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
Category Archives: Lemons
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Carrot-Zucchini Soup
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: Lentils & Collards Soup
I’ve posted this recipe in these pages once before, but it’s so unusual and delicious that it’s definitely worth repeating. Plus I have a lot of collards in the fridge at the moment. I love how the aromatics supplied by the cumin and cinnamon and lemon in this soup yield a result whose flavors are so different from the spice combinations I normally tend to reach for. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Vegan Cassoulet
Last week we were expecting a whole crowd of people to gather for dinner on Friday night. My husband had been away all week, and we were all looking forward to enjoying good food, good company, and a glass of good wine.
I was looking for a main course that would serve as a dramatic centerpiece for our meal, a symbol of sorts, and so I decided to try making a vegan version of a cassoulet. Traditionally, the cassoulet, a staple of French cuisine, is made with meats and poultry like mutton, pork, sausage, and duck confit, and different regions of France are known for their own distinctive versions. But I had my heart set on making a new kind of cassoulet that, while plant-based, was still intensely flavorful. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Lemon-Chickpea Soup
I found this recipe recently, and decided to make it for dear friends who were coming to dinner to celebrate the completion of our new kitchen. And was I happy I did! I had no idea how fabulous this soup would turn out to be. So much more than the sum of its humble parts. Yes it looked good on paper, but you never know, do you? Lucky us.
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Spaghetti Squash Marinara
The squash has been coming in gorgeous and heavy this year! We’ve been making our way through dozens of delicata, acorn, and spaghetti squash. No Hubbards or butternut yet, but they’re coming! As far as I am concerned, there is always room for more. I especially love how they can sit on the counter for weeks and weeks without any negative consequences. So if we happen to have more than we can use at the moment, it’s no problem — just wait a little while! They will still be fine. Continue reading
Making Special Meals Even More So (plus a recipe)
The other day my son-in-law and I were talking about my upcoming plans to pass along some of our dishes (the ones we use for meat meals), and instead start using my mother’s beautiful china. Those dishes, which lived happily and visibly in my parents’ house for sixty-plus years, have not been used at all for the past 10 or 15 years, and it seems a waste for us not to be using them now. So it will be out with the new, and in with the old. And also, since we don’t eat meat very much anymore, chicken and turkey not more than once or twice a month, and beef no more than once or twice a year, I had the idea to move the meat dishes out of the kitchen itself, and into a little pantry off the kitchen. That way, they will be nearby when we need them, but the rest of the time we will be able to fill the kitchen cabinets with items we use a lot more often. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Beet Hummus
The thing I love most about this recipe is the color. Remember the magenta crayon in the big Crayola box? That’s it. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Green Herb Sauce
Here’s something you can make that will elevate absolutely everything from just good enough to supremely good enough. Spoon it onto your eggs (whether fried, scrambled, poached, or boiled), spread it around on toast, or drizzle some on your salad, pasta, cheese, tofu, chicken or salmon. Or you can eat it straight from the spoon. Basically, anything goes, and it will stay fresh in your refrigerator for a few days at least. If you don’t feel like grating a lemon, don’t worry about it. If you have a different kind of hot pepper, fine. It will still be delicious. I’m trying to keep this easy. Continue reading
YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Watermelon Sunshine Drink
My kids have all grown up to be great cooks. Adventurous, inspired by simple ingredients, and willing to try unusual combinations of ingredients at least once. Here’s a little something my youngest (now grown and married) invented on the spot last Friday afternoon, inspired by some slightly mushy watermelon in the fridge.
By the way, if you’ve noticed that things seem a little different around here, it’s not your imagination. Comfort food (of all kinds) wins. The main goal of each day is to get to the next. Deep breath. You’re gonna like this one. Continue reading