Fall Recipes -

Sauteed Sweet Potato with Shallots, Chile & Lime

satueed-sweet-potato-shallots-chile-lime-recipe

Caramelized shallot and sweet potato come together with the zing of lime and heat of chile in this easy, healthy side dish or vegetarian main course.

Naked Root Vegetable Gratin

A crispy, succulent take on a classic pommes Anna--only with root vegetables instead of potatoes ... think of it as a naked gratin.

Kale Salad with Toasted Coconut Chips

I've been wanting to do a kale salad for a long time, and this is the one I wanted to make. Rubbing breaks down the cells and softens the kale, yet leaves all of its meaty taste.

Tangy Pumpkin Soup

Katie Chin's pumpkin soup recipe from "Everyday Thai Cooking" is comforting, velvety and zippy. Even better, it's simple and uses easy-to-find ingredients.

Comforting Brown Rice Porridge with Mushrooms

comforting-brown-rice-mushroom-porridge-recipe

Chef Louis Maldonado of Spoonbar here in Healdsburg, and most recently of Top Chef fame, turned me on to rice porridge. I conjured this one up recently and gave it a creamy spin with the addition of coconut milk.

Simple Butternut Squash Soup

This nourishing butternut squash soup is easy to make and freeze for quick meals to warm up chilly nights all winter long.

Slow-Roasted Mechoui (Moroccan-Spiced Leg of Lamb)

I was lucky enough to nab a leg of organic, sustainably-raised lamb from Montana's Willow Spring Ranch at Shelton's Market for this and was rewarded with succulent, juicy meat spiked through with spice. To find a source for grass-fed lamb (and other meats) near you for your Easter meal, check out Eat Wild. Serve this with quinoa, mixed greens, sliced black olives, thick slices of orange, thinly sliced fennel and red onion tossed with the dressing from this salad here.

Ribollita

Not only is this soup easy and flavorful and light and hearty all at the same time ... it's even better made the day before and reheated.

Beef and Barley Stew with Kohlrabi and Carrots

Chock-full of seasonal vegetables, this healthy beef and barley stew recipe nourishes body and soul an a chilly evening.

Brothy Lentil, Sausage and Farfalle Soup

Take that name to mean anything you please ... whether you make this soup out of chicken stock, turkey stock or vegetable stock, you can bet it'll be scrumptious. What elevates this above a standard chicken (turkey ... veggie) noodle soup are the copious amounts of carrots and celery, the beefy lentils, and the fun little topping of sauteed root veggies and sausage. PS - you can make this vegetarian and still have a super hearty soup.