Tuna Melt Recipe

Yesterday was a day filled with special events. As you may know, it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day and I made sure the entire festivities were recorded on my DVR. But if you’re involved in the specialty food business, yesterday was important for another reason. It was the second day of the Winter Fancy Food Show at Moscone Center in San Francisco.

It's the second year in a row I’ve attended this event, and I've had so much fun discovering what the latest food trends are. I can't wait to share with you what I've learned! I also met the manufacturers of some of my favorite products, such as California Lavash. They are a bread company that just went through a beautiful design makeover in which I participated.

It was great to see Lilea and the California Lavash team at booth #503 (you can still see them today), and I was so proud of how the backdrop turned out. I food-styled all the dishes and the photos were my contribution to the new look of this delicious product.

It seemed only fitting to share one of the delicious sandwiches featured at the California Lavash booth. I selected the tuna melt, which is perfect choice for the season. A combination of tuna, artichoke, olives and cheese is the filling of the delicious warm sandwich. Give this a try with California Lavash Sangak bread and you won't be disappointed! Sangak bread is a sesame-studded Persian bread that is part of their new flatbread product line. You'll be able to see the new packaging design in stores in a few months.

Breakfast Wrap Sandwich Recipe

Today's post is about one of my favorite companies, California Lavash, where the ever wonderful Lilea works. California Lavash makes healthy, preservative free breads. Their lavash works amazingly well for pizzas, desserts, and in the case of this recipe, as a breakfast wrap. Anyway, if --like me-- you're stressed in the mornings because of the holiday season, here's a recipe that'll make you look like a culinary whiz without taking eons to prepare. 

Fresh fruits of your choice are layered with plain yogurt, a drizzle of honey and crunchy granola, and the whole thing is wrapped in lavash bread. It's super easy to roll out a bunch of these for all the hungry little hands in your house.

Apple Cinnamon Cracker Recipe

Spices such as cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and star anise can take even the most pedestrian of treats and give them a holiday flair. If you're wondering what would please your family while waiting for the main dish to be served at your holiday dinner, my friends at California Lavash and I came up with the perfect crowd pleaser. Thinly cut slices of apples kissed with cinnamon-infused butter layered over crispy lavash crackers make for a healthy and addictive snack. That’s important, considering the number of guilt-inducing desserts I’ve gobbled down over the past couple of weeks.

Seriously, you won’t be able to eat just one. The California Lavash gals and I made over a dozen tasty dishes over the course of two days, but this is by far the most memorable. And you don’t have to shelve the recipe once the holidays are over. If you pack lunch for your kids, put a handful of these in their bag instead of cookies. It will help with New Year’s resolutions!

Mediterranean Pinwheel Sandwich Recipe

These colorful pinwheel sandwiches are loaded with Mediterranean flavors. Fresh and roasted vegetables are brought together with hummus and pleasingly tart capers. The cabbage and carrots were also briefly pickled in lemon juice and a little sugar to add a little brightness without sacrificing their crunch.

I made these pinwheel sandwiches a while back with the gals from California Lavash. I had a blast cooking with them and look forward to doing it again soon. Their pizza lavash is out of this world. These sandwiches are perfect for the summer and would look fabulous at any picnic, party or barbecue. Enjoy the sunshine!

Baklavash (Baklava Recipe)

After receiving flatbread from California Lavash, I've experimented with a lot of savory dishes, making pinwheel appetizers, sandwich wraps, chicken soup and a goat cheese tart. I decided it was time to also satisfy my family's sweet tooth. I made a baklava-style dessert using lavash bread, hence the name "baklavash"! The preparation is similar to making baklava (also spelled baclava or baklawa), except phyllo dough is replaced with the lavash, which makes the task a lot easier. When working with phyllo, you have to be sure to assemble the dessert pretty fast and keep the unused portion covered with a wet towel at all times as phyllo tends to dry out quickly. With lavash, you can take your time and not worry about this problem.

I filled the layers of lavash with ghee (Indian-style clarified butter), ground cinnamon, blossom honey, walnuts and pistachios (my favorite nut). It’s a stress-free, easy dessert, and I love the convenience of it!