Coconut Milk Kefir

If there’s one food I’ve missed since starting my newest diet, it’s Kefir. The last time I got to enjoy it was during the summer of 2015 at Pine Mountain Lake—the same time I came to accept that the delicious dairy beverage would never touch my lips again. My stomach had been flaring up each

Baba Ganoush

After living in our Foster City home for over 11 years, we have finally decided to remodel our kitchen! In just a few months, I’ll be stirring a pot of Swiss Chard stew atop my brand new stove. And storing Sesame Salmon Balls inside a brand new fridge. Toasting Spicy Coconut Chips inside a brand new

Spicy Coconut Chips

I am all for trying new recipes that are high in good fats. Because when you do not eat carbs, you need to raise your fat intake. And coconut, being so low in polyunsaturated fat and high in antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant properties, is really my most preferred source of that good-quality fat. That is

Roasted Sesame Peas

Out of all the seasons, my favorite would have to be fall. I love everything about it—from the first prayers of the Jewish High Holidays in September, to the last piece of turkey at Thanksgiving, with many birthday celebrations in between. Lots of entertaining, cooking, and more importantly, laughing. The days slowly shorten, shedding minutes

Oil-Free Paleo Pesto Zucchini Noodles

I’m the type of girl that shies away from trends. For example, way back when every girlfriend of mine was in love with Brad Pitt, I fancied Angelina Jolie. And when everyone was getting diamond earrings for their birthdays, I was psyched about my new shiny design books. So when the whole world went zoodle-crazy,

Lightest Hummus on Earth

I’ve been on a path to heal my achy gut this past year. I’ve tried many different approaches, but none have produced any good (or shall I say “gut”) results. The newest one is all about eliminating foods high in insoluble fiber, which is pretty challenging for someone who’s had a love affair with chia

Brussels Sprouts Chips

I once ordered a side of Brussels Sprouts chips in a little restaurant in Guerneville. They were fried, salty and so SO good! Definitely not something I would attempt to make at home! (I said to myself as I left the restaurant.) Definitely something I tried making minutes after I pulled into the driveway! And my

Baked Eggplant with Miso

The other day, I went out to meet a friend for dinner. Last time we saw each other, I was freshly pregnant with my first. Needless to say it was time for us to catch up. We met at a tiny little Japanese restaurant out in San Francisco, in the Castro. 4 tables. 1 window.

Strawberries in Minted Honey Syrup

I start my day with a hot cup of Peet’s. Every day. I sip on freshly squeezed lemonade with my kids on the warm summer afternoons. Or bubbly Pellegrino. I drink red wine (the bolder variety) at dinner on non-gym nights, or with friends on weekends. Sometimes on gym nights as well. I reach for

Homemade Vanilla Extract

  The following recipe is a no-brainer and only consists of three simple ingredients Vanilla beans Vodka Patience But it produces One very potent vanilla extract and Lots of sweetness and laughter My little girl, an older child, a dreamer, a Taylor Swift fan, came home from school, dropped her bag by the door, gave

Kimchi

Sometimes I get so frustrated. Just the other day, I was feeling a need for comfort food and decided to make a pot of hearty Korean Kimchi Stew. I drove to Whole Foods, grabbed a pound of beef, a couple of onions and a package of red pepper paste. I reached for a jar of

Sweet Corn Ceviche

I get so excited when I stumble upon a new culinary discovery. I walk around feeling all proud, with a huge smile on my face and a strong urge to share! My latest discovery is corn. No, I’m not talking about having made a brand new grain discovery (that was done for me a long

Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango

As a child, I did not really like geography.  I liked poetry and art… Photography… Even math… But not geography.  And geography didn’t like me! From cartography and paleogeography to geomorphology and physiography, they all treated me with a contemptuous superiority complex.  But it was the political geography, with its locations on the map, names

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

My recent lack of motivation has forced me to take a break from cooking and Cuceeing. In the last few months, the only meals I have been putting on the dinner table were healthier-than-takeout, getting-rid-of-spoiling-ingredients, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink meals. But as the holiday season approached, my culinary ego went into an assertive state and forced my creative

Algerian Tomato Soup

I was blasting down a steep windy trail over the rock gardens and roots – rocks ricocheting off of my shiny, barely used Target “tricycle.” I was holding on for dear life, in fact so tight that my hands were starting to go numb and turn white from gripping the brakes too tightly. As I

Gypsy soup

I have been living without a range for a whole month! My old range had been sending me death signals for over a year but I kept deliberately ignoring them, just like I ignore any other sign of problems in my life. (I know, I know… not the best coping strategy, but it has worked

Wild Rice Salad Bowl with Miso Dressing

Head over hills, forks over knives, miso over sugar — I am in love with this new salad. Is it a life-changing concept? Not really. A new food revelation? Maybe.  A new salad recipe? For sure. A cool dressing idea? Bingo. I recently pinterested a recipe idea that mildly shocked my imagination. Miso in a

Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes

“What would you like, Ma-am?” a flight attendant smiled at me as she parked her cart by row 3, my row for the next 6 hours. Hm, what would I like? I would like a long relaxing massage. A day all to myself with plenty of time to devote to a new complicated recipe and

Cucee-green Salsa

The very first dish I ever attempted to prepare myself was a beer-can-chicken (well, actually , glass-of-water-chicken.) As a child, I watched my mom make it often and loved how flavorful, succulent and juicy the chicken would consistently turn out. So, when my boyfriend, the guy I often refer to as “the husband” in my

Socca bread

Here, on the island, life is simple. There is no McDonald’s or Cheese Cake Factory. No Home Depot or Costco. No Four Seasons or four star restaurants. No gyms with flat screen TVs, or without. No Starbucks, Applebee’s, department stores, or shopping malls. No traffic jams or traffic lights. But there is a library with

Three-Seed Cabbage Salad

The following are observations of a backpacking foodie: Sometimes…. Chicken comes prepackaged in a flashy vacuum-sealed plastic bag.  Milk resembles powdered cocaine.  It is OK to eat fish out of a can.  Granola + cold river water make for an interesting breakfast.  Instant coffee and bagged tea in the morning help to wake up… even

Slow-Roasted Glazed King Salmon

A few weeks ago, we took our kids on their first real and much-deserved family vacation. Before we had kids, my husband and I traveled a lot! Europe, Middle East, Latin America, Asia… We never expected to slow down, but things don’t always work out as planned. As you may know from reading my blog,

Blueberry Surprise Salad

Every member in my family takes a great pride in being good at something. My daughter is really good at reading clouds, ignoring her brother’s orders, spilling milk all over her new dress, reading books in the doorways, matching outfits, and conjugating verbs. My son is very natural at making friends… and making funny faces

Emeril’s Vegetarian Chili

When I am stressed, I find  slicing, dicing, and cutting to be quite therapeutic. A few Sundays ago, after a full weekend of children and adult activities, I was ready for a date with my cutting board, chef knife, and soup pot for some immediate stress relief. I turned on my flat-screened cooking companion and

Beet and Orange Soup

I love bold colors and I am not afraid to use them! We had our rooms painted deep orange, buttercup yellow, brick red and silver metallic long before colorful walls became chic in California. My pre-kids car was of a dazzlingly crimson hue and my husband’s yellow Z3 stood out in traffic jams. Peek into

Roasted Vegetable and Quinoa Salad

Comfort food comes in all textures and flavors. Comfort food is that special dish that your mom made you when you were sick. The dish that helped you get over a bad breakup.  The dish that got you through your finals in college. It’s your grandma’s matzo-ball soup. Mom’s mac-and-cheese. Crispy grilled-cheese sandwich.  Hearty bowl

Granny Smith Apple And Yam Soup with Glazed Slivered Almonds

Silky and warming with a hint of ginger and curry, this soup is perfect for a chilly fall night. Granny Smith Apple And Yam Soup with Glazed Slivered Almonds Adapted from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell Ingredients For the almonds Vegetable oil cooking spray 2 tablespoon agave nectar 1 cup (4 ounces) slivered

Almond Butter Pear Honey Pocket

If you were born and raised in the United States, you may find it hard to imagine that there are people out there who never had a PBJ sandwich. Here goes my epicurean Cucee Confession #3: until very recently, I had not tried the All-American Peanut-Butter-and-Jelly sandwich.  (Confession #1: I am obsessed with anything-cauliflower, Confession #2:

Cucee is Cooking

On the way towards their recipes, these cooking experiments stopped for the photo op. Red Lentil Dahl, Eggplant and Spinach Stack with Raita Sweet Potato Soup

Moroccan Red Lentil-Bean Stew

Last weekend, I took my friends on a culinary journey to Morocco. No suitcase required. Only a plate and a wine glass. Napkins and utensils — optional. My husband and I experienced Moroccan food on our last vacation. The number of exotic delicacies that we came across was a bit shocking (even a little intimidating).

A Healthiterian’s Mission Statement

I love food. I love pretty much everything about food — the taste and the smell, the process of preparation, serving it to people, evening meals with my family, going out to restaurants, and dinner parties with friends. For that reason, I would never deprive myself from the pleasure of eating.  I would never skip

Scallion Sweet Potatoes

My love affair with Mr. Sweet Potato (aka Sr. Yam) began not that long ago… It was love at first sight. We were introduced to each other at my friends’ house over one unforgettable Thanksgiving dinner. Served with beef kebab and a medley of root vegetables, Mr. Sweet Potato rested modestly by the rim of