Tart-sweet and icy cold, lemon granita is just the right refreshing dessert for an unseasonably warm, almost-spring afternoon. Grab a bowlful and pull up a chair on the porch. Continue reading
Rice is a popular grain — more than any other. In many regions of the world, it is not only the predominant grain, but the predominant food as well, supplying as much as half the daily calories to nearly half the world’s population. Rice is consumed throughout the day, at every meal — even for dessert — in some Asian countries. It’s ground into flour, fermented to produce vinegar and wine, processed into milk and even pressed to make paper. So valuable is this tiny seed to Southeast Asian livelihood, rice is considered sacred, as are the fields and granaries where the grain is grown, harvested and stored.
For a more substantial entrée, add a cup of cooked black beans to the rice before filling the peppers. Serve with tomato salsa or a dollop of sour cream on top. The stuffing for these peppers can be served on its own as a flavorful side dish (see photo below). Continue reading
Our youngest whipped these yummy noodles up today. It’s her mid-winter break, so there’s extra time for cooking together. Her inspiration was a sauce found in Honest Pretzels by Molly Katzen — but she improvised. That’s her way in the kitchen. These noodles offer the perfect destination for those button mushrooms and tender petite carrots we received in yesterday’s delivery. Toss in any greens you have. Continue reading
Last week was all about staying on track — incorporating more fresh food into daily meals. To my mind toeing that line should involve a healthy dose of indulgence, too. Few of us can subsist joyfully on carrot soup and beet salad alone (as much as we might love them). A sweet treat to reward our efforts, especially one that’s homemade and uses those same fresh ingredients, seems appropriate now and then given how diligent we’ve been. And if you have kids in the house (even the adult kind), you’ll appreciate the bargaining chip. Orange juice muffins for breakfast in exchange for carrot soup at dinner: how’s that for a fair deal?