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…
Grains, Beans & Legumes
White Beans with Pancetta
Temperatures dipped in Florida this week, so I opened the windows and started making soup, cookies and casseroles, because I love having something in the oven or simmering on the stove when cool weather arrives. I also dug through cookbooks for inspiration and found a recipe in Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home: A Cookbook…
Veggie Fried Rice
When I was a kid, going out for Chinese food was a big deal. Back then, there wasn’t a Chinese restaurant on every block, but in the suburbs of Boston, we knew where to go, and after 40 years I still remember the aromas that greeted us at the China Plaza. The place was decked…
Almond-Cranberry Granola
Remember years ago when granola was the stuff eaten only by Birkenstock-wearing, long-haired, herbal tea-drinking folks, or those uber-healthy mountain climbers? They all seemed to really like the stuff that looked like bird food to the rest of us. But, in reality, those healthy specimens were onto something back then, and granola has now (rightly)…
Stuffed Portobello with Tarragon Crumbs
Prior to the mid-1990s, the concept of Portobello mushrooms on our home dinner plates was pretty much nonexistent. We really only heard about these Italian-imported, fancy mushrooms from waiters describing the ingredients in our dishes at high-end restaurants, or we may have spotted them in natural food stores but had no idea what to do…
Chickpeas and Pasta
This week I dusted off M.F.K. Fisher’s How to Cook a Wolf. It was published in 1942 and opens with a quote from American humanist Charlotte Perkins (Stetson) Gilman: “There’s a whining at the threshold, There’s a scratching at the floor. To work! To work! In Heaven’s name! The wolf is at the door!” It…
My Favorite Hummus
Many years ago my husband and I owned a marina store on the Intercoastal Waterway, where boats pulled in for fuel, bait, beer and snacks. Here’s a rendering he created of that sweet, little place: I never imagined owning a business like this, but an opportunity presented itself, and we thought it would be a…
Sweet Potatoes with Chipotle Cream
It seems like the humble sweet potato (or yam) is on just about every Thanksgiving table. Who would have thought that a root vegetable with origins dating back roughly 5,000 years would still be so revered? If you’ve ever grown them yourself, you know how fun it is! This marks my second year and my…
Curried Lentils & Rice
Several years ago, the documentary Forks Over Knives hit the streets. It was all about the benefits of eating plant-based (vs. animal-based) food in order to ward off cancer or other unhealthy stuff. I didn’t watch it until recently, when I re-upped my Netflix subscription, and I found it eye-opening. . . I believe there are…
Pumpkin Spice Granola
Yes, it’s time to think about Fall dishes like warm soups, cocoa, roasted root veggies and, of course, all-things-pumpkin! If you love pumpkin, there are endless opportunities to enjoy the Fall-inspired squash and its signature pumpkin spice flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. You’ll find that magical stuff in bars, pies, cookies, lattes, cold…
Farro Salad with Preserved Lemon, Basil & Edamame
Grain salad = easy + portable + hearty + healthy + delicious. I’ve made lots of them and have picked up a few tips to make them especially yummy: Any grain works. Each offers unique texture, so pick what you like like farro, wheat berries, barley, quinoa, spelt or millet. Wild grain rice is also…
Buddha Bowl with Quinoa, Beets & Chickpeas
If you’re like me, you’ve noticed tons of “Buddha bowl” pictures on social media. You know, those beautiful photographs of colorful food artfully arranged in wide-mouthed bowls, so gorgeous in fact that they make you want to reach in for a bite? Well, today I decided to make my own, but here’s a little back…