Saturday, August 6, 2011
Peaches, Nectarines, Boucheron Cheese and Summer Greens make up this summertime treat.
I spent a few weeks in Georgia earlier this Summer which piqued my peach and nectarine cravings before the season really hit back here. By far, my favorite mid-Summer fruit, and versatile in so many savory dishes. Both the yellow and white varieties lend a medley of sweetness and crunchy texture I enjoy. In addition to pies, cobblers and the usual desserts, try adding them to salads with a sweet sherry vinaigrette, diced in a hot salsa with tomatoes for fish or sliced to throw on the grill. The other day I was poking around the farm stand at the Natick Community Organic Farm and noticed several bags of organic greens ranging from mesclun to tiny spicy bitter greens. Peppery bitter greens (like arugula) would be a perfect match for the …
Friday, June 17, 2011
Try this lightened version of a Summer classic.
Cole slaw is one of Summer’s most popular side dishes. Yet most people, including me, stay away from it since the standard recipe typically includes lots of mayo or sour cream. I prefer to eat a clean diet so I enjoy playing with traditional dishes I can revise to be lighter and healthier. Cole slaw is one of those sides that goes with everything off the grill or simply tossed with some left over chicken breast as light weeknight meal. Here’s one version I make to go with broiled or grilled wild salmon. The trick to getting the texture and shred of the cabbage just right is to use a mandoline slicer like the one featured in the photo. You can get very inexpensive slicers at any department store that carries housewares like Bed Bath & …
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Friday, June 10, 2011
Try these easy homemade gift ideas.
Have you exhausted the t-shirts, socks, ties, grilling tools, lawn darts, and every other typical Father’s Day gift idea? Homemade gifts are much more personal and really don’t take long to make. Adding your own unique touch makes them more special for everyone. When brainstorming about what to make someone, I try to incorporate their likes, hobbies or personality into the gift idea. My father is not a golfer or tennis player, but he does enjoy yard work and relaxing on the deck with an MGD (that’s Miller Genuine Draft, which had to replace his Black Label many years ago. Anyone growing up in Natick in the ‘70s-‘80s will remember Black Label beer…). So to keep in line with this retro theme I decided to do what I do best, make …
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Try these easy grab 'n go snacks for your kids.
Anyone feel the urge to get some Spring cleaning underway? For me, this means giving some of my snack recipes a healthy makeover. These bars are packed with protein and fill me up if I have to skip lunch (which happens too often). If you’re looking for a fast, easy snack to have on hand for the kids, this is it! You can interchange the ingredients to create different flavors and feel good knowing you control the sugar. These are a chewy granola bar with banana as the binder. You can certainly sweeten them, if you like. I have found that so many granola recipes are deceivingly high in sugar even if the recipe uses honey or maple syrup. Feel free to add some to this recipe, but I think the dried fruits add a subtle natural sweetness. …
Friday, April 1, 2011
Try drying and using up extra fresh herbs.
You’ve grown them or bought them, now what to do with them? Many of us encounter the familiar scene when opening the refrigerator to find sad little bunches of wilted brown herbs. We had such good intentions… Even buying herbs in small packages leaves us with leftovers that never get used. Here are a few ideas for using up your extra fresh herbs, whether you buy them or grow them. When I lived in New Zealand, I had the luxury of snipping fresh herbs from my yard daily. Giant rosemary bushes lined my front porch, mint everywhere, Thai basil, even olive trees. I only needed to cut what I was going to use, didn’t waste any, and didn’t even think about it. Since I’ve been back home I’ve had spotty luck trying to grow certain herbs and …
Friday, March 18, 2011
Check out this recipe from the Taste of MetroWest - Sodium Free.
The first annual Taste of MetroWest event on Tuesday, March 15 was a huge success in several ways. As expected, the food did not disappoint with almost 50 local vendors and 1,000 attendees. The significant point of an event this size was the effort of the MetroWest Chamber members to make it green. All vendors were provided with compostable utensils and serving supplies. As promised, we are posting this recipe Online (rather than printing it for the event) in an effort to reduce paper usage and continue to support the Chamber’s efforts. Copy, save or print this recipe. Make this vibrant and light salad to enjoy throughout the week for lunch, a snack or as a healthy side dish. It will keep refrigerated easily for 5 days. Add any …
Trish Wesley Umbrell
1:25 pm on Monday, August 8, 2011
The spicy greens used in this week's recipe were proudly raised from seed and harvested by Natick Community Organic Farm's Growing Farmers (ages 8-10). They thank you for support of their efforts! more ›