I’m glad I put the whale decal next to Ellie’s changing table. I thought it looked weird at first, but she LOVES to stare at it every time I change her and it definitely makes that whole process easier.

I’m glad I finally went to the California Academy of Sciences, which I’ve been meaning to do FOREVER. Penguins are my favorite animal of all time, and I could seriously watch them for hours. I hope Ellie shares my affinity for these little birds because I can’t wait to show them to her.

I’m glad I stayed active during my pregnancy. I don’t think recovery from birth would be this easy if I hadn’t, and I’ve already lost over 2/3 of the weight I put on! Plus I can’t wait until I can tell Ellie about the races we ran together.

I’m glad I finally got around to making Panzanella this summer! I love this stuff so much, and it’s an absolutely perfect way to highlight fresh tomatoes. I add some white beans for extra protein, and keep it pretty simple by just tossing everything with a little garlic, fresh oregano, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.

I realize it might seem a little ridiculous to be posting this now, but this is when summer FINALLY arrives around here, so I’m not willing to give into pumpkin and apples and chili yet!

Recipe:
4 cups 1″ day-old bread cubes (ciabatta works well)
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups white beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste

Spread the bread cubes evenly on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven until golden and slightly crisp (10-15 minutes).

Toss the tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, oregano, and garlic together in a large bowl, then add the oil and vinegar. Stir in the white beans, then the bread, and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste, and more oil or vinegar if needed.

I make hummus all the time. I just love having it in the fridge as an easy snack, and it’s rare that I don’t have all the ingredients on hand. Baba ghannouj, on the other had, is a little more “special occasion” to me. The ingredients are pretty similar, with smoky eggplant rather than garbanzo beans, but the process is slightly more complicated.

There’s the charring of the eggplant that has to come first, and that takes a little more effort than just opening a can of garbanzos.

Some people recommend roasting the eggplant in a hot oven, others suggest putting it under the broiler. I will stick with the burner on my gas oven, even if it makes a little bit of a mess. The most crucial thing is to make sure the skin gets very charred, and the whole eggplant is very soft. Once that’s accomplished, the rest is easy! Like hummus, you’ll want to play around with the amounts listed. Some people like a lot of lemon, others prefer more garlic. When I have fresh mint around, I love to chop up a few leaves and mix them in to add another layer of flavor.

Recipe:
1 large eggplant
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp olive oil
fresh mint (optional)

Place the eggplant over a gas burner and turn every few minutes until all the skin is black and charred and the entire eggplant is very soft. Place in a bowl and cover with a clean towel. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, scrape off and discard the skin (I like to use a paring knife to scrape it off). Put the eggplant into the food processor (if there are a lot of large seeds, throw them out, but most of the time I don’t bother).

Peel the garlic and mash it up with the salt in a small mortar and pestle. Once you have a smooth paste, add it to the food processor with the remaining ingredients. Pulse until smooth, then taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve garnished with fresh mint

Don’t ask me why I made this dish in the middle of summer. I’m going to go ahead and blame the torrential downpour that kept me awake all night for making me think of fall and the rich foods that seem so appropriate when it’s cloudy and gray and pouring.

In the midst of the rain, I thought about pasta. Creamy pasta…or soba (even better than regular pasta). Garlic. Roasted cauliflower. It all sounded so perfect in the middle of a rainy night
Aside from the fact that it was 90 degrees out when I made this, it’s pretty close to perfection.

Cauliflower was an unexpected find at my grocery store. I hadn’t seen it there before, and was overjoyed when I spotted some tucked back by the broccoli. It was even reasonably priced, which is more than I can say for the asparagus ($6 for 8 bleak looking stalks? I think not.)

Recipe:
1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbps butter
5 cloves garlic, chopped (it sounds like a lot, but it will mellow)
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
8 ounces soba noodles

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for about 25 minutes, or until slightly browned and tender.
Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
While the water for the soba is boiling, put the butter in a medium saucepan and melt.
Add the garlic and stir over medium-low until very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add the milk and bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl, beat the egg well with a fork. Add about half the milk to the egg, stirring constantly.
Return the egg-milk mixture to the saucepan and add about 1/2 tsp salt. Stir constantly until the sauce begins to thicken.
Taste and add more salt if necessary.
In a serving bowl, toss the cauliflower, noodles, and sauce together, then serve immediately.