Are you afraid of beets? First of all they’re bright red, and the color seems to bleed all over the place! Then there is a fear that their color and flavor will intimidate other dishes. There’s no reason to fear. You can learn to love the color, and taste, of beets. Many beet recipes call […]
8 Great Ways to Cook Fennel
I was bringing my daughter home from the library when I noticed a bag of fennel bulbs on a low wall near the school. They had been out in the rain all day, so I decided to salvage them. When my fourth-grader visited the community farm with his school, he brought samples home every week. […]
How to Cook Bulgur: Fast Food in a Whole Grain
Bulgur wheat is one of my favorite grains. I consider it one of nature’s “fast foods.” Also known as cracked wheat, bulgur is made from steaming or parboiling whole kernels of grain, then grinding them into various sizes. Because it’s pre-cooked, it needs little additional cooking. Some recipes, like traditional tabbouleh salad, only require soaking. […]
Going Brown: The Challenge of Eating More Whole Grains
We are always being told to eat more whole grains. But what does that mean, and more important, how can we do it with our already busy schedules? There are two main health reasons for switching to whole grains: They contain more fiber, and have a lower glycemic load. Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that […]
Video: Opening a Ripe Avocado
In this video, I try to guess how ripe the avocados will be, in preparation for making avocado salad (also on the channel). Filmed by Yosefa. Risa, looking forward to your critique! Here I posted photos of avocados at different stages.
Video Debut: How to Cut a Pomegranate
In this video I show you how to open a pomegranate with a minimum of fuss and mess.
Is Soaking Beans Necessary?
The short answer is no. But here are two main reason for soaking dried beans and legumes before cooking. Flatulence. Some types of beans, especially lima, navy, and soy, contain complex sugars that are difficult to digest. To remove these, cover with water plus another inch or two. Heat to boiling, boil for one minutes, […]
Cook Kidney Beans Safely
In the comments section of the Vegetarian Potato Stew, commenter Mrs Belogski asks: “Aren’t you supposed to boil kidney beans rapidly for a few minutes to destroy a particular toxin which they contain?”
Mrs Belogski then found this explanation of toxins in kidney beans:
From http://www.vegsoc.org/info/pulses.html
Red kidney beans: Incidents of food poisoning have been reported associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked red kidney beans
Why Spoiled Milk is Not the Same as Soured Milk
In which we learn a recipe from my father (!) and why you can’t use spoiled milk in recipes calling for soured milk.