Let’s face it. Summer can be tough on the home cook. Whether it’s time you’d prefer spending at the beach, or heat that withers even the hardiest of chefs, keeping up your efforts in the kitchen while the sun shines late into the evening, well, it’s not easy. Lucky for us, Mother Nature understands that it can be tough to cook in the summer, so she fills our gardens and CSA boxes with wonderful, fresh herbs that will, with a little prep, make simple-to-prepare dishes shine. To help you get out of the kitchen and into the sun (where you’ll get lots of Vitamin D) we’ve collected our favorite recipes that add fragrance and flavor straight from the garden. They are easy to make and even easier to store in the fridge or freezer for later use. Talk about immediate satisfaction. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Summer Bounty: Salsas and Sauces for the 4th and Beyond!”
Month: June 2012
What is a Microbiome and Why Should I Care?
If you are a regular reader of our blog (and we hope you are) you know that we write not only about the fruits and vegetables in season right now, but also about healthy-living-through-food-related topics such as the benefits of water, and when to choose organic. Recently, I’ve been attending classes with one of my favorite chef-authors, Meredith McCarty, and learning a lot about the role bacteria plays in keeping us healthy. So I was excited to read about the results of a study that is mapping the genetic material of bacteria in healthy people, and changing the research landscape in this field. It inspired me to dedicate today’s post to the brilliant little microbes that keep us on track: healthy bacteria. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “What is a Microbiome and Why Should I Care?”
Razzle, Dazzle … Raspberries are Back in Town!
If you are lucky enough to have a garden full of raspberries right now you likely don’t need any advice about what to do with these fragile, yet delicious dark red fruits. In fact, you’re probably popping a few in your mouth right now, and wouldn’t I like to be your friend? If you are like me, however, and have to love raspberries from afar (or a very hefty price at the store) most of the year, this is your season. Raspberries are making their seasonal debut right now, prices for these fruits are reasonable, and the product is terrific. And, almost nothing compares to raspberries when it comes to welcoming the summer that is nearly here. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Razzle, Dazzle … Raspberries are Back in Town!”
Sweet 16, it’s the Magic Number
As two former New Yorkers who are also strong advocates of cutting sugar consumption across the board, Jessica and I could not remain silent on Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed ban on serving sugary drinks bigger than 16oz. We see both sides of the argument, and applaud the Mayor for bringing to the forefront the idea that as a nation we consume too much, and in particular too many sweet foods and drinks. While it seems over-the-top to have your drinking rights regulated in – by some measures – the greatest city in the free world, it is a proven fact that the larger the portion size the more we consume. And, as the size of sugary drinks has risen from a standard of 6.5 ounces in 1960 to 20 ounces today, Mayor Bloomberg may just have a point. Because if it’s water or vegetables we are talking about, certainly more is better, but when the item in discussion is sugary soda the result is less than ideal and bordering on dangerous. So, in honor of the Mayor’s bravery and willingness to talk about this issue, we dedicate this week’s post to portion sizes, big and small. Come and cook with us! Continue reading “Sweet 16, it’s the Magic Number”
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