Recently, two announcements in the culinary world created a buzz. The popular recipe site, Epicurious, said it would no longer post new beef recipes, and Eleven Madison Park, a prestigious restaurant in New York, said it would offer a vegan-only menu when it reopens. Apparently, they want to be part of the solution toward a…
Lovely Legumes: Lentil & Kale Salad
Legumes are in the vegetable family, with common members being chickpeas, black/red/kidney beans, green beans, black-eyed peas, soybeans and lentils. They’re called ‘powerhouse foods,’ with lentils being especially well-regarded. Nutrition-wise, lentils are an excellent source of protein, loaded with potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and fiber, and a great resource for vegetarians, or folks sensitive to gluten. They’re…
Flavor Punches: Adobo
Synchronicity is amazing. This week, I remembered a delicious meal made by my friend Ben’s mom, Purita. Ben and his family are Filipino, and his mom served lumpia (similar to fried spring rolls), adobo chicken (chicken in an amazing sauce), and pancit (meat, noodles and veggies – sort of like chow mein). I loved it,…
Flavor Punches: Peppercorn Salt
A sprinkle of flavored salt can make dishes sparkle. I’ve got several mixtures in my pantry that I bring out for special touches to meat, seafood or veggies. Each type of salt (sea, Himalayan, Kosher, fleur de sel, Kosher, etc.) offers its own level of ’saltiness’ or ‘brininess,’ enhancing underlying flavors of food in their…
Flavor Punches: Gremolata
Gremolata sounds fancy, but it’s a simple mixture of fresh parsley, garlic and lemon zest – ingredients you probably have in your fridge at any given time or can easily pick up at a market. It’s a classic seasoning that originates from northern Italy (Milan, I believe), sprinkled on soups/stews, braised meats, roasted veggies and…
Flavor Punches: Potlach Seasoning
Years ago a friend gave me Williams Sonoma’s “Potlach Seasoning.” The description on the tin noted the story of Pacific Northwest Native Americans spreading herbs on freshly-caught salmon and fire-roasting it for a feast — the inspiration for the WS blend. Potlach specifically refers to the tradition of celebrating abundance by giving away possessions and food,…
Power Snacks: Sweet Potato Chips
Today’s snack is savory ‘cause sometimes you need something crispy and salty when cravings hit. As a salty-snack gal who’s happy to bypass cookies when given an option, these are right up my alley. I recently remembered a story about Vardamon, Mississippi, a town that calls itself “Sweet Potato Capital of the World.” They even…
Power Snacks: Chocolate Coconut Balls
Recently, a video of a gal making “Mounds cake” popped up in my social media feed. She was chopping Mounds candy bars, so I was hooked, but quickly lost interest when she dipped packaged chocolate cookies into non-dairy creamer and layered them in a pan with candy and canned whipped cream. While it wouldn’t be…
Power Snacks: Cherry Nut Bars
If you run, walk, work out at the gym, hike mountains, lay down sod, or have a busy day, you might find yourself needing a snack. A good snack – one to give you the extra ‘oomph’ to keep going. It’s easy to buy granola bars (I’ve done it, for convenience), but all too often,…
Feed Your Feelings: Chard, Beans & Tomatoes
I’ve heard we only use about 10% of our brains, so I researched to see if it’s true. Many smart people agree, but one neuroscientist is determined to debunk the theory (Scientific American). He says that while resting, we probably use only 10% of our brain’s capacity, but we actually use all parts of our brain…
Feed Your Feelings: Golden Milk
It’s a gray day and I feel down – this, on the heels of a week wanting to throw shoes at the TV because of the bad news, and flying off the handle when hubby simply asked what was on my calendar. Maybe you’ve been experiencing similar emotions? Have you ‘lost it’ when your Zoom…
Feed Your Feelings: Cheesecake
I think everyone has a dish that evokes happiness the moment they see it. One of mine is cheesecake, and as soon as I spot a big beauty, my heart flutters. What is it about that creamy goodness that makes me want to stop everything and grab a spoon? I guess it’s comforting – something to…