Don’t be fooled by the name Healthy Pumpkin Muffins. These are so delicious and packed with flavor I was hesitant to include the word healthy. But they are just that and so much more. They are refined sugar-free and sweetened with only honey and a little bit of applesauce. Read more
Not sure if I’ve mentioned before. But besides being nuts for this time of year, I might be even more nuts for anything with pumpkin in it. Even the pumpkin spice latte or as some like to call it, the PSL, you might ask? Yep, send it my way please. In fact send it my way soon please. Not sure why the Starbucks here in Istanbul waits so long to bring this drink to their autumn menu. The PSL made it’s debut in LA back in September and it’s still not here. Sheesh. Ok, sorry, this isn’t a post about coffee.
This is a post about the shining star of fall, the great pumpkin. No, not the Charlie Brown version. Though that’s definitely in the top ten best things of the season. I sure hope I can find a way to play it for my littles this year. It’s a Halloween tradition. Sorry, I’ve drifted again. Read more
So it seems Autumn is here to stay in Istanbul. The crisp, rainy weather has been the norm here these days. We’ve had a few teases of sunshine but it’s clear that summer has made it’s grand exit with that beautiful, warm weekend we had a couple weeks ago, which was literally the last official weekend of the season. It was kind of magical the way the weather changed on cue.
Though, not a big fan of rain, I’m very happy that fall is officially here. It’s my absolute favorite season after all. Growing up in LA and then living there again the last five and a half years, I’ve missed it. That’s not to say they don’t have a change in seasons. It’s just not the fall I came to truly love while living in NYC. I can just hear my mom saying, “we do too have Autumn in LA.” It does cool off a bit there, though usually not till maybe November, but 80 plus degree days exist year round. Not complaining about that either. It can have it’s benefits. Though, when you want to dress the part with boots, and sweaters, and scarves, it gets a little hot.
To celebrate the beginning of this colorful time of year, I wanted to make something highlighting one of my favorite fruits of the season. Plump, juicy, jewel toned figs are at all the markets and bazaars right now. This particular fruit is the reason I especially enjoyed visiting Istanbul in September or October over the years. You just can’t get figs like this in the states. And if you manage to find some good ones, they usually cost a pretty penny. Here, they are amazingly delicious and affordable. In fact, it’s funny, I was watching Chef’s Table the other night, and learned that unripe figs ‘bleed’ milk when they’re not ready. This was most often the case for many a fig I used to get in the professional kitchen. Read more
The weather this week in Istanbul has taken a complete turn to Autumn. I guess they got the memo here that summer officially ended this past weekend. We’ve had cold, windy, and rainy days that have started making me excited for the recipes of Fall. Ok, who am I kidding, I’ve been excited all summer. My favorite season is here…..But before I get all crazy with pumpkin and apple everything, I’m going to share one last summer recipe. Maybe one of my most favorite of all. I’ve been making my Summer Orzo Salad for years without too much variation. If you have any ripe, sweet baby tomatoes left, this is a perfect way to use them up. Read more
Ok, so my attempt at sending the last bit of summer recipes before Autumn began failed miserably. I should say catastrophically. Tall bottle of beer next to the laptop is not a good idea. I repeat. Not. A. Good. Idea. It wasn’t my idea or my beer but it was my hand that knocked it over. Funny how life works sometimes. The whole thing didn’t even spill. But it was just enough to render it useless. It wouldn’t even turn on anymore. It went kaput. It wasn’t the best week. And googling all possible scenarios while it was at the Apple doctor, is also not the best idea. You’ll drive yourself mad. But thanks to the computer wizards we took it to, it is back up and running. And all beverages are far, far away. Read more
