healthy eating

Indulge in the vibrant and flavorful Israeli breakfast, a delightful spread that combines a variety of ingredients for a satisfying start to the day. An Israeli-style breakfast has become immensely popular both in Israel and around the world, known for its freshness, simplicity, and bold flavors that blend harmoniously together on one plate. At the […]

Mushroom farro is a hearty winter comfort food to me. The addition of black truffle oil makes this simple dish even more delicious.  Farro is an ancient grain from Mesopotamia that has been around forever. Considered a nutritious grain, farro is high in protein, fiber, and B complex vitamins, and is considered a much healthier […]

Casserole is a term I don’t love. By definition “casserole” can mean a deep pan used both in an oven and as a serving vessel or for the food cooked and served in such vessel. To me, a casserole always sounded like the name for something that was nondescript, randomly thrown together, mushy, and flavorless. […]

Winter is a wonderful time. Earthy, hearty, beautiful root vegetables are in abundance. But what to do with them?  I say roast them. I love slightly browned roasted vegetables lightly toasted in olive oil. Straight-up, as a side dish, or here, mixed together in a hearty winter salad. This roasted winter vegetable salad hits the […]

Power bites and power bars continue to fascinate me. I have been enjoying various types, and so has my family. Honestly, you can’t go wrong if you are trying to come up with an option in your own apartment or house; just let your flavor preference guide you. These are my latest. These are cranberry […]

My family and I are obsessed with Din Tai Fung, a famous Taiwanese restaurant in at Santa Clara outpost that we frequent.  My husband is the only one of us who has been to Taiwan, which is partly how this obsession began. Once a restaurant opened in our area, we quickly became frequent visitors. For […]

Let’s discuss millet. Millet is an ancient seed originating from Africa and Northern China. Millet has been around for centuries and remains a “staple” in the diets of about 1/3 of the world’s population. With a milk-sweet corn-like flavor, this grain is naturally gluten-free–making it a go-to for Celiac sufferers. Millet is a whole grain, […]

I have not been shy about my love of salads. I am, however, an admitted salad snob. My husband agrees. I like my salads to taste good and to look good. Appearance matters. Making a salad look appetizing should not be that complicated: vegetables in their natural states are inherently pretty, given the variety of […]

I have been struggling to get a post up the last several days. I lost a close friend recently and although I had been mentally preparing for this for years, it hit me substantially harder than I anticipated. Loss sucks. But today I woke up thinking about my friend and all the many good memories. […]

I could live on tuna tartare. Seriously, straight up or on a cracker, I love the stuff.  If you know me at all, you know I order tuna tartare–or any kind of variation of it–almost everywhere I go no matter what the season. In all honestly, I prefer fresh raw tuna over the cooked stuff. […]

Sometimes a smoothie just doesn’t cut it. So I’m mixing it up a bit with this raspberry-pineapple protein slushy and it’s perfect for the Spring and Summer months. I thought a bright, fruity, protein slushy might be just what I needed to kick-start my Spring and give me a non-caffeinated energy boost. Personally, with all […]

My family loves Japanese food. Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup based on a stock called dashi. It is believed miso was first introduced to Japan in the 7th century by Buddhist monks.  According to Japanese mythology, miso is a gift to mankind from the gods to assure health, longevity, and happiness. In Japan, […]

If there is one culinary trend from the last year that I kept spotting, it is the popularity of power snacks. Easy, small, no-bake, healthful bites, balls, bars, and chunks of food for quick snacking.  My good friend from college introduced me to these tasty treats, and I’ve been gobbling them ever since.  I’ve developed […]

Vegetable stir-fry is one if the easiest vegetable sides dishes out there.  By mixing different vegetable flavors and textures, you undoubtedly get a more interesting side dish.  What I also love about a good vegetable stir-fry is that almost any vegetable can work, so it is super easy to adapt to the likes and dislikes of various […]

Lentils and rice go together perfectly in my eyes.  I could honestly eat lentils daily, but I don’t think that would fly with my family.  The lentils I’m referring to here are French lentils, a classic variety in the culinary world.  They are greenish-brown, petite, earthy, and delicious—and that’s how I feel about them before […]