Chef's Blog

Plant-Forward Cooking

At CIA Foodies and our members’ page DISH, we embrace healthy cooking for healthy lives, whatever that may mean for you. With recipes, technique posts, and instructive videos, you’ll find the tools you need to build your kitchen confidence. Whether you follow a special diet, enjoy plant-forward dinners, or simply […]

Chef's Blog

Plant-Forward, Plant-Powered—Explained at Last!

Ever since we first listed our “Plant-Powered Cooking Boot Camp” on the class calendar, I’ve been getting questions. People asked, “What does plant-powered or plant-forward cooking mean?” Really, it is a very simple concept that is deceptively hard to explain because people want to know the rules, boundaries, hard lines. […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Preparing Fresh Garden Peas

Garden peas are one of the great treasures of springtime. When you find them in the market, feature them in a dish with fresh favas or asparagus, which are in season at the same time. If you are lucky enough to grow your own or have access to farm fresh […]

Free Recipes, Salads

Red Salad

Makes 8 portions Chef’s notes: The salad may be served on a bed of spinach or chiffonade Tuscan kale. For crunch, add a sprinkling of lightly toasted chopped pistachios, hazelnuts, or almonds. If you can’t find opal basil, you can substitute any type of sprout, such as pea shoots, broccoli […]

Allergen Friendly, Salads, Side Dishes

Roasted Beets with Feta and Tangerines

Makes 5 servings This beet dish can be served warm, room temperature, or even chilled as a make-ahead recipe. Use any sweet citrus you have on hand in place of the tangerines, including clementines, blood oranges, or Sumos. Ingredients Beets 3 large beets 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon […]

Side Dishes

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Makes 8 servings Ingredients 1 head cauliflower (about 3 lb), cored and cut into florets 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons curry powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Directions Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, curry powder, and salt until a smooth paste is […]

Free Recipes, Side Dishes

Roasted Delicata Squash with Buttermilk Dressing

Makes 8 servings We use delicata squash because it’s beautiful, but you can use any squash for this dish. Delicata and acorn don’t need to be peeled, but be sure to remove the tough peel from heartier-skinned squashes, like butternut or pumpkin. Ingredients 2 lb 12 oz delicata squash 4 […]

Appetizers, Hors D’oeuvre, and Snacks, Side Dishes

Roasted Radishes

Makes 4 servings Roasting tempers the slightly bitter flavor of the radishes and brings out their natural sweetness. Give this technique a try in your kitchen to add to your repertoire of ways to serve radishes. Ingredients 2 bunches red radishes, cleaned, tops removed and sliced in half 1 teaspoon […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Roasted Tomato Bisque

Makes 4 to 6 servings Roasting the tomatoes adds an unusual twist to this bisque. If you prefer, you can substitute sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed) for the roasted tomatoes. Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 1 1/4 cups diced onion 1/2 cup diced celery 1 1/4 cups diced leek […]