Lisa on February 12th, 2010

Driven by the craze for polyunsaturated omega-3 fats, we’re so busy making a mad dash for the flaxseed oil that we’re ignoring another oil that’s a great source of omega-3s and compliments everything from pancakes to salads:  walnut oil.  Although flaxseed is higher in omega-3s than any other oil, walnut oil isn’t too far behind.  [...]

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Lisa on January 18th, 2010

The best kind of fruit is the kind that yields all of itself to the cook:  flesh, skin, and seeds.  If it can be used in savory or sweet settings, so much the better!
Enter the papaya, a fruit that can be sliced, sautéed, and served as a vegetable when green.  You can scoop out the [...]

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Lisa on January 11th, 2010

What started out as a basic chocolate cake became much more fragrant and flavorful with the simple switcheroo of unrefined peanut oil for butter.   Using maple syrup instead of sugar intensifies both the chocolate and the peanut, and you can add your choice of spice to provide a different dimension of flavor.  In the end, [...]

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Lisa on January 6th, 2010

I got the “rice browns” idea when I was flipping through a Spanish cookbook and reminiscing about the glorious tortilla españolas I’d had at the tapas bars in Spain.  Unlike the Mexican corn-based flat tortillas, the Spanish version is a thick omelette consisting of eggs and fried potatoes.  It’s deceptively and simply glorious.  (And it’s [...]

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Lisa on December 23rd, 2009

Normally, I don’t ballyhoo specific brands, but when there’s one company doing something right (out of hundreds that aren’t), they deserve special mention, and perhaps even a recipe or two developed just to suit their product…especially when that recipe makes an incredibly satisfying and fresh breakfast in one minute flat.
Enter Lärabar:  the only snack bar [...]

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Lisa on December 7th, 2009

There’s a time for crusts and ends and corners, but that time isn’t all the time.  Sometimes you just want what’s in the middle without having to bother with anything else.  If you’re a big pumpkin fan like I am, you might prefer no-holds-barred, maximum pumpkin, especially at this time of the year when it’s [...]

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Lisa on November 20th, 2009

It’s pomegranate season!  Bottled pomegranate juice is good, but the 100% fresh version is even better, plus the whole seeds add a chewy crunch to anything they adorn.  And once you’ve excavated the seeds from a few fruits, the process gets much easier.  I’m not even worried about the Stain Factor any more.
Some tips and [...]

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Lisa on October 7th, 2009

There are plenty of non-dairy creamers out there:  hazelnut, French vanilla, Irish creme, extra-rich…the list goes on and on.  (Literally.  Take a look at the ingredients sometime.)  All of those flavors do, however, have something in common  — they’re usually accompanied by hydrogenated oil and high-fructose corn syrup, two of the worst substances you can [...]

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Lisa on September 16th, 2009

In the U.S., we tend to view avocadoes as a savory vegetable, to be served alongside tacos as guacamole or to be sliced and used as a sandwich topping.  In other areas of the world, though, you’re just as likely to find avocadoes on the dessert menu:  in Tanzania, avocado ice cream is a favorite; [...]

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Lisa on September 14th, 2009

Making your own patties is easy — all you need are some spices, an egg, an onion, and top-notch pastured pork.  (The latter can be found at farmer’s markets, on co-op farms, and occasionally at markets that stock sustainable and local foods.)  With ingredients like that, you’re guaranteed to sink your fork into the best [...]

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