1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/3 cup palm sugar packed (can substitute brown sugar)
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sweat briefly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the yellow mustard, palm sugar, apple cider vinegar, and the hot sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Pulse with an immersion blender until smooth, and then season with salt and black pepper.

Serve with your favorite barbecued meats. Baste ribs with it on a medium grill flipping and continuing to baste until the ribs are hot and the sauce is caramelized. Add it to smoked shredded pork shoulder until coated with extra on the side. This will keep for up to a month in an airtight container.


Makes 8 servings.

2 heads radicchio
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup safflower oil
2 scallions, chopped

Remove the outer leaves from the radicchio and cut into quarters along the base, leaving the stem end intact. Place the quarters in a bowl of ice water and submerge completely. Allow to soak for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat the grill. Remove the radicchio from the water bath and pat dry with a towel.

In a small bowl combine the rice wine vinegar, honey, soy sauce, minced ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until blended. While whisking, slowly pour 1/2 cup of the safflower oil into the dressing.

Brush the radicchio with the remaining oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and place on the preheated grill. Grill on high, searing each side to a golden brown before removing. Serve immediately drizzled with the dressing and topped with chopped scallions.


Makes 4 servings.

16 ounces pasta
1 large bunch ramps (16-20 bulbs with greens)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 8-ounce ribeye (optional)
3 eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*1 cup reserved pasta water
salt and pepper

Boil the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is boiling, prepare the steak, ramps, and sauce ingredients.

Clean the ramps and separate them bulbs from greens. Julienne the greens, but leave the bulbs in one piece. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the steak and sear on both sides until rare. Remove the steak and add the ramp bulbs to the pan. Ten the steak with foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cook the ramp bulbs 3-4 minutes before turning, allowing the white portion to start to caramelize and turn a golden brown. Continue to cook another 2-3 minutes.

After it has rested, thinly slice the steak. Add the steak slices and the julienned ramp greens to the bulbs and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the Parmesan cheese and whisk together. Using a ladle or a heatproof mug, reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Stir 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water into the egg and cheese slowly, whisking while pouring.

Return the pasta to the pan and slowly pour the egg and cheese mixture over the pasta, stirring while pouring, to create a creamy sauce. Add in the ramps and steak, and stir in additional pasta water until desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately.


Makes 4-6 servings.

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon gelatin
2 cups heavy whipped cream

Beat together the cream cheese and the honey until smooth. Set aside.
In a small pan, mix together the gelatin with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it stand until thick. Heat the mixture over low heat until the gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and cool, but do not allow it to set. Stir the gelatin together with the cream cheese and honey.

Whip the heavy cream until thick with soft peaks. Slowly pour the cream cheese and honey mixture into the bowl while slowly whipping. Whip on high until fluffy.
Keep chilled until ready to frost or serve.


Makes 5 cups whipped cream.

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup coconut oil (measured as liquid)
1 cup honey
16 ounces crushed pineapple in its own juice, undrained
2 ripe bananas
1 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla
Honey Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
crushed or whole pecans for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325º F. Grease 3 8″ cake pans or 4-ounce mason jars.

In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl mix together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the eggs, coconut oil, honey, crushed pineapple, bananas, pecans, and the vanilla. Mix on low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pans or jars. Bake for 24-26 minutes until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Frost the cake with the honey cream cheese whipped cream topping. Serve.


Makes 18 jar cakes or one 3-layer cake with approximately 16 servings.

1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/4 cup diced orange bell peppers
1/4 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onions
1 cup creamy avocado yogurt dressing
Savory Parmesan granola

Thoroughly rinse the quinoa under cold water for 2 minutes and drain. Heat the avocado oil to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to toast.

Pour in 2 cups of water and the salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let the quinoa stand for 5 minutes. Drizzle in the apple cider vinegar and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool in the refrigerator until chilled through.

Place the spinach leaves in a large bowl. Top with the chilled quinoa, bell peppers, tomatoes, and the red onions. Spoon the avocado dressing over the top. Toss, sprinkle with Parmesan granola, and serve.


Makes 2-3 servings.

1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup Greek-style plain yogurt
3 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 scallion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper

Smash the avocado until smooth. Stir in the yogurt, buttermilk, lemon juice, scallion, and the garlic. You can add a few tablespoons of water to achieve a thinner consistency, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.


Makes 1 cup dressing.