I first experienced the tender stems of white asparagus on a bike-barge tour from Amsterdam to Brussels in April of 2011. Like the gorgeous expanses of flowering tulip fields, white asparagus heralds the beginning of Spring and is revered as the ultimate Spring delicacy in Germany and The Netherlands where the traditional specialty of White […]
Appetizers
Firecracker Shrimp from Katie Chin’s Everyday Chinese Cookbook
Another delicious, informative, and fun day at Melissa’s Produce last week with the dynamic Katie Chin introducing her Everyday Chinese Cookbook and demonstrating how to make Firecracker Shrimp and Potstickers. Katie Chin’s Everyday Chinese Cookbook: 101 Delicious Recipes from My Mother’s Kitchen pays homage to Katie’s pioneering mother, Leeann Chin, who instilled Katie with a […]
Easy and Versatile – Avocado, Micro Basil Pesto Sauce
You’re probably most familiar with microgreens as a healthy garnish that lends a momentary bite and pop of color to salads and soup, but it turns out scientific research now proves that these tiny seedlings harvested and eaten when they are just a few inches tall are a real superfood packed with antioxidants and other […]
4th of July Recipe Roundup – Deliciously Healthy and Easy!
When planning your 4th of July party or picnic, its best to rely on simple dishes that are easy to prepare so you can join in on the fun and enjoy the company of your friends and family – unless you’re one who relishes spending half the day in the kitchen or tending the grill. […]
6 Simple Tips to Shape Up for Summer
Spring in Southern California means it’s time to get serious about firming and toning our winter pale bods because beach and pool days are quickly approaching. This weekend was glorious and what SoCal beach babes and bros live for – temps in the 80’s without a cloud in the sky and slightly windy conditions drawing […]
Fresh Seafood and Hemingway in Key West #FLKeys
This post is sponsored by the Florida Keys and Key West, which I happily accepted believing that visualization is key to realization. A romanticized vision of Key West, utterly inspired by Ernest Hemingway and the movie “Key Largo”, has placed it high on my list of 1000 places to see before I die. What did Hemingway love […]
Southern Heat in Louisville
Tell me Louisville, Kentucky is not at the epicenter of a culinary explosion and I’ll show you someone who needs to wake up and smell the bourbon! Things are hot in Louisville and it’s about to get even hotter with the release of Southern Heat by Chef Anthony Lamas and Gwen Pratesi – a gorgeous, beautifully […]
Ottolenghi’s Tomato and Pomegranate Salad
If anyone could be called the leader of the “Vegi Renaissance”, it has to be Yotom Ottolenghi, although he readily admits to having been paralyzed at the prospect of writing a weekly vegetarian recipe for his Guardian column back in 2006. Hard to believe given the breadth of exciting vegetable, grain and legume creations shared […]
10 Easy Sweet Potato Ideas + Recipes
Fall is in the air and visions of mouthwatering dishes of apples, sweet potatoes and pumpkins are dancing in my head. Even if it’s only wishful thinking on my part (I’m over this hot, humid weather we’ve had in SoCal), my mind quickly filled with orange yearnings when I came across a playing card-sized calendar […]
King Salmon with Limoncello Fruit Salsa
Another Fast, Fresh & Easy dish to indulge your senses and nurture well-being. Fresh King Salmon is best prepared simply to highlight its flavorful pink flesh brimming with healthy omegas and complemented by a vibrantly colored fruit salsa of juicy strawberries, sweet yellow mango, and creamy avocado – a trio of California-grown produce that beautifully […]