TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Nondairy (Vegan) Mochi From My/Mo

We love mochi (pronounced MO-chee), an Asian-American sweet with roots in ancient Japan. For more than a millennia in Japan, mounds of pillowy rice dough have been stuffed with adzuki beans and other sweet fillings (photo #1, ice cream mochi, look similar). A dough of pounded, glutinous (but gluten-free) sweet rice flour is steamed and…
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RECIPE: Vegan Butternut Squash Tacos Al Pastor

Here’s a treat for Cinco de Mayo that happens to be vegan: Tacos Al Pastor Al pastor is a dish from central Mexico that is an adaptation of shawarma, the spit-grilled meat brought by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico. Shawarma is similar to Turkish döner kebab and the Greek gyros. The dish— Mexican street food—is made…
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TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Edward Marc Chocolate Pretzels

[1] Covered in top-quality chocolate, a couple of these mini pretzels are a guilt-free treat. [2] You can set them out for guests, but we kept the bag to ourselves (both photos courtesy Edward Marc Chocolatier).   You can find chocolate-covered pretzels in stores nationwide. So why are these from Edward Marc Chocolatier so special?…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Avoid Paper Bag Popcorn

[1] You can use brown bags to serve popcorn, but not to pop it (photo courtesy The Popcorn Board). [2] Having unpopped kernels at the end of popping is normal (photo courtesy Belle Chevre | Facebook). [3] Ditch the brown bag and get an inexpensive microwave popcorn popper or similar vented bowl (photo courtesy Housewares…
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TIP OF THE DAY: What Are Healthy Fats?

[1] Use unsaturated fats without guilt. The USDA endorses two tablespoons of olive oil per day (photo courtesy California Olive Ranch). [2] The chemical difference. The double bond is shown in red (image courtesy California Olive Ranch). [3] An easy way to enjoy olive oil: a bread dipper. You can add balsamic vinegar, spices or…
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