After several years in the big city, I moved to a cabin in the woods of Northern California. Inspired by local ingredients I create simple, beautiful, healthy recipes anyone can make.

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Rosemary Mushroom Kebabs are great on the BBQ or you can roast them in the oven. Using rosemary sprigs (instead of wooden or metal skewers) will herb-infuse your vegetables as they cook. I stacked mushrooms, marinated tofu and bell peppers on mine- but you can literally put anything on them, even meat. If you can find a rosemary bush, it’s preferable to pick the sprigs yourself, as the stems will be heartier than the store bought kind, and easier to poke through veggies. Cut veggies big, so they won’t fall apart as you “string” them.  Remember certain items cook faster than others, so separate them onto different kebabs if necessary. Serve your results on top of rice, or alone with a (yogurt? tahini?) dipping sauce. By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast
Rosemary Mushroom Kebabs are great on the BBQ or you can roast them in the oven. Using rosemary sprigs (instead of wooden or metal skewers) will herb-infuse your vegetables as they cook. I stacked mushrooms, marinated tofu and bell peppers on mine- but you can literally put anything on them, even meat. If you can find a rosemary bush, it’s preferable to pick the sprigs yourself, as the stems will be heartier than the store bought kind, and easier to poke through veggies. Cut veggies big, so they won’t fall apart as you “string” them.  Remember certain items cook faster than others, so separate them onto different kebabs if necessary. Serve your results on top of rice, or alone with a (yogurt? tahini?) dipping sauce. By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Rosemary Mushroom Kebabs are great on the BBQ or you can roast them in the oven. Using rosemary sprigs (instead of wooden or metal skewers) will herb-infuse your vegetables as they cook. I stacked mushrooms, marinated tofu and bell peppers on mine- but you can literally put anything on them, even meat. If you can find a rosemary bush, it’s preferable to pick the sprigs yourself, as the stems will be heartier than the store bought kind, and easier to poke through veggies. Cut veggies big, so they won’t fall apart as you “string” them.  Remember certain items cook faster than others, so separate them onto different kebabs if necessary. Serve your results on top of rice, or alone with a (yogurt? tahini?) dipping sauce.

By Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

It is the Jewish holiday of Tu B’shvat today, the New Year of the Trees! Those who celebrate it have a meal this evening with 15 different types of fruits and nuts, drink 4 cups of wine and plant a tree together. Lovely idea, isn’t it? In modern times, many Jews have connected Tu B’Shvat with ideas of environmental awareness and sustainability. photo © Erin Gleeson

It is the Jewish holiday of Tu B’shvat today, the New Year of the Trees! Those who celebrate it have a meal this evening with 15 different types of fruits and nuts, drink 4 cups of wine and plant a tree together. Lovely idea, isn’t it? In modern times, many Jews have connected Tu B’Shvat with ideas of environmental awareness and sustainability.

photo © Erin Gleeson

This salad is so simple and colorful. Just slice or chop 2 carrots, 1 purple cabbage, 5 radishes and 2 blood oranges. Toss together with a handful of golden raisins. Make a simple dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and the juice from one more blood orange. Use a couple of the outer cabbage leaves as bowls for a pretty look. A wintery citrusy delight! Photos and Illustration © Erin Gleeson
This salad is so simple and colorful. Just slice or chop 2 carrots, 1 purple cabbage, 5 radishes and 2 blood oranges. Toss together with a handful of golden raisins. Make a simple dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and the juice from one more blood orange. Use a couple of the outer cabbage leaves as bowls for a pretty look. A wintery citrusy delight! Photos and Illustration © Erin Gleeson

This salad is so simple and colorful. Just slice or chop 2 carrots, 1 purple cabbage, 5 radishes and 2 blood oranges. Toss together with a handful of golden raisins. Make a simple dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and the juice from one more blood orange. Use a couple of the outer cabbage leaves as bowls for a pretty look. A wintery citrusy delight!

Photos and Illustration © Erin Gleeson

Sunchokes (a.k.a. jerusalem artichokes) are a gnarly looking vegetable, but quite tasty! They are similar to potatoes, but less starchy. This roasted combo goes great with soup on a winter day. Photos and illustrations © Erin Gleeson www.theforestfeast.com
Sunchokes (a.k.a. jerusalem artichokes) are a gnarly looking vegetable, but quite tasty! They are similar to potatoes, but less starchy. This roasted combo goes great with soup on a winter day. Photos and illustrations © Erin Gleeson www.theforestfeast.com

Sunchokes (a.k.a. jerusalem artichokes) are a gnarly looking vegetable, but quite tasty! They are similar to potatoes, but less starchy. This roasted combo goes great with soup on a winter day.

Photos and illustrations © Erin Gleeson www.theforestfeast.com

This Persimmon Pear Cake is a nice twist on the traditional pumpkin bread. It’s denser than cake, which is why you don’t need icing. Peel, cube and cook persimmons and pears in a small pot on the stove (add a bit of butter and water to get it simmering).  Mash it up until you get about 1 cup of puree (depending on the size of the fruits, you may need another persimmon or pear). Combine this fruit mixture with all the other ingredients and bake in a round spring form pan. A light drizzle of honey, plus nuts if you like… and serve it warm! Photos and Illustrations © Erin Gleeson
This Persimmon Pear Cake is a nice twist on the traditional pumpkin bread. It’s denser than cake, which is why you don’t need icing. Peel, cube and cook persimmons and pears in a small pot on the stove (add a bit of butter and water to get it simmering).  Mash it up until you get about 1 cup of puree (depending on the size of the fruits, you may need another persimmon or pear). Combine this fruit mixture with all the other ingredients and bake in a round spring form pan. A light drizzle of honey, plus nuts if you like… and serve it warm! Photos and Illustrations © Erin Gleeson
This Persimmon Pear Cake is a nice twist on the traditional pumpkin bread. It’s denser than cake, which is why you don’t need icing. Peel, cube and cook persimmons and pears in a small pot on the stove (add a bit of butter and water to get it simmering).  Mash it up until you get about 1 cup of puree (depending on the size of the fruits, you may need another persimmon or pear). Combine this fruit mixture with all the other ingredients and bake in a round spring form pan. A light drizzle of honey, plus nuts if you like… and serve it warm! Photos and Illustrations © Erin Gleeson

This Persimmon Pear Cake is a nice twist on the traditional pumpkin bread. It’s denser than cake, which is why you don’t need icing. Peel, cube and cook persimmons and pears in a small pot on the stove (add a bit of butter and water to get it simmering).  Mash it up until you get about 1 cup of puree (depending on the size of the fruits, you may need another persimmon or pear). Combine this fruit mixture with all the other ingredients and bake in a round spring form pan. A light drizzle of honey, plus nuts if you like… and serve it warm!

Photos and Illustrations © Erin Gleeson