Baked Lemon Clams

What to Serve with Baked Stuffed ClamsFrom New York to New England to Louisiana, stuffed clams have captured our imagination and become something of regional specialties. This is a fairly dense dish, packing a lot of flavor into tiny bites. Serve a nice green salad, Greek yogurt coleslaw, or corn on the cob as an […]
Mache Salad With Salmon And Oranges

What is Mache Mache, or Varelianella locusta, is a tender salad green with soft, velverty rounded leaves. It’s got a mild flavor and pairs well with a whole variety of other ingredients. It’s also a good source of Vitamins A, C and B6 as well as Manganese. Any tender green or Bibb lettuce may be […]
BROWN RICE SALAD WITH ZUCCHINI, AVOCADO & KALAMATA OLIVES

What is Brown Rice and How to Cook It? Brown rice is milled for less time than white rice and so retains its bran layers, which are brownish in color, hence the color of the rice. Brown rice is a good source of fiber and has a chewy texture and nut-like earthy flavor. There are […]
Mushroom-lamb Patties With Chopped Tomatoes & Greek Yogurt

MUSHROOMS AS MEATThere’s been a trend these past few years in nutrition and food circles to substitute red meat with mushrooms. While mushrooms don’t have the same amount of protein as meat, nor do they provide comparable amounts of iron, zinc, or vitamin B-12, they do have a meaty flavor, are a good source of […]
Black Beans With Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Red Onions & Cilantro

Dried vs Canned Black Beans Dried black beans need to be soaked overnight and then cooked. The length of time needed to prepare them is their biggest drawback when it comes to comparing them to canned beans. But from a nutrition and sodium perspective, dried, soaked home-cooked beans are definitely better and richer in nutrients. […]
Yogurt Cucumber Soup With Walnuts

About Yogurt Soups Throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, yogurt is a basic ingredient, the use of which dates back thousands of years. Fermented dairy has always been an important source of nourishment in this part of the world. Some of these soups, such as the Armenian Spas, contain cooked wheatberries and are served hot. Others, like […]
Apricots Roasted With Honey, Rosemary, And Sage

Apricot Appreciation! Apricots, with their delicious tart-sweet flavor, are a great fruit to pair with yogurt for an easy, elegant dessert. They’re also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, and Vitamin A. From a cook’s perspective, because they aren’t super sweet, they pair beautifully when roasted with aromatic, robust herbs like sage and rosemary.
Zucchini “Cream” Soup

WHY LEMON ZEST? Lemon zest is one of my secret go-to ingredients when I want to perk up the flavor of otherwise mild or subtle dishes. Can you think of another vegetable as mild as zucchini?! Lemon is, in fact, as crucial a flavor enhancer as salt and works pretty much the same way on […]
Beetroot Tart Tatin

NOTE: Beets have are rich in water, have a fair ammount of fiber and protein, and low in calories.
Balsamic-glazed Pork Chops

A LITTLE CARNIVOROUS INDULGENCE: It might seem odd to include an occasional meat dish, and for pork, nonetheless, in a recipe club aimed at sharing and teaching the benefits of a mostly plant-based diet. In the Mediterranean, though, meat consumption is not anathema; it’s just not a daily or, dare I say, even weekly indulgence, […]