I don't love the subject of diets. I firmly believe that moderation is the key to everything, including health and fitness, and that food is meant to be enjoyed. 

And yet, here I am, very, very excited about my latest culinary invention: a low-carb, primal-approved, gluten-free take on nachos. Maybe it's because I am passionate about seeds?

(More likely, it's because it's a way for me to eat nachos more frequently.)

Nachos are a favorite of mine. I have reinvented them before, and I'm sure I'll do it again. Today's version calls for a few of my Simple Seed Crackers, or any other prepared all-seed cracker.

I push 9 of them into a square in the middle of a parchment-lined baking sheet (the one I used to bake the crackers works just dandy).

I grate up a little cheese (in this case, I used some English Coastal Cheddar from Trader Joe's, since it's what I had on hand).

And sprinkled it on the crackers.

A quick trip under the broiler gets the cheese nice and melty (and only minimally toasts the crackers--baking it would be too much).

Then I go nuts with toppings. 

Cheesy, spicy, nacho-y goodness, that's seedy in all the right ways.

 

The cauliflower rice I posted last week has been a total gamechanger for my dinner-making. So far I've repurposed it as risotto and fried rice, and also eaten it raw, in a salad, as if it were a cold cooked grain. Starchy, yet miraculously low-carb, fiber-loaded cauliflower is such a versatile, tasty vegetable. 

I recently heard about cauliflower tortillas, and knew I had to try them. 3 perfect batches later, I can attest, this recipe is phenomenal.

Whether you're into eating paleo or primal, or you are just looking for a way to get more fiber and vegetables into your diet, these tortillas are a must-try.

The process does require a fair amount of steps, but they're all easy to do, and quick to clean up.

It starts with putting some chopped up cauliflower into a food processor, just as you would with the cauliflower rice (you could also use a food mill, or the finest edge of a cheese grater).

Next, you puree it until it looks like a crumbly dough -- even finer than you would for cauliflower rice. 

Then the cauliflower paste gets a quick steam in the microwave.

Let cool for a few minutes, then dump the steamed cauliflower puree onto a clean cheesecloth or a clean, thin dish towel.

Then, as if making ricotta, gather the cheesecloth or dish towel together into a bundle to squeeze out the cauliflower liquid (be very careful as it will likely still be hot. Use a second, dry dish towel to protect your hands if necessary).

 And then stirred together with 2 beaten eggs and a pinch of salt. 

With very wet hands, make a ball using 1/6 of the cauliflower mixture.

Then, it gets flattened into a 6-inch circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet (the parchment is VERY important!).

After repeating with the remainder of the dough, the cauliflower rounds get popped into the oven. 

After 12 minutes of baking, they get flipped and go back in for another 10.

Finally, after being twice-baked, the tortillas, which are pretty firm at this point, get pan-cooked in a dry frying pan, just to char them a bit, crisping their edges.

The resulting tortillas are soft with crisp edges, pliable, and sturdy enough to stand up to your favorite tortilla fillings.

They even bend, just like regular tortillas! 

I made a gorgeous quesadilla with two of them.

Utterly delicious. 

I guess matzo kind of stops being the bread of affliction after you drizzle it with gooey caramel, melted chocolate and flaky salt and serve it for dessert, but that is a risk I am willing to take.

Just melt semisweet or dark chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.

Make a quick caramel with butter and brown sugar (margarine, if you're cooking pareve)

 

Then drizzle away.

When the matzos are completely covered, top with coarse salt. I like the pink kind.

Passover dessert or Jackson Pollock piece? You decide.

 

Grilled cheese has played a bigger role in my life in the past year than it ever did before. 

I've always been a fan, but it wasn't until the production of the first episode of Young & Hungry, wherein Gabi Diamond scores her dream job by cooking her would-be employer, Josh Kaminski a killer grilled cheese that I began to see what a magical sandwich it really is. In an instant, that grilled cheese changed both of their lives, kind of like how the show has changed mine. Now halfway through filming season two, I am in disbelief that things made it this far. And so, so happy.

Tonight, I'm excited to tell you, the premiere of season two airs on ABC Family at 8/7 Central. 

To honor the humble comfort food, and celebrate this exciting night, I'm making grilled cheese.

But of course, I can't make just any grilled cheese. This one is fancy.

Behold: Trader Joe's Italian Truffle Cheese.

 When you want black truffle flavor for as little money as possible, don't reach for truffle oil (which rarely contains actual truffles). Instead, go for this delicious cheese, studded with real black truffle pieces.

Since the cheese is so sublime, my goal with this sandwich was to celebrate it and not try to add any other flavors that might overdominate it. Just good bread and butter.

I decided to use sliced sourdough, since it get so gorgeously crispy when buttered and heated.

It's always good to get your ingredients together before you begin assembly. Make sure your butter is at room temperature so it spreads easily (just leave it on the counter for 20 minutes or so).

Also, it's so important to shred your cheese. This ensures that it will melt evenly and quickly.

 Assemble the sandwiches.

And don't be afraid to be generous with the butter. If you put enough on the sandwiches themselves, you don't need any for the pan.

A quick pan-fry on both sides yields a beautifully golden-brown and crisp exterior.

Then slice, eat, an seriously contemplate making another one.

 

I've been wanting to get into sardines for awhile, but I must admit, I've been a little scared. 

I'm not the biggest fan of canned tuna (though I do like the kind that comes packed in oil), and intense fishiness tends to be off-putting to me. But I've been reading about how heart-healthy sardines are, thanks to their rich Omega-3 content, which helps lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, curb joint stiffness and promote overall heart health. So when Season Sardines offered to send me a few sardines varieties to try, I decided to take them up on it.

I was immediately inspired to make something akin to my smoked tuna salad--something I could eat on crackers or with salad greens for a healthy lunch. Sardines have so much natural flavor that they need only need a few brightening elements to highlight them.

I went with lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, and flat leaf parsley. Classic fish pairings.

The resulting pâté was delicious on crackers and celery, but it would also be good on toast, as the filling of a sandwich (it's like tuna salad but much creamier and smoother), or as the protein component of an entree salad.

I'm excited to try making this again with different herbs. Cilantro and chilies would be tasty, as would tarragon and minced shallots, for a more classic French flavor profile. But meanwhile, I'm pretty darn pleased with this super-quick appetizer/snack. And I'm happy to report, I'm no longer afraid of sardines. Delicious things are never scary.

Note:  I was compensated by Season Sardines for this post and for developing the recipe. However all opinions are completely my own.