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doctor says). Otherwise, I say enjoy your Joe

in moderation, periodically checking in to make

sure it’s still working for you. Signs that it’s not

might include feeling jittery or restless, having

trouble sleeping, having unusually intense sugar

cravings (a sign that your hormones might be out

of balance), or feeling like you can’t start the day

without it. Note: I chose to use cold-brew espresso

in this book’s recipes, simply because the work

is already done for you, and it has a concentrated

flavor, so a little goes a long way.

Avocado Oil

It utterly blows my mind that avocado oil wasn’t

a thing when I wrote my first cookbook. I’m sure

it existed, but I’d certainly never heard of it. I

actually can’t pinpoint when I first learned about

this phenomenal oil, but I immediately fell in love.

Avocado oil is simply the oil extracted from avocado

flesh, but the magic lies in what components make

up this beautiful fruit (yes, avocado is technically

a fruit, as it has a seed). Avocado is a fantastic source

of potassium and vitamins A, C, D, and E, benefiting

everything from your skin to your eyesight to your

immune system. In addition, avocado and its oil

may help our bodies better absorb nutrients such as

antioxidant carotenoids. Perhaps most importantly,

unlike vegetable oils, which have an inflammatory

and damaging fatty acid profile, avocado oil is a great

source of heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory oleic

acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid.

Enjoying moderate amounts of avocado and its oil

can improve signs of aging, reduce skin damage,

promote joint health, and have a positive impact

on cholesterol levels. Not only is avocado oil great

for us to consume, it has a high, stable smoke point

of approximately 520º F, compared to 320º to 350º

F for olive oil. It also has a relatively neutral flavor.

As a result, it is an ideal substitute for traditional

vegetable oils and my go-to choice for any high-heat

cooking, especially searing or pan-frying. It even

does well in baked goods, as you will see!

Chives

Does it seem silly for me to include chives in my

“unique ingredients” section? Hear me out: Onion

chives are the variety found in most grocery stores,

but I don’t see them in many cookbook recipes

or across the Internet. But in my opinion, chives

should be a pantry staple for their health benefits

and versatility. They’re a member of the allium

family, which also includes garlic, shallots, onions,

leeks, and scallions. While they share the hallmark

pungency of this class of vegetables, chives are

milder and sweeter than most alliums, much like

shallots (another favorite of mine). I mean, they make

ranch dressing ranch dressing (and I have a healthy

recipe in this book, page 339). The National Cancer Institute has identified chives as having cancer- preventive properties due to to their concentration of phytochemicals, flavonoids, and carotenoids, among other compounds. Garlic chives, also known as Chinese chives, have a slightly stronger flavor, but they also offer antimicrobial and antibacterial benefits. Both types are a wonderful way to add brightness, zest, complexity of flavor, and beauty to almost any savory dish. I love keeping them in my fridge, wrapped in a damp paper towel, to snip on eggs, avocado toast, cooked grains, seared salmon, grilled chicken—you get the idea. When you try them in this book’s recipes, I think you’ll agree that they add an irreplaceable je ne sais quoi!

Farro

Farro, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! I

have been itching to put farro in a cookbook since

before my first book was a reality. Why? First,

because it has my favorite texture of all grains.

Chewy, nutty, and deeply satisfying, farro stands

up to countless flavor profiles and pairs beautifully

with almost any herb or vegetable (or fruit, for that

matter). I chose not to use it in my first book, only

because I wanted to limit the number of unique

or less-familiar ingredients. But now that we’ve

tackled and mastered ingredients like nutritional

yeast, tahini, coconut flour, and more, it’s time to