As my pregnancy moves along, I have found it increasingly challenging to maintain my usual long hours in the kitchen. Perhaps it is nature’s way of getting me prepared for the changes ahead (much like waking up six times a night, oh joy!) or maybe it is just because carrying another human around all day can really wear a body out. However the benefit is that I have already started to seek out recipes that deliver the level of flavor and enjoyment we are used to without the time commitment.

It all started with Jack Lalanne. I was in a hotel room, flipping through the channels while waiting for Mr. B and I landed on the always-running informercial for a Jack Lalanne juicer. My thumb paused over the remote as I watched Jack push an entire section of pineapple through the juicer in seconds flat. My stomach growled. Fresh pineapple juice sounded great. I continued to watch as the machine pulverized celery, melons, carrots, and anything else remotely edible stacked on the counter nearby. Mr. B walked in and asked, “What are you watching?” I replied, “I think we should get a juicer.”

Did you know that watercress is considered one of the top super foods? It surprised me too! Apparently this tiny little green is a relative of broccoli and is filled with all kinds of health benefits, including cancer-fighting compounds, lutein, carotenoids, and a host of vitamins and minerals. In addition to what is in watercress it is also notable for what it lacks- namely calories. A cup of watercress only contains 4 calories. That’s right, 4! Of course it takes a braver dieter than I to stick to raw watercress, but even with a drizzle of dressing and sprinkling of Parmesan cheese the health benefits cannot be denied.

In January of 2009, I resolved to learn to bake bread. Late that Spring I purchased a copy of the Bread Baker’s Apprentice, hoping that it would provide the guidance and inspiration I needed to successfully master the magic of yeast and dough. A few weeks later my path crossed with Nicole of Pinch My Salt, who was gathering the online troops to tackle what she called the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge. Simply put, the challenge was to bake every single recipe in the Bread Baker’s Apprentice cookbook in order. There were no time limits (thank goodness!) and no restrictions on who could join. I bravely signed myself up and bought a bag of bread flour, preparing to face my fears of bread baking once and for all.

Just a week ago I bemoaned boring green salads. Where did that come from you might wonder? Well, I was raised in house where a green salad almost always accompanied dinner, a habit that I carried into my own home. The concept is virtuous and it does help meet the recommended daily intake of vegetables, however the practice often becomes routine. No one is to blame other than myself. Typically I find the main dish much more intriguing, spending my time and energy preparing unique and different meals. The perfunctory dinner salad, becomes just that- a last minute attempt to eat more vegetables. It is the worst in the winter, when the farmer’s market is closed and I’m left with grocery store basics. Waxy bell pepper strips, green onions, watery tomatoes, and a few token mushrooms are thrown on top of pre-washed lettuce. A drizzle of olive oil and various vinegars and the salad is ready to serve. Basic, quick, and boring when consumed five out of seven nights a week.

Over the last few days a big storm dropped about 12″ of fresh snow onto the ground. The temperatures are in the single digits and any time the wind kicks up a swirl of blowing snow fills the air. True to his German heritage, Oscar doesn’t mind the snow at all. He just wants to know if someone will bring him a bratwurst while he’s out there!

I was not planning to write about this recipe. It was supposed to be just a quick weeknight dinner that served the purpose of using up a few forlorn carnival squash. The squash had been sitting patiently on my counter since the last farmer’s market way back in October, a long time even for squash. Yet, in classic Alton Brown fashion, the proper mix of ingredients and techniques in this recipe turned an ordinary weeknight meal into a dish worth celebrating.

Cauliflower is a reliable vegetable. One of the few hearty vegetables that can be counted on when other options are buried under a foot of snow or are road-weary from traveling across hemispheres. This cruciferous winter hero not only packs a fiber filled punch but is loaded with vitamin C and vitamin K. The only challenge is finding a healthy way to make it taste good.

Last year I fell in love with kale, featuring it in a spicy vegetarian kale and wheat berry salad and loving it tender in a braised kale with white beans and turnips dish. Yet in all my flirtations with this leafy super food I never strayed from the stove. Until now.