At the risk of creating the most boring Maggie's Market Guide to date, I thought I'd share my approach to fridge organization. In the last couple of months, in an effort to reduce food waste, I have taken on a new approach to sorting my food and it's working! Leftovers are getting eaten, produce is not languishing and it's been easier to look and see what's for dinner.
Read MoreYou broil or grill split eggplant unless soft and blackened. Then you scoop out the flesh and mix with olive oil, garlic, salt and parsley. Done. That's it! We ate it with feta cheese and a piece of salmon, but it would be a great addition to an appetizer spread or mixed into orzo pasta or smeared on toasted bread.
Read MoreI love to make slaw with whatever I have in the fridge, or whatever I'm influenced by. Much like my seasonal grain salads I have a rough recipe and adapt it around what'll be on the grill or what I'm in the mood for.
Read MoreLast weekend I made a simple corn and tomato salad, with things I had picked up at my produce market that week. It was deeply satisfying and full of summer flavors.
Read MoreMost herbs thrive here in our summer dry climate, happy for the well draining soil and mild winters.
Read MoreI love caprese salad in mid summer - so easy, incredibly seasonal and pairs well with nearly anything. While I could never tire of an in-season tomato, I mixed it up a few years ago with some friends and used ripe peaches instead. We served it with grilled lamb chops and a big green salad and it was perfect.
Read MoreAlong making spring rolls I made a fairly traditional noodle salad, but added some grilled eggplant to give it more heft. The sauce is similar to a spring roll dipping sauce - very tangy and bright, with lots of lime juice and fish sauce. The chopped, fresh herbs (and many of them) make this salad so flavorful and complex. I look forward to making this in the weeks and months to come, changing up things here and there, and making plenty of leftovers for a great lunch.
Read MoreThis is the best kind of picnic food, hearty and easy to transport. It's what I made when I took Get Up! and needed a healthy and satisfying lunch for a group. It's great for dinner at home with leftovers for lunch. It could even be a great side at Thanksgiving, especially if for whatever reason you had to, gasp, forgo the stuffing.
Read MoreThe GFE garden is bursting with our own summer crops - the classic lettuces, radishes and squash, but also basil (in the inner sunset! - we're pretty proud). Our bush & pole bean production is in overdrive and we have to harvest them diligently to encourage the plant to keep producing. I brought home a bag one day and found a recipe for blanched green beans with an almond pesto.
Read MoreInsalata Caprese is one of my most favorite summer foods. It’s light, refreshing and involves fresh mozzarella (!). A few years ago I had it with sliced fresh peaches and it was outstanding.
Read MoreA couple months ago I discovered this miso dressing and it has taken my rice bowls (kale salads, and roasted vegetables and tofu bits…) to a whole new level. This dressing is tangy, sweet, rich and flavorful – it seems to satisfy any and all levels of cravings and is good with anything.
Read MoreUs San Franciscans have the added benefit of living in a perfect lettuce growing place. Lettuce doesn’t love hot weather, which to my dismay, we don’t get very often.
Read MoreRaw kale may be a big leap for people that don’t like it at all but I would argue that sometime soft leaves are a turn off for people, and that a salad of crisp fresh winter greens may be more appealing in the end. For me, preparing vegetables is all about the combination of flavors, and nothing holds more to true to this than kale salads. With a few basic techniques, the possibilities are endless.
Read MoreMany people come to our garden and ask us what they can grow in our unique climate. While some crops are more challenging, there are many that flourish in our mild weather and sandy soil. Leeks are one such crop that is easily grown in San Francisco backyards. And their mild flavor and bright green color are welcomed into our kitchens this time of year. I love this recipe for leeks vinaigrette – it is the perfect winter salad option when lettuce is less available.
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