Tag: Vegetables

Greens

I love salads.  They are my kind of dish.  Growing up in northern Italy, salads were a mainstay of our food culture, and were usually made up of vegetables rather than lettuce.  When I arrived in the US it didn’t take long for me to add the lettuce variety to my repertoire, and combine the vegetables of my youth into easy, fresh and colorful meals. This week, let’s give these fantastic creations center stage! Continue reading “Greens”

Soup for Life

My grandmother in Gröden in South Tyrol likes to say, “Wer viel Suppe isst, lebt lange”, or “She who eats soup lives longer”. She recently turned 96, and is still cooking three whole meals a day for both her son and grandson (not to mention herself), so I’ll take her word for it. Soups come in many different varieties and lend themselves to seasonal adaptation better than most any other dish you can cook. Whether a simple clear broth or a hearty soup stew (like a goulash or bean soup), soups are both easy to make and healthy. Soups warm the body, causing good blood circulation, and their aroma, fragrance and seasonings stimulate the secretion of digestive juices, a plus for good digestion! Continue reading “Soup for Life”

In Praise of the Mighty Asparagus

On the West Coast, where we live, spring has arrived, and that means it’s time for asparagus. Even though asparagus has become a year round vegetable, it is most abundantly and deliciously available in spring (when it is in season).  And while it’s tempting to grab a bunch when it’s piled high in the market in mid-winter, this vegetable is really meant for eating in those months when the frost melts, and we begin to see the daffodils. Continue reading “In Praise of the Mighty Asparagus”

To Stay Healthy, Think Five Colors

You read about it in the paper, hear it on the radio, see it on TV and now we are here to remind you of it as well: eat five colors a day. And that’s five colors a day from fresh fruits and vegetables you’ve prepared yourself.  While you’re at it fill at least half your plate with those five colors, fruits and vegetables, leaving the remaining half for your protein and starches (including potatoes). Continue reading “To Stay Healthy, Think Five Colors”