healthy cooking

Spring is here and garlic scapes are in season!

Garlic scapes are the long, curly, flower buds of the garlic plant that are typically picked and tossed by commercial operations. (Removing the flower bud allows the garlic bulb to mature in the ground.) The more savvy and local farmers at your co-op or farmer’s market know better; garlic scapes are delicious and can be found in the spring season and used for all sorts of dishes including stir-fries, salads, soups, and yes, even pesto.

In a society offering increasingly more opportunities for movement – new activities and sports, travel and transport, technologies, etc. – quality time around the dinner table can sometimes fall low on one’s list of priorities.

...But it shouldn’t!

As someone with an Italian heritage, I feel that a richly flavored marinara sauce is a must in my household. Sure, you can buy the stuff that comes in cans and jars, but a delicious, homemade sauce is just as easy to whip up, and much more satisfying.

Every so often my standard morning oatmeal recipe starts to feel boring and bland; I crave something warm and satisfying, but decidedly not made from oats. Enter breakfast quinoa!