• Grammar - sentence structure. Swapping ingredients when you understand their purpose considering texture, flavor, color, shape. Mixing and matching.

• Shifting the proportions for a different version of the same ingredients.

• What grows together goes together

• Harmonize - High notes low notes

Forms - burrito, bowl, salad, brothy soup, pureed soup, on top of a sweet potato, sheet tray (gnocchi, sausage/chicken/salmon, noodles/tofu)

Protein + veg + fresh herb + leafy greens/pink/purple + nut/seed/crunch + acid/dressing + acid + salt (+ fat) (+ spices/dried herbs)

For good olive oil: 
Wellspent market
Providore

Chia Pudding - make in advance!

Tortilla soup, Dal

Sheet tray meals:
Chow Mein
Sheet Tray Gnocci and Vegetables Template

Serves 6

A hearty meal on it’s own, this dish also rounds out a fuller meal with a leafy green salad and salmon or chicken.

1 pound shelf-stable potato gnocchi
2 red peppers, chopped into strips
2 cups cauliflower florets (about 1-inch) and/or roughly chopped broccolini tops and stems (if stems are tender)
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 
2 - 3 cups baby spinach (arugula, kale, or other dark leafy green)

Optional Saucy Components

¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup pesto
2 – 3 Tablespoons reduced balsamic vinegar
2 – 3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Optional Flavorful Textural Garnishes 

4 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese
4 ounces chèvre (soft goat cheese) or mozzarella 
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh basil and or parsley
½ cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts or pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Divide the gnocci, peppers, cauliflower, and herbs evenly between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with the olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Gently toss with your hands to coat, then lay the ingredients out in an even layer.

Roast, stirring halfway through, until the gnocchi are plump and turning brown and the vegetables are tender and caramelized, 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and fold in the spinach to wilt, along with any of the sauce components. 

To serve, divide the gnocchi and vegetables evenly among bowls and garnish each bowl with the any of the flavorful garnishes.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The gnocchi will lose its texture over time, so blast leftovers under the broiler for 3-5 minutes to revive.

Chickpea Peanut Sauce

Makes around 1 1/2 cups

1/2 cup peanut butter (freshly ground peanuts, preferably)
1/3 cup cooked chickpeas
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves and or stems
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon tamari
1/2 jalapeno (seeded for a less spicy sauce)
1/2 cup water or coconut water

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

Romesco Sauce

Makes around 1 ½ cups

2 roasted red peppers, cored and seeded
1 dried Ancho pepper, rehydrated in hot water until soft, cored and seeded
2 - 3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
1 Jalapeño pepper, to taste
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts (or almonds or breadcrumbs or a combo)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper  

Place all of the ingredients except for the oil, salt and pepper in the food processor and puree with ¼ cup of water. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Chimichurri

Makes around 1 cup

½ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
3 Piquillo peppers
1-2 cloves garlic
Sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Alternatively, if you like a more chunky sauce, chop the herbs, peppers and garlic and mix together with remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

For the following dressings, you can use Kite Hill plain yogurt or soaked cashews as a substitute for the hemp seeds. Or regular yogurt if you don’t care about it being vegan.

Horseradish Hemp Dressing/Sauce

¼ cup hemp seeds
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small knob horseradish
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
large pinch sea salt

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, adding water to thin. 

Apricot Hemp Dressing/Sauce

(For an apple version: sub apricots with dried apples, use apple cider to sub water, add freshly ground black pepper)

6 dried unsweetened unsulfured apricots
¼ cup hemp hearts
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
large pinch sea salt

Submerge the apricots in boiling water to soften, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a blender. Add hemp hearts, olive oil, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water and blend until smooth. Refrigerate to chill.

Smoky Spiced Dressing/Sauce

¼ cup hemp hearts
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon toasted ground cumin
1 Tablespoon toasted ground coriander
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
large pinch sea salt 

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, adding water to thin.

Tzatziki

Makes about 1 ¾ cup

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
juice and zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon chopped mint
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Serve chilled.