Jan 4
We always have almonds in the house, and lately I’ve begun stocking raw almond butter — like peanut butter but better!
A handful of almonds is a great snack, filled with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats as well as Vitamin E, magnesium and Read more
Nov 28
Anytime stock pot
After the excesses of Thanksgiving, I like to have a few days of brothy soups to clear the body of all that stuffing. I am always surprised by how easy it is to make a nourishing bowl of aromatic broth from modest beginnings. Think of it — an old carcass, some water and a paltry handful of vegetables, add some heat, skim a bit and soon you have a steaming bowl of flavorful stock — really, turning dust into gold is nothing compared with this type of alchemy.
Nov 27
Once you’ve made a nice pot of stock, here are some ideas for filling, broth-based meals.
CHICKEN BREASTS POACHED IN GINGER BROTH WITH RICE
Poach a couple of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a quart or two of stock infused with gratings of fresh ginger, a star anise or perhaps a stalk of Read more
Nov 2
Halloween is over (and I’m not even going to go into the issue of what to do with the candy because you know what needs to be done….) The point is that there are still pumpkins to be had in the market, their seeds begging to be rinsed, roasted and eaten. These crunchy gems are a great protein-rich snack, Read more
Oct 20
Cooked quinoa
Quinoa is often referred to as a grain, but in fact, it is a seed. Some compare it to couscous, but I think it is lighter and more flavorful. Favored by the Incas, quinoa cooks up quickly, is high in protein and delicious. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has recently made the leap from the health food store to the grocery store with good reason. Vegetarians love it because of the protein content; I love it because it is yummy and cooks in about 10 minutes.
Oct 8
Earlier this fall I broke my ankle and was confined to an armchair. Not being a sit-patiently-with-your-leg-in-acast kind of girl, I spent some time researching which foods would help me heal fastest. Nutrition books were stacked high, search engines whirred away. Leafy greens, check; wide variety of fruits and vegetables, check; almonds and other nuts, check; oily fish, check. Sauerkraut. Uhhh, sauerkraut, really? Honestly, I almost kicked the wall with my good foot in vexation. Now, I suspect that some of you share my ambivalence toward sauerkraut. Read more
Sep 12
I’m always thankful for cherry tomatoes. They are a good source of Vitamins A, C and K as well as potassium, manganese and fiber. I find if I keep a bowl on the kitchen counter, the kids gobble them up. True, they are high in sugar, but better a cherry tomato than a cherry twizzler! They are lovely roasted and tossed in a whole grain salad, as you will see with the farro salad described here. Roasted or sautéed they are lovely, but there is nothing to compare to the burst of cherry tomato sunshine just picked off the vine at your local CSA.
Sep 12
Why is everyone so hepped on whole grains these days and what is a whole grain, anyway? The WHOLE GRAIN refers to a grain which still has its bran and germ intact. In the days before sensible dentistry, many people wanted softer, smushier food; removing the bran and germ created just that. In addition, the bran and germ spoil more easily, so removing them extended the shelf life of the grain: food manufacturers were ecstatic! Finally, the denuded products were easier to digest — producing less of that embarrassing gas. Sounds great, doesn’t it — mushy white food that lasts forever and can pass through your body without any work by your digestive tract! Neat!
You may have guessed by now that most of the essential nutrients and fiber in a grain are located in the very bran and germ that are removed in the refining process. Working on the presumption that you are eating in order to nourish your body, dining on refined grains such as white flour, white rice, white pasta and pearl barley is akin to sending in the artillery without any ammunition — pointless.
I can already hear you folks in the back saying, Read more
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