Carrot Salad with scallions, nuts & raisins

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So sorry for the lack of posts lately! Baby Ezra has been keeping me busy, but now I am officially back to work- and excited to be working on 2 new Forest Feast cookbooks! One for kids to learn how to cook, and one that’s entertaining focused- both slated to come out sometime next year!

Jonathan gave me a spiralizer for Valentine’s Day a couple years ago (he knows the way to my veggie lovin’ heart) and I use it all the time. You can find them online for less than $10…there are all different types, but mine is like a big pencil sharpener and works beautifully with carrots and zucchini. I always look for fat carrots, as they spiral more easily and don’t break off at the tip. I’ve been getting rainbow carrots at our grocery store lately, but even regular carrots make this dish beautiful and colorful. Also, this salad does very well when made in advance, so it’s great for entertaining.

Also, I’m excited that my blog has been nominated for the Better Homes and Gardens Blogger Awards in the “Everyday Eats” category. To see all the other awesome blogs and to vote, click here.

Happy cooking!

Watermelon Tomato Salad

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Hope everyone had a fun Labor Day weekend! Guess what- we had a baby boy! Little Ezra has arrived and we couldn’t be more excited, grateful, happy or in awe! Now we are a forest family.

As we enjoy these last days of summer, I thought I’d share a recipe that I did for the current issue of Remedy Quarterly, a fantastic foodie magazine that everyone should know about.

Enjoy!

Peach Caprese

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I recently went peach picking at a friend’s place up in Sonoma County and came back with a TON of peaches! (thanks for all your peach recipe ideas!) This salad is one of my favorites and I make some version of it all summer long!

Peach Caprese

serves 4-6

3 peaches, sliced

1 large (heirloom-type) yellow tomato sliced

1 large (heirloom-type) red tomato, sliced

small handful fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn

1 (8-oz) ball fresh mozarella cheese or burrata, torn into bite-sized pieces

olive oil, flaky salt (like Maldon) and freshly ground pepper

Scatter all ingredients on a platter. Drizzle the top with a good quality olive oil (try my Forest Feast x PRMRY finishing oil, it’s perfect for this), plus salt and pepper. Enjoy!

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Artichoke Potato Salad with Arugula

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I love a good potato salad, and I find roasting the potatoes a bit tastier, perhaps for those crunchy edges. My mom puts sweet pickles (cornichons) in her potato salad, and I thought I’d try a twist on that by adding marinated artichoke hearts. They add some vinegary tang which I like. Plus the spiciness of the arugula makes for a good combo. Happy outdoor summer dining!

This recipe was part of a fun summer BBQ menu that I put together for InStyle Magazine. Check out the whole menu HERE.

Photos and illustrations by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Summer Menu Planning

It’s officially SUMMER! Out here in the woods, we are gearing up for some outdoor entertaining. Here are some Forest Feast favorites from summers past to get you going with your summer menu planning:Cucumber SangriaWatermelon BruschettaPeach SaladCu…

It’s officially SUMMER! Out here in the woods, we are gearing up for some outdoor entertaining. Here are some Forest Feast favorites from summers past to get you going with your summer menu planning:

Cucumber Sangria

Watermelon Bruschetta

Peach Salad

Cucumber Caprese Bites

ALSO! There are a few more California Forest Feast cookbook events coming up in the Bay Area:

Tonight! June 25th in Santa Cruz, 7pm Bookshop Santa Cruz

Tomorrow! June 26th In Oakland, 6-8pm at Umami Mart

July 14th: A special dinner event at 18 Reasons in SF (tix here)

Aug. 9th in Healdsburg at SHED (workshop at 12pm & signing at 1:30pm)

More info here: theforestfeast.com/cookbook Hope to see you then!