Italian Salsa Verde One of my favorite uses for summer’s bounty of home-grown herbs is an Italian-style Salsa Verde. A traditional Italian use of this emerald-colored sauce is to enliven boiled meats (bollito misto) however our preference for fair-weather cooking is the grill. We find a spoonful of Salsa Verde complements seafood, chicken, pork and […]
Green Garbanzo Beans
July 6, 2011 by 3 Comments
Green Garbanzo Hummus I love to discover a new food – and it’s even better when it’s a good value and good for you. I live near the Costco headquarters and our local store seems to be a testing ground for new products which, along with some fun eating, provide insight into food trends. On a […]
A Healthful Dessert?
June 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Chocolate-Raspberry Roulade What is the ideal dessert? For the consumer, it looks appetizing, tastes even better and won’t conflict with your healthy-diet goals. For the cook, the ideal dessert is easy to prep and can be made ahead so there’s no last minute fussing. Raspberry Chocolate Roulade, a chocolate-almond meringue rolled up jelly-roll style with […]
Eat Your Veggies, Kids
June 21, 2011 by 2 Comments
Fresh Green Bean Salad How hard is it to get kids to eat vegetables? Very hard, according to the press kit I received a while ago promoting Green Giant frozen vegetables: In a survey of 200 kids ages 6 to 10, one-third of parents said their children are more likely to be elected President on […]
Hello MyPlate…Goodbye MyPyramid!
June 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment
How Do You Fill Your Plate? The government’s Agriculture Department launched a new icon June 2, 2011 to represent healthful eating – a plate. Linked to First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign against obesity, the plate is divided into 4 parts representing the proportion of food groups to eat for good health. Half of your plate […]
Good, Simple Food – Tomato Sauce for Pasta
June 3, 2011 by 4 Comments
Humble Tomato Sauce Mundane as it is, homemade tomato sauce is a backbone of the Italian corner of our kitchen. It’s our supreme comfort food: pasta with tomato sauce settles us in after a long trip away from home; it’s food we celebrate with, cry over and dress up to entertain friends. I swear it […]
Layer and Build Flavors
May 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Pasta with Marinated Chickpeas, Grilled Vegetables and Sausage This spring I had the pleasure of working with senior students at the Culinary Academy of Seattle Central Community College. The project required them to prepare a meal that meets strict limits on calories, sodium, fiber, fat and saturated fat, use seasonal and nutrient-rich ingredients and employ […]
Muhamarra – A Sublime Dip
May 24, 2011 by 5 Comments
Muhamarra – Walnut, Bell Pepper and Pomegranate Dip Sampling local food is a highlight of traveling. On a recent trip to Egypt, I most enjoyed the small dishes placed on the table at the start of each meal. Like the mezze served when dining in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurants, we were served hummus, […]
A Rainbow of Smoothie Ideas
May 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Fruit Smoothies Photo by Lorelle Del Matto I’d rather eat a bowl of chopped fruit than drink fruit blended in a smoothie. I get more satisfaction from chewing and enjoy the textures and flavors of each fruit. Research confirms this, showing that when we consume calories in a liquid form, our bodies don’t register the […]
Egyptian Sun Bread
May 13, 2011 by 7 Comments
Homemade Egyptian Bread Homemade bread took on a new significance when I tasted the “Sun Bread,” made by the family of an Egyptian farmer, on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor, last December, a few weeks before the revolution. Having run the kitchen and consumer affairs for Fleischmann’s Yeast for years, I’m […]
Connect with me