Today’s melons are way beyond your standard cantaloupes, honeydews and watermelons (though they are delicious this time of year). Exploring the produce section, I came across some newer variety melons I hadn’t seen before. Luckily, they were sampling. Here are some varieties that you might want to sample for yourself: Sugar Kiss – Round with netted skin and light salmon-colored flesh. The texture is soft, juicy and sweet like candy. Golden Kiss– This is a very flavorful Charentais variety. You can spot it by the netted skin and distinctive green ribs. The flesh is firm and a deep orange color with […]
Ashitaba Potato Salad Potato salad is a great way to showcase ashitaba leaves. These healthful leaves, grown in Japan and Southeast Asia, are often dried, ground and taken as a dietary supplement. I grow my own ashitaba plants here in Southern California and I like to eat them fresh. The dark green leaves taste like spinach or sweet kale. But if you can’t find fresh ashitaba leaves, this potato salad is delicious without them. I like to use fingerling potatoes, but you can use small white new potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes instead. I prefer the French haricot vert variety […]
You have probably heard of the Mediterranean Diet. Besides conjuring visions of sipping chilled prosecco overlooking a sparkling sea, this way of cooking and eating is a heavily plant-based diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, herbs, fish, lean meats (in moderation) and monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil. It’s a true farm-to-table diet that relies on locally produced/caught/raised foods. In a number of studies, people who live around the Mediterranean in Southern Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Greece, as well as countries such as Croatia, Israel and Morocco, and live a mostly agrarian life tend to have lower incidences […]
Over the past year, FoodTrients has been exploring foods and flavors from around the globe. This
Over the past year, FoodTrients has been exploring foods and flavors from around the globe. This week, we take a look at the flavors of Nicoya
Most of us enjoy sweet beverages during the warm days of summer—juices, iced tea, lemonade, and others. But there are times when drinks become even more refreshing if they offer a slightly savory element. Besides, juices and sweetened beverages have high amounts of sugar that can aggravate a propensity for diabetes and other health issues, including weight gain. Beverages that refresh with ingredients such as sparkling mineral water, herbs, florals and vegetables can be a welcome change. Non-alcoholic beer, for example, has a number of health benefits. Not only is it lower in calories than that alcoholic beer, but the […]
The Caribbean region has long been described as a melting pot, with many cultures and ethnicities represented. The region is made up of over 700 islands, islets, reefs, and cays, and is home to more than 43 million people. The cultural diversity present in this region is reflected in its cuisine with influences from African, Creole, Cajun, Amerindian, European, Latin American, Indian/South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Chinese cultures. African culture has left a lasting mark in Caribbean history bringing music, dance, cuisine, and customs while the region was under colonial rule. This influence has undeniably shaped the Caribbean into what […]
By Roberto Tostado, M.D. This pandemic has exposed our human fragility and compromised immunity from a steady diet of processed foods and a medical system that manages disease with drugs instead of healing with nutrition. We are vulnerable to infection, disease and death from this affliction of bad food and bad medicine. However, our quarantined existence can give us pause to reassess our habits and choices to create a healthier lifestyle for ourselves and loved ones and not consent to chronic disease and poisoned foods any longer. We have been weakened and debilitated by our own industries with chronic illness […]
Here in Los Angeles, with our access to plentiful produce and a pervasive interest in healthy eating, we have a long history of plant-based cuisine. In 1885, a newspaper called The Daily Alta California reported on a popular vegetarian brunch item, “Quartered alligator pears with the pulp spread on slices of grilled bread and seasoned with salt and pepper.” Today we know this delicacy as avocado toast! When Upton Sinclair published The Jungle in 1906, it highlighted the exploitation of workers and unsanitary conditions in the meat packing industry in Chicago. The novel inspired a minor craze for vegetarian restaurants […]
This classic French spice mix is made from herbs that grow readily in the Provence region. Use it to season meat, poultry, fish, vegetables and egg dishes. Health Benefits: Fennel seeds have a powerful anti-cancer compound called anethole. Rosemary contains eucalyptol, an anti-inflammatory compound that breaks down mucus, and helps support for lung function when used topically. Yields about 1/3 cup Ingredients 1 tsp. each: Dried basil Fennel seed Dried marjoram Dried oregano Dried thyme Dried lavender (optional) 1 Tbs. each: Dried rosemary Dried savory Procedure Mix together and store in an airtight glass jar in a cool, dark place.








