Want a tastier, healthier substitute for commercial mayo? Try using plain whole-milk Greek yogurt whenever you’d normally reach for the mayo. If you want to give it even more of that mayo-like tang, just stir a squirt of fresh lemon juice and a small spoonful of mustard into the yogurt. The result? A full-flavored, creamy, [...]
The beautiful triangle of seafood sustainability, good taste, and good health is hard to come by: lots of fish and seafood are overfished or are farmed under ecologically devastating conditions, fresh fish (and therefore fresh taste) can be hard to find, and canned/tinned fish like tuna is more often than not packaged in less-than-stellar oils [...]
What do strawberries and pickles have in common? More than you’d think! In honor of spring shading (sunning?) into summer, I thought I’d try making a seasonal sweet-and-sour salad by tossing together strawberries and pickles. Roasted asparagus and Romaine lettuce provided the backdrop, and a creamy Dijon dressing tied it all together. It’s simple and [...]
Pastured eggs are my favorite ingredient for several reasons: they’re an integral part of sweet and savory dishes, they’re ideal to enjoy any time of day, and they provide essential structure for everything from baked goods to velvety sauces. You just can’t beat an egg when it comes to artistry AND functionality! The fact that [...]
As their name implies, this classic appetizer can be devilishly delicious or hellishly horrid. It all depends on the quality of the three main ingredients: the pickles, the mustard, and most importantly the eggs. I also prefer to make deviled eggs sans mayonnaise or with homemade mayonnaise — the jiggly white stuff you buy in [...]
Now that summer is in full swing and we have zucchini and greens and herbs growing everywhere they can (found random cilantro in my garden yesterday!), it makes sense to combine these in-season favorites to create an easy summer meal. Adding pecans and raisins to this dish gives you nutty-sweet kick + crunch, and using [...]
Continue reading about Having Scrabble for Dinner (a Q & Z Dish)
If you’re looking for a quick and easy protein-packed salad, you can’t go wrong with baby spinach, hard-boiled eggs, and canned tuna fish: you get the bitterness of the greens, the smooth richness of the egg, and the toothsome brininess of the tuna all on one plate. And if you have some beans or tomato [...]
1 roasted beet (see “Roasted Beets” under “Ingredients & Staples”) 2 hardboiled eggs (see “Hardboiled Eggs” under “Ingredients & Staples”) 1/2 pound to 1 pound of green beans Feta cheese, preferably in brine 2 medium tomatoes fresh cilantro, torn or finely shredded balsamic vinegar olive oil Clean and trim the ends off the green beans. [...]
Hardboiled eggs are best eaten fresh, but you can keep them in the refrigerator for a day or two. To hardboil eggs, place them in a saucepan and fill with enough COLD water to cover the eggs. (Hot water could make the eggs crack.) Place on medium-high heat. When the water reaches a boil, turn [...]
Nothing can compare to sitting in Brussels’ Grand Place and enjoying a salade nicoise at an outdoor café, but here’s a simple, tasty version I made for a last-minute dinner yesterday. (Minus the potatoes and anchovies.) Depending on your appetite, this could serve one or two people. Ingredients 1 can tuna 1 large tomato 1 [...]
