I saw sugar snap peas at the farmers market for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I immediately bought them without thinking twice. Â I am crazy for these crunchy, sweet pods and I often snack on them plain or dip them into hummus or a basic vinaigrette. Â The season for local sugar snap peas is short, so I’ll be buying them weekly until I don’t see them anymore. Â Continue reading
To hasselback a potato (or anything for that matter) means to slice it in an accordian style so that the slices fan out resulting in crispy edges and soft interiors. You can stuff anything you want in between the slices or nothing at all, but the results are absolutely delish. I love sweet potatoes more than regular potatoes, so I knew a hasselbacked sweet potato would be my kind of recipe. I taught this in a class a couple years ago and everyone flipped for them. We all stood at the counter pulling apart layers of sweet potatoes with our fingers and forgetting that I had cooked other recipes!
I’ve become soft. Â That’s what my East Coast family and friends tell me. Â LA has had an unusally cold and rainy winter and I can’t get warm. Â By “cold,” I mean below 60 degrees, but above 40 degrees. Â I know my friends in the midwest have NO sympathy for me. Â I wouldn’t either. Â But what to do if you feel cold? Â Make a warming soup.Continue reading
Desserts, as opposed to healthful, naturally sweetened snacks, aren’t a regular thing around here.  My family never got used to dessert after dinner.  We didn’t do it when I was growing up, so it didn’t happen when I had my own family.  If someone wants something sweet after dinner, there’s always fresh fruit, dried fruit and, more recently, freeze-dried fruit.  There are enough sweet foods like muffins and Bliss Balls happening throughout the day, not to mention a few chocolate chips in pancakes, chia pudding for snack, or a handful of granola on top of oatmeal.  My kids and I are all pretty sensitive to refined sugar, so desserts aren’t an ideal thing to serve when homework and deadlines are happening.
I’m not sure why chili seems to be one of the most popular foods to serve on Super Bowl Sunday. Â I suppose in most parts of the country it is very cold out (sending warm thoughts your way Chicago and neighboring cities/states!), so chili is a perfect cozy dish. Â And the Super Bowl is a pretty long event, lending itself well to dishes that can stay on the stove or in the slow cooker for hours. Â Plus, I think any kind of a DIY topping bar situation is great for a party. Â I guess those are all great reasons!
As a cooking instructor and holistic health counselor, it’s part of my job to keep up with food trends and diets. They are constantly changing and some can be a little extreme. I know I sound like a broken record, but I do not believe that there is only one best diet out there. Â The most important advice I can give anyone is to listen to your own body and how you feel when you’re eating/not eating certain foods. When I say, “listen to your body”, I don’t just mean your stomach. Pay attention to your energy level, your heart rate, digestion, your skin, nails and hair. If you eat something and get a headache every time, your body most likely isn’t processing it well. I know I’ve found the right diet for me when I feel energetic, sleep well, my brain is sharp and my skin is glowing. Everyone is different, so it is important not to jump on the new trendy diet when it claims to help you lose weight and feel amazing.Continue reading
I met my husband’s grandmother, who is now 103 years old and going strong, about 30 years ago. Â She had a habit of drinking only hot water all day. No lemon or lime or juice added. Â Just plain hot water. Â I don’t know what possessed me to follow her lead, but I did and I never looked back. Â I drink warm or hot water every morning to start my day and throughout the day, if possible. Â IÂ absolutely love it. Â When a waiter at a restaurant asks me what I’d like to drink, I always say ” a mug of hot water, please. Â No additional glass of water is necessary.”
Over the last few years, I’ve become a little addicted to my morning tonic ritual. Â It’s a little like a moving meditation where I take a few minutes and focus on the steps of brewing my tea, adding in whatever powders I crave and slowly sip my warm concoction. Â I think you know I don’t drink coffee, but instead tea is my morning brew. Â Lately, as I have become more familiar with adaptogens, collagen and other “boosts” as I call them, I’ve had fun experimenting with combining them with tea.Continue reading
