Brodo di pesce, fish soup, is an Italian term for what has been made in coastal, lake and river communities for millennia.

Freshly-caught fish went into a pot with water and whatever vegetables were available to flavor it. Water plus vegetables equals vegetable broth.

Bouillabaisse, a traditional Provençal fish soup or stew (the difference), a recipe that originated in the port city of Marseille, France, and is the city’s signature dish.

Cooking anything en brodo simply means you are cooking it in a flavorful broth. It’s not just for fish: tortellini en brodo is a favorite Italian pasta dish.

Back to the fish:

As rustic fish stews/soups evolved, a variation emerged using pricier fish fillets instead of cheaper cuts. The fillets were poached in the already-prepared broth, and pesce en brodo, emerged.

(Note: brodo di pesce is fish broth, pesce en brodo is fish in a broth. If you see the term in brodo, it’s an American misspelling).
 
 
WHY PESCE EN BRODO BELONGS ON YOUR TABLE

 
Pesce en brodo also accommodates different cooking techniques. You can poach the fish in the broth; or it can be broiled, grilled, or steamed*.
 
For extra points, can serve it with a crusty baguette or garlic bread.

There are many recipes for fish en brodo and fish in brodo online (a search for pesce en brodo will give you recipes in Italian). Or, Search generically for “fish” or for a specific fish (cod, snapper, etc.).

Here’s an easy recipe for the fish of your choice in a tomato-accented broth.
 
 
RECIPE: FISH IN TOMATO BROTH (PESCE EN BRODO DI POMODORO)

Ingredients For 4 Servings

[2] Grilled trout set in a fish broth, at Pakpao Thai | Dallas.

[3] Black bass in an herb brodo with droplets of basil olive oil, at Empire Diner | NYC.

[4] A smaller first course, at Mihako’s 21 Grams.

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the wine, water and olive oil in a large skillet. Add the rest of the ingredients except the fish, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the tomatoes soften.

2. PLACE the fish fillets in the skillet, spooning some of the broth over them. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with a fork.

3. LIFT the fish and tomatoes, using a slotted spoon, into shallow bowls. Discard the thyme and ladle the broth and shallots (and optional vegetables) into each bowl. Garnish with additional fresh thyme or other herbs, or with the optional greens garnish.
 
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*The difference between poaching and steaming: With poaching, the fish (or other food) must be completely submerged in the liquid. It is cooked by the hot liquid. With steaming, Steamed the food sits above the liquid in a steamer basket or other device. It is cooked by the steam.
  

[2] Steak salad with mandarin segments.

[3] Pork chop in broth with vegetables and apples.

[4] Grilled salmon with pink grapefruit and carrots.

Breakfast is the meal of the day that’s welcoming to fruit additions. Bananas, berries and oranges frequently appear with cereal, eggs and pancakes.

But when lunch and dinner arrive, the plates laden with salad and vegetables, fruit gets short shrift.

Yet, fruits pair nicely with grilled, roasted and sautéed proteins.

So even if you plan to serve fruit for dessert, add a different fruit to the main plate. It adds color as well as another layer of texture and flavor, including a shot of sweetness. Think:

 
You know what the seasonal options are, but here’s a winter list for immediate inspiration (and a full list of winter fruits and vegetables):

MIX & MATCH

PROTEINS

 
FRUITS

 
You may also come across less familiar fruits like cherimoya. Pick one up and try it! While it’s not berry season, you’ll find different varieties in stores, and they work, too.
 
 
YOU DON’T HAVE TO COOK THE FRUIT

You can serve the fruit raw; there’s no need to cook it. You can slice it into rounds or wedges, dice it, or in the case of oranges and mandarins, segment it (the difference between oranges and mandarins).

And then there’s Plan B, pomegranate arils. You can buy them in bags, and toss them onto just about anything for juicy dots of color.

If you’re already grilling or sautéeing, you can toss the fruit into the pan. Our favorites:

 
Have fun with it!

We’re still in the first blush of the new year, and have actually exercised every day and eaten more healthfully (except for an errant black-and-white cookie).

We’ve been going down the list below, sent to us by Sara Siskind, a Certified Nutritional Health Counselor and founder of Hands On Healthy cooking classes for adults, families and teens based in New York City.

The biggest piece of advice from everyone—health professionals, the government, environmental experts—is to eat more plant-based foods (and fewer animal-based foods).

Here are Sara’s tips for the healthiest, most sustainable lifestyle: a balanced diet with an emphasis on eating more plants. Easy swaps can add more nutrients into your diet while saving calories.

There are easy ways to incorporate more plants into your meals without having to sacrifice your favorite foods.
 
 
1. Lettuce or collard wraps.

When you are making a sandwich, swap out the bread and replace it with lettuce or a collard green wrap. Sushi lovers can order cucumber wraps, called naruto rolls, which replace the rice with a better-for-you strip of cucumber.
 
 
2. Purée veggies for dozens of uses.

You can eat your veggies roasted, sautéed or steamed (let’s not talk about fried).

But for variety, purée them! Bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, peas, spinach, squash…just look down the produce aisle for inspiration.

Puréed vegetables are a delicious side, and you can place the protein on top of them (photo #2). But also use them a base for soups, sauces, lasagna and other recipes.
 
 
3. Add vegetables to breakfast.

While a restaurant may add some tomato slices or green vegetables to a plate of eggs, few people add vegetables to home breakfasts. It’s a great opportunity.

Turn regular eggs into a vegetable omelet or scramble or serve them as a side or base (photo #3).

Spread mashed avocado on toast instead of butter, for more fiber, fewer calories and no animal fat. You can even add tomato and onion or sprouts on top for an extra veggie boost.

Sauté or steam vegetables the day before and heat them up for breakfast. Keep chopped vegetables in the fridge so it’s easy to toss them into any snacks or meals.

And for even more veggies, start the meal with a glass of vegetable juice.
 
 
4. Tuck vegetables into smoothies.

Fruit smoothies present an easy way to sneak in greens. Blend in a handful of spinach or kale; you won’t even taste it!

If you first wash, dry, chop, and freeze your greens, you can reduce spoilage and waste, and also make it easier to whip up your smoothie.
 
 
5. Make vegetable chips.

Craving salty pretzels and fried potato chips? Substitute homemade vegetable chips.

Try baking chopped kale, thinly sliced sweet potatoes or beets with a touch of olive oil and sea salt. We find it particularly easy to make microwave chips with the Mastrad microwave chip maker.

Many markets are even carrying them pre-made for easy snacking on the go.

[1] A turkey wrap sandwich in collard greens. Also inside: cucumber matchsticks and dried cranberries (photo David Venable | QVC).

[2] Use puréed vegetables in different ways. Here’s a recipe for baked fish on pea puree (substitute any vegetable) from Taste.com.au.

[3] Set a fried egg atop a mix of vegetables; here, sautéed greens and zucchini, with edamame and diced avocado. The optional walnut pesto provides added protein and flavor. Here’s the recipe from The Delicious Life.

[4] Soup garnished with sliced almonds and diced poblanos, at Frontera Grill | Chicago.

Trade wheat pasta for vegetable pasta: spiralized butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and zucchini can be found in produce cases (but it’s fun to spiralize your own at home).

Top it with your favorite sauce and grated cheese for a comfort food fix without the guilt.

Not ready to switch 100%? Blend half wheat pasta with half vegetable pasta. Here’s a recipe.
 
 
7. Top everyday foods with nuts and/or seeds.

While nuts and seeds aren’t vegetables, they should be on any list of healthier eating.

The USDA recommends an ounce of nuts per day as part of a heart-healthy diet. Add a crunchy garnish of nuts and/or seeds to a mixed green salad, or a soup garnish (photo #4). You’ll add protein and heart-healthy omega 3 fats.

The same goes for garnishes or mix-ins with quinoa, rice or other cooked grains. You can also sprink;e nuts or seeds over yogurt, oatmeal and other breakfast cereals.

Toss them into smoothies, snack on them straight, or make a lower-calorie trail mix with dried apple chips and Cheerios.

Here’s wishing all of us the focus to stick with our resolutions.

[2] For a crunchy snack, pick a lite-dressing salad kit (photo courtesy Dole).

[3] Crunchy roasted chickpeas are an alternative to nut (photo courtesy The Good Bean).

[4] Popcorn is a favorite whole-grain snack (photo courtesy Pop Secret).

Low in calories and good for you: We looked for 10 snack foods that would help our goal to eat better at work, where it’s too easy to succumb to ubiquitous empty-calorie foods. Our criteria:

 
For an item like salad that require some refrigeration after more than a few hours, use an ice pack to keep the bag chilled.

1. BONE BROTH. Nutritious, nourishing, packed with protein, bone broth staves off pangs of hunger. You can buy individual containers in four flavors from Pacific Organic (phoro #1). If you have a fridge at work to keep open containers, choose a family size from Pacific or Kitchen Basics. If you don’t have a microwave at work, heat it at home and bring it in a thermos. Here’s more about bone broth.

2. INSTANT MISO SOUP. Love the miso soup at Japanese restaurants? Buy instant soups from Sushi Chef, Kikkoman or other manufacturer. You get a packet of miso paste to mix with hot water, and a packet of freeze-dried veggies and/or tofu that plump up in the hot soup. While instant soups are known for their salt content, it’s no worse than polishing off a bag of chips. If you don’t need to cut back on salt, you can fit a cup into your daily consumption.

3. PRE-PACKAGED GREEN SALADS. You have no excuse for avoiding salad when all you have to do is tear open cellophane. Dole and Fresh Express both make light versions of Caesar Salad (photo #2). If your favorite mix doesn’t come with a light dressing option, keep a bottle of low-calorie dressing at work—along with a large bowl and a fork. One of our favorite snacks: a cole slaw mix with light cole slaw or ranch dressing.

4. NO SUGAR ADDED HOT CHOCOLATE. When you want a sweet treat, take a packet of low-calorie hot chocolate mix to the water cooler and whip up a cup. If it isn’t sweet enough for you, add a half-packet of non-caloric sweetener. While most people use individual packets of Nestlé or Swiss Miss, we buy Swiss Miss No Sugar Added in the bulk can, better to adjust the level of intensity.

5. APPLES & ORANGES. These fruits can last a couple of weeks or longer without refrigeration. An apple a day keeps the candy bar away; an orange a day keeps the cookies away.

6. NUT OR ROASTED CHICKPEA PACKETS. The FDA recommends that an ounce of nuts a day can be part of a heart-healthy diet. You get 32 whole almonds in an ounce! Try them raw or toasted; you can toss either in chile powder, garlic or other spice. Blue Diamond and Planter’s, among others, have individual portion sizes; and beyond nuts there are roasted chickpea packets from The Good Bean (photo #3) and others.

7. NUT BUTTER SQUEEZE PACKETS. Almond, hazelnut and peanut butters ub individually-portioned packets make a tasty snack, plain or with an apple. Check out the varieties from Justin’s.

8. BABY CARROTS. A snack favorite, no effort required. Eat them plain or with Greek yogurt. If you can pull together mixed crudites (celery sticks, radishes, broccoli florets, etc.), so much the better.

9. TOMATO JUICE. Not tomato juice cocktail, but the real deal. Check the label to see there’s no added sugar. Keep a bottle of Worcestershire sauce on hand and add a few shakes. Our favorite brand is R.W. Knudsen. It’s a great snack combo with a side of baby carrots.

10. POPCORN. If you have a microwave at hand, pop this whole-grain snack from scratch. Orville Redenbacher and Pop Secret (photo #4) have individual microwave packets). Otherwise, pre-popped does nicely. Go for plain popcorn and flavor as you wish with black pepper, chili flakes, garlic powder, etc.

11. OLIVES. Full of heart-healthy olive oil, these tangy bites are delicious even without a Martini. Gaea packages different varieties in resealable snack packs: black or green, plain or flavored with chile and pepper or lemon and oregano.

If we’ve missed your favorite better-for-you snack, let us know!

The first ribs we remember were spare ribs, a childhood favorite at Chinese restaurants. Then, came barbecue joints and baby back ribs.

More recently, country-style ribs have become the “it” rib; and they’re not even ribs. They’re cut into rib-like shape from a pork chop

An article in The New York Times praises this inexpensive cut of pork for slow cooking. Others love them for grilling, with plenty of barbecue sauce.

Country-style ribs are the meatiest of all the pork ribs, giving you more bang for your buck—especially because they’re also the least expensive ribs (for now). As a bonus: They’re leaner, because they were originally a chop.

Country-style ribs are a combination of lean white meat and rich dark meat. True country style ribs are cut from the loin, either from the rib end or the sirloin. Most butchers then cut the slab into fingers, with or without the bone.

However, with the growing popularity of the cut, there are also “fake” versions labeled “country-style ribs.” These are cut from the pork shoulder. They’re full of fat and worse, collagen, which makes them gummy unless they first cooked at 200°F. Before you buy, look at the meat carefully; if they seem fatty, ask the butcher if they’re a shoulder cut.
 
 
HOW COUNTRY-STYLE RIBS WERE CREATED

The cut is actually a chop, but butchers had difficulty selling it. Coming from the ends of the loin, the chops didn’t look as lean and smooth as the chops cut from the center of the loin.

The meat typically ended up in sausages, or mis-labeled, hidden at the bottom of packages of loin chops.

Sometime in the late 1960s or early 1970s, a Chicago-area butcher, Cliff Bowes, took advantage of the popularity of ribs by butterflying these less attractive chops, fashioning them into strips that resembled ribs.

Country-style ribs were born. Yet, they haven’t gotten as much PR as their cousins, spare ribs and baby back ribs (see the chart below).

If you’re a rib person, or just want to dig into meaty chunks of pork, give them a try. For starters:

[2] Traditional country-style ribs have a slender section that curves along the bottom (photo Melina Hammer | The New York Times).

[3] Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs With Chipotle (photo Melina Hammer | The New York Times).

Illustration courtesy The New York Times.