Fish, food rules & pregnancy
Last week, I had the pleasure of hanging out at this super innovative fish farm and research facility for a half-day. Well, it would have been more of a pleasure had it not smelled like fish… and had I not been four months pregnant. But I’ve gotten really good at not breathing through my nose these days, so … Continue reading
Olympic Pot Roast — because this winter may never end
The winter Olympics are in full swing, which means there is no time to cook. No point in trying, really. We’ve got the whole shebang — figure skating, cross-country skiing (my new favorite), snowboarding, you name it — filling up our DVR, waiting for us every night. Although I can fast forward through commercials, I tend … Continue reading
Green-ish smoothies & powerhouse turmeric
I’ve been doing a lot of blending lately. It’s the time of year to take healthy things and make them palatable enough that maybe, just maybe, you’ll keep eating them past January 31st. And if the breakfast smoothie weren’t the best idea ever invented in that category, then I don’t know what is (wait, are … Continue reading
Kombucha Culture: the how & why of fermented tea
We’ve taken the leap… We brewed tea. But not just any tea. Tea that has since been sitting in a 2-gallon jar with a SCOBY, fermenting into a glorious beverage called kombucha. While I’ve known about kombucha for a while and relied on its probiotic benefits after returning from overseas trips, the drink was new … Continue reading
Too many vegetables, too little time
You know, working from home as a food, etc. journalist can be a conflict of interest. In theory, I have the flexibility to take my time mid-morning at the Wednesday farmers market, perusing, chatting, “researching,” if you will. I have conducted interviews for stories while getting my groceries, but I’ve also gotten carried away and … Continue reading
Growing herbs: The Best Idea I’ve Had This Spring
It began with a little basil. Last spring, I planted some in a window box on the side of our house. The side that apparently got more bugs than sun. It had a good run, providing me plenty to sprinkle into my scrambled eggs, but not quite enough for the giant batch of pesto I … Continue reading
Spaghetti Squash Pasta & Eggplant Rolls: subbing veggies for simple carbs
We first discovered the gloriousness that is spaghetti squash in a CSA farm box a few years back. I cut it in half (which is no small feat), scooped out the seeds and roasted the halves face down with olive oil until they were soft (what I’d been instructed to do with any mysterious squash). … Continue reading
Going online to buy local produce? Exploring Relay Foods
When I first met with Caesar Layton for a story about Relay Foods, a Charlottesville-based online grocery store and farmers market that recently expanded into DC and Baltimore, I didn’t quite get the convenience factor. I mean, I am one of those people who drives to three or four different stores and markets each week. I … Continue reading
The fruit-n-veggie “cleanse” experiment
For three days, my Instagram feed, typically resplendent with photos of meat-centric entrees, turned very green. My husband and I — to help kick off his I-rolled-my-ankle-now-back-to-the-gym “diet” — decided to try just veggies and fruits for a few days. Originally, we thought we might last a week. We didn’t do a lot of research, … Continue reading
Ava’s deeply flavorful chili (with bacon & cinnamon to boot!)
This recipe comes to you all the way from Nashville, from a longtime family friend named Ava Parker whom we had the pleasure of staying with on our roadtrip to Kansas for the holidays. I remember Ava cooking a lot when her daughter Jenny and I were BFFs in grade school, but it was fun to connect with … Continue reading
