HOW TO: Make a Plum and Peach Crisp

My favorite Summer desserts have always been crisps or cobblers, letting the ripe Summer fruit really shine through. Last night I made a Peach, Raspberry and Blueberry Crisp. I improvised the filling part but used the topping recipe from 101 Cookbooks. Everyone loved the end result and the topping came out crispy and moist and perfectly sweet. I had never used yogurt in a topping before but it was a success and I think I will be making this recipe again and again.

Shopping List:
Fruit:
1 pound ripe peaches
1 pound ripe plums
1/4 cup natural cane sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoons arrowroot (or cornstarch)
a scant 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water (opt)
Crisp:
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup natural cane sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
big pinch of salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup yogurt
See the full recipe at 101 Cookbooks

HOW-TO: Make Spicy Heirloom Tomatoes & Sweet Corn

Happy Summer everyone. It has been hot and sticky here in Brooklyn but I don't mind the heat, I used to live in the Caribbean. So when this time of year comes around I'm in a great mood and all I want to do is eat vegetables, swim and never wear shoes. I recently reconnected with an old friend from my days on the island of St. John (yes, we used to live there... and no, I don't know why I left). Nicole is a super talented photographer and I've spent most of the morning looking at her work and drooling on my computer. I thought I would share this recipe, as it is a timely one, as us folks on the East Coast are getting pumped up about our August diet that consists of only corn and tomatoes.

Shopping List:
heirloom tomatoes
fresh corn
chives (optional, or your favorite fresh herb)
sea salt and pepper
pinch of cayenne or paprika
drizzle of olive oil
squeeze of lemon or lime
See the full recipe here on Nicole's Blog

HOW TO: Make Homemade Chai

Loving Chai Tea these days. Feeling inspired to make my own after looking at this picture.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Shopping List:
4 1/2 cups Filtered water
2 sticks Cinnamon
3 small slivers Ginger
14 whole Cardamom pods
2 whole Star Anise pods
20 whole Cloves
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, ground
1/2 tsp Nutmeg, ground
1+ tsp Orange zest
2/3 cup Brown sugar
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Vanilla
10 Black tea bags
 See the full recipe at www.kmillerphotographs.com 

It's here! EWG's 2012 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Use EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides to reduce your exposures as much as possible.
Download the guide here

An Evening at Stone Barns and Blue Hill

from Weleda.com: This summer I had the opportunity to visit Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture up the Hudson in Pocantico Hills, NY, to talk to the staff there about my work as an organic beauty consultant and makeup artist.  Dan Barber, the visionary chef (and one of my heroes), asked me to come and speak to the farmers and chefs and share my knowledge about natural beauty.  I'm so passionate about my work and my mission to educate and inspire folks to choose a more natural, healthier type of beauty routine, that being able to share with the staff at Blue Hill and Stone Barns was such an honor.

I got to take a stroll around the farm before we headed to the outdoor patio where the staff had assembled, eating their meal of fresh greens and pasta. First we heard from Jack Algiere, the farm manager, about what was coming into season and the importance of communication between the farmers and chefs. Then it was my turn. I told the staff about what I do, and then we engaged in a discussion about how the beauty industry is in desperate need of a makeover. Dan fired away with thought provoking questions, and the staff also chimed in, curious about what “organic” really means, whether sunscreen is toxic, which companies’ products are truly natural and how they can learn how to make sustainable choices.

I was thrilled to connect with everyone there; they are doing such great work educating and inspiring people about healthy food and sustainability. I like to think I do the same sort of thing, talking about our environment and sustainability through an interesting medium—mine is makeup and skin care and theirs is food. It was thrilling to be in the presence of such gastronomical rock stars. To finish I passed out Weleda treats of Skin Food and Almond Facial Oil. The staff was thrilled—everyone loved the samples.

Then for the part I had been waiting for: dinner! The next three hours were incredible. The chefs indulged us with fresh asparagus wrapped with prosciutto and sesame seeds, lemony watercress, purple potato gnocchi, apricot jam, smoked butter, fried smelt, fiddle head ferns, honey from the farm, tiny strawberries, goat’s milk yogurt and much, much more! I had the biggest smile on my face throughout the entire meal. Finally, for my final treat of the evening, we walked out of the restaurant to see the moon. It was bright orange, full, big and fat, and we could hear the newly born, baby lambs cooing in the distance.

Alice Waters on 60 Minutes

Watch CBS Videos Online

Take a break this afternoon and watch the inspirational Alice Waters and her crusade for better food.