Kale with Homemade Pickled Ginger

Kale with pickled ginger is one of the healthiest and tastiest ways to get a meal packed with iron. I made my own pickled ginger and an Asian-inspired salad dressing with lemongrass, miso and sesame oil. The result is the perfect condiment for boiled kale.

The reason I've been trying to make iron-rich meals lately is that my sister-in-law, Sunny, was diagnosed with iron deficiency. It's a fairly common problem that primarily affects women. She had trouble with the iron pills, so it was suggested to us that we make her foods that are rich in iron. Because of this, I've been trying to cook more with kale.

If you have any suggestions, please do share! Sunny will thank you.

Ricotta Pasta with Chimichurri

I love chimichurri sauce. The bright green color and subtle spiciness are perfect with steamed fish or grilled skirt steak. I've wanted to incorporate this delicious green sauce into a vegetarian dish for some time now to share with my husband Lulu.

So, I made a dish of fettuccine pasta with a creamy white sauce and served it with a little chimichurri sauce. The creaminess of the white sauce is made with ricotta cheese and it matches wonderfully with the garlic and herb flavor of the chimicurri. It's a healthy alternative to fettuccine alfredo that doesn't skimp on flavor.

Jeera Aloo (Potato Curry)

Jeera aloo masala is a potato dish made with a spicy cumin gravy. Turmeric powder gives the dish its bright yellow color, and along with the heat from the traditional garam masala, makes this dish the ultimate Indian comfort food.

I often make jeera aloo because it's a quick and easy vegetarian meal when I'm pressed for time. There are always potatoes and a container of ready-made garam masala in my house, so it's something I can throw together with almost no effort.

I think we all wish we could give our family healthy meals, but sometimes life intervenes and it's hard to find time to make wholesome food. Having a few recipes like jeera aloo in your culinary arsenal that you can whip up quickly and easily will help keep you from relying too much on high calorie takeout.

Oven Roasted Chicken with Kumquats

The strong flavor of kumquat takes roasted chicken to another level. I marinated the chicken with kumquats and finished the dish by brushing the poultry with a kumquat glaze. The final product was tender and tasty with a crunchy skin.

I served the chicken as one of the dishes for our buffet-style dinner party. We had about 15 people at the house, so I roasted 3 whole chickens. I carved the chickens and placed them in a chafing dish with the chicken drippings at the bottom of the dish to prevent the chicken from drying out or burning. There were literally only a few wings left, so I think it worked out pretty well. Our tree is absolutely bursting with kumquats, so if you're a fan of the diminutive citrus, stay tuned, because I'll be posting many more recipes in the near future.

Meyer Lemon Curd Recipe

Lemon curd (crème au citron in French) is thickened custard made from lemon juice and zest, sugar, butter and egg yolks. I used the fruits from our Meyer lemon tree in the garden and added ginger to conceal the egg yolk flavor. 

It's one of my favorite spreads for tea time and breakfast. I also use lemon curd as a filling in crêpes and croissant but you could use it in Meyer lemon bars, cheesecake or a lemon meringue pie. Lemon curd is easy to make, incredibly versatile and delicious. It's also a great way to introduce kids to cooking. I've made it several times with the girls, and they always have a lot of fun. If you're looking to get your kids involved in the kitchen, this lemon curd recipe is a great place to start.