Oh mince! I had forgotten about those beets! I had to find something to do with them, n’est-ce pas ? Nothing hurts me more than tossing food because I forget about it. I could have done something I knew well how to, but I did not feel like making neither a soup nor a salad , although these sounded both good too. I was in fact looking forward to something new to use my bunch of soon-to-fade beets . So when P. walked into the kitchen on Saturday morning to tell me I take that we stay here this weekend, don’t we? , he gave me a brilliant idea. Inspiring! Of course, we were staying in! There was really little chance that anything more exciting and adventurous could happen with my turned-black foot still bothering me — and that’s a mild way to put it as I have never had such a pitch black bruise. Within a few days, I’ve mastered the hopping technique like a pro and I can even cover distances in the house — from stove to couch — quite fast. I think I even like it. “ Gnocchi ?  read more »

Today's vegetable recipe: Simple celery soup that tastes like something 'more'. Weight Watchers 1 point. Awhile back, I puzzled over a tidbit in a magazine. "To have fun," it asked, "would you prefer to go to a party with lots of old friends or one where you'll know hardly anyone?" Turns out that if FUN is the desired experience, then partying with new people is the ticket. (Okay, yes, I know, who can make such a generalization? and why is new fun better than laughing over old jokes?  read more »

Today's vegetable recipe: Simple celery soup that tastes like something 'more'. Weight Watchers 1 point. Awhile back, I puzzled over a tidbit in a magazine. "To have fun," it asked, "would you prefer to go to a party with lots of old friends or one where you'll know hardly anyone?" Turns out that if FUN is the desired experience, then partying with new people is the ticket. (Okay, yes, I know, who can make such a generalization? and why is new fun better than laughing over old jokes?  read more »

Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller Thai One On Peanutty Somen Noodles with Shrimp Chicken Satay with Rice Mango-Red Onion Salad Steak Salad with Peanut-Lime Vinaigrette Root Beer Floats Chocolate-Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies It takes a lot to make a bad peanut sauce, but thats just what happened when I looked in on Robin Millers Quick Fix Meals. This was a show from 2006 and I LOVE peanut sauce, so I thought I would check it out. Her plan was to make a peanut sauce at the beginning of the week and use it in several ways to make different meals during the week. That sounds fine. But I grow concerned at her very first step. She takes 3 cups of chicken stock and pours it into a pot. Why does that bother me?  read more »

Today's vegetable recipe: Pure of grilled eggplant with garlic, lemon juice, tahini and parsley. A Middle Eastern spread or dip that's traditionally served with pita bread. Low carb. Weight Watchers 0 or 1 points. Before I loved the garlicky, lemony taste of baba ganoush, I loved the sound of baba ganoush, pronounced [bah-bah gah-NOOSH]. Say it three times, you might love the sound too -- but it only takes one taste of baba ganoush to love how it tastes! ALTERNATE SPELLINGS Baba ghanoush; baba bannoujh; baba-ganouj; babaganoush This version uses grilled eggplant which adds a smoky flavor and adds parsley which brightens the color. It's a winner! The inspiring recipe from Alton Brown suggested adding sugar or honey if the baba ganoush were slightly bitter. There was no bitterness here but I so loved the idea of honey that after taking the photo, I swirled some in (not mixing it in, leaving it distinct) and -- oh swoon -- very good! TAHINI Baba ganoush also calls for tahini, a thick paste of ground sesame seeds. It comes in a big jar and is expensive so you'll want to be able to use it in something other than baba ganoush. The other classic recipes that calls for tahini is hummus (here's the Kitchen Parade recipe for a simple hummus ) but for something truly spectacular, I suggest Armenian Tahini Bread ?  read more »

The loud pattering noise the rain made when it hit the blinds woke me up. For a second, I imagined we could be in the middle of a storm, like the ones my friend N. and I used to experience when she and I still lived in New Zealand, in the small drafty wooden house tucked away at the end of Breaker Bay road . I stretched from toe to head and yawned before noticing it was actually still dark outside. My watch indicated 7:15 am; Autumn was definitely on its way and soon enough, it would actually be dark even by 8 am. I felt tired. I turned on my left side and made myself comfortable by propping my head onto a second pillow. I hoped I could still get a few hours sleep, but then I started thinking about the day and the plan I had made. So instead, I decided to get up. “ It won’t be fun if it rains, will it?  read more »

Variations of basic rice-and-bean recipes are found in just about every culture in the world - and for good reason.

Today's 'concept' recipe: Cooked brown rice stir-fried with edamame, bell pepper, bok choy, then tossed with tangerine and cashews. What a great rice dish! With cooked rice using the great oven-baked brown rice from Kitchen Parade, it flew from stove to table in just 15 minutes. I call it a 'concept' recipe because it will adapt easily to what's on hand. But the combination of edamame beans, bell pepper, bok choy, tangerines and cashews was as flavorful as it was colorful, a definite keeper. THE COOKBOOK Today's recipe comes from the brand-new cookbook from Nava Atlas, Vegan Express  read more »