Dear friends of ours recently made a trek to a family farm across the state to help with the annual ritual of sugaring. They tap their maple trees and collect hundreds of gallons of sap in large buckets, all of which are hauled to the “sugar shanty” and slowly boiled in the “evaporator” until the…
After making pizza with a cauliflower crust and being amazed at how delicious it is, I was inspired to fiddle with the recipe a bit. Spinach seemed like a perfect partner to the cauliflower and the idea of bite-size pizzas seemed fun. Depending on how thin I spread the “crust” prior to baking, I could…
This recipe first caught my eye through a website called Naked Moxie. She, in turn, had seen this crazy idea for cauliflower crust through a blog called Casey Cooke: Jersey Shore Wildtree. When I saw the recipe, I simply had to try it. I mean, a cauliflower crust? That is some seriously clever thinking! This was…
Fast food without the drive-thru. It can seriously happen…and taste better and cost less. For me, getting dinner on the table every night often involves creative use of leftovers or a simple meal of fresh ingredients. Pulled together in the right way, this can be both healthy and very satisfying. The ingredients for this meal,…
Fresh fruits are such a great topping for oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream, pound cake, cottage cheese, shortcake…I’m sure you could add a few more items to the list. When fresh fruits aren’t available–and after I’ve used the last of the strawberry-rhubarb sauce I freeze every year–I turn to frozen, organic fruit for quick and delicious…
Meatloaf is one of those meals that I make a little differently each time. The possibilities are endless and you can hardly go wrong: fresh herbs, oats, grated onion, sauteed vegetables, raw vegetables, barbecue sauce, Dijon, mashed black beans, various combinations of meat–all of which can provide excellent flavor and texture. Lately, thanks to my…
When I need staples like toilet paper or paper towels, I make a trip to Costco, and I invariably find a few other items that weren’t on my list! Last time, I saw a bag labeled “sprouted grain trio” which was a mix of grains, including lentils, that cooks in five minutes. Grains that are…
My kids are crazy about mangos. When I made Mango-Peach Smoothies recently, I marveled at the thick, velvety texture the mango created. With their wonderful texture and incredible sweetness, I started thinking mangos would make a great muffin. Yet, we seldom (never?) see mango muffins! I was also thinking that pureed mango could be incorporated…
A nutritional powerhouse, kale is truly one of my all-time favorite vegetables and I find ways to put it in everything from soups and salads to frittatas. Simply sauteing with a little garlic and onion is a quick and delicious preparation and a superb salad substitute. Adding a small amount of pancetta will add a smoky,…
My husband is a big fan of Fresca, so a friend of ours concocted this drink to please him. I thought the combination was brilliant and took a shining to it myself. The best part is that it tastes great with or without the alcohol and the grapefruit juice provides a good dose of Vitamin…
In my family, we have those who adore sweet potatoes and those who prefer the white varieties. So, I often make oven fries two ways to please everyone. (I like them both!) This addictive spin on an oven fry delivers a creamy inside and a little crunch on the outside. The prep may be done…