Author: Chef M

The aroma of this sourdough bread is incredible. Fragrant lemon zest, woodsy thyme, and briny olives—just close your eyes and imagine you’re in the Mediterranean! For variety and color, I like to use a blend of mixed olives, including kalamatas, niçoise, and cerignolas, the plump red and green ones. You can easily find these olives in the deli section of your grocery store. The Parmesan, nutty and sweet, is sprinkled onto the crust after the loaf is baked. About the Dough: This is a delightful dough to work with. The olives act like natural steam injectors when baked, which makes…

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One of my favorite lunches is a Vietnamese rice noodle bowl. It’s fresh, it’s crunchy, and it’s bursting with awesome flavors and textures—I would eat one every day if I could. But because I shouldn’t, I created this dish with carrot noodles instead. The original rice bowls usually have julienned carrots, so that seemed like a natural derivation. You could spiralize all of the veggies this recipe calls for, but I like the difference in texture between carrot noodles, diced cucumbers, and sliced red bell pepper.

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Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter, and not forgetting Caspian . . . over the centuries many have sat at Cair Paravel, the castle where the kings and queens of Narnia hold court. Many remarkable banquets have been held there, but the dish that has been most well-received is based on eggs. Why? Because wherever and whenever you eat it—in the middle of nowhere or in some very tricky situation—it will always be like being at home.

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Spring is all about citrus for me and I celebrate it in all of my cooking. When I want to add apples to my spring recipes, as I do in this smoothie, I know that they are from cold store so I choose Pink Lady as they hold up well to storage, retaining so much flavour and a great sugar–acid balance. This easily made concoction will have you bouncing out of your skin.

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Muesli—a grain, nut, and dried-fruit cereal invented by a Swiss doctor—is great straight out of the bag over yogurt or with milk. You can also soak it overnight to create a cold, soft, porridge-like breakfast. I found that the perfect porridge proportions are two-thirds cup of muesli soaked with one-half cup of milk. The topper? Fresh fruit, naturally. An added bonus, it’s a very versatile recipe. Does someone in your house have a peanut allergy? Simply substitute the nut of your choice. You can also go less tropical and switch out the fruit with dried cherries, dates, and figs. Store…

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You can make this raw salad several hours ahead of time and it will pickle itself into deliciousness. This was adapted from a recipe by food truck chef Venus Van Horn of Magical Meatball Tour in Kansas City.

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A light and airy whole-wheat dough sprinkled with millet, coarse rye, oats, and sunflower and flax seeds—add some crunch to your lunchtime sandwich.

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Cheddar and dill is a classic combination. In this recipe, the cheddar is grated, not cubed, so it melts seamlessly into the dough when baked. This brings out the tangy notes of sourdough, and when paired with fresh dill, the flavor will knock your socks off. Try a few slices toasted with a warm winter stew or zesty vegetarian chili. About the Dough: This dough is sticky but well worth it, as the increased amount of water and gentle shaping helps to develop a more open crumb. To deepen the flavor and make it easier to score, the dough is…

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