You know how when you go to a restaurant and order a veggie burger, you always end up paying $8 for a tasteless circular patty of cardboard? Or, worse, a freaking Boca Burger that you can get for $.50 at home?

Yeah, what a rip-off.

Is it that hard to make a decent veggie burger? No, and I’m here to prove it.

Seriously, restaurants have no excuse to pull that kind of crap on people. Veggie burgers are super easy to make, and make well. Next time you want a nice juicy veggie burger that actually tastes good, save your 8 bucks and hit the kitchen instead.

(This recipe is modified from Cooking for Two, a book I can’t recommend enough.)

Here’s what you need to make 4 burgers:

- Olive oil
- 2-3 green onions
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- 1 zucchini
- 1 large carrot or 2 small carrots
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1½ tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup flour Read More »

Sure, the Fourth of July has passed, but we still have a couple months of lovely summer left, and what goes better with summer than throwing some food on the barbie and chowin’ down? Oh, and some beers. Afraid of the BBQ? Don’t even know where to begin? Used to letting the guys take care of it?

Ladies, grilling isn’t just for the boys! You too can become a master griller and show up those braggarts who claim the grill is man territory.

I learned how to grill at a young age because my dad is a phenomenal griller (his BBQ ribs are some of the best you’ll ever have…not that you will be having them anytime soon) and taught me the tricks of the trade right from the womb. The truth is, grilling is easy…as long as you know the rules. So, here they are.

There are two kinds of barbecuing: direct and indirect heat.

Direct heat is when you place the food directly over the source of heat/open flame. This type of grilling is best for thinner cuts of meat and items such as hot dogs, bratwurst, burgers, fish and pork chops.

Indirect heat is when you grill items outside of the main source of heat so they cook at a slower pace, more thoroughly, and without burning the outside of the meat. This is used for thicker pieces of meat such as whole chickens, beef and pork roasts. (Note: most of the “basic grilling” people do uses the direct heat method.) Read More »

Everyone needs a meal that they can whip out when they need to impress someone. Whether it’s that hot barista you got the balls to finally ask out, that hot barista’s parents two years down the line, or that group of friends who only get together every so often, a meal you can make quickly and expertly is always a ticket to success.

My staple Impress ‘Em Meal has always been pasta primavera. It’s simple, fresh, and healthy – but best of all? It easy to do.

Here’s my favorite primavera recipe, from the Food Network. I recently used this to impress partygoers at a giant potluck. Now, they all think I can actually cook (too bad my microwave knows better…)! Read More »