There’s a tangible sense of freshness in the air and life’s pace seems to be quickening as we move from the hibernation of winter and into spring. With longer days and a welcomed warmth ahead, slow afternoon lunches and sunset dinners outside beckon us to reconnect around the table and with the natural world. I’ve found myself setting the table and savoring this time outdoors again. I’ve teamed up with …

Happy Solstice & Happy Holidays! I’m writing you from a room filled with aromas of molasses, orange and almond paste. We’ve been baking all day, a variety of holiday cookies…and this orange black sesame cake! Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Vince Guaraldi Trio and the Vienna boys choir have been our soundtrack in the kitchen. Though it’s been a challenging year for all, these simple moments with loved ones remind me …

Hello from my cozy cold weather kitchen! This is the first year I’ve had a real winter in a very long time, with snow and everything! I traveled to Whistler for New Years and went snowshoeing up to a glacial lake. Growing up in Alaska, I’d forgotten how much I missed seeing epic mountains and powder covered cedars and spruce trees. Then I flew east to the Berkshires for a different …

Today is my birthday and I’m officially into my 30’s. 31, to be exact. For years now, I’ve had this funny tradition of baking my own birthday cake, which some people laugh at but most end up loving when they get to eat the leftovers of my recipe testing efforts. This year, I made a carrot cake. This super-moist double-layer carrot cake is spiced with cardamom and covered in a homemade …

It’s Mother’s Day this weekend, and I wanted to make something special for my mom while we share this holiday together for the first time in a while. We’re both Ayurvedic practitioners and foodies, so we’re often sharing kitchen stories, new product finds or Ayurveda articles with one another. A few years ago, I discovered Lotus Blooming Herbs and fell in love with their Chyawanprash. Their formula is …

I turn 30 today – on the new moon of December 7th. The same new moon I was born on. Call it auspicious or significant, whatever planetary alignment it is, it’s brought a tangible feeling of freshness and excitement into greeting this new decade ahead of me.

I’d be lying if I said this transition was welcomed with ease. In fact, I spent much of 29 fretting about turning 30. I …

I planted the first seeds for a food blog when I was living in Paris in 2010. I was attending Sciences Po to study international affairs and political science, but my real passion was wellness. I had just completed my yoga teacher training the summer before and was practicing Ashtanga avidly. On weekday mornings before school, I would walk from the 4th arrondissement across the bridge to the 5th to …

Last month, I traveled to Portugal for the first time. I knew even before the plane had landed that the trip ahead held magic and significance for me. Flying over Lisbon, I could feel that mix of curious excitement and assuredness that where I was heading was exactly where I needed to be. And it was. There are few places in the world where I’ve arrived and let out a …

This is my tried-and-true granola recipe. It’s versatile and easy to modify flavor combinations using a variety of fruits and nuts to shift the seasonal focus – think chocolate/cherry, banana/walnut, coconut/apricot and more. This holiday variety uses warming spices and mix of fresh apples and dried cherries, it has a bit of fruitcake quality with it’s cinnamon, citrus, ginger and fruit combo.

Both of these recipes – …