Healthy and Delicious Cooking

Beans, whether they are baked, braised with meats, tossed into sauteed greens, or mixed with grains and vegetables, provide a satisfying meal for people all over the world. The classic combination of chickpeas and greens is found throughout the Mediterranean and South Asian cuisines. Small amounts of meats, combined with vegetables and beans give us stews from the Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and let us not forget good old Baked Beans from the American North East. These dishes have nourished and sustained families for generations. A bang load of nutrition and economic considerations may be the reason but sublime, gastronomic satisfaction and over all deliciousness has kept beans bubbling on our stoves. Cassoulet is the classic French casserole, choke full of white beans, duck, sausages, and pork, all smothered and baked up with duck fat, known as confit. It can take up to 3 days, and, yes, the end result is quite amazing. However, a few short cuts, and substitutes can ma...

Delicious, yes. Healthy, questionable. You get a lot of calcium and a lot of fat. Here is my theory. It is OK to indulge every once in a while, if you do the whole grain, lean meats, veggies and fruits, most of the time. I didn't grow up on "American Food", but mac and cheese was comfort food for our family of cheese lovers. Later on in my life, my Dad introduced us to the wonderful Edna Lewis, the doyenne of Southern Cookery. I loved it all, the Smothered Chicken, Collard Greens, Fried Cat Fish, She Crab Soup, and I can go on and on. So when my friend, Rudy, asked to be taught how to make Macaroni and Cheese , I turned to Edna Lewis' "The Gift of Southern Cooking". Miss Lewis' is not the usual bechamel based recipe. It is less of a pasta dish, and more of a cheesy custard. And if you follow her serving size, it is a side dish, and not a main dish. In my home it is the Main Attraction, the Leading Lady, and Center Stage. It serves 4, instead of 8-10, a...

OK. So I've gotten stuck on the Mexican Trail, and frankly I am enjoying  the journey. I blame Saveur Magazines" August/September 2012 issue. I was ready to pack my bags, but I headed into the kitchen instead. I had chicken breast leftovers, from roasting a chicken. I tossed it with sauted spinach, wrapped it in corn tortillas, and laced them with a chili-tomato sauce. Yum!                                                                      For you vegans, skip the cheese, (which is minimal)  and for my vegetarians, skip the chicken. Both variation are scrumptious and simple. Enjoy! Tip : make extra salsa to drizzle on meats or eggs,...