Coconut oil can substitute for butter in some recipes  There are two schools when it comes to coconut oil: the lovers and the haters. As I continue to sift through information, I fall somewhere in the middle. The pros of coconut oil are that it’s...

 Puree makes eating veggies a snap It can be so tempting to skip vegetables at lunch. Maybe you have healthy pasta dinner leftovers, but no vegetables to serve on the side. That batch of chicken breasts that you grilled to last all week is protein-packed,...

 You can’t beat beet salad Beets are one of those love or “no, thank you” vegetables. If you’ve only experienced canned beets, freshly roasted beets will expose your taste buds to a whole new texture and natural, concentrated sweetness. And oh, the colors. Beets can...

Steam up veggies, fresh halibut in parchment paper   There are very few proteins that I simply bake without first searing or browning. You will usually end up with a lackluster lump of pale meat if you skip this step. Fish prepared en papillote (in paper–parchment),...

 Tangy coleslaw rules I’m not a picky eater in any sense whatsoever. I’m proud to say that I enjoy eating most foods. There are very few that I dislike purely from a taste standpoint and only one that I despise. In fact, it is so...

 Quinoa, spices pat into a tasty vegetarian burger Breaking news: My husband agreed to eat one vegetarian meal per week. Upon hearing his statement, I had to act quickly. But why cook quinoa in plain water when you can cook it in delicious vegetable broth?...

If you’re like me, you love a good deep fry. I was born and raised in Wisconsin, after all, where I was no stranger to Friday fish fries and deep-fried cheese curds. I’ve enjoyed the deep-fried onion blooms found on restaurant menus across the...

I’m not over exaggerating when I say that my husband and I eat hummus every. Single. Day. Usually I purchase commercially made varieties, but it just dawned on me while writing this that if I make my own batch of hummus weekly, none will...

 Start the day the healthy way with breakfast casserole When it comes to breakfast, I rely on a multitude of mix-and-match quick-fix basics, including hard-boiled eggs, fruit, oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, toast, frozen waffles, or perhaps even one of my make-ahead breakfast cookies. But for holidays,...

Simply delicious: baby broccoli is terrific roasted Though a quick steam in the microwave serves a purpose when it comes to my weeknight vegetable routine, sometimes I’m looking for a side dish with a bit more excitement. Vegetables take on unexpected flavors and textures when...