Ever since Starbucks took personalized beverages mainstream, we have become a culture of customization. We love designing our lives from top to bottom, from our homepages to our shoes. You can even put your photo on a bikini (try it on Anymatic) and create your own energy bars. We just can’t seem to get enough of having it our way.

So it’s no surprise that dinner in my house is a customized affair. And I don’t mean that everyone gets to order their own meal. But to insure that each of five appetites is satisfied, I have to deconstruct dishes down to their components. Grains, vegetables, protein and sauce each go into separate serving bowls. Then everyone can concoct a personalized feast.

This fragrant brown rice needs no embellishment but welcomes add-ons. The irresistible golden crust known as tah dig (or tahdeeg) is what Iranian cooks stake their reputations on. Because it takes careful technique to pull it off, I turned to Najmieh Batmanglij, the Ina Garten of Persian cooking. Her encyclopedic chapter on rice in Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies makes we wonder if we’re not the only ones obsessed with customizing.

There are two ways to cook the Chelow, or saffron steamed rice, the first being the more traditional stovetop method, which yields the thickest and crispiest tah dig. The rice cooker method requires less attention and is surprisingly easy to master. Though long-grain basmati rice is more traditional, brown basmati is my preference for a more rustic whole-grain spin. Turn it onto a serving dish, slice it into wedges, and serve it as a base for just about any sautéed or grilled vegetable or a meatless stew (see the ideas at the bottom of this recipe).

It’s that rare recipe to please all appetites. And if bespoke is the new black, I’m in.

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You might also like these whole grain recipes:

• Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
• Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Olives
• Mediterranean Couscous Salad
• Spring Green Farro Risotto

Become a subscriber or send in a comment to enter the May giveaway here.

To enter our Cooking Contest and win the brand new glass beverage holder with sippy spout from Lifefactory, send in your favorite Spring recipe here!

Photo credit: Bon Appetit

This post may contain affiliate links. Though all content is unsponsored, some items mentioned editorially may have been provided at no charge to the author.

I’m always trying to teach my kids how to have their own sense of balance. I want them to learn to appreciate the yins and yangs of life…to know when to excel and when to exhale.

It’s not always an easy lesson. But we know that incorporating balance wherever possible can improve our well-being and even our health. It can moderate stress and boost our immunity to disease. Apparently it can help our cooking taste better, too.

I learned this while preparing for my class on Macrobiotic Cuisine, which I taught last month with Yuta Tsunoda, the spirited and visionary owner of the popular M Café chain here in Los Angeles. In macrobiotic cooking, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and fish form the basis for a holistic, unprocessed diet. Only natural sweeteners are permitted, but dessert is encouraged a few times a week. As Mr. Tsunoda explained, “Balance trumps everything.”

There’s a delicious equilibrium to macrobiotic cooking. Take this creamy corn chowder, for example. Completely vegan, it’s a perfectly calibrated mix of salty and sweet, land and sea, light and luscious.

Fresh lotus root is worth hunting for at your local Asian grocery or farmers market. The starchy tuber adds a crunch of the unexpected…especially when deep-fried into chips. I like to sprinkle mine with truffle salt…a big improvement on oyster crackers, for sure!

I also discovered dulse, a type of seaweed that comes in granules. A sprinkle adds natural saltiness and a briny twist to soups, salads, even pasta.

One glance at the glowing young beauties that frequent M Café and you’ll be tempted to give your life a complete Macro makeover.

Or you can just take it one slurp at a time.

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Get your kitchen swag on! For a chance to win the May giveaway, send us a comment or subscribe via our “Get in Touch” subscription box on the left side of the home page. Enter the May Cooking Contest here.

Here are some more slurp-worthy soups for Spring (all vegan):

• Chaya’s Japanese Minestrone Soup
• Wild Mushroom-Leek Soup
• Spinach Soup with Chickpeas and Indian Spices
• White Bean, Leek and Potato Soup

Photo credit: MyRecipes.com

This post may contain affiliate links. Though all content is unsponsored, some items mentioned editorially may have been provided at no charge to the author.

This month we are giving away this groovy sippy cup for grown-ups! From one of my favorite eco-friendly companies, Life Factory, this 16-ounce silicon-encased glass beverage bottle, is perfect for bringing along with you anywhere. It is safe to leave in the car and in hot weather. The new top is easy to sip and won’t cause spillage.

To enter, you can either sign up for weekly recipes, cooking tips and Farmgirl fun in the “Get in Touch” subscribe box in the left-hand column, or (if you are already a subscriber), send in a comment here.

May is the time of year my stove gets its last workout for a while. Once summer rolls around, I find myself preparing more salads and firing up the gill rather than the burners.

But before I give the range a rest, I thought I would share with you one last stew — and it’s a goodie. If you haven’t implemented Meatless Mondays yet in your house, this is a perfect recipe with which to kick it off. With a compelling blend of Moroccan spices, sweet raisins and plenty of colorful veggies, it’s a meal in one, lovely to serve in ceramic bowls or a bright tagine.

Don’t be dissuaded by all the slicing — it’s a snap with a sturdy peeler (I love this one) and a handy V-blade Slicer (OXO makes a sleek one that’s a cinch to clean.)

If you’re intrigued, you’ll want to stock your pantry with ras el hanout, Morocco’s answer to garam masala. You can easily make your own (I like this salt-free recipe) or purchase it online (try this organic blend). If you prefer, replace the tofu with fish or chicken; just make sure to brown them separately before adding them to the stew.

No matter how you slice it, it’s a keeper of a stew. Which is why I’m not sprinting for summer just yet.

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More ideas for Meatless Mondays!

• Vegetarian Tamale Pot Pie
• Tofu Tikka Masala
• Vegetarian Jambalaya
• Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
• Quinoa Salad with Corn, Feta and Tomatoes

Photo credit: Blake Slatkin

How often do you hear about how fast this year has gone by? Among us middle-agers (I know, but I’m owning it), the light-speed pace of life seems to have replaced the weather and traffic as the new conversation starter. I, too, find myself marveling at how Memorial Day is just around the corner, and summer will be here in a few blinks.

I once had the privilege of being in the presence of a great Rabbi. He was visiting with friends here in L.A. on his way back to Israel, and he agreed to meet with a group of “seculars” to offer some of his wisdom. So I asked him if it is possible to slow down life.

And his answer has stuck with me ever since. He said, “Not possible. But if you savor each moment, time will appear to slow down.”

If you ask me, the words of the Rabbi were a ringing endorsement for dessert. Take the time to prepare one, and your day will seem to decelerate. Your family will linger a little longer at the table. And, instead of rushing off to complete your to-do lists, you just might pause to appreciate the meal and the company.

For a few sweet moments, life may not seem so hectic. Besides, you can always go back to talking about the weather.

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Here’s what else is on my menu this week…

• Spinach Salad with Beets, Avocado and Papaya Seed Vinaigrette
• Fried Artichoke Hearts
• Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
• Spring Carrot Sunflower Pate

Enter our Spring Giveaway and Cooking Contest for two shots at some covetable kitchen swag!

Photo credit: Amy Neunsinger

We food bloggers are a nutty bunch. Our refrigerators crammed with half-eaten recipe experiments, we spend hours trying to come up with words of some culinary consequence. We slog through late night mental blocks, vision blurred and glutes torqued. With a proud click, we send off our posts into cyberspace, hoping to share some quick inspiration, an idea for tonight’s dinner, or a clever new tip before they plunge beneath the fold into obscurity.

Why do we bother? For a lucky few, blogging pays the bills. But for most of us, what keeps us going is the satisfaction of connecting. Whether you live up the street or on the other side of the world, these words connect me to you.

Sure, when you make one of my recipes and love the results, I’m delighted. Pass it onto a friend and I’m really tickled. But even if you just stop by here occasionally, you can get a glimpse at what I’m cooking, what I’m learning, and who I am.

In case you’re wondering what’s on my mind lately, it’s salad. A beautiful bowl of fresh and raw goodness is what I crave as the weather gets warmer and farmers market offerings grow copious. This recipe features some of Spring’s best, and I think you’ll love the unusual tropical twist.

But now it’s time to get back to my kitchen. There’s lots of cooking to do before my next post. Besides, it’s the best way to cure a sore tush.

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Get into Spring shape with these other delicious salads:

• Israeli Tomato Feta Salad
• Arugula Salad with Parmesan-Hemp Dressing
• Mediterranean Couscous Salad
• Iceberg Wedge Salad with Light Ranch Dressing
• Radicchio Caesar Salad

Everything is coming up Spring! What is your favorite way to cook with the vibrant produce of the season? From asparagus to artichokes, radishes to rhubarb, your best Spring recipe is what we want! Think peas, ramps, fiddlehead ferns, favas, and everything in between. To enter, send in your recipe along with a blurb about you by May 31st.

All recipes will be acknowledged, tested and tasted. The winning recipe will be featured here on this website. This time, the swag will be extra special!

Good luck and happy cooking! Send in your entry here.

Announcing the winner of our March Cooking Contest!

Eydie Desser of Santa Monica, California, left a longtime career as a sales manager for CBS radio stations to earn a grand diploma from the French Culinary Institute in New York City. Turns out, following her dream led her to the man of her dreams. She now lives in Santa Monica with her husband and lovable dog, Snowball. 

Eydie has attended a few of my cooking classes, and her enthusiasm is contagious. I love her willingness to experiment and grow with her cooking. Here is her fresh take on roasting asparagus, just in time for Spring. If you like, add some grated lemon zest or Parmesan cheese in the last few minutes of cooking.

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Can’t get enough asparagus? Try these light and crispy Asparagus Fritters.

Photo: Leigh Beisch; Styling: Merilee Bordin

There’s nothing like faraway travel to breathe new life into your cooking. A voyage can inspire new cravings, introduce exotic spices, or even change your whole way of thinking about food. Recently, an epic Spring Break trip to Israel and Paris has really stirred things up here in the Farmgirl kitchen.

Take breakfast, for example. I pride myself on making something new and exciting for the family every morning — sprouted grain French toast, frittatas oozing with cheese and vegetables, matzah brei, and homemade granola are some of my go-to’s. But who knew salad was good for breakfast?

The Israelis do. In fact, during our week in Jerusalem, this salad showed up on the table at practically every meal. It’s delightfully minimalist, which means you want to find the best quality ingredients possible. Zatar (also spelled zahtar and za’atar) is an addictive mixture of thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds (some brands also contain marjoram, savory, orange peel, nigella seeds and hyssop). Once you try it, you will likely sprinkle it liberally on everything from soups to protein, even your morning bagel.

Where are you going to find good juicy tomatoes this side of summer? Try your local farmers market. On our coast, unseasonably warm weather has brought Spring tomatoes, the best ones grown hydroponically and organically. But if you can’t find them just yet, substitute slices of avocado, Persian cucumbers, hearts of palm, persimmon, asparagus…or sun-dried tomatoes.

It’s a perfect salad for entertaining on a large or small scale, for any meal of the day. But I recommend trying it for breakfast.

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We have a winner for the March Cooking Contest! Check back soon for the winning recipe.

Enter the April Giveaway for a chance to win this groovy cake stand and server set!

Photo credit: Kimberley Hasselbrink

Get ready for summer…go lean and clean!
   
Macro Makeovers with M Café
Thursday, April 26 10:00 am – 12 noon

What exactly is macrobiotic anyway?

Dana teams up with M Café Executive Chef Lee Gross to makeover your favorite comfort foods with macro flair. You’ll learn some of M Café’s secrets and cook the top-selling menu items!
 
 
Light and Easy Italian with Peter Garland, owner of Porta Via and Sirena (coming soon!)
Thursday, May 24 10:00 am – 12 noon

 
Farm-to-table favorites from one of Beverly Hills’ most popular (and adorable) restaurateurs!
 
One Class: $125; Two Classes: $225

Gift certificates, birthday parties, corporate and private classes available! Inquire here.
 
2-hour classes include recipe books, lunch, and a donation to a very worthy local charity. The first 25 people to sign up and send a check (made to “Beverly Hills Farmers Market, Inc.”) will be admitted. Seating is in order of checks received. Send to: Dana Slatkin / 9950 Santa Monica Boulevard / Beverly Hills, CA 90212.