Lisa on December 31st, 2010

If salads were clothing, they’d be mix-and-match separables — nearly any combination of ingredients can become a great salad.  It’s just a matter of choosing complementing contrasts: salty/sweet, soft/crunchy, earthy/bright.  Those contrasts are what makes each ingredient a noticeable part of the whole. In this salad, for example, the lettuce is crunchy, but the papaya [...]

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Lisa on May 26th, 2010

In the tradition of memorable beverages like the Harvey Wallbanger and the Arnold Palmer, I’m going to name my most recent smoothie/cocktail creation after my friend Jill.  Why?  Because she’s nuts about watermelons — she’s capable of consuming an entire melon in one sitting.  (I wish I could do the same with my beloved pineapples, [...]

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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 [...]

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Lisa on April 1st, 2009

In the mood for something smooth and fruity?  While organic unsweetened applesauce is one of the tastiest snacks out there–try stirring in a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg for a real treat!–most fruit sauces/puddings consist of sugars, artificial colors, artificial flavors, and not much fruit.  The good news is that it’s very easy to whip [...]

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