Soup is the quintessential food of January. Salads would be the obvious choice given the upswing in dieting and healthy eating which occurs at the beginning of each new year. However when it is snowing and the air is chilled to sub-zero temperatures a cold salad is about as appealing as a cold shower. Luckily soup fits the bill nicely, providing warmth, comfort, and a healthy dose of vegetables- without the well traveled lettuce and sad winter tomatoes. (more…)

This soup is one of those happy accidents that occurs when you have a random assortment of ingredients and a wicked craving for warm soup. It started with artichokes of course. Mr. B’s fondness for the large green thistles is well documented. Four large specimens called to us from the fridge and we proceeded to have artichokes two nights in a row. The first night we went the standard route of steaming the chokes. Sadly, the results were just okay, lacking flavor and tenderness. It was the fault of the chokes and not the method, but with two remaining we decided to try a different way of cooking. We brought out the big gun- the pressure cooker. (more…)

This is just the kind of stew for when skies turn gray and snowflakes begin to float by. It is also just right when the space between one big holiday meal and the next is filled with endless visions of sugar and butter. A healthy dish with loads of zing and the comfort inducing combination of warm tomatoes and filling chickpeas. (more…)

I know what you are saying. Eggplant bacon? Seriously? My thoughts exactly.

The world of vegetarian and vegan cuisine can have a lot of strange faux meat products. Everything from mock chicken nuggets to frozen veggie burgers with a disturbing brown color and ‘grill marks’. I have largely avoided these products since: 1.) most contain gluten to hold the veggie ingredients together 2.) processed food just really isn’t our thing and 3.) I’ve found the best way to enjoy a vegan diet is to stop focusing on meat replacement. However when I saw recipes for eggplant bacon on respected vegan food blogs curiosity got the better of me. (more…)

Do you have lentils in your pantry? These easy going legumes are like the laid back surfers of the bean world. Ready to go at a moment’s notice they require hardly any preparation and take just a brief 25 minutes to cook. No overnight soaking, pre-cooking, or long slow simmers required. Packed with protein, fiber, essential minerals, and B vitamins lentils are an excellent choice for bulking up meatless meals. (more…)

Lunches at home can be challenging. I find myself craving something healthy and satisfying but don’t want to spend a lot of time putting it together. When I changed my diet, the default sandwich or quick cheese and hot sauce tortilla fell off the lunch list. In their place I have started to make large batches of whole grain salads. Hearty and full of flavor, grain salads only get better as the week goes on- the perfect solution to a fast and healthy lunch. (more…)

Early September is one of my favorite times to visit a farmer’s market. Every stand has piles of beautiful produce spilling from one end of a table to another. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, corn- gardens are pushing out the last of their produce in a final attempt to ripen before the chill of fall arrives. (more…)

In the frenzy of packing up everything we own Mr. B had the good judgement to insist on leaving his grill out on the deck. He figured that the deck was high above the potential water line and that a ceramic grill could survive just about anything. In what is now the strangest summer of my life I am happy for Mr. B’s foresight- because with a grill at least it still feels like summer. (more…)

When Mr. B and I were dating our favorite restaurant was a little beach cottage along Highway 101 in Encinitas, California. Owned by a Moroccan who grew up in Spain and France, the food was French in style and Mediterranean meets California in flavor. Live bands rocked the small space every weekend and despite sand between the old wooden floor boards it was impossible to get in without a reservation. (more…)

Spring in the Midwest is a fickle beast. At one moment the weather is warm and soft drawing you outside with enthusiasm. Things can even heat up with 90 degree temperatures causing you to unearth your flip flops and clean off the grill. Then the next day Spring will turn a cold shoulder with biting wind and temperatures that come dangerously close to allowing the rain to freeze on your windshield. This yo-yo behavior can make meal planning a real challenge. Soup either sounds like a crazy idea when the air conditioning threatens to kick on or like a brilliant idea when you are reaching for another sweater. (more…)