Food | DanaSlatkin.com

Cashew Cheese with Chipotle

04/01/2013 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Here’s a lovely serving suggestion from chezbettay.com

...adapted from Heirloom Catering. Spring 2013 is sure to be a defining moment in our country’s history. As our Supreme Court grapples with the legal boundaries of marriage, I find myself thinking about my own margins of acceptance. When I was a kid, I gravitated to the familiar. It was comforting to eat the same foods every day, to be with friends who had similar backgrounds and personalities, to cling to routine. But as I get older, I find myself wanting to try the untried. I crave new tastes, new ideas, anyone and anything that’s out of the box. Maybe that explains one of my new infatuations. It’s rich and creamy, part cheese, part spread, with a smoky pep. And it’s just a little unconventional. This quirky vegan recipe … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dairy-free

Pan-seared Tandoori Fish (or Tofu) with Mint Chutney

02/25/2013 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Last week, something happened on the way to my latte. I was reaching for my favorite white chocolate powder, which I always stir into my coffee, when I noticed the ingredients on the label. Well, sort of. Squinting to read the microscopic words (yes, I’m now that age), I realized I couldn’t pronounce any of them. It dawned on me that I had been greeting each day with a scoop of chemicals. After resolving last month to try and eat less c.r.a.p. (chemicals, refined sugar, artificial ingredients, and processed foods), I had been tanking my best intentions every morning. Bummer. Did I have to dump another indulgence down the drain? I peeked into my cupboards, scrutinizing the boxes of food I had stocked simply out of habit, convenience, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fish Recipes

10 Ways to Get Inspired by Vegetables

01/16/2013 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Many of you have asked me how to add more vegetables to your diet in the New Year. So I thought I would reprint my recent interview in Food + Wine Magazine. How do you get your veggies on? Write to me and share with our readers! By Emily Thelin, Food + Wine Magazine Make a weekly trip to the farmers’ market. Fall in love with what’s on the stands. There’s always something colorful and appealing, and always someone enthusiastic to tell you what to do with it. If your farmers market closes for the winter, take a trip to the produce section of a natural foods store. Be sure to visit a local farmers market whenever you are in a warmer climate. Don’t be ashamed to use frozen veggies, because if they save you time, you’ll be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 90210 Style, At the Market, In the Kitchen

Scallion Pancakes with Sweet Soy Dipping Sauce (Gluten-free)

12/17/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Makes about 2 dozen small (about 3-inches in diameter) pancakes, or 6-8 servings It’s beginning to feel a lot like…get me to January 1. If you’re already over the holidays, you’re not alone. All the forced festivity, cloying crooning and nonstop consuming can start to grate on nerves. But in light of the heartbreaking tragedies in last week’s news, let’s count our blessings. In the final stretch to the finish of 2012, I get busy cooking. For those I love. For those who are suffering or struggling. For those who are no longer here to enjoy the holidays. One ritual I always look forward to: Chinese food on Christmas Eve. It’s practically a cultural imperative. Some years we head to our favorite local restaurant for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, Holiday Recipes, In the Kitchen, Side Dish Recipes, Snack Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Quinoa Vegetable Latkes (gluten-free)

12/04/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

Makes 12 3-inch latkes Pull out that cast iron pan, stockpile your potatoes and onions, arm yourself with oil. It’s latke time. This month I’m knee-deep in them. After pouring through shelves of Jewish cookbooks over the years, testing countless recipes and swimming in oil every December, I think I’ve finally managed to master the perfect latke. For the past decade or so, I’ve stuck with what works, a failproof formula that somehow manages to get raves every time. I have gradually made some minor tweaks to the recipe, adjusting the potato to onion ratio, adding zucchini, and honing the process down to a few steps. For you traditionalists, here is the recipe. But if you’re willing to stretch a little this year, I have a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes, Dairy-free, Gluten-Free Recipes, Holiday Recipes, In the Kitchen, Side Dish Recipes, Snack Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Clusters

10/30/2012 By Dana Slatkin 1 Comment

Here’s a treat to make for Halloween that won’t bust your healthy streak. As you know, dark chocolate and coconut is my favorite dessert combo. Sprinkling these chunky mounds with a little grey salt makes them extra addictive. And the recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make. Each one is two bites of heaven. Thanks to Courtney Sander for submitting her simple and delicious recipe. I’ll be putting these on my Thanksgiving and holiday menus, too! Disclaimer: This post may contain totally benign and well-intentioned affiliate links. All content is unsponsored, uncensored, and undeniably honest. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dessert Recipes

Healthy Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pudding with Gingersnap Crumble

10/23/2012 By Dana Slatkin 1 Comment

Once you become a mother, you never think of cooking the same way again. It becomes so much more than a personal endeavor. Cooking can be a loving act of nourishing, or a familial ritual of sharing. And, as I discovered recently, it can be the perfect side dish to sympathy. A few nights ago, our 13-year-old daughter — a beautiful, blossoming yet hormone-plagued gamine — had an epic meltdown. It began as a completely normal spasm of anxiety over a heavy homework load, but by 11 pm it had escalated into explosive convulsions of exasperation. The more I hopelessly tried to calm her down, the louder she sobbed, until finally I just stopped talking, stroking her hair like my mother used to do for me. Eventually, my stressed-out … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dairy-free, Dessert Recipes

Pumpkin Banana Breakfast Muffins

10/16/2012 By Dana Slatkin Leave a Comment

When I think of Fall, the thing that really gets me drooling is pumpkin. The minute Starbucks starts pushing their Pumpkin Spice Latte, I know I’m whipped. It’s the flavor I most associate with the season, and it’s one you’ll be seeing around here often. I’ve already got a stack of pumpkin recipes to try, so last week I stocked up on cans of organic purée (Trader Joe’s makes a good one and I like this brand), sweet spices, a variety of whole-grain flours for baking, and pumpkin spice syrup (for my morning coffee, ‘course). On top of my pile was a recipe from the always reliable Cook’s Illustrated — a new and improved Pumpkin Bread. I envisioned a wholesome, energizing breakfast … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breakfast and Brunch Recipes