Coconut-Smothered Black-Eyed Peas Curry

Coconut-Smothered Black-Eyed Peas Curry

Coconut-Smothered Black-Eyed Peas Curry with Basmati Rice and Naan

Recently, the Splendid Table podcast taught me about Blue Zones. These geographic areas contain the healthiest, longest-lived people in the world. Dan Buettner studied the cultures and diets in these places, seeking to discover their secrets. He ultimately determined that, while many factors affect health and longevity (such as community involvement and exercise), diet–particularly one rich in beans–is a primary contributor. On this basis, he recommends eating around one cup of beans a day. read more

Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate-Sriracha Ganache

Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate-Sriracha Ganache

Coconut Cupcakes with Chocolate-Sriracha Ganache

I love cupcakes, but not as much as my sister Sadie. She’s a cupcake fiend! She visited me in Miami over the Fourth of July weekend, and there were two things that she absolutely had to do before leaving Miami: go jet-skiing and make cupcakes.

Jet skiing was an adventure—at some points I wasn’t sure that we were going to survive! I’d never driven a jet ski before, and at first it was scary. It’s easier to steer at high speeds, but to go that fast is intimidating. So I started out really slow, which made my steering horrendous. read more