orange zest and serve right away.

More photos from the weekend and the other meals:

Cranberry Molasses Mulled Wine + A Giveaway

November 24, 2017ALL, Drinks, Thanksgiving, Winter12

In a hurry? Click here to JUMP TO RECIPE!

This Cranberry Molasses Mulled Wine recipe is perfect for chilly winter evenings or big holiday events. Serve it with a few orange slices and fresh cranberries for a stunning presentation.

First off, I didn’t post yesterday because I was with family but I just want to say that I am so thankful for all of you here! So many of my favorite opportunities would not be possible with VV and VV would not be possible without all of you. You are the best.

And happy BLACK FRIDAY! Did you wake up at 2 AM to wait in line for that new laptop? Oh wait, I’m still living in 2001 – stores open at like 8 PM on Thanksgiving now. Or does everyone just do their Black Friday shopping online these days? I’ll admit that I’m guilty to snagging a few deals today on CB2 and West Elm for our new house (which we are closing on in ONE WEEK! eeeep!).

Tapenade Tarte Soleil with Pine Nut Marscapone

November 20, 2017ALL, Appetizer, Side, Snack, Thanksgiving, Winter6

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This elegant looking Tapenade Tarte Soleil with Pine Nut Marscapone recipe can actually be whipped up in under an hour and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your holiday feast or cocktail party! Please note that this post was sponsored by Alessi Foods. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

A Tarte Soleil what with a helping of Marscapone who? Yeah – that is what your guests are going to say when you whip out this gorgeously delicious appetizer and they stare back in amazement at how sophisticated you have become. This sun-shaped puff pastry star may look super complicated but it can actually be made in under an hour and can even be prepared a few hours ahead of time so you aren’t scrambling the last few minutes before people arrive.

Pumpkin Farro Risotto with Roasted Winter Vegetables

October 23, 2017ALL, Entree, Winter10

In a hurry? Click here to JUMP TO RECIPE!

This Pumpkin Farro Risotto with Roasted Winter Vegetables is a great vegetarian holiday entree option or the perfect dinner for a chilly winter evening.

DISCLAIMER: This post was sponsored by Nuts.com but all opinions are, of course, my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make VV possible.

I’m extra excited about collaborating with Nuts.com today because this post is part of their holiday Local Pantry Donation Program so all of the income I would normally be making from this will be being donated to my local pantry. They were even kind enough to send so much farro that I’ll be able to donate a few bags to my pantry as well! As if Nuts.com wasn’t already on my favorites list (how else do I get my hard to find ingredients in our small Indiana town?), this really wonderful charity initiative definitely put them up there!

Roasted Beet Hummus with Hazelnut Oil & Rosemary

October 11, 2017ALL, Appetizer, Fall, Side, Snack, Winter39

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This Roasted Beet Hummus with Hazelnut Oil & Rosemary recipe is a bright snack worthy of serving to guests but simple enough to enjoy with weekday meals.

The gateway into my hummus obsession was the mediocre store bought stuff with bland flavoring (hey there, “roasted garlic”) which I would consumed by the tub in college as a meal along with some warmed up pita bread. The actual amount I consumed in those 4 years in obscenely too much and my over indulgent lead to the point where, even to this day, I can’t help but wince when smelling a certain brand I frequented during those coming-of-age years.

Potato Grape and Rosemary Pizza

April 5, 2017ALL, Entree, Winter4

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This homemade Sweet and Savory Vegetarian Potato Grape and Rosemary Pizza Recipe is the perfect meat-free weeknight dinner!

Anyone else beyond excited for spring produce? I feel like a little kid anxiously waiting for their birthday that is still weeks away. The weather feels like spring and my body is begging for a crisp spring salad but my garden is still all soil. I’m trying to give winter it’s one last hurrah while I (not so) patiently wait by incorporating winter ingredients into things that my taste buds just cannot resist, no matter how much they are over winter: pizza, pasta, and well…more pizza. That brings me to this gem I’m sharing today; this Potato Grape and Rosemary pizza skips the heavy tomato sauce for a light rosemary-infused olive oil spread over a crispy crust that is then topped with thinly sliced boiled tomatoes, juicy tart grapes, savory provolone, and salty Parmesan. It’s all garnished with more rosemary, a hint of heat from red pepper flakes, and the tiniest bit of sweet from a drizzle of honey. It has a lot going on all while perfectly balancing the irresistibly addicting sweet and savory flavor we’ve all come to crave (or maybe that’s just me craving it?).

Healthy Cardamom Banana Bread Pancakes

March 16, 2017ALL, Breakfast, Winter7

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These Healthy Cardamom Banana Bread Pancakes pack an extra punch of flavor! Perfect for a quick breakfast or lazy brunch any day of the week.

I’ve felt a bit torn lately. To be completely honest, between writing the book, traveling, freelance, keeping up with VV, building a magazine, and working at the music distro, I’ve been really busy the last few years. It hasn’t been the kind of busy I dread or hate but more a sense of feeling in my element and thriving on creating rewarding work. Despite really enjoying all of this, I did start to feel the constant stress of having a huge to-do list in my clenched jaw, my tight shoulders, and my slight weight gain (although I think I could chalk that up to a slowing metabolism as I inch closer and closer to 30). Sometime towards the end of last year, I decided I would finish up some of these projects and not book new ones. I decided to make a goal that come the new year, I would pair down my life to enjoy the “little things”. January came and went in the busy haze that I’ve become use to. But then upon returning from California last month, I’ve began trying this whole “slowing down” and enjoying the little moments.

Matcha & Blood Orange Tiramisu Cups

March 9, 2017ALL, Sweets, Winter1

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These Matcha & Blood Orange Tiramisu Cups are an earthy and citrus twist on the classic! This dessert is layered with creamy matcha custard and orange soaked ladyfingers.

St. Patrick’s Day is next week and I have your green dessert (that doesn’t revolve around green beer) all ready for you! Some people see holidays as an excuse to hang out with friends and drink all day long. My introvert self sees holidays as an excuse to turn up some music and hang out with myself in the kitchen cooking up a festive dish. To each their own, right?

Creamy Quinoa and White Bean Risotto with Crispy Brassica Florets

February 28, 2017ALL, Entree, Vegan, Winter16

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This Creamy Quinoa and White Bean Risotto with Crispy Brassica Florets is from The First Mess cookbook. This healthy plant-based main dish is chocked full of protein (from the quinoa and white beans) and satisfyingly creamy. A perfect cozy meal for chilly evenings or to serve to for a crowd.

Today’s recipe comes from Laura Wright’s new cookbook, The First Mess cookbook. I should warn you ahead of time that I may get a little fan girl in this post since I’ve been a huge fan of The First Mess since I got into blogging 5+ years ago. Laura has this way of making vibey plant-based recipes so flawlessly accessible that you can’t help but want to try them all. She manages to make these amazing healthy drinks and meals that feel like the perfect balance between something you’d find in a new issue of Bon Appetit and your hippie neighbor’s potion cabinet.

Blood Orange Sorbet with Red Wine Hot Fudge Sauce

February 7, 2017ALL, Sauce, Sweets, Winter1

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This Blood Orange Sorbet with Red Wine Hot Fudge Sauce recipe is perfect for Valentine’s Day or to make after a romantic dinner at home.

Let’s talk about Valentine’s Day! I’m obviously not the super cutesy, deck the house out in pink kind of person (as you can tell by my somewhat normal photos for this post). I do, despite not getting super into the spirit of it, enjoy setting aside an evening to just hang out with Wyatt. After being together for almost seven years, it’s good to have a reminder to spend some romantic time together. For the first few years, we’d cook together on Valentine’s Day. Then it turned into me cooking for him. And now we are at the point where we just get pizza from our favorite place (they make it heart shaped on Valentine’s Day) and make a dessert together. I’ve really learned to love this routine – when I cook every night, taking a break and ordering take-out feels like such a wonderful treat.

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Winter

Quick Starters and Appetizers

1. This Creamy Vegetarian White Chili recipe that is cozy and filling (with vegan option). Ideal for healthy weeknight meals or chilly afternoons.

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