I love chocolate! I'm not a great baker so this cake had to be easy to make and fool proof. Make sure when you make it that you haven't forgotten any of the ingredients, unlike myself. I almost put the whole thing in the oven without the benefit of the melted butter. I managed to add it to the chocolate mixture just in time and it turned out great anyway. Even though I used all organic ingredients to make this delicious Chocolate cake, doesn't mean I can eat the whole thing. It's still full of calories whether it’s made with organic ingredients or not. The difference is that it’s missing all the extra chemicals, pesticides and GMO's that are prevalent in most conventional ingredients. I'd rather not have those in my food if I can help it.

Serves 10

-all ingredients I use are organic-

16 ounces of  bittersweet chocolate-at least 55% cacao

10 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

Pinch of salt

1 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour

1 Tbs sugar

4 Eggs, separated

Unsweetened whipped cream

Vanilla Ice cream

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line the base of a 9-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt the chocolate, slowly in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling water.
3. In a big bowl, pour melted chocolate, butter, flour and sugar. Beat the yolks lightly and whisk into the chocolate mixture. Add the pinch of salt and stir.
4. Beat the egg whites until they hold a definite shape but aren't dry. You need to fold it into the chocolate mixture and pour the whole mix into the parchment-lined pan.
5. Cook for 15 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave the door ajar, allowing the cake to cool down in the oven.
6. Serve with either unsweetened freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or both :-)

Ever since I was little, I have loved peas, especially when I can pick them myself and eat them raw on the spot. I haven't loved cooked peas as much until I made this soup, which I can't get enough of. I strongly advise you to make double the amount, maybe even triple because it will disappear very fast and it's so easy to make. The perfect recipe!

This amount serves 2

-All ingredients are organic-

1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
6 cups peas, frozen
1/2 cup of water
4 cups of vegetable broth, heated
1/2 tsp salt
and
fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Heat butter and oil in a medium size pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the chopped onion and celery. Cook about 6 mins.
2. Add garlic and parsley and cook for 15 seconds
3. Stir in peas and add water and vegetable broth.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 mins
5. Puree soup using an immersion hand blender
6. Serve with fresh ground pepper sprinkled on the top.

Enjoy!

The Best Lentil Soup
Given to me by Anthony Slayter-Ralph

I had to repost this recipe because it's so good. It's the perfect soup to make over the holidays. It's not only delicious but so easy to make as well. Next time I make it, I'm going to double the amounts because it's even better the next day, except there never is any left to have.

This recipe is full of vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber and cholesterol reducing fiber from the lentils, tomatoes, carrots, celery, olive oil, and iron from the cumin as well as the  lowering blood sugar benefits of cilantro/coriander.

2 Tbs of Olive Oil
1/4 cup of Butter
1 medium Onion chopped
2 Carrots chopped
2 Celery ribs chopped
1 tsp ground Cumin
1/2 tsp ground Coriander/Cilantro
1 cup Beluga Lentils, rinsed and drained
1 Large 28 oz can of whole Tomatoes with basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp Harissa

1. Melt in a medium size pot: olive oil + butter
2. Add and sauté onion over low heat until transparent and stir
3. Add and cook for 5 mins over medium heat: carrots + celery and stir
4. Add and cook for 1 minute: cumin + coriander+ beluga lentils and stir
5. Add the can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, harissa, and  3 cups of water.
6. Cook over medium heat, partially covered for one hour.

Enjoy!

Mutti's Pecan Butterballs
From Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook
"My Father's Daughter: delicious, easy recipes celebrating family and togetherness."

When I was little and living in NYC, I remember having a crescent shaped cookie once and thinking it was the most delicious cookie I have had. Many years later, I finally found the recipe for it. They still taste as delicious as I remember and are fabulous cookies to have around at Christmas time.

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups pecans, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar, in a small bowl

Preheat oven to 350

1. Mix everything together in a big bowl, except for the powdered sugar.
2. Roll tablespoons of dough in your hands into balls and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the sheets halfway through baking.
4. When they are nearly cool, gently roll each ball in the bowl filled with powdered sugar.

*These keep well in a tin or glass food container for a week.

 My Father's Daughter is available from my Amazon Store.

This has been my favorite meal for the past month! It's so delicious, nutritious, and easy to make. I usually have a glass food container of cooked brown rice in the fridge, and some shiitake mushrooms in a brown bag, which keeps them fresh longer. In case you didn't know it already, kale is an incredibly nutritious vegetable that provides ample amounts of vitamins A and C, folic acid, calcium, and iron.

All the ingredients in this recipe are full of nutrients, and even though the soy sauce has many minerals and vitamins in it, it's high in sodium so use only a small amount, as a little goes a long way. 

Serves 2

-All ingredients I use are organic, including the gmo free soy sauce-

1/2 cup of short brown rice
1/2 bunch of curly kale, stems removed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shiitake mushroom, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1. Cook the brown rice for 30 minutes
2. When it is half way done, start sautéeing the kale, garlic and shiitake mushrooms in a pan, and add a small amount of soy sauce. Cook until kale is bright green and wilted.
3. Add the cooked brown rice, and red pepper flakes. Mix well and serve immediately.

You can also substitute the brown rice for another cooked whole grain such as wheat berries or barley.

A piece of grilled salmon is excellent with this and little green salad on the side as well.