VMBURNS: Today, I'm thrilled to have Daryl Wood Gerber in the kitchen. She's sharing information about her new book, a lovely recipe, and a fantastic giveaway! Welcome, Daryl!

DARYL WOOD GERBER: I’m so excited to be here. I had such a blast writing my latest release, MURDER IN A LAVENDER DAZE and can’t wait to share it with the world. I did a lot of research about aroma therapy. I learned more about mindful meditations, too. As for the main event, a happily divorced party, I came up with the idea when I was in Arizona doing a book signing at the Poisoned Pen. On my way there, I saw a pedal bus filled with happy young women pumping their legs while gleefully sipping beverages, and I wondered what they were celebrating. It wasn’t a bridesmaid contingency. No one was wearing a veil. I told my writing pals about it and asked for suggestions, and one of them said someone is getting happily divorced. Done! Nailed! Loved it! I told my editor the idea and she was totally on board.

If you’re not familiar with the Aroma Wellness Mysteries, it features a spa in the Courtyard of Peace located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The owner also has a café and gift shop. At the gift shop, customers can browse wind chimes and essential oils and beautiful candles. At the café, they can dine on good-for-you food . . . that tastes good!

Emma owns the spa with her grandmother. Her cousin Sierra, who is like a sister to her, runs the café. She’s always trying to give Emma advice about what to eat.

This quiche, which is so simple that you can probably make it blindfolded—as long as you use a premade pie crust—contains kale. Now, I’m not a raw kale fan. It’s just a tad too crunchy for me, but when cooked, it’s delicious. And kale is good for you. It contains antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and may also help protect against cancer. You can also count on kale to help support the health of your eyes, your immune system, and, yes, even your heart. Last but not least, kale is filling and low in calories, so it can help you maintain a healthy weight.

Unless of course, you’re eating it in a quiche because, let’s face it, quiche has cheese, eggs, milk, and pastry, so . . . it’s not super low calorie, but you only need one slice—approximately 300 calories and 14 grams of protein!

Enjoy!

Kale Leek Mushroom Quiche

(Yield: 1 quiche, 6 servings)

2 large leeks, whites only 2 cups chopped kale

¼ shitake mushrooms, rinsed and diced 2 tablespoons olive oil 5 eggs

⅓ cup milk

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons prepared mustard

¾ cup grated Gruyère cheese 9-inch pie crust (regular or gluten-free)

Rinse leeks and slice off the green ends. Discard and use only the whites. Chop the whites. Sauté leeks over medium heat with the olive oil, about 3 minutes.

Add the chopped kale and diced shitake mushrooms, and sauté about 2–3 minutes more.

Remove from heat and allow the vegetables to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and spices. Mix in the grated Gruyère cheese.

Place kale, leeks, and shitake mushrooms in pie crust. Pour egg mixture over.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35–45 minutes.

READERS: To Quiche or not to quiche? Kale? Spinach? Ham and cheese? What's your favorite? Let me know in the comments below. One lucky person will win a tote bag, swag and choice of one of three books.

MURDER IN A LAVENDER DAZE

Emma Brennan always knew that her idyllic California hometown of Carmel-by-the-Sea would be the perfect place to open her very own spa. The success of her Aroma Wellness Spa, gift shop, and café has proved her right. But while the business is located in the Courtyard of Peace, Emma finds herself privy to events that are far from serene—like murder . . .

With its soothing décor and tempting treatments, customers are flocking to Aroma Wellness for more than just facials and massages. Lately, Emma has been booking private events, from spa parties to bridal showers and birthdays. Next on her calendar is something really unique: A “Happily Divorced” party.

After eight years of marriage, Addison Lacey is divorcing her husband, whom she claims convinced her he was Mr. Nice Guy when he was really Mr. Controlling Guy. To kick off her journey toward becoming a better version of herself, Addison wants to celebrate, bigtime. Her wealthy mother, Gianna, a former model turned difficult diva, is footing the bill. . . . But when Emma goes to Gianna’s home to pick up the final payment, she and Addison find her dead in her bed amid the aroma of lavender, with an herbal-infused pillow from the party nearby.

Soon, Addison is a prime suspect. But Emma knows there are plenty of others Gianna rubbed the wrong way, including her soon-to-be ex-son-in-law. Once again, with the help of her cousin, her nana, and her trusted Birman cat, Vivi, Emma is determined to sniff out a killer—whether the police like it or not . . .

BUY LINK

WEBSITE: https://darylwoodgerber.com

FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1

INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/darylwoodgerber GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

BLUE SKY: @darylwoodgerber.bsky.social AMAZON: amazon: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page https://bit.ly/3SenzVy

Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense novels, including the well-received Accidental Murder, The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams trilogy. Daryl has published a standalone Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays, and her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website: https://darylwoodgerber.com