Garlic has long been my favorite vegetable. I love it so much that, in college, I used to eat raw cloves. My roommate’s mother, a Taiwanese lady who rarely spoke to me when she visited, made a point to call me out on it one day. “You eat garlic like the Red Army. They’re strong, … Continued
I’ve been on a food book binge lately: biographies, non-fiction overviews of specific foods, recipe books, etc. One that I picked up is called Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages by Anne Mendelson. It’s a strange selection for me – I don’t drink milk. In fact, I have avoided milk for several years … Continued
As a kid, I hated meatloaf. I think it was the ketchup. I had a bad experience with it and avoided it well into my 20s. Unfortunately, it meant I never developed a taste for dishes that included it. This week, I decided to test my taste buds and pulled out an old copy of … Continued
Spaghetti squash is my favorite late-summer squash because of its versatility and because it’s great gluten-free pasta substitute. In this recipe, I use it to make spaghetti alla carbonara, another favorite of mine.
This recipe is the ultimate in sog-free lasagna, not to mention gluten-free and dairy-free. It is jam-packed with garden-fresh vegetables and some brined olives and artichokes for extra flavor. Make it vegetarian (or not), and serve up dinner for a crowd or have lunchtime leftovers.
This light summer salad uses seasonal nectarines, sprouts, and greens, along with rich avocados and pistachios and a spritz of zesty balsamic vinaigrette. It is easy to make, refreshing to eat, and does not have gluten or dairy to weigh it down.
I finished Nicole Mones’ The Last Chinese Chef last week. Two ideas, in particular, from the book struck me. The first, the idea of simplicity – how simple food nurtures and comforts us. The second, is the relationship that food creates between cook and eater, and how that relationship can delight both. To celebrate these ideas, I’ve prepared a simple meal of delicious ingredients that I hope will delight you and those who eat with you. Enjoy.
National Tapioca Day was yesterday. It inspired me to make a good old-fashioned comfort dish with a modern, grown-up spin. The result is a dark chocolate tapioca pudding that is as simple and creamy as the familiar recipes, but has a more grown-up taste. It is also dairy-free and does not include eggs, which are often included in traditional recipes.
Eating a meal that incorporates tradition and geographic uniqueness provides you with immediate and intimate access to a culture, its people, and local conditions. And, for me, it is one of the things I enjoy most when visiting a new place. Last month, I experienced the culinary diversity of Belize and found sweet and spicy inspiration for two gluten- and dairy-free desserts: Spicy Key Lime Coconut Bars and Mayan Fudge Brownies.
Whether it’s book club, dinner with friends, or Sunday brunch, my Triple-Corn Corn Bread recipe is a great side-dish for entertaining. If you are a host looking for a bread recipe that accommodates guests with food sensitivities, a guest hoping to expand the dinner options, or some combination of the above, consider adding this corn bread recipe to your repertoire.
