Middle Eastern dips and sauces are some of the best in the world, in my opinion. Often thick, rich in flavor, and healthy for you, they are also easy to make – and to modify – if you know what goes into them. What is Muhammara? Muhammara, a red pepper and walnut dip from Aleppo … Continued
These days, Indian food is a significant part of our diet. So much so, that I buy spices in 8 oz and 16 oz quantities – not the average spice bottle. My cupboards are filled with large glass bottles (repurposed from other things) filled with cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, curry powder, chile powder, and mustard seeds. This week, I put them to the test on another favorite of mine: pumpkin.
I love this time of year. It brings back childhood memories of running through late-summer orchards, eating ripe peaches from the tree and not caring that the fuzz tickled and that juice was running down my face and neck. My home town was the epicenter of fruit-growing in Utah. The road, two blocks from my … Continued
Last week I talked about tasting honey. In my opinion, honey can be overpowering – rich, sweet, even palpitation-inducing – on its own and tastes best in combination with more savory ingredients…like tea, or nuts, or meat. The very different flavors balance and enhance each other. And, honey is a great binding agent for pulling together … Continued
Every time I think about posting a recipe for hummus, I stop. It seems like it is one of those things that everyone covers just because it is so darned simple. And the core ingredients of lemon, cumin, garlic, and olive oil – and even the distinctive tahini sesame paste – can be mixed with … Continued
I teach a class called Friday Night Fridge Finds on ChefHangout.com. The premise behind it is that we – people in general – often wind up at the end of the week without much food in the fridge or motivation to cook, but we can still come up with a healthy, tasty, and easy-to-prepare meal. … Continued
Brussels sprouts have become a favorite around our house this winter. We buy several pounds at a time. I suspect that if one wants to gorge themselves on vegetables, it is probably ok. At least, I hope it is, because that’s what inevitably happens. There’s nothing quite like the salty crunch of the outer leaves … Continued
I looooove mangos! All varieties. My favorite thing to do is take a very ripe mango, roll it around until the flesh is pulverized and juicy, and then poke a straw through the skin to drink it. I don’t do this as much in Utah – where mangos arrive green – as I did in … Continued
Spicy, bright, and good enough to eat every day! At least, that’s according to my husband, who likes this soup so much he’s taken it to work with him each day this week. Carrots were on sale and the snow had finally hit the mountains after several sunny weeks – soup seemed appropriate. But what … Continued
Have you ever eaten a fresh garbanzo bean? Have you ever even seen one? I’ve eaten chickpeas for years dried and then cooked, but never, until this month, have I seen these wrinkly legumes in their fuzzy little pods. They “pop” when you try to open them, releasing the air inside. And they taste very … Continued
