Fava Bean Spread

I've found this recipe in today's newsletter from Farm Fresh to You. I happened to have arugula and lots of fava beans that needed to be taken care of. I didn't need more than that to get started!

Edamame and Chicken Pasta Salad

Quick pasta salad with leftovers of farfalle + edamame + chicken. Stir-fry everything over medium heat for 2 minutes or so, with a bit of sesame oil and soj sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Eat warm or cold. It is that easy!

Broccoli Crunch Salad

What I like about this recipe by Heidi Swanson is the combination of veggies + 1)  sweet (coming from the apples + the honey/lemony/almond butter dressing) and 2) crunchy (coming from the almonds + the pan-fried shallots). The only ingredients I'll avoid next time are the raw shallots and red onions. But it's a question of taste.

Roasted Beets with Beet Greens and Goat Cheese Crostini

Do you know that you can cook the beet greens as well? For example in this recipe which uses the beets in the salad and the beet greens over the crostini. 

Belgian Tart with Fresh Summer Fruit

While hanging around at the Mountain View library last week, my eyes were caught by this book: "Everybody Eats Well in Belgium", by Ruth Van Waerebeek and Maria Robbins. That's the book I've  always wanted without knowing it. When I lived in Belgium, I didn't particularly look for Belgian food. I didn't do any Belgian recipes either. But since I've been living in California, I miss some of them, especially the baked goods... So I immediately borrowed the book, went home, and tried a recipe. I chose to bake a fresh fruit tart like the one I used to buy at my favorite bakery on Sundays, back in Belgium. The crust is unlike any other pastries I've ever eaten. I do not mean better, nor worse: just different. It's my "Madeleine de Proust". Sort of.

Tofu Smoothie

Another easy and delightful way to use tofu. I'll give you the basic recipe. You can add any fruit you'd like to that base. Here, I've added 2 peaches (the first of the season!).

Mushrooms with Bok Choy

This recipe immediately took my attention because: 1) I never know what to do with bok choy (except to put them in miso soups) and 2) the bok choy was prepared with a mixture of ginger/soy sauce/Balsamic vinegar, which seemed very appealing to me. I was right. It was good.

Whole Wheat Muffins

While I was preparing these muffins, I was doubtful. The batter was so dark (whole wheat flour+molasses) that I was wondering if they would turn out good ...The answer to my anguish came from my daughter Adele: she ate 2 muffins right from the oven and asked for a 3rd. 

Linguine with Fava Beans, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Garlic

Initially, I wanted to try this recipe : pasta with cream of fava beans, feta, and wild garlic. But I ended up doing a slightly different one. First, because my fava beans were so tiny, I did not have enough to make a "cream" out of them. Secondly, I forgot to buy feta cheese. Third, I couldn't find wild garlic. So here is my version:

Almond Lemon Cake

If you like the combination almond + lemon, you'll love this cake. Delicious at tea time or even for breakfast. Its texture is very soft and spongy. Very close to the angel cake's. I've made this cake twice. The first try was disappointing because I used a baking pan that was too wide (9''). For the second try, I've used a 6''. Much better.

Wheat and Oat Tart Shell

My sister is here! What a pleasure to have her over, spend some time together, talk, laugh, and ... eat.   My sister asked me to prepare some of the recipes she read about in my blog. So I haven't tried any new one, except for this Wheat and Oat Tart Shell, adapted from a book I just received from ... my sister: Mes recettes bio et saines au son d'avoine, by Alice Hart. I particularly like this recipe because the dough is quick to do and easy to roll out. You just have to spread it with a spoon on the baking pan.  Needless to say it is also very good.

Ligurian Artichoke Frittata

The first time I have eaten these tiny artichokes was when I met my in-laws in their hometown in Liguria, Italy. It was one of the first local food that Alberto's mom prepared for me. I was used to the big artichokes you need to steam or boil, and I was surprised to discover this variety that Alberto's mom cut in slices and stir-fried before adding it to different dishes: frittata, pasta, risotto and such. Unfortunately, my mother-in-law never follows any recipe. It took me a while to find one that gives me a frittata as good as hers.