Recipe: Easy Southwest Salad
Open a few cans and have a delicious corn-and-bean salad ready in less than five minutes. Wonderful on its own, served on top of cooked grains, or wrapped in a burrito. Read more …
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Recipe: Strawberry-Banana Muffins
Strawberries were supercheap at Aldi a week ago, and I ended up with a glut. I chopped and froze a lot of them for later use, but today as I was looking through my refrigerator, I found some fresh ones that threatened to go south if I didn’t do something with them soon. I also had a few brown bananas. The combination reminded me of my favorite yogurt flavor when I was a little kid: strawberry-banana. If it works in yogurt, why not in muffins? Read more …
Quick Side Dish: Romano Beans with Strawberries
Romano beans, also known as flat beans, Italian pole beans, or fagioli a corallo, are large, flat green beans. They can be green, purple or yellow, but their green variety is paler than the other green beans typically available in supermarkets. They also have a milder flavor. And, in a bit of a surprise, they pair wonderfully with strawberries.
Recipe: Double-Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (gluten-free, vegan)
We still have a glut of zucchinis. By the end of the summer, I’ll have figured out a dozen variations on zucchini muffins. Heck, maybe I’ll even try putting summer squash in cookies. These muffins are moist, fudgy and extremely chocolatey. The lack of gluten makes them a little more delicate than a grain-based muffin. Enjoy! Supplies measuring cups … Read more
Parsley, sage, rosemary and bee balm (or, How to eat the prairie)
I was walking by the river near my house today and was delighted to see one of my favorite prairie plants blooming along the banks: Monarda fistulosa, also known as bee balm or wild bergamot. This charming flower is native to most of North America — and if you don’t have it in your neck of the woods, you might have one … Read more
Recipe: Quick strawberry frozen yogurt in a blender
Frozen yogurt with no added sugar, lots of fruit, and a texture as rich and velvety as ice cream? It’s not an impossible dream. This recipe has only strawberries, pears, plain Greek yogurt, a dash of milk and Truvia. Last year I splurged on a Vitamix to simplify ice cream making and other tasks, and I’m glad I did – in … Read more
Recipe: Pumpkin chocolate-chip muffins (low sugar, low fat, vegan option)
My two favorite desserts are “anything with chocolate” and “anything with pumpkin.” This recipe includes both – although with its relatively low sugar content, you don’t have to save it for dessert. This muffin does not have the cake-level of sweetness that you’ll usually fine in prepackaged muffins or the ones they sell at coffee shops. I use just enough sweetener … Read more
How to roast a chicken in 50 minutes
In November, the Olly Writes blog gave me my first introduction to halogen ovens. Apparently they’re quite popular in the UK, but in the United States most people still haven’t heard of them unless they been, um, lucky enough to see the Flavorwave infomercial with Mr. T. I read up on halogen ovens. They use a halogen and infrared light … Read more
Recipe: Slow cooker cabbage and apples (plus how to cut onions without crying)
I have three main motives for my love of crock pot cooking. I’m easily distracted, which can lead to burnt food when I’m cooking on the stove top. With a slow cooker, I don’t have to worry about that. I am an impatient cook when I am hungry. Slow cooking allows me to prepare a meal after breakfast or lunch when I am … Read more
Recipe: Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins (aka Chocolate Filbert Muffins – Low Sugar, High Protein)
This recipe is a marriage of two indulgences: my double chocolate muffins and Nutella. They are full of hazelnuts (or filberts, if you prefer) and chocolate in multiple forms. Hazelnut/filbert flour is available in some specialty stores, but you can also make it at home in a blender or coffee grinder. To get what you need for this recipe, pulse a … Read more