An Earth Day Potato Salad

I know it’s officially spring when my jasmine on the deck begins to bloom (my favorite scent ever!) and we can spend evenings with a glass of wine in the backyard while Ezra runs on the grass. We’ve been doing more hikes and walks lately in our woods. I love to see the new lime-green tips on the redwood fronds, fields of blue forget-me-nots, and vibrant shades of pink flowers at every turn. I’ve been snapping photos of all the wildflowers– I can’t get enough!

There’s nothing like Earth Day to make you want to get outdoors. The mountains where we live have certainly inspired me creatively! I find that I come up with some of my best ideas on hikes. One way to give back to the Earth is by shopping greener. In honor of Earth Day, I have partnered with Whole Foods Market to give you some ideas for making greener choices at the grocery store. I shop at Whole Foods a lot and love that I can trust them to offer products that aren’t toxic for the Earth, or for us.

My 5 Earth Day tips:

1.) ORGANIC

I try to buy organic as often as I can. It’s healthier for you, safer for the farmers who produced it, and better for the planet. I make a point to prioritize shopping organic when looking for produce without a peel and animal products.

2.) FLOWERS

I buy freshly cut flowers every week- they just make me happy! In doing so, I wasn’t necessarily thinking about the environmental choice I was making. I want to help protect the farmers who grow and pick those flowers from harsh chemicals.  Whole Foods Market sells flowers (and produce, too!) that are responsibly grown meaning that they come from farmers who have eliminated the use of eight of the most hazardous neurotoxins still allowed in US agriculture. I want to make a bigger effort to buy bouquets that are responsibly grown from now on. 

3.) SEASONAL

Harvesting produce when it naturally grows uses less energy and resources. Plus, it usually tastes better and is cheaper because there’s an abundance of it at the store. Here’s a great guide to what’s in season now. Check out my seasonal spring produce collage, above, plus the seasonal spring recipe below for a Potato & Onion Salad.

4.) CLEANING & BATH PRODUCTS

Ever since I was pregnant I make a big effort to buy only non-toxic cleaning products and bath & body products that are free from harmful chemicals. Whole Foods has a huge variety which is especially great since now I have a baby! We use Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday Value line of diapers and have found they are cheaper and better than all the other natural brands we’ve tried.

5.) BULK

At Whole Foods you can buy ingredients like oatmeal and rice in bulk (without packaging) which cuts down on a lot of waste and lets you bring home just how much you need. I LOVE the bulk peanut butter machine at my local Whole Foods. It’s way better than any type in a jar!

* * *

Potato & Onion Salad 

Roast mini potatoes on a baking sheet with olive oil & coarse salt at 425ºF for about 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Spread fresh greens (I use arugula) on a platter and scatter the warm potatoes over. Use a mandolin to thinly slice rings of raw red onions over the potatoes, then sprinkle the whole platter with capers, olive oil, coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

Wishing you a very happy Earth Day and hoping that you have some time to get outdoors and enjoy what’s growing around you this weekend!

This post was done in partnership with Whole Foods Market, a store that I have shopped at for years. I only work with brands I love and opinions here are my own.

Leela Cyd's SUGAR COOKIES WITH EDIBLE FLOWERS

A cookbook has to be visually stunning and unique to get me excited, and this one does just that. Leela Cyd’s new book Food with Friends: The Art of Simple Gatherings is really so delightful! The styling is so up my alley and the photography is thoughtful and gorgeous. She has a flare for the vintage, floral and painterly (as do I) so of course I love all her props as well. Also, you should follow her on Instagram (@leelacyd)– beautiful feed.

Ezra and I just planted a bunch of edible flowers in pots on our deck and I am excited to make these cookies when we get some blooms.

Congrats, Leela! It’s a stunner.

* * *

SUGAR COOKIES WITH EDIBLE FLOWERS

from Food with Friends by Leela Cyd

top photo of cookies © Leela Cyd

Yields approx. 3 dozen 2-inch cookies

Cookies
– 2 tablespoons creme fraiche
– 2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
– 1 cup powdered sugar
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 large egg
– 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface and rolling pin
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
– 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Candied Flowers
– 3 to 4 dozen organic, untreated, edible blossoms (pansies, dianthus, rose petals, calendula, chrysanthemum, lavender, cosmos, or echinacea are all good options)
– 1 large pasteurized egg white, lightly beaten
– 1⁄4 cup turbinado sugar

PREPARE THE COOKIES: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the crème fraîche, butter, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and egg until combined.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture and lemon zest to the butter mixture and beat until evenly incorporated.

On a floured work surface, shape the dough into two 5-inch round disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. (Alternatively, you can freeze the disks, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge for a day before using.)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter for 5 minutes.

Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Give the disks a few whacks with the rolling pin to soften them slightly. Roll out the dough to a 1⁄4-inch thickness. Working quickly so the dough won’t soften too much, use cookie cutters to punch out whatever shapes you like. Transfer the cookies to the prepared sheets, re-rolling the dough scraps as you go to cut out more cookies.

Bake the cookies for 9 minutes, until the cookies are set but still pale and underdone. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Leave the oven on and set the lined baking sheets aside.

CREATE THE CANDIED FLOWERS: Set up a work station. Gather your edible flowers together. Place the egg white in a small bowl and the turbinado sugar in a second small bowl. Set out a small paintbrush. Gently dunk a flower in the egg white, taking care to get egg white in between the petals for an even pressing, then press the flower into the cookie. The delicate petals may curl up, but smooth them down with your finger. When the flower is as flat as possible, use the paintbrush to brush a thin coating of additional egg white over the entire surface of the cookie. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of the turbinado sugar. Transfer the flower-topped cookies back to the
baking sheets as you work.

Return the cookies to the oven and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

*Note: Make sure to purchase edible, untreated, organic flowers for this, or grow your own. Keep in mind, the colors of the flowers you select will darken as you bake them, giving an antique color effect.

Recipe and Photography shared from Food with Friends by Leela Cyd. Published by Clarkson/Potter Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Cover Reveal: Forest Feast Gatherings!

For the last year or so, I have been busy working on my biggest project to date– my third book, an entertaining cookbook called THE FOREST FEAST GATHERINGS. I have just finished it and am so excited to reveal the cover (here’s a behind-the-scenes pic of the cover shoot!). It comes out September 27, 2016, but is already available for PREORDER!! It’s all new material (with a few blog favorites) and features menus for small gatherings on any occasion – everything from a summer dinner party, to a cocktail party, to brunch.

For more recent news in my newsletter, click here.

Happy weekend!

Spring Flatbread with Asparagus and Peas

I’m so excited that outdoor dining season has arrived!! I would eat every meal outside if I could. We’re having a warm spring here in northern California, and we were able to have dinner on the deck last night with a few friends. I made this spring-inspired flatbread which was great and easy for a casual dinner. We served it with a salad and wine. Delish!

Green Gimlet Cocktail for St. Patrick's Day

With all the rain we’ve been getting here, the forest has never been so green! The moss up our many stairs is brilliantly emerald. I can feel spring coming and, along with it, better weather for outdoor entertaining.

Coming from a family with Irish roots on both sides, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at home annually with a big family meal.  For dessert, my mom always made Blarney Stones, a disgustingly sweet and delicious treat that my grandmother also made for her growing up. It involves Twinkies being coated in icing and rolled in peanuts (!)…I might have to continue that tradition with Ezra when he’s a little older. My family recently came to visit (that’s my little brother Ryan sitting next to me!) and we had some festive spring drinks on the deck that are perfect for a St. Paddy’s Day gathering. I put all the fixings out for this Green Gimlet which makes for a fun and interactive cocktail hour. We started with 2 oz (¼ c) of our local Hangar 1 Straight Vodka, then added juice from one lime and ice, and garnished with lime and cucumber slices, plus fresh mint. The result is crisp, refreshing, and cheerfully green. (And I bet it pairs nicely with a Blarney Stone ;) The recipe above serves 1, but you can easily multiply it by 8 for a pitcher.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

* * *
This post was done in partnership with Hangar 1 Vodka as part of the Fresh-Picked Vodka campaign. We like Hangar 1 because it’s high quality, tasty, and made nearby. I also love that it’s made by a woman who started her career in art.