Ingredient: honey

Not Too Sweet Granola

Not Too Sweet Granola

I have a salt tooth. Even as a little kid, I was on the fence about candy. Sure, I’ll eat a little dessert here and there, but it’s not a driving force. At one of my first jobs out of college my office mates wanted to throw me a birthday party. I kindly requested that they didn’t buy a cake, but instead encouraged them to get a round of brie and pop a few candles on top. They did and it was perfect! Today I’m mostly “planty,” (my husband’s new perfect descriptor versus the rather dull “plant-based”) so I’d skip the brie, but maybe instead ask for a container of cashew cheese. Most granolas on the market are way too sweet for me, so I came up with this recipe that I think is just about perfect. Sometimes I have all the nuts and seeds listed below, but sometimes not — it’s a very flexible recipe. Often I’ll swap out some for things like ground chia (if you don’t grind the chia, the pesky little seeds embed themselves in your teeth) or hemp seeds. However, if you like things a little sweeter, just add more honey. Or if you prefer a richer, denser version, increase the oil. By the way, nuts and seeds go rancid pretty quickly, so I keep a small amount of the granola in a glass jar on my counter, but freeze the rest to keep it fresh.

Peanut Noodles with Edamame and Carrots

Peanut Noodles with Edamame and Carrots

For years when the girls were really young, anytime we were invited to a potluck or a picnic, I would always make these noodles. But then almost overnight everyone was gluten-free. At the time gluten-free pasta really sucked, so I stopped making this for public consumption, 

Apple Galette

Apple Galette

I’ve been making this apple galette for over twenty years. The recipe is from a cookbook entitled, Jacques Pepin’s Table. I’ve modified it a bit over the years to make it a little easier to remember. Basically, it’s 1 cup flour, 1/2 stick butter, 1 or 2 apples (depending), and a little honey and cinnamon. It’s been served at countless dinner parties, birthdays, anniversaries — just because — and most recently to help someone ease a broken heart. About 10 years Doug was at a conference and to break the ice they asked everyone their favorite food. He replied that it was my apple galette. Later it was revealed that the question really wasn’t about the food at all, but about who made the food and how you felt about them. Kinda sweet, right?