With all that’s happening in the world, I decided to learn more about Ukrainian food. . . Borscht, sweet bread, chicken Kyiv and briny potato salad are some popular dishes. But one that especially caught my eye is Holubtsi, stuffed cabbage, or “little pigeons,” as they’re called. I’ve always loved stuffed cabbage/grape leaves, or any leafy…
Grains, Beans & Legumes
Cauliflower Chickpea Toast
Mark Twain wrote “Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” (The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, 1st published 1894). True, cauliflower IS in the cabbage family, with cohorts like arugula, mustard greens, Brussels sprouts and turnip. And, sure, it isn’t a trendy veggie like celery root, sun choke, chioggia beet or kale (which has…
Toasty, Crunchy Baked Oatmeal
Remember the scene in “A Christmas Story” when Randy pawed at his oatmeal, grumpily muttering ‘oatmeal, boatmeal’ while Ralphie narrated something like ‘most of the time my kid brother wore more oatmeal than he ate’? Yeah, I think we’ve all been that kid. There was just something about oatmeal’s gooey texture that was NOT appealing….
Anything Goes: Grain Crust Quiche
I just got back from Massachusetts, visiting family and friends and getting my fill of New England food, Fall temps and scenery. If you’re missing that area, here are some pics: (Note: if you think I’m overdressed for apple picking, you’re right! It was an unplanned but fun trip). November’s monthly theme on the blog…
Bowls of Happiness: Coconut Farro
We’ve lived through tumultuous days over the last year. Thankfully, life seems to be slowly coming up to speed. That said, I’m still not feeling myself, struggling to find my ‘new normal.’ Add in many gray days filled with much-needed rain, and that means I’m craving comfort food. Comfort food is the stuff we shouldn’t eat…
Lovely Legumes: Black Eyed Peas
Restaurants come and go, with many factors determining success. But when a long-time, popular spot closes, it’s a huge loss to a community, partly because of lost culinary traditions. This post is about one place, but I’m sure its story will resonate with many. My husband recently told me about black eyed peas he enjoyed at Old…
Lovely Legumes: Chickpea Sliders
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…
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…
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)…