My Surprises this Week! Normally, I have a pretty good grasp on identifying summer vegetables. In fact, I love to learn about and try new varieties of local favorites like kale or leaf lettuce or tomatoes. But this week, I was surprised 3 times by summer vegetables. Elephant garlic caught me off-guard with its mild flavor and huge cloves; blue potatoes amazed me when the color didn't disappear in the pot; and Turkish orange eggplants (see photo to the left) totally fooled me at the Farmer's Market. Cooking with Summer Vegetables! It can be a little overwhelming to put 1 or 2 brand new … [Read more...] about Summer Vegetable Surprises & How to Cook Them!
Go Green with Greens for Good Nutrition this Fall!
Eating Seasonally! When fall is in the air, like today, I cook leafy greens. It's not that I grew up eating a lot of greens because I didn't. The only green my sister, brother and I found on our dinner plate was spinach and I wasn't too excited about it back then. When I moved south of the Mason-Dixon Line, first to Virginia and later to North Carolina, I began appreciating the special foods of the Southeast - like greens. When I got hooked on Farmer's Markets, I began craving greens of all kinds! Kinds of Greens! I especially love Swiss Chard and you can see it in the photo at the … [Read more...] about Go Green with Greens for Good Nutrition this Fall!
A Healthy Stir Fry Recipe!
A Healthy Stir Fry Recipe is a Tasty Dinner! A healthy stir fry recipe became my easy and convenient dinner plan tonight. It was just one of those recipes that fell into place for a few reasons. I had a chunk of soft tofu that I wanted to use up, I had a bag of mixed frozen cauliflower/Italian beans/zucchini, and I had a few tablespoons of chunky peanut butter in the bottom of the jar. So, my tasty dinner was born. Easy Steps to Make A Healthy Stir Fry Recipe! 1. Gather these ingredients: whole grain angel hair spaghetti or thin spaghetti; frozen veggie mixture with cauliflower; small … [Read more...] about A Healthy Stir Fry Recipe!
A Healthy Salad for Spring!
A Healthy Salad for Spring is Colorful! Have you noticed that you eat with your eyes? For me, that's really true and especially for salads. Colors make me want to dig in right away. Also, if you're trying to get your kids interested in eating more salad veggies, count on colors to get their attention for better nutrition. A Healthy Salad for Spring is Textured! Do you like crunchy textures in food? Do you like soft textures? There is something delicious about combining these 2 in a healthy salad for spring. The edamame, or soy beans, are soft and the roasted, unsalted almonds are … [Read more...] about A Healthy Salad for Spring!
Father’s Day Brunch!
Brunch - A Little History The origin of brunch is not well understood. Some food historians think the meal began in England's hunt breakfasts—lavish multi-course meals featuring a smorgasbord of foods such as chicken livers, eggs, meats, bacon, fresh fruit and sweets. Others think Sunday brunch came from the days when Catholics fasted before mass and then feasted on a large midday meal. Within the restaurant world, brunch has become big business nowadays as it adds another dining occasion for families and friends. Father's Day Brunch There are so many foods that dads like - … [Read more...] about Father’s Day Brunch!
Summer Basil Pesto – It’s All About the Ingredients!
Quality Ingredients Matter If you ask me, the quality of ingredients really matters when making a great summer basil pesto. Why? Because each ingredient contributes to the flavor you experience when you roll it around in your mouth and over your tongue. Let's look one-by-one at the ingredients in a super tasty basil pesto made in the summertime. If you need a recipe, here's my recipe for summer basil pesto. Fresh Basil: The very best basil for pesto is what you grow yourself. It's really fun to grow fresh herbs - and easy, too. Basically, you need to find a sunny spot in your … [Read more...] about Summer Basil Pesto – It’s All About the Ingredients!