Remember when kale’s primary purpose was to provide a frilly garnish on a bad buffet platter? Well kale has come a long way, becoming the star of many a chef’s plate, thanks in large part to the seasonal/local/farm-to-table trend. Kale is also a nutrional heavyweight: full of vitamins, antioxidants and even a hearty dose of fiber. There are many ways to incorporate this super food into your diet: steaming, stir-frying, but my favorite is a quick roast resulting in delicious crispy, nutty “chips” of sort. A perfect snack when you’re craving some crunch or a nice side to roasted chicken or meats. This recipe is incredibly adaptable, as you can flavor the cooked kale chips with citrus or spice in any number of combinations. Enjoy!

You’ll need:
20 cups kale, torn into bite-size pieces, washed and thoroughly dried (See Note)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used We Olive Fresh Garlic for an extra hit of flavor)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

To Make:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the kale and dry thoroughly. If it’s not dry, it will steam rather than crisp in the oven.
2. In a large bowl, toss kale pieces with olive oil and kosher salt. Make sure the kale is thoroughly coated with olive oil, you may need to rub the oil onto each kale piece until it glistens. Spread the kale out on 2 large sheet pans. Bake the kale chips until the leaves look crisp and crumble, about 12 minutes. If they are not ready, bake for another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

Makes 6 – 8 servings.

Note: I tried standard curly kale and organic red kale, a flatter leaf variety. The organic red kale crisped up in about 6 minutes, while the curly kale took the full 12. While I enjoyed both, the standard curly kale had better flavor and texture than the flat kale.

North African Chicken with Tomato Ginger Chutney and Spiced Quinoa
Serves 4
This recipe has it all. It’s flavorful, satisfying, healthy, and boasts a combination of flavors that will get your culinary creative juices flowing. The best part? It’s ready in less than 30 minutes, so you’ll have it on the table before you have time to think about takeout.

Adapted from Radically Simple by Rozanne Gold.

You’ll need:
2 lbs. skinless boneless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Dukkah *
1 lb ripe tomatoes, cut in chunks
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 inch piece peeled fresh ginger
1 jalapeno, cut in half lengthwise, seeded (leave the seeds in if you like a spicy kick)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup quinoa
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup cooked garbanzo beans
Kosher salt

* Dukkah is a traditional Egyptian blend of spices, nuts and seeds. We Olive’s Dukkah is made with cumin, coriander, sesame, macadamia, pistachio and almond. Dukkah is available online or at any We Olive store.

To Make:
1. Preheat the grill (although your broiler or a grill pan will also do). Pound each chicken thigh slightly with a mallet so it grills evenly. (I like to place a layer of plastic wrap on my counter, lay the thighs on top, and then cover with one more layer of plastic wrap. This contains any flying bits and makes for easy cleanup).
2. Place the chicken in a large baking dish and toss with the olive oil to coat. Season with salt and then sprinkle liberally with the Dukkah.
3. Meanwhile, bring the broth or water to boil. When boiling, add cardamom and a bit of salt before stirring in quinoa. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
4. Place the chicken thighs on the grill, cooking for about 4 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from heat.
5. Put the tomatoes in a food processor with the brown sugar, garlic, ginger, jalapeno and cumin. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Season with salt to taste.
6. When the quinoa is cooked, remove from heat and stir in the golden raisins and garbanzos. Serve the chicken over the quinoa and top with the tomato chutney.

After a month of baking indulgences, I’m back and ready for a healthy start to the new year. I’m not much for resolutions but after a week spent with family where I was lovingly stuffed with pancake breakfasts, roasts, and all manner of sweet treats, it’s time to put the brakes on overeating. I’ve been cooking up a storm at home and testing out flavorful, healthy recipes that are just as satisfying (and without the side of indigestion) as all that heavy holiday food. Read on for a recipe for my new go to salad dressing. It’s so tasty – you’ll want greens on every plate!

Carrot-Ginger Dressing
Adapted from Rozanne Gold’s fantastic cookbook, Radically Simple
Makes 1 Cup

You’ll need:
1/2 cup chopped fresh carrot
1/3 cup orange juice (preferably fresh squeezed)
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (pick your favorite!)
4 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar (for an extra kick try the Chapparal Gardens Pacific Spice vinegar!)
1 teaspoon peeled chopped fresh ginger

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until very smooth.

Note: I have been making a double batch of this and keeping it in the refrigerator for up to a week. I toss it on salad greens, sometimes adding chopped chicken breast, toasted pecans and apples. I’ve served it with steamed or roasted broccoli, green beans, and even brussels sprouts. It’s even nice mixed with couscous or quinoa as a salad dressing.

Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
I adapted this standard chocolate chip cookie recipe converting the butter to olive oil (typically you can substitute 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a 1/2 cup of butter). Then I added some texture and flavor to the cookie with cranberries, coconut, and We Olive’s Blood Orange Olive Oil. The results are a soft chewy, delicious cookie…perfect for sustaining Santa’s sleigh ride on Christmas Eve!

You’ll need:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Blood Orange Olive Oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup shredded coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the olive oil and sugar with an electric mixer until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips, cranberries, and coconut until incorporated. Drop by the tablespoonful onto prepared cookies sheets, about 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies onto wire racks to cool.

On the 9th and 10th days of Christmas I started thinking about Christmas morning. Is there another day all year that invokes as much anticipation and excitement from young and old alike? It’s impossible for me to think about Christmas morning without thinking about my sister and I snuggled in her bed as little girls watching the clock tick closer and closer to the hour when we were finally allowed to get out of bed and fetch our stockings. We’d draw a map from her bedroom to the fireplace in the family room as if we might somehow get lost in the bathroom or accidentally walk out the front door on our way. While I no longer wake at 5:00 am to see what Santa’s left under the tree for me, I still look forward to the traditions and memories that come with Christmas. And after all the stockings have been unstuffed and the last present unwrapped, I look forward to sharing something delicious with the ones I love. Following are a few simple recipes that you can make ahead or throw together on Christmas morning to feed the ones you love. Merry Christmas!

Olive Oil Scones
These scones, which I’ve adapted from a recipe found at the lovely site, Edible Mosaic, is so simple that you could put it together while the wrapping paper is being collected from the floor. So simple, in fact, that when I left the baking powder out of the recipe by accident on my first go round, I didn’t even mind making them all over again, they’re that quick! The second batch was perfection. Light

You’ll need:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more to roll out the dough
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons sugar, plus a little more to sprinkle on top
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used We Olive’s Sevillano, which is delicate and buttery, but a peppery olive oil would also work nicely here)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon milk, to brush on top

1. Preheat oven to 450F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cream; set aside. Add the following to the bowl of a food processor: flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar; pulse to combine. Gradually stream in olive oil while pulsing; once olive oil is incorporated, gradually stream in egg/cream mixture while pulsing. The dough should come together nicely.
3. Turn the dough out a lightly floured surface. Form the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a 3/4 inch-thick circle. Use a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter (or juice glass) to stamp out the scones, then gather up the dough scraps and repeat (you should get about 8 scones total).
4.Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, lightly brush the tops with milk, and sprinkle on a little sugar. Bake until light golden brown, about 9-11 minutes. Serve with butter and honey or jam!

Olive Oil Muffins
This is a fantastic recipe from Giada De Laurentiis that is super easy and adaptable. You can omit the orange and lemon zest and use either Meyer Lemon or Blood Orange Olive Oil (or a combination of both!) in place of regular extra virgin olive oil. You can substitute pine nuts or pecans for the almonds or you can omit the nuts altogether and frost them like a cupcake. In place of traditional balsamic vinegar, try substituting our Peach White Balsamic or new Wild Plum Balsamic. Enjoy!

You’ll need:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons whole milk
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Powdered sugar, for sifting

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Blend together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, eggs, and zests in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vinegar and milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Crush the almonds with your hands as you add them to the batter and stir until mixed.
3. Fill the muffin tin almost to the top of the paper liners. Bake until golden on top and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins onto a platter and let cool for 5 more minutes. Sift powdered sugar over the muffins and serve.

On the 7th and 8th days of Christmas, I got ambitious. As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m not much of a baker, but this 12 days of Christmas baking experiment may have changed me. I typically avoid baking anything where there are multiple steps between mixing and the oven, but I found two cupcake recipes that were too enticing to pass up. The first is a combination of some of my favorite thing: figs, olive oil, and pistachios. I found this recipe on gorgeous food blog called Kitchen Konfidence. The second recipe, a Chocolate Balsamic Raspberry Cupcake, came from another fantastic food blog, Love & Olive Oil. I made a few We Olive tweaks to each recipe and the results were fantastic. I used We Olive’s Blood Orange Olive Oil in both because I’ve found that it brightens up any baked goodie, but you could also substitute a fruity olive oil like Arbequina. Bring these to a party and you are sure to be the most popular guest! Get the recipes here.

Fig Pistachio Olive Oil Cupcakes

You’ll Need:
For the Fig Compote Filling:
1½ cups whole dried figs
1½ cups water
⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons honey

For the Pistachio Olive Oil Cupcakes:
1 cup shelled pistachios
1 cup flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil such as We Olive Arbequina or We Olive Blood Orange or Meyer Lemon
½ cup whole milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
½ stick butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (half a package)
2 cups confectioners sugar

For the Fig Compote Filling:
Roughly chop the dried figs into small pea-sized chunks.  Add the chopped figs, water, juice and a few dashes of kosher salt to a medium sized saucepan.  Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until the figs are soft and the water is evaporated (about 20 – 25 minutes).  Add raw honey and cook for an additional minute.  Let cool and set aside.

For the Pistachio Olive Oil Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F.  Prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Place ½ cup pistachios in a food processor.  Pulse until the texture resembles small, coarse gravel.  Transfer to a small bow and set aside.  Place the remaining ½ cup pistachios in the food processor.  Pulse until the texture resembles coarse sand.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add finely ground pistachios, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Mix ingredients on the lowest setting until combined.  Add extra virgin olive oil and whole milk and blend on a medium setting.  Mix in eggs and lemon juice.  Finally, add the coarsely ground pistachios and stir on a low setting.

Pour batter into the cupcake liners.  Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes.  You will know your cupcakes are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
Add butter, cream cheese and confectioners sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer.  Mix on a low speed until the ingredients are roughly combined.  Turn the speed up to high and beat until the frosting is creamy and well combined.

To assemble:

Using a corer or sharp knife, cut out an inner section from the top of the cupcake (make sure your cut does not reach the bottom of the cupcake).  Cut off the top part of the inner piece to use as a cap for the hole. Fill the hole with fig compote and top with the cap.  Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.  Garnish with a piece of fig from the compote.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Chocolate Balsamic Raspberry Cupcakes

You’ll Need:
1 cup soy milk
1 1/2 tablespoons We Olive aged balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup We Olive Blood Orange Olive Oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons almond meal
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For Frosting:
4oz (1/2 cup) fresh raspberries plus 12 rasperries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon We Olive aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar, set aside for 5 minutes (mixture will curdle). Whisk in sugar, olive oil, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in soy milk mixture. Stir until just smooth (do not over mix).

Pour into liners, filling each with 3 tablespoons of batter (cups should be no more than 2/3 full). Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Separate out 12 raspberries for garnish and set aside. Gently toss remaining raspberries with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Set aside and allow to macerate for 15-20 minutes. Roughly mash berries with a fork until no large chunks remain.

Cream butter until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until combined. Mix in raspberry mixture. Continue adding sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition (depending on the temperature of your butter, you may need more or less sugar to achieve the proper consistency). Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

On the 4th, 5th, and 6th days of Christmas, I was either at a holiday party or recovering from a holiday party, which is why you’re getting all three days of Christmas baking in one pretty package on one productive day! I’ve got three unique olive oil cookie recipes for you today, all of which make perfect accompaniments to afternoon tea or coffee. Each cookie is subtly sweet, so they are a nice finish to a decadent meal when you don’t have room for (much) more. Gift idea: Plate up one or more of these cookies and pair it with a favorite package of coffee or tea. Include a bottle of olive oil and the recipe, which you can find here.

Saffron Blood Orange Olive Oil Cookies
I adapted this recipe from one by Mark Bittman, and the results were exactly as promised: a not-too-sweet cookie reminiscent of a cakey vanilla wafer. If you’re missing some sweetness in the cookie, a simple glaze of confectioners sugar and orange juice will satisfy your sweet tooth.

You’ll need:
Small pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) crumbled saffron threads
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup We Olive Blood Orange Olive Oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine 1 tablespoon boiling water with the saffron in a medium bowl, stir, and steep for a few minutes. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

2. Add the sugar and olive oil to the saffron mixture and beat until light, a minute or two. Add the eggs and continue beating until creamy and fluffy, another couple of minutes. Beat in the orange liqueur. Gently stir the liquid mixture into the dry one, just until well combined.

3. Use 2 teaspoons to drop mounds of dough about 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately transfer the cookies to a rack to finish cooling. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for no more than a day or two.

Chocolate Espresso Olive Oil Cookies
This recipe I found in the blogosphere at Natalie’s Killer Cuisine. The cookies have a crumbly texture and scream for piping hot espresso. I can also imagine using them for a killer chocolaty pie crust.

You’ll need:
1 2/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 TBS Espresso Powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup delicate extra virgin olive oil, such as We Olive Mission or Sevillano
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Sugar, for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Set aside and let cool until lukewarm. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso, baking soda, and cinnamon.
2. In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, vanilla and almond extracts. Add this to the dry mixture. Add the melted chocolate and stir until the mixture comes together into a uniform mass.
3. Using your hands, roll the dough into ball about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. Roll and cover completely in sugar, and place them 2 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheets. Use your palm to very gently flatten the cookies a bit, as they don’t spread much. Bake the cookies until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Apricot-Tarragon Cocktail Cookies
This recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan via Food & Wine magazine and it is a WINNER! I opted to use a robust, grassy olive oil in the cookie because I thought it would play off the herbal notes in the tarragon…it did. You can use a fruitier olive oil like We Olive Arbequina if you prefer. As the name implies, these cookies pair with a cocktail or a glass of wine. I’m sure Santa would not be disappointed if you left him a plate and a glass of bubbly.

You’ll need:
1/2 cup dried Turkish apricots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon leaves
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a small bowl, cover the apricots with hot water and let stand for 10 minutes, until they are plump. Transfer the apricots to paper towels to drain. In another small bowl, rub the tarragon leaves into the sugar until they are moist and aromatic.
2. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the tarragon sugar at low speed until creamy. Beat in the egg yolk until just combined, about 1 minute. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and beat until smooth. Add the salt and flour and beat until just incorporated. Using a large spatula, fold in the apricots.
3. Turn the cookie dough out onto a work surface and knead until it just comes together. Divide the dough in half and press each half into a disk. Roll out each disk between 2 sheets of wax paper to about 1/4 inch thick. Slide the wax paper–covered disks onto a baking sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour, until very firm.
4. Preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with one piece of cookie dough at a time, peel off the top sheet of wax paper. Using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out the cookies as close together as possible. Arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until they are lightly golden; shift the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

On the 3rd day of Christmas, I ate a whole pan of Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies. These brownies, adapted from a recipe that I found in Cooking Light, are dense, fudgey and decadent. They also look really pretty on the plate.  Take some to your neighbor, your child’s teacher, or a co-worker for a simple and sweet holiday gift. For an extra special touch, add a package of We Olive’s Brownie Mix, some buttery olive oil, and this recipe.

You’ll need…
For the cheesecake batter:
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the brownie batter:
We Olive Brownie Mix prepared according to package directions with…
1 egg
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup delicate or medium extra virgin olive oil such as Mission, Sevillano or Arbequina
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Cooking spray

To Prepare:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cheesecake batter, place cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add granulated sugar and peppermint extract; beat well. Add 1 egg and 1 egg white; beat well. Add 1 tablespoon flour; beat mixture just until blended.
3. Prepare brownie batter according to package directions. When batter is smooth, stir in chocolate chips.
4. Reserve 1/2 cup of brownie batter. Pour remaining batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Carefully pour cheesecake batter over top; spread evenly to edges. Dot cheesecake batter with reserved brownie batter. Swirl top two layers of batters together using the tip of a knife. Bake at 350° for 26 minutes or until top is set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Notes: You can tint the cheesecake batter with two or three drops of red food coloring to give it a pink tinge, if you like. You can also sprinkle the brownies with crushed up candy canes for extra color, although this should be done just before serving. When swirling the cheesecake and brownie batters in step 4, don’t disturb the bottom brownie layer. Cool these bars completely before serving.