From Scratch

Yet another reason to eat your fruits and vegetables. A wide-ranging 12-year study by a team in Cambridge, England suggests a diet rich in Vitamin C might reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Fruits and veggies are the main source of Vitamin C in typical western diets.
More than 20,000 women and men, ages […]

Now that tomatoes have been greenlighted by the Food and Drug Administration in the recent salmonella outbreak — after 1,251 people got sick and two died — federal health officials today announced finding a jalapeno pepper with the same strain. Takeaway: we should not eat fresh jalapenos but processed or pickled peppers are safe.
NBC’s crackerjack […]

The scope of the salmonella outbreak blamed on tomatoes has increased, with more than 800 confirmed cases in 36 states and the District of Columbia, while federal health officials now say tomatoes might not be the source, but they remain the primary suspect.
The Associated Press reports officials are looking into whether another ingredient, which they […]

Federal health officials say the number of confirmed cases of tomato-related salmonella now stands at 383, and Dr. Robert Tauxe of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says, “We do not think the outbreak is over.”
Two states, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, have reported their first cases. The outbreak has now sickened people in 30 states […]

The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded its warnings to consumers nationwide about the purchase and handling of tomatoes in the wake of a salmonella outbreak that has now sickened 145 people. The source of the outbreak is still undetermined. The FDA says the following are the only types of tomatoes consumers should buy […]

The federal Centers for Disease Control says an outbreak of salmonella, reported yesterday, has spread from Texas and New Mexico to 14 other states and authorities are trying to pin down the source of the raw tomatoes believed to be the cause. Texas now reports 56 cases of salmonella food poisoning and New Mexico 55. 
The […]

Whole Foods Market has halted sales of Roma and large, round field-grown tomatoes without attached vines or stems at all of its more than 270 stores after an outbreak of salmonella linked to raw tomatoes. In addition, stores are no longer using tomatoes in sandwiches and salads.
The voluntary recall follows a warning from the Texas Health Department […]

I’ve been cooking frequently with ginger the past few months. I love the depth it brings to a dish, even when used in small amounts. And I’m especially fond of Asian flavors, so when this recipe showed up in the Healthy Dinners widget, it went onto my “to try” list.
I made it in April with […]

Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow but there’s plenty of time to make this classic. It only takes about five minutes, even less if you start with a can of tomatoes which, sometimes, is unavoidable.
Some people use the terms pico de gallo and salsa interchangeably but they are different. Salsa, the most popular condiment in America, […]

I love Asian flavors. Love. A few months ago, somewhere in my travels by mouse click, I spotted an interesting recipe for roasted vegetables with sesame oil. I was sure I saved it but when the mood for such a thing struck, I couldn’t find it for the life of me.
Luckily, roasting veggies is not on a […]

It’s so easy to get into a rut, isn’t it? We have a few favorite recipes for certain foods and make them time and again until someone hollers uncle. Well, what to do with it this time?
A fabulous-looking recipe on my friend brightfeather’s blog reminded me I’m close to being in a rut with spinach, […]

It wasn’t too long ago that the appearance of asparagus at the market, in time for Easter dinner, heralded the arrival of spring. Now, like so many fruits and vegetables, it has become virtually seasonless, nearly always available, although the more tender white variety can be harder to find. Despite that, it’s still a labor-intensive vegetable and therefore […]

Anthony Bourdain says this soup is ridiculously easy and he’s right. It’s also delicious and was a perfect starter for Christmas dinner.
But don’t wait for a special meal to try this. It doesn’t have to be bone-chilling outdoors to enjoy soup and if, like me, you’re trying to atone for holiday indulging, it’s been shown that we tend to […]

The first Thanksgiving was in 1621 and if we pretend it was observed every year thereafter, that would give us 334 years of Thanksgiving meals without green bean casserole.
For those outside the US, the five-ingredient side dish is built around a can of cream of mushroom soup and it’s estimated that it’s served in nearly 20 […]

Today’s Sunday Times of London reports the largest-ever study of organic food has concluded organics really are more nutritious, providing up to 40% more antioxidants and higher levels of zinc and iron. Milk from organic herds had antioxidant levels up to 90% higher than milk from conventional herds.
The study spanned four years and cost £12 million […]