Ask Chef Phyllis I was gifted a tin with all kinds of nuts in it. I left it on a shelf in my pantry and forgot about it for many months. When I finally opened the tin, the nuts looked okay but most tasted nasty. The almonds were okay, but the pecans and pine nuts […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
What’s Cooking at SRP?
Peppered Plum, Bleu Cheese, and Thyme Crostada:
Perfecting the Autumn Cheese Board
23
Oct
Oct
Ever since I moved to Colorado from British Columbia, I’ve made a point of celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving with my fellow ex-pats each year. Approximately 13 years running, the tradition has taken on a whole new meaning for us—in addition to getting together, it helps us feel a connection to our families who all live so […]
22
Oct
Oct
Earlier this month, I mentioned Child Health Day in a post I wrote about the importance of starting healthy habits from a young age. Well, I’m just not sure that one day alone gives our children’s health the attention it truly deserves. This generation of kids is going to be responsible for taking care of […]
16
Oct
Oct
Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays growing up. From an early age, my mum, a trained artist, would make us unique and creative costumes, and this tradition stayed with me over the years. In my teens and twenties, I created my own distinctive outfits for Halloween, and these days I love channeling my […]
Adventures of A Self-Healther
Self-Health Habit #10:
Eliminate Refined Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners
15
Oct
Oct
It’s impossible to talk about healthy habits without talking about the destructive nature of refined sugar. And if you think you’re off the hook because you switched to artificial sweeteners, think again. Zero- and low-calorie sweeteners, such as aspartame or saccharin, cause a whole other set of problems. It’s not that sweet foods, in and […]
11
Oct
Oct
Ask Chef Phyllis No sooner had I finished my post on gluten-free pastry cream than I received a phone call about gluten-free dough…for cream puffs and eclairs. As you know, you can make both with the same dough (called pate a choux, or choux pastry). And since it has no sugar, you can make a […]
What’s Cooking at SRP?
Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash
with Blistered Tomato, Olives, and Feta:
A Fiber-Rich, Seasonal Vegetable to Satisfy Your Pasta Craving
09
Oct
Oct
One of my favorite things about autumn is the lovely array of squash that start making their appearance on the store shelves and market stalls. I love that they come in all shapes and colors, each with its own distinct flavor and texture. After the last of the summer harvest, the first of the winter […]
08
Oct
Oct
How many times have you thought to yourself: It would be so much easier to ditch this unhealthy habit if only I’d never started it in the first place. Because, let’s face it, changing our habits isn’t always easy to do. So, when is the best time to start up a healthy habit? The answer […]
04
Oct
Oct
Ask Chef Phyllis I need a recipe for a good, no-fail pastry cream for the Napoleons and creampuffs that, after many attempts, I’ve finally mastered with rice flour substituted for the wheat flour. But the pastry cream also has to be gluten free and fool proof. Is this too big an order? I have a […]
What’s Cooking at SRP?
Seared Scallops with Green Tomato-Mango Salsa:
Maximize End-of-Season Produce—Use Those Green Tomatoes!
02
Oct
Oct
It’s usually around the beginning of October that I finish breaking down my summer garden. It’s a purifying process for me—shelling the last of the dried beans for next season, pulling and tying corn stalks for decoration, amending the kale to keep it flourishing through the winter. It’s also when my end-of-season tomato plants are […]
27
Sep
Sep
Once upon a time in New York City (which will always be my town), there was a little place in Queens called College Point—known by residents as the first town over the Whitestone Bridge. College Point is where I owned and ran a bar and grill with a name that may be a bit cutesy […]
What’s Cooking at SRP?
Lamb Shawarma with Spicy Buttermilk Sauce:
Levant Street-Food Flavor and Home Grill Convenience
25
Sep
Sep
After graduating from high school, I spent a few years in Calgary, Alberta—a melting pot of cultural diversity with a vast population of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern families. Living there, I was exposed to authentic flavors that until then had been mostly foreign to me. Such regular access to some of the most delicious food […]
24
Sep
Sep
On a daily basis, most of us take our food for granted. Maybe you like scrambled eggs with onions, peppers, and spinach for breakfast. And a crunchy chef salad with a tahini dressing is always nice at lunch. And, for dinner, maybe some grilled salmon and roasted veggies. Not too bad, right?! But do you […]
What’s Cooking at SRP?
Heirloom Tomato-Ricotta Galette:
A Rustic Grain-Free Tart with Sophisticated Flavor
18
Sep
Sep
I rarely tire of finding uses for all the beautiful, vibrant heirloom tomatoes from my garden. Whether I’m making a sauce to put away for the winter, piling slices high on crusty toasted bread with thick-cut bacon and crisp lettuce, blending them into my favorite silken gazpacho, or eating them straight from the cutting board […]
17
Sep
Sep
After learning that a close friend of mine had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, several questions popped into my brain. Some philosophical, others physiological. I mean, of course I’d heard about the pancreas, but the specifics from high school biology class had long been tucked away. It was time for a crash refresher course on […]
What’s Cooking at SRP?
Amaretto Peach-Pear Upside Down Cake:
Welcoming Autumn with a Grain-Free Treat
11
Sep
Sep
The transformative period between summer and fall are some of my favorite weeks of the year. It’s a time of reestablished routines, warm sunny days, and crisp evenings. The fragrant scent of heavy dew and fallen apples. The feel of dry grass and leaves at the tail end of their vigor. And all that produce […]
10
Sep
Sep
If you regularly check out websites like SRP, chances are pretty good that you’re looking for answers of some kind. Maybe you’ve been given a diagnosis that you want to know more about. Or perhaps a loved one has been told they need to make some lifestyle changes before it’s too late. No matter what […]
04
Sep
Sep
Take game-day snacking to whole new level. Queso. The uber popular Tex-Mex staple so ubiquitous in restaurants, bars, and game-day coffee tables across the country. Personally, I was never a big fan. In my initial queso-eating experiences, I found the stuff was always a two-ingredient concoction of melted processed cheese with canned tomatoes and green […]
03
Sep
Sep
We’re told to avoid cholesterol at all costs—or suffer the consequences: cardiovascular disease, increased risk of a stroke, and/or other complications. However, I recently came across some information that made this self-healther wonder about these warnings. And since September is National Cholesterol Education Month, I think we should ask ourselves the question: Is high cholesterol […]
29
Aug
Aug
Ask Chef Phyllis: I like Thai food and eat out at my favorite restaurant when I can. I live in Louisiana where seafood is abundant. I’m interested in a beef dish that is delicious and tender. Beef is my new favorite meat, but I’m not sure this dish will be easy to duplicate at home […]