Five Favorite Things

There are a few things in my kitchen that I’m finding indispensable at present and I thought I’d share them with you, so here goes.

1. My Vitamix blender remains top of my list. I use it at least twice a day to make everything from hummus, to smoothies to soup. I couldn’t live without it, or maybe I could but life would be miserable. 
   

   Creamy vegan tomato and avocado soup www.alicedishes.com

2. My new favorite cookbook is Gwyneth Paltrow’s “It’s All Good” – yes, I was skeptical of a cookbook from an actress too, but it’s full of “clean” recipes and caters for meat eaters, vegetarian and vegans alike. To-date I’ve made the vegan banana muffins and turkey meatballs, to name but a few.
   

   Vegan banana muffins with dates and pumpkin seeds made from Paltrow’s “It’s All Good”

3. Lemons. I always have to have a few on hand and my favorite is the Eureka lemon. I start each day with the juice of half a lemon in warm water, and love to add the zest and juice to all sorts of things.
   

   Organic Eureka lemons

4. Za’atar is a wonderful combination of herbs, sesame and sumac. It can bring everything from roasted vegetables to chicken or garlic bread to life in a whole new way. I recently bought some at a farmers market, grab some for yourself soon.
   

   Za’atar from www.101cookbooks.com

5. My yard. For the first time in my life, I have hot summers, the right soil and irrigation. This year I’ve been lucky enough to grow and harvest tomatoes, cucumbers, summer and winter squash, arugula, peppers, grapes and even a few apples. I’m lovin’ it.