I was sitting at the table the other day, thinking about food. As one does. But in this case, I wasn’t thinking about eating or actually eating, I was thinking about the gift of food. The gift of cooking, of thoughtful preparation and presentation. Because, really, it is a gift. We could be scavengers, picking up whatever we find on the side of the road and bringing it home (or eating on site). Or, we could just eat like my dogs, a jumble of raw meats, fruits and vegetables tossed in a bowl....
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
This was one of my most popular posts on food back when I was a natural living blogger. I’ve updated to reflect my current strategies, which, incidentally, really haven’t changed much in 20 years. Today I’m answering one of the most common questions I get: how do I save money on healthy food? I’ve been using this strategy for years, leaning heavily on principles I gleaned from The Complete Tightwad Gazette (best Mother’s Day gift ever…). Even though many of the recipes/tips in that book are...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
My third-born is a baker. (She got that from her father - I hate following such precise instructions.) If there’s a recipe for it, she can make it. And then she makes it better. Cakes. Cookies. Biscuits. Macarons. She’s gifted. Not too long ago, she told me that she wanted to give sourdough bread a try. I gave her an enthusiastic yes and did an internal high five because I knew what that meant - lots and lots and lots of fresh sourdough bread for us to eat. Naturally, she decided to grow her...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Once upon a time, I was really intimidated about making yogurt. There were so many directions and I am not good at following directions – I’m a free spirit, okay?. But when I met my friend Jenna years ago, who made yogurt literally every day, I decided to give it a try. She assured me that it really is easy and if I messed up, I could just use it in baking. So I gave it a try and it actually worked! I made yogurt for my family for years. Recently, I’ve begun making my own yogurt again for...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
I was today-years-old when I heard the term, “capsule kitchen.” Which, as it turns out, is what I’ve had for the last, oh, 16 years or so. What is a capsule kitchen? Here’s the AI overview: A capsule kitchen is a minimalist, efficient approach to cooking, inspired by capsule wardrobes, focusing on a core set of versatile staple ingredients, multi-use tools, and fundamental flavor bases to create diverse meals without excess clutter or food waste, relying on a consistent pantry of essentials...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read