Curried Quinoa Salad w/ Dried Cranberries & Toasted Almonds

Curried Quinoa Salad w/ Dried Cranberries & Toasted AlmondsChisaya Mama—the Mother Grain of the Incas

For almost 6000 years, quinoa (pronounced keen-wa)—known as the sacred grain of the Incas—has been cultivated in the Andean mountain regions of Peru, Chile and Bolivia. And yet quinoa is not a grain Continue reading Curried Quinoa Salad w/ Dried Cranberries & Toasted Almonds

Fennel, Apple, Jicama & Radish Slaw

Fennel, Apple, Jicama & Radish Slaw “The fennel is beyond every other vegetable delicious. It greatly resembles in appearance the largest size celery, perfectly white, and there is no vegetable equals its flavour. It is eaten at dessert, crude, and with, or without dry salt, indeed I preferred it to every other vegetable, or to any fruit.”      Thomas Jefferson

One taste of fennel and it’s easy to agree with Thomas Jefferson. If you haven’t enjoyed fennel in awhile Continue reading Fennel, Apple, Jicama & Radish Slaw

Roasted & Marinated Beets

Roasted, Marinating Beets(c) jfhaugenBeets in the summer, beets in the fall;
Beets in the winter may be best of all!

Roasted and Marinated Beets by themselves, as stars in a salad with goat cheese and walnuts or as a side vegetable with polenta or other grains are great ways to enjoy beet’s vibrant purple-crimson color, earthy-sweet taste, smooth texture and nutrition Continue reading Roasted & Marinated Beets

Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Salad

Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Salad (c) jfhaugen

Good Fortune & Good Health in 2012!

The truism to be mindful of what we eat is especially important on and around New Year’s Day, as it may affect our fortunes throughout the year. So goes the thought and traditions of many cultures around the world regarding which foods to eat and which to avoid. Certain foods, such as legumes and leafy greens Continue reading Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Salad

Fig Black Olive Walnut Tapenade

Fig, Black Olive &Walnut Tapenade Ingredients (c) jfhaugen

Healthful & Delicious Holiday Hors d’Oeuvres

“May the Calendar Keep Bringing
Happy Holidays To You.”

As the calendar brings us closer to Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, so it also brings happy holidays with an increase in parties and gatherings from now until New Year’s Day. With more and more of us eating cleaner and healthier diets, there also comes a quandary around the holidays—what to prepare and what to eat that is both healthful and delicious Continue reading Fig Black Olive Walnut Tapenade

Watercress, Belgian Endive & Pear Salad with Goat Cheese, Shallot-Mustard Vinaigrette & Maple-Glazed Walnuts

Watercress, Endive, Pear Glazed Walnut Salad w/ Shallot Mustard Vinaigrette “There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat.”      ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well, maybe 15 minutes, but those are sacred minutes for eating a pear. Its texture becomes velvety, moist and glistens in the light. And its luscious, heavenly fragrance and  flavor are the essence of “pearness.” Continue reading Watercress, Belgian Endive & Pear Salad with Goat Cheese, Shallot-Mustard Vinaigrette & Maple-Glazed Walnuts

A Thanksgiving Guide to Minimize the Stress

Braised Turkey w Fresh Herbs, Wild Mushrooms, Veggies (c) jfhaugen

An Action Plan for Preparing the Thanksgiving Meal

There’s much to do and make and prepare for the Thanksgiving meal—so here’s a guide and action plan I’ve prepared with tips and ideas to minimize the stress Continue reading A Thanksgiving Guide to Minimize the Stress