This month, I'm exploring un-roasted coffee

Has it really been a month since my last post?

For that, foodie friends, I apologize. Truth be told, I have not been doing very much of my own cooking lately. Since most of the work I do happens in cafes and coffee shops, I either dine out or grab quick snacks on the go. I'm also an only child again (insert high-pitched cackle) while Sis and Bro get educated, which means my loving parents (all five of them) happily feed me dinner daily. 

I've enjoyed the change of pace while I grow accustomed to post-college life.

However! Let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's a new column this month about green coffee. What the heck is that? Simply, green coffee is the un-roasted, light green-tinted seeds that grow inside coffee berries. In recent months, a few respected newspapers and health blogs have reported on the newfound benefits of consuming green coffee extract. Since it can now be found at your friendly neighborhood Starbucks establishment, I thought I'd compile some research for those of you who wonder - as I did - what it's all about. 

Click over to the LATC to decide for yourself whether green coffee is worth drinking. And let me know what you think!

This month, I’m making dried fruit

In this month’s column, I talk about preserving the season’s best fruit in your oven, rather than on the stove. Dried fruit has always been one of my favorite snacks, but it can be pricey––especially for the organic kind without sulfates and preservatives. I love a few pieces chopped up with pistachios, almonds, and some dark chocolate chips for a quick trail mix. Or stewed in oatmeal, Mediterranean crock pot dishes, soups, and quinoa for added texture and a pop of sweetness.  

Try my ultimate nourishing kale + quinoa salad with your homemade dried fruit.

The best part about making your own dried fruit is how hands-off it is. Sure, it can take up to 8 hours to see the results you want, but for the entire cooking process you can be doing laundry, surfing the web, working out, cleaning house, reading, drinking tea… Basically, just hang out at home so you don’t accidentally burn the house down, but don’t worry about babysitting the stove. 

Until I become a pro canner, I’ll be drying my fruit to preserve the season from here on out. 

To read more and get the recipe, visit this month’s column in the Los Altos Town Crier.