Update Your Sloppy Joe

Tempted by Tempeh You likely have a memory of eating Sloppy Joes from your childhood. It might even be a fave comfort food. Like it or not, the dish has survived for decades – versions of Sloppy Joe “loose meat sandwiches” have been around since at least the 1930s. This recipe updates the Sloppy Joe […]

A Celebration of Corn

Esquites-Style Shrimp with White Beans Esquites-Style Shrimp with White Beans has been on repeat in my kitchen for months. It’s perfect party fare yet substantial enough for a meal. Don’t worry about leftovers – there won’t be any.    Corn (maize, or maíz in Spanish), the star of Esquites, is being honored in a month-long […]

Mussels in Smoky Tomato Broth

A Saucy Valentine’s Day Dinner There’s nothing like an overflowing bowl of steamy, saucy mussels to anchor a Valentine’s Day – or any dinner. Add a hunk of crusty bread to mop up the juices, and a big salad. The nickname “poor man’s oyster” doesn’t apply to mussel’s today, although they remain an excellent value […]

Veganuary? Make Meatless Marvelous

Loaded Hummus with Smoky Mushrooms and Blistered Chickpeas January is a big month for food-and drink-related resolutions (1). Participation in Veganuary, a 31-day challenge of going vegan for the month of January, has grown, with a record-breaking global sign-up rate of over 600,000 people for 2023 (2). Will a month of eating a completely free […]

How Covid-19 has Changed Our Foodways

Mediterranean Roasted Fish with Artichokes, Snap Peas, Tomatoes & Baby Potatoes It’s not news that Covid-19 has changed how we shop, cook, and eat (1), but it is interesting that some of these changes may be beneficial.    A Food Marketing Institute survey indicates the increase in home-cooking enabled consumers to acquire new culinary tools […]

Enjoy the Last of Summer’s Bounty

Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Peach Mustard & Grilled Peaches Tomorrow, September 22, 2020 is the fall equinox. While I hate to see summer go, I’ve been pleasantly distracted with late-summer produce- enjoying the best of the season’s bounty and preserving some for eating later in the year. My husband lets nothing get in the […]

It’s Time to Grill Garlic Scapes

Ricotta Gnocchi with Garlic Scapes, Mushrooms and Fennel In season now, fresh garlic scapes caught my eye at Metropolitan Market and I grabbed a bunch. I followed the cooking tip posted in-store, brushed them with olive oil and tossed them on the grill to accompany chicken kebabs. Easy and quick – scapes brighten, soften and […]

What is Healthy?

Thai-Inspired Turkey in Lettuce Cups (Larb or Laab) I get lots of questions about foods and diets- many about what is “good” or ‘bad.” Are potatoes bad? Is a low-carb diet good? Is whole milk healthy? Can I drink diet soda? Most of the time my answer turns into a series of questions. What foods […]

Eat Like You’re On A Tropical Vacation

Nappa Spoons with Lentil-Rice Caviar, Mango, Avocado, Almonds and Mango-Chia Sauce    You may not be basking in sunshine on a beach today, but it doesn’t mean you can’t give yourself a taste of an exotic vacation. With mango prices as low as a dollar each,I took a culinary adventure with this tropical fruit in […]

Antidote to a Spring Storm

Mediterranean Chickpea Stew It’s April and spring is “in the air,” however on days like this one it means torrential rain and wind. I suggest this comfort-food antidote – Mediterranean Chickpea Stew. The ingredients that wrap flavor around the chickpeas will whisk you to a sunnier Mediterranean land – fresh rosemary, garlic, tomatoes and meaty […]