“Balanced Bliss” Adaptogen Hot Cocoa Mix
Commercial hot cocoa mixes, while convenient, typically contain high levels of refined sugar (and/or artificial sweeteners), corn syrup solids, GMOs, hydrogenated oils artificial flavors and other highly processed ingredients. We can do better than that! It’s super-easy and cost-effective to make your own healthier hot cocoa blends using high quality ingredients. This recipe combines cocoa powder and maple sugar (aka dehydrated maple syrup) with a selection of adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms, which create a lovely, complex flavor in addition to giving the hot cocoa an added health boost.
Better than “Jiffy” Cornbread Mix
This cleaned-up copycat cornbread mix is so easy to whip up in advance and store in a jar in the refrigerator until needed. Toss some vegetables in it for a quick breading (my Texas-born husband is crazy about pan fried okra!) or combine the mix with an egg and buttermilk, and you’ve got yourself a fast and easy cornbread, corn muffins, corn casserole or cornmeal fritters. The sky’s the limit!
Chili Crisp Vinaigrette
Love Fly By Jing Chili Crisp Vinaigrette but put off by the canola oil? Try this easy-to-make copycat recipe that captures the complex, savory umami, tangy acidity and spicy heat of the original. This stuff is good on ALL the things.
Spicy Szechuan Chili Crisp
Calling all spicy food lovers! I adore spicy foods. There’s something about it that makes me feel vital and alive. Besides being positively addicting, capsaicin — the constituent in chili peppers that makes them spicy — confers a number of health benefits.
Allow me to introduce you to your new culinary best friend: Spicy Chili Crisp.
Korean Chili Mushroom Jerky
Hi, my name is Kim and I’m addicted to mushroom jerky. Specifically Giorgio’s Savory Wild Sesame, Ginger & Korean Chili Portabella Jerky. Ohmygoodness is it good. But at $7 per 2-ounce bag, it’s a bit hard to justify it beyond an occasional treat.
Then noticed that Azure Standard sells 5-pound flats of organic portabella mushrooms for about $7/pound and it got me thinking… How difficult would it be to duplicate my beloved Korean Chili mushroom jerky? It turns out, not difficult at all.
Spicy Dill *Everything* Rub
There is a hidden gem of a restaurant called The Settlement not far from our home in the neighboring town of Priest River, Idaho. I’ve been all over the world, and I can honestly say they have the best dry rub chicken wings I’ve ever tried.
Mr. Redheaded Herbalist and I love their recipe so much that I took a stab at recreating the spice blend at home.
‘Putting By’ Fermented Garlic for the Winter
It’s that time of year again! Temperatures are finally starting to cool off a bit and leaves are getting their first red and gold tinges, signaling that summer is on its way out the door.
At my house, that also means it’s time to load up on our favorite culinary flavoring, medicinal herb and vampire repellant: fermented garlic.
Giant Garden Zucchini Personal Pizzas
It’s *that* time of year when my garden is going gangbusters producing zucchini and summer squash and we spend two months eating it like it’s going out of style.
In order to keep things interesting and avoid “squash burnout” (it’s a thing), I’ve accumulated a number of recipes over the years incorporating squash in unexpected ways so we don’t get sick of it.
Herbal Seafood Seasoning + Sourdough Crab Cakes w/Jalapeño Tartar Sauce
Who has two thumbs and loves crab cakes?? This recipe relies on another beloved Kitchen Helper that I always have on hand: Bay (Laurel) Seafood Seasoning. It’s one of those versatile spice blends that you’ll reach for again and again.
Make-Ahead Fresh Garlic-Infused Olive Oil (Minus the Botulism)
As our days get busier, we are far more likely to reach for pre-packaged mixes and other convenience foods to lighten our load and make dinner prep a bit easier. These are some of my favorite homemade kitchen helpers you can make in advance and keep handy for those extra-hectic evenings… or even the non-hectic ones. Work smarter, not harder! Fresh […]
