Recipe: Curried Spinach with Raisins
You can look at this recipe two ways: as a quick and tasty side dish, or a mega-dose of nutritional goodness on a plate.
To discover the “quick and tasty”, you will have to take my word for it; for the nutrition, check this out:
- Full nutritional profile of spinach
- Benefits of curry
- Resveratrol-packed raisins
- Monounsaturated fats in olive oil Read the rest of this entry
Recipe: Cajun Shrimp
I learned most of what I know about Cajun cooking from three great chefs: Justin Wilson (red suspenders), Paul Prudhomme (white beret), and Emeril Lagasse (“Bam!”).
When it came to creating my own Cajun-style seasoning, though, I needed a little more personal advice than these television chefs. I was so lucky to have two friends with strong ties to Louisiana — Aurora and Judy. Both of them jumped into action when I told them that I was working on a Cajun blend; Aurora reached out to generations of family members back home, asking them for guidance, which led to her passing on comments like:
“Here in town, it [gumbo] is typically served with a side of potato salad and maybe some buttered french bread that’s been toasted“
and
“You can have heat but you got to have those flavors that come together just right“. Read the rest of this entry
Recipe: Za’atar Pita Chips
Zaatar, za’tar, zatar, zatr, zahatar, zaktar or satar! However you spell it, za’atar is a delicious spice blend with Middle Eastern origins.
Introducing: za’atar by Your Spice of Life!
The same way that there is no set recipe for Italian or Cajun seasoning, there is no standard for za’atar. However, the components of za’atar that are most often found are thyme, oregano, sumac berry, sesame seeds and salt.
I wanted to develop my own za’atar blend, honoring its tradition but also adding my own twist, as I do with all my blends. So I omitted the sesame seeds (mostly because of their very short shelf life) and the salt (because none of my spice blends contain it). Instead, I added some marjoram to intensify the herbiness, and a pinch of lemon peel to brighten the flavor and enhance the lemony flavor inherent in sumac berries.
Recipe: Salmon Bites
If you have the time, I encourage everyone to take on the challenge of Julia Child’s infamous duck stuffed with meat, in pastry. But for most people, that is out of the question; you have 15 minutes to get a meal on the table, and if it’s exotic / fabulous / memorable, that’s a bonus.
That’s why I like to come up with a recipe like Salmon Bites. Super easy, quick as can be, but packing quite a ta-da factor.
The idea is simple: sautee tiny squares of salmon that have been heavily coated in spice blend. or a straight spice. You get an intense burst of flavor with each bite, but the salmon can take it and doesn’t get lost. Read the rest of this entry
Recipe: Hearty 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili
Did you know that there is an International Chili Society? Yeah, chili (the stew) and chilis (the peppers) both have huge followings; the ICS even has a Facebook Page!
I am a big fan of a piping hot bowl of homemade chili, myself. This time of year when the furnace is blasting but I am still shivering, chili warms me up and fills me up.
But that’s not why I made this chili! Read the rest of this entry
Curse of the Thanksgiving Stuffing
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I am busy cleaning the house, clearing my calendar, and planning my elaborate all-spiced menu of goodies. While deciding on what type of stuffing to make this year, I remembered this sad and true episode from my archive of family holidays… ahh, the memories!
~ Laura
_______________________
Dear Stuffed Ones:
Since Tuesday morning, I had slaved over an intricate stuffing recipe with about 17 ingredients in it, ranging from browned sausage, granny smith apples, sweet onion, toasted walnuts to homemade cornbread and more secret spices than KFC. It filled three enormous pans when I was done, and I surveyed the results with great pride.
I drove this wonder-stuffing from Boston to New York, to my sister’s, on Wednesday afternoon, a gingerly packed and teetering Tower of Stuffing on the back seat. I had to convince my Dad that, no, he couldn’t “just have a little taste” and he’d have to wait until Thursday. Read the rest of this entry
Recipe: Confetti Brown Rice
By now, we all know what we *should* be eating, right? Whole wheat bread vs white bread; plain yogurt vs flavored; steel cut oats vs regular oatmeal; and brown rice instead of white. But do you know why?
For the most part, it has to do with eating foods that are as unprocessed as possible, to keep them close to their natural state. But I knew there had to be more to it, so after some Googling, I quickly found the answers about brown rice: nutrition, plain and simple! By retaining the outer husk of the rice, it kept the fiber and up to 4 times certain minerals.
I was sold, a brown rice convert. Now there was just this small problem. How do I put it? I wasn’t crazy about the taste. Read the rest of this entry
Recipe: Grilled Thai Tofu
I admit, I expected tofu to be on this list of 10 Most Hated Foods, because of the initial reaction that I usually get when I serve it up.
So much to know about tofu! First of all, it’s not just for vegetarians. I eat it because I enjoy it, as simple as that. Tofu is an inexpensive way to get some low-fat protein, and can be prepared hundreds of ways.
Since I like simple recipes, I came up with this very quick but exotic-tasting way to enjoy tofu that is honestly delicious. Ready? Read the rest of this entry
Recipe: Deconstructed Hummus
Chick peas. Garbanzo beans. Chi chi beans. Their biggest claim to fame, here in the States, is salad bars.They are vastly underappreciated, which is sad because they are inexpensive, filling, low in fat, easy to work with, full of fiber, creamy and delicious! (Really! Check this out)
They are also the main ingredient in hummus, which is easy to make but requires pulling out your food processor or blender. I like simple, so I came up with this dish that has all the same flavors as a spiced hummus without the fuss.
