Recipes
Chimichurri Rhubarb Slaw
Rhubarb is the star of this stunning slaw. Often overlooked as a seasonal vegetable, the raw flavor is tart and fruity, with a satisfying crunch. Combined with a complimentary mixture of purple cabbage, carrots and shallot, it brings a rainbow of color and texture to your spring salad plate. To fancy it up, we created a crispy curl to the thinly sliced rhubarb by giving it an ice water bath. A vinegar based dressing seasoned with our Chimichurri Spice brings it all together beautifully. This blend has bold flavors with a mild fruity heat. Traditionally this Argentinian blend gets paired with fresh herbs and grilled meats, but here it adds earthiness to the salad. Because we couldn't resist, we topped it with a final wow factor with a sprinkle of brined Kampot peppercorns for a burst of salty spice.
Learn morePink Pepper Cardamom Bars
Rhubarb is a perfect flavor combination with strawberries. To jazz it up, we added spices! Piney Cardamom Seed and lime zest accent and elevate the fruit base. Crunchy walnuts add texture and to the oat crumb topping and Pink Peppercorn give a tingly pop of flavor. These fragrant bars are citrusy and have fruity sour layers, and the spices really bring something new to the table.Rhubarb and strawberries are delightful in these bars, but you can try other fruits and berries too, like raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. The recipe is endlessly adaptable. If you're feeling decadent, top the bars with whipped cream!
Learn moreGrandma's Lemon Wedges
You can never have too many lemon bar recipes, but this one is the only one that you need. This was my Grandma's recipe, and the stains on the recipe card are a testament to how often it's been made. Most lemon bars are made too sweet to cut the tartness of the lemon, but the addition of the glaze in this recipe balances out the sweet and tart lemon flavor perfectly. Sometimes I add poppy seeds to the shortbread crust or sprinkle sumac on top just for fun. These can be made in a square pan and cut into bars, but look pretty cut in wedges too. Make these and I'm sure that they will disappear as quickly as they always did in our home.
Learn moreButterfly Horchata
Aguas frescas vendors line parks in Mexico with their rainbow of brightly colored beverages. Of them all, horchata is my favorite. A creamy rice and almond blended brew with wisps of mild and exotic flavor from true cinnamon. Refreshing and sweet, horchata cuts the heat from popular Mexican street food and makes a perfect pitcher for any backyard BBQ. This season, we've given it a festive color boost with ice cubes made with butterfly pea flowers. Start a day ahead to make the ice and soak the ingredients for the horchata. The next day blend it up and you're good to go! As the ice cubes, melt they'll turn your horchata a sweet lavender color. True cinnamon might be thought of as more powerful or better than cassia cinnamon, which isn't the case. Of the two, cassia actually has stronger and spicier flavors whereas true cinnamon is more mild and less heat-forward. True cinnamon's soft bark makes it quick and easy to grind at home but also makes it more evanescent. Having fresh sticks and only grinding when need makes all the difference!
Learn moreSticky Tamarind Salmon
Here's a stunning, fresh new recipe for your next side of salmon. The sticky tamarind glaze is layered with flavor - toasted cumin for nuttiness and Limón-Chile for a touch of heat. This glaze comes together quickly and gets brushed on the salmon both before and after cooking. The fish is started on the stovetop and finished in the oven to create the perfect texture. Spoon a generous measure of glaze over the top to finish the salmon with cilantro and orange zest. Accompany this salmon with rice or turn it into a sweet and sour fish taco. There's a fusion of flavors on this platter that will become a favorite.
Learn moreAsparagus Mimosa
The complement of texture and flavors that come together in this simple dish are a celebration of spring. Tender asparagus is kissed with Provencal Seasoned Salt and a little char from the grill. Watercress is nested in and the salad is topped with finely grated hard boiled eggs. The fine, fluffy eggs are said to resemble mimosa flowers for which the salad is named.To keep it simple and bright, our vinaigrette combines Lemon Herb Pepper, white wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard. This dish is light, simple, and familiar. Easy to make ahead and serve cold. You can also add bacon, capers, radishes or other garnishes.
Learn moreRaspberry Pearl Sherbet and Cava Float
Jasmine Pearl tea is hand-picked and rolled green tea leaves. After harvest, the tea is laid out and covered with jasmine blossoms before being rolled. The resulting brew releases the light, heady scent of jasmine into your cup. Here we have combined the tea with tart raspberries and honey to compliment the floral aspects in Jasmine Pearl and created an elegant sherbet. With just a splash of vodka to preserve the flavor and consistency and after a quick spin in the ice-cream machine, voila! The flavors are sensational. While incredible on its own, this sherbet shines when added to a flute of brut cava or champagne. Garnish with a few fresh raspberries and you have the perfect drink to kick off patio season.
Learn morePancakes in the Wild
These pancakes are so good you'll want to enjoy them for more than just breakfast. In our family they began showing up at lunch, and for potlucks and then camping trips so they became "pancakes in the wild". Created by one of the the best Moms we know - here is their story:"Imagine a little boy who never stops moving. Even when standing still he is bouncing. He's a little engine that needs constant fuel and yet is mysteriously never hungry, won’t sit down to eat, and will then melt down from low or spiking blood sugar. Add a couple of diagnoses to that mix and you have my son, age 8.""He loves pancakes, and who doesn’t? One very smart doctor, who was also a mom, advised me to try to hide more nutritious foods inside the foods he likes. Oh, and did I mention he only will eat one food item at a time? Hot dogs, and nothing else, for days. Tortellini, and nothing else, for days.""So pancakes. I started with a regular pancake and little by little, so invisibly he didn’t notice, I morphed that pancake into a tasty bundle of protein and slow burning energy for him. Inflammation inhibits executive function. With this in mind, I started with the Gluten-Free mix to try to reduce any inflammation in the body that wheat might be causing. Next, I doubled the number of eggs. Eggs are brain food and protein! Then I used whole milk for calories, calcium, and more protein — a perfect slow burning fuel. Instead of butter, I opted for coconut oil, another brain food, and most importantly the almond flour. Nuts are rich with good oils and protein. They help hold down those blood sugar spikes that result in crashes.""As a result, I ended up creating a beloved family recipe. My son has been triumphantly devouring these pancakes for the past ten years! I tried more and more almond flour but there comes a point when they become too nutty tasting for him. Try working out your own favorite proportions. You can also thin the batter for a more crepe-like result and spread it with nut butter, apple butter or, best of all, Nutella (my daughter’s favorite)."A few pro tips:- For busy (or lazy LOL) parents, you can mix a big batch and keep in the fridge for several days. Just add a little more liquid each time so the batter softens up and you're good to go!- When you make a batch, make a few extra to have on hand as grab and go snacks for hiking or packing lunchboxes.- And for the campers and picnic-ers, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl with a lid and the wet ingredients in a mason jar and you’re set to go. Put the coconut oil in a tiny mason jar and you can use it to hold any bacon grease (if you go full classic American breakfast).
Learn moreTostada Salads with Limón-Chile
Here's a great way to eat healthy and enjoy every bite, colorful tostada salad toppers turbocharged with Limón-Chile! Tostadas are a fried corn tortilla kept flat for easy loading of ingredients and we made two different salads to top this crunchy treat. Our first one was a shrimp salad, tossed in a creamy avocado and tomatillo dressing. To make the flavors sing, we garnished generously with Limón-Chile seasoning to add warm heat and tart 'pops' of flavor. For the second tostada, we kept it vegan with roasted Delicata squash. The cooked squash adds sweetness that contrasts with all of the textures in the raw vegetable medley. We lightly tossed the salad in olive oil and added our Limón-Chile, giving it a nice tang from the lime salt and sunny Marash chiles.Create your own tostada bar at your next neighborhood cookout! The sky's the limit with these crunchy canvases.
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