Recipes

Bomb Leftover Mashed Potato Croquettes

5 min

This day-after-Thanksgiving recipe was inspired by my last trip to Amsterdam where you can find croquettes on just about every restaurant menu. When coupled with my desire to never let any mashed potato go to waste, the result is an easy and delicious way to make use of any holiday leftovers.  The recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled based on how much mashed potatoes you have on hand. Add Chorizo Bomb to your cold, sad mashed potatoes and you've got the perfect blend of gentle smoky heat that even the kids (even the ones who insist they hate potatoes!) can't get enough of. The truth is that you simply might not want to wait until you have leftovers to make this crowd pleaser, and I don't blame you.  

Heilala Vanilla Vegan Ice Cream

20 min

Here's a simple vegan ice cream that is velvety smooth and creamy, even without the dairy. It is a spectacular flavor canvas and you can take it in any direction, but we went classic with straight-up vanilla. Helped generously by our friends at Heilala, we were able to get the sublime flavor of fresh whole vanilla beans just by adding a spoonful of vanilla paste from the jar.This ice cream gets it's creamy texture from a stellar lineup of coconut, cashew and oats, and it's made light and airy with a spin in the ice cream maker. Opt for refined coconut oil to keep the vanilla flavor shining through. Aside from melting the coconut oil, this staple summer recipe doesn't even require a stovetop. Just measure everything into the blender and give it a whirl! Just imagine all the flavors you can make...chocolate, cinnamon, lavender, turmeric, and more. 

Noon Chai

Tackling new culinary challenges is one of my great joys, and I'm always on the lookout for new techniques to try. As it happens, I also love all things floral and pink so when I came across this Noon Chai, it went to the top of my list. Traditionally made for brides on their wedding day or for special occasions, the drink gets its beautiful color from aerating the green tea and adding a pinch of baking soda. The two react, creating a deep rouge color. Never did I realize that a cup of tea would require such a technique! After several failed attempts on mastering this delicacy, luck would have it that a wonderful customer at the spice shop gave me some important tips!The result was unlike any cup of tea I've ever had. The tea is creamy, floral and scented with Green Cardamom Pod, Star Anise and Roses — with just a little Himalayan Pink Salt. We garnished the tea with pistachios, rose petals and a star anise, making it a tasty afternoon treat. The marriage between sweet and salty is just perfect.A special thanks to Hassaan Arshad, for sharing his Mom's technique and giving me the tools to master this treat!