January 30, 2023
Making pesto
Published by Grace O

Presto! It’s Pesto To the Rescue

The versatility of pesto can help us all do our very besto when it comes to adding great flavor and big benefits to dishes. Use your imagination and check out the pesto chart along with two of my out-of-the-box pestos that deliver great taste along with powerful nutrients. You can serve these and any favorite pesto over vegetables; pasta; flatbread … whatever you choose! Nettle Pesto At the height of allergy season, incorporating nettles into your meals can be a soothing practice offering relief. With research supporting the use of nettles for seasonal allergies and hay fever, this plant contains […]
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July 30, 2022
North African freekeh
Published by Grace O

North African Freekeh

Ancient grains are trending, so you have probably heard of the roasted young (green) wheat called freekeh (pronounced free-kuh). This grain and the dishes made with it are from North Africa. In this recipe, I’ve combined it with savory garlic, fresh lemon, mint, sweet dates and nourishing chopped kale for a well-rounded side-dish full of flavor. Freekeh can be found in Whole Foods and other health-food stores or online. Benefits: Freekeh is packed with fiber and protein, so it will keep you full and satiated for hours. It also has vitamin B for energy, heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and manganese […]
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May 4, 2022
pancakes and coffee on a tray
Published by Grace O

Savory to Sweet: My Travels with Breakfast

In my casual observation, there are two kinds of breakfasts: sweet and savory. Sometimes I crave one, sometimes the other. Certain culinary traditions do one or the other better—the French with their strong, highly sweetened coffee served with buttery croissants and a generous pot of strawberry jam fall into the sweet category. In Japan, expect fish and pickled vegetables for breakfast. In New York City, you’ll find the best bagels and lox, while no trip to New Orleans is complete without a plate of fresh beignets dusted with powdered sugar. In an earlier blog, I described shakshuka, a spicy tomato, […]
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March 29, 2022
raw lamb leg
Published by Grace O

Lamb: Don’t Forget About This Delicious Meat

Lamb is a nutritious and delectable protein and one that I like to serve on special occasions or when I just want a change from beef, poultry or pork. But consumption of lamb in the U.S. has plummeted over the last 50 years. In the 1960s, Americans consumed on average 4.5 lbs. per year. Today, it’s about 0.7lbs. Why, when lamb is so delicious? There are a couple of theories that help explain the decline. First, soldiers during WWII were fed a lot of canned lamb and mutton, so when they returned home, they wanted no more of the meat […]
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March 15, 2022
raw vegetables on a plate
Published by Grace O

Plant-Based Meals Are Growing on the Table

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 […]
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March 29, 2021
Published by FoodTrients

Guilt-Free Chocolate Date Quinoa Cookies

Need a delicious treat without all of the guilt? This gluten-free, date-sweetened recipe offers a fun way to use leftover cooked quinoa and makes tender, cakelike cookies—with no added sugar. Notes and modifications: For a vegan recipe: Substitute virgin coconut oil for the butter. To replace eggs, place 2 Tbs. ground flaxseed in a small bowl with 3 Tbs. boiling water, stir to combine, and let stand 10 minutes before using. If making gluten-free cookies: You can also substitute 1.5 cups of your favorite GF flour blend for the dry ingredients. If your GF flour blend does NOT contain them, […]
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March 29, 2021
Published by Grace O

Enjoy the Benefits and Pleasure of Pork with a World of Recipes

Pork has had to overcome a bit of a bad reputation. Remember the insult, ‘fat as a pig’? The fact is today’s pork has been bred to have 16 percent less fat and 27 percent less saturated fat than 30 years ago. Many cuts of pork, such as tenderloin, have less fat and calories than skinless chicken breasts. Pork is a source of high-quality lean protein and is an excellent source of important nutrients including thiamin, selenium, niacin, vitamin B-6 and phosphorus. It’s also a good source of zinc, riboflavin and potassium. Unprocessed pork is naturally low in sodium and […]
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March 1, 2021
Published by Grace O

Spices Are an Integral Part of Lebanese Cuisine

I met chef Mike Elmachtoub when someone recommended his catering company to me. I called Urban Crunch Meal Prep & Catering and ordered some pistachio-crusted salmon and filet mignon for my staff. The food was well received, so I began to order more and more from Urban Crunch. Chef and owner Mike and I got to talking about his upbringing in Lebanon and how his father owned multiple restaurants all over the world. Mike knew he wanted to be in the restaurant business himself, so he studied culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. (He’s lived in the U.S. […]
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