Halloween pumpkins and Ready Up Rice and Lentils for breakfast

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays: creative and fun without big expectations. And now that I'm focused on thrifty, healthy food, I love it more than ever. There may be free food on your doorstep tonight, and I'm not talking candy or Tricker-or-Treaters! Read below for more, plus get the new, super-easy recipe for a hot breakfast that's perfect for chilly mornings.

Veg o' the Week: Pumpkin. Did you buy cooking pumpkins for your Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations? If you have a farmers' market nearby that's open on Halloween, it may not be too late to get the best prices of the year on these decorative, delicious, and nutritious vegetables. I buy several, keeping most of them whole as decoration until after Thanksgiving. In the picture below, the edible pumpkins Jack Be Little,

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Apple Walnut Crumble recipe, easier and healthier than pie, plus Steve Jobs, organic farming

Lady Gaga tweeted that she was going to eat apples all day to honor Steve Jobs, the Apple visionary and founder who passed away Wednesday. I say eat apples all fall and take time to reflect on simplicity and elegance. Get started with my streamlined Apple Walnut Crumble, which is easier and healthier than apple pie. Read on for that recipe, plus the scoop on arugula, organic farming, and a new food-centric memoir.

Apple Walnut Crumble. Welcome fall with this quick, lighter version of the classic Dutch Apple Cake. It has more apples plus healthy walnuts, half the butter and flour, and less than half the sugar. Instead of wasting time peeling apples,

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Mexican Grilled Peach Sorbet recipe, Tomatoland giveaway

I've been in a cooking frenzy this week, experimenting with Whisk Sourdough Bread (nearly ready!), homemade graham crackers, eggplant burgers, and grilling fruit. Read below for the first of these new recipes: Mexican Grilled Peach Sorbet. When not cooking, I tore through Tomatoland, the riveting new book on industrial tomato farming in Florida and sustainable options along the East Coast. See my review below and enter the drawing to win a copy. Also read about upcoming events and a job opening.

Recipe: Mexican Grilled Peach Sorbet. Less is more with this high-flavor, low-fat peach sorbet. It's a fully adult confection, with the mysterious heat of the chipotle and a smoky grilled tang providing high contrast to the ripe peaches and its refreshing chill. Cinnamon adds another layer of sophistication, making Mexican Grilled Peach Sorbet a light yet robust finish for a gourmet dinner.

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Sourdough rolls, new videos, blogger roundup, and bacon

This week's recipe for healthy sourdough rolls is another case of a thrifty choice leading to better results. Read on for details, plus find out about two kindred-spirit bloggers I met at Netroots Nation, consider the politics of a Bacon and Bourbon social, and check out two new short videos and the first full-length video of a Cook for Good class.


Easy Sourdough Whole-Wheat Rolls. About 10% of the cost of my Whisk Breads pays for yeast. Could I save 33 cents on every batch and add some local flavor at the same time? Yes, with sourdough starter. I toasted one of these for breakfast today and topped it with peanut butter. Yum!

Please check out the recipe and let me know in the comments what you think about the new photo style. I'm trying to include more and better pictures with each recipe. Is it worth the effort?

New videos. Check out the sneak previews

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IACP highlights plus Un-Baked Beans recipe

What a conference! The International Association of Culinary Professionals brings together cookbook writers, food stylists, bloggers, photographers, techies, and even armadillos! Most of us swap tips and stories so we can get better at what we do. The armadillos were garnish to remind us that we were in Texas. Read below for conference highlights. Then stir up my super easy recipe for Vegetarian Un-Baked Beans. I've had a craving for molasses since coming back from Texas. These beans hit the spot without heating up the house.

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