This beetroot tartare is one of those dishes that looks fancy but is really, simply, all about highlighting the vegetable. Some herbs, fresh horseradish root, a pop of acidity, and a hit of salt are all beets need to make them sing! The lemon-horseradish (cashew) cream just puts them over the top. It takes a little time to roast the beets but the actual preparation of the tartare is really quite simple. It’s a lot like preparing a salad. A little chopping and mixing. A little dressing.
In fact, while I often think of this beetroot tartare as an appetizer, it’s equally appropriate as a salad or side. read more
You should really keep this recipe for vegan Mexican black beans in your back pocket. Sometimes you really need a couple of sides to round out a meal and this one requires no more than five minutes of active work time. Your slow cooker will do the rest. So ditch the canned beans. These are so much more flavorful and absolutely foolproof. read more
Poached egg with sautéed spinach and lemon-cilantro quinoa is one of my favorite weekend breakfasts. It’s warm and hardy – all of the oozy goodness of eggs benedict minus the undesirable food coma afterwards. While fruity smoothies and bowls might dominate my Instagram feed, I’ll take this warm, savory breakfast every time! read more
I am obsessed with this citrus salad! It’s the perfect way to combat the February doldrums. February can a tough month, don’t you think? The holidays are long gone but spring still seems far away, at least here in New York. This winter hasn’t been as bad as some but last February, I watched as huge sheets of ice floated down the Hudson River. Just, no. (I can hear my mother saying, “Well it’s 65 degrees right now in Louisiana.” Thanks, Mom.)
This time of year, when it comes to food, I often want some element of freshness to counterbalance the heavier foods of winter. Enter citrus! Citrus is your friend. This salad is incredibly refreshing, not to mention beautiful. I am a sucker for color and these colors are pretty freaking fab. Take a peak at this closeup… read more
You guys are going to go bananas for this three chile marinade, which could not be more perfect for chicken and skirt steak tacos. It’s also wonderful on a whole chicken or a beef tenderloin. This recipe is tailor made for game days but it really hits the spot any night of the week. It’s one of those things I make again and again and again because it gets raves every time. read more
These gluten-free, paleo turkey meatballs are the bomb! They’re light and savory and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Who needs another meatball recipe, you ask? You do. These are free of glutinous fillers and made with fresh, not canned, tomatoes. read more
Can we just have a conversation about the colors in this vegan roasted acorn squash soup? This is the genius of mother nature. I am so psyched about how this turned out. Beautiful and insanely delicious.
When you see acorn squash soup recipes, you often see ingredients that aren’t so good for you – like butter or cream – along with classic herbs like thyme or sage. I wanted to go in a different direction. On its own, acorn squash is quite sweet. So what if we play against that and hit it with a bit of acidity? There are a couple of ingredients that make this acorn squash soup unique.
You need to get on board immediately with this refined sugar free, vegan chocolate almond milk! Everyone needs a sweet treat from time to time, right? And what’s not to love about chocolate milk? I made this with the kids in mind but I really think I love it as much as they do. read more
After more than a year of thinking about this little project, I am doing it! Thank you for popping by. I really hope that Kitchen Below Canal becomes one of your regular stops.
So what is Kitchen Below Canal, anyway?
First and foremost, it’s whole foods, big flavors! It’s a shame that the two don’t coexist more often. I also hope that this site is a nice place to hang out for those of you who love to cook. Think of the vibe you have when a bunch of your friends are gathered around the kitchen. I want you to find some of that here.
What is your food philosophy?
I don’t adhere to a specific school of thought on food and there isn’t much that I absolutely won’t eat. I’ve never been much of a “rules” girl so expect Kitchen Below Canal to be a bit of a mash up.
I eat a plant heavy diet but I will probably never be a vegan. There are too many committed omnivores in our home and I happen to like to cook for them. (Plus, bidding a permanent farewell to Louisiana seafood might send me into a bit of a tailspin.) But I hope that my vegan friends feel welcome here. If you click on the recipe link above, you will notice that there is a vegan tab just for you. Paleo recipes will be marked, too, so if that’s your jam, I’ll try to have your back.
Diets aside, I believe in actually enjoying food. This may be a healthful food website but that will never be code for “let’s starve ourselves”. Starving is uncool. You deserve better! We all do. As a mom, I am keenly aware that my children are influenced by the way I eat. I want them to have a healthy relationship with food. I do believe in splurging sometimes. I will probably share some of my splurges from time to time because they’re part of my real life.
Physical nourishment is obviously a huge factor in the way I cook. But beyond that, I see food as a way to connect. It’s a way to connect with others. It’s a way to connect with yourself. Some of my happiest times are preparing a meal for the people I love and seeing them enjoy the food I make. I also like making a meal just for me on the very rare occasions that I have the apartment to myself. But I don’t cook every single night. Some days we have too much going on in our household and some nights, I am just tired!
Cooking is not a contest. If you are the mom who has all that you can handle and you just ordered takeout for the tenth night in a row, please know that I really do get it. I have 100% been there. (It’s easy to take a picture of pretty food but that never shows the mess in the background, does it?) If you have the picky eater, you might take comfort in the fact that I have one, too. He’s not touching my quinoa. It’s fine. I’m not painting a perfect picture here. Real life is complicated.
At the end of the day, we are all just doing the best we can. Let’s let that be enough. We are on the same team.
With all of that said, welcome to Kitchen Below Canal! I hope you like the recipes!
