I am a huge fan of farro, aka emmer. Have you tried it yet? It’s kind of like barley, but the grain is bigger and has a nuttier flavor. Similar to barley, farro is a whole grain with a chewy texture and can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. Farro is an ancient variety of wheat that is still used throughout Italy and has been showing up on more menus in the US recently.

I’ve been wanting to make homemade cheddar crackers. You know, the kind your kids are addicted to. And I also wanted to make a treat to enjoy while watching the last episodes of one of our favorite shows, Parks and Recreation. So on a whim, I combined the two and made some Lil Sebastian Cheddar Ponies!

Ahh…the holidays. It is a wonderful time of year, but it’s also an over scheduled, hectic, and often stress-inducing time. And guess what, even with all the extra social commitments, volunteering and gift procurement, you’re still expected to put a healthy meal on the table for your family! It’s not necessarily fair, but it’s life. Since I’d like to make your life just a little bit easier, here are my rules for a healthy modern family meal:

If weeknights at your house are anything like mine, it’s always a mad dash to get something (preferably healthy) on the dinner table in time. That’s why I’m a big fan of recipes that can be made in stages. For example, you can make part of the recipe in the morning, and then finish it in 20 minutes when you get home from work. This recipe from my new cookbook Eating in Color is a perfect example. I roast the vegetables in the early afternoon, put them in the fridge, and then just toss them with the hot pasta just before serving.

Hi Everyone,

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer! As we enjoy the last few sweet weeks of summer, I wanted to update you on a project that’s really special to me.