recipe ideas

A few months ago, I happened across a 2017 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report stating that only one in 10 adults meets the federal guidelines of one-and-a-half to two cups of fruit and two to three cups of vegetables per day. Considering how I typically eat, that didn’t come as a shock to me. I decided to start eating more fruits and vegetables. My goal was specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based (SMART): to appreciably up the number of “green” foods I consume daily. Read more about Buddha Bowls Offer Easier Way to Pack Mealtime Nutrition

Were you hot or cold? Did you have coveted snacks to share, or did you spend time at the table longingly looking at other kids’ goodies? Did you sport the latest lunch box, or were you a brown bagger? Sit alone or with your crew? Face it; school lunch could serve up a whole lot more than rectangle-shaped pizza slices, late-in-the-week hotdishes made from early-in-the-week entrée leftovers or trade-worthy goodies from home. Read more about It’s Lunch

I get excited this time of year, when Brussels sprouts are in season (through mid-February) because it gives me a reason to make one of my all-time favorite and most party-perfect side dishes. Napa Valley Brussels Sprouts is my interpretation of a dish I first tasted at Michael Chiarello’s restaurant, Bottega, in Yountville, Calif., almost 10 years ago. Read more about Dress your Brussel Sprouts in Velvety Goodness

Why does pasta get so much of the culinary glory? Granted, it transforms dishes, comes in shapes galore and has “comfort food” written all over it. As we’re in the midst of high cooking season (for holiday entertaining purposes, a dose of hygge or otherwise), let’s take a closer look at grains—including some emerging trend-makers and recipes to keep you ahead of the grain game.  Read more about Grain Elevators

Somewhere, someone in your family or friend circle (or maybe it’s you!) is planning this year’s Thanksgiving meal. This annual celebratory feast serves as an expression of gratitude and helps us connect or reconnect with loved ones around a bountiful table of nostalgia-inducing dishes—the center of which is typically turkey. Read more about Let’s Talk Turkey

For many of us, some form of cereal is a staple in the morning meal rotation. Boxed cold cereals and precooked grains are convenient and can be particularly nutritious when done just right.  The darling of the Internet, overnight oats, makes oatmeal easier than ever. It’s a simple, versatile and healthful recipe that’s portable, too. Read more about Don’t skip a good, healthy breakfast.

Excelsior aspiring chef Spencer Olson may only be 18 years old, but he’s already packed in three years of culinary training.

“The first job I was able to get was a senior living place,” Olson says, where he received plenty of work experience. While there may be some stigma around the menu options at some senior living communities, Olson says there are many instances where well-trained, professional chefs spend their days working at such locations, as they provide job security and stable hours. Read more about The Flying Chef

The North Star State, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, the Gopher State, the Bread-and-Butter State—though Minnesota has numerous trademarks, its culinary scene is also unlike any other.

We’re no strangers to comfort foods (I’m talking about you, tater tot hotdish!) and easy-to-make meals, but Minnesota also offers unexpected discoveries, such as Indigenous and Asian foods and crave-worthy dishes. Read more about Minnesota Menu

With a mere 150 square feet, I only grow what I know I’ll eat and only the easy stuff—tomatoes, peas, zucchini, herbs and lots of lettuces, for the most part. I humbly admit I am a below-average, somewhat lazy gardener. By September, I am truly sick of weeding and harvesting, yet somehow, each April, I’m eager to dig in again. Read more about Garden Goodies

If there is one thing social media has shown us, it’s that food is a very visual medium. Unlike other types of art, however, food plays to all of the senses—sound, texture, aroma and, most uniquely, flavor. Read more about Whitefish Tacos with Chipotle Lime Crema