AboutMobile RecipesArchivesStoreForumsMake Your Own Cookbook
 
101 Cookbooksexploring cookbooks one recipe at a time

 
  • Welcome to 101 Cookbooks, my recipe journal. I primarily feature healthy, vegetarian recipes - with the occasional sweet treat thrown in. To subscribe simply enter your email address, this way you'll never miss a recipe.
Add RSS Feed Add RSS Feed

Basics

  • Build a Natural Foods Pantry

Recipes

  • Appetizer Recipes (23)
  • Baked Goods Recipes (45)
  • Basic Techniques (21)
  • Breakfast / Brunch Recipes (28)
  • Chocolate Recipes (27)
  • Cookie Recipes (23)
  • Dessert Recipes (44)
  • Drink Recipes (7)
  • Gluten Free Recipes (61)
  • Heidi's Favorites (89)
  • High Protein Recipes (34)
  • Holiday Recipes (31)
  • Low Carb Recipes (11)
  • Main Course Recipes (33)
  • Pies and Tart Recipes (12)
  • Quick Recipes (95)
  • Salad Recipes (30)
  • Sandwich Recipes (3)
  • Side Dish Recipes (36)
  • Soup Recipes (22)
  • Vegan Recipes (70)
  • Vegetarian Recipes (163)
  • Whole Grain Recipes (35)

By Ingredient

  • Asparagus
  • Avocado
  • Butternut Squash
  • Chickpeas
  • Chocolate
  • Cilantro
  • Citrus
  • Coconut
  • Egg
  • Farro
  • Garlic
  • Goat Cheese
  • Honey
  • Kale
  • Lentils
  • Mushrooms
  • Nuts
  • Pasta
  • Peas
  • Potato
  • Quinoa
  • Soba Noodles
  • Spinach
  • Tofu
  • Tomato
  • Yogurt
  • Zucchini
  • More ingredients...

Lists

  • New Cookbook Releases
  • Heidi's Cookbook Collection
  • Favorite Cookbooks
  • Favorite Food Sites
  • Food & Wine Producing Friends

Contact

Heidi Swanson
  • Email
  • Heidiswanson.com
  • Stock Photography Library
  • About this Site

Awards


James Beard Award Nominee
Award winning food blog

Award winning food blog
Award winning food blog

Award winning food blog

Links

Check out our Amazon Store

Kiva - loans that change lives
Mighty Foods Tastebook

Previous Post: In a Hurry Green Curry Previous Post
In a Hurry Green Curry
Next Post Next Post: Macaroon Cherry Tart
Macaroon Cherry Tart
Spring Favorites 2008

Spring Favorites 2008

May 18, 2008 | by Heidi | Filed under Heidi's Favorites

No recipe today, just a quick list of some of things I'm currently excited about (or inspired by) and wanted to share.

- Jake's Unbaked Yogi Bars: I keep these in my purse for those times I need a quick boost before the gym (or if I'm traveling and need airport snacks). They're a great alternative to more processed power bars. Made from just seven ingredients, the first one being nuts, these are sugar-free (sweetened with agave nectar), and deliciously spiced, great for people who travel or are on the go frequently.

- Occasionally, on my way to buy coffee, I pop into The Curiosity Shop, the other night I found these delightful letter-pressed Pancake & Franks dried goods note cards. Each four-pack includes one red lentil, sunflower seed, black-eyed pea, and macaroni printed card on beautiful weighty paper.

- I was lucky to spend a good chunk of time with Mark Bitterman at the recent Greenbrier Food Writers Symposium. There's no debating - he was the darling of the conference. I suspect you'll be hearing more from Mark, but in the meantime enjoy his salt collections, and Elissa Altman's article about the impromptu midnight salt tasting that I'm sure will be talked about for years to come. I should also give a shout out to some of my other Greenbrier pals who have great blogs (or in some cases newsletters): Molly, Tori, Jess, Dorie, and Cheryl.

- My current favorite cereal - it features sprouted grains, is extra crunchy, and uses organic ingredients. I eat it with Greek yogurt and just ordered a six-pack off Amazon.

- Sharon's incredible Tiny Buildings - Don't miss Pizzetta 211, Bi-Rite Creamery, and Lupa. You can keep track of her creations through her Flickr stream here as well. (via Wayne)

- WECK jars - I'm trying to move all my pantry items into these.

- High on my wish list - SideSwipes for my Kitchen-Aid.

- Even higher on my wishlist: Les Toiles du Soleil Chairs

- Vegetarian Myths, debunked. (Taylor Clark on Slate)

- Making micro loans via Kiva.

- Lizzie's adorable embroidered tea bags

- My friend Jason is working on a cool car project with his dad.

- Sixty feet of classic twisted, red-striped baker's twine on a mini spool.

That's it for now, I'll have a new recipe to share with you on Tuesday. I just walked in the door from my sister Heather's baby shower(!) - I promise to share a couple new recipes I tried out at her party.

- added late: just came across this Mark Bittman talk via TED/e.g.

- And one more(!) - Garlic Defanged by Daniel Patterson in The Times Magazine

Never miss a recipe!
Enter your email address to subscribe to 101 Cookbooks via email:


Comments 39 Comments Print RecipePrint-friendly Recipe Email a friend this recipeEmail this Recipe

add to del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.usSubmit to Stumble UponAdd to StumbleUponShare on Facebook

Your Comments

commentTomasina said:

The Side Swipes are ingenious. THANKS. I upgraded it from a wishlist and went ahead and bought it.

Brilliant.

Thanks again.

May 18, 2008 9:20 PM
commentVicki said:

Thanks for all the great links. I just made a loan thru Kiva - what a great organization!

May 18, 2008 10:20 PM
commentLucinda said:

I'm not a vegetarian, but you have so many recipes that look so good. I can't wait till I can try them. Thanks.

May 18, 2008 10:52 PM
commentSophie said:

Those side swipes are such a good idea - I'll definitely be investigating those!

It's half the fun of having a Kitchen-Aid that you can leave it whirring away in the corner, taking care of things without you, but it doesn't always quite manage it

May 19, 2008 1:15 AM
commentshuna fish lydon said:

oooooo you know what those cards remind me of? hodo soy's new t shirt with all the little soybeans in a little pile on the front. :}

thanks for the reminder-- I'll need to get the black eyed peas for a certain soul food chef I know...

May 19, 2008 1:17 AM
commentJane said:

Awesome list Heidi! I've been having fun trying out lots of your recipes. If you love salt, visit www.saltworks.com. They have a truffle salt that is to die for!

May 19, 2008 3:12 AM
commentTracy said:

Ooh I love the Curiosity Shop! Thanks for posting the other inspiring links (and delightful recipes of course)!

May 19, 2008 4:29 AM
commentLori said:

LOVE the side swipes! I'll be getting those for me and my mother. Thanks for the tip:)

And for those who DON'T have a Kitchenaid stand mixer, I'm giving one away......

May 19, 2008 4:33 AM
commentabudi said:

i am rather disappointed by this list. it's basically advertising a whole bunch of products. as if that's not bad enough, it actually encourages people to order their cereal from amazon.com! surely that's not sustainable or good for local businesses...

HS: I make nearly all my weekly purchases from stores that I can actually walk to from my house (or take the MUNI to), I don't feel bad about making the occasional Amazon purchase - particularly for products that are hard to find. The cereal is double the price when I buy it individually at the store up the street (if they even have it in stock), so buying it in bulk from Amazon makes sense to me.

And broadly speaking, I enjoy sharing some of the products I like with people who visit this site. I often highlight small, independent businesses or people making artisan products, or individuals who are just doing something cool. It's not something I feel bad about doing a couple times a year.

May 19, 2008 4:40 AM
commentsuzyqh said:

Mark is Mark Bittman, not Bitterman!

HS: Nope! Different guy, similar name :)

May 19, 2008 5:19 AM
commentSusmita said:

I loved the Slate article! It articulated the "reasonable vegetarian" position really well. Thanks for the link!

May 19, 2008 5:57 AM
commentAnya said:

Heidi,
What an absolutely lovely post. I love your blog and recipes to bits and pieces, and now you're introducing us to more amazing things! Thanks!

P.S. you should do this periodically :)

May 19, 2008 5:59 AM
commentLaura said:

Hey Heidi!

Your post just reminded me of these great bars I just found! They're called Larabars and they are FANTASTIC. They only include a handful of ingredients, no sugar, vegan, soy free, gluten free, dairy free, even kosher! It's basically pure fruit at it's best. I just had a "Banana Cookie" the other day and I loved it. And I'm the Doritos kinda girl. When I jumped on their site, I discovered they also have Jocalat! Their healthy chocolate bars.

The website is www.larabar.com.

Have a great day!

May 19, 2008 6:24 AM
commentDeanna said:

What is that beautiful tree?

HS: It it a stunning tree that I came across on a walk not too far from my house - not sure what kind it is

May 19, 2008 7:13 AM
commentBubby said:

I have never heard of Kiva but thanks to you I made my first loan today. Masoli from Tajikistan now has enough to buy more livestock! How bloomin' awesome is that??!!! Thank you Heidi for the suggestion and for all your groovy recipes.

Thanks for the comment Bubby, I think Kiva is pretty great. I'm hoping they will roll out their "group" feature soon, which would allow 101 Cookbooks readers to make loans as a group. :)

May 19, 2008 7:13 AM
commentThe Spotted Apron said:

I love your lists! Thank you for all these wonderful recommendations. I'm a huge believer in micro-loans and I know how much they can help women in impoverished countries get a start and support their families.

I also really want those side swipes. The Kitchen-Aid is one of my favorite things and the side swipes would just be awesome.

May 19, 2008 8:02 AM
commentJoanne Rocklin said:

Note: sideswipes are only made for mixers in which the blade lifts up and back, not for mixers with the "crank" you use to lift the bowl up and down. The website makes this clear, but only when you are about to order. They are working on it, however. Thx for letting us know about this product.

May 19, 2008 8:12 AM
commentJoanna said:

Whoa! A little Lupa! I live in the actual Lupa building, directly on top of the restaurant, so this is incredibly amusing to me. :) I always tell people that the best thing about my apartment is taking out the trash, because it gets me closer to the wonderful smells wafting out of Lupa's kitchen.

BTW, I love these lists that you do. A while back you turned me onto 20x200, the art site, which I've since ordered 2 fabulous prints from, so... thanks!

May 19, 2008 8:19 AM
commentamanda mae said:

Thanks for the links Heidi, I appreciate you sharing.

AND, I love that cereal!! You are right, it is so much cheaper online, I am grateful to find that out.

May 19, 2008 8:25 AM
commentRookieMom Heather said:

Loving the side swipes. And yay for your sister!!

May 19, 2008 8:34 AM
commentJess said:

Thanks, Heidi - and I saw Mark this weekend at the Portland farmers' market! He was selling giant blocks of Himalayan salt to cook on . . .yum.

May 19, 2008 9:41 AM
commentbitchincamero said:

I think I've got to try that cereal! I love all things sprouted grain :)

Also, I'm dying to get those Side Swipes - they're so smart!

May 19, 2008 10:05 AM
commentCasualCook said:

Wow, great links. It'll take me days to look through them all!

May 19, 2008 11:53 AM
commentYou Know You're a Food Snob if... said:

What a fun list! It's always helpful to hear from other foodies about what's what in the culinary world.

I look forward to getting through all these links (and learning what some of these things even ARE!) And as always I'll look forward to Tuesday's recipe. Till then...

May 19, 2008 1:02 PM
commentYou Know You're a Food Snob if... said:

What a fun list! It's always helpful to hear from other foodies about what's what in the culinary world.

I look forward to getting through all these links (and learning what some of these things even ARE!) And as always I'll look forward to Tuesday's recipe. Till then...

May 19, 2008 1:04 PM
commentJen O said:

I've read that Slate article before, and I'm 50/50 on it. To me, some of his thoughts are right on (I'm tired of getting a frozen veggie burger when all of my buddies are eating gourmet when we go out!), but I don't like how he portrays us "extreme" vegans as the black sheep of the veg family.

Thanks for the list! It's going to make for some good internet-ing tonight!

May 19, 2008 1:12 PM
commentSweet Pea said:

Your list is a wonderful inspiration. May I add an item? A plastic pot scraper. It can remove ANYTHING. I've found it to be miraculous on even the most stubborn of dishes.

May 19, 2008 2:24 PM
commentBettina said:

seems like the link to Molly is not working...

May 19, 2008 2:48 PM
commentBettina said:

sorry, forgot to ask: could anyone post the appropriate link please? I just loved Elissa's article and am now curious for the other recommendations.
Heidi, I really love your website! Real food for thought! Saludos from Spain... Bettina

HS: Bettina, I think her site just happens to be down. I'm pretty sure the URL is correct. I'll drop her an email. Thanks for the heads up.

May 19, 2008 2:55 PM
commentDiane said:

At first I thought the bush was flowering pear which is frequently the first color in spring, but actually I think it is a Cecil Bruner rose! they are climbers with tons of tiny roses, no thorns!

May 19, 2008 4:17 PM
commentleisa said:

Have used Weck Jars for 20 years. They are the best! I have also recently started using them in the pantry.And the frig for leftovers. Nothing beats storing in glass. Their shapes and sizes are so compatiable.

May 19, 2008 5:10 PM
commentCheryl said:

Thanks for including my blog, Heidi. So proud to be on your list of Greenbrier blogging pals!

May 19, 2008 5:23 PM
commentMichelle @ What Does Your Body Good? said:

oh I am all about the LARA bars...love 'em! Zero sweeteners, raw, vegan, and delicious real food in convenient bar form. It's heaven. I'll have to try to find Jake's now!

May 19, 2008 6:01 PM
commentLizzie said:

Ah! I'm so incredibly flattered that you liked my little tea bags! Thank you!!!

May 19, 2008 7:16 PM
commentkathleen said:

Love the blog, but be careful -- he's not Mark Bitterman.

HS: He is, I promise, I met him! Different from Bittman.

May 20, 2008 7:02 AM
commentSnakecharmer said:

The SideSwipe is so clever. I am sad that I didn't come up with such a thing.

May 20, 2008 7:52 AM
commentPam said:

How did you like the Greenbriar, Heidi?

and count me in with the "Sideswipe -gotta have it" crowd. Thanks for the revelation!
Pam

May 20, 2008 8:49 AM
commentSunny said:

I love the beautiful flowers!I also LOVE Greek yogurt.

May 20, 2008 6:23 PM
commentLee said:

Heidi,
Because a food is sweetened with agave nectar does not mean that it is sugar free. Agave nectar is more or less pure sugar being made of both fructose (fruit sugar); and glucose!!!
To say that it is sugar-free because you used agave nectar is like saying it is sugar free because you used golden syrup, or that it is fat free because you used butter...

Keep up the recipes, i thoroughly enjoy your website :):)
Lee

May 20, 2008 6:43 PM

Recently on 101 Cookbooks

Animal Cracker CookiesSlurp-tastic Herb NoodlesHeather's QuinoaRoasted Tomato Soup
Maple Huckleberry Coffee CakeKiva Update no.1Peach GnocchiTLT Sandwich
  • Nikki's Healthy Cookies
  • Healthy Eating while Traveling
  • Chopped Miso Salad
  • Summer Vegetable Cianfotta
  • Lemony Chickpea Stir-fry
  • Kiva & 101 Cookbooks
  • Apple Zucchini Crostini
  • Brown Sugar Sandwich Cookies
 
  • Cilantro Noodle Bowl
  • Curried Bean Salad
  • Ten Days in South America
  • Grandma's Grain
  • Coco Choco Clusters
  • Lemon Achiote Grilled Tofu
  • Harissa Spaghettini
  • Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake


Tastebook



Most Popular Recipes

  • Amazing Black Bean Brownies
  • Baked Artichoke Dip
  • Baked Doughnuts
  • Caramelized Tofu
  • Coconut Macaroon Pancakes
  • Cottage Cheese Muffins
  • Curried Apple Couscous
  • Curried Egg Salad
  • Five Minute Tomato Sauce
  • Fourth of July Roasted Tomato Salsa
  • Garam Masala Tofu Scramble
  • Garlic Soba Noodles
  • Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts
  • Hazelnut & Chard Ravioli Salad
  • Hearst Castle Shortbread Cookies
  • Lazy Day Peanut Noodle Salad
  • Lemon-scented Quinoa Salad
  • Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup
  • Lori's Skillet Smashed Potatoes
  • Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
  • Madeleines
  • My Dad's Garlic Bread
  • My Special Zucchini Bread
  • Pesto like an Italian Grandmother
  • Peter Reinhart's Pizza Dough
  • Raspberry Mega Scones
  • Rustic Cabbage Soup
  • Skinny Omelettes
  • Split Pea Soup
  • Spring Tabbouleh
  • Strawberry Panzanella
  • Tapioca Pudding
  • Tasty Frittata
  • The Only Egg Salad Sandwich I'll Eat
  • Thousand Layer Lasagna
  • Twist on Guacamole
  • Ultimate Chickpea Noodle Soup
  • Ultimate Veggie Burger
  • Vegetarian Lentil Burgers
  • Ultimate Chickpea Noodle Soup
  • More recipes...



bottom columns

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of its User Agreement and Privacy Policy.