From the Orchard

We took our inspiration for this recipe from an Armenian soup called vospapour. It is a soup generally made with lentils, dried fruits, and walnuts, the perfect canvas for our apricots. We decided to turn the soup into a stuffing for eggplant. So we went with millet for the consistency and let the flavors take form along the spice mixture, which includes cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, cumin, and turmeric. The addition of fresh pomegranate seeds, which are in season now, takes this dish to the Holiday level! INGREDIENTS 1 cup millet, cooked according to package directions 8 small eggplants or 4...

"What’s for dinner?" my daughter asks every day. Since I am a pretty good planner, I am often ready with an answer. But other times, after a particularly busy day, I am often caught without an answer. In that case, takeout usually saves the day. But I always feel a tinge of guilt as I am placing the order. Takeout is so more expensive and less healthy than eating a decent home-cooked meal. In order to avoid the takeout trap, I have been creating and stockpiling recipes for easy to prepare, go-to dishes that I can make on a minute’s notice with ingredients...

Oh the joy of dates! Dates are great in dessert settings, but we also love a good savory dish with dates. It’s easy to make and it’s sweet and delicious.    INGREDIENTS 1 cup water 1/2 teaspoon orange zest 1/8 teaspoon cardamom 1 cup instant couscous 3 tablespoon fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, divided 2 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped 1/2 cup dates, diced 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts 1/3 cup fresh scallions, sliced thin on the diagonal Salt and pepper Fresh mint leaves, orange slices DIRECTIONS In a medium saucepan, bring the water, orange...