TIP: How To Microwave Artichokes

The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) is a species of thistle cultivated as a vegetable. It is actually a flower head, a cluster of numerous immature buds of what would be a blossom if not picked before it bloomed. The cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) is a wild variant available in spring. The artichoke stem is…
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RECIPE: How To Make Kale Chips In The Microwave

“I am so sick of kale,” our friend Bonnie exclaimed, as we sat down to a restaurant lunch. We have nothing against a kale salad, but we were trended-out by the kale Caesar salad as a menu item. We wanted the original Caesar salad: We wanted romaine! The one thing we agreed upon was kale…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Roots & Shoots

Even when nature isn’t in full bloom, you can add interest to meals by seeking out less ordinary versions of conventional foods. All you have to do is look for them—at specialty produce stores, farmers markets and online (check out Melissas.com and OmahaSteaks.com, among others). What will you find? The bounty varies by region, but…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Black Radish

As part of our Winter Vegetable Doldrums Series, today’s focus is the black radish*, Raphanus sativus niger. It’s a member of the anti-carcinogenic Brassica family of cruciferous† vegetables. Available year round, black radishes peak in winter and early spring. Significantly larger than traditional radishes, it average threes to four inches in diameter or length, and…
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FOOD FUN: Carrots & Peas

Here’s some food fun that was created at the 2014 Roots Conference held by the Culinary Vegetable Institute. In Project Carrot, gifted chefs took a look at the under-utilized yet extremely versatile carrot, creating everything from cocktails to Carrot Rigatoni with Carrot Bolognese. While this photo looks like pasta, it is trompe l’oeil: What looks…
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