Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade

1.5 lbs chicken tenders, about 8 (you can use breast or thighs if preferred)

2 tbsp olive or avocado oil

2 tbsp miso paste (I used brown rice miso but feel free to use soy / what you have)

2 tsp ginger, minced or grated

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp mirin (Japanese cooking wine)

1/4 cup coconut aminos (can use soy sauce or tamari if you don’t have coconut aminos)

1 tbsp honey, or 2 if using soy sauce and not coconut aminos

2 tbsp fish sauce (optional)

A pinch of red chili flakes or aleppo pepper

Noodles and Broth

One package rice noodles

2 tsp miso paste

1 tsp ginger, minced or grated

1/3 cup mirin

4 cups chicken broth (one carton)

Green onion or chives (for garnish)

Cucumber Salad

Mixed greens

1 long English cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds

1 bell pepper, or 8-10 mini bell peppers, chopped

1 avocado, cubed

1/4 c rice vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tb honey or sugar (optional… not needed if you use coconut aminos since it is sweet)

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Red pepper flakes

Green onions or chives

Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients for the chicken marinade and pour into a large zip lock bag or glass container, along with the chicken. Ensure the chicken is fully coated with the marinate. Let sit for several hours or overnight in the fridge.

2. Once the chicken has been marinating for a while, heat oil in a pan and cook for a few minutes on each side. The chicken should look beautifully caramelized. Once fully cooked, set aside on a plate and cover so it doesn’t dry out.

3. Cook the rice noodles per the package instructions. Once done, make sure to rinse them in cold water so they don’t stick.

4. In a shallow pot, sautee the ginger with the miso paste. Deglaze with mirin and then add chicken broth. If you used the same pot you used to cook the chicken or noodles and it doesn’t look clear, you can strain it.

5. Slice the chicken you cooked earlier into strips and heat back up on the stove if not warm.

6. Assemble the bowls: add noodles, a few ladles of broth, slices of chicken and garnish with green onion or chives. Serve while it’s hot with a side of cucumber salad (instructions below).

7. To make the cucumber salad, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce or coconut aminos, sesame oil, honey (optional), ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and green onions. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and bell pepper. Mix in the avocado last so it doesn’t get mushy. Best if allowed to sit for 30 minutes so all the flavors merry together. To serve, lay down a bed of mixed greens and top it with the cucumber salad.

I recently picked up some beets from the farmer’s market, and the lady who sold them to me said the greens were good for eating. I decided to incorporate them into this frittata and so glad I did because they paired perfectly with zucchini and pesto. The flavor is similar to swiss chard and actually not bitter as I thought they might be.

Ingredients

• 8 eggs

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

• Brie cheese, thinly sliced (for topping)

• 1 tsp salt

• Black pepper

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into thin rounds

• A handful of greens, chopped (I used beet greens, but spinach, kale, or Swiss chard all work)

• Pesto (homemade if possible)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking dish with parchment or lightly grease it to prevent sticking. I used an 11-inch round pie pan.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ricotta, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

3. Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the zucchini rounds. Avoid stirring too often so they can brown nicely.

4. Once tender, reduce the heat and stir in the pesto. Let it warm so it loosens and coats the zucchini.

5. Add the greens and cook until just wilted but still vibrant—about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to taste.

6. Spread the zucchini–pesto mixture evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over it. If the veggies float, gently stir to distribute them evenly. Top with slices of brie.

7. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer jiggly.

ENJOY!

I had a slice with my brown bread, cheese, and tangerines ⬇️

Ingredients

Kofta

2 lbs ground beef

1/2 onion, minced

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

One handful parsley, chopped finely

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (optional)

1/2 tsp baharat or berbere spice mix (signature flavor)

2 tsp salt

Black pepper

Vegetables

4-5 Eggplants

2 bell peppers, orange and red, sliced across the top into pretty round slices (optional, for topping)

2 roma or vine ripe tomatoes, sliced (optional, for topping)

Sauce

1 oz can tomato sauce (16 oz) OR one 6 oz can of tomato paste

Juice of ½ large lemon or one small lemon

1 tsp sugar

Generous pinch of salt, to taste

Rice

2 cups basmati rice

3 cups water

2 tsp salt

1/2 tablespoon butter (optional)

A drizzle of olive oil

To Prepare and Cook the Eggplant

1. Peel the eggplant into a stripe pattern, leaving about an inch between stripes. Cut the eggplants into long stripes, about 4-5 per eggplant. Generously salt both sides. Let sit for 15 min to let the salt draw out the water.

2. Once eggplant has withdrawn significant moisture, pat dry with a towel until as dry as can be.

3. Drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil and spread evenly. Then, place prepped, dry eggplant on top. Brush the top of the eggplant with a generous amount of olive oil. No need to add more salt, but you can add pepper.

4. Bake at 450 until tender and golden, flipping the eggplant midway through.

To Prepare and Cook the Kofta

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Shape the koftas, longer than they are wide, making sure they are not too thick as they will shrink when they cook.

2. In a pan on the stove with some oil, brown the koftas on all sides. They will not be completely cooked yet and will finish cooking in the oven. Set aside.

To Make the Sauce

1. In the same pan you browned the koftas, remove charred bits.

2. Heat oil and add tomato paste. Stir until the paste “wakes up,” then add water until it reaches desired consistency. It should be saucy. Alternatively, if you are using tomato sauce, you won’t need to add as much water. Let simmer for a bit, then lastly add the lemon juice, sugar, and salt to taste. You can also add a dash of baharat, garlic powder, pepper or other spices to your liking.

To Make the Rice

1. Rinse the rice well using a strainer. You can even soak it for 15 min which will make it cook even faster.

2. Add the rice, water, salt, olive oil, and butter to the pot and bring to a boil.

3. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cover until rice is cooked, about 15-20 minutes.

To Assemble the Caserole

1. Roll the koftas into the strips of eggplant.

2. Brush the bottom of the casserole dish with a thin layer of the sauce mixture.

3. Lay down the eggplant-kofta roll-ups, side-by-side until they take up the entire dish.

4. Pour tomato sauce all over, allowing it to seep through. Make sure you have enough sauce to really coat all the roll-ups. This ensures the eggplant and meat cook well and gets tender.

5. Optional: top with tomato slices, followed by the bell peppers so that each round covers a tomato.

6. Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes. The tomato juices should be bubbling and the tomatoes and bell peppers should look fully cooked.

7. Top with fresh parsley and serve with rice.

My nana’s tree is currently overflowing with the most delicious persimmons! I look forward to harvesting them every fall season, especially since the flavor is so much better than the ones from the supermarket. Lately I’ve been eating one every day, but I also can’t resist finding creative ways to bake with them. This upside-down cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet is sweet, tender, and just a little rustic — caramelized persimmons on top, golden crumb underneath, and pure fall comfort all around.

Fun fact: There are two common varieties of persimmons you are likely to come across: Fuyu and Hachiya. This recipe uses Fuyu as they are firmer and therefore sliceable to make a lovely topping on this upside-down cake. I didn’t have Hachiya on hand when I made the recipe, but if I did, I’d love to try swirling it into the batter for a stronger persimmon flavor!

Ingredients

For the Topping:

• 2-3 ripe fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

For the Cornbread:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup cornmeal

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or even better, vanilla paste)

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup whole milk

• ⅓ cup avocado oil (or any other neutral oil)

• 1/2 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)

Directions

1. Prepare the skillet and topping
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In an 8-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom evenly. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter, then arrange the persimmon slices in a single layer on top. Set aside.

2. Combine the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Mix the wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, then add the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla, stirring until fully combined. Fold in the corn kernels.

4. Combine wet and dry ingredients
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir gently until just combined.

5. Assemble and bake
Pour the batter evenly over the persimmon layer in the skillet. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Cool and invert
Allow the cornbread to cool in the skillet for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, place a plate over the skillet, and carefully flip to release the cornbread, with the persimmon topping facing up.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Sage & Walnuts

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash

• Oil spray or drizzle of olive oil

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

• 2 egg yolks

• ½ tsp salt

• dash of nutmeg

• 4 tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter

• ¼ cup fresh sage leaves

• ¼ cup toasted walnuts, chopped

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Roast the squash:
   Heat oven to 375°F. Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, and lightly coat with oil spray or a drizzle of olive oil. Roast cut-side up until soft and caramelized, about 1 hour. Scoop out the flesh and blend until smooth.

2. Thicken the purée:
   Cook the purée in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until thick and dry enough to hold its shape. Cool slightly.

3. Make the dough:
   Mix 1 cup cooled purée with flour, Parmesan, yolks, salt, and nutmeg until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. The dough will be quite sticky.

4. Pipe and cook:
   Transfer dough to a piping bag (no tip needed) and make a cut off the end (how much you cut will affect size of the gnocchi). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Pipe 1-inch pieces directly into the water, snipping with a knife or kitchen scissors as you go. Cook until the gnocchi float, 3–4 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.

5. Make the brown butter sauce:
   Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until golden and nutty. Add sage leaves and let them gently infuse in the butter for 2–3 minutes. Toss the freshly cooked gnocchi in the sauce to coat evenly. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

6. Serve:
   Plate, spoon over extra butter from the pan, and finish with Parmesan and walnuts. Serve immediately.

Turkey Meatballs with Apple, Fennel, and Sage

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey

• ½ apple, diced small

• ½ onion, diced

• 5 sage leaves, finely chopped

• 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp chili flakes

• 1 egg

• 2–3 tbsp breadcrumbs (optional, for firmer meatballs)

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Olive oil, for sautéing

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics:
   Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes, until translucent. Then add the minced garlic, chili flakes, sage, and fennel seeds until everything is combined and smells fragrant. Let cool slightly.

2. Mix:
   In a bowl, combine the sautéed mixture with ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs (if using), apple, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined — don’t overwork it.

3. Shape:
   Form into meatballs and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Cook:

   • To pan-sear, then bake (searing creates more flavor): Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Then finish cooking in the oven, about 12-15 minutes.

   • To bake only (less mess): Drizzle or spray with olive oil and bake at 400°F for 15–18 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

5. Serve:
   Serve alongside the butternut squash gnocchi, or drizzle with a little of the brown butter–sage sauce for a cohesive, cozy fall meal.

I love having biscotti on hand — they’re the perfect little treat to dunk into tea or simply snack on throughout the day. There’s something so satisfying about their crisp texture, whether enjoyed as-is or softened just slightly in a warm cup. With fall in full swing, I wanted to bring a seasonal twist to the classic by adding pumpkin purée and cozy spices. The result was delicious — crisp, aromatic, and full of autumn comfort. And since they’re twice-baked and become quite firm, they keep beautifully for weeks!

Ingredients

(Yields ~24 cookies)

Dry ingredients:

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix (or your own blend of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves)

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ⅓ cup dried cherries

• ⅔ cup dark chocolate chips

• ¾ cup pistachios, roughly chopped

Wet ingredients:

• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree (I increased mine slightly)

• 2 large eggs

• ¼ cup melted butter or neutral oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

2. In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour through salt). Then stir in the dried cherries, chocolate chips, and chopped pistachios.

3. In another bowl whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter (or oil) and vanilla until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix (by hand or with a spatula) until a dough forms.

4. Divide into two equal portions. (Tip: It will be quite sticky, so it will be easier to shape into logs if you wet your hands.) With damp hands, shape each portion into an approx. 11″ × 3″ log on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten the top of each log gently. Bake for ~30 minutes at 350 °F.

5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice each log on the bias into 12 equal pieces. Arrange the slices on their sides, reduce oven temperature to 325 °F, and bake an additional ~22 minutes (flipping halfway through) until crisp.

6. Cool completely on a wire rack before storing. Keeps in an airtight container for days (or gift-bag them!).