Breakfast Banana Cake (with vegan option)

This cake is inspired by a banana-walnut-honey oatmeal I used to make years ago. I use oat flour and almond flour in this recipe, which provides a breakfasty nutty taste while still providing an incredibly tender and moist crumb. Just like oatmeal, this is a forgiving recipe that you can customize with your favorite add-ins!

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Homemade Chili Powder

One of the newest additions to my spice blends is this Homemade Chili Powder. The flavor profile is warm, complex, spiced (but not spicy!), and with hints of Guajarati flavors that I love! I originally developed it for a 5-bean chili, but I’ve also been sprinkling it on top of squash and potatoes before roasting, mixing it into yogurt with a pinch or salt, and adding it to scrambled eggs.

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Spring Chive Butter

This butter captures Spring for me- fresh, delicate, floral, herby… I walked out in our garden and saw these gorgeous purple chive flowers in full bloom. The flowers are so fleeting, but making this butter let’s me enjoy them for longer. Aside from being beautiful, with pops of pastel purple, the butter adds such a lovely dimension to so many dishes like eggs, toast, soup, risotto, etc.

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Green Carrot Top Sauce

If you are ever lucky enough to get carrots with their green tops still attached, don’t throw them away! This tangy, spicy, herby sauce is an amazing way to use the greens, and it complements the sweetness from the carrots so well. Finding ways to use all of the produce and minimize food waste always makes me extra happy.

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Amethyst multigrain mix

This multigrain mix is both stunning and delicious! The varying textures, flavors, and colors keep every bite exciting. It took a while experimenting with different grains and proportions, but I love the combination below and it’s become a staple in our pantry. The hearty, nutty flavor is really versatile so I use the cooked grains in all kids of dishes like grain bowls, stir fry, stews, fried “rice,” or even just plain with a little sesame oil and chopped scallions on top.

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Cranberry Apple Chutney

This cranberry apple chutney is my twist on a Thanksgiving condiment. I like having a savory option in addition to my usual Pineapple Cranberry Sauce. The spices work so well with the tart cranberries and sweet apples. I’m planning to serve this with crackers and cream cheese, but it would also taste great on sandwiches, on top of grilled tofu, and as an accompaniment on a cheese board.

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Blackened Brussel Sprouts

Three ingredients and minimal preparation means these stovetop blackened Brussel sprouts have taken over as our weeknight side dish of choice. With so little to hide behind, this technique for cooking the Brussel sprouts brings out amazing flavors and textures- salty, cripsy, deeply caramelized on one side, while being tender, juicy, and perfectly steamed on the other side.

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Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are inspired by the Salt episode where Waffles + Mochi’s trip to Japan results in them smearing miso on a chocolate chip cookie and then gagged having not yet discovered the meaning of “salt to taste.” The miso flavor is not overwhelming in these cookies, but combining the miso with sesame seeds and salt gives the cookies a really nice balance of sweet and savory.

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Peanut Butter Pie

Happy Pi Day! I love celebrating pi day- first because I think math is awesome (how can any cook not!?) and second because I love pie! This is a super creamy and airy, slightly sweet and slightly salty filling that really highlights the peanut butter flavor. If you are on a low carb or gluten-free diet, I’ve also made this in a Hazelnut Coconut Pie Crust and it is delicious. I’ll also admit to just putting it in serving cups, and eating it crust-less with a whole layer of chocolate sauce on top!

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Quinoa with Roasted Fennel and Onions

Last week’s ugly produce box came with a bunch of small onions and a gigantic fennel. With the chilly weather we are having, I was craving something nutty, toasty, and caramelly. I decided to make a quinoa dish with them instead this week. I wanted to keep the lovely roasted flavors as the highlight, so I complimented this dish with a light lemon dressing just to brighten it up a bit. I didn’t have any arugula or baby spinach, but I imagine it would taste great in this dish. I’d add it to Step 6- right when the quinoa is done- using the residual heat to wilt the greens. Please comment if you try this, or have other variations you want to share!

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Salted Dark Chocolate Almonds

My sister introduced me to the Skinny Dipped almonds- and I polished off a whole bag in two days! Inspired by those, I decided to make my own version at home. I think I actually like these almonds even more than the Skinny Dipped ones- they are slightly saltier with a thinner, silkier chocolate coating. I toast the almonds, but you can make this with raw almonds too if you prefer that flavor. Since there are only a few ingredients, I highly recommend using good quality dark chocolate and salt.

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Black Sesame Paste

I love tahini in pretty much anything, so it’s no surprise that I also love black sesame seeds. As the weather turns cooler, I start to crave comfort foods… like black sesame lattes! I find black sesame seeds especially satisfying, and adding it to warm frothy milk (or non-dairy alternative) feels really cozy. Making a batch of this black sesame paste makes it really easy to add a slightly sweet and savory, toasty, nutty flavor to dishes. Besides the latte, I like adding this to a chia pudding, oatmeal, and rice porridge.

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