Menu in a rut? Here are 11 ways to freshen things up.

It is easy to fall into a menu rut.  Here are some food swaps that make it easy to try something new.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/its-time-for-a-spring-food-fling/2015/05/05/0a6e3b36-e860-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html

New Study Finds Bananas as Effective as Gatorade?

http://www.beveragedaily.com/Formulation/Cyclists-go-bananas-as-sports-performance-study-finds-fruit-matches-PepsiCo-s-Gatorade/?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GIN_FNUd&c=e6YrWlMuPoszsEG66WCwSF4S1hWSqytM

A Twist on a Bean Soup

Fall harvest vegetables abound as Thanksgiving approaches and the leaves fall from the trees. Once it starts getting colder and darker, I like many, crave soup! Here is a really nutritious, filling soup inspired by Eating Well's Amazon Bean Soup. I substituted a butternut squash(much easier to find than the one they call for), and also in place of spinach, I use red chard - though you can use kale or any other green you like. Beware that butternut squash are difficult to cut. Make sure you have a sharp chef's knife. Read on and feel free to change out ingredients as you like!

Butternut Squash and Bean Soup

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

4 garlic cloves minced

1 onion chopped

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth or 4 cups and 2 cups water

3 cups butternut squash chopped(be careful)

1 medium tomato

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp salt, possibly more to taste

fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp of dried or fresh chopped sage

1 can white beans(Northern or Cannellini),

1 can kidney beans rinsed

Bunch of chard chopped, stems removed

1 lime cut in wedges

Melt butter in large soup pot(or oil). Add gardlic, carrots and onion and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add broth and scrape up bits with spoon. Add squash, tomato, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

With a stick blender if you have it, blend the soup a few times using caution as liquid is hot. Stir in beans and greens and cook on medium until beans are heated through and greens are wilted. Serve with lime wedges.

How about this apple?? kinda cool.

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/18/142518957/managed-apple-creates-a-buzz

The Leonard Lopate Show: Big Fish - WNYC

An interesting perspective on things to come. Seems inevitable...

The Leonard Lopate Show: Big Fish - WNYC

Why Aren't G.M.O. Foods Labeled? - NYTimes.com

Very interesting but scary stuff.

Why Aren't G.M.O. Foods Labeled? - NYTimes.com

Choosing organic milk could offset effects of climate change

Choosing organic milk could offset effects of climate change

How Ultra-Processed Foods Are Killing Us - Marion Nestle - Food - The Atlantic

How Ultra-Processed Foods Are Killing Us - Marion Nestle - Food - The Atlantic

The Four Fish

Reading a fascinating book by Paul Greenberg called "The Four Fish." Its an eye-opening look at how the human race came to favor basically four species of fish for eating and how we have affected their ecology. Though I love eating food from the sea and believe most is quite healthy to eat, I think its good to be aware of the health of our oceans and the fish that live in it.

Autumn Beckons

This Labor Day Weekend is especially foretelling of the season to come. With "Earl" bringing cooler air and brisk winds to the northeast, it signals(earlier than usual) that autumn is certainly on its way. I can't wait. Although I love the summer, once fall approaches, my wife says my eating habits change dramatically. When snacking I switch to apples, nuts, and dried fruit - especially apricots. As it gets colder I do get a pretty severe chocolate habit. As I'm sure many others do, I start to crave soup and stews, savory stuff. Last year I discovered some pretty amazing soups and other hearty fall dishes and I'll be writing about more of them this year. For us, a membership in a CSA pretty much has guaranteed an abundance of fall produce and we are eager to start cooking . Stay tuned.

HD

Eating mix of fruits, veggies may cut lung cancer risk – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

Eating mix of fruits, veggies may cut lung cancer risk – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

Farro Salad with Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Basil | David Lebovitz

Farro Salad with Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Basil David Lebovitz

Jersey Tomatoes!!

Its rough when you have a pile of fresh produce from your CSA and you need to use it up before it goes bad. You have to think fast on your feet. We had lots of potatoes and tomatoes this week. On the left is sliced yellow and red tomatoes with mozzarella dressed in a really fantastic basil pesto vinagrette. The dish on the right is a simple potato salad with a shallot, white wine vinegar and mustard dressing. Below I've just listed the dressing for each. For the potato salad just chop up some potatoes, whatever kind you like and boil them until done, then add the dressing. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best.

Basil Pesto Vinagrette

1 cup tightly packed basil leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp minced garlic

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp pine nuts toasted

In a food processor roughly chop the basil, garlic, nuts, salt and pepper for a few seconds. Next add 1/2 cup olive oil and blend for a minute or so. Pour the pesto mixture into a bowl and add 1/2 cup olive oil and the vinegar.

Mustard Shallot Vinagrette(adapted from epicurious.com).

1 large shallot minced

1 tbsp whole grain mustard

1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

handful of parsley

whisk all ingredients together and add to cooked potatoes.

grilled whole fish with herbs

I saw this recipe recently in Mark Bittman's column in the Times. Actually, after searching for a while online, I found that its a very popular recipe and really a quite easy way to have a good meal and impress your friends as well! This is another situation where cooking with fresh herbs really makes food shine.

1 or 2 whole fishes cleaned, with or without the head on. Ideal fish are Branzina, sea bass or rainbow trout

a few lemon slices seeded
large garlic clove sliced
about 5 sprigs of fresh thyme per fish
olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat grill or broiler
Open the fish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place about 4 slices garlic spread out in each fish. Place 2-3 lemon slices in fish along with 4-5 sprigs of thyme, drizzle generously with olive oil inside and outside the fish. Grill fish until done. Branzina takes about 7-8 minutes per side, smaller fish like rainbow trout really only need 4 minutes per side.

Crunchy Quinoa Salad

Made this yesterday and cannot stop eating it. For those not aware of quinoa, its a wonderful low fat, low carb source of protein. Most grocery stores carry it in the bulk section. Its becoming easier to find every day. To cook quinoa, first you need to rinse it in cold water to remove the outer covering which otherwise gives it a bitter taste. Then basically boil one cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp kosher salt for about 20 minutes in a covered saucepan. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, you're done!

Always toast almonds before using in a salad(or any nuts for that matter, brings out the flavor and aroma). Also in this recipe use pecorino romano cheese. It has a higher salt content and more of a bite than parmesan which this salad needs to make it pop! Enjoy!

Recipe:

Cook 1 cup of quinoa as above

Salad:

1 cucumber chopped
1/2 fennell bulb chopped fine
1 small shallot chopped
1 bunch parsley chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
handful of toasted almonds
handful of grated pecorino cheese
drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
a few splashes of sherry or champagne vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix quinoa with salad and you're done.

Is Coconut Water Really Better Than Sports Drinks? | Mother Jones

Is Coconut Water Really Better Than Sports Drinks? Mother Jones

A Challenge For A Top Chef: Make Sardines Tasty : NPR

A Challenge For A Top Chef: Make Sardines Tasty : NPR

Brighten that dish with a dash of fresh herbs - SFGate

Brighten that dish with a dash of fresh herbs - SFGate

Consumer Alert: Beware of Pesticide Contamination of Non-Organic Foods

Consumer Alert: Beware of Pesticide Contamination of Non-Organic Foods

The Food Movement, Rising | The New York Review of Books

The Food Movement, Rising The New York Review of Books