ⓒ iStockPhoto - sandsun

You’ve cooked with seaweed, maybe sprinkled it on your rice or put it in your miso soup — but you’re kind of put off by the price of the little bags you can get at your upscale food store. If you’re in the right place, whether on vacation or on a local jaunt, you can easily harvest all the seaweed, kelp specifically, that you could need. Even if you don’t really need to go to that extreme, sometime it’s fun to go out “into the field” and harvest your own food. This is a great way to find out where your food comes from, form a connection to nature, and nurture your body with the work of your own hands.

The kelp that you find in the pricy little bags is Bullwhip kelp. It grows in large beds away from shore, so you’ll have to boat or kayak out past the low tide line. It’s generally found in rocky areas. You’ll want to find a clean area far away from any pollution. Ask around, or contact a local wilderness awareness group; many offer wild harvesting classes or can at least point you to a good place for collecting. You can often find kelp washed onto the shore, but picking this up is like picking up a vegetable you’ve tossed on the ground earlier in the day; they’re already composting, and you’d much rather eat the fresh kelp. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - Kate_sept2004

Families these days lead busy, active lives, kids included, and many times this means snacks are eaten quickly, or on-the-go while being shuttled to an activity.  While you are driving your budding ballerina to dance class or your soccer superstar to practice, it can be a challenge to get some good nutrition in their hands in a limited time span.  But let’s face it: if it comes in a box, it isn’t real food and it definitely isn’t healthy.  The following snacks are both quick and healthy, because every bite counts when it comes to nutrition: (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - ObjectifMC

Getting all those recommended serving of fruits and vegetables into your kids can be difficult, especially if you have one child who will only eat apples (except this week), another who doesn’t like any skin on their fruit, and another one who would eat those apples you bought but doesn’t have any front teeth with which to do so. Finding a way to make everyone eat their food and not complain requires a grab bag of tricks, and parfaits are a great one.

Like most kids, I expect, my kids will go through periods where they’ll eat the fruit that I’ve bought, but they get bored quickly. Yes, they ate that entire bag of grapefruits, but now they’re done with that and who knows what will tickle their taste buds. Parfaits are a perfect way to make the kids drool over what you’d like to feed them. Literally, perfect, as parfait means “perfect” in French. (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - sbossert

Oil is integral to Hanukkah festivities, but that doesn’t mean you need to have eight nights of fat-soaked latkes. Here are seven tips to make your Hanukkah latkes just a little bit healthier. Enjoying them, and all special holiday treats, in moderation is one of the surest ways to make them healthier. One good latke has less fat and fewer calories than two bad ones.

1. Latkes with Whole Grain Matzo Meal

Whole grain matzo meal has about triple the fiber of regular matzo meal. Every little bit helps. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - bukvalno

Years ago, vegetarians had to skip the main course and settle for a few side dishes during Thanksgiving. In 1995, Tofurky, a product created by Turtle Island Foods, Inc., changed all that. Finally, vegetarians could have a “roast” that tasted like turkey even if it didn’t have the consistency of real meat. However, it took several years for the product to be widely distributed so many vegetarians had to contend with side dishes or make up their own Thanksgiving feast in the meantime.

Luckily when my wife and I became vegetarians in 2000, we could easily duplicate the traditional Thanksgiving menu by cooking the Tofurky roast available at the Whole Foods near us. Since we discovered that we didn’t like the stuffing that came with the Tofurky, we made our own and bought jars of ready-made mushroom gravy to add to theirs. We followed this “tradition” until last year when we decided to try something different. Luckily, we still lived near a Whole Foods store so we ordered their Vegan Hazelnut Cranberry Roast Stuffed with Apples and Crystallized Ginger, Wrapped in a Puff Pastry, along with their Green Bean Casserole and Creamy Home-Style Mashed Potatoes. Although the meal was delicious, we thought it was a bit rich. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - theboone

Many of us have the best of intentions for cooking for our family, but often fall short during the reality of everyday life. We’re all busy, and it’s tempting to visit Trader Joe’s or the local grocery store regularly to buy pre-made or pre-prepared food. This can be expensive as well as fattening. We’d love to be able feed our family healthy homemade food, but how do you increase your chances of actually being able to do this? How do you bring your good intentions into reality? One secret is to make your kitchen ready for you; invest in storage solutions that will make it easier for you to whip up daily meals. If cooking is easier, and the ingredients are on hand, you’re more likely to cook. Here’s some tips on outfitting your kitchen:

Invest in Good Bulk Containers

In order to cook, you need to have food. It sounds obvious, but having accessible food can often be a challenge. Instead of having small bags of beans or rice that get lost in the pantry, invest in some bulk storage containers that will let you store a larger quantity of the basics. You’ll be able to keep this easily visible on a shelf, and in addition to not running out you’ll be able to use these as creative prompts for those “oh-no-what-am-I-going-to-cook-for-dinner” nights. You can also use bulk containers for baking needs. They’re easy to clean, and during the summer you can keep them in your refrigerator or freezer to avoid indian meal moths. (continue reading…)