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This post is in partnership with Bob's Red Mill. Since March, pasta has become increasingly harder to source at some of the local grocery stores. This has led to an increase in making pasta in some areas but in other areas, I’ve started adapting some of my most-used recipes that call for pasta. In this case, it was using the base for pasta e ceci and pulling a bit of inspiration from Zuppa di ceci e farro. Bob’s Red Mill Organic Farro I like using Bob’s farro for this recipe since it’s a pearled version- the cooking time is much than if using whole grain farro. The farro cooks while prep and cooking of the other ingredients in the soup are done. It still takes about 45 minutes, but it’s one of my favorite dinners (as long as I have good bread to eat with it). Greens When my refrigerator is packed full of greens during the cooler months, I’ll add in shredded kale or chard towards the end of cooking. It’s a great way to add even more heft to the recipe and a great way to use u...

This post has been a long-time coming; it just took a pandemic, and my life being flipped upside down for me to get to the point of writing it. The time has come to say good-bye to Naturally Ella (and hello to a new website: erinalderson.com ). This won’t be immediate- I still have content left to share this year and I want people to have time to grab recipes they might want to keep, which is why I’m announcing this now. It's been a hell of a run. Something that started as a side-project my senior year of college pushed me into a career I had no idea was even possible. The site helped me fall in love with food, vegetables, and inspiring others to have fun in the kitchen. Over time, I've dug deep into my presence on the internet and how that aligns with things I believe. I know I don't owe anyone an explanation, but I'm one for a bit of transparency (and I know quite a few of you have been around for many years). The truth is, I've been running some form of thi...

Post in partnership with Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs When the temperature drops below 90 degrees here in the valley, I call that the start of fall. This creamy delicata squash pasta is my kick-off to the season (just don’t be surprised if more tomato recipes still show up because I’ll be happily eating them for another month or so). Squash I will forever love the ease of using delicata squash in meals. The thin skin on this squash means there’s no peeling involved and it roasts in less than 30 minutes. The subtle earthy flavor is great for pairing with spices and helps cut through the rich goat cheese in this pasta dish. If you can’t find delicata squash, use cubed butternut or sweet potatoes. I find those squash to be a bit sweeter, so try adding a pinch of heat to the mix or drop the maple syrup from the hazelnuts. Eggs I like making sure we have a bit of protein with each meal and I’m happy to team up with Pete and Gerry’s for this recipe. I love working with Pete and ...

This post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. About this time of year, my meals revolve around the easiest way to eat as much summer produce. Typically the answers to that are grain bowls, but I like to change it occasionally, like with these oat crepes. Tomatoes In our produce pick-up and even in our small garden, cherry tomatoes are the summer winner. During peak tomato season, we end up with a large mound each week, and the tomatoes find their way into everything. However, I love a good meal that highlights the flavor and sweetness of the cherry tomatoes. You could use regular tomatoes in this recipe by cutting the tomato into bite-size pieces. A lightly cooked squash would be another excellent addition as well. If it's not summer, the harissa/crepe combination would be nice with roasted squash or sweet potato. Crepes When it comes to crepes, I love that they are so forgiving with whichever flour you might use. In terms of these oat crepes, I used Bob's Red Mill rolle...

This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. I’m actually surprised I haven’t shared a version of this zucchini frittata before. Usually, in the beginning of August, I open my refrigerator to see a small pile of zucchini. I’m never sure how I accumulated so many without realizing it. But they are there and need to be used. The Filling A frittata is a perfect way to use a rather sizable zucchini. I like cooking the zucchini and the onions together. The zucchini caramelizes while the onions soften, and what’s left is a mixture that’s perfect for fillings and toppings. I’ve used this combination in enchiladas, quesadillas, and even as a topping for grain bowls. Of course, the best part about frittatas is that there’s really no limit to what you can use. For summer, I also like adding sweet corn, peppers, cherry tomatoes, loads of herbs, and/or greens. I typically like my frittatas to be heavy on the vegetables. Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs Naturally, a good frittata s...

With the summer heat still lingering around California, my meals revolve heavily around fresh produce and components (usually vegetables, fruit, and beans). This tomato salad started as a topping for a bean/rice bowl, but I added and changed a bit to make it stand on its own. The oil draws from chhonk (a spice blooming technique most notably found in many regional Indian cuisines-links to articles in the notes of the recipe). Add to that a bit of tang from pickled jalapenos and crunch from roasted pistachios- it’s a delightful summer salad. [tasty-recipe id="39484"] continue reading The post Tomatoes with Pistachios, Cumin and Scallions appeared first on Naturally. . from Naturally. https://ift.tt/3kI3xkW Erin Alderson August 12, 2020 at 08:50PM

Summer salads are a daily occurrence in our house. This peach salad brings enough heft that it can hold it’s own as a meal or be a delightful side salad. Grain Alternatives I typically make this type of salad with grains I have leftover from dinner the night before. For the grain, I like something that adds texture which usually means going with wheat grains, hence the Khorasan. If you wanted to have a similar texture but make the salad gluten-free, I’d recommend sorghum. If you want to make this salad quick and don’t have leftover grains, I’d shift to something quick cooking: quinoa, millet, or bulgur. These grains won’t have the same texture but do help keep this salad on the filling side of a meal. Make it Vegan I like the salty balance the feta adds to the salad but it’s definitely secondary to the peaches and the pistachios. To make this salad vegan, drop the feta and swap the butter for olive oil. Greens Arugula isn’t everyone’s favorite green and that’s no problem. This ...

This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. Pasta in the summer is about as easy as possible, but I like to take it one step more and make light ricotta gnocchi. The balance of rich gnocchi with vegetables like fresh sweet corn is a filling and delicious summer meal. The Gnocchi Given my love of dumplings, it’s no surprise that I have a soft spot for gnocchi. The light, pillowy texture holds when paired with sauces and vegetables. It’s a great recipe to make if you’re not ready to dive in fully to making homemade pasta. Gnocchi types are prolific, even in the many regions of Northern Italy where gnocchi originated . I love a good potato, beet, or even sweet potato version, but I often find myself going back to ricotta gnocchi. This is especially true if I’m using a variety of flour that I want to have a presence, like in the case of the rye in this recipe. Don’t have rye flour? That’s okay. This recipe can easily be made using all-purpose, wheat (I’d recommend white ...

As we’ve continued to hunker down at home, our bean intake has increased. It’s not that we weren’t eating them before, it’s just I’m cooking many more meals than I had been. So, all this bean-ness is spilling over to the website. That said, the beans in this asparagus pasta are secondary to everything else. The asparagus is prominent and shaved to resemble the pasta while the sauce is kept simple with parmesan, bean liquid, and pasta liquid if needed. Asparagus This pasta is excellent if you find yourself with some of the thicker asparagus stalks. I like using shaved asparagus because I can add it in at the end to keep some of the texture (I’m not one for overly cooked, sad asparagus). Barely cooking the shaved asparagus at the end gives it just enough notice, so it doesn’t get lost in the pasta. Beans This asparagus pasta is not one of those recipes I’m going to give you a ton of bean swaps. I think the small white beans work well. They aren’t in your face, so the asparagus gets...

When it comes to dried beans, many questions abound. Do I need to soak them? Won't salt harden beans during cooking? Are beans toxic? And if you do a simple search on the internet, there's a lot of differing opinions that would lead you down any one path. And so, I've written up how I work with dried beans in the hope of removing some of the confusion and concern that comes with working with dried beans. I'll admit, this can feel overwhelming, but I'm giving you information to remove the mystery. If you want to know exactly how I cook my beans, you can scroll past to the actual recipe. However, I think it's helpful to know all the ins and outs before diving in because there are a few factors and endless amounts of variations! --------------------------- Why Dried Beans instead of Canned? I don't knock canned beans. They are relatively cheap, easy to work with, and can help get a fast, nice meal to the table. I usually keep a can or two on hand for quic...

When I slow down, I find I cook more and often turn to make everything from scratch. This rewarding experience is always a humbling one. Primarily because it reminds me that food wasn’t always fast. There’s a deep appreciation for food that we lose when we pull ourselves out of the process. Potstickers It’s no secret that I’ve yet to meet a kind dumpling I didn’t like, but I love a good potsticker. The crispy bottom, the versatile filling, and a solid sauce; what’s not to love? I’ve been making them at home for years but with storebought wrappers. And so, I finally made the jump to making my wrappers, and as with most things, the homemade wrappers make these wonderful. The wrappers I am lucky that I’ve had the chance to watch/learn from my friend Lisa (Healthy Nibbles). I’m primarily sharing this recipe for the filling. Lisa’s dumpling dough is perfect (and it’s rare for me to say that about a recipe). She also has excellent, detailed videos about making the dough and pleating. ...

Keeping records of anything online for an extended time can be a very humbling experience. Essentially, all your growth in a particular area is out there, and unfortunately, on the internet, it should stay out there, or else the internet overseers get grumpy. What does all of this have to do with a recipe for bok choy noodle soup? A lot. I posted a recipe for a similar soup roughly five years ago, and it’s been a more popular recipe of mine. However, my understanding of building flavors has grown, and as such, the meal I make now is a bit different from the original recipe. And I’m sure, in five years, I’ll be writing this again with a similar but different method. Why Bok Choy? I think bok choy is beautiful. The way it grows, the shape of the leaves, the color gradation from leaf to stem. And yet, I don’t use it near enough. I love it in this noodle soup because it just melts away. The stems are cooked apart from the greens, but in the end, it all blends in with the noodles. Don...

This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs. More often than not, I think about how lucky we are to know and have the influence of global cooking. There are endless flavor possibilities, ideas, and fun to be had. I preface with this because these Turkish Eggs are not traditional (but calling this dish eggs and yogurt felt wrong since it’s such an iconic dish). For my riff, I’m using fried eggs instead of poached (although this is standard in other regions). I’ve added avocado (because it’s currently in season in California), and I’ve made the butter topping with harissa instead of the commonly used Aleppo pepper. Harissa Paste Over the years, I’ve tried my fair share of store-bought harissa paste and recipes. I have two on the site (one using canned pantry ingredients and one using dried peppers ). Both of my recipes are lower on the heat level. However, many of the pastes sold in grocery stores are hot. Very hot. My suggestion is always to get to know the ingre...

A pasta that just screams spring, this recipe is made from white wheat flour and carrot juice then paired with an easy topping of garlic butter, ricotta, and dill. Whether you try your hand at making your own pasta or use store-bought, it's a delicious recipe for the warmer weather. The Pasta On a whim, I made this pasta after Mack asked to juice things. Because I’m always looking for ways to fill time, I said sure. I posted this pasta to Instagram , and to my surprise, many people were interested in how I made it. So, here we are. I love making cavatelli because you don’t need any special equipment (I use a gnocchi board, but it’s not a necessity). It takes a bit of time, but once you get the hang of it, the process is fun and can be an excellent, relaxing activity. I shared a series on stories of making this pasta you can check out as well.  If you don’t want to make homemade pasta, that’s cool too! The flavors of this pasta are lovely, no matter. I do recommend, however, a...

When it comes to broth-based soups, I have three parts I focus on to make it great. There's the flavor base, the core ingredients, and finally, the final add-ins. This white bean soup has all my favorite parts. Onions and garlic form the base, the carrots and white beans bring the bulk, and herbs, miso, and lemon round out the flavor. Homemade Beans I make a batch or two of beans on the weekend and use through-out the week. This way I can control the flavor and salt-level of the beans. Plus, I aim to create flavorful beans and bean broth. This soup leans on the flavor of both and using canned beans isn’t quite the same. I talk about how I cook my beans in the notes of this recipe . However, I can’t rightly expect everyone to cook beans from scratch (I, too, turn to cans). So, if you’re using canned, there’s a couple of things to consider. One, the liquid is often really salty (to help preserve the beans). If you use the liquid from the canned beans, adjust the salt/miso as ne...

There's never a week that goes by that I don't have a couple of different kinds of cooked beans stashed in my refrigerator. I mostly use them in dishes with many other flavors, but occasionally I like a bowl of comforting beans. These brothy beans doctor up the original bean broth for a cozy meal. The Brothy Beans These brothy beans are a reliable way to make a myriad of beans. The dish works well with larger white beans (like Royal Corona or Gigante) but is just as lovely as the smaller white beans . Any bean that can hold it's shape through a second cook is excellent. I used great northern beans in this version. Scallions, or alliums Play around with the alliums you use. You could use a clove of minced garlic, some sliced green garlic, or some minced shallot. These beans aren't meant to be fussy. I've even enjoyed these beans with some minced chives when I haven't had anything else. Miso I tend to keep a container of white miso in the refrigerator for f...

This post is in partnership with California Grown. During these times, I’m relying on vegetables that store well and cook easily. These braised carrots are extremely flexible in terms of assembly. Swap out the polenta, change up the spices, even make it vegan! California Grown Carrots It’s no secret that I really love carrots. I think they are such a versatile vegetable given about the only wrong way to cook a carrot is to overcook it (unless you’re making puree!) Luckily living in California, I have a year-round supply thanks to growing conditions in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. These two regions grow roughly 80% of all carrots grown in the United States. Polenta and other options The polenta, in this dish, is merely a vessel to eat these carrots. It’s lovely but not necessary. The first time I thought of this recipe, I served the carrots on top of coconut rice. But really, any grain base would work well, maybe with a swoosh of hummus! Vegan? Most of this re...

I, too, am lured by the wonders of tasty looking recipes on the internet. Different ideas or fun combinations get stuck in my brain. Usually, in the form of recipes that make me want to try something new. One of the more recent? This caramelized cabbage . Most likely because I like roasted and grilled cabbage, so really, what’s not to love about the idea of caramelization? And so, I tried it, but I can’t leave well enough alone. Because currently, nearly every meal contains beans. This baked-cabbage and white beans is my rendition on the caramelized cabbage, made for a substantial lunch (thanks beans!) Also, this is delightful leftover, served on leftover grains. [tasty-recipe id="38847"] continue reading The post Baked Cabbage and White Beans appeared first on Naturally. . from Naturally. https://ift.tt/3bqHZUL Erin Alderson March 26, 2020 at 10:17PM

Hi. Things are going to be a little different around here for the foreseeable future. I don't really plan content too far ahead and I get a lot of inspiration from what I have on hand. That being said, the recipes are going to be really pantry heavy and probably pretty simple (since I have a 4-year-old sous chef right now). That being said, I'm doing a lot of impromptu cooking on instagram (including some recipe videos with my son) . I also have been sharing more day-in, day-out recipes on this site (they aren't tested but the inspiration is there!) With all of that said, here's a recipe that's been on repeat at our house. The Beans I would traditionally make these with pinto beans (which is what I call for in the recipe) but if you have a good eye for bean varieties, you'd notice these are actually Rebosero beans from Rancho Gordo . However, these tacos aren't bean specific. Use pinto, black, or even kidney beans Cabbage When it comes to variety, I l...

This post is in partnership with California Grown. I’m finding myself wanting to spend nearly every minute outside as the weather gets warmer. This feeling also includes cooking and in the case of this recipe, using the pizza oven. I love asparagus for the ease in this recipe and the chili oil takes the whole thing over the top. California Asparagus There’s nothing quite like the start of the asparagus season. I feel like it’s one of the first tastes of spring. Here in California, asparagus season runs from now until early summer. It’s a labor-intensive crop that is mostly produced by multi-generational farmers. For the asparagus in the recipe, I like slightly thicker stalks. These shave a bit easier. However, if all you have are skinny stalks, don’t bother shaving. Just trim, toss with the oil, and add to the pizza. My Pizza Dough I used to make a simple one-hour pizza dough. That, however, has changed with help from the cookbook Flour Water Salt Yeast . I typically do the day...