I’ve been focused on saffron lately. Don't let the notion that it is the "world's most expensive spice" deter you... hear me out on two things. First, a little goes a long way with saffron. It's not like you're scooping heaping tablespoons into recipes, just a small pinch of several threads brings a lot of flavor.

Also, Saffron is becoming more commonly used as a supplement because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, AND it is said to be beneficial for mental and brain health... plus a lot more, but I'm not going to make any claims here, so look it up.

All that said, I don't use potent enough amounts of saffron in my cooking to compare to the amount consumed in a supplement, but I do enjoy incorporating pinches into recipes for both flavor and a little nutritional boost.

For this recipe, I was just playing around with ingredients and honestly surprised myself with how delicious the resulting cookies turned out.

Saffron and pistachio create the base flavor for these crunchy cookies and maple tahini holds them all together. Extra maple tahini is spooned on top to create a caramel-y, chewy morsel nestled in the center. Finished with a little flaky sea salt and they are yumyumyum…

Panna cotta may seem fancy, but when it comes down to it, it’s basically milk jello—in this instance, a matcha latte in gelatinized form.

If you know me, you know I love my daily matcha… and I occasionally (often) pride myself on playing the role of matcha evangelist, converting friends to my matcha ways. I’m going to be rolling out a few ways I like to use this magical powder that differ from my usual latte concoctions.

This sweet cake uses almond to balance out the matcha flavor making it delicious for both breakfast and dessert.