It’s February and the winter is just about getting tedious. While waiting anxiously for signs of spring, sometimes you just want a really simple tomato soup and toast for dinner! Here’s a lovely low-sodium, vegan, gluten-free, creamy tomato soup that is actually healthy for you and uses no cream! Make a large batch and freeze …
Month: February 2021
Nutmeg
What Is It? Nutmeg (known as Jaiphal in India) is a spice that is made from the seed of the tropical evergreen tree, Myristica fragrans. Native to Indonesia and the West Indies, this popular spice has a distinctive pungent aroma. It is used to warm savory dishes like curries and stews as well as in …
Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs
Many years ago, I had to make this amazing red wine-braised short ribs recipe from Bon Appetit for our gourmet group. I remember that it took all day but the result was amazing! So this year, I tried it for the second time, for a special family dinner. Only now, I was tweaking it to …
Basil
What Is It? Basil is a lovely, vibrant green, quintessential summer herb that is usually used as a flavor enhancer especially in Italian and Southeast Asian cuisines. There are many varieties of basil from the common sweet basil to Thai basil and holy basil. There are also new varieties that I try to grow in …
Sage
What Is It? Sage is a common herb, that is part of the mint family. It is full of nutrients and medicinal properties and has a strong, earthy flavor profile. Mediterranean dishes often use sage as a key herb to provide culinary depth to vegetable and meat dishes. In addition, sage burning or smudging, is …
Saffron
What Is It? Saffron is a fragrant spice that imparts a beautiful golden color to food and is one of the most expensive spices in the world. Saffron threads are actually the dried red stigmas of the crocus flower. The reason saffron costs so much is simply because there is a very small window to …
Ginger
What Is It? Ginger root or ginger as it is commonly called, is the underground stem of the ginger plant. It is closely related to turmeric, galangal and cardamom(huh?!). This article covers some of the medicinal properties and culinary uses of ginger. We are able to find ginger in many different forms – fresh, dried, …
Red Hot Chili Peppers
What Is It? Chili peppers are the fruit of the Capsicum plant, related to bell peppers and funnily enough, tomatoes! There are many varieties with a range of heat levels, such as the more common Serrano and Jalapeño peppers. Primarily used worldwide to spice up foods, they can be used fresh, dried, powdered etc. Where …
Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Here’s a fresh take on the original Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps recipe. This super-quick, low-sodium, gluten-free, and healthy recipe is vibrant, flavorful, and full of healthy herbs! Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping to make it low-sodium friendly. Ingredients 1 lb ground turkey (or chicken or plant based protein) 2 colorful bell peppers, seeded and chopped …
Cinnamon
What Is It? Cinnamon is a spice that is essentially the dried or powdered inner bark of the cinnamon tree. As the bark dries, it curls up into the familiar rolled up cinnamon sticks called quills. There are two main types of cinnamon: Ceylon (or true cinnamon) and Cassia cinnamon (more commonly found in stores). …