SAUTEED BELUGA LENTILS + BUTTERNUT SQUASH

I cooked for a dinner party earlier this week in celebration of a special birthday. When I say "I" cooked, I really mean "we." Hugh came along and was a giant help. I can be quick, but four hands are more efficient than two. It was a group of twenty new friends, all strewn down the sides of a long table, drinking wine and sharing cheese plates. Nellie came up with all sorts of amazing little of details, from the paper bag menu cards to wrapping the homemade ice cream sandwiches in individual packages of parchment and baker's twine. Remember when I told you things like this were my dream? I love feeding people, and long tables, and laughing, and stringing lights, and grateful hearts. That's got to be my favorite part, making other people happy.

At the party, hosts being vegetarian, I served a version of this alongside some creamy polenta and a crisp butter lettuce, apple and arugula salad. Since I started cooking with beluga lentils, I haven't been able to use any other variety. They are just so stunning in color, and have more tooth to them than your average brown or red lentil. It worked, and I'm pretty sure the meat eaters didn't leave hungry either. Except for the one guy who took full advantage of the "one night off" his diet by finishing his meal with an entire stick of butter. I won't take that personally.

SAUTEED BELUGA LENTILS + BUTTERNUT SQUASH // Serves 4

This is one of those recipes that is to taste on a lot of things. You could adjust the garlic if you prefer, more herbs if you want the greenery, more curry if you like it spicy. However, note that the curry should not be an overpowering flavor here, it's intended to be a compliment. Any squash would work, maybe even a pumpkin. You follow me?

4 Cups Cubed Butternut Squash

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1/2 Tbsp. Curry Powder

1/2 Tbsp. Oregano

1 Tbsp. Muscavado/Natural Brown Sugar

Salt/Pepper

2 Cups Cooked Beluga Lentils, drained

2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Chopped Basil

1/3 Cup Chopped Parsley

2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

1 Small Red Onion, Diced

Grated Manchego Cheese

Oven to 450'

1. On a baking tray, spread out the squash, add the olive oil, oregano, curry powder and salt and pepper. Use your hands and toss everything around until the spices are coating the squash evenly. Spread them out in a single layer, with as much space between possible. Roast in the upper third of the oven for 20-35 minutes. (The time differs based on water content of squash, size of cubes etc. Just watch them until the edges are brown and crispy).

2. While the squash are cooking, put the 2 Tbsp. olive oil and minced garlic in a pan over medium heat. Shake it around a few times, and allow the garlic pieces to crisp up a bit in the oil. Add the lentils and saute to cover them in oil. Continue to stir intermittently for about 10 minutes to warm through. Turn off the flame, but leave them in the warm pan until the squash is done.

3. Remove squash from oven and set aside, put the lentils in a bowl and add the red onion, apple cider vinegar, dijon and half of the herbs, stir. Add the squash chunks on top, the rest of the herbs, desired amount of grated manchego cheese and a grate of fresh ground pepper.

PEACH + BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE

Our pastor is requiring us to write promises to each other for the wedding, and read them aloud. It's just part of his program, it's not an option, and I do agree with the reason that it personalizes the ceremony. I enjoy writing personal things, but the thought of speaking in front of 138 people, a paragraph that will relay my commitment, gratitude and humbleness towards marrying a man I am wholeheartedly crazy about, is a bit daunting. I've been brainstorming, and am taking note of every emotion that passes in these next few weeks. We just found a place to live recently, Hugh is moving in next Tuesday, and there is a warmness I feel in anticipation of having a home with him. It will be our place - a place we get to wake up, drink coffee, read books, work together, tell secrets, enjoy friends, stay up late watching movies and all else that fills our days. Sure, we don't exactly own any furniture at this moment, but I'm actually excited to eat canned soup on the floor while we don't have a table, a stocked kitchen, or unwrapped pots and pans. Isn't that all part of the endearing cliche of being a newlywed? My point is that just as a school is a place you learn or a hospital is a place you get well, a home is a place you love and I CAN'T wait. We won't be in this place forever, but the intangible parts of building a 'home' begin now.

So cheers to home; the occasion calls for a treat like this. The perfect combination of ingredients as we transition from the end of summer towards the beginning of fall. It's something perfect to share, and regardless of where you live, a crumble tastes just as wonderful on the floor of a new apartment as it would on a pretty kitchen table.

PEACH + BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE // Makes 6 Small Ramekins, 4 Large, or 8x8 pan

You could use more or less honey depending on the sweetness of your fruit. I got the tail end of these summer fruits, so I found this measurement to be a perfect compliment to their sweetness. There is flexibility in this recipe - you can use any citrus juice for the orange, your nut of choice, or another flour you have on hand. This could easily be a vegan crumble by substituting the one egg white for a bit of flaxseed meal, and topping it with a non-dairy frozen treat.

3 Peaches (about 1 lb.)

2 Cups Blackberries

1 Tbsp. Fresh Orange Juice

2 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme Leaves

2 Tbsp. Whole Wheat Flour

1/3 Cup Honey

3/4 Cup Oats

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/3 Cup Chopped Pecans

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 Cup Muscavado or Natural Cane Sugar

3.6 oz./ 1/3 Cup Unrefined Coconut Oil, warmed to a liquid

1 tsp. Real Vanilla Extract

1 Egg White

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream/Gelato for serving

Oven to 375'

1. Wash and dry fruit. Cut peaches into 1'' chunks and place in a bowl, add the blackberries as they are. Toss the fruit with the fresh orange juice and thyme leaves. Sprinkle the whole wheat flour and honey over the fruit, and toss gently. If the mixture looks fairly wet, depending on the ripeness of your fruit, add a bit more flour.

2. Fill the ramekins or pan about 80% full of the fruit mixture. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine the oats, whole wheat flour, muscavado/natural cane sugar, pecans, salt, cinnamon and mix. Add the coconut oil, vanilla, and egg white and combine into the dry ingredients. It should resemble a loose, crumbly dough. Distribute evenly between the ramekins, or on top of the 8x8 pan.

4. Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet, and set on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden and a bit of fruit juice is bubbling up the side. I like the fruit to stay a bit firm, if you like it soft, give it another 5-10.

LEMON KALE SALAD + SEARED SALMON

People who care about food, have a philosophy about what they eat and why they eat it. Some are vegetarians for animal reasons, or vegan because of health purposes, you may not eat gluten because of an allergy, or some stay away from it as part of an anti-inflammatory diet. No red meat, no foods with a face, just fish... there are so many ways you could qualify your eating habits. While eating a gigantic bowl of this salad, I was reminded of why I try to eat well as often as possible. You feel so much better. I don't want to get into a discussion of the right and wrong of what to eat, because I don't feel it's a black and white issue. You have to respect yourself and those you're feeding, and believe that what you are putting inside, does matter, and then make your own decisions. All I can say is that for myself, I find a big bowl of raw kale salad, a subtle reminder of how good it feels to put healthy things in our bodies.

I know it's a bit early in the season to be singing the praises of kale, but this salad is my current obsession. If you are familiar with this hearty green, the thought of eating it raw sounds a bit daunting. It is tough, and somewhat bitter. I don't often cook with it because it tastes so earthy, and now I am eating it raw, by the bowlful. You toss it with this light tangy dressing, while it's speckled with bits of grainy bread crumbs and salty parmesan and it's amazing how something so simple and good for you, can taste this great too. The salmon here is not meant to have any strong flavors, as the kale salad adds enough zip for both components. You could easily serve the salad with some roasted chicken, marinated tofu or with the ever-so-versatile poached egg as well.

LEMON KALE SALAD + SEARED SALMON // Serves 2

The kale salad recipe is adapted from Dr. Weil/True Food Kitchen. Make a little extra if you like leftovers, the kale stands up to the dressing really well, so you can keep it lightly dressed in the fridge and it only gets better. This will likely make more dressing than you need, but better to be prepared.

4 Cups Kale (lacinato or cavolo nero best), rinsed and dried

1/3 Cup Fresh, Whole Grain Breadcrumbs

1/3-1/2 Cup Fresh Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Cheese

Red Pepper Flakes to taste

2 (5 oz.) Pieces Wild/Sustainably Raised Salmon Filets

1 Tbsp. Dried Basil

1 tsp. Garlic Salt

Ground Pepper

1/2 Cup White Wine

// Dressing //

1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

2 Cloves Garlic

Pinch of Salt/Ground Pepper

1. Remove the ribs from the kale, lay leaves on top of each other, and slices into 1/4'' ribbons. Put them all in a bowl.

2. For the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves and pinch of salt, pepper and red pepper in a blender/food processor and blend to combine. Taste for spice and lemon to olive oil ratio, I find that this is a personal preference. You can also add a touch of honey to mellow out the tang if need be. Pour desired amount over the kale and toss so the leaves marinate in the dressing while you finish the salmon.

3. Dry both sides of the salmon, and gently rub on the garlic salt, pepper and dried basil. Heat a sauce pan over medium heat with a bit of oil to avoid sticking, add the salmon filets, and allow them to get crispy on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the filets, sear for a minute, and add the 1/2 cup of wine to the pan. Cover and cook until just cooked through. This will likely take another 5 minutes, but will vary depending on thickness of your filet. Use your judgement and watch the center of the fish. Remove.

4. Add the breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, a bit more dressing and give the salad another toss to combine. Serve each plate with a hefty portion of kale, and a piece of salmon.