Monkey Heads & Lion’s Manes…Vegan Mushroom Paella with Chorizo A Bit of History When it comes to naming vegetables, mushroom species definitely take the win for creativity and variation. Common mushroom names conjure up great visual images! In this version of vegan mushroom paella with chorizo, I chose Lion’s Mane mushrooms. Due to their strange…
From the Neolithic Revolution to Meal Prep… A Bit of History Approximately 12,000 years ago, humans began to shift from a mainly hunter-gather existence to early farming. Historians refer to this transitional era as the Neolithic Revolution or the first Agricultural Revolution. Even though history books will not record this recipe, my ancient grain Greek…
When in Doubt Bounce it Out… A Bit of History My kids and I really enjoyed bouncing in the kitchen this week before crafting my easy homemade cranberry sauce. Apparently, your cranberries are uber fresh if they bounce when dropped to the floor. And really, who doesn’t love bouncing food on purpose? I highly recommend…
“For Mom and Apple Pie” A Bit of History As a child I loved to create pies with my Grandma Joan, but quite frankly I don’t have the patience anymore for the nuances of dough. On the contrary, I enjoy experimenting with cookies and biscotti, especially this version of Apple Pie Biscotti with Ginger Orange…
Pikes Place Market vs Beantown… A Bit of History Sometimes I need both a sweet treat and some caffeine! Crafting a blended iced coffee at home satisfies both of these requirements. Plus it is really easy and it beats paying $5 for one at a coffee shop. I wondered about the origins of these tasty…
Smoke & Bog…Part 2: The Bog A Bit of History I am always intrigued by photos of cranberries floating in bogs. It reminds me of a giant swimming pool filled with bath beads! During my research for my latest recipe, Easy Baked Cranberry Oatmeal, I learned that farmers utilize two different methods for cranberry harvest….
Smoke & Bog…Part 1: The Smoke A Bit of History Historians believe that humans have been smoking foods, especially meats, since the Old Stone Age or paleolithic era. Exposing foods to smoke from burning wood, imparts exceptional flavor and serves as a cooking or preservation technique. Early humans definitely had the right idea! I absolutely…
The House of Orange… A Bit of History Wild carrots sport colors of white or yellow, did you ever wonder why we typically consume orange ones? Over thousands of years of domestication, carrots evolved from a bitter, pale, root into a sweeter, orange version with more beta-carotene compared to their wild cousins. This turned out…
The Nutty Pumpkin… A Bit of History Kabocha squash, a type of Japanese winter squash, is commonly grown in Japan, Thailand, Hawaii, Mexico, and parts of the USA. While scientists believe that most squashes originated in North and South America, Kabocha made its way to Asia and Europe via explorers in the 1500s. Often referred…