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…
3-Ingredient Chocolate, Date and Walnut Bites
Dates, walnuts (or almonds, I made two versions for this post), and 100% cocoa powder. That’s it! Put all three ingredients in a food processor and whirl until mixture comes together. Roll into bite size pieces and enjoy! Make extra because these freeze well for a grab and go breakfast or snack. Plus, these sweet,…
Straight-up Rhubarb Pie
For all of us rhubarb lovers, we don’t want any distractions in our pie and that means no strawberries. We want the tartness and the unique flavor of rhubarb to shine. I usually cook with lighter ingredients but this pie is made with a straight-up, full butter crust recipe. I have not modified it to…
Light and Easy Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is delicious but we all know how rich and energy dense it can be. Not to mention the time commitment of making a cream sauce and precooking the pasta. Well, with this just as delicious recipe, there is no need to make a sauce, no need to precook the pasta and it’s…
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…
Rhubarb Swirl Snacking Cake
It’s mid-July and we were able to get one last harvest of our rhubarb which I’ll be using for a rhubarb pie (recipe and video coming soon) and for this delicious rhubarb snacking cake. I love this recipe because it’s packed with healthy ingredients; yogurt, olive oil, lemon, cornmeal and of course, rhubarb. Snacking cakes…
The Best Shrimp Cocktail
You might be thinking, do I really need a recipe for shrimp cocktail? Can’t I just buy it already prepared? If you love shrimp and you really love shrimp cocktail, then yes, you need this recipe! It is so simple to make and tastes a thousand times better than any store prepared version. You start…
Blend and Bake Oat Squares
Finding time for a healthy breakfast can be challenging. That’s why I love anything you can make ahead and freeze. Once baked, cut into squares, wrap and freeze. These grab and go oat squares are made in one easy step and are sweetened naturally from ripe bananas and dates. Eat them cold, room temp or…
Kale Salad with Fresh Strawberries, Feta and Pistachios
Even though you might be getting tired of hearing about kale, this is still my “go-to” summer salad. It’s fast and easy with only 4 ingredients and each ingredient compliments one another. The salty feta, with the sweet and juicy strawberries and the slightly bitter kale, and the added texture from the crunchy pistachios. We…
Dakos: The Mediterranean Salad of Crete
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….
Melon and Avocado Salad with Fennel Dust
This is an impressive salad that’s easy to assemble with few ingredients. You want to be sure the melon is ripe and sweet because it’s the balance of the sweetness from the melon that works so well with the other ingredients. Just scoop out the melon and avocado into the bowl and top with the…
Rhubarb Chia Jam
Chia seeds are a fast and healthy way to make a quick fruit jam. They add fiber and a natural thickness so the fruit becomes a spreadable jam for toast, pancakes, waffles or a topping for yogurt or oatmeal. I’m using rhubarb because it’s delicious and in season but you can substitute your favorite berries…
Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN 