Category Archives: Aromatics

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Chicken with Split-Pea Gravy

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This recipe inspires an entirely new approach to gravy. It’s extremely flavorful, the texture is spot-on perfect, and it is impossible to mess up. You should consider it when cooking for company, Friday nights or Sunday dinners, Thanksgiving and other holidays, or any time you want something rich, flavorful, creamy, and cozy, with leftovers guaranteed to keep you satisfied. When my children were elementary school age, it was one of their favorite dinners.

8 chicken drumsticks
1 1/2 cups yellow split peas
3 stalks celery, rinsed and trimmed
4 green onions, sliced
1 quart water
2 large potatoes, each washed well and cut into 4-5 thick slices
2 cloves garlic, peeled

  1. Place split peas, water, garlic, celery, and onion in a large pot.
  2. Cook at least 1 hour, until peas are soft. Blend well with immersion blender until smooth.
  3. Pour into a dutch oven, and stir in the potatoes.
  4. Carefully layer the drumsticks on top, cover, and cook at 325F for 2 hours. Leave uncovered the last 15-20 minutes to allow the potatoes and chicken to brown a bit.
  5. Serve 1-2 drumsticks with 1-2 slices of potato per plate, along with generous amounts of “gravy” on top.
  6. Refrigerate leftovers, and feel free to add 1-2 cups water to turn it into soup the next day if you’d like. Serves 4-6.

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Spicy Stuffed Peppers

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You may have noticed that I am working on providing you with a few recipes that warm you up through these winter months. I love heat, so this is a perfect recipe for me. But if your tastes tend more toward the gentle landing, I recommend skipping the jalapeño and reducing the red pepper flakes to 1/2 teaspoon. Or you can just forget both of them altogether. That’s because the chili powder will still provide some spicy excitement. For me though, I’m all in, which means that if my batch of jalapeños isn’t particularly hot, then I’ll happily add an extra one. So if you’re game, I’m going to recommend that you try letting this gorgeous fireworks of color land on your tongue all at once, because if you can tolerate the concert, your tastebuds will sing! Continue reading →

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Anya’s Salmon Soup

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I published this recipe once many years ago, and haven’t made it in a long time. But Anya’s salmon soup is the perfect choice for this time of year, and I have all the ingredients I need to make some this week! It’s a beautiful color, exactly right for adding some brightness to your life as you start settling into the deepest part of winter. Also, the combination of ingredients is exactly right for bracing yourself for the coming Arctic temperatures. Continue reading →

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Red Crockpot Soup

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Through the years I have shared quite a number of crockpot recipes with you on this blog. The crockpot is one of my favorite pieces of kitchen equipment, and my family and I have a long history of looking forward to the recipes that come out of it. I even gave each of my children one as a going-away present when they left for college: a crockpot of their own, a simple recipe, a large package of dry beans, and a few small spice packets to allow them to fill their crockpot to feed themselves and friends whenever they chose.  Continue reading →

The Neighborhood, Its Trees, and a Recent Potluck (with Recipe)

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I live on a cul-de-sac with a special group of neighbors. I’ve heard it said that ours was the first residential street in the village; attempts to maintain its character have continued for 70 years. Many homes—though not ours—are identifiable by the local stone used to build their original facades. The Neighborhood Lane Association that was formed shortly after people began moving in continues to this day. We have seen members of the last generation grow up, and then return to raise a generation of their own.  Continue reading →

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Two Brand New Salads

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A couple of weeks ago we were making plans to a host dinner for a large group, and I got inspired to come up with a couple of new salads to add to our regular lineup. I sat down, started thinking, and before you knew it, I had come up with recipes for two brand new salads. And with a bonus — not only did they use up some of the contents of our pantry, they added only a few items to the shopping list!  Continue reading →

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Carrot-Zucchini Soup

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Here’s a lovely plant-based soup that I tossed together a couple of weeks ago. I made it in a little green Staub Cocotte that I’ve had for a very long time. It always seems like everything I make in that pot comes out so flavorful and delicious. Any soup pot will do of course, but it’s always nice when you have a favorite. Continue reading →

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Curried Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup

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If you are not familiar with the celebrity chef, Yotam Ottolenghi, now would be a good time to get acquainted.

Everything Yotam touches turns to gold. I am sure that his kitchen must have more than three dimensions. He mixes ingredients better than I mix metaphors.

If you don’t already have one of his cookbooks [Ottolenghi (2008), Plenty (2010), Jerusalem (2012)] in your home, prepare yourself. YO takes flavor to the next level. Look at this list of ingredients – I’ve used all of them, but never to such glorious effect. And it’s not just flavor. He takes texture to the next level, and color. You could make this and turn an ordinary dinner into a celebration, or share it with a deserving friend, or make a memorable contribution to a workplace potluck. This recipe falls into the category of “contributions from the heart.” You have to try it to believe it. Continue reading →

YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Autumn Recipes for Pumpkin and Onions

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If you are starting to think about Thanksgiving, I’d like to offer up these two recipes. I have posted these recipes once before, and made them many times in the past, though not recently to be honest. But they remain lifelong favorites. If you have been looking for a vegan main course, you may be interested to know that not only does the first recipe taste fabulous, but it also makes a very impressive presentation. The onions are just an unusual, beautiful and flavorful side dish. If you have time, I would recommend that you try to make the onions the day before you’re planning to eat them, because as good as they are, they taste even better the next day. And while these are great recipes for holidays and celebrations, you could also prepare them on the weekend, and then have them for dinner on a chilly Sunday evening. Something about this stuffed pumpkin recipe says love, love, love… Continue reading →