Age GracefullyThe First Taste of Fall: Apples & Pears
There’s always a moment when I realize fall has arrived. Here in Southern California, it isn’t necessarily because the temperature has dropped or the leaves have started changing. Sometimes, it’s simply walking through the market and seeing beautiful displays of crisp apples and ripe pears. To me, apples and pears are some of the first tastes of fall. I love them because they’re delicious just as they are, but they’re also incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Slice them into a salad, pair them with nuts and cheese, cook them alongside a savory meal, or bake them with cinnamon and warm […]READ MORE
April 16, 2018
Published by Grace O
March marks the last gasp of winter months and the long-awaited annual Natural Products Expo West, the “coming out” party for new products. So once again, the tireless FoodTrients team made its way up and down the miles of aisles at California’s Anaheim Convention Center. The Expo was held from March 8-11 and we were there to discover (and taste) new natural products and uncover the latest food trends. This event showcases over 3,500 exhibitors, of which 600 were there for the first time, hoping to sell their products into stores across the country. These consist of manufacturers, marketers, and […]
March 13, 2018
Published by Grace O
Rosalynn Carter is a truly unforgettable American hero who inspires everyone she meets. Recently, she arrived in Los Angeles to be honored as one of the most accomplished and important First Ladies in United States history. She is a woman I greatly admire, and whom I met for the first time last August when I traveled from Los Angeles to Plains, Georgia with a delegation from St. Genevieve School in Panorama City, CA. The school’s president and principal, Dan Horn, traveled to Plains with the St. Genevieve Jazz Band and conductor Carlos Dominguez, where they celebrated Mrs. Carter’s 90th birthday […]
February 27, 2018
Published by Grace O
We hear about inflammation a lot, but what does it really mean? Put very simply, inflammation is our body’s immune system response when something is wrong, whether it’s infection, stress, or injury. Unfortunately, more studies are showing that inflammation plays a significant role in most of the diseases plaguing our society, including arthritis, heart disease, irritable bowel disorders, Alzheimer’s, Type 2 diabetes and even cancer. So what can we do to fight it? The good news is that there are many foods that calm inflammation in a variety of ways. They’re anti-inflammatories and they keep our arteries young and less […]
February 12, 2018
Published by Grace O
Tofu is an excellent meat substitute. Like miso and tempeh, tofu contains phytoestrogens, or weak plant-like estrogens. These phytochemicals are known as isoflavones; and eating soy foods, especially starting in adolescence, can reduce a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, as one study of Canadian women suggested. If you’re trying to have meatless Mondays or just reduce your meat consumption whenever possible, these tofu recipes offer healthy, satisfying and delicious options. Sweet and Savory Maple Herb Roasted Tofu Serves 2-3 If you think tofu lacks flavor, you have to give this sweet, savory, and herbaceous soy-based holiday entree a […]
January 8, 2018
Published by Grace O
In May of this year, the FoodTrients team travelled to Yantai, China for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards to receive the ‘Best in the World’ award for Innovation for my most recent cookbook, The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from around the World. As you can imagine, we sampled extraordinary food during the many days of this event as we traveled to Shanghai and Beijing. One of the highlights was a meal we had at the Fairmont Hotel’s Dragon Phoenix restaurant in Shanghai where we ordered their Peking Duck Three Ways. The beautifully cooked duck was brought to […]
January 2, 2018
Published by Grace O
Foodies are always looking for the Next Big Thing. At one time that was Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. Mideastern specialties such as hummus and falafel have now found their way to American menus. Here’s my prediction: in the near future we will all be enjoying foods from various countries on the African continent. A number of years ago, I discovered baobab, the fruit from an odd-looking tree native to Africa and Madagascar that contains high levels of fiber, antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and iron. The tree itself is called ‘The Tree of Life ’because, besides providing nutritious fruit, it […]
December 4, 2017
Published by Grace O
Last May, along with members of the FoodTrients team, my husband Rupert and I traveled to Yantai, China for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards to receive the ‘Best in the World’ award for Innovation for my most recent cookbook, The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from around the World. Inspired by the Olympic Games and their global spirit, the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards were founded in 1995 by Edouard Cointreau. Every year they honor the best food and wine books, printed or digital, as well as food television shows. This year books from 211 countries competed in […]
November 27, 2017
Published by Grace O
In today’s food-conscious world, many of us want to get more benefits from the food we eat. Functional foods provide just that. A functional food is a natural food or manufactured food that has benefits beyond basic nutrition and calories. According to Mayo Clinic nutritionist Jennifer K. Nelson, R.D., L.D., “All foods are functional because they provide varying amounts of nutrients and energy to sustain growth or support vital processes. However, functional foods are generally considered to offer additional benefits that may reduce the risk of disease or promote optimal health.” Functional foods can also act like health supplements. For […]
November 7, 2017
Published by Grace O
There are a couple of ways to look at Mexican ‘superfoods’. First, if you eliminate the tortilla chips, full-fat cheese and beans cooked with lard, much of the basics of Mexican cuisine are quite healthy. Beans (cooked, but not refried) and rice, fresh seafood, chicken, lean beef, tomatoes and avocados are all highly nutritious foods that provide plenty of benefits. And many of these foods qualify as ‘superfoods’—nutrient dense and high in healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and protein. The other way to look at Mexican superfoods is to seek out indigenous foods that have been staples of the traditional […]
October 31, 2017
Published by FoodTrients
On a recent trip to Germany, I stayed in the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera hotel. The Sofitel prides itself on its world-class service and attention to detail. They utterly surprised me when I checked in. To my delight and astonishment, Matthias Schulze, the hotel Butler, had done some research on me before I had arrived. He found out that I was a cookbook author, and asked the pastry chef to prepare this dainty cake in the shape of my Age Gracefully Cookbook. What a thrill!
October 23, 2017
Published by Grace O
If you don’t live in California or the Southwest, you may not be familiar with jicama (HEE-kah-mah), a large root vegetable that comes from Mexico and South America. Featuring a thin but tough brown skin and sweet, crunchy, white flesh, jicama is also known as Mexican potato or yam bean root. It’s eaten raw, diced up in salads, baked, steamed or even fried. It has a texture and taste similar to a cross between an apple and a turnip. Not only is jicama delicious and versatile, but it also contains plenty of healthful benefits that make it an excellent nutritional […]
October 20, 2017
Published by FoodTrients
Lemon Spring Herb Bean Soup Spicy Lentil Soup Tomato Curry Soup Potato Kale Soup Moringa Vegetable Soup Savory Vegan Mushroom Soup Creamy Tempeh Tomato Soup Savory Green Pea Soup Asian-Style Chicken Soup
October 17, 2017
Published by Grace O
I’m nuts about nuts, but some of them are better for us than others. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are all great for helping to control blood sugar. Nuts may be small in size and have relatively high levels of calories and fat, but they are nutrient dense. They are full of protein, unsaturated (healthy) fat, vitamins and fiber. These factors help keep blood sugar levels low. Healthful as they are, nuts are high in calories, so it’s a good idea to substitute nuts for high-carbohydrate foods, such as croutons or pretzels. Sprinkle them on yogurt and salads, or nibble […]