Simple sweet potato soup for spring

This is a light, fresh soup just right for spring. You can pull it together in minutes with just two pantry basics: a sweet potato and a can of coconut milk, which adds creaminess without overwhelming the flavor.

Add a little something extra — a touch of vinegar, a stalk of lemongrass and some time, if you have it, or a few drops of hot sauce — and you have a refreshing soup that's a perfect bridge from cold-weather curries to summertime gazpacho.

I threw this together after coming home from a long holiday to a mostly-empty pantry. Spring showers called for soup, but all I had for veggies were some lettuce and a lone sweet potato.

I zapped the potato in the microwave, opened a can of light coconut milk, and pulled a stalk of lemongrass from the garden. (I know, lemongrass is hardly a pantry staple. But if you have some, use it!) Everything went into a pot for half an hour, and I stirred whenever I passed through the kitchen. A splash of vinegar and a squeeze of lemon, and it was ready to go.

The result is a little sweet without being cloying — the vinegar really elevates the taste. Adults and spice-happy kids might like it with a drop or two of Sriracha. This one is definitely going into regular rotation: Even my coconut milk-averse, sweet potato-hating husband liked this and helped himself to a second bowl. (He says it doesn't taste like sweet potato; I say it does, and he just hasn't given sweet potatoes a fair chance.)

Springtime Sweet Potato Soup

To cook a sweet potato quickly, prick it several times with a fork and set it on a plate in the microwave. Cook on high for 8-10 minutes until soft, turning once halfway through. Let cool and peel.

The vinegar and lemon/lemongrass aren't essential, but they elevate this soup from good enough to mighty tasty.

1 medium sweet potato, cooked and mashed
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water (or broth)
1 to 3 teaspoons cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper
2 stalks lemongrass, stalk only, peeled and split in half lengthwise, and/or a squeeze of lemon juice
Sriracha (optional)

Stir together mashed sweet potato, coconut milk, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add lemongrass stalks, if using. Warm to barely a simmer, stirring occasionally. If using lemongrass, keep on the burner for 20 to 30 minutes, then remove the lemongrass stalks.

Purée soup with an immersion blender (or blend in batches, carefully, in a blender or food processor). Stir in vinegar, a teaspoon at a time, until it has the right amount of zip to suit your taste. (If you're adding lemon juice, this is the time to do it.) Season with salt and pepper. If it's too thick, stir in a little more water, broth, or coconut  milk.

Optional:  Serve with Sriracha for those who want to add a little more heat.

Farro with Sweet Potato and Black Garlic

As the holiday break neared, Anna and I commiserated (with good humor) about how busy we were. "Eh, it's going to be a Trader Joe's week, right?"

I knew exactly what she was talking about. I had already planned for a Trader Joe's week to make the busy season a little easier. My menu plan was based on whatever good stuff TJ's had to make meal time as easy as possible.

Here's one of the dishes I made, perfect for the post-holiday detox. This grain salad makes up for the stale holiday cookies we're all still nibbling. Delicious warm or cold, it's on the sweet side — a nice bridge as I retrain my taste buds to be happy with less sugary fare. It's filling and full of good-for-you ingredients. The photograph doesn't do it justice. I'm not sure it's possible to take a good photo of farro.

Everything in it can be found at Trader Joe's: fast-cooking farro, sweet potato, pomegranate vinegar, and — my favorite! — black garlic.

If you're unfamiliar with it, black garlic is simply fermented garlic. It's savory-sweet, garlicky without the bite. TJ's just recently started carrying black garlic, but it isn't always easy to find. I didn't see it the last time I was there and was worried they had already dropped it. The manager admitted "it's been sort of a dog for us," but they do still stock it. You can find it in specialty stores and online (including Amazon).

If you can't find it, no problem. Just sub some regular garlic. And if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, of course you can find these ingredients elsewhere.

Farro with Sweet Potatoes and Black Garlic

If you can't find black garlic, you can leave it out or substitute a clove or two of minced garlic, sautéed in a bit of oil. A bit of cooked sausage also would be a tasty replacement. Farro is one of my favorite grains, but if it's out of your comfort zone swap brown rice.

1 package Trader Joe's 10-Minute Farro (or 1 1/2 cups raw farro)
1 sweet potato, diced
1/2 head of black garlic, chopped
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
olive oil

Dressing:
4 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons pomegranate vinegar (or other fruity vinegar)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Cook farro according to package directions (if you're using raw farro, cook it however you do that — I've only used TJ's!). Whisk dressing ingredients together in a bowl.

Warm a spoonful of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced sweet potato and cook until soft and slightly browned.

Combine farro, sweet potato, garlic, walnuts, and dressing in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If salad is too dry for your taste, add a splash of olive oil and stir.

Mashed Potato Snowman

If you happen to live in a place where it doesn't snow,  like we do,  you might use this idea to make the kids have a little winter cheer with something else. It was the last hands on class I gave to second and third graders at school this year, after a series of edible craft sessions, which included sweet potatoes and green beans turkeys and a pea spread cemetery for Halloween.

The project to celebrate the end of the year was to make a snowman out of mashed potatoes and other foods, and the result was so much fun. We made those my son's classroom today with second and third graders. They were really thrilled to work on the project and eat it right away after finishing.

I baked the potatoes at home, and when I brought them to school, they were ready to be peeled with the tiny fingers and mashed easily with forks. Carrots became little noses, bell peppers for the mouths, but of course, some children's couldn't refrain to think outside the model and made...something completely different!

You will need: 

One medium organic baked russet potato per child
Enough mini carrots to make noses
Cooked black beans for buttons
Crimini  mushroom tops for hats
Red bell peppers for the lips
Cooked peas for eyes
Parmesan cheese to dust the snowman
Salt to taste



Invite the kids to peel and mash the potatoes, and use their imagination! You might be surprise that they might come up with something like this:

Or that:

The process is fun and can be a little messy, but they were so proud to see their artwork ready to eat with all their classmates when they finished:

Persimmon Cranberry Tea Bread (Vegan)

Persimmons and cranberries look like colorful jewels in these golden-colored little loaves. These make lovely gifts for neighbors, hosts, teachers and more during the holiday season. You can freeze them and thaw for gift-giving, or as a treat for your own holiday table.

Persimmons are one of my favorite California fruits and they’re plentiful and inexpensive. If you don’t have them near you, you can substitute apples or pears. I made one batch pairing persimmons with cranberries, with just a bit of candied orange peel, and a second batch with sweet potatoes instead of berries.

I’m baking vegan, nut-free loaves to minimize any awkward gift-giving issues. Don’t let the V-word scare you! These treats are perfectly tasty, though I admit they’re a little more crumbly than they would be with egg. You can substitute butter and egg for the vegan alternatives in the recipe if you prefer.

This is riffing off Mark Bittman’s master recipe for quick bread made with almost any fruit or vegetable. It’s a terrifically versatile recipe, much like buttermilk quick bread. You can tinker with fruit, veggies, and mix-ins as you like, and bake a full-size loaf, mini loaves, or muffins to brighten a wintry morning. If cranberries aren't your thing, try the sweet potato variation.

Persimmon Cranberry Tea Bread

Based on Mark Bittman’s Fruit-and-Nut or Vegetable-and-Nut Bread. To make the flaxseed egg replacer, blend 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water, and let sit 5 to 10 minutes until gelled. 

4 tablespoons Earth Balance spread, or butter, chilled
1 cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom or cinnamon
3/4 cup apple or orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon zest
flaxseed egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg (see note), or 1 egg
1/2 cup persimmon, peeled and diced
1/2 cup cranberries, chopped
optional extras: ½ cup chopped nuts, raisins, or other dried fruit (crystallized ginger would be tasty too)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three mini loaf pans or a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Combine dry ingredients — flour through spices — in a bowl, then cut in Earth Balance until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (I do this in a food processor, pulsing it a few times. Or you can rub the spread in with your fingers until no large lumps remain.)

In another bowl, blend the juice, zest, and flaxseed egg replacer. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened — don’t overmix. Fold in the fruit and any extras.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake about 40 minutes for mini loaves or an hour for a full-size loaf, until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool before removing from the pan.

Persimmon and Sweet Potato Tea Bread: Substitute ½ cup grated, raw, peeled sweet potato for the cranberries, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon for the cardamom.

Muffins: Bake at 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes.

Easy roasted tomatoes for instant meal upgrades

I have fallen head over heels for roasted tomatoes. Roasting tomatoes slowly in the oven is an easy, hands-off technique to coax the deepest flavor from even out-of-season tomatoes. And having a stash on hand means you can upgrade almost any meal at a moment's notice.

A jar of roasted tomatoes keeps for nearly a week and is amazingly versatile. They're the magic elixir for fixing bland dishes. These are just a few of the ways I've used them:

• omelets and frittatas
• spooned over simply baked salmon, chicken, and steak
• bean salad
• pasta
• salsa
• cold and warm soups
• grains
• mixed with other roasted vegetables
• plain, just as they are!

Sometimes I spoon just the juicy good stuff from the tomato jar. My boys don't care much for tomatoes, but they don't notice when I use the tomato juice to boost the flavor of their plain pasta or a vinaigrette.

We're enjoying the late tomato season here, but as fall settles in I'll rely heavily on roasted plum and cherry tomatoes to see me through to next summer. Those wintertime tomatoes are just ... sad. Roasting gives them such a boost.

Roasted peak-season tomatoes, however, are divine. If you're blessed with an abundance of late-season tomatoes — cherry tomatoes never want to quit! — try roasting and freezing some.

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

This takes time, but not much work. If time is short, crank up the temperature by 25 or 50 degrees and shorten the roasting time.

tomatoes
garlic cloves (optional)
fresh herb sprigs, such as oregano, thyme, rosemary (optional)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking tray with foil or a silicone mat. Core and slice large tomatoes and set on pan. Remove stems from cherry tomatoes and slice in half, and set on pan with cut-side down. Add garlic cloves and herbs, if using. Drizzle or mist with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake tomatoes for two and a half to three hours. The skins will be shriveled and darkened. Taste as you go and take them out when you love them. They'll get drier the longer they're in the oven.

Enjoy immediately, store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze. 

Super Omega Cookies

 This is the kind of fully packed snack that is perfect for a fast bite at school break. It's MKA (my kids approved) although they usually don't care so much for raisins, flax seed or oats. But in this case  they are all inside a wonderful crunchy and chocolate-chip cookie, and so,  it is another story...

When I bake a batch, the smell of wonderful cinnamon embraces the whole house and that's enough for them to ask for the super cookies. On the next morning, cookies travel to school in the lunch boxes  as a sweet reminder that delicious can meet nutritious. And then I feel good. Mission accomplished and appreciated.

Super Omega Cookies

Omega-3 is one of those wonders of nature that might help on the kids brain development, and that's why I love it. In this recipe it comes form many sources, but animal sources. Canola oil, flax seed, oat meal, walnuts. I prefer to use all organic ingredients and the organic Saigon cinnamon is something special that I've found to boost the flavor of the cookie with a special zest. Oh, and by the way decrease the amount of sugar to a half if you want. It won't interfere on the texture.

1/2 cup canola or another vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely ground flax seed mixed with 1/2 cup water (or two Omega-3 eggs)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1/2 cup oat bran
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk oil, flax seed mix (or eggs), sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a big bowl. Add flour, baking soda oat bran and whisk again the surface. With a spatula, mix all the ingredients and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then add all the other ingredients and mix well to guarantee that the chocolate chip will go to all cookies. With the help of two spoons, or an ice cream scooper, distribute dots on baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. 

Cucumber and Avocado Sushi Roll

 It was a midsummer dream: thanks to two Japanese arts, origami and sushi making, a whole afternoon taking care of four boys went fast paced and relatively peaceful. Maybe the secret was to keep their hands busy...

First they were all folding magazine pages to make paper boats. And after testing them on the water table, they were rolling roasted seaweed to make avocado and cucumber sushi.
The original idea was to prepare California rolls, but they were not enthusiastic about real crab. The result was simple and elegant: just rolls filled with cucumber and avocado, or just avocado.

After folding paper to make boats, it sounded as easy as it could be. Tiny hands are delicate enough to use the wood rolling mat and the wood paddle. To make the whole process fast and relaxing  I asked them to spread the rice on the roasted seaweed, as if they were painting a canvas. Then they chose what ingredients they would like to put inside the roll, and after I sealed the ends of the seaweed they helped me to roll. I put a parchment paper layer in between the mat and seaweed to make sure we wouldn't get sticky rice all over the place. It worked.

Simple Maki (Cucumber and Avocado Sushi Roll)

You could use one of Darienne's egg thin omelette inside, or just have a few ingredients available so to play with them as the children (or grownups) want. I used the Yamamotoyama brand of the roasted seaweed, easily found in grocery stores.

6 cups cal rose rice, cooked as directed or with this recipe for sushi rice
cucumber sticks
Haas avocado, sliced
soy sauce
wasabi (optional)

Most packages of roasted seaweed have instructions on how to roll a sushi roll. Stretch the cooked rice over the seaweed paper, draw a line with the fillings, moisten the seams with water using your fingertips, and roll it and slice. Once you do it right, you will do it right forever. Like folding paper or riding a bike. Enjoy!

Tofu and Asparagus Bowl

Having a vegan husband is a challenge. Our kids are very eager to eat protein of animal origin. They are the type to ask, "Mom, can we have steak tonight?"  I see myself as a flexitarian, eating a bit of everything doesn't harm my body or my foodie soul, although I tend to load my plate with more vegetables than anything else.

So my husband is the one who feeds my alternative creativity in the kitchen. I am happy to do that — he is a happier and healthier man since adopting some changes suggested by Forks Over Knives. And this time his dish was so beautiful that even the kids wanted to try ... and would have eaten more of they could.

They liked it so much that they asked me to post it here. For the 8-year-old, the secret of the food success was the juice of the dish. For the 6-year-old, all was good.

Tofu and Asparagus Bowl

Go for non-GMO extra-firm tofu. For this recipe I used Whole Foods 365 Brand, and the result was quite good. 

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 block extra-firm organic tofu, cut in 1-inch cubes
6 to 10 asparagus stems, cut diagonally
1 ripe tomato, diced
1 spring onion stem, cut diagonally
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon basil, folded and cut in strips (chiffonade)
1 tablespoon snipped chives
Kosher salt to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add tofu and increase heat to sear the cubes. Add asparagus, tomato, and spring onion. Stir-fry for 5 minutes.

Lower heat and let it sweat for about 5 minutes. Now add the minced garlic and stir. After about 4 minutes, remove from heat and add basil.

Serve over a bowl of basmati or jasmine rice. 

Garbanzo, Zucchini, and Tomato Salad

The kids are savoring freedom from school and schedules, and I am too. I still have work, both professional and the unpaid domestic kind, and I'm a little envious of their lightened responsibilities. So I'm trying to lighten my own. This no-cook vegetarian salad is one way to make life easier for myself.

I often cook my own beans, but for the sake of simplicity I just open up a can of garbanzos for this one. If you're lucky enough to have a garden, you can probably harvest the zucchini, tomatoes, and herbs from your own back yard. I like the crunch of raw zucchini, which picks up just a little bite for marinating in the dressing for anywhere from an hour to a full day.

With just a few minutes of chopping and stirring early in the day, you're free to enjoy a lazy summer afternoon. Come evening, pull this out of the fridge, toss in some herbs, and serve with crusty bread.

Garbanzo, Zucchini, and Tomato Salad

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
zest from 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
2 small zucchini
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked beans)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic
chopped fresh herbs to taste, such as basil, thyme, mint, or lemon balm

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and lemon zest and whisk to blend dressing.

Trim ends from zucchini and quarter lengthwise, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick quarter-moons. Add to bowl with dressing, along with drained beans and quartered cherry tomatoes. Peel garlic cloves and cut in half and add to bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir salad to distribute dressing and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour, or chill in refrigerator up to one day. Stir in fresh herbs just before serving.

Kale Chips

My kids love kale! Yay!!! We'll... the truth is...

I mean, they love kale chips. Loaded with olive oil, garlic, and sometimes a bit of salt, those crunchy leaves are the ideal treat. My 6-year-old kindergartner loves it so much that he asked me to roast three full bags of fresh kale, planted and harvested by the students at school, to share with his friends. I was tired but enthusiastically spent 40 minutes in front of the oven on a hot night preparing their treat.

He told me that they all loved it so much. And I could believe it... See the photo below with the leftovers in the huge bowl?

I've been working with this recipe for years, and possibly every mom I've met in California has her own version. The important part is that kale is a wonderful source of nutrition and is the perfect pairing for black beans (see this classic Brazilian recipe here) and other vegetables. Or enjoy these chips on their own, as a wonderful snack.

Kale Chips

My favorite way is to make these is with green or purple kale. But dinosaur (a.k.a. Lacinato) kale works too. Make sure to get rid of the overly moist stems and leaf ribs and use just the shredded leaves. You also might want to use an olive oil sprayer.

kale leaves, washed and dried
extra-virgin olive oil, enough to spray or coat the whole batch
garlic powder
salt to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread kale leaves evenly on sheet and spray with olive oil (or drizzle olive oil over the leaves and invite little hands to mix the leaves with the oil). Sprinkle kale with garlic powder and, if using, some salt.

Roast for 5 minutes, then open the (HOT!) oven and use long tongs to turn the leaves to make sure they roast evenly. Roast for 5 more minutes and check. If the leaves aren't crunchy enough for your taste, roast just a bit longer. 

Skillet Cookies

Something to celebrate with your mom this weekend? These cookies are the perfect fit for a surprise breakfast, brunch or tea, and so easy to make. Ask your dad or older brother or sister to help you, if that's the case. If you're mom, please read this to your kid(s) for inspiration. If you are not a mom, not a child, but still want to make something different for the weekend — and are not concerned about carbs — that's a cute and delicious project.

This recipe was adapted from many griddle cookies from the web, with the added benefit that it's suitable for vegans and those who are gluten intolerant or allergic, as it was tested many times at the Cooking Club at school.

The beauty of all these is that it can be mess-free, using a freezer plastic bag (like ziplock)  to prepare, so that the dough is kneaded inside the bag, avoiding spills.

And, please, don't forget to wash and reuse the bag after, or to recycle it. It would be great to save our big mother, Earth, from more trash.

Skillet Cookies

Use a electric griddle, like we did at school, or a large skillet. 

1 cup unbleached flour (or 1 1/2 of gluten-free flour, like the one from Trader Joe's)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon ( I love Organic Saigon Cinnamon)
1/3 cup vegetable spread (I use Earth's Best, vegan)
1 tablespoon oat bran mixed with 1/3 cup soy or almond milk
1/3 cup raisins (or any other dry fruit, or none)
Vegetable oil to spray or brush on the griddle or skillet surface

Mix all dry ingredients in a gallon-size plastic bag like the ones used for freezing. Close it and shake it many times. Cut the vegetable spread into tiny cubes and add to the bag. Close the bag and squeeze it until the mix looks like crumbles. Moisten the dough with the milk and oat bran mixture until the dough forms a ball.

Roll out dough on a floured surface (you can use parchment paper to cover the surface) until it's 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes. Heat the skillet to medium-low heat or 320 F if using an electric griddle. Spray or brush oil on the skillet or griddle surface and carefully transfer the cookies to it. Flip them when they are golden on one side (about 3 minutes each side), and grill for another 3 minutes. Wait for cookies to cool before tasting. Enjoy!

A neat trick to make perfect sorbet with any fruit juice

Desperate to use up the juice crowding our fridge, I stumbled across this very cool technique for making a creamy sorbet out of any fruit juice. All you need is juice, sugar, water, and one intact egg. You don't even need an ice cream maker.

Gather the kids 'round for this one. It’s science in the kitchen, folks!

Read Zoë François' post on Sorbet 101 for the full details. In brief, here’s how it works: An egg that normally sinks to the bottom of a bowl of juice will float if enough sugar is added. The amount of sugar needed to make it float happens to be just the amount you need to get a nice, smooth sorbet instead of a chunky, icy one.

Out of a half-dozen juices stuffed in my fridge, thanks to my kindergartner’s recent science fair project on cleaning pennies, I chose blood orange juice for my first test. Ferry Farms’ oranges had brightened my table throughout the gray days of winter. By mid-March, I thought I was finally over citrus for the season. Then I tried their blood orange juice at the farmer’s market, went weak in the knees, and brought it home.

The second ingredient: simple syrup. I simmered equal amounts of water and sugar until the sugar dissolved, then let it cool.

And then the egg. I washed one and checked to make sure it was a guaranteed sinker. Fresh eggs sink; old eggs float. (Zoë says don’t worry about it, but on the heels of the science fair I figured it couldn't hurt to ensure a controlled experiment.)

I poured the last of my blood orange juice into a pitcher and gently lowered in the egg. It disappeared into the murky depths. I added a half-cup of sugar syrup and the egg bobbed up like a cork. Done! This looks a bit like a crime scene, but it gives you an idea of what you're looking for:

I strained and poured the mixture, chilled it in the fridge, then let the ice cream maker work its magic.

The final result: perfect. Mouthwateringly wow.

The boys helped make a second batch, this time blending cherry and regular lemonade with a splash of limoncello. We needed less than a cup of sugar syrup to get our egg floating nice and high. I froze this one in a deep dish, stirring every half-hour or so until it was the right consistency and blitzing it with an immersion blender once it was good and slushy.

Oh, my. This is good stuff.

The guava juice is next in line for sorbetification, and then I want to try Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee, green tea, Lavender Lemonade, rosewater, herbal infusions, vegetable juices — maybe even beets? It's going to be a crazy summer around here.

Master recipe for juice sorbet

Thanks to Zoë Bakes for the brilliant technique. Be sure to read her post for more tips, including using tart citrus juices. If you have leftover simple syrup, refrigerate it for the next batch or use it to sweeten iced tea or coffee. You can easily make more less — the magic egg will make sure you have the perfect ratio.

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups juice
1 whole, uncooked egg in its shell
optional: herbs, citrus zest, a spoonful or two of liquor

To make simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. (Optional: For added flavor, add citrus zest or herbs and let them steep. See the Lavender Lemonade recipe for an example.) Cool.

Pour juice into a container deep enough to fully submerge an egg. Carefully lower the egg into the juice and make sure it sinks. Remove it and stir in a quarter cup of cooled simple syrup, then add the egg again. Repeat this step until the egg floats — the part above the juice mixture should be about the diameter of a quarter.

(Optional: If you like, add a spoonful or two of liquor. This helps ensure your sorbet won't get too icy, but it really isn't necessary.)

Strain mixture into a container and refrigerate until well chilled. Pour into an ice cream maker and prepare according to the instructions.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into a deep container and stick it in the freezer. Check on it every 30 minutes and stir until smooth. If it gets too chunky, use an immersion blender or a food processor to make it nice and smooth, then freeze again. It should take 2 to 3 hours total.

Frozen whole-wheat waffles

Let's be honest: Store-bought frozen waffles pale in comparison to the real thing ... but they're still better than trying to make waffles from scratch on a busy weekday morning.

Skip the sad, wimpy waffles in the freezer cases and make your own. Cook these up on the weekend, freeze them, and heat them in the toaster whenever you want satisfying waffles that are perfectly crispy and light.

These are about as healthy as waffles can get. They're made with white whole wheat flour, which boasts all the benefits of classic whole wheat but with a milder taste and texture. I use just a bit of maple syrup for sweetener in vain hope that I can convince my boys they don't need syrup on the side. You can even leave the sweetener out completely — I have, and no one noticed.

It's a very adaptable recipe. Use ground flaxseed and non-dairy milk for vegan waffles, or stir in orange zest or blueberries for different flavor. The one below has wild blueberries baked in and is topped with leftover berry compote from this week's fruit and yogurt cups.

Frozen Whole Wheat Waffles

By all means, enjoy these freshly made! Make a double batch, eat some, and freeze the rest. Grab the waffles straight from the freezer and pop them in the toaster for quick everyday breakfasts. This makes six 4-inch square waffles.

1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or other spices — I like a bit of cardamom in everything)
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk, slightly warmed (may sub in 2 T OJ to cut taste)
2 tablespoons oil or melted butter (used Earth Balance)
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.

Gently combine wet and dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix, and cook according to your waffle maker's directions.

Let waffles cool slightly. Freeze in a single layer for 30 minutes, then package in a zip-top freezer bag. Take frozen waffles from bag and pop them in the toaster.

Variations

Vegan: Use soy or almond milk and canola or coconut oil. Instead of egg, stir 1 tablespoons ground flaxseed into 3 tablespoons of water and let sit a few minutes until thickened.

Extra crispy: Reduce flour by 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup cornstarch. This is especially good if you’re enjoying some waffles right away and freezing leftovers.

Orange: Reduce milk by 2 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons orange juice. Add grated zest from one orange to batter.

Blueberry: Add a half-cup of blueberries (tiny wild blueberries from the freezer section work nicely). To keep frozen blueberries from turning your batter purple, roll them in a bit of flour before adding to the batter.

Black bean hummus, two ways

I love hummus. I love it with raw veggies, I love it spread on sandwiches, I love it with chips, I love it straight off a spoon.

And I love garbanzo beans, which usually provide the creamy base for hummus. But we've been enjoying garbanzos as a meal with increasing frequency (as in this delicious slow cooker dinner, or a version of this easy warm salad for lunch), and I don't want to see them yet again at snack time. Not even puréed.

Black bean hummus, however, is a completely different dip.

After toying with a few variations, I've settled on these two favorites. The first is bright and fresh, infused with oranges. The second is bolder and spicier, and just as delicious.

I prefer my hummus without olive oil. If you find it too thick for your liking, add more water or juice, or a bit of olive oil. If you have citrus salt, use it here.

Orange Citrus Black Bean Hummus

If you have citrus salt, use it here.

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
2 tablespoons orange juice
grated zest from 1 orange
1 tablespoon tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Paprika-Lime Black Bean Hummus

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
2 tablespoons reserved bean liquid
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon tahini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you like it spicy, add a few drops of Sriracha.