There’s an easy way to avoid the toxic chemicals that lurk in commercial cleaning products—make your own! I’ve been doing it the DIY way for quite some time, making my own laundry and dishwasher soap, among other products for around the house. For much of your sanitizing and cleaning needs, the switch can be as […]
06
Jan
Jan
A hard choice but here they are—our staff favorites from Chef Briana’s 2013 menu. For a healthy and delicious new year, add these keepers to your repertoire—and don’t forget to mix it up a bit with our upcoming 2014 recipes. Shiitake Vegetable Soup — No one wants to start the new year with a cold! […]
03
Jan
Jan
Grilled foie gras and vegetables in a savory broth. I remember watching Dances with Wolves during my childhood—particularly the scene where Lieutenant Dunbar participates in a hunt for “Tatanka,” or wild bison. After the kill, one of the Lakota warriors cuts open the fallen bison, pulls out its warm heart, and offers it to the […]
01
Jan
Jan
In the past few years, I have noticed a massive resurgence of interest in nose-to-tail eating—that is, the revival of using all parts of the animal, with somewhat of an emphasis on those frequently overlooked pieces that are, more often than not, reserved for things like pet food. Due in part to increased awareness of […]
31
Dec
Dec
If my boys had a nickel for every time I tried to convince them they really did like a particular food, despite their claims to the contrary—well, let’s just say they’d have a lot of nickels. Why do parents do this? Sure, it’s our job to expose our kids to new foods—“eating the rainbow” and […]
27
Dec
Dec
It’s the time of year when everyone starts talking and thinking about colds and flu. It’s also the time of year when we start asking ourselves, “Should I get the flu shot?” For me, the answer is no. I don’t get the shot because I’d rather support my immune system’s ability to fight viruses and […]
25
Dec
Dec
Cod is inarguably the most familiar, wild-caught fish gracing the dinner tables in this country. Unfortunately, that familiarity has caused somewhat of a snub to the species, as if its quality depreciates with its popularity. Mild, with a medium-firm flesh, cod produces large, snow white flakes when cooked, and adapts to almost any cooking method […]
24
Dec
Dec
Scalloped, sautéed, baked, roasted, French-fried, cottage-fried; in a hash, in a stew, in a gratin, as a soup, with a roast—the potato can do all this and more. And now this versatile root vegetable —once all but eliminated from our regular menu rotation—is making a comeback. Why did we start avoiding potatoes in the first […]
20
Dec
Dec
Before penicillin, Dr. Mercola points out, honey was a conventional means for preventing and treating infection. Now we know why. Raw honey not only kills infectious bacteria, it also reduces the biofilms they produce. Raw honey is the stuff you get from your local beekeepers, including (shameless plug) Honeybee Keep. This is far superior to […]
18
Dec
Dec
Crisp, frigid days customarily inspire foods that are cooked long and slow and served piping hot to warm our bones and nourish our souls during the cold winter months. For me, the same usually applies to my vegetable side dishes (besides the cooked long and slow detail, for the most part). There is no question […]
17
Dec
Dec
Quick! What are you making for dinner tonight? And do you have what you need to make it? If you answered, “I’m not sure,” then you’re just like I used to be—before I discovered the beauty of the weekly meal plan. It simplified my life in a way that I can only describe as glorious. […]
13
Dec
Dec
“To live medically is to live miserably,” wrote Thomas Cleave in 1956. And he knew firsthand. Cleave was not only a medical doctor, he was a surgeon captain in the British Royal Navy, and his position gave him a unique, worldly view of medicine in the mid-twentieth century, one that was blunt in its assessment […]
12
Dec
Dec
Foster Farms’ chicken has sickened 389 consumers with antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella Heidelberg since November 15, according to the CDC’s last count. The USDA issued a Public Health Alert about the outbreak on Oct 7, 2013. That’s alarming enough, but even worse is that 40% of those who contracted the bacteria have required hospitalization because […]
11
Dec
Dec
For the past five years or so, I’ve been catering a holiday party for a local dentist and his staff. These folks love to have fun and are always extremely creative in each year’s theme, going all out with games, food, and drinks to suit the occasion. The most recent theme was the Winter Olympics, […]
10
Dec
Dec
The gift giving season is here! Every year, I try to dream up the perfect idea for everyone on my list. There’s always the latest and greatest toy that my nephew might enjoy. And for my dad, there’s this year’s newest time saver for gardening that everyone’s been raving about. But many times, these things […]
06
Dec
Dec
Here come the holiday parties and family feasts! How are you planning to stay on that diet, be it weight loss, Paleo, or gluten free? I’ll give you one tip—make the dish you most want to eat, prepared the way you can eat it. Want to enjoy dessert at the in-laws? Try this grain- and […]
04
Dec
Dec
I’m a soup girl. Honestly, if I didn’t have to think about pleasing the other members of my household, I would surely eat soup a few times a week. Maybe more. To me, it is the ultimate comfort food. And between the nourishing, mineral-rich broth and soup’s adaptability to the addition of any vegetable in […]
03
Dec
Dec
Okay, folks. It’s time for a quiz. What common household product has been used for medicinal purposes since the time of Hippocrates, “The Father of Medicine,” in 400 BC? What comes in a bottle and soothes sunburns and insect bites? What can be poured in your bath water to relieve sore muscles and achy joints? […]
29
Nov
Nov
Looking for a cheap and easy way to cope with holiday stress that’s guaranteed not to leave you with a hangover—or added inches to your waistline? Then read on. Acupressure, developed in Asia some 5,000 years ago, is a type of bodywork therapy. It involves pressing or massaging specific points on the body using a […]
28
Nov
Nov
Farmer Charlie Weinbeck catches his Thanksgiving turkey.