It’s been nearly a decade since I last ate canned tuna (and that was once … the time before that? About five years prior). I don’t eat it. I don’t like it. Usually the smell grosses me out, and honestly I would rather have fresh. But when I recently told you about the Salmon Cakes that my kids and I adore, I discovered that canned fish does have its (awesome) uses. In well-seasoned patties, it’s great.

Ever since those Salmon Cakes, I have been considering being a little more open-minded about seafood in cans. It’s inexpensive, it’s accessible and if I can create something that the kids and I like? Then that’s another serving of fish for us each week. Gotta love those Omega-3s.

So, these Tuna Cakes? Well, I wouldn’t be telling you about them if I didn’t love them. They have a strong rosemary flavor, with a wonderful meaty texture. I ate mine on a slice of French bread (open-face sandwich style). Delish! They would also be great served on a bed of salad greens.

As for my kids? They both ate every last bite without complaint.

Just try ‘em. Read the rest of this entry…

Last night, I was watching television and the news came on. Typically, I avoid watching the news because I hate being force-fed all the murder and mayhem that goes on. And while I do not at all believe in ignoring reality, I choose to focus on things that are pertinent to my family: politics, health, money, etc. I know very well that bad things happen all the time, but I can’t let that clutter my mind. After years of writing those stories, I just can’t.

So, usually I change the channel when the news comes on. But last night, I heard the announcer say that coming up was a story on a new study that links asthma and a high-fat diet. I didn’t change the channel. That I had to watch. I’ve had asthma since I was a very young child, and it’s been particularly bad for the past five years.

Turns out that a new study from researchers at the University of Newcastle in Australia looked how eating high-fat meals (a burger and hashbrowns) impacted asthma and the effectiveness of albuterol, the rescue inhaler that many asthmatics use. Not only did symptoms worsen after the high fat meal (which was compared to responses after eating a lower fat meal), but the medication’s effectiveness was lessened.

I woke Shawn up when I heard that, astonished that a study had proven something that I had wondered about for awhile. Last year, I stopped cooking and eating pancetta because it consistently gave me bad asthma attacks. We talked about the implications of the study and whether it should change how we eat.

The answer? A clear, resounding yes. I have a high-fat diet, and have had one for years — ever since I was pregnant with Will. I don’t shy away from butter or oil, although I do attempt to use both in moderation, and I adore a good steak. In trying to eat more naturally, I have eaten more fat as a result. A lot more. But if a simple change in my diet can make my asthma symptoms just a little better, than that is totally worth it.

I won’t be going back to low-fat processed foods, like the ones I ate for years and years. But I will make smarter, healthier food choices. More chicken, more turkey, more fish … We’ll have to make smarter choices about the cuts of beef we eat on a regular basis, and even the fat content of the meats. Maybe I will have to eat more spinach (which admittedly, I am not that fond of) for iron … I don’t know. It’s going to be a challenge to find a new way of eating that bridges my desire for a local, natural diet and my need for a low-fat one.

Whether it improves my asthma or just helps me lose weight, I can see only positives coming from this. This was just the catalyst I needed to really commit to changing how I eat.

Now, this is where I would normally come up with some transition between the story and the recipe but there is no natural transition … so instead, I just give you a delicious, homemade hummus recipe. It’s rich and creamy with a tinge of sweetness from the caramelized shallots. Easy as pie … and it falls in line with my need for a lower-fat diet.

Does this study change anything for you? Share! Read the rest of this entry…

With the mixer already swirling together butter, sugars and vanilla beans yesterday, all I could think was how much I hate that famous quote about necessity being the mother of all invention. It was playing on repeat in my head since mid-baking, I discovered that we were out of all-purpose flour.

So, I abandoned the recipe I was making and made Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with a good amount of vanilla beans. My departure ended up creating these wonderful, chewy, chocolatey cookies … oh, they are divine. Buttery flavors, a fabulous texture and all that chocolate … YUM!

Something else good that came from making these? Will got to try something new … he broke the eggs for the dough. A few weeks ago, his school had a lovely Mother’s Day tea and one of the other moms mentioned that she loves to bake and her son often bakes with her. In talking about it, she told me that he loves breaking eggs, which is something that I have shied away from letting Will do before.

With a little help though, I discovered that Will is ready for this task … and better yet? It’s the most effective egg breaking I’ve done in a long time. Recently, I’ve had a problem getting a good clean break when cracking eggs. But this time? Clean and perfect. Guess I have a new egg breaker!

He also added the dry ingredients to the mixer, something he’s an old pro at.

I love cooking with Will. He loves to understand all the hows and whys of what we do. And while his never ending questions are really never ending, they are also such great questions. Why are you adding baking powder? What does it do? Why do you use so much flour? And even when he doesn’t help me make something, Will always wants to know how foods are made. He asks me about what ingredients I used, what steps I took … it’s awesome.

Are your kids interested in cooking? How do you encourage their interest?

Read the rest of this entry…

It’s hard to believe that I have been on this spending diet for nine weeks now. My goodness. I have come a long way from that first week when I ran out of all sorts of important items, and spent like crazy.

In the past nine weeks:

• I cut my spending in half.
• I’ve wasted way less food.
• I’ve planned most of our meals, and usually follow that plan.
• I’ve put a lot of money into my saving account.
• I’ve bought way less unnecessary stuff.

So, what about this past week specifically? It was a mixed bag.

What Happened: I planned all our dinners and shopped for food on Saturday. However, my plan – which was more rudimentary than usual – left too much openness and I didn’t follow it closely. In fact, I changed up most of the meals. Some were minor changes, but others were major. It’s clear that my meal plan needs to be recipe-based, not just idea (“pork tenderloin and potatoes!”) based. Read the rest of this entry…

Tonight I was dying for some dessert, but I didn’t want to pack the kids up and take them out for it. In fact, I just wanted something easy, fast and chocolately. This freeform pie totally fit the bill.

The flaky crust holds a soft, sweet chocolate and walnut filling that crumbles ever-so-slightly when you take forkfuls. It’s fabulous. Eat it warm with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Or let it cool to room temperature and eat a slice with your hands. Either way, it totally satisfies the craving.

And as for this post? I figured I would keep it short and sweet too … Until tomorrow!

Read the rest of this entry…

So I made an awesome dish on Saturday, knowing full well that I was going to write about it this week. I plated it in a white bowl, mounding it just so. I even carefully placed bits of bacon in strategic spots. My camera was there at the ready …

Apparently, I never actually photographed the finished product. Um. Yea.

So, my prep photos will have to do, since I really want to tell you about this delicious Braised Cabbage from Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals. This is the second recipe I have made from the book. Last week I made a pasta from Jamie’s Food Revolution that was really tasty.

For this one, bacon is chopped and cooked to crispy in a saucepan. Then shredded cabbage is tossed into the pan and mixed up. Add some liquid, cover and braise … then devour.

OMG did I devour this. Will wasn’t as much of a fan and Paige wasn’t interested. But me? I couldn’t get enough. It was a fabulous mix of salty bacon and sweet bits of cabbage.

This time, I didn’t follow the recipe exactly — I made a few changes. I traded bouillon for chicken stock and halved the Worcestershire sauce (I ran out). I also cut out the olive oil in this, since I just didn’t think it was necessary — and the dish was perfect without it. I wouldn’t make it any other way.

Like last time, I found the directions in the book a little hard to follow. In this case, there is no separate list of ingredients followed by numbered steps. Instead, it’s presented as one paragraph — something that I find off-putting. However, this is a great recipe with an amazing flavor.

So, the book? I like it. Next week, I am going to write about other recipe too, so be sure to check back. Read the rest of this entry…

Meet ramps …

In the bowl pictured above are some chopped ramps, a wild onion that grows in the Eastern part of the United States and Canada. Also known as a wild leek, it has a bold flavor with notes of onion and garlic. And until this past weekend, I had never had one, despite hearing raves about them. At right, you can see what they look like in their natural form.

Basically, you remove the root part and use the rest of them. Stems, leaves … it all works.

Are you familiar with ramps?

I’ve known about them for a few years, but have never been able to procure any. However recently when my Garlic Scape Carbonara recipe was featured on Saveur, I received a kind note from a new reader asking if ramps could be used in the recipe. I told him that it was possible — though I’ve never actually had ramps. He offered to send me some, and I excitedly agreed. Last week, they arrived.

Now, it’s one thing to read about the garlic-onion taste of ramps and a whole other to experience it. I sauteed a few up to get a feel for their taste and fell in love. Head over heels love. Then I whipped up a Ramp Pesto … oh my.

That night, the kids and I feasted on more sauteed ramps, Tortellini with Ramp Pesto and a Jamie Oliver recipe for braised cabbage (more on that tomorrow!). It was a delicious, decadent night. Will wasn’t a fan of the cabbage, but couldn’t get enough of the ramps — particularly the pesto.

Do you have a favorite ramp recipe? Share! I have a few more to play with and am trying to decide what to do with them.

A special thank you to reader Mark! And thank you to the Colrain, Massachusetts, farm where these were harvested. We LOVE them. Read the rest of this entry…

If I had a dime for every time that someone in my house requested pasta, I would be a very rich woman. Heck, I would be a woman on a whirlwind trip to Europe … for the rest of the year.

Growing up, pasta salad was one of my very favorite summer dishes. I could eat it and eat it and eat it … but as an adult, I just haven’t made it as often. As a result, my kids haven’t had it too much either … but after tonight, that has to change. I knew they would love the artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and olives in this. But when Will dove in for seconds, it was clear that this was a slam dunk

Pasta salad travels well — so it’s perfect for picnics, barbecues, school lunch, dinners, whatever.

This particular version brings in elements of Antipasti – artichoke hearts (marinated are best!), roasted red peppers, olives. You can also toss in some cubed fresh mozzarella and/or cubed salami, but it’s up to you. Choose an Italian dressing with balsamic vinegar that you love — the flavor of the dressing is an important influencer here. I used one from Trader Joe’s that I adore.

And this is also a fab recipe to make with kids. Simple, tasty, kid-friendly. Perfect!

Looking for more fun pasta salad ideas? Check out my latest post on Tablespoon, Fresh Takes on Pasta Salads. Read the rest of this entry…

This week I picked up again and cut that spending down … Here’s the story:

What Happened: I planned and did all our shopping on Saturday, so that went brilliantly. We had everything we needed for the week. Was it perfect? Nah. It never is.

Breakfast needs to factor more into my planning, since I don’t often buy enough food for that. We had plenty of eggs, but I also like fast, easy breakfasts — and we didn’t have enough food for that.

Also, I ended up deviating from the meal plan slightly … It helps when it’s posted on my fridge, which I failed to do this week. That’s going to have to be a must going forward.

Read the rest of this entry…

Yesterday was the first time in months that I haven’t posted on my usually Monday through Friday schedule. Sure, I could have posted a Wordless Wednesday photo or pointed out a recent article. But my words and ideas just wouldn’t come. I was spent, and needed a day off. I hope you understand.

Now, let’s get to the food, shall we?

Last week when I was doing our meal plan, I decided it was high time to try cooking orzo. My kids love pasta, and I love trying new things. So yes, orzo is a pasta — a tiny rice-shaped pasta that cooks up in about eight minutes. Easy peasy. This week, we have eaten it like pasta (which was just ok) and also in this fab salad.

I love the way the crunchy sugar snap peas and sweet carrots taste when combined with the sesame flavor. Serve it chilled … it’s best that way.

What new food have you tried making lately? Read the rest of this entry…