Spiced Tahini Granola

The old days of granola are gone: it's no longer a food reserved for hippies and flower children, instead it's just about as common as Corn Flakes in the average American's breakfast rotation and the variety of available flavors is vast. While grocery store shelves are stocked with any number of delicious options, we find that granola is best made at home, because it's incredibly simple and produces excellent results. 

Granola is one of those recipes that is endlessly customizable; it can be easily adapted to suit just about any taste or dietary restriction. Using a really simple formula, you can fill in the blanks based on your preferences, and have a little fun experimenting in the kitchen at the same time. 

Spiced Tahini Granola - Brunchographers

Below is one of the recipes that's in continuous rotation at my home, and it speaks to our personalities and preferences pretty clearly: I like to keep things on the savory side with a kick, so this recipe isn't overly sweet and has just a hint of heat. My husband avoids coconut in his diet, so you'll see this is coconut-free. And we are both tahini fanatics, so we thought, why not try adding that, too?  Of course, you can switch this up as you please, adjusting the sweet-to-salt ratio as you prefer. Or go totally off the rails and try something that's completely your own! Have fun with it - granola is like a blank canvas, waiting for your personal stamp to make it all your own. 

Spiced Tahini Granola - Brunchographers

Spiced Tahini Granola - Brunchographers

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Ingredients

1/4 c tahini
5 tbsp honey
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 c gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 c quinoa flakes
1/2 c crisped quinoa
1/4 c pepitas
1/4 c walnuts
1/4 c pine nuts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, quinoa flakes, crisped quinoa, pepitas, walnuts, and pine nuts. 
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the tahini, honey, olive oil, and vanilla. Add in the cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper and whisk until well combined. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until entire mixture is well coated. 
4. Pour the granola mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread out evenly using the back of a flexible spoon or spatula.
5. Bake until crispy, about 45 - 50 minutes, stirring and re-smoothing halfway through (note: smoothing and flattening out the mixture will allow for large chunks, so don't skip this step if you enjoy big clumps of granola). 
6. Remove from oven and let cool completely before eating. This is going to be difficult, because it smells amazing, but do yourself a favor and hold out! It will be so nice and crisp once it's cooled, and you can crumble it into big or small chunks, depending on your preference. Store in an airtight container for one to two weeks. 

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A Picnic Brunch with Friends

Summer is in full swing, and we are smitten. Even on the hottest days, sunny Southern California weather does not disappoint, and we find ourselves drawn to spend long, leisurely afternoons at the beach or by the pool. Farmers markets are alive with color and activity, their stands piled high with ripe produce, inspiring vibrant, vegetable-centered feasts best enjoyed al fresco. Friends gather to enjoy music or movies in the great outdoors, families ride their bikes along winding beach paths, the sun sets late. Sunscreen is required, but shoes are definitely not. This can only be described as summer bliss, and it deserves to be celebrated - ideally, with brunch served outside. So naturally, on a sunny summer Sunday, we packed up some brunch in our baskets and headed to the park for an afternoon with friends. 

In true summer spirit, we wanted our brunch picnic to reflect all the vibrant flavors of the season without requiring that we spend too much time in the kitchen. We focused on simple, easy-to-transport mains, backed up by plenty of shareable, hand-held snacks and treats. A fresh, fruity cocktail was a must, as were heaps of fresh summer berries, cherries, and grapes. 

To drink, some refreshing cocktails made with fresh pureed watermelon, tequila, blueberries, mint, and lime juice. These are oh-so-delicious, and taste like summer in liquid form - even the watermelon-fearful among our group fell in love with them. The recipe is easily made a few hours ahead of time, and it's easy enough to transport as long as you've got a leakproof container and a cooler. We topped off each glass with a touch of La Croix to add a bit of sparkle. You could use plain old sparkling water, but why would you? La Croix is too much fun. 

All good brunch includes a little something sweet to start, so we kicked off ours with some adorable coffee cake muffins using a recipe from Joy the Baker's beautiful brunch book, Over Easy. Joy's recipe is for big-kid sized muffins, but since we knew we'd be taking our treats outside, we decided to make 'em tiny - because, you know, tiny things are cuter. And also easier to eat. These are downright addictive little things - they've got a lovely toasty brown butter flavor and a perfect balance of sweet and salty, and they're topped off with a generous amount of sweet, buttery crumble and crunchy nuts. 

Sandwiches are perhaps the most essential picnic food, so we whipped up two sandwich variations for ours. First, a grilled chicken sandwich with sundried tomato spread, spinach, and mozzarella. The spread was super flavorful and added a bright, tangy flavor that complimented the hearty chicken and creamy mozzarella perfectly. Of course, bread is perhaps the most important factor in a good sandwich, and must be carefully considered during construction. Before the picnic, we dropped by one of our favorite spots, Lodge Bread, to pick up one of their amazing naturally-leavened whole wheat loaves. Its nuttiness and tang add a really nice element to this delicious combo. 

For the vegetarians of the group, we put together some pretty Green Goddess Sandwiches - pleasing not just to the eyes, but to the belly! We were inspired by two recipes for these: Joy the Baker's version, again from Over Easy, and also a version by The Bojon Gourmet that employs fresh mozzarella. These start with a base of seeded sourdough from a vendor at our local farmers market, Bakeshack, which is toasted and then slathered with some homemade herby, garlicky mayo. Next, layers of sliced zebra-striped green heirloom tomatoes, fresh daikon sprouts, tender butter lettuce, creamy avocado, and luscious fresh mozzarella. For a few special diets in the group, we even made a vegan, gluten-free variation of this sandwich - for the bread, we picked up a loaf of gluten-free sourdough from Honey Hi (one of our favorite healthy spots on the Eastside), and used Kite Hill's delicious soft fresh almond milk cheese in place of mozzarella. 

For a protein-packed side dish, we made a quick quinoa tabbouleh with tons of parsley and mint, heirloom cherry tomatoes from the farmers market, and a generous drizzle of lemon and olive oil. This is the sort of thing we make without a recipe - its composition is defined more by muscle memory and whatever's currently in our fridge than by any strict rules - but here's a good one if you're in need. On top, we sprinkled some crunchy chickpeas tossed in za'atar, which are completely addictive and add depth to pretty much anything you put them on. That's assuming, of course, you don't eat them all the moment they come out of the oven. 

No good picnic is complete without some chips, so when Johnna discovered this simple recipe for homemade salt and vinegar chips, we knew we had to try them for ourselves. There's something so satisfying about a chip that's homemade, and this one is especially appealing with a generous sprinkling of salt and just a kiss of vinegar flavor. To simplify portioning them out (and let's be real, to keep us from eating most of the batch before we even got to our picnic spot), we put them in simple parchment bags from the grocery store, which also made for a very pretty effect. 

For dessert, we turned once again to Joy's wonderful Over Easy for inspiration, and created a riff on her Peaches & Cream with Honeyed Cornflakes recipe. Peaches are abundant in our farmers market these days, so we chose some sweet white peaches with a delicate floral flavor and grilled them quickly to add a nice touch of caramelization. In cute little picnic-friendly jars, we combined them with creamy whipped mascarpone cheese and blueberries, and sprinkled them with Joy's lovely honeyed cornflakes for some crunch and added sweetness. 

With heaps of seasonal produce, this picnic spread was a celebration of summer abundance - and with a little advance preparation, truly wasn't all that difficult to whip up. We can't think of a more delicious way to celebrate the warm summer months than an al fresco brunch with our friends, and we hope we've inspired you to throw one of your own! 

AR Cucina | Culver City, CA

While we may not know her personally, we feel a little bit like Akasha Richmond is an old, dear friend of ours. Throughout our years in Culver City, she’s always been there, in a beautiful brick building on the corner of Washington and Watseka, ready to serve up breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee, or dinner. Her food is both delicious and healthful, with plenty of options no matter what your current dietary restriction might be. Akasha is a mainstay in the ever-changing landscape of the Culver City restaurant scene - even if the place you were planning to try suddenly closed, or if that other place that your coworkers were talking about has a line out the door, Akasha is there for you, and her food’s probably better than that place with the line, anyway. 

So when your old friend Akasha opens up a new eatery just a stone’s throw from the original, there’s cause for celebration. Such was the case when Sambar, Akasha’s upscale take on Indian food, opened up shop. With fun, funky cocktails, wildly flavorful sauces, and a pillowy turmeric naan that could knock your socks off, the celebration was real. But in just over a year, Sambar caught the dreaded Culver City restaurant flu and disappeared. Fortunately, the morning period was brief, because just as soon as Sambar disappeared, AR Cucina materialized, swapping masala for margharita. At first glance, not much had changed (it underwent a very minor makeover in which some of its quirky Indian decor was swapped out for a more rustic, Italian look), and the restaurant’s biggest draws remained in tact - a spacious covered outdoor patio for an al fresco happy hour, a massive bar with creative cocktails, and a tempting menu with options for just about everyone. 

AR Cucina pays tribute to Akasha’s extensive time spent traveling throughout Italy, where she studied the craft of Italian cooking and food production. The tenets of classic Italian cooking pair perfectly with Akasha’s cooking philosophy - as with her namesake restaurant, offerings at AR Cucina change seasonally and are made with the highest quality ingredients possible, either sourced locally or thoughtfully imported. Another carry-over from Akasha is a wealth of options for those following a specific diet, including plenty of vegetable-forward meatless dishes, a couple of vegan cheeses, and gluten-free pastas and pastries. To tie it all together, AR Cucina offers a lively cocktail program headed up by beverage director Clare Ward, which most notably features six different takes on a Negroni and a rotating menu of fun, seasonal tipples. 

In classic Akasha Richmond style, AR Cucina breaks the rules and has its own version of Italy-meets-California cuisine, a blend illustrated perfectly by the brunch menu. To start, pastries, bruchettas, and salads highlighting California staples like avocados, beets, and figs. Next, a section for classic American breakfast lovers: "piatta all' uovo," or "big plates with eggs." Then, sandwiches, pastas, and pizza, for the brunchers who really just want a big Italian lunch. There's dessert, too, of course, but we'll get to that later. 

We began our brunch with a cocktail, because with names like "Sophia Loren," "Italian Stallion," and "Francesca Verde," we were too charmed to resist. We opted for the "Sorrento Spritz," a rose-colored beauty with aperitivo, limoncello, strawberry-basil shrub, rosé, and seltzer. This was bright, flavorful, and refreshing - a great way to ease into a slow summer morning. 

Even with two dairy-allergic brunch dates, we found that there were plenty of options for everyone. For a starter, we sampled the Bruschetta, which is essentially AR Cucina's Italian version of toast: slices of toasted ciabatta topped with strawberry-rosemary jam and almond ricotta. It's a crunchy, tangy, shareable riff on Sqirl's famed ricotta toast, and it also happens to be dairy-free. Just like the varieties that are so popular next door at Akasha, the strawberry-rosemary jam is tart and packed with flavor, and it pairs perfectly with the creamy almond ricotta. 

For brunch purists, there is the Two Eggs and Toast, served with either chicken sausage or bacon. We opted for the house-made chicken sausage, juicy, hand-molded patties that had just a bit of a kick. For something with a bit more color, the Polenta Cake & Short Rib Ragu is sure to please - with triangles of soft, creamy polenta, a heap of crisp, colorful salad, and perfect runny eggs atop a rich short rib ragu, this dish manages to maintain balance between light and heavy. 

When comfort food is in order, the Porchetta Hash is the way to go. Tender fingerling potatoes absorb the juicy flavors of succulent, herb-roasted pork, are topped with two runny fried eggs, and are served alongside a few slices of rustic toast. That last bit is crucial, really - the rich, decadent combination is begging to be sopped up with some crisp-yet-absorbent bread. 

Finally, the Brunch Pizza offers a chance to satisfy your need for both breakfast and lunch, whether viewed through its half-breakfast, half-lunch components or simply its double-meal-worthy size. It looks a bit like a work of art, with pizza dough for a canvas, dotted with hunks of house-made sausage and a creamy baked egg, painted with vibrant tomato sauce and melted cheese, accented with wilted spring onions and curly arugula. The crust's edges are crisp and kissed with char, and the egg's yolk is creamy and smooth. It's certainly enough to share, but no one would judge you if you chose not to. 

If brunch-dessert is your thing, you will not be disappointed - Akasha's popular homemade ice creams and cookies are available here, alongside more formal desserts like tiramisu or olive oil cake. We sampled the delicious seasonal peach crostata, with two flavors of ice cream on the side (because the lactose-intolerant deserve some dessert, too). The crostata is simple, buttery, and not too sweet - just what you'd hope a good summer peach tart would be. Sea salt caramel gelato provided a creamy, almost savory accompaniment to the crostata, while the dark chocolate sorbetto offered a rich, darker opposition. 

Between the delightful cocktails, a perfect outdoor perch, and spot-on flavors throughout the meal, our old friend Akasha did not let us down with her take on Italian brunch. Here's hoping that AR Cucina will remain in our regular Culver City rotation for many years to come. 

AR Cucina
9531 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232

Botanica | Silver Lake, CA

A visit to Botanica is a bit like walking through your computer screen into a perfectly curated Pinterest board. It’s positively idyllic: glassware sparkles in a flood of afternoon sun, dreamy florals bring pops of color to patinaed wooden shelving, crusty loaves of Bub & Grandma’s bread beckon from a table loaded with take-home treats, all while impossibly chic Eastsiders catch up with friends over matcha lattes and glasses of rose. As the details within the space unfurl, the impressiveness of this operation sinks in - every object has been carefully curated, from the cluster of glass orb lamps above the bar to the clean, unfussy font on the menus. And just when you think the experience cannot possibly be more beautiful, your food arrives, and there are flowers on it. If the thought of Instagramming this place doesn’t cross your mind at least once, you’ve got to be dead inside.

What is perhaps most impressive about Botanica, however, is that its impeccable aesthetic is backed up with serious substance. Founded by former food writers Heather Sperling and Emily Fiffer, Botanica is not just another vegetable-forward, hip Silverlake hangout (though both “vegetable-forward” and “hip” could be counted among its descriptors); it is a thoughtful, multi-faceted operation that aims to nourish, support, and give back to its community. By partnering with organizations like Empower LA and offering employees benefits like healthcare and maternity leave, Sperling and Fiffer are making a positive impact in both their neighborhood and in the restaurant industry. Through their online magazine, they're able to break the confines of geography by offering Botanica's own recipes to readers all over the world. And by sourcing the highest-quality ingredients possible for their dishes and their small, curated market, they're able to offer remarkably delicious, healthful cuisine to their patrons, while simultaneously supporting local farms and small businesses in their community.

Following a “no rules” food philosophy, Botanica’s menu highlights fresh, seasonal vegetables accented with organic dairy products and sustainably raised meats. There are nods to Sperling’s Lebanese heritage in the form of middle eastern flavors like za’atar and labneh, and dishes that make vegetables sing like only a truly passionate healthy-eater (like Fiffer) could. During the day, options range from sweet fruit and granola dishes to savory eggs and salads, with a tempting list of coffee drinks made with Coffee Manufactory beans. At night, things get more romantic as the candles are lit, and the menu is flipped over to feature heartier, more substantial dishes, complimented by a thoughtfully constructed list of natural wines - not to mention a healthy list of whiskies to choose from. 

On a recent quiet weekday, we made the pilgrimage to Silver Lake to visit Botanica - a trip that had felt like a long time coming, even though the restaurant's grand opening was in May. The space was pleasantly full and lively, with enough seats to choose from in both the cool, airy restaurant and on the charming outdoor patio. The waitstaff were friendly and attentive, welcoming us within moments of our arrival with warm conversation. It's no surprise that in the short months since Botanica's opening, a loyal base of regulars has already formed - a few were seated near us during our meal, and their servers had already memorized their favorite dishes. 

To begin, we enjoyed some cold drinks, obligatory on a warm July day. The iced latte made with their house-made cashew-date milk is a perfect way to caffeinate without heating up, and the delicate, lightly sweetened nut milk is creamy and satisfying. For something even more refreshing, there is the Cucumber Lemon Ginger Spritzer, a vibrant green concoction that is tart, fizzy, and downright fun to drink. 

When a menu boasts something as delightfully alluring as "Cake for Breakfast!," we have little choice but to order it - because who hasn't wanted to indulge in a little bit of cake for breakfast on occasion? This version, a gluten-free, almond-orange-honey cake, is topped with mounds of vibrant roasted fruit, a generous dollop of cream, and a dusting of orange zest. It is the perfect compromise between having your cake and eating breakfast, too - sweet and decadent enough to qualify as cake, nourishing and healthful enough to qualify as a proper breakfast. The fruit is especially delicious when soaked into the coarse crumbs of the cake - a perfect bite was a mixture of both apricots and berries, a touch of cream and a generous bite of cake. 

Eggs and vegetables are the most essential building blocks of a perfect brunch, and fortunately the team at Botanica are adept with both. Their "Our Favorite Romesco" dish offers heaps of perfectly cooked seasonal vegetables stacked atop a thick smear of nutty, peppery romesco sauce, dusted with sprigs of fresh herbs and flowers, and crowned with a crispy fried egg. The vegetables, a melange of summer squash, leeks, cauliflower, and potatoes, are roasted to perfection with just a touch of char. The potatoes, especially, are melt-in-your-mouth delicious, offering a burst of flavor with each bite, while that runny egg yolk brings creamy richness to the party. 

Finally, to meet our ever-important leafy-greens quota, the fulfilling and flavorful "Niçoise-ish Salad." A work of art in a bowl, this salad came loaded with fresh, crisp greens, tender green beans, savory tomatoes, briny olives, and creamy potatoes. A scoop of hardwood-smoked Blis tuna and a delicate six-minute egg supply a healthy dose of protein, while a coating of delicate mustard-tarragon vinaigrette helps to marry the flavors together. And true to form, the whole ensemble is studded with happy little microgreens and tiny purple flowers. 

No trip to Botanica is complete without a stroll through the market, where many of the ingredients from your meal can be purchased to take home with you. The refrigerator is stocked with fresh dairy and eggs and a vibrant rainbow of produce, while long shelves boast organic wines, jars of oils and spices, and house-made coconut cacao granola (which, be warned, is impossible to resist - our little container disappeared in just a day or two). All the components for a Botanica meal are here, and with a quick visit to the recipes section of their online magazine, you're invited to re-create the magic at home. 

With both style and substance, and some undeniably delicious food, it's impossible to deny Botanica's allure. The icing on the breakfast-cake? The owners and staff are genuinely kind, wonderful human beings who are happy you've come, and are quick to invite you to their community - a community that we'd be honored to be a part of. 

Botanica
1620 Silver Lake Blvd. 
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Otium | Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is a city of art lovers. There are museums galore, galleries to suit any taste, murals around every corner, and exhibits so popular that lines form down the block on a regular basis. One such wildly popular attraction is The Broad, a giant perforated marshmallow of a museum in Downtown Los Angeles that houses works from some of modern art’s most notable figures. A visit requires advance tickets, a schlep through traffic, and some predictably expensive parking. It is fortunate then, that located just beside the glowing white behemoth is the pretty little wood-and-glass cube that is home to Otium, where the artistic experience extends beyond the visual and into the pleasures of the palate. 

Inside, Chef Timothy Hollingsworth has created a gallery of his own. Every surface and detail of the restaurant has been carefully curated; handcrafted pottery and custom furniture is displayed alongside large-scale art installations. Food preparation is on display for all to see, as chefs roll out sheets of fresh pasta just inches from seated diners and a mid-meal leisurely stroll past the wood-fired ovens in the open kitchen is encouraged. As Hollingsworth discusses in a video series created by Life & Thyme, Otium is at its heart a collaborative effort - each element has been lovingly made by an artisan, each inspired by the passions of their fellow makers, all adding up to a singularly unique experience. 

Served atop hand-thrown ceramic plates and bowls, Hollingsworth’s food is as much an artistic statement as any piece in the museum next door. On paper, each dish is a simple list of ingredients; in person, an inventive assemblage worthy of a canvas. The level of artistry displayed is most commonly found in fine dining establishments, yet Otium offers it in an approachable, relaxed manner appropriate for a casual family dinner or a quick lunch after perusing the galleries nearby. 

Brunch is a perfect time to experience Otium’s offerings, when mid-morning light floods the airy space and the outdoor patio overlooks views of families gathering in the grassy park out front. Refreshing summer cocktails are offered in abundance, and a menu full of small, shareable dishes encourages a slow, relaxed dining experience. 

Maid cocktail at Otium, Downtown Los Angeles, CA

We started our recent brunch with a simple cocktail called a Maid, in which vibrant green cucumber and mint mingle with vodka and simple syrup to create a bright, refreshing sip. Served with a block of crystal-clear ice and a sprig of fresh mint, it was beautiful in its simplicity. We also sampled some lattes made with almond milk - in to-go cups, so we could sip them slowly and take them with us - a delicious option for those looking for a bit of caffeine with their brunch. 

Avocado Salad at Otium, Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Our group of three shared four dishes, the first of which was a salad with avocado, beets, wild rice, amaranth, grapefruit, radishes, and miso. The clever preparation of the ingredients - grapefruit char-grilled, rice crisped, sauce pooled underneath - transformed a simple salad into something unexpected. 

Next was the Mole: blue corn tortillas and fried eggs smothered in a rich chocolatey sauce, drizzled with crema, and sprinkled with cotija and cilantro. With an ingredient for every color of the rainbow and its array of sauces arranged with painterly flair, this dish felt the most like it deserved to be framed and hung on the wall. Its flavors lived up to its beauty, as well - the richness of the mole, the runny egg, and the avocado played nicely against the spice, tang, and crunch offered by the dish’s colorful toppings. 

Mole at Otium, Downtown Los Angeles, CA

We couldn’t resist the Hoe Cake (both its name and description charmed us immediately), a crunchy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside cornmeal cake that hovered somewhere between sweet and savory. On top, it was festooned with generously dressed kale, thin slices of bright red peppers, and crispy fried nuggets of chicken. This dish’s unexpected texture combinations proved satisfying and fun, and its flavors were paired expertly.  

Hoe Cake at Otium, Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Crispy Potatoes at Otium, Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Last but certainly not least, we opted for a side of crispy potatoes with lemon salt, Aleppo pepper, and crème fraîche. When visiting an art gallery, it’s important to remember that it is not always the largest painting in the room that is the most impressive - sometimes it’s the tiny little portrait tucked in the corner that will leave you awestruck. These potatoes are that portrait. Hiding so humbly at the bottom of the menu, you might pass them by without a second thought - but that would be a grave mistake. These are perfectly prepared, crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and seasoned with aplomb. On the side, a velvety dipping sauce, whipped to creamy perfection with a generous amount of spice. They’re heaven in a side dish. 

Providing sustenance for both the eyes and for the belly, Otium is the perfect ode to a city that is nearly as obsessed with its art as it is with its food. 

Otium
222 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012