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Quinoa and Black Bean Burger and a “Grain Mains” Book Giveaway

September 10, 2012
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The media is awash in the benefits of “whole grains” these days. So much that the big food companies have jumped on board touting “whole grains” in everything from cookies to crackers to Cheerios. While my guess is that those products might be slightly better for you than their more processed counterparts, I can’t help but feel this is a bit akin to greenwashing.

This is why I find myself trying to cook with whole grains in their original form more and more. The benefits are clear; whole grains are good for the body. They fill you up with soluble and non-soluble fiber which encourages you to eat less and aids in digestion. They are a heart healthy food, scouring the body of cholesterol and can help cut the risk of diabetes. In addition, not only do they taste good, but they are easy on the wallet, especially when bought when bought …

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Moroccan Chicken With Eggplant Tomato Jam

July 16, 2012
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Morocco has become a bit of an obsession lately. Maybe it’s cooking from Paula Wolfert’s book, The Food of Morocco, or maybe my trip to Turkey just whet my appetite for that part of the world, but now I’m planning a trip to Morocco in the fall.

Paula Wolfort’s book  is fantastic and I even had the good fortune to hear her speak in person and have her sign my book a few months ago. Most of the recipes in the book are fairly straightforward, and while I wouldn’t say “simple” they aren’t that complicated. Wolfort strives for authenticity in her ingredients and recipes and while I’m all for that, sometimes “authentic” can get in its own way.

What do I mean by that? At times striving for authenticity can prevent people from even cooking at all. If it’s presented in a way which seems too complicated, or if …

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Cooking In The Vortex~Poached Eggs With Kale And Bacon

May 21, 2012
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Cooking in the vortex.

That phrase could have multiple meanings, both literally and figuratively.

Figuratively, it could stand for so much; cooking while the world spins around you, cooking at the center of the storm, cooking amid chaos. We all have our own types of chaos in our lives. One person’s version of chaos, could be another’s good day. I try to remember this when I have one of those self-pitying, woe-is-my-life moments. For the most part, one of my worst days, is not nearly as bad as another person’s in country where the average family lives on $2 a day, in places where basic human rights are violated or even right here at home. I have my health, my family, my job and a roof over my head and when I remind myself of this, it puts it in perspective right quick. I don’t have to worry where …

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Wild Salmon with Quinoa, Dandelion Greens and Parsley Pistachio Vinaigrette

May 7, 2012
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My mother doesn’t know it yet, but she already had her Mother’s Day Dinner at my house, a couple of weeks ago. Once again, she’s off galavanting around the world and will be gone on Mother’s Day, this time to Istanbul and Italy. Had she been in town, I would have made this for her on Sunday. Instead, a few weeks ago she asked if I could get some wild salmon, the first of the season, and I obliged with this special meal. At the time, I forgot she’d be gone, so because I didn’t say it then I will say it now, “Happy Mother’s Day Mom!”

While all meals made with love are special, this was was especially so because of the ingredients. First there was the salmon. Why is wild salmon so special you ask? Mostly because of how it differs from Farmed Atlantic Salmon. Think of it …

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Chicken Soup with Wild Rice and Greens

April 11, 2012
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Recipe for Middle Aged Weight Creep

1 cup sit all day

2 lbs eat whatever is put in front of your face

1 dash too much work

1 generous spoonful of no exercise

1 pinch of laziness

Serves: two ever-widening hips.


I’ve got to do something about this. In the past I’ve tried cleanse diets, and they work, like any diet will, until you stop doing it and slide back into old habits.

This time, the goal is to simply eat healthier, limiting fats and simple carbs, and try to get my body moving more. Sounds easy, right? Maybe for you, but for me the “moving” part is harder than the “eating” part. So I’ll start with the food and hope the exercise follows.

I made this soup because it’s healthy and filling and doesn’t feel like “diet food.” If you are anything like me, “diet” is a four …

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Moroccan Beet Salad with Tangerines and Cinnamon

March 21, 2012
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A couple of months ago I mentioned I got Paula Wolfert’s gorgeous book, The Food of Morocco as a gift. The first thing I made was preserved lemons but had to wait a month for them to finish curing. Then, a few weeks ago, we had family visiting and I decided to go all out, making five dishes from this book, a veritable Moroccan feast. In later posts I will share some of the other dishes I made, but today we’ll start with this beet salad. It’s a very simple salad, but it packs a lot of flavor. With the leftovers, I used the beets in other salads and they were fantastic (if not better) even a few days later.

The original recipe did not include tangerines or their juice, but I wanted to add a little color and sweetness so considering that tangerines were named after Tangiers Morocco, it’s not that much of …

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