Tag Archives: vegetable

Feeding Your Toddler is Easier Than You Think

Many of us grew up in homes where we were admonished to eat our veggies, clean our plates, and do any number of other things that we really did not want to do at mealtime. Today, the wisdom on feeding toddlers has changed in ways that make it a lot less stressful for parents. It turns out that children will naturally choose a varied and balanced diet over time, if there are nutritious foods available for them to choose from. Some days (or weeks) it may seem like your toddler won’t touch anything besides buttered noodles or peanut butter and … Continue reading →

Getting Your Greens—Simple Recipes for Meatless Meals

You can always tell when Lent is near because fast food companies start inundating the airwaves with ads for their fish sandwiches. Last night I saw a commercial for Wendy’s fish sandwich six times in less than two hours. Personally, I can’t stand those deep-fried filets and question whether they contain actual fish. But I digress. With Ash Wednesday just a week away, Catholics will undoubtedly be looking for meatless dishes to serve up on Friday night. The following recipes are great additions to meatless meals. What’s more, they’re almost as easy to make as pulling into a drive-thru. SPINACH … Continue reading →

Back to the Basics: Lemon Artichoke Chicken

The long holiday weekend is coming to a close, which means most families will be closing up the grill for a few days and the clan’s designated cook will be whipping up meals from the kitchen rather than the backyard. It’s back to the daily grind around here. In my state most schools are still in session for another two weeks so we aren’t quite in summer mode just yet. (Though we got a nice taste of it this past weekend.) For our family that means sticking with our traditional weekly menu, which includes at least three nights of chicken … Continue reading →

Don’t Forget the Peel!

When you’re snacking on fruits and vegetables, don’t forget to eat the peel! In many fruits and vegetables, the peel is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fiber. Don’t forget to eat the peel when you’re having an apple or a potato. You might not think of the peel, however, when you’re eating an orange or slicing a lemon for your iced tea. But the peels of citrus fruits are chock full of vitamins, minerals, and some amazing compounds. A compound called salvestrol Q40 can kill enzymes that encourage the growth of human cancer cells. A compound called … Continue reading →

Home Style Black Beans & Vegetable Soup

Home Style Black Beans & Vegetable Soup 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 3 carrots, chopped 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon of ground cumin 4 cups vegetable stock 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained 8 3/4-ounce can of whole kernel corn 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 14 1/2-ounce can of stewed tomatoes In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic, and carrots, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add chili powder and cumin and then cook while stirring for 1 minute. Add stock, 1 can … Continue reading →

Grilled Asparagus

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Grilled Asparagus Writing about grilled artichokes yesterday made me think about my next-favorite grilled vegetable,asparagus. I’d had grilled asparagus at restaurants but never tried it at home, because I figured the restaurants must have special grills with the grates really close together (how else would you prevent the asparagus from falling in between?) and the patience to turn each little stalk as it roasted. Then last year I learned a trick that was one of those Duh! moments. To efficiently grill asparagus, skewer them like so: Skewer the bottom third of five or six spears with a little space between … Continue reading →

Top Ten Kitchen Tips #2 – Choosing Fruits and Vegetables

I have a friend who worked in the produce department of a grocery store, so he let me in on a few tips for choosing produce. I’ve used them over the years and have had good success. Also, I’ve learned a lot from shopping at Farmer’s Markets over the years and having some hits and misses. Here are some tips that might help you the next time you are pondering the pineapples at the grocery store. 1. The best way to choose a pineapple is to use your nose. Smell the pineapple at the stem end. It should smell like … Continue reading →