Published on September 23rd, 2008
I have a great fondness for curry dishes. There’s something about the warm, earthy spice combinations that makes me crave all the variations from Indian to Thai, Vietnamese to even my own attempts at home.
A few recent studies of turmeric, one of the main curry ingredients, have given me new reasons to love curry — it appears to have some pretty amazing potential health benefits.
To be honest, I am always skeptical of such claims. Before I buy into the latest health claim, my finger itch to Google-up some real scientific research from reliable sources. Turmeric may actually hold up to the claims. Here’s what I found out … Read the rest of this entry »
Published on September 22nd, 2008
Lovin’ Fresh is a series of recipes designed to showcase produce gathered from local farms or grown in my own garden.
I’m sure I’m not alone. I come home from work, open the fridge door, and blankly stare at its contents for a good five minutes with disinterest, knowing all the while that it’s up to me and my weary brain to yet again come up with something good for dinner. Sometimes I do a belly flop and settle for a veggie burger (hey, at least I cook it in a pan and not in the microwave). Other times I am inspired and end up making an elegant swan dive from the fridge to the table. Now, the challenge remains to be get what was a “little of this and a little of that” invention into a repeatable recipe for you to try.
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Published on September 19th, 2008
My dear friend Cindy has been telling me about this friend of hers who helped create an organization called, Suppers for Sobriety. Her name is Cindy also. Cindy number 1 (my friend) gently and persistently reminded me about Suppers for Sobriety for over a year. Cindy 1 is not an alcoholic, but in case you haven’t figured it out yet, the reason she pestered me for over a year about Suppers for Sobriety is because she knows I have been a recovering alcoholic for many years (19 as of August to be precise) and she also knows I’m a foodie.
I met Cindy 2 at Cindy 1’s wedding this summer - finally. She apparently had heard about me too. She was very enthusiastic about Suppers for Sobriety of course and pitched hard to get me to attend a dinner.
This past Sunday I and the Cindys went to a monthly dinner held at the other founder’s home in Princeton, New Jersey.
What exactly is Suppers for Sobriety?
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Published on September 18th, 2008
Sometimes when I think about what to cook for dinner, my brain hurts. There are just too many factors to consider, including: what’s in the pantry, what I feel like, what needs to be used up, what my picky husband will actually touch, what I would actually prefer. This is a result of living in a country where our choices and options regarding food are so mind-bogglingly vast for many of us. It’s terribly easy to fall into a rut of only eating five or six different dishes that you know you’ll like, but that can get so tiring. So what’s a conscious cook to do when looking for fast, healthy, meal ideas? Find out, after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »
Tags:
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Food Network,
food websites,
healthy,
meal-planning,
Real Simple,
recipe ideas,
Super Cook,
Urban Vegan,
vegan,
vegetarian
Published on September 17th, 2008
Although Panzanella was created out of the need to do “something” with leftover bread, this traditional Tuscan salad is far from the ordinary, not a cliché and certainly not an afterthought. To me, this bread and tomato based salad is the epitome of local, seasonal and flavorful.
One of my culinary passions is bread baking - partially due to my friendship with my colleague master bead maker, author and teacher Peter Reinhart. There is always a loaf or two of something in my kitchen or freezer. Add the fact that our garden is currently bursting with heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, basil and garlic and the equation adds up to Panzanella.
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Published on September 16th, 2008
One way to help the environment is to eat less meat. Like I discussed in 5 Ways to Cut Back on a Carnivorous Family’s Impact, you don’t have to go whole hog vegetarian (hee - unintended oxymoron there) if you don’t want to. Choosing to have just one or two meatless meals a week can make a positive impact.
I’m committed to going meatless at least twice a week in my house, and as I find or create good recipes, I’ll be sharing them with you from time to time. This recipe is perfect for vegetable gardeners right now because it uses several garden ingredients just when you’re getting a little tired of making the same old thing with them.
Today I made 17 Bean and Barley Soup from a mix I bought at Trader Joe’s over the weekend. The bag has a mix of dry beans and barley, and I provided the rest of the ingredients, mostly following the recipe on the back of the bag.
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Published on September 16th, 2008
Got tomatoes? Looking for a simple, delicious way to use those? Because we planted somewhat late, we’re at the peak of our tomato harvest, and last night I made my first pasta sauce from scratch from slow-roasted plum tomatoes fresh from the garden. Slow-roasting concentrates the sweet flavor of the tomatoes, transforming them into an entirely different entity. Find out how, after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »
Published on September 15th, 2008
Lovin’ Fresh is a series of recipes designed to showcase produce gathered from local farms or grown in my own garden.
I really enjoy chowing down on these fast little burritos; something about the couscous is so unexpected and surprisingly filling. They make the perfect quicky lunch, at home or school or work. Or in the park when you’re playing hooky from one of the above…
The fillings, aside from the couscous (it’s what makes these puppies fun and unique so don’t skip that), can be whatever is in season. Right now I’m getting literally buckets of cherry tomatoes from my gardens and a few green peppers so those immediately went into my burritos. I sometimes add a little scrambled egg for protein. I bet some bits of grilled chicken thrown in would be tasty too if you’ve got some on hand.
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Published on September 11th, 2008
During this bountiful season of the tomato harvest, there’s a certain classification of recipes I turn to. No sauces, no stews, nothing that uses cooked tomatoes or anything I can make in January with my frozen tomato booty. Celebrate the final summer hurrah by savoring the fresh and relish those special recipes that can only made this time of year.
This Tomato Crouton Casserole fits that bill nicely — and can readily be a side dish or we even serve it with breakfast at our B&B. Recipe after the jump: Read the rest of this entry »
Published on September 9th, 2008
Which ancient grain:
- is 15 to 18% protein?
- has five times the iron as wheat?
- contains three times the fiber as wheat?
- delivers twice the calcium as milk?
- is a great source of magnesium and manganese?
- is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid?
- contains both lysine and methionine, two essential amino acids usually missing from other grains?
This nutritional powerhouse is easy to prepare and can be substituted for other grains in just about any recipe. It is a gluten-free food, making it an easy choice for sufferers of celiac disease or wheat allergies to replace wheat, barley, and rye in grain-based recipes.
What is this amazing superfood?
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I have a great fondness for curry dishes. There’s something about the warm, earthy spice combinations that makes me crave all the variations from Indian to Thai, Vietnamese to even my own attempts at home.
