Thai Kale Salad and a 2016 life update

My in-laws (yes, in-laws! Officially!) are in town this week, and though we've been busy running around town with them, I finally have some down time this morning. With the new year here I thought it would be a good time to make a blog update, and to share a recipe that's healthy and yummy enough to be worthy of my first blog post of 2016.

As you may have noticed (in-laws, people!), I am now married! We had a ceremony in Maine in early October, and our little hometown couldn't have been a better location. The leaves were changing, the air was crisp, and our friends and families really made the experience a dream for us.

Steamed Artichokes with Vegan Herbed Aioli

Spring is coming to southern California and even in LA, where the seasons barely change, there is something magical about this time of year. 

Flowers seem brighter, the air gets warmer and, of course, the farmer's market starts filling up with the tender greens and bright fruits that hint at the arrival of summer. 

Vegan Thai Tacos with Roasted Sweet Potato, Red Pepper, and Peanut Sauce

I'm lucky enough to work from home and sometimes I can't help but make myself a lunch that is a little more exciting than a standard salad/soup affair. A few weeks ago I found myself with a random array of ingredients on hand - some sweet potato, a few corn tortillas, the remains of a bunch of cilantro - and I decided to make roasted sweet potato tacos. But not just any tacos - Thai inspired tacos! A lot of the ingredients in Mexican food and Thai food are similar - spicy peppers, cilantro, garlic - and I thought it would be a great fusion lunch to help breathe some excitement into my day.

Vegan Herbed Orzo Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Nothing in the world reminds me of my first winter in California so much as the smell of meyer lemon. I had read about meyer lemons but never tasted, or even seen, one until I moved here. For the first few months after we moved, with basically just a car full of clothes and Nate's computer, I would endlessly scroll through Craigslist's "free" section to see if there was anything we could use. One day, someone listed meyer lemons, fresh from their own tree.