How to Make Polenta–Simply

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Occasionally, my mom will call me up to check in on me. Since she is grazing those years between hot Asian lady and grandma, more and more often, she calls to ask me if I’ve eaten. Mostly, she is happy that I cook and feed myself. She is also always astonished to hear about what I’m cooking and wants me to spell out letter by letter anything that is not a Chinese dish we had growing up. So this recipe, P-O-L-E-N-T-A is dedicated to you, mom.

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Polenta can be shaped to be the vehicle for other food.

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Buckwheat pancakes–vegan, gluten-free, (and gasp!) no sugar added

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Morning delight with all the accoutrements

There is one half of all breakfast foods that accompany coffee or tea superbly. They are by and far most appealing to the sweet tooth. But who says you have to forego all the pleasures of breakfast foods when you give up sugar? Not me! If you are following a vegan, gluten-free, or sugar-free diet, this recipe will keep your taste buds happy. And if you’re following a plain old healthy natural diet, this recipe won’t disappoint either, even if you can’t believe there’s no wheat in it! Continue reading →

Dried Lily: Ingredient Profile of an Edible Flower

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Dried Lily Bulbs

There are many strange things at the Asian grocers, things that people don’t recognize. Whole aisles consist of bags of dried…stuff. You wander the aisle asking “Is that a bug?” “Is that an animal product?” “Are those eyes?” “What is that?!” There’s no need to be scared or intimidated. These things, my friends, are food. With a little water, they become somewhat recognizable and are essential ingredients in making a dish taste a particular way that you cannot make it taste otherwise. Continue reading →

Blanched Kale, Apple, and Avocado Salad

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Braised Kale and apple salad, the star of the meal

Braised Kale and apple salad, the star of the meal

One dilemma of winter is how to eat fresh vegetables without eating cold raw food. For many people, it cuts out the main source of vegetables in their diet, salads. Well, my friends, salads don’t have to be raw. In fact, braising vegetables can help increase your ability to absorb the nutrients packed in leafy greens. So can adding oil and vinegar (salad dressing) since some nutrients are only extracted in acidic environments such as hard minerals like iron, calcium and magnesium, and others need fat to carry them into the bloodstream such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. So a room temperature, ever so slightly predigested (cooked) salad can be a perfect nutritious addition to a meal. Continue reading →

Coconut Date Panna Cotta

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Coconut Date Panna Cotta

This is my first sugar free adventure this week. Who can resist creamy panna cotta? Or anything cutely heart-shaped, for that matter? This dessert is super easy to make, only taking about 15 minutes active time. And it’s a perfect little Valentine’s Day treat. This sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free thing is gonna be a cinch. Continue reading →

Modified Elimination Diet Here We Go!–Ways to let go of that sweet tooth

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Say goodbye tiramisu

Say goodbye tiramisu

After years of badgering him, this week my partner woke up and said, “Alright, I’m ready to eliminate gluten, dairy, and sugar. Let’s start Wednesday.” My inner righteous self exclaimed, “About dang time!” But my taste buds and sugar-addicted mind yelled, “No!!! Don’t take this away from me!” Continue reading →

Gluten-Free Bean Stuffing

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Bean stuffing with chicken, rice, and asparagus

We recently bought an antibiotic-free, hormone-free whole chicken on sale. It’s such a treat to bake an entire chicken in the dutch oven that I couldn’t resist. The best part of roast fowl is the stuffing, which I normally don’t get to eat, but I’m making it, so I’m eating it! So why not make it gluten-free too? This recipe is so easy and delicious, you won’t even realize there’s a mainstream simple carb alternative.  Continue reading →

Bacon Squash Succotash–Refrigerator Wars Battle 1

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Bacon Squash Succotash

This dish is the result of what I call the first battle of the refrigerator wars. Reminiscent of looking into a full closet without the faintest idea of what to wear, the refrigerator wars is the kitchen analogy. Why do I have so much food in the pantry and the refrigerator, but I have nothing to eat? The solution to this problem, which everyone faces, can be answered in a variety of ways. The easy solution is to go out to eat or make convenience food out of a box or a can. The overachiever will solve this issue by going to the store and buying all the ingredients for a recipe that is appealing during this desperate hour. The defeated solution is to not appeal to the appetite, and munch on whatever you can–a nut, a tortilla chip with ketchup, dry ramen, whatever. But the winner will conjure up a dish that is healthy and easy, yet appetizing and flavorful. Continue reading →

Ginger Roasted Squash Apple Soup

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Ginger Roasted Squash Apple Soup (with Anise star as garnish)

Though the Harvest season is well over and done, there is no way I could get through this cold blistery weather without this soup recipe at least once a month.  With so many winter spices, it warms the tummy and the soul.  Here I used the delicious Kabocha squash (which I recently found out is also called the “buttercup squash”) and apples that are still fresh, but other than 1 or 2 bruises, you don’t want to eat any longer.  Continue reading →