This crisp and refreshing salad is inspired by a traditional French dish called salade Lyonnaise, from the province of Lyon. I’m a salad girl, and I’m known to combine multitudes of items in one big bowl. However, the French have this way of keeping their salads extremely minimal and unadulterated, which I find I can […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
13
May
May
Today, I present you with a challenge: Never buy artificially flavored gelatin again! But don’t worry. I’m not just going to challenge you—I’m also going to provide you with the tools you need to succeed. Why? Because gelatin is great for your overall health, except when it includes refined sugars, acids, and artificial colorings and […]
07
May
May
Ask Chef Phyllis: My Sundays are just as busy as the other days of the week. Is there something festive and a little bit special for the slow cooker? My family loves pork. —Charlotte Miller, Moncks Corner, SC Back in the day, a chef would be delighted to share his recipe with customers, especially if […]
06
May
May
I have a confession to make…I’m crazy about taking a hot bath. Even though it makes me feel guilty, I’ll frequently indulge myself with a soak. Why the guilt? Well, as a mom of three and an entrepreneur, other tasks are always calling me. Laundry to do, supper to start, a dog to walk—not to […]
30
Apr
Apr
Ask Chef Phyllis: Will the butter I make from raw cream spoil? It has an unfamiliar odor that I’m not sure I like. Is it bad or unsafe to use? —Joanna Lynch, Colorado Springs, CO No, the butter is good and usable. Many homemade butter makers let the cream sour before turning it into butter. […]
23
Apr
Apr
Duck is a little bit foreign to many people this side of the Atlantic. I believe this unfamiliarity, paired with the misconception that duck is difficult to deal with—too fatty or too extravagant—leads many people to shy away from an excellent, and delicious, protein alternative. Instead, we savor it only on special occasions when a […]
22
Apr
Apr
On this day 44 years ago, we officially started celebrating Mother Earth with the first Earth Day. The thing is, she’s been teaching us lessons a lot longer than that. We’d be wise to recognize what Mother Earth has to share. Here’s a countdown of the top four lessons Mother Earth can teach us about […]
16
Apr
Apr
Shortcake is a choice dessert for a healthy makeover, since it’s not terribly sweet to begin with. By subbing whole grain flour for typical refined white flour, and using honey and maple syrup to sweeten, I’ve been able to create a treat that you don’t have to feel terribly guilty eating. Rich and buttery, and […]
15
Apr
Apr
I’ve lost track. Are we eating eggs now, or are we still too afraid to enjoy them? It’s hard to think of another food with a reputation that’s flip-flopped as much as this poor, humble morsel’s. Another silent victim of misinformation. Unfortunately, the majority of us bought into the idea that eggs were bad for […]
09
Apr
Apr
I love homemade, freshly-pressed juices, but I always feel as if a lot of valuable fiber in the pulp is left behind after juicing. Between this and my juicer failing to extract much out of leafy greens, I set out to concoct a nutrient-rich vegetable smoothie instead. This favorite combination is as delicious as it […]
08
Apr
Apr
Meditation is all the rage. But I would venture to say that if you are someone who enjoys time in the garden, you’ve been meditating all along. My own loose definition of meditation is a state of being completely aware of, and involved in, the moment—alert to every detail, no matter how small. Meditation is […]
07
Apr
Apr
Ask Chef Phyllis: I often have trouble with pie crust. At holiday time, when I need pie crusts the most, I wind up buying them from the supermarket. After reading the ingredients, I’m disappointed. Can you help me make a healthier pie crust? —Patricia Schaeffer, Central Islip, New York To make a healthy pie crust, […]
02
Apr
Apr
I love the versatility of eggs. They’re my favorite go-to protein when I need something simple, enjoyable, and fast. I definitely don’t reserve them for breakfast, either. In fact, I think I probably eat more eggs for dinner—atop a crisp salad or whipped into a quick frittata—than I do for breakfast. Since I’m regularly looking […]
01
Apr
Apr
Are you a fool when it comes to food labels? You’re not alone. The way the food industry twists label definitions with tricky language on food packaging makes all of us look foolish when we walk down the aisles of our local market. We make personal choices to eat natural, wholesome, and nourishing foods. But […]
26
Mar
Mar
Once considered somewhat of a delicacy, modern farming and technology have been able to provide us with asparagus for a good part of the year. However, at its heart, asparagus is still an iconic spring vegetable—one of the first specimens to mark the arrival of the season when its peculiar shoots peek from the ground […]
25
Mar
Mar
The spring equinox has arrived! There’s something about the newness of all-things-spring that makes me want to ditch old habits that might be holding me back. I’m compelled with the overwhelming urge to do things like: Declutter our living space. Winter turns us into semi-hoarders, but something happens when I open the windows and let […]
24
Mar
Mar
Ask Chef Phyllis: My husband and I have been vegetarians for many years and are always looking for something new. At a Denver restaurant, we recently enjoyed a Black Bean Sweet Potato soup/stew that had a licorice flavor. We asked our waitress and she told us the ingredient was fennel. I’m not familiar with fennel. […]
19
Mar
Mar
I grew up on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. Besides being somewhat notorious for our laid-back attitude and astonishing ratio of artists per capita, the island has always been known for its tender, mildly flavored lamb. I’m not quite sure what makes this lamb so exceptional, but it rivals anything I have ever […]
18
Mar
Mar
My whole family loves nut butters. For breakfast, raw almond butter slathered on a piece of warm toast with melty butter underneath, gobbled up while it’s still gooey. For a snack, roasted peanut and raw sesame-seed butter smeared on crisp apple slices. For dinner, peanut butter made into a sauce over chicken, vegetables, and rice. […]
12
Mar
Mar
Okay, so this recipe doesn’t really include rice at all. Sorry to disappoint all you rice-loving folks. Hey, I love me some rice, too; don’t get me wrong. One of my favorite ways to enjoy this universal staple is by treating it as the base for a substantial, nutritionally balanced, one-pot meal full of other […]