American
A little barley goes a long way to beef up a soup or vegetablesUse it instead of high-carb pasta, potatoes or rice
Tired of potatoes, rice, and pasta? Looking for another carb with some nutritional clout? Try barley. When cooked, barley has a soft but slightly crunchy texture. When added to soups, it makes them creamy. It is a great base for a pilaf. Barley has a long history. Part of the human diet for several thousand …
Read moreZappin’ the Apple
Traditional methods for baking apples take almost an hour, but how about zapping an a apple for a simple dessert or a sweet start to your day with breakfast? A micro-waved apple takes only minutes — a great impromptu treat during apple season. You can even make an individual serving of fresh warm applesauce – …
Read moreBeauty secrets? Check the fridge — Make skin cream and a snack, too
Sometimes it’s OK to have egg on your face – or banana or yogurt or apricot or avocado. Just call it a food facial. Facials at salons can be expensive, great for a birthday present for a friend, maybe, or a splurge for yourself. Instead, consider shopping for your salad and your beauty at the …
Read moreTime to step out of the box and make your own crispy crackersThey won’t steal limelight from spreads
Munching away happily on a variety of crackers gathered in a basket, a friend was incredulous when informed they were all homemade. ”Get outta town!” she exclaimed. ”These are awesome!” If you can make cookies, why not crackers? According to Merriam Webster, a cracker is ”a dried, thin, crispy baked bread product that may be …
Read moreA pumped-up energy-drink industry flexes its muscles
”Party like a rock star.” ”For energy that lasts.” ”Xapp your mind, Xapp your muscles.” ”Vitalizes body and mind.” Amp, Monster, Adrenaline Rush, Red Bull, XAPP: Are we talking about heavy metal bands here? No, these are the latest entries in the exploding energy-drink market, replete with fan clubs. What their devotees are cheering about …
Read moreIn the Lime-light
MIAMI — Ask any five people about Key lime pie and they will agree on one thing only — it should never ever be green. ”Honey,” said the slight waitress with weather-beaten skin at a little dive called the Crack’d Conch (where the choices for dessert were a slice of Doris’s Key lime pie or …
Read moreHomemade goodies a satisfying gift
There is something satisfying about making a gift of food. If you have time to bake and make the cookies everyone salivates for, great. However there are also wonderful recipes for snack mixes, granola, or spiced nuts that can be made in bulk in very little time. If you don’t have time to cook, but …
Read moreSatisfy sweet tooth with juicy watermelon
This is high season for the most refreshing fruit ever cultivated: watermelon. According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, cultivation probably started about 5,000 years ago in Egypt. A member of the squash family, watermelon is said to have come to the United States through Africa during the slave trade in the mid-1600s. Florida, California, …
Read moreYard sale cycle can spin out of control
What do a bread machine, electric wok, heart-shaped waffle maker, Tater Twister, and avocado-green fondue pot have in common? They all seemed like a good idea at the time! A wedding present? Spur-of-the-moment buy? Mother’s Day (Father’s Day) present? What was your excuse? Whatever the reason, these contraptions that ended up hidden in the back …
Read moreSmooth and sweet, pudding’s a treat
Mmmmm, pudding. Creamy, sweet, and smooth. Soothing, simple, and easy to digest. No wonder pudding is often a child’s first dessert, or a sweet offering when we’re ill. Often it’s the first thing a child learns to cook. Puddings are soft desserts usually boiled, baked, or steamed. They are often made with milk, a thickener, …
Read moreBento:Build a Better Lunch
Debra Samuels, bestselling author, food writer and cooking instructor, wants to give the American lunchbox a makeover. In the chapter on “bento,” the traditional Japanese lunch box, in her upcoming book, My Japanese Table, Debra encourages the use of color, texture and taste to create healthier and more visually appealing meals.
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