Move over Lasagne and make room for Ricotta Pie!

Ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmesan are a typical combination used in creating lasagne. Seriously, they work really well together. But they don’t need to be relegated exclusively to that dish. Throw out the pasta and add in some veggies and herbs and now you’ve created a yummy crustless pie that serves well as a side dish or light main entree. For my vegetable grouping, I sautéed leeks, Shitake mushrooms and … Read more Move over Lasagne and make room for Ricotta Pie!

Buckwheat Noodles (Soba) are the base for a Healthy Vegetable Salad!

Buckwheat noodles contain a variety of nutrients that are a natural and healthy addition to one’s diet. Not only are they excellent for mental and digestive health, they are also believed by many around the world to have properties that prevent diseases, as they are high in protein and contain various types of amino acids, such as lysine and arginine. These are essential building blocks for child … Read more Buckwheat Noodles (Soba) are the base for a Healthy Vegetable Salad!

Get Your Greens in this Healthy & Delicious Soup!

Broccoli is one of the healthiest green vegetables you can eat. Broccoli belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family, which includes kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, collard greens, rutabaga and turnips. These nutrition powerhouses supply loads of nutrients for little calories. If you are trying to eat healthier, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli should be at the very top of your grocery list. Spinach is well known for … Read more Get Your Greens in this Healthy & Delicious Soup!

A Savory Twist on a Dutch Baby

One of my favorite breakfast items is an Apple Dutch Baby pancake. They are wonderful to serve to company since it is a one dish meal, very easy to prepare and is quite impressive. And are they ever delicious! I’ll have to post a recipe and photos of one soon so you can try it out for yourself. However, this time, I was looking for something … Read more A Savory Twist on a Dutch Baby

Don’t think you like Brussels Sprouts? Think again…

As a chef, one of my favorite things to do is to introduce (or re-introduce) people to ingredients. It is inspiring to hear, “I’ve seen those in the store before, but never knew what to do with them”, or “I never liked these before, but this is really delicious!” Well, wait until you try this Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crispy Shallots. It is sure to … Read more Don’t think you like Brussels Sprouts? Think again…

Smooth and Subtle describes this delectable Carrot & Fennel Soup!

My Valentine’s feast needed a romantic, elegant soup to start the meal. With sweet orange carrots and fresh tasty fennel from my Talley Farms Fresh Harvest CSA box, I was stocked with the essentials for this smooth and subtle, purely delectable Carrot & Fennel Soup! The key to this soup is to slowly cook the vegetables to allow them to reach a deep rich flavor. You want … Read more Smooth and Subtle describes this delectable Carrot & Fennel Soup!

A Fragrant and Heavenly Moroccan Fish Tagine

Tagine, the Moroccan stew, shares its name with the terra–cotta pot it’s traditionally cooked in, whose neat conical lid promotes convection and even cooking. I purchased my tagine from World Market and it is an oven-only tagine, different from the flame top versions that you can purchase at a much higher price. Everything I have made in my tagine comes out moist, tender and succulent. This fish … Read more A Fragrant and Heavenly Moroccan Fish Tagine

It doesn’t have to be Spring to eat Spring Rolls!

I was recently inspired by my visit to a Vietnamese restaurant to try my hand at spring rolls. They are so fresh and healthy tasting and can be filled with a variety of items that you may have on hand. Enhanced with yummy dipping sauces, they are absolutely scrumptious. So join me in the theory that it doesn’t have to be spring to eat Spring Rolls! For my fillings, I used a … Read more It doesn’t have to be Spring to eat Spring Rolls!

Food That is Almost Too Pretty to Eat!

An explosion in natural color, this food is almost too pretty to eat! Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and brimming with flavor is my Citrus, Beet & Fennel Salad. Adapted from Bon Appetit, it is a salad to delight your senses. Simple to prepare, and can be done in stages. I roasted the beets a day ahead; cooled, peeled and sliced them to store in the refrigerator overnight. … Read more Food That is Almost Too Pretty to Eat!

The Skinny on Snap Pea’s along with an Amazing Salad!

Snap Peas, also known as sugar snap peas are an edible-podded pea. They are different from snow peas because their pods are round as opposed to flat. Snap peas, like all other peas, are pod fruits. There are also garden or English peas which are similar to snap peas, but their pod is more fibrous and is not edible. Snap peas are often served in salads … Read more The Skinny on Snap Pea’s along with an Amazing Salad!