I read an intriguing article the other day that made my head spin. It was about inversion thinking, or focusing on the opposite of what you want. Rather than fixating on success, for example, you concentrate on avoiding failure. Huh. Being an optimist, I hadn’t ever considered this idea. But it got me thinking about […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
09
Mar
Mar
Ask Chef Phyllis: What do you know about Swedish breads? Limpa, pumpernickel, and other really dark ryes are my favorites. But they are, in my opinion, the most difficult breads to make. My mom, who left Stockholm when she was only eight, said dark rye bread has to have orange peel and lots of rye […]
07
Mar
Mar
Well, here we are, the beginning of March. I can just feel spring around the corner! Many of you who frequent my blog know that even though I appreciate the downtime of winter, by the start of the year I’m eagerly awaiting the burst of freshness, life, and motion of my all-time favorite season. There […]
06
Mar
Mar
The other day my hubby told me of an odd thing that happened to him at work. He had a slight headache as he was driving in, and by the time he sat down to his dual monitors he wasn’t able to focus on them. He said everything had a kaleidoscope look to it. As […]
28
Feb
Feb
It’s been years since I made a commitment to take back my health and alight from the sugar train. I’ll be honest: eliminating all added sweeteners from my diet has never been the easy for me, and it still isn’t to this day. But the enormous benefits I’ve reaped as a result have made it […]
27
Feb
Feb
If you’ve been waiting on a particular study to come out that would finally get you to move away from mass-produced cleaning products, a group of scientists at University of Bergen in Norway have just done you a huge favor. As reported in Newsweek, the researchers of the study offered the startling comparison that the […]
22
Feb
Feb
Bread of Tuscany, Umbria, and Marche, Regions of Proud Traditions Ask Chef Phyllis: Is it possible to find a good tasting, really crusty bread like the Pane Toscano that we had in Italy? I understand the reason for a no-salt bread in the past was about money. Flour and water are cheap, but salt was […]
What’s Cooking at SRP?
Grilled Shrimp, Tomato, and Avocado Fiesta Salad: Craving a Taste of the Tropics
21
Feb
Feb
There comes a time when the excitement of the holidays is over, the motivation and enthusiasm of the new year has waned, and the burst of bustling spring energy still seems far off. This is about the time of year when I get sick of winter, and I start longing for the beach. More specifically, […]
20
Feb
Feb
Sneezing is an odd sensation, right? Sometimes you can feel it coming and look for ways to speed up the relief it offers. Other times, the sneeze comes out of nowhere and ends up being the loudest noise you’ve made in months. Some of us are big, boisterous sneezers, some are silent sneezers, and some […]
16
Feb
Feb
Ask Chef Phyllis: I loved my mother’s baccala and have tried to make it myself. She was from the Piedmont region of Italy. I used a recipe that called for capers, but I didn’t like them in this dish. Maybe I used too many. After soaking the salt cod in water for three days, as […]
14
Feb
Feb
Growing food in Colorado is a challenging endeavor. Because I come from a fairly balmy Pacific-Northwest climate, I’m used to putting some seeds in the ground and reaping huge rewards with little effort. My plants grew grow massive and lush, and the winters were usually warm enough that I could have a cold frame going […]
13
Feb
Feb
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and those of you hoping to celebrate romantic love may be planning to stock up on some good ol’ aphrodisiacs to add some spice to your repertoire. But first, are they worth adding to your shopping list? Aphrodisiacs: are they fact or a bunch of bogus folklore? Let’s dig in a […]
08
Feb
Feb
Ask Chef Phyllis: Have you heard about the big fermented food craze? What should I know about gut health? My sister Aggie told me that yogurt is good for us (and a good substitute for our favorite double chocolate fudge ice cream) because of its live cultures. But we’ve still never tried kimchi, kefir, or […]
07
Feb
Feb
Refresh Your Spice Pantry and Your Palate A well-stocked pantry plays a significant role in preparing healthy, home-cooked meals. It’s also practically indispensable for customizing your meals and keeping your taste buds happy and intrigued. Assorted condiments, vinegars, canned and pickled goods, herbs, and spices can make all the difference in taking your meals to […]
06
Feb
Feb
If you’re a human walking the planet Earth, it’s safe to say you deal with stress on a daily basis. Stress is not only inevitable, but it also helps us get shit done when it needs to get done. The way you move through your day, from the time you wake up in the morning […]
02
Feb
Feb
Ask Chef Phyllis: Lent is early this year, and since my family has Cajun roots, we do celebrate Mardi Gras. After, we will fast forty days or at least give up some favorite food during Lent. We usually make a kind of gumbo (Cajun Shrimp Chowder or Cajun Gumbo) that is unique to our area […]
30
Jan
Jan
So I stumbled on a TEDx Talk that’s had my head spinning ever since. These talks usually get my wheels turning, but this one had a different feel to it. Maybe it’s the magnitude of the topic. Maybe it’s the personal nature of the topic. Or, more likely, maybe it’s the betrayal I felt spelled […]
26
Jan
Jan
Ask Chef Phyllis: I don’t doubt that people write to you about what festive meals to serve during the holidays, but my question is what to serve in between and after those costly feasts? That’s when I’m so burned out. Do you have any suggestions for crock pot meals, top–of–the–stove meals, or even simple, quick chicken meals that are cooked in the oven? […]
24
Jan
Jan
Versatile and tasty, cauliflower “rice” is one of the newest trends of the times. Formerly confined to a scant few home kitchens, it’s now making waves in the marketplace. You can even find it, premade and packaged, in some grocery store aisles. It’s essentially nothing more than plain old cauliflower that’s pulsed in a food processor to look like rice and then subbed into your favorite recipes instead of such. […]
23
Jan
Jan
In the world of alternative and holistic health, probiotics have been a topic of discussion for quite some time. Heck, even conventional medicine has come to recognize the health benefits they provide, and all of the TV commercials that tout them are yet another sign that they’ve gone mainstream (though not all are created equal). Lately, in the circle of resources I rely on, I’ve noticed another word creeping into the conversation: prebiotics. Hmm…Probiotics? Prebiotics? What’s the […]