I discovered this simple, yet so delicious, salad while visiting Crete several years ago. I knew right away I would be making it when I got home. It’s a beautiful salad to make in the summer when tomatoes are bursting with flavor. The base of the salad is a thick, crunchy barley bread called rusks….
Author: Judy Matusky
Rustic Tomato Toast (Pan Con Tomate)
When you have overly ripe tomatoes, almost too soft to slice, make Pan Con Tomate. This humble, rustic toast is a way to take tomatoes and bread and turn them into a meal. You need only a few simple ingredients but the quality of these ingredients is what creates perfection. Be sure to use the…
Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts. Say Goodbye to Dry!
Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts are certainly a lean, healthy protein choice but they come with some baggage. Because they are so lean, if you’re not careful when cooking them, they can go from cooked tender to tough and dry in a matter of seconds. Never again! A huge thank you to Cook’s Illustrated for cracking…
Sensational Summer Salads
The heat is on so why turn on the heat in your kitchen. Summer is the perfect season to lighten-up your meals with fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetable salads. A healthy template for a nutritionally balanced salad is one that includes lean protein, healthy fat, some whole grain fiber and of course, lots of…
Chocolate Peanut Butter “Light Cream”
True confessions. I love sweets, especially ice cream! Instead of my usual after-dinner bowl of ice cream, I’ve been having fun making a batch of “light” cream using frozen bananas, peanut butter, and cocoa powder. It definitely satisfies my sweet tooth even though there’s no added sugar! Ripe, frozen bananas provide the sweetness and they…
Pina Colada “Light” Cream
How frozen bananas transform into creamy, luscious, “ice cream” is simply magical! Use them to create your favorite ice cream flavors such as my favorite, Pina Colada. Whirl together canned pineapple, coconut, and frozen bananas for a deliciously creamy but much lighter version of ice cream. Don’t throw away those overripe bananas. Peel them and…
Red, White and Blue Berry Trifle
A family favorite at many Memorial Day and 4th of July parties, this dessert is light, delicious, and extremely fast and easy to prepare. I don’t have a formal recipe because the ingredients and amounts used are really up to you. Here’s how I make it. Use a store-bought angel food cake or make one…
Bran Muffin Bread
It was 1985. I was working as a clinical dietitian, recently married, and just learning how to cook. Friends recommended, Good Food Book by Jane Brody, a NY Times Food Columnist, to help me with my cooking skills as well as to understand the art of healthier cooking. I read it cover to cover. I…
Gluten-free Buckwheat Blueberry Muffins
Buckwheat flour, despite it’s name, is not wheat and is naturally gluten-free. Buckwheat kernels or groats are actually a seed which are used to make buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is rich in fiber and many minerals. Some studies suggest buckwheat can improve blood pressure and help regulate blood sugar. I’ve been enjoying making new recipes using…
Bran Muffins with Orange and Dried Plums
What a great way to start you’re busy day. Enjoying a warm, homemade muffin with your tea or coffee. But not one of those store-bought cupcakes pretending to be muffins. These muffins are packed with fiber and just sweet enough from a fresh orange and dried plums (aka prunes). Everything comes together in the food…
One Bowl Fruit and Oat Muffins
I’m always on the search for a delicious, better for you muffin. My requirements are simple. Made from whole grains without becoming dry, uses unsaturated oils instead of butter, less added sugar so it doesn’t cross into cupcake territory, and does not leave you with lots of bowls to clean. This recipe ticks all the…
1, 2, 3, 4 Yogurt Cake
Simple baking is my kind of baking. In France, the 1, 2, 3, 4 yogurt cake uses the entire container of yogurt then uses the container to measure the other ingredients. It’s a cake recipe that’s often used when baking with young children. No need for measuring cups. I was drawn to this recipe not…