I’ve enjoyed eggplant slices roasted on the grill, as the “meat” of a vegetarian sandwich, pureed into a silky, smooth dip and as the main course in Eggplant Parmesan. Admittedly, I’ve only been served these dishes. However, much like my recent love affair with avocados, I never actually prepared eggplants for myself or my family—I was completely intimidated and merely courted them in the aisles of the supermarket. It was finally time for me to take this egg-shaped glossy purple fruit into my own hands. So, last night I … [Read more...]
Banana Honey Bran Bread
January 30, 2016 By Leave a Comment
For years I automatically (naively) assumed that because of its syrupy consistency and supreme sweetness, that honey was not nutritious and had no real benefits. In fact, I’d default to sugar whenever and wherever I could. However, the more time I’ve spent in the kitchen, working through various recipes and educating myself on their ingredients, the wiser I’ve become. First and foremost, honey is a natural sweetener that contains minerals and vitamins. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that aren’t present in sugar and has a … [Read more...]
Korean-Style Short Ribs
January 27, 2016 By Leave a Comment
My slow cooker has been on over-drive the past two weeks and I'm not ashamed. I'm actually impressed that each night (and sometimes in the mornings) I've managed to churn out a meals that still pique my kids' interest while hearty and flavorful to boot! It's hard to imagine that three years ago I was intimidated by slow cooking and now, I can't stop. Slow cooking is like the most wonderful science experiment that's so easy. How often can you dump ingredients into an appliance, leave that appliance, and then come back hours later only to … [Read more...]
Italian Baked Flounder
January 26, 2016 By Leave a Comment
When it comes to fish, my family's palates run the gamut. My husband only eats certain fish. My son will try most and my daughter won't try any. So, usually, I'm never serving fish at home for dinner. Until last night... I had a rare opening with one kid home for dinner! Of course I took advantage. I've always been reluctant to cook fish at home for many reasons, the main one being a smelly in the kitchen that lingers for days. However, I began using pleasing pungent whole spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves and citrus peels … [Read more...]
