So 

So terribly sorry for the lack of posts recently. It's certainly not for a lack of food related matters to post about. it has been due to an evil, and obviously carnivorous, wormy virus that attacked my computer. It is still in the shop actually, apparently worm removal is slow work, and I'm trying to make do with a little broken net book that belongs to my daughter.  For example, there is no return button. Not sure what to do about that.  The above pasta dish was a rich and rather tasty  spaghetti with butternut cream sauce that I made recently. As you know if you've visited here before I am all about cooking with what is fresh and local to the greatest degree possible.

That means cooking with blueberries around here right now. And this photo shows the batter as I was making blueberry oatmeal cookies. Those didn't eve3n last long enough to photograph the finished product.       

     The above dish was another easy and quick pasta dinner made by sauteing in a bit of olive oil and garlic some fresh vegetables from the garden. That evening it was cherry tomatoes and slices of patty pan squash. Once soft adding fresh gourmet ravioli (whatever your favorite kind might be) and basil. These were crab meat with asiago cheese. I sprinkled that with freshly grated Parmesan. The abundance of chunky vegetables in a serving can help prevent the overeating of pasta for those prone to doing so. Lovely with a glass of wine.

Weekday Vegetarians

     Still adjusting to my big-eating boy having moved out. It really is a big change in the food purchasing and consumption habits of our household. Grace and I are much lighter eaters of course, and she enjoys seafood much less than I do. So it will be awhile before we work out a new routine. Lately we've been eating quite a few lobster rolls and sushi, neither of which we make at home. We have also been plagued with a whole series of technical difficulties at home that have prevented me from posting any pictures. Still trying to resolve these problems which require that I shovel loads of dollars into a hole. That is going to take me awhile. In the meantime please peruse this interesting article from this weeks Time Magazine.

Weekday Vegetarians

Is it Safe to Eat Gulf Seafood?

Here is some straight up info that we have all been wondering about.

Is it Safe to Eat Gulf Seafood? | Healthy Child Healthy World

I Say Tomatoes

     Well, my boy has moved out. He is off to his college apartment. Cooking, as well as grocery shopping, in my household has now changed drastically. Feeding him has been one of my principal pastimes for eighteen years. Now there almost seems no need to cook. My daughter doesn't even like cooked food very much, and cooking for the unappreciative is a waste of psychic energy as well as money. As for me, I am trying to cut down on carbs in a continued quest to get my middle aged health isssues back under control. My doctor reports that I am having blood sugar issues and I have been trying to learn how to manage that within a pescetarian framework. It is comforting to know that the super food diet I have been primarily practicing for several years now seems to fit quite well. I have given up my worst nutritional habit of all, morning coffee with french vanilla sweet crap, and though not happy with soy silk, seem to have adjusted to it now. One of the super foods previously mentioned is the lovely and luscious summer beauty; the tomato.

     Very frustrated that my tomatoes wont turn red, I'm having an excellent season with cherry tomatoes, but the big ones are all still green. My basil is ready and I am jonesing for some Caprese salad. Soon.

     Summer makes us think of eating tomatoes cold and raw most of the time, but it is important to remember how wonderful they are when cooked, and how simple that can be as shown in this delicious recipe from Meatless Mondays.
     Baked Tomatoes with Thyme

This is what I want...

Eat A Rainbow

     One of the best lessons we can teach children about healthy eating while they are small is to eat a rainbow of colors every day. They can enjoy counting the number of colors that they eat, which is a habit most adults should aspire to. Go ahead and count right now - how many colors did you eat today?
     This pasta salad started with tri-colored pasta, and lots of fresh green herbs. Veggies mixed in included corn, carrots, red and green peppers, and then it was lightly dressed.

A Colorful Pasta Salad

Veggie sticks and yogurt based dip

Pump Up Your Plate With Color

Scientists report that a diet rich in fruits and vegetable can help:

• Lower cholesterol and blood pressure
• Reduce risk of certain types of cancer
• Reduce the risk of birth defects
• Lower risk of developing cataracts
• Improve memory function
• Improve immune function
• Protect cells from damage
• Lose weight and maintain loss

Eat fruits and vegetables from the color spectrum, including:

• Red (colored by lycopene and anthocyanins) Tomatoes, beets, radishes, red potatoes, red peppers, red cabbage watermelon, guava, strawberries, raspberries, pink grapefruit cherries, red apples, red grapes, rhubarb.
• Orange/Yellow (colored by cartenoids like beta carotene) Apricots, cantaloupe, peaches, pineapple, mangoes, pears, yellow apples, papayas, yellow & winter squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, yellow peppers, sweet corn.
• Green (colored by chlorophyll, indoles, lutein, zeaxanthin) Avocado, leafy greens, spinach, artichokes, green beans, cucumbers, peas, Zucchini with skin, broccoli, Bok Choy, green peppers, kiwi, green grapes, Honeydew melon.
• Blue/Purple (colored by anthocyanins) Blueberries, plums, prunes, raisins, purple grapes, eggplant with skin.
• White (colored by anthxanthins) Bananas, cauliflower, garlic, mushrooms, onions, jicima, white potatoes.

Fishwich and green fries

     Things have been very hectic here. Getting ready to launch my first born child. It's a fairly emotional experience. You really run the gamut of emotions every day. And I've been cooking for him a lot over the last week as he really is my favorite person to feed on the planet. He has, with only a handful of exceptions, loved the food I put in front of him. So I have been indulging him, and me truth be told, with a few of his favorite dishes, and they don't all qualify to make this blog.
     Here is one, that though fried, is a relatively healthy dinner, and he and I both enjoy it.
 
Fishwich

     Buy enough white fish, any kind will do, for each person to have one serving. Clean and pat dry, then marinade briefly in skim milk.

Then toss each fillet in flour on both sides.

Then toss each in a mixture of whole grain crackers crumbs and fresh herbs.

Then gently fry each fillet in a light amount of canola oil a few minutes on each side. When almost done melt a slice of cheese on top if desired.

Serve on a roll with a slice of lettuce and tomato. I like mine with aioli mayo or just ketchup, though many people prefer tartar sauce.

The side dish is called green bean fries and most teenagers will easily convert to them because they are so dang tasty! Toss clean and trimmed green beans in olive oil and sea salt and bake in oven til crispy. Remove to paper towel lined plate before serving.