G I V E A W A Y !

I was very excited to find out last week that my Toasted Coconut and Almond Butter was voted a Community Pick on Food52! The reviewer called it "nut butter umami" and "pure wholesome bliss" which is pretty awesome. To celebrate, I am GIVING AWAY two jars of my Toasted Coconut and Almond Butter to two lucky readers.

All you have to do to enter is to comment below, telling me 1) your favorite nut butter and 2) your favorite way to use it. You must comment before Wednesday, August 19th at 5pm EST. The lucky winners will be chosen at random. Good luck!

**Update Thursday, August 20th at 9am. Congratulations to the winners, Emily and Rukiyah! I loved reading all of your favorite flavors and fantastic suggestions. Some of you get pretty wild with your nut butters. Thanks to everyone who participated, and be on the lookout for future giveaways!

Adventures: Cleveland, Ohio

My little brother, or rather my younger brother- he is a generous 10 inches taller than me- has been trying to get me to visit Cleveland for over a year. He moved there from San Francisco and had tried to convince me that it was even more charming than The City by the Bay. Really? I had my doubts. But that is not the reason we had postponed a trip there. It was purely logistical- I promise! Finally, we found a long weekend and decided to make the 8 hour drive from Philadelphia to see what my brother was talking about.

We arrived late on Friday night- around 9:30pm, and we were shocked to see downtown Cleveland as busy as it was. Restaurants were bopping. For some reason, I had imagined this sleepy little Midwestern town that went to bed at 9pm. Silly me.

My brother and his fiance snagged us a table at Michael Symon's Lola, which my fiance and I had been super-excited to try (we're not-so-secret Michael Symon fans). The verdict: awesome. I wish I had taken pictures, but we were ravenous when we got there and a bit discombobulated after the long drive. We opted for some signature cocktails and the pierogi and sweetbreads for shared appetizers. Being in Polish country, I had high expectations for the potato dumpling and it was even better than I could have imagined. I ordered halibut and one snazzy peanut butter chocolate dessert and took tastes of the amazing hangar steak and sturgeon dishes. The winning dish was the hangar steak. Michael Symon, you rock.

We had a bit of a late start to Saturday but still managed to fit in a visit to the West Side Market which houses local producers and vendors. My brother and his fiance took us to their favorite crepe stall- Crepes de Luxe, and while they waited in line, we ventured around to check out all of the goods. We were surrounded by Polish sausages, pastries, seafood, cheese, and spice stalls. And the building was beautiful. Just take a look at the ceiling!

I loved watching the crepemakers. They were like culinary artists managing the enormous crepe griddles. My goat cheese, spinach, and tomato crepe was the perfect late morning breakfast.

What was most wonderful about our trip to the market was that we noticed how polite and friendly people were. We love Philadelphia, but there's a bit of a toughness to the people there, and stressful situations like Saturdays at the farmers' market only accentuate that grit. In Cleveland, I accidentally walked into someone and found them apologizing to me for being in the way! These people are amazingly nice.

The girls and guys split up for a bit- the girls to do girly things like look at wedding dresses and the guys played basketball. We met up for lunch at this little taco dive bar in Tremont called Barrio where everyone gets a little notepad to fill out their taco orders. We ordered their special goat cheese and peach guacamole to start- yum!- and I designed my own chicken tacos. This is a fun place to check out if you're in the neighborhood. 

Next off was the golf course! After nearly a two year hiatus from the links, I was excited to get back on. And honesty, a wee bit proud of my younger brother for being so grown up and being a member of a country club. My brother and I spent our summers on the golf course in North Carolina, serving as each other's caddies, ball finders, and cheerleaders, so it was nice to get that back- if only for an afternoon. 

I thought we would clean up for dinner, after all, I had brought a little summer dress to wear, but Clevelanders are the casual type. My brother picked this farm-to-table wine bar called Toast for dinner, and we sat on the porch for a beautiful evening out. Our waitress obviously loved her job and shared all of her favorites from the menu with us. We opted for the cheese plate and local charcuterie to share. I ordered the kale salad with blueberries and corn and split the tomato risotto and flank steak with smashed potatoes with my fiance. The kale salad was good, but the real star was the tomato risotto made with tomato stock, tomato pieces, and tomato compound butter. It had very much earned the right to be called tomato risotto. It was easily one of the best risottos I have ever had. Even my brother- a bit of the carnivore- ordered it over the steak. The entrees came and were devoured before the cameras made it out, so unfortunately no photos of those dishes.

Next stop was a highlight of the trip, not just because of the deliciousness of the drinks, but because they really nailed it with ambiance and customer service. My brother had made us reservations at The Velvet Tango Room, a famous speakeasy, and we spent a few evening hours on their patio. If you go to Cleveland, reservations are a must here because that is the way you get access to their private little area in the back which has intimate sitting areas and a putting green- yes, a putting green!

The servers and bartenders here are passionate about their craft. They are cocktail nerds who are more than willing and able to tell you about each an every cocktail on their extensive menu. The drinks have bewildering little names and curious stories associated with them, and many of them are made with house-made bitters, syrups, tonics. Expect the real deal here. The first drink I ordered, the Royal Fizz, had a whole egg- white AND yolk- and a hint of vanilla. For the next drink, I enlisted the waitress's help because I was overwhelmed with indecision. After a series of crazy questions, one of which included "Would I prefer a convertible or a sedan?" or something along those lines, the server disappeared promising the perfect fit, and I ended up with a Martinez- essentially a gin-vermouth number that was really delicious and powerful.

We all agreed a late night bite was in order, so we stopped by their apartment to pick up their adorable German Shepherd, Ember, and headed to the local late-night pizza place, Edison's. It is a far cry from the gourmet wood-fried thin-crust pizza bistro and wine bar that you would probably venture to for dinner or a date night. It is more like dive bar meets Pizza Hut, and it fills that craving for doughy, cheesy pizza. Just check out their Yelp page. And it is dog-friendly which is even more awesome.

We stayed a while and with full bellies, eventually made it back to the apartment and crawled into bed. Needless to say, Sunday started off a bit late. We packed up, grabbed food at their favorite local Vietnamese spot, Pho Thang Cafe, and ventured to see their beautiful wedding venue. They are getting married next May at a gorgeous spot on Lake Erie, and we cannot wait to celebrate with them there.

We hit the road back to Philadelphia and back to reality. I wish our visit could have been longer, but now we have an excuse to go back! We also have to check out Cleveland's amazing museums, maybe catch a Cav's basketball game, and of course check out more of their restaurant scene. The Cleveland people really are stellar, and I now understand why my brother loves it so much. Good people and good food- what more could you ask for?

Spanish Spiced Kale Socca

Have you ever had socca? It is a lovely, lovely thing. It is essentially chickpea bread- a sort of flatbread, or really thick crepe, made of chickpea flour, water, olive oil, and salt. It has an umami rich flavor that I find addicting. I have used chickpea flour to make chickpea fries, which are delicious themselves, but those are a little more laborious. One of my favorite places for socca here in Philadelphia is Good King Tavern. They serve it with this melt-in-your-mouth ratatouille. My fiance and I use to order it to share, but I have learned, or I should say we have learned, that I might as well order it for myself as an appetizer to prevent any not-so-nice dinner moments that are sure to spoil your romantic date night out.

The inspiration for my version of socca, came from my other chickpea dish love- the popular Spanish dish of chickpeas and greens. I have made many different riffs on this dish, but the basic ingredients remain the same- olive oil, chickpeas, greens (kale, spinach, chard work well), a little tomato paste, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and maybe saffron if I am feeling luxurious. Just the smell of this dish simmering on the stove takes me back to Spain. It is a wonderfully comforting dish, and you add an egg- poached or fried- it does not matter- and you have yourself one special little meal.

For this, I seasoned the chickpea flour with a flavor-packed puree of blanched kale, olive oil, and some of those earthy, smoky spices. The kale is hardly noticeable in the final taste of the dish, but the little flecks of green are quite pretty- not to mention nutritious.

You can eat this plain because it is just that good, or serve it alongside a nice tangy goat cheese, some of my Zucchini Confit with Miso, fresh summer tomatoes, or even some ratatouille just like they do at Good King.

Spanish Spiced Kale Socca

1 bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried minced onion (optional)
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chickpea flour
2 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided, for cooking

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven while oven preheats.

Blanch kale. Heat a medium pot of water to boiling. Add chopped kale and cook for 60 seconds. Remove from heat, drain, and remove as much water as possible from kale.

Place kale in a food processor or blender and add smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, dried minced onion, salt, and olive oil. Process until mostly smooth.

In a large bowl, whisk together chickpea flour with the water. Add pureed kale and spice mixture to bowl and stir until combined.

Remove hot pan from oven, and pour 1/2 tablespoon olive oil into pan, swirling to coat. Pour 1/2 of batter into pan, trying to create an even, smooth surface, and then return pan to oven and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges. Remove socca from the pan, and repeat with another 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and remaining batter. Enjoy! Makes 2 12-inch socca rounds.    

Peach and Banana Smoothie

I am not much of a smoothie-for-breakfast person. It always feels a bit more satisfying to chew on something. But that does not mean I do not like to have smoothies as part of an afternoon snack- especially when the weather is flower-wilting hot. This smoothie is a real cinch to make and perfect for taking advantage of those lovely peaches at the farmers' markets. Peaches and bananas provide a fruity, summery sweetness while the cashews literally smooth the smoothie out. They make it lusciously creamy without the cream. They also provide some healthy fat and protein that prevent the sugar rush that you can get with fruit-only beverages. Just be sure to soak your cashews for a few hours in water (and then drain) to help them blend more easily.

They key to making this cold without the ice is to use frozen bananas. If you use frozen bananas and frozen peaches, your blender will most likely throw a fit and refuse to blend unless you add a little water. If you only have frozen peaches, add about a tablespoon of water at a time while the blender is running until you get the consistency you want.

I garnished mine with a bit of chopped pistachios because I love the pop of color they give. And a teensy pinch of flaky sea salt on the top will surely give your tastebuds a little surprise.

Peach and Banana Smoothie

1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours in room temperature water and drained
1 peach, washed and pitted
1 medium to large banana, frozen in 1-inch pieces
1-2 teaspoons local honey or agave syrup, if vegan (this depends on the sweetness of your peaches)
chopped pistachios and pinch of flaky sea salt, for garnishing (optional)

Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth. If smoothie is a bit thick to your liking, add a little water to thin it out until desired consistency is reached. Top with chopped pistachios and a pinch of flaky sea salt if you would like. Serves 1-2.

Peach and Sour Cream Waffles

I have a habit of reading cookbooks while I eat- especially if I'm eating alone. I always find that I learn something new- no matter how many times I have read the book. Part of this is because I am tuning into certain ingredients depending on the seasons. I have flipped through Deb Perelman's The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook numerous times. Her recipes in the book and on her blog are always honest, and I can trust that they have been well-tested. Her little notes about why she did this and why she did that are so helpful for people like me who like mixing recipes, creating my own concoctions in the kitchen.

The other day, while eating lunch, I stumbled upon her Peach and Sour Cream Pancakes recipe in her cookbook. Armed with fresh peaches from the farmers' market, I had an incredible desire to test out this magical sounding combination. Peaches and cream and peaches and yogurt have been done before, but I knew Deb was on to something with combining the rich, but lightly tangy sour cream with peaches. You could think of sour cream as behaving like buttermilk, which you often see in pancake and waffle batter, but the extra body it gives the batter a silky smoothness and pillowy texture that is unreal.

Instead of making pancakes like Deb did, however, I made waffles. My waffle iron has been staring at me for a while and only getting sadder and sadder with each day of neglect. Plus, I was in the mood for a crispy outside, and little wedges I could eat as a snack. I modified ingredients to reflect my change from pancake to waffle and substituted all-purpose flour for oat flour and spelt flour, but I kept many of the basic pancake/ waffle ingredients the same. I also diced up some peaches to add to the batter so you could get a little bit of summer in every bite. Topped with a drizzle of REAL maple syrup and some sliced peaches, these made for one delicious August breakfast.

Peach and Sour Cream Waffles

1/2 cup oat flour*
1/2 cup spelt flour*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 cup whole milk sour cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for waffle iron
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ripe peach, halved with pit removed

Preheat your waffle iron.

In one bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours through baking soda). In another bowl, whisk egg, sour cream, maple syrup, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla extract. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined.

Dice half of the peach and stir into the batter. Slice the remaining half in thin slices.

Make sure waffle iron is well-greased and hot. I used a little butter to do this, making sure it sizzled when I rubbed it over the griddle. Add about 1/3- 1/2 cup of batter to the center of the waffle iron, add a few peach slices to the top if you wish, and carefully close. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until done. Remove waffle to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing waffle iron as needed.

Serve waffles warm with maple syrup and fresh peach slices. Alternatively, you can cut into wedges and eat as delicious snacks. Makes about 4 whole waffles.

*You can use unbleached all-purpose, whole wheat, or a mix of unbleached all-purpose and whole wheat flour instead of oat flour and spelt flour.