I promise this is not a cheap way out of a blog post, I just honestly love roasted asparagus and it is a dish I make often.  And simple, simple, simple. The thinner the asparagus the less fibrous they are when you cook them.  Chop about an inch off the bottoms to get rid of the hard stuff. Drizzle with olive oil. Add some fresh cracked pepper and sea salt and toss around to cover asparagus well. Roast and here you have...
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We were in Paris last week and I was reminded by how the French prepare vegetables that are simple and beautiful.  These vibrant and opinionated people (whom I love by the way) seem  to effortlessly throw raw or cooked veggies on a plate with a bit of a sauce and voila!  Lunch or dinner is served!   These radishes looked so rich and crispy on the produce shelf that I whisked them up right away to create a French style roasted sa...
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I think that a healthy breakfast can taste like dessert.  Or dessert anytime of day can be healthy in general if made with the right ingredients.  I am almost certain you will agree with me when you see what this parfait is made of, especially since it is completely sugar-free but sweetly satisfying. You can make this parfait with blueberries or strawberries. And you can also make it in any glass or dish instead of a jar. Ma...
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I have been home under the weather for a few days and really wanted something special for breakfast. Saturday was rainy and we were all hanging out in the loft so it was a perfect time to bake.  I had all the  baking ingredients I needed and a couple of fuji apples, all perfect for what I had in mind. I thought an upside down cake would be perfect because I wanted the top to be caramely and gooey.  We all know about the pineap...
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I am crazy about dark chocolate, nuts and coconuts.  So why not put them all together?  My local Whole Foods makes chocolate covered clusters that you can buy in bulk for about $18.99 a pound.  I know it's expensive but this is because the mix includes sprouted nuts, raisins, blueberries, coconut bits and chocolate.   I figured why not try to make my own home version with a good dark unsweetened chocolate and about two cups of w...
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Lucuma ice cream was my  favorite as a child living in Peru.  And mango everything was everyone's favorite.  I was shopping at a different Whole Foods in the suburbs of Boston last week and I came across lucuma powder.  I was skeptical at first but I bought it anyways.  It was pricey at about $14 a bag but I couldn't resist hoping for a taste of my childhood.  Thankfully I wasn't disappointed.  Lucuma is a tropical fruit nat...
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I have always loved polenta and in the most traditionally cooked ways.  Polenta is popular in Italy and Latin America where many times it is served with a red sauce on top.  Sometimes I make it in this way too but it is a heavier dish and better left for the winter time.  These polenta rounds are made in a more contemporary way and are lighter as well as easy to make since you can buy a tube of pre-cooked polenta and just cut sli...
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Edamame is a favorite side dish/snack that I serve my family a few times a week.  My husband and toddler both love it and I am overjoyed that my little one is getting protein and fiber while having fun picking the beans from the pods.  We eat edamame plain mostly but when I want spicy, salty and garlicky, seasoning these babies is the way to go.   Best part is that you can make edamame in a few minutes without thinking too much a...
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There are few ingredients that I love more than chocolate.  And anything with pure cocoa powder just gives me sweet chills.  My life is filled with cravings for different tastes and today I was anxious for this healthy yet rich raw chocolate tart.  I saw a recipe at my local Whole Foods made by one of their recipe specialists and I couldn't resist. Best part about this recipe is that it is naturally sweetened with dates.  The wal...
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When I lived in Buenos Aires I ate palmito (hearts of palm) salad all the time.  I loved it and ordered it in restaurants whenever I could find it.  I hadn't eaten palmitos in a while and then recently I was at a Brazilian restaurant and they had it on the menu!  It was so delicious that I have brought back palmitos into my cooking for the Spring.  You can buy palmitos canned at most local super markets. Palmitos on t...
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