Fall Recipes from My New Book

My new cookbook, The Forest Feast Gatherings, was released TODAY! I couldn't be happier or more excited about how it turned out. It's got 100 simple vegetarian recipes geared for entertaining, and set up in menus for all different types of occasions, from a brunch, to a wine & cheese party, to seasonal dinner party menus. Plus it's loaded with even more of my photos and watercolor illustrations and several DIY ideas for hosting.

I wanted to share a couple recipes from one of my favorite menus, the Fall Feast. Each menu starts with a page like this:

Testing was fun. Friends and family actually hosted gatherings for all the menus in the book, making all the recipes to serve in one setting and then sent invaluable feedback on how much time it took to make everything, how it tasted, if there were leftovers, etc. Here are a couple favorite recipes from the Fall dinner party menu: 

Thank you so much to everyone who pre-ordered! Your free gifts should be arriving soon. And thanks to everyone who came out to my launch events in NYC last week. Thank you to Powerhouse and Paper Source for hosting. We had such a fun time! More photos in my newsletter, here.

For anyone in the CA Bay Area, hope you can come to the west coast launch party this Saturday from 5-7pm in Woodside. More info here. Drinks and snacks from the book will be served (free event)!

Cheers and Happy hosting!

Zucchini Recipe Round-up

It's that time of year when, if you have a garden (or a friend with one), you've got zucchini coming out of your ears! Below is a little round-up of my favorite Forest Feast zucchini recipes.

Also, I am gearing up for my book launch events in NYC next week for The Forest Feast Gatherings! If you live in the NYC area, I hope you'll join us on Wed 9/21/16 in Brooklyn or Thurs 9/22/16 in Manhattan. 

This Vegan Zucchini Almond Bread is so moist and delicious! I've made this recipe so many times and it is consistently delicious. I make loaves and intend to keep them in the freezer, but they get eaten almost immediately.

This Zucchini Fan Quiche is easy, pretty and tasty and works well for breakfast, lunch or a light dinner. I serve it alongside soup or salad. It also does well when made ahead or packed in lunches.

These Zucchini Latkes are like little savory zucchini pancakes. Potato is mixed in to make them more filling. You can make mini ones for a party appetizer (or for kids) or larger ones for a dinner entree.

Use a peeler to make this Carrot-Zucchini Ribbon Salad. Feel free to skip the flowers if you can't find any. Serve the salad cold, or throw the ribbons in a big skillet for 1 or 2 minutes with some cooked fettuccine pasta and butter for a more filling dish. It's also great with pesto!

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Cheers to late summer cooking & baking!

Mother's Day Brunch Menu

Are you hosting a Mother’s Day brunch and looking for recipe ideas?! Here is a little menu from the archives. It’s easy, seasonal, colorful and pretty. Start with this Peach-Basil Sangria, then serve a Strawberry-Cucumber Salad and an Asparagus Pesto Tart. 

And I have the perfect Mother’s Day gift for you: A Mother is a Story. The author, Samantha Hahn, is one of my oldest friends and is a crazy talented fashion illustrator (just check out her website! The painted quotes above are by her). This new book is full of her paintings and hand lettered watercolor quotes about motherhood and it’s a stunning gift.  We had a book signing together in Brooklyn last weekend, here are a few pics. 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Swiss Chard Roll-Ups from Fresh Made Simple

I was just sent an adorable new cookbook, and the watercolor illustrations are so sweet I had to share. The book is called Fresh Made Simple and all the recipes are displayed this way- no measurements or complicated instructions, just fun, simple illustrations. The style jives so much with my own that I had to try a recipe. I chose the Swiss Chard Roll-Ups and put my own twist on them, using a few different ingredients and they were delicious! A heartier lettuce wrap that would be fun to serve bar-style so guests can make their own. Great idea!

Top illustration is by © Katie Eberts and is excerpted from the book Fresh Made Simple by © Lauren K. Stein. Used with permission of Storey Publishing. 

Roasted Eggplant Salad

This is the type of salad I wish was always prepped and waiting for me in the fridge. I love it!  It’s simple and flavorful and you can easily add other items like a grain or fresh mozzarella to make it even heartier. Also, it’s easily made ahead of time so it’s great for entertaining. The recipe is inspired by an Ottolenghi salad that was in Bon Appetit last summer.

This summer I am growing nasturtium flowers in pots for the first time, just for salads, and I’ve found them super easy to grow! And those vines you see are hops. I’m growing them mostly for decorative purposes since they grow super fast and will trail my string of lights in no time!

Happy summer cooking!