I'm a sucker for New Years and all the reflections and resolutions that come with it. There is something so satisfying about a definitive new beginning -- the opportunity to fully asses what has been and set intentions for what is to come. For many years I have written long journal entries looking back on the passing year (often including bullet … [Read more...]
Food as Medicine
I heard Dr. David Eisenberg from the Harvard Medical School speak at a recent Integrative Health Collaborative on the importance of food on health. Obviously this was right up my alley! Based on the title of the talk, "Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives" I assumed Dr. Eisenberg was going to talk about diet and nutrition. Instead, he focused on the … [Read more...]
Lentils with Spicy Brassicas
Lentils are staple in my diet. I love them for their versatility, high protein content, and cooking speed. I typically use green french lentils (which I used in this recipe), small black lentils, or small orange lentils. Green and black lentils hold their shape when cooked, so they are better for pilaf-type dishes, while orange lentils tend to … [Read more...]
Healing Miso Soup
What better way to take care of your body after a holiday weekend of indulgence than by feeding yourself nourishing foods? One of my favorite healing powerhouse foods is miso soup. Miso is made from fermented soybeans, so it boasts all the nutritional benefits of fermented foods (probiotics, enzymes, vitamins etc.). This method for making miso … [Read more...]
My Top 5 Vegetables
As Thanksgiving approaches I'm having tons of ideas about what to post about gratitude, my family, holiday foods, harvest bounty etc. I have decided to focus on the food! Thanksgiving is such an amazing foodie holiday. For me the harvest bounty of seasonal produce provides the tangible representation of all the aspects of our lives that deserve … [Read more...]
Hot Sauce!
T and I are very into grilled peppers. One of our favorite restaurants in Boston (Toro) has delicious grilled peperoncini peppers smothered in olive oil and salt. They are amazing! We have had good luck recreating them at home and recently thought we'd try these small sweet red peppers instead of our usual green peperoncinis. Well it turns … [Read more...]
Homemade Sauerkraut
I first experimented with making my own sauerkraut last year. Let's just say it didn't go well. I ended up with mold, a fermented smelling kitchen, and a grumpy husband. I had to really work my wifely magic to get T to agree to let me try krauting again this fall. Luckily he went for it and the kraut was a huge success! It all started with … [Read more...]
Rooting
I have had a busy fall full of some unexpected changes. Nothing too drastic, but significant change none the less. I have been surprised to see how impacted I've felt by all of this change. I have noticed myself having what I call head vs. heart reactions. Intellectually I understand what's going on, why it's happening, and have complete … [Read more...]
Tongues of Fire Beans
How could I resit these beautiful beans? I found them at the farmer's market and had to give them a try. The farmer selling them told me they are called Tongues of Fire because of their pink shells and described them as a mixture of fresh summer beans (think green beans) and dried winter beans. They are semi-dried, so they need to be cooked, but … [Read more...]
Lemon Ginger Apple Butter
I really love apples. There is something about the fall tradition of going out on a sunny day and visiting an orchard. It's actually probably the food Americans are most familiar with harvesting themselves. Way to start the trend apples! We recently went out and picked a ton of apples. I saved quite a few for eating as-is, and decided to try … [Read more...]