This black sticky gingerbread recipe makes an outrageously dark, dense, flavorful and delicious cake. The burnt-caramel-esque crust that forms on the top of the cake is part of what makes this recipe a keeper.

A thick, cumin and coriander-spiced root vegetable stew. It's a free-wheeling one-pot dinner that attempts to use up whatever winter vegetables I have lingering about.

I made this mushroom topped brown rice bowl the other night when I returned from Yosemite - chanterelles, garlic, kale, tofu, and lots of Shichimi Togarashi, the Japanese spice blend.

A favorite recipe from chef Bryant Terry's newest book, Vegan Soul Kitchen. A richly spiced potato, pea, corn, carrot, and cabbage filling is wrapped with a turmeric-hued pastry crust made with coconut oil.

A simple, last-minute curry recipe - curry powder in coconut milk, deeply toasted cashew nuts, a handful of green beans, two handfuls of tiny cauliflower florets, and a bit of tofu for good measure.

My friend Sante shared his hermit recipe with me - a simple, drop-style, spice cookie loaded with tiny currants, chopped walnuts, and finished with a bit of icing.

Favorite, easy pumpkin pie recipe. Made from a rich, roasted pumpkin and coconut milk base, and baked in a hazelnut-lined crust - delicious!

My tortilla soup recipe - a full-bodied, spicy vegetarian broth envelops a nest of baked tortilla matchsticks. Tiny roasted tomatoes along with a bit of goat cheese lend tang and texture, and flecks of sun-dried tomatoes bring depth and richness to each bowl.

Slabs of tofu marinated in a cumin, garlic, yogurt slather and cooked on a grill or in a grill pan or skillet.

A favorite (and quick) tofu scramble recipe using shaved fennel, caramelized onions spices and dried fruit, and then counter-balancing those flavors with cilantro and chopped nuts.

A variation on my favorite egg salad recipe, this version uses plain yogurt in place of mayo and incorporates curry powder, chopped apples, toasted pecans, and minced chives.

A favorite guacamole recipe. Served with toasted naan bread (or chips!), I've added a couple pinches of cumin and curry powder for to incorporate a slightly unexpected flavor profile.

A deeply dark and impossibly decadent coconut chocolate pudding recipe. Creamy coconut milk base infused it with a whisper of warming spices.

A bejeweled platter of bulgur wheat,chili roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, spinach, and yogurt cheese. A perfect companion for grilled kabobs.

A delicious, traditional tasting, yet healthier gingerbread cookie recipe that includes white whole wheat flour, more assertive spices, and less refined sweeteners. You wont miss the traditional version. They are very cute on popsicle sticks.

Great for dipping with olive oil, this dukkah recipe is a crumbly nut and spice blend typically associated with Egypt - hazelnuts, cariander seeds, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, dried mint leaves, and salt.

Rajasthani buttermilk curry recipe from the award-winning cookbook Mangoes & Curry Leaves, by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.

This candied walnut recipe was is the perfect solution to a New Years Eve hors d'oeuvres dilemma. Made with walnuts, sea salt, black pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and powdered sugar.

Spicy apple coffee cake recipe punctuated with oozy, warm apples.

Soba noodles are tossed with a fiery ginger-sesame dressing and a generous dose of cucumbers, scallions, and pan-seared tofu - it's the sort of recipe you could serve anytime...