Asian Rice Salad w/ Sweet Peas and Braised Baby Bok Choy

• 2 cups cooked long grain rice
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• bok choy
• beet greens/stems (optional)
• salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• fresh cracked pepper
• 1/2 cup cooked sweet peas

Neighborhood Love

I love my Sunday ritual of going to the Brentwood farmer's market. It's always an adventure, whether I'm having a me-day or meeting up with friends. Living in Los Angeles can feel isolating at times, and walking through my local market reminds me that I'm part of a community. More often than not, there's a familiar face in the crowd -if you happen to see me next time, say hello!

Colorful flowers for the apartment, some fresh fruits and vegetables...

Ending the visit with some live music.

Saffron ("kesar") Milk

Though not up everyone's palate, I have always loved the taste of saffron. Saffron has been said to have several health benefits -from its antioxidant-like qualities to aiding insomnia. For cold nights, a cup of hot kesar milk is a delicious alternative to hot chocolate. Add 1 cup milk to pot and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp saffron threads, and allow to simmer for several minutes. You can skip this last step, but it really brings out the saffron flavor and color. Pour into your favorite cup/mug. If serving to guests, I like to add a couple of threads on top to make it look a little brighter.

Quinoa Avocado Salad with Ponzu Vinaigrette

Quinoa with big chunks of avocado, slices of red onion and radish.

Vinaigrette - ponzu, lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, black pepper.