Put Your Best Fork Forward for National Nutrition Month® 2017

Mango Boat Chicken Curry   This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month® is “Put Your Best Fork Forward.” Whether your tool is a fork, spoon, chopsticks or your hands – nourish yourself well. One way I do this is by exploring new foods and cuisines. Recently I picked up little knobs of fresh turmeric and was […]

February is American Heart Month

Parchment-Baked Chicken with Caramelized Onions and California Figs Good nutrition is key to the prevention of heart disease, which remains the top cause of death in the United States (1).  Want to learn more? Check your knowledge of heart disease with the Center for Disease Control Quiz (2). Assess your risk by taking the My […]

Let’s Go Bowling!

Italian-Style Grain Bowl with California Figs Bowls are the “it” way to eat. Everywhere you look for recipe idea you’ll find noodle, smoothie and grain bowls.  Recently I created a bowl recipe and  my family was smitten. I got it. Bowls are perfect for personalization. Today people expect to have food “their way.”  (Reference 1.) […]

Cooking – Whose Got Time for That?

 Salmon Salad for Summer It’s no secret. I love to cook. But like most people, I don’t always have time for it. The popularity of processed food is evidence that many struggle with getting a home-cooked meal on the table. Half of Americans say they value processed foods because they’re convenient, stay fresh longer and […]

Love Lamb…or Not? The Answer is In the Fat

Boneless Leg of Lamb with Fig-Olive Vinaigrette Lamb is traditional at Easter meals, with symbolism linked to both Christian and pagan celebrations (Reference 1), but not everyone is a fan. On a recent Splendid Table Podcast (Reference 2) Lynn Rosetto Kasper stated that Americans consume 11 pounds of lamb compared to 65 pounds of beef […]

Savor the Flavor

Za’atar & Sumac Spiced Salmon with Pomegranate Molasses Glaze March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme, “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right,” matches my passion – marrying good taste and good health. One “flavor family” that’s captivated the palates of food enthusiasts in recent years hails from the Middle East and North Africa. […]

Curry For Comfort

Curry-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Figs & Vegetables Winter is in full swing and I embrace it by turning on the oven for a simple sheet-pan supper. I crave curry in cold weather and the fragrance of roasting richly-spiced vegetables warms the body and soul. So easy: curry and spice-rubbed pork tenderloin, winter squash and cauliflower florets […]

Salmon’s Second Act

The Salmon Burger What’s for dinner? When the thermometer soars there’s nothing easier than tossing a whole wild sockeye or a large fillet of king salmon on the grill. But until my recent visit to the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery in Juneau, Alaska, I didn’t think much about what goes into making sure that salmon is […]

A New Vegetable?

Try a Broccoli Leaf Pizza A label in the produce aisle caught my eye, “Brocco’Leaf ™- Amazing Superfood.” I grabbed a bunch. Was this a great marketing pitch or a new vegetable? A little research revealed that what resembled collard greens were mature leaves of the broccoli plant. The Nunes Company trademarked the name Brocco’Leaf […]

Earth and Ocean

Sea Scallops with Herbed Lentils, Champagne-Butter Sauce and Roasted Walnuts Many dishes are enhanced with contrast – elements of hot and cold, sweet and sour or bitter. A well-known example pairs foods from the land and sea- surf and turf, lobster and steak. My expression of a the land and sea idea came about when […]